Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

438 You define the present me, Li Hua

Tianjie was seated on the mattress with his left elbow resting on the bolster while his right knee was in the air. His left leg was flat against the mattress while he had the handkerchief in his right hand. The one that Song Jia gifted him.

He wanted to throw it away in Qijiang, but he could not. Probably because she was his first love. Tianjie chuckled thinking how he could even fall in love with a woman this madly.

Eunuch Shi Rang walked in and bowed before the Third Prince. “Your Highness, the bathhouse is ready,” Shi Rang informed Tianjie, who was lost in Song Jia’s thoughts.

Upon getting no response, Shi Rang lifted his head a little. Behind the translucent white curtains, Tianjie had his eyes fixated on the handkerchief in his hand.

Shi Rang was perplexed to see that sight and lowered his head.

Tianjie brought the handkerchief to his nose and inhaled the scent of it. He knew his heart already belonged to Song Jia. “How could I be this weak to fall for her?” He questioned himself as he rested his hand on his chest to feel his heart beats.

Those were not normal indeed. He chuckled to find how fast his heart was beating with the mere thoughts of Song Jia.

“Eunuch Shi Rang, do you know whom I will marry?” Tianjie questioned.

“Forgive me for being unable to answer it, Your Highness. His Majesty has not decided anything on this,” Shi Rang replied. “After the First Princess marries off, His Majesty will decide on the marriage of His Highness,” he replied.

.....

“Oh. I hope I get a good marriage proposal,” Tianjie stated and sat up finally. He folded the handkerchief and got down from the bed. He put it inside a box, which Shi Rang noticed, but didn’t ask anything related to that.

“Eunuch Shi Rang, I met a woman in Qijiang Province. Her beauty is unexceptionable. Had she belonged to a good noble family, I would have married her.” Tianjie didn’t hide his desire to marry Song Jia to Shi Rang.

“Your Highness, to have great political support you have to marry a woman from a strong political family. However, if His Highness likes someone, then he can take her as a concubine,” Shi Rang advised Tianjie.

“It is difficult to handle one wife. How will I handle two?” Tianjie asked him. He had no intention to make Song Jia a concubine. She would have no right to him and it would only hurt him to see her away from him.

If he took in an official wife, she might harm Song Jia because if she entered the palace as Tianjie’s concubine, he would only love her. He didn’t want that to happen to a woman, whom he loved wholeheartedly.

He left for the bathhouse while he kept thinking about her.

~~~~~

Lóng Wei was seated inside the bathtub for more than thirty minutes. All the time, he only thought about his past, his mother’s negligence, and her hatred for him.

“Yuze thinks it was fake,” he mumbled. “How could it be fake? Why did she even fake it? She ruined me.” He always blamed her for his present self. He wanted to be warm like others, but he could not have that feeling except for Li Hua.

When he returned to the chamber in a white silk robe, he found Li Hua waiting for him. Seeing him, she got delighted and asked him why he took so much time in the washroom.

Lóng Wei didn’t reply to her and asked her if she would help him get dressed.

Li Hua hummed and took the outfit from the maidservant’s hand. “I had ordered a dress for His Highness when he was away. I wanted him to wear it today,” Li Hua expressed her wish.

“Come,” Lóng Wei went to the dressing chamber while Li Hua followed him. She slid the door behind her and placed the outfit on the table.

“Please take a seat,” Li Hua urged and Lóng Wei sat down on the puffy stool in front of the dresser. Li Hua picked up the clean towel and started to dry his hair. Gently.

Lóng Wei lovingly looked at her through the mirror before him. His eyes lingered on her lips to notice that smile and then on her eyes, which had a glint in them. Was she happy to be with him? His heart thumped against his chest and he liked this feeling.

Once his hair was dry, Li Hua made a bun ok the top of his head. She put a bun holder around and pinned it. She looked at the mirror and found it looked perfect. Later, she helped him get ready in that outfit.

She was on her toes to button the overcoat from his shoulder when Lóng Wei wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her close. Their bodies pressed against each other and their eyes met.

“Do you want to go with me to the government office? I will show you around,” Lóng Wei said. His fingers stroked the locks of her hair.

“His Highness earlier said that there will only be men. Women are hardly allowed,” Li Hua said.

“Since I am the Governor, so I can even allow my woman to come with me,” Lóng Wei stated.

“I am ready to go,” Li Hua said.

“Great.”

Li Hua placed her hands on the top of his shoulders and kissed his cheek. “His Highness works hard. I am proud to be his wife,” she complimented him.

Lóng Wei smiled and ducked his head to capture her lips in a delighted kiss. He nibbled her lips and her hands locked around his nape. A rush of something sweet flooded her senses as she kissed him with equal passion.

Slowly, they parted when Lóng Wei cupped her face warmly and planted a soft kiss in the middle of her forehead. His thumbs caressed the edge of her jaws as he peered into her eyes.

“You define the present me, Li Hua,” Lóng Wei confessed the deepest desire of his heart. “I love you and will always do. If the Gods exist, I want them to bring me to you in every birth we take on this earth.”