The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 64

Gu Qing never imagined that Zhou Xianyun could be so self-righteous about openly trying to come between a married couple. After a moment of reflection, she suddenly understood. This was ancient times, after all, and the concept of a homewrecker as known in the modern world did not quite exist in the same way. From Zhou Xianyun’s perspective, it was perfectly normal for a high ranking, powerful Eldest Princess to keep a few male favorites, or in this case, a female one.

Somehow, looking at Zhou Xianyun, the only phrase that came to Gu Qing’s mind was that internet meme: “I’m not here to break up this family; I’m here to join this family.” The mental image was a bit too vivid.

Bringing her thoughts back to the present, Gu Qing looked at the kneeling Zhou Xianyun. Understanding her was one thing, but accepting her as a rival was another. She parted her lips and said, “I have never considered myself a generous person. Therefore, there can only be me by Zhizhen’s side. If there is anyone else,” a flash of killing intent flickered in Gu Qing’s eyes, “this General will certainly not show any mercy!”

Zhou Xianyun looked up at Gu Qing and said, word by word, “What if the Princess is also willing to accept it?”

What if Zhizhen is willing to accept it? Gu Qing did not dare think about that hypothesis. In the past, she could have told herself that Zhizhen’s happiness was the most important thing, that if she liked someone else, Gu Qing could even see her off to her wedding. But now? Gu Qing asked herself honestly: after possessing Xie Zhizhen and sharing so many intimate moments, could she still let go?

After a long silence, Gu Qing opened her eyes, her gaze filled with determination. “That possibility will never occur.”

She should trust Zhizhen, just as Xie Zhizhen trusted her. Gu Qing lowered her eyes again to look at Zhou Xianyun, who had clearly dressed up for the occasion. In the past, this kind of affected, elaborate grooming was what she despised most. “Zhizhen and I can only be two people. There will never be a third, and I will not allow a third to appear.”

Seeing Gu Qing’s unyielding stance, Zhou Xianyun stood up, no longer showing weakness. “Then let us see who has the better methods.”

Xie Zhizhen was currently assessing the basic levels of the children. The three she had brought only recognized a few common characters; anything more was beyond them. She continued flipping through the files of the ten children Gu Qing had brought, only to find that these ten did not even know the most basic characters. With the first three children as a baseline, Xie Zhizhen did not find their illiteracy too shocking anymore. However, she was curious: where did Gu Qing find so many children?

Suddenly, she felt a warm body press against her back. The familiar scent of green grass and the warmth told her exactly who it was without her having to turn around. Sure enough, she heard Gu Qing’s voice: “Zhizhen.”

Sensing that Gu Qing seemed to be in a bad mood, Xie Zhizhen turned around. Gu Qing took the opportunity to pull her into her lap while sitting in the chair. Her voice was somewhat muffled. “Zhizhen, will you always love me?”

Normally, Xie Zhizhen would not answer such a question, but at this moment, she sensed that Gu Qing’s mood was genuinely low. Though she did not know why, she knew Gu Qing needed a bit of coaxing. She pursed her lips; she was not good at sweet talk, so she kept it simple.

“Of course.” Xie Zhizhen reached out to wrap her arms around Gu Qing’s neck. She loved this position, Gu Qing encircling her while she held Gu Qing. It made her feel secure and comfortable. Her body still felt a bit sore from the previous night, and leaning into Gu Qing’s embrace seemed to ease the ache.

Hearing the answer, Gu Qing’s heart relaxed. Her cheek pressed against Xie Zhizhen’s, their breaths intertwining. “Me too.”

Though she did not understand why Gu Qing had suddenly become sentimental, Xie Zhizhen was happy to accept such a direct confession of love. She exerted a little strength in her waist, leaned forward, and planted a kiss on Gu Qing’s lips. “Did something happen?” She was, after all, a bit worried.

Gu Qing looked down into Xie Zhizhen’s beautiful eyes, which were filled with concern for her. She suddenly felt that a mere Zhou Xianyun was not worth the trouble. Even if Zhou Xianyun liked Xie Zhizhen, her years of history and bond with Zhizhen were not something an outsider could just interfere with. With that thought, Gu Qing felt a weight lift from her heart. Perhaps because it was her first time facing a romantic rival so directly, she had been a bit flustered. Now that she had calmed down, she felt it was unnecessary; Zhou Xianyun was just a clown jumping on a stage.

“It is nothing,” Gu Qing told her. There was no need to let Zhizhen know about a nuisance and add unnecessary trouble.

Although her intuition told her something had definitely happened, Xie Zhizhen trusted Gu Qing. If she did not want to say, she would not press her. Xie Zhizhen’s gaze fell back on the assessment results of the ten girls on the desk. Seeing the large X marks in Meng Jing’s familiar handwriting, she asked curiously, “Where did you find these children? Why do they have no foundation at all?”

Following her gaze, Gu Qing saw the report. She rested her chin on Xie Zhizhen’s shoulder. “I picked them up on the road.”

Xie Zhizhen assumed she was joking. Children are not trash; how could you just pick them up? She pushed Gu Qing lightly. “I am being serious.”

Gu Qing sighed, pinched Xie Zhizhen’s chin to make her look her in the eye, and answered very seriously, “I am not joking. I really picked them up on the road.” Realizing Zhizhen might still not understand, she explained their origins. “They were all homeless beggars.”

When Xie Zhizhen had complained about not being able to find students, Gu Qing found it unbelievable. With so many homeless children on the streets, how could she not find students? But then she understood. For a little princess pampered since childhood, the idea of street orphans simply never crossed her mind, not out of discrimination, but out of a simple lack of exposure.

Gu Qing teased playfully, “The Princess doesn’t discriminate against these children, does she?”

Xie Zhizhen immediately protested, “How could I!” In her eyes, whether a child was from a wealthy family or a beggar on the street, they were the same. As a teacher, how could she discriminate based on birth?

Gu Qing patted her head and smiled. “I knew you wouldn’t.”

Just then, a knock came at the door, followed by Meng Jing’s voice. “Zhizhen, are you there? I have something to discuss with you.”

Xie Zhizhen hurriedly tried to get off Gu Qing, afraid of being seen in such an intimate position. Gu Qing, however, pulled her back into her lap, acting quite bold. “We are married. It is just a hug, what is there to fear?”

Xie Zhizhen glared at her. “What if she misunderstands something?” If Meng Jing saw them like this, she might think they were doing something scandalous! Gu Qing did not care and toyed with a lock of Xie Zhizhen’s hair. Meng Jing knocked again. “Zhizhen, are you in there?” Hearing no response, Meng Jing muttered to herself, “Is she not here? Maybe I should go in and check?”

Xie Zhizhen grew even more nervous at the thought of Meng Jing pushing the door open. She quickly called out, “I was napping for a bit and my clothes are a mess. Give me a moment.”

She then hurriedly tried to usher Gu Qing under the desk. The space was narrow, and even for a woman like Gu Qing, it was cramped. She was a bit dissatisfied and grabbed Xie Zhizhen’s arm before she could move away. “We are a legal couple. Why must we hide like this?”

Seeing Gu Qing being uncooperative, Xie Zhizhen softened her voice and coaxed, “Just endure it for a little bit. Just a tiny bit.” She gestured with her fair fingertips, her eyes looking pitiful. Gu Qing pursed her lips and, though reluctant, finally agreed.

Relieved, Xie Zhizhen straightened her dress, ensured she looked decent, and rubbed her eyes to feign sleepiness. She opened the door to see a visibly anxious Meng Jing. “Come in.”

Meng Jing entered with a grave expression. Xie Zhizhen, thinking something major had happened, also looked serious. “Did something happen?”

“Zhizhen, do you know the background of the ten children Gu Qing brought?” Meng Jing asked, choosing her words carefully. Since the three had grown up together, Meng Jing used their names directly rather than formal titles.

Xie Zhizhen sat back in her chair. Across the desk, Meng Jing could not see the third person hiding in the cramped space below. Under the desk, Gu Qing listened curiously. She rested her face against Xie Zhizhen’s calf. The warmth of her skin transferred through the thin fabric of the dress. Xie Zhizhen’s body stiffened. She instinctively wanted to kick Gu Qing away, but knowing Meng Jing was right there, she restrained herself. “I know. They were homeless beggars from the street.”

Meng Jing’s expression froze. She had not expected Xie Zhizhen to know. She spoke up quickly, “How can that be allowed!”

Her shocked tone made Xie Zhizhen look at her curiously. “Why not?”

Under the desk, Gu Qing did not even need Meng Jing to speak to guess the reason: a matter of status. Not everyone could be like Xie Zhizhen, setting aside the gap in social standing and treating everyone with simple equality. Thinking she was about to hear more of Meng Jing’s tedious views, Gu Qing quietly slid her hand up from the hem of the skirt to Xie Zhizhen’s calf. Her warm fingertips made direct contact with the skin. Xie Zhizhen shuddered and looked down to glare at Gu Qing, signaling her to behave.

Gu Qing found the reaction amusing. She blinked innocently and, once Xie Zhizhen looked away, rested her head on Zhizhen’s knee. Seeing that she was not doing anything further out of line, Xie Zhizhen tolerated it, planning to give Gu Qing a piece of her mind once Meng Jing left.

Then, she heard Meng Jing say, “Those street beggars are illiterate. How can they be allowed into our academy!”

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