She immediately opened her eyes, her black pupils focusing on the rose cake, then moving. “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 exactly happened last night?”
She buried her face back in the pillow, mumbling in a muffled voice: “How do you know everything…”
“General Shen was just wandering around the doorway, looking quite dejected,” I glanced at her reaction and saw the little girl stiffen, revealing one eye, blinking.
“He came?” She pondered for a moment, slowly emerging from under the pillow. “Second sister, I don’t understand my own feelings. I’ve always felt I dislike him, and when I see him, my heart feels blocked, and I need to make a fuss to feel comfortable; but when I can’t see him, my heart feels empty. Yesterday, when he said those words in front of Princess Qinghe, I just felt uncomfortable, my heart almost jumping 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.”
She asked in confusion: “Which sage?”
I was stunned. It was just a random made-up saying. “I forgot, probably some enlightened master. That’s not the point. The point is, 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, that’s why you feel uncomfortable. If you truly just disliked him, why would you want to see him? You should want him to run far away and never appear before your eyes.”
“That makes sense,” she was 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.”
