“If the Princess hadn’t called me to discuss this, I would have already gone.”
I was speechless. So I had done something unnecessary? I waved my hand, and he stood up to leave, departing decisively.
I sighed, feeling exhausted…
Even if I wish it, I can’t just jump straight to the point—” I suddenly realized. “What you just said, is it what I’m thinking?”
Shen Dan Ding is the type who would force himself on someone only under extreme circumstances.
The sparrow’s face darkened. “Madam! When I said ‘strong embrace’, I meant forceful hugging.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “I said General Shen would never do such a thing—did you say my little sister slapped him?”
She nodded. “Yes, quite hard. The fingermark on General Shen’s face won’t fade anytime soon.”
After quickly washing up, I rushed to my little sister’s room and found General Shen pacing at the doorway, looking stiff. When he saw me, he maintained his signature stone-faced expression as he bowed.
“It seems the general’s conversation with Yaner didn’t go smoothly yesterday,” I coughed, pretending not to see the faint redness from the fingermark on his face. “Do you need me to talk to my little sister?”
General Shen nodded. “Then I’ll trouble the princess.”
My little sister was curled up under the blanket, like a hibernating snake. I pulled away her blanket, and she reached for a pillow to cover her face, continuing to sleep.
“Don’t you want to chat with your second sister?
“I brought a plate of rose cakes, waving it in front of her nose.
She immediately opened her eyes, her black pupils focusing on the rose cake. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Really nothing to talk about?” I picked up a piece of cake and took a deep breath. “It smells so good.”
“I want to eat!” She sprang up, reaching for it, but I blocked her. “Wash up first. Then tell me what happened last night?”
She buried her face in the pillow, mumbling: “How do you know everything…”
“General Shen was wandering around the doorway, looking quite dejected,” I said, watching her reaction. The little girl stiffened, revealing one eye, blinking.
“He came?” She pondered for a moment before emerging from under the pillow. “Second sister, I don’t understand my feelings. I’ve always felt I disliked him, but when I see him, my heart feels blocked, and I need to make a fuss to feel comfortable. When I can’t see him, my heart feels empty. Yesterday, when he spoke in front of Princess Qinghe, I felt uncomfortable; my heart almost jumped out. Second sister, what’s wrong with me?”
I let her lean on my lap and helped her comb her hair. “Are you sure that feeling is dislike?”
She frowned and remained silent. I hinted, “Ancient sages said when you fall in love with someone you originally disliked, that’s the most fatal kind of love.”
“Which sage?” she asked in confusion.
I was stunned. It was just a random saying. “I forgot, probably some enlightened master. Anyway, when you see him with the princess, do you feel uncomfortable?”
She nodded.
“That’s it,” I felt relieved. “You like him and care about him, which is why you feel uncomfortable. If you truly disliked him, you would want him to run far away and never appear.”
“That makes sense,” she said, conflicted. “But I’ve liked others before, and this time feels different.”
“That means you’ve grown up,” I comfortingly stroked her hair. “Those unreliable men you met before taught you to protect yourself.”
Her previous dislike was a defense mechanism. Having been hurt before, she hesitated to give her emotions easily. When meeting a man who moved her heart, her subconscious associated it with disgust, allowing her to retreat. This was probably a form of self-protection, like someone burned by fire instinctively associating flames with pain.
“I… actually like him?” My little sister murmured, blinking her slightly swollen apricot eyes. “Seems to make sense.”
“General Shen is a reliable man,” I smiled and gently patted her face. “Since you know your feelings, don’t be awkward like before. Good men should be held onto tightly.”
She burst out laughing, hugging my arm playfully: “Second sister, you’re just like mother…”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, I misspoke. I should say: you’re more like a mother than mother…” She rolled on the bed, then suddenly panicked, grabbing her hair: “Oh no, I slapped him last night!”
General Shen found her in the garden, and they argued for a while. He suddenly said, “Women are just troublesome.”
As she was about to retort, he pulled her into his embrace. She tried to struggle, but he was too strong. When he finally let her go, she was so angry that she slapped him.
They parted unhappily.
I sighed. Although I didn’t expect this calm general to say sweet nothings, he couldn’t just act without a word? Did he think his embrace was enough?
My little sister was still jumping on the bed and wailing. After comforting her, I walked out.
General Shen was waiting in the courtyard. When he saw me, his cold eyes brightened slightly.
“Next, it’s up to you,” I said. “Future brother-in-law, you need more patience with girls. I’m entrusting my little sister to you.”
If you make her sad, I’ll hold you accountable.
Rest assured.” His eyebrows relaxed slightly, revealing a softer glow on his previously rigid face. It turns out that love can not only make women beautiful but can also cure facial paralysis.
I went to the courtyard to play on the swing and observed the ethereal Eastern Palace, Xia Zhiyuan, interacting with the princesses. He seemed to be in a good mood, treating them kindly and frequently smiling, causing the princesses to bashfully cover their faces with fans and send coy glances. It was said that Yan had proposed a marriage alliance to the Eastern Palace but was politely refused.
By nearly mealtime, the sparrow hurriedly ran to me with a secret report, saying that according to her eavesdropping, General Shen and my younger sister had reconciled. This news relieved me. With the sparrow’s talents, she could be a valuable gossip information gatherer.
When my younger sister appeared again, her face was rosy, her eyes glistening, and her lips curling upward, looking like a woman in love. General Shen maintained a step’s distance from her, occasionally whispering, his gaze causing heart-fluttering and heartache.
Of course, the heart-fluttering was my younger sister’s, and the heartache was mine.
Watching them sweet together while I must meet my husband at night felt like a secret tryst. After the full moon banquet of the Western Liang Crown Prince, I would have to return to Nanrui. With this farewell to An Jin, I don’t know when we’ll meet again.
An Jin sneaked in at night, and I nestled in his arms, sighing. He tried to comfort me but could only distract me.
Suddenly, my younger sister burst in, knocking on the door and startling us.
“Second Sister, open the door… I can’t sleep, I want to chat with you.”
I pretended to be asleep and didn’t respond. An Jin lightly laughed and continued his actions while biting my lip.
“Second Sister! I know you’re still awake… Open the door, I can hear your breathing. Aren’t you feeling well?” She asked, sounding alarmed. “Are you sick? I’m about to kick the door—”
We both gasped in alarm.
“Don’t—” I hurriedly replied. “It’s too late, let’s talk tomorrow—”
She sounded puzzled. “Are you really not feeling unwell?”
“No, no.” I reassured An Jin, and after she confirmed, she finally returned to her room.
Fortunately, she didn’t wake the sparrow in the next room; otherwise, the trouble would have been greater.
An Jin rolled off me, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He said, “If my younger sister comes like this a few more times, I’m afraid I’ll become impotent.”
Author’s note: Poor An An… What if he really becomes impotent…
