Chapter 128
The girl’s longing was written all over her eyes, but concerned that this would make her seem unreserved, she pressed her lips together and said shyly, “…If you want to dance, I’ll watch…”
She felt guilty even as she said it.
She wanted to see Ningning dance so badly!
Yet, for the sake of face, she had to put on a brave front here, pretending that she didn’t want it that much.
Ahem.
Lu Dieqing was almost looking down on her own little appearance in her heart.
Zheng Xuening, however, laughed softly. Her lips were full, and when she smiled, she was full of life and fragrance. The entire room began to be filled with the amorous atmosphere of a blooming beauty.
Lu Dieqing was so captivated she was dizzy, a little unsure of what day it was.
This bedchamber where she and Ningning were staying had no one else in the room. The corners were filled with Yushan bamboo materials. It was not a very suitable place for dancing.
There was no one to play the qin, no one to play music.
But it seemed that as long as there was that person dancing, it was enough.
Especially when she thought that the person dancing was the usually cool and detached, even somewhat otherworldly, Ningning, this unreal sense of anticipation became even stronger.
“Today, at Zheng Sixin’s place, what kind of dance did you watch?”
Zheng Xuening pulled away a little and asked softly.
Lu Dieqing’s brain couldn’t quite work. She tried to remember what she had seen, but in front of her Ningning, her mind was a complete blank, completely unable to accommodate anyone else.
“…It was just twirling, lifting the sleeves, lifting the legs and jumping a couple of times. I don’t know, maybe it was a water sleeve dance,” Lu Dieqing answered in a small voice.
“I only know the sword dance.”
Zheng Xuening fixed her gaze on her, slowly raised her long sword, the line of her jaw sharp and smooth. Her features were all a bright and beautiful combination, but her phoenix eyes had a combination of a faint and charming aura.
“Watch carefully.” Zheng Xuening raised an eyebrow. When she smiled, she was full of a shimmering tenderness, and a little bit of a carefree air.
Aaaah. So nervous.
Lu Dieqing really wanted to cover her eyes to hide her shyness at this moment.
But the next moment, the long sword in Zheng Xuening’s hand was raised.
Her long legs, with their long skirt, lifted from behind, unfolding into the shape of a lotus flower. At the same time, her entire upper body stretched forward, holding the long sword, like a graceful swan, and she began her dance with extreme elegance.
A woman’s figure was naturally soft and slender, but what was different about Zheng Xuening from ordinary women was that her every move was filled with strength.
Her sword should have carried a sharp killing intent, but because she was dancing in front of her beloved, it had a few more traces of affection.
This was not the first time Lu Dieqing had seen Zheng Xuening hold a sword. After all, in the forbidden land before, she had seen the other fight with the puppeteer and had also seen such a lively figure.
But at that time, it was to defeat the other, and the meaning conveyed was completely opposite to the present moment.
Tonight’s Zheng Xuening was as if she had shed all the sharpness that could have hurt others, leaving only the tenderness in front of her beloved woman.
Having seen Zheng Xuening’s sharp and fierce sword intent before, as a comparison, Lu Dieqing felt the specialness of this sword dance even more.
Ningning’s liking, Ningning’s love, Ningning’s passionate feelings hidden under a calm appearance.
Lu Dieqing had never seen such a beautiful dance.
It was not just visually pleasing, but also that feeling of being struck in the heart, a fluttering sensation.
Her mind, her soul, her every emotion, were all moved by Ningning’s sword dance.
Zheng Xuening twirled her sword and suddenly glanced at Lu Dieqing.
The girl, with her almond eyes wide, was watching, entranced, her pair of clear and moving eyes round and round, a completely unguarded look.
As the sword dance came to an end, a mischievous thought inexplicably arose in Zheng Xuening’s heart, and the long sword in her hand swung out.
Just as the sword was about to fall on her head, Lu Dieqing still stood there, not flinching or dodging. It was unknown if she was so scared she had forgotten to move, or if she was certain she would not be hurt. Even her eyes remained wet and soft, full of trust.
The long sword brushed past Lu Dieqing’s long hair.
The hairpin that had been fixed in the girl’s beautiful hair fell.
Zheng Xuening reached out her hand, and the hairpin landed lightly in her palm.
Along with it, Lu Dieqing’s full head of beautiful hair, because the hairpin that had been holding it was gone, fell to her shoulders, strands of dark silk pouring down.
This head of dark silk was like a waterfall. Although it had not been meticulously cared for by its owner in the past, it was truly naturally beautiful.
The long hair was scattered over her shoulders, full of a dark and lustrous light, reminding one of satin, every strand delicate and smooth.
Lu Dieqing’s tender, pink face, because of her long hair falling, was even more poignant and moving.
She looked at Zheng Xuening with her almond eyes, then at the hairpin in the other’s palm, blinked, and did not speak.
“Why didn’t you dodge?”
Zheng Xuening raised her hand to return the hairpin to her.
Lu Dieqing, however, did not reach out to take it, but just shook her little head, turned her face, and hugged her.
“You wouldn’t have hurt me. Why should I dodge?”
The girl’s voice was soft and gentle, her long lashes fanning like two little brushes.
“Have you ever seen a person’s left hand go and hurt their right hand?”
She was truly, from the bottom of her heart, filled with a trust for Zheng Xuening that was carved into her soul.
The girl’s little head, as she nuzzled into Zheng Xuening’s embrace, was also full of attachment.
“You danced so beautifully just now.”
Lu Dieqing did not hold back her praise. She looked up, gazed at Zheng Xuening, and began to praise her.
“Your posture was lively and light, and also soft, carefree, and beautiful. I was just thinking, I’m really so lucky. How could there be such a beautiful fairy who has descended from the heavens to dance for me?”
“Not only that, but I can also hold such a beautiful fairy and talk to her. And I can even…”
Lu Dieqing was stuck, thinking about what else to say.
Zheng Xuening, who had been letting her lean against her shoulder and was holding her hairpin for her, had her red lips pressed against her ear, and said softly, “Think again. What else can you do?”
If she hadn’t said this, it would have been fine, but to say it… especially in the current atmosphere, it had a certain flirting effect.
Lu Dieqing’s face, from her neck to the tips of her ears, turned red. She looked like a little tomato, almost ripe.
Her two small hands grabbed Zheng Xuening’s arm, and her soft body leaned against her, whispering, “…We have to blow out the lamp.”
These words were said with great shyness, but the dark environment did indeed encourage the hidden feelings in her heart to grow and be released.
This was something she was getting used to.
Zheng Xuening gently waved her palm towards the lamp.
The palm wind was sent out by a long and continuous internal energy, and the lamp, which had just been flickering, was extinguished in an instant.
The vast bedchamber returned to darkness.
“Do you want some fruit wine?” Zheng Xuening pinched Lu Dieqing’s cheek and kissed her red lips.
She was a little bit bad, knowing that the girl could not hold her liquor, and deliberately asking her if she wanted to drink.
Clearly, the matter of Lu Dieqing going to the Third Princess’s place to drink had still been on her mind, and there was jealousy.
Everything her little rabbit did with others, she had to be a part of, never missing out.
Lu Dieqing’s heart was guileless. Hearing Zheng Xuening ask if she wanted to drink, she immediately nodded.
“Okay.”
“Mmm…”
The next moment, the Crown Princess, who was so cool and unapproachable in front of others, was like a banished immortal who had been bewitched by a peerless enchantress. She descended from the heavens and fed the girl in her arms, lip to lip.
Outside, Helian, who had been guarding the main door of the bedchamber, seemed to have heard something and immediately retreated some distance.
Only when she was guarding the main door from afar did she look at the moon in the sky and smile.
She had really never seen Her Highness like this, to be willing to dance with a sword for Miss Lu.
The person who was usually so serious, to do such things, just for a beauty’s smile, what was the difference between that and a monarch stepping down from the court?
They had both removed their masks, their airs, and all their shackles, leaving only the love of two lovers.
…
The next day, it was bright.
Lu Dieqing stretched, and like a little kitten, she nuzzled into Zheng Xuening’s embrace.
Zheng Xuening almost subconsciously reached out her arms and held the girl in her embrace.
When she saw the faint light outside the window, Zheng Xuening belatedly realized one thing—she no longer had insomnia like before.
She had actually had a good night’s dream.
Not as a doll, trapped in a doll’s body, but just in her own body, a night of good sleep.
This was simply incredible.
But if it was with Lu Dieqing by her side, this incredible thing had an explanation.
Clearly, she had just sent Matron Zhang home yesterday, and she had lost an old person who had watched her grow up since she was a child.
She should have felt that something was missing.
But holding the girl in her arms, Zheng Xuening felt that, in fact, nothing was lacking.
As long as she had this one peerless treasure, she was content.
Zheng Xuening even felt a sense of gratitude in her heart. Thankfully, thankfully, it was she who had become Lu Dieqing’s doll.
Thankfully, outside of her identity as the Crown Princess, she also had the identity of the doll, Xinxin.
This made her feel the power of fate—fate had firmly tied her and Lu Dieqing together.
This inscrutable bond of fate put her at ease.
“Ningning~” Lu Dieqing called out to her in a soft voice, acting cute before even opening her eyes.
She nuzzled her entire body into Zheng Xuening’s embrace, her eyes closed, her lips curved in contentment.
Ningning’s body is fragrant and soft. It’s so comfortable to hold her while sleeping.
Now she finally understood why the ancients would describe a beauty as warm, fragrant, and soft as jade.
To be able to hold a great beauty like Ningning to sleep every day was truly the happiest, most gentle haven in this world.
“The academy is on break today. You don’t have to go. Sleep a little longer.”
Zheng Xuening pinched her cheek and leaned down to plant a light kiss on the girl’s forehead.
Lu Dieqing rubbed her head against her embrace and mumbled in a small voice, “If I’m not going to the academy, can I go somewhere else? Zuo Xiaoya and the others invited me to their residence to play. Can I go?”
As she said the latter half of the sentence, the girl looked up, watching Zheng Xuening obediently. Her face was rosy, her eyes sparkling, and her long lashes fanned, so exquisitely beautiful she hardly seemed real.
Zheng Xuening: “When have I ever stopped you? Go if you want to.”
Lu Dieqing was instantly energized and sat up.
“Really?”
Her expression of surprise, even bordering on delight, made Zheng Xuening can’t help but reflect on herself for a moment.
Have I been that unreasonable in front of the girl on a daily basis? Or like a tyrant who flies into a rage at a moment’s notice?
Otherwise, why would my little girl have to ask for my opinion before even visiting someone else, as if she didn’t dare to go?
Lu Dieqing immediately saw what Zheng Xuening was thinking. She quickly hugged the other and, in a flurry of affection, explained, “That’s not it. You’ve never restricted me, but I want to consider your feelings more. I’m afraid you’ll be unhappy.”
Her Ningning was actually very fragile, very sensitive, and easily hurt.
It was just that whatever was on her mind, she would often keep it to herself and not say it out loud, bottling it up, which made people think she didn’t care about anything.
But that wasn’t the case at all.
Lu Dieqing stroked Zheng Xuening’s heart.
“Of course, I hope I can always be the worm in your belly, knowing what you’re thinking, so there won’t be even the slightest possibility of you feeling wronged. But I’m only human, and there will always be times when I’m not considerate enough. Limited by my own experiences, I’m not that clever, not that comprehensive. So…”
The girl stuffed her entire self into Zheng Xuening’s embrace, holding her and whispering,
“I would rather ask a few more questions, discuss everything with you. That way, the moment you feel any unhappiness, I’ll be able to notice it.”
“Whether you’re my little doll Xinxin, or the Ningning who is with me every day, you are my treasure. And for one’s own treasure, of course, one must use the most patience and gentleness in the world.”
Lu Dieqing’s eyes were full of passion, her sparkling gaze glistening and wet, more moving than any little deer in the forest.
Who could possibly remain unmoved under the gaze of those eyes?
Zheng Xuening rolled over and pressed the girl down.
“You’re so good with words. Say some more.”
Her two hands clasped Lu Dieqing’s wrists, and she rained down a flurry of delicate kisses.
Everything was too beautiful, and there was always the worry that this beautiful dream would shatter.
She didn’t know if she would ever step onto the path of seeking immortality and possess a long life.
She only knew that to live in such love every day was enough.
