Chapter 300: Chapter 301: Happy Chinese New Year’s Eve

On New Year’s Eve, Hua Manman woke up bright and early for a change.

She put on a red jacket and skirt handmade by the He Family, a soft, white rabbit-fur scarf, and a golden hairpin in her chignon. The red coral at its tip swayed gently, complementing her fair skin, which had a rosy blush, making her more delicate than any flower.

Li Ji had also changed into a red, round-collared brocade robe. With his golden crown and jade belt, he looked dashing and heroic.

After breakfast, Hua Manman pulled Prince Zhao along to write the Spring Festival couplets.

Hua Manman said with a grin, "Your handwriting is beautiful, so you have to be the one to write them."

Li Ji went along with her and wrote a pair of couplets.

Hua Manman said, "You’re tall, so you have to be the one to paste them up."

Li Ji looked at her, amused.

"Then what will you be doing?"

Hua Manman replied, "I will be in charge of guiding you, to make sure you don’t paste them on crooked."

White snowflakes drifted down from the sky.

Li Ji refused the servants’ offers of help and personally pasted the couplets on either side of the main gate.

Hua Manman stood in the doorway, her hands tucked in her sleeves, her little head tilted back. "It’s crooked, it’s crooked! A little to the left. More to the left..."

A snowflake landed on her forehead, cool and icy.

Once the couplets were up, Li Ji jumped down from the ladder.

He raised a hand to brush the snowflake from Hua Manman’s forehead, then turned to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her, looking up at the newly pasted couplets.

Hua Manman sighed with sincere admiration. "Your Highness, your calligraphy is truly beautiful. If we ever run out of money, you could make a living selling your writing."

Li Ji asked, "If I sell my writing, what about you?"

Hua Manman replied, "I can give people massages! Have you forgotten I taught myself how to do it?"

Li Ji chuckled. "Let’s not do that."

Hua Manman thought he was looking down on her and was about to express her displeasure when she heard him continue.

"You can only give massages to me."

Hua Manman’s dissatisfaction vanished, replaced by a sweetness as if she had eaten honey.

Feihua Zhenren had already returned to the Seven Stars Temple. He said he would come to the Prince Mansion tomorrow, the first day of the new year, to offer his greetings.

Thus, when it was time for lunch, only Hua Manman and Li Ji were at the table.

Hua Manman raised her wine cup and said with a grin.

"Thank you for your care this past year, Your Highness. For the rest of our lives, please continue to guide me."

Li Ji also raised his cup and gently clinked it against hers.

"The same to you."

The fine wine in their cups swirled, releasing a rich aroma.

They both drained their cups in one go.

In high spirits today, Hua Manman couldn’t help but have a few more cups.

In her previous life, she could hold her liquor well, but now that she was in a different body, her tolerance was poor.

She got a little drunk and ended up being carried out of the dining hall in Prince Zhao’s arms.

Li Ji placed her on the bed.

She lay on her back, her body sinking into the soft bedding. Under the influence of alcohol, a faint pink blush colored her cheeks, and her lips looked luscious and inviting.

Li Ji reached out and removed her hairpins. Her long, silky black hair cascaded down, the ends coiling on the bedding, while her red skirt spread out like blooming flower petals.

It created a vision of bewitching beauty.

However, Hua Manman herself was completely unaware of it.

Her eyes were half-closed as she whimpered feebly.

"My head is so dizzy..."

Li Ji noticed a strand of hair on her lips. He reached out to remove it, but his finger accidentally brushed against them.

The soft, warm touch made his heart stir.

He involuntarily pressed the pad of his finger against her lips, gently pressing and kneading.

Her already crimson lips became even more vivid from his touch.

Li Ji’s gaze darkened in response.

He lowered his head, drew close to her, and called her name in a low voice.

"Manman."

Hua Manman let out a single syllable through her nose.

"Mmm..."

’She really is drunk.’

Li Ji sighed softly. He moved his finger from her lips and pulled the blanket over her.

Though he wanted her badly, he wasn’t so despicable as to take advantage of her condition.

He wanted all of her, inside and out, completely and wholly.

Just as Li Ji was about to leave, his sleeve was grabbed.

He looked down and saw Hua Manman clutching his sleeve, refusing to let go.

Hua Manman’s watery eyes were wide as she looked at him pleadingly.

"Don’t go."

’She’s so drunk she’s even dropped the honorifics.’

Li Ji stared at her. "You want me to stay?"

Hua Manman nodded. "Mhm."

Li Ji reminded her, "I might not be able to hold back..."

Hua Manman bit her red lip, seemingly wanting to say something but too shy to get the words out.

She just kept looking at him with those pleading eyes.

In the end, Li Ji was the one to surrender.

Resigned to his fate, he took off his outer robe, lifted the covers, and lay down beside Hua Manman.

Hua Manman immediately snuggled into his arms, pressing her cheek against his chest like a docile little rabbit.

Li Ji wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered.

"Get some sleep."

Hua Manman obediently closed her eyes.

However, her mind was still racing.

’For a moment there, I almost agreed to consummate our marriage with him.’

’But then I remembered this body is only fifteen years old, and I backed down again.’

’Fifteen isn’t considered particularly young for people in ancient times, but to me, who came from modern society, that’s still just a middle schooler.’

She silently told herself, ’I should at least wait until I’m sixteen to consummate the marriage.’

...

「Inside the Duke Zhen Country Mansion.」

Princess Rouwan faced a table laden with food all by herself, completely devoid of appetite.

She picked up her chopsticks only to put them down again, then rose and left the dining hall.

A handmaid hurried after her. "Commandery Princess, you must eat at least a little. Otherwise, you’ll ruin your health."

Princess Rouwan paid her no mind.

She walked straight to her bedchamber.

Everything in the bedchamber was kept exactly as it had been five years ago.

Traces of Duke Zhen could be seen everywhere in the room, as if he had not died, but had merely stepped out for a moment.

Only when she was in this room did Princess Rouwan feel even a sliver of security.

She reached out and took a robe that was hanging on a screen.

It was a robe Duke Zhen had once worn. Five years had passed, and any lingering trace of his scent had long since vanished.

But Princess Rouwan still cherished it immensely. She ran her fingers gently over the fabric, her eyes filled with tenderness.

"They all say you’re dead, but I don’t believe them. You wouldn’t just leave me like this. You’ll definitely come back, won’t you?"

The handmaid lowered her head, not daring to make a sound.

Over the past five years, they had tried countless times to persuade the Commandery Princess, hoping she would accept reality and stop losing herself in the past.

After all, Duke Zhen was dead, and the dead could not come back to life.

But Princess Rouwan simply wouldn’t listen.

If anyone pressed the issue too much, she would fly into a rage, sometimes even striking them.

Over time, no one dared to speak of it anymore.

Just then, the steward walked to the door. He clasped his hands and bowed to Princess Rouwan.

"Your Highness the Commandery Princess, Eldest Princess Ningyang just sent someone to ask if you would like to go to the Princess Mansion to celebrate the New Year with her."

Princess Rouwan’s eyes remained fixed on the robe in her arms as she replied without looking up.

"I’m not going."

’I have to stay in this house. I have to wait for the Lord Duke to come back.’

’I’m not going anywhere.’