Starting with Intercepting and Marrying the Eldest Princess - Chapter 26.2

Chapter 26.2

Xie Ning was busy. She was busy taking care of a child.

Perhaps she had left a deep imprint in Yinyin’s heart, so the awake Yinyin clung to her, refusing to let go of anyone else.

It was a good thing she had recovered some vitality. The two sat in the back courtyard, basking in the sun.

The Empress Dowager felt a pang of jealousy and teased Pei Shujing beside her: “Little Xie seems to like children very much. When do you two plan to have one of your own?”

Pei Shujing raised her hand to cover her face and said helplessly: “Mother, when are you returning to the palace?”

“What, are you so eager to be rid of this old woman?”

“A married daughter is like water poured out. Although you took an Imperial Son-in-Law, the principle is the same. I understand.”

“Fine, fine. I will take Yinyin back to the palace now. Even if Yinyin relapses due to trauma, I won’t bother you again, Xiaojing, wuwuwu.”

Pei Shujing watched her mother dramatically pretending to cry with a blank expression.

“Then Yinyin can stay here for now.”

“What? You don’t want your mother, and now you want to take my other daughter away too! My heart… it’s turning ice-cold.”

The Empress Dowager’s voice chirped endlessly like an oriole around Pei Shujing, who found it noisy.

“If you make any more noise, I really won’t let you stay here!”

The Empress Dowager immediately fell silent and happily waved to Yinyin in the courtyard.

Pei Shujing sighed inwardly. It wasn’t that she didn’t want her mother to stay, but her mother, having nothing better to do, would definitely bring up the topic of children in front of her. She didn’t mind; she could just pretend not to hear. But it was extremely inconvenient for Xie Ning.

With the Empress Dowager present, they would have to share a room, and Xie Ning would have to speak in Xie Jing’s voice in front of her. She didn’t want that.

Pei Shujing had considered telling her mother Xie Ning’s true identity, but after thinking it over, she decided against it.

Xie Ning could tell Jingqiu or anyone else because it was Xie Ning’s own business.

But she couldn’t overstep her bounds and reveal the secret without Xie Ning’s permission.

Moreover, her mother lived in the palace all day. If she accidentally slipped up one day, that would be another huge trouble.

Thinking of this, Pei Shujing’s heart moved. She wanted to ask her mother if she knew about the matter between her and the Emperor, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask.

The Empress Dowager saw her daughter’s lips twitching, hesitant to speak, and sneered: “Don’t bother with nonsense.”

How could she not know what was going on between her daughter and her son?

But so what?

Having attained her position, she had weathered countless storms in her lifetime. How could she, the Empress Dowager, be ignorant of such matters? How could she not be accustomed to them?

She was exhausted after working hard for half her life and really didn’t want to deal with such frustrating matters. If she genuinely worried about it, she felt she would be infuriated to death.

She finally reached this position and hasn’t even enjoyed a few days yet. Does someone want her to die?

Dream on!

So, the Empress Dowager simply refused to interfere, letting them compete and fight. Whatever outcome arose from their struggle, they should bear it themselves, as long as they didn’t come running to her crying for help later.

Pei Shujing remained silent for a moment, understanding her mother’s meaning. For some reason, she suddenly felt a little sorry for her mother.

“Mother, stay here for a few more days.”

It’s just sleeping in the same room as Xie Ning. I can endure it. As long as it makes Mother happy, it’s worth it.

Yes, exactly!

Xie Ning, unaware of the good news to come, was pulling Yinyin to look at the fish by the pond. She pointed to the swimming fish inside and asked: “Yinyin, look at these fish. Do you want to eat them?”

Yinyin lifted her small head, looked at Xie Ning, and said: “No, Yinyin doesn’t want them to die.”

“But don’t you think sweet and sour fish is delicious?” Xie Ning gave her a big-bad-wolf smile.

Sure enough, the little white rabbit Yinyin hesitated.

“Then… Yinyin will apologize to them before eating them.”

Xie Ning couldn’t help but smile. She rubbed Yinyin’s little head: “Yinyin is so sensible.”

Unlike some people…

Yinyin’s dark eyes fixed on Xie Ning. She suddenly said something with her tender voice that made Xie Ning’s heart clench.

“That day, I heard them talking.”

“They wanted to harm Older Sister. I heard them.”

“So, they hid me away. Second Brother watched from the side and didn’t protect Yinyin.”

Seeing the little girl’s disappointed look, Xie Ning forced a smile: “But your Older Sister protected Yinyin, didn’t she? Your Older Sister usually looks cold, but she actually likes Yinyin very much in her heart.”

Yinyin looked at Xie Ning with suspicion: “Really?”

“Of course, it’s real.”

“And you protected Yinyin too. Do you also like Yinyin in your heart?”

“Yinyin is the cutest little girl in the world. Of course, I like her.”

Yinyin showed a small smile: “Xie Ning, you are so kind.”

Xie Ning smiled and held Yinyin’s small hand: “Yinyin is also very kind.”

Afterward, Yinyin was taken away by the Empress Dowager to take her medicine. Xie Ning’s career as a kindergarten teacher temporarily came to an end.

She walked beside Pei Shujing and watched Yinyin’s retreating figure, who looked back every two steps: “Yinyin is showing signs of extreme insecurity. Fortunately, Yinyin is still young, and we can slowly warm her heart.”

Pei Shujing nodded silently: “Thank you for your effort.”

Xie Ning thought for a moment: “Let’s get her a small pet. We can’t be with her all the time.”

Moreover, Yinyin didn’t have any peers to be friends with. She was truly lonely.

Pei Shujing looked confused: “What kind of pet? Can a kitten work?”

“A kitten isn’t quite suitable.”

Xie Ning shook her head. Kittens were cute, but they slept eighteen out of twenty-four hours a day.

When Yinyin needed to play, she couldn’t just have her stare at a sleeping kitten, could she?

“Let’s get a small dog.”

Dogs are good. Dogs are lively and need to be walked every day. They would be more suitable for Yinyin to play with.

“I’ll take her to the market to pick one when she gets better.”

Pei Shujing nodded. It was good that Xie Ning had an idea.

Later in the evening, the group sat in the courtyard preparing to eat. Pei Shujing went to change into her casual clothes, so Xie Ning had to endure the Empress Dowager’s questioning alone.

The Empress Dowager looked at the uncomfortable Xie Ning and smiled: “Xiaojing caused you trouble.”

“No, no, nothing of the sort. Her Highness is very good.”

“I know that child’s temper. You must have suffered a lot.” The Empress Dowager looked at Xie Ning with the benevolent gaze of a parent.

“Her Highness is just a bit spoiled. Her nature is very good. I really like that about her.”

The Empress Dowager laughed happily: “That’s good. I’ll have to trouble you more in the future. If she throws a fit, you can always come to me, and I’ll help you discipline her.”

“If there’s anything I do poorly, please don’t hesitate to point it out, Mother. I will certainly make changes.”

At this time, Yinyin, sitting next to the Empress Dowager, said firmly: “Xie Ning is very kind.”

The Empress Dowager was slightly puzzled: “Why does Yinyin call you Xie Ning?”

Xie Ning coughed, feigning embarrassment: “That’s the pet name Her Highness gave me, but Yinyin remembered it.”

The Empress Dowager covered her mouth and chuckled: “Your affection is truly deep. Then, Ningning, have you given Xiaojing a pet name?”

Xie Ning’s entire body was tingling from the Empress Dowager calling her “Ningning.”

“Not yet…”

The Empress Dowager was a little dissatisfied: “Oh? Don’t you like Xiaojing, Ningning?”

Xie Ning quickly shook her head: “No, no. I just… uh.”

Before she finished speaking, the Empress Dowager’s eyes lit up: “How about… I help you choose a pet name?”

Xie Ning opened her mouth with difficulty: “Mother, a pet name… wouldn’t it seem insincere if you chose it for me?”

“That’s true.”

The Empress Dowager nodded: “Then you must think carefully. Don’t forget to tell Mother once you’ve decided.”

Xie Ning wiped non-existent cold sweat: “Of course, of course.”

Just as the dishes were almost all served, Pei Shujing, having changed her clothes, slowly walked into the courtyard.

Her hair was neatly coiled at the back of her head with a hairpin. Her cold yet stunning little face looked straight ahead.

Wearing a black casual outfit, as she passed the blooming flowers in the courtyard, she didn’t look dull at all. Instead, it made Pei Shujing appear even more dignified and elegant.

Pei Shujing walked to Xie Ning’s side and slowly sat down.

As the two sat close, Xie Ning noticed a small lily flower embroidered on her chest.

Xie Ning couldn’t help but wonder if it held some kind of meaning.

As she stared intently, the Empress Dowager whispered something to Pei Shujing, after which Pei Shujing gave her a smile that made her jump.

That smile, full of warning, seemed to say that her death date was imminent.

The Empress Dowager smiled and said: “Xiaojing, you make the tea.”

“Yes.” Pei Shujing replied, stood up, and walked to the tea table to start brewing tea.

Out of curiosity, Xie Ning watched intently.

She had never seen Pei Shujing brew tea before.

After watching for a while, although Xie Ning didn’t quite understand, she began to anticipate the taste of the tea from Pei Shujing’s focused expression.

She didn’t understand, but she felt impressed.

The tea was brewed, and Xie Ning drank it.

Xie Ning wanted to spit it out, but when she looked up, she saw two adults and one child staring at her.

Xie Ning: “…”

Xie Ning swallowed the tea, grounds and all, without changing her expression. Pei Shujing showed a satisfied smile, the Empress Dowager gave her a look that said I underestimated you, and Yinyin stared at Xie Ning with some confusion.

After dinner and playing with Yinyin for a while, and then coaxing Yinyin to sleep, the two finally went to bathe one after the other.

As they left, the Empress Dowager teased: “Keep the noise down tonight. I’m old, and I’m a light sleeper.”

Pei Shujing and Xie Ning were both speechless.

On the way back to the room, Pei Shujing walked slowly without saying a word. Xie Ning honestly followed behind, not daring to speak.

“What did my Mother say to you?” Pei Shujing suddenly asked.

Xie Ning flinched: “Just praised you…”

“What did you say to my Mother?”

“Also praised you…”

“Did you say this Princess is spoiled?”

“Is ‘Ningning’ the pet name this Princess gave you?”

“Do you also want to give this Princess a pet name?”

Xie Ning remained silent all the way, walking into Pei Shujing’s bedchamber.

Beside the bed where she had woken up during the day.

A bedroll had already been laid out on the floor.

Xie Ning silently lay down on the floor bed, squeezed a smile at Pei Shujing, who was watching her with narrowed eyes: “Your Highness, good night.”

But Pei Shujing kicked her: “Get up.”

“Huh?”

“Go sleep on the bed!”

“Ah?”

“Don’t make this Princess say it a second time!”

“…” Xie Ning silently got up and climbed onto the bed.

Pei Shujing extinguished the lamp and lay down on the floor bed.

Half an hour…

One hour…

It was deep into the night, and Xie Ning still hadn’t fallen asleep.

Pei Shujing’s breathing on the floor was steady. She was clearly in a deep sleep.

Is she that confident in me?

Both of them are attracted to women, after all!

Xie Ning took a deep breath, preparing to force herself to sleep.

Hmm? Take a deep breath?

Take another deep breath…

“!”

As if possessed, Xie Ning smiled seductively.

“Your Highness, you smell so good~”

“Get lost!”

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