The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 35

After a simple meal, Xie Zhizhen had the habit of taking an afternoon nap, so Gu Qing led her back to her boudoir, intending to accompany her for a short rest.

However, Xie Zhizhen, having just eaten, wasn’t ready to sleep yet. She was wide awake and couldn’t doze off.

Gu Qing sighed helplessly and coaxed her, “If you don’t sleep now, you’ll be drowsy in the afternoon.”

Though Xie Zhizhen napping later wasn’t a big deal, maintaining a stable routine was still better for her.

Xie Zhizhen had no choice but to lie down, staring at the bed curtains as she began to whine, “But what if I just can’t fall asleep?”

She wanted to sleep, but the drowsiness simply wouldn’t come.

Gu Qing knew forcing it wouldn’t help, so she simply pulled out a military strategy book, climbed onto the bed, and wrapped her arms around Xie Zhizhen. The soft, delicate figure in her embrace made her reluctant to let go. “Then keep me company while I read this.”

Xie Zhizhen turned her face away, displeased. “No, I want to read a storybook.”

The military tome was dry and dull nowhere near as interesting as her beloved novels.

Gu Qing chuckled, tightening her embrace. She rested her chin on Xie Zhizhen’s shoulder, breathing in the faint scent of peach blossoms. “If I gave you a storybook, you’d probably stay awake even longer.”

Precisely because she knew Xie Zhizhen had no interest in military texts, she had chosen this as a way to lull her to sleep.

After a moment’s thought, Xie Zhizhen realized she had a point and reluctantly gave up on the idea of reading a novel. She nestled obediently in Gu Qing’s arms as the latter began flipping through the book.

Admittedly, boring and tedious material was the best tool for inducing sleep. Before she knew it, Xie Zhizhen went from wide awake to increasingly heavy-lidded.

Feeling the steady rise and fall of Xie Zhizhen’s breathing, Gu Qing waited a little longer to ensure she was sound asleep before setting the book aside on a small table.

Since Xie Zhizhen was curled up in her arms, Gu Qing had to carefully lower her onto the soft pillows, tucking her in with a light blanket. Then, from among the modern-style plush toys nearby, she picked the largest one, a chubby Patrick Star and placed it in Xie Zhizhen’s arms before quietly leaving.

When Xie Zhizhen woke up, she immediately noticed the familiar yet odd sensation in her arms something soft but lacking warmth, like a stuffed toy.

Still groggy from sleep, she rubbed her eyes and saw the Patrick Star plush in her embrace. At first, she didn’t think much of it; after all, this particular Patrick had been a gift from Gu Qing when they were very young and had long accompanied her during naps.

But when her gaze landed on the red bed curtains, she suddenly remembered she and Gu Qing were married now. And she had fallen asleep in Gu Qing’s arms earlier, so why was Gu Qing gone, replaced by this plump starfish?

A sudden panic gripped her. Clutching the plush tightly, she scrambled out of bed. “Gu Qing! Gu Qing!”

In her fluster, she caught sight of Gu Qing through the window.

Gu Qing stood beneath a tree, dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves and dancing across her cheeks. In her hands was a basket of flowers, and she was carefully weaving them into the ropes of a swing. The vibrant blossoms looked enchanting against the backdrop.

Xie Zhizhen’s heart instantly settled.

So Gu Qing hadn’t disappeared she had just been busy setting up the swing.

Perhaps sensing Xie Zhizhen’s gaze, Gu Qing looked up toward the window. Xie Zhizhen stood there, her hair slightly disheveled, holding a plump and round SpongeBob plushie that seemed oddly out of place with her usual demeanor. Her clear, limpid eyes were strikingly beautiful.

Gu Qing smiled, winding the last few flowers around the swing before setting down the flower basket and stepping inside.

As soon as she entered, her eyes landed on Xie Zhizhen’s fair, delicate feet planted on the floor. Frowning, she strode over swiftly and, before Xie Zhizhen could react, scooped her up in her arms.

“Though spring isn’t too cold, your constitution is weak you must take better care,” Gu Qing chided, placing her on the bed and dampening a cotton cloth to wipe her feet.

Though the room was cleaned daily by maids, walking barefoot inside still left traces of dust.

Xie Zhizhen’s fair feet had grown slightly cold from standing on the floor. Gu Qing wiped them carefully, then cradled them against her chest to warm them.

A woman’s feet were sensitive, private treated like this, as if they were something precious, Xie Zhizhen couldn’t help but squirm slightly as the cloth brushed ticklishly against her soles. Gu Qing tightened her grip, refusing to let her pull away.

Xie Zhizhen pressed her cheek against the plush SpongeBob, its soft, pudgy texture comforting. She nuzzled it, tilting her head to gaze at Gu Qing with a pout. “It’s because you suddenly disappeared. I was afraid…”

Her voice was soft, almost coquettish, and paired with those shimmering eyes, any lingering irritation melted away.

Once Gu Qing finished cleaning Xie Zhizhen’s feet, she kept her expression stern, a habit from her battlefield days to drive the lesson home. “Next time, no matter how urgent, remember to wear shoes. I’m already inside the princess’s residence, where else would I go?”

No sooner had she spoken than a warm kiss landed on her left cheek, freezing her in place.

Though they had kissed before even shared far more heated exchanges just hours earlier it was almost always Gu Qing who initiated. Xie Zhizhen rarely took the lead.

Seeing Gu Qing stunned into stillness, Xie Zhizhen found it amusing. She set SpongeBob aside and nestled into Gu Qing’s arms, giggling. “I understand. It won’t happen again.”

Gu Qing nodded silently, switching to a dry cloth to finish drying Xie Zhizhen’s feet.

The earlier scolding hadn’t frightened Xie Zhizhen she knew Gu Qing was just worried but now, faced with her silence, doubt crept in.

Was she actually angry?

Though they often teased each other, truly upsetting Gu Qing was rare, and Xie Zhizhen tensed slightly.

Gu Qing had always been the one to coax her this was the first time Xie Zhizhen had to figure out how to make amends.

Finally done, Gu Qing suddenly pinned Xie Zhizhen to the bed, her strong hands gripping her wrists, one leg draped possessively over her.

Xie Zhizhen blinked in confusion.

Wasn’t Gu Qing angry? Why was she pinning her down now?

Gu Qing curled her lips slightly. “This humble official thought that, as the princess’s consort, it was necessary to teach the princess how to breathe properly.”

Xie Zhizhen never expected Gu Qing’s first words to be this. She was still in a slightly dazed state. “So you were silent just now because you were thinking about this?”

Gu Qing raised an eyebrow. “Exactly.”

Seeing Xie Zhizhen so obedient just now had made her want to kiss her. But considering her feet were still dirty, she thought it best to clean them first before anything else.

Hearing this, Xie Zhizhen, who had just wiped her feet clean, retracted them and pressed them against Gu Qing’s chest. The soft sensation beneath her feet made her stiffen slightly, feeling a bit awkward, but she tried her best not to show any timidity in front of Gu Qing. “Don’t touch me with the hands that just touched my feet! They’re dirty!”

Gu Qing leaned in closer, her cheek brushing against Xie Zhizhen’s, finding it somewhat amusing. “You’re disgusted by your own feet?”

Xie Zhizhen turned her face away, clearly refusing.

Seeing her so repulsed, Gu Qing released Xie Zhizhen and stood up, glancing at her hands. They didn’t seem that bad.

But there was no helping it. Given Xie Zhizhen’s obvious disgust, if she dared to kiss her now, she would probably really get angry.

Gu Qing had no choice but to call for a basin of water, washed her hands thoroughly, and only then turned back to approach Xie Zhizhen.

Xie Zhizhen extended her hand, revealing her slender, fair wrist. Gu Qing paused for a moment before understanding her meaning and smiled helplessly. She took out a fresh piece of cotton cloth, dampened it, wrung it dry, and sat on the edge of the bed to wipe the spot she had touched earlier.

“Is this acceptable now?”

Only then did Xie Zhizhen nod in satisfaction before being pushed down again.

The two locked eyes. Gu Qing felt a bit nervous; this was the first time they were about to kiss with both of them fully prepared. She swallowed hard. “Are you ready?”

Xie Zhizhen felt both shy and annoyed.

Honestly, if you want to kiss, just do it! Why ask?!

She was already letting herself be pushed down, what more was there to ask?!

Did she have no dignity? A lady should be demure! How was she supposed to answer such a question?!

Seeing the blush spread across Xie Zhizhen’s cheeks and her silence, Gu Qing chuckled inwardly, understanding her meaning. She leaned in slightly, pressing her warm lips against Xie Zhizhen’s.

At first, it was a gentle exploration, not deepening.

She had to give her time to adjust.

But Xie Zhizhen, encountering such a prelude for the first time, curiously watched Gu Qing, who was now extremely close. Gu Qing, meeting her clear gaze, suddenly found it hard to proceed. She simply raised a hand to cover Xie Zhizhen’s eyes.

Blinded, Xie Zhizhen grew even more bewildered, blinking rapidly. Her long, curled lashes brushed against Gu Qing’s palm, tickling slightly.

Just as Gu Qing was about to deepen the kiss, Xie Zhizhen tentatively stuck out her tongue and licked. She immediately felt Gu Qing pause, followed by an overwhelming response.

Perhaps it was Xie Zhizhen’s imagination, but Gu Qing seemed even more fervent than she had been in the carriage, exuding an air of undeniable dominance. She pressed Xie Zhizhen down firmly, her grip on Xie Zhizhen’s hand tightening.

Gu Qing’s intensity made Xie Zhizhen’s tongue ache. Her mind went blank, her breath growing ragged. Just as she thought she might suffocate, Gu Qing released her.

“Silly, I told you to breathe.” Her low, husky voice carried a hint of tender indulgence.

But at this moment, Xie Zhizhen didn’t have the strength to respond. Just as her breathing steadied, tears began to well up in her eyes.

Gu Qing noticed the glistening tears in those beautiful eyes, the rims slightly reddening, and her heart clenched. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you? Don’t cry, don’t cry, it’s all my fault.”

She reached out to wipe Xie Zhizhen’s tears, but they fell like broken strings of pearls, unstoppable. Gu Qing was truly panicked now.

Xie Zhizhen lifted her hand, where two red marks stood out starkly against her fair wrist. Pouting, she whimpered, “It hurts.”

Gu Qing hurriedly cradled her hand, rubbing the delicate skin with her fingertips while blowing gently on it. “It’s all my fault. No more crying, no more crying.”

But Xie Zhizhen wasn’t having any of it. She pulled her hand back with a huff. “I don’t want you! Your hands are rough, they hurt me!”

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