The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 50

While Xie Zhizhen was laughing, Gu Qing seized the opportunity to pull the socks onto her feet.

As soon as they were on, Xie Zhizhen bit her lower lip lightly. She pressed her foot, now clad in a pure white silk sock, against Gu Qing’s left chest. Though it looked somewhat flat, she could feel a hint of soft flesh when she touched it. With her earlobes turning a faint red, Xie Zhizhen said, “It is so hot, I do not want to wear them.”

Even with the ice blocks nearby, being wrapped up so tightly felt a bit stifling.

Gu Qing reached out and grasped Xie Zhizhen’s ankle, her eyes fixed on her. She leaned down and pressed her lips against Xie Zhizhen’s prominent outer ankle bone. For some reason, the gesture reminded Xie Zhizhen of the pious atmosphere of worshipping a deity.

The warmth of Gu Qing’s lips against her cool ankle felt like a sudden scorch. Xie Zhizhen instinctively pulled back, and this time Gu Qing did not stop her. Instead, she said with a gentle smile, “Even in summer, your feet are still this cold. You must wear socks.”

Although they would not have children, a “cold constitution” affected a woman beyond just pregnancy; it could impact her digestion and overall health. Therefore, Gu Qing wanted to keep Xie Zhizhen warm, even in the middle of summer.

Xie Zhizhen pouted. She understood Gu Qing’s reasoning and did not argue. As Gu Qing stood up to push the swing, Xie Zhizhen quickly refused. “Your hands are not clean.”

Gu Qing looked down at her clean hands, then remembered she had just touched Xie Zhizhen’s tender feet. She chuckled softly. “You even dislike your own feet? In that case, do I need to go wash my mouth too?”

After all, she had just kissed Xie Zhizhen’s ankle.

Xie Zhizhen turned her head away with a haughty nod. Gu Qing laughed helplessly. She wanted to rub Xie Zhizhen’s head, but seeing her disdainful look, she simply muttered, “So pampered,” and went to wash up.

Despite her words, this pampered version of Xie Zhizhen was the one Gu Qing knew best, and she was happy to indulge her.

Watching Gu Qing walk away, Xie Zhizhen recalled the way Gu Qing had held her ankle and the tenderness of that kiss. She covered her mouth and giggled. Since Gu Qing’s return, her mood had been excellent. She swayed slowly on the swing as the large tree provided a gentle breeze. Xie Zhizhen closed her eyes to enjoy the quiet moment, but soon felt a burning warmth close behind her.

It could be no one but Gu Qing.

Gu Qing’s freshly washed hands, still carrying a hint of coolness, rested on Xie Zhizhen’s shoulders as she gently pushed the swing.

After playing for a while, Gu Qing sat down on the grass and popped a cherry into her mouth. Xie Zhizhen looked at the grass, then at Gu Qing, and fingered the delicate flower petals on the swing. After a moment of thought, she decided to sit down with her.

Facing each other, Xie Zhizhen watched Gu Qing toss cherries into her mouth one after another. Looking at the fruit on the small table, she suddenly felt an appetite as well. Her fair fingers pinched a dark green stem, and she placed a ruby red cherry between her lips.

Her pink lips held the red fruit, which was still glistening with crystal clear water droplets. Her tongue curled around the cherry, and after a moment, she spat out the pit, which was still slightly wet. The sweet and sour taste was refreshing, and Xie Zhizhen found herself eating half a plate before stopping.

Looking at the nearly empty jade dish, she realized she had eaten quite a lot without noticing. She looked up at the dense leaves, where dappled sunlight fell across her cheeks like a goddess. Gu Qing could not help herself; she leaned forward and kissed Xie Zhizhen’s closed eyes.

When Xie Zhizhen opened her eyes, Gu Qing’s kiss moved downward to her lips. One hand cupped her chin while the other wrapped around her waist, her breath warm and heavy.

Gu Qing’s voice held a hint of raspy magnetism as she nuzzled Xie Zhizhen’s cheek. “When can we try again? I promise I won’t be as rough as before.”

Xie Zhizhen shook her head immediately.

Absolutely not; her chest still felt a dull ache.

Before Xie Zhizhen could speak, Gu Qing kissed her again. After several repetitions, Xie Zhizhen’s head was spinning. Gu Qing licked the peach scented lip balm from her lips and said seductively, “Let’s try again.”

Dazed by the kisses, Xie Zhizhen nodded mindlessly.

Gu Qing’s lips curled into a smirk, looking like a schemer who had succeeded. When Xie Zhizhen snapped out of it, she glared at her angrily. However, she could not go back on her word, so she prepared to set some ground rules.

“First of all, you are not allowed to use so much force.”

“Alright,” Gu Qing nodded readily.

“If I say stop, you must stop immediately.”

“Yesterday, as soon as you pushed me, I let go.”

Xie Zhizhen thought about it and realized that was true, but she still insisted, “I am just reminding you!” Then she added, “Not today. It has to be in two days.”

“Alright,” Gu Qing started to agree, then quickly shook her head. “Why?”

If they weren’t outdoors in broad daylight, Xie Zhizhen would have shown her exactly why. “You! You have the nerve to ask why? My chest still hurts!”

Gu Qing lowered her gaze to the curves beneath Xie Zhizhen’s collar, involuntarily remembering the sensation from the day before. Her earlobes turned red. “It is all my fault. Do not be angry. Shall I massage it for you?”

Xie Zhizhen turned her face away and rejected her. Was that a place one could just “massage” casually?

Catching sight of the fruit, Xie Zhizhen suddenly had an idea. She looked at Gu Qing with a slightly haughty tone. “I want to drink milk tea.”

Milk tea was something Xie Zhizhen had learned about from Gu Qing. Every summer, Xie Zhizhen’s appetite was poor. When they were younger, Gu Qing had specially prepared ice cold milk tea to please her. It was sweet and made from pure, natural ingredients, making it even better than modern versions. Xie Zhizhen had fallen in love with it instantly, though she only liked it iced.

Because Xie Zhizhen had a cold constitution, she could only enjoy iced milk tea in the summer. It became her special seasonal treat. Since Gu Qing left two years ago, Chef Fang had tried to recreate it, but it never tasted the same. She hadn’t had it since.

But things were different now. With Gu Qing by her side, getting milk tea was easy.

Gu Qing nodded and tapped Xie Zhizhen’s forehead. “Wait here. I will make it for you.”

The ingredients were all available in the manor’s small kitchen. Though she hadn’t made it in a long time, the process was simple, and Gu Qing was experienced. Su Juan had already prepared the ice.

The freshly made tea was hot, so Gu Qing added plenty of ice to cool it down. She served it in a glass vessel and carried it to the room. It was getting hot outside, so Xie Zhizhen had moved indoors. Having grown used to the swing, she felt a bit awkward reclining on the couch. She wondered if she could have a swing installed inside the house.

When Gu Qing entered, Xie Zhizhen was sewing something. Gu Qing smiled brightly. “Zhenzhen, the milk tea is here!”

Xie Zhizhen hastily hid the fabric she was holding, looking as flustered as a thief. Gu Qing arched an eyebrow but didn’t press her. She placed the tea on the table and emphasized, “Only one cup. You have a cold constitution; you should drink less of this icy stuff.”

Because Xie Zhizhen’s appetite was poor, Gu Qing had packed the tea with toppings like taro balls, red beans, and grass jelly to make it more filling.

Xie Zhizhen looked at the crowded cup and laughed. “Is this milk tea or eight treasure porridge?”

Gu Qing hummed. “You didn’t eat much this morning, so you should eat more now.” She pinched Xie Zhizhen’s cheek. She had gained a little weight, but she was still too thin.

Xie Zhizhen swatted her hand away. “You have lost a lot of weight too.” Gu Qing had promised she would eat well while she was away, but she had returned much thinner. Liar, Xie Zhizhen thought.

Gu Qing didn’t deny it. War was not a luxury, and losing weight was normal. “But I eat a lot. The weight will come back soon.” These days, she had been eating two large bowls of rice at every meal, regardless of the heat.

Xie Zhizhen realized she couldn’t win the argument, so she took a spoon and began to eat. The cold, sweet and sour flavor of the grass jelly and red beans opened up her appetite. “Yours truly is the best!”

Gu Qing sat beside her and opened her mouth. “Let me have a taste?”

Xie Zhizhen looked at the small amount of tea left and pulled back, shaking her head. Gu Qing pouted pitiably. “I made this specially for you, and I can’t even have a bite?”

Facing that pathetic look, Xie Zhizhen found it hard to refuse even though she knew it was an act. But she knew that if Gu Qing had a bite, there would be less for her, and Gu Qing certainly wouldn’t make a second cup today. “Didn’t you make more?”

Gu Qing shook her head. She had actually made more but sent it to Consort Dowager Shu in the palace.

Xie Zhizhen looked conflicted and cute. She sighed. “Fine.”

Before she could share, Gu Qing said, “Since Zhenzhen is unwilling to share, I will have to take it myself.”

Xie Zhizhen instinctively protected her cup, but she didn’t realize she was playing right into Gu Qing’s hands. Gu Qing leaned forward with a familiar smirk. Before Xie Zhizhen could react, Gu Qing’s lips were on hers, her tongue sweeping away the remnants of the milk tea.

Xie Zhizhen finally understood what she meant by “taking it herself.”

Gu Qing didn’t linger. After tasting the tea on Xie Zhizhen’s lips, she pulled back and teased, “It is indeed very sweet. My skills haven’t faded.”

Xie Zhizhen felt a bit weak but straightened her back to appear dignified. “The Grand Princess’s Manor is not so poor that we lack milk tea. If General Gu wants more, she can make some for herself.”

Gu Qing wiped her lips with a smile. “This official has already had some. Thank you for the hospitality, Your Highness.” She stared at Xie Zhizhen as if she had just consumed her instead of the tea.

Xie Zhizhen lowered her head and ate a few more bites of grass jelly. “Then, General Gu may leave. I haven’t finished yet.”

As soon as Gu Qing left the room, Su Juan handed her an invitation from the Meng Manor. Xie Zhizhen scanned it and closed it. Two years ago, Meng Jing’s wedding had been a hot topic in the capital. At fifteen, Meng Jing had been bitten by a snake while worshipping. A poor scholar appeared and sucked the venom out. Despite it being a life saving act, the physical contact caused a scandal.

Though the family tried to hush it up with money, the story got out, and the Meng family was disgraced. No one expected anything to come of it, but Meng Jing had actually fallen in love. At fifteen, she believed the scholar was her destiny. She broke ties with her family to be with him and moved to a small town. Her name was never heard in the capital again.

Now, she had returned to the Meng Manor, and it was said she had divorced the scholar. This flower viewing party was likely just a matchmaking event. Though Xie Zhizhen usually disliked such social gatherings, she and Meng Jing had been close friends. She was curious about what had happened over the last two years and decided to attend.

The next day, Gu Qing was bored and decided to tag along. Since the war ended, her only duty was attending the morning court sessions. Su Juan, being a perceptive maid, stayed at a distance whenever Gu Qing was around. Thus, while Su Juan went with them, she sat outside the carriage to give the couple some privacy.

Xie Zhizhen was ignoring Gu Qing. Last night, she had said she was fine, but Gu Qing insisted on checking. Not only that, but she insisted on applying medicine. The thought of Gu Qing asking about ointments for “that place” made her feel like dying of embarrassment.

Fortunately, Gu Qing explained that the ointment was something she always carried for wounds, not something she had to ask a doctor for. But the process of Gu Qing personally applying it had been mortifying. The medicine had worked well, and the pain was mostly gone, but the memory made Xie Zhizhen stay cold toward her.

Even after getting out of the carriage, Xie Zhizhen remained distant. A less experienced Su Juan might have tried to mediate, but she had seen enough to know this was just a lover’s spat.

This was their first public appearance together since the wedding. Gu Qing walked beside her. “My dear Grand Princess, look, they are all staring at us.”

Xie Zhizhen glanced around at the curious looks from the other noble ladies. “So what?” She was legally married by the late Emperor’s decree, and the current Emperor was her brother. No one dared gossip to her face.

Gu Qing looked piteous. “Alas, they must all think that the relationship between this official and Your Highness is very discordant.”

Xie Zhizhen didn’t like that. Their bickering was private; she wouldn’t let outsiders talk. “Who said that?”

“Does anyone need to say it? Just look at how Your Highness is treating me.” Gu Qing saw her plan working and leaned into the act. “Forget it, it is all my fault. If I hadn’t insisted on applying that medicine and angered you, you wouldn’t be so cold to me.”

Xie Zhizhen felt a pang of guilt. Gu Qing had been acting for her own good. She didn’t want people to think there was a rift between them, especially since so many people had doubted their marriage. She wanted to show off how well they were doing.

With that in mind, Xie Zhizhen reluctantly reached out her hand. Gu Qing’s eyes lit up as she took that soft hand and smiled.

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