amaotonovel Chapter 177 The Frustrated Princess
Chapter 177 The Frustrated Princess
In truth, Fan Junyu had already been secretly plotting something. He was constantly thinking, considering that it wouldn't hurt to agree on their terms of address first. This way, he could find more opportunities to spend time alone with this charming young girl. As time passed, and she gradually adapted and became accustomed to it, whether in front of others or when they were alone, she would naturally and naturally call out that sweet "Brother Ayu."
When He Mingning heard Fan Junyu's suggestion, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly as she began to seriously consider it. After a while, she nodded gently in agreement, saying, "Yes, that does work." At this moment, this innocent and naive girl was completely unaware of the ulterior motives hidden deep within the man before her; she simply thought the arrangement was reasonable enough.
Fan Junyu gazed at He Mingning with tender affection, her gentle gaze seemingly capable of melting anyone. She parted her lips slightly and spoke in a soft, melodious voice, "So, regarding the matter of setting our wedding date tomorrow, do you agree or not?" Hearing this, He Mingning instantly blushed like a startled deer, too shy to meet Fan Junyu's eyes. She lowered her head and replied in a voice barely audible, "This kind of thing… I… how could I possibly make that decision!" As soon as she finished speaking, seemingly wanting to escape the heart-pounding atmosphere, she quickly turned away, preparing to leave.
But just then, Fan Junyu reacted swiftly, grabbing He Mingning's slender wrist and pulling her back to him. He whispered in her ear, "Oh dear, how could my little Ningning just leave like that?" Startled by his sudden action, He Mingning looked up at Fan Junyu, her eyes filled with confusion and surprise, and asked coquettishly, "What else do you want?"
Seeing this, Fan Junyu's lips curled up slightly, forming a sly and charming smile. He stretched out a finger and gently touched his lips, then looked at He Mingning expectantly and said in a coquettish tone, "Good Ningning, can you kiss me?"
He Mingning was struck dumb, as if by a bolt from the blue. She froze on the spot, stunned for several seconds before she came to her senses. When she finally understood what Fan Junyu had just said, a blush, like the sunset, quickly crept up her fair face, spreading all the way to her ears. She said shyly and coquettishly, "You, you shameless person!" Her voice was soft and delicate, like a breeze brushing against the strings of a zither.
However, Fan Junyu paid no attention to her accusations and instead laughed heartily. Just as he was about to say something, something unexpected happened—He Mingning, like a light and beautiful butterfly, gently tiptoed and placed a kiss on his cheek.
Fan Junyu felt his mind go completely blank for a moment, utterly stunned. He had only intended to play a joke on this innocent, lively, and adorable little girl, to tease her, and never expected He Mingning to be so bold as to kiss him so readily. At that moment, time seemed to freeze, and everything around him became insignificant.
After kissing him, He Mingning, like a frightened rabbit, quickly lowered his head, clutching the hem of his clothes tightly with both hands, and murmured in a voice softer than a mosquito's buzz, "Is... this okay?"
Fan Junyu finally recovered from his shock. He gazed at the shy He Mingning in front of him, a hint of tenderness and surprise flashing in his eyes. He said softly, "Ningning, you really..." Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden gust of wind blew it away, leaving only the subtle and sweet atmosphere between the two of them.
At this point, Fan Junyu's words seemed to be abruptly cut off, as if an invisible hand had suddenly choked him. He Mingning, who had been listening intently, was surprised by the sudden silence. She slowly raised her head, looking at Fan Junyu with suspicion, and asked, "What did you just say?"
In that instant of looking up, He Mingning's gaze met Fan Junyu's eyes, which shone like stars and held a smile. In that single glance, a flash of lightning seemed to strike He Mingning's mind, and he instantly realized—what an incredibly embarrassing thing he had just done!
In an instant, He Mingning's originally fair and jade-like face flushed bright red, as luscious and ripe as a ripe apple. This blush seemed to have a life of its own, first spreading rapidly from her cheeks, then extending all the way to her round and lovely earlobes, and finally even her long and graceful neck was not spared, quickly tinged with a light crimson.
At this moment, He Mingning was so ashamed that she wished she could disappear into the ground. She lowered her head and murmured in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Well... um, I'd better go back first." Before she finished speaking, she flashed away like an arrow released from a bow, rushing towards the palace in the blink of an eye. Her speed was so fast that people could hardly see her figure.
Looking at the shy young girl before him, as delicate as a flower blooming in spring, Fan Junyu felt an overwhelming surge of joy and couldn't help but chuckle softly. He then raised his voice and called out to the slender figure hurrying away, "Slow down! Be careful, don't fall!" However, He Mingning was already overwhelmed by shyness and had no mind to respond. All she could think about was how to escape this embarrassing situation as quickly as possible, wishing she could instantly grow a pair of light and powerful wings so she could fly back to her peaceful palace like a bird.
Fan Junyu smiled, quietly watching He Mingning's petite figure, fleeing in panic, gradually disappear into the distance until it vanished completely from sight. Only when he could no longer see any trace of her did the gentle smile on his lips deepen. Then, he gently shook his head, turned around, and walked slowly and steadily toward the Grand Tutor's residence.
Meanwhile, on the other side, He Mingning was like a terribly frightened fawn, stumbling and panting as she ran desperately, finally reaching her palace. As soon as she entered the room, she slammed the door shut with all her might, the loud noise seemingly declaring her desire to shut herself off from the world. Leaning against the door, her chest heaving, she gasped for breath, her cheeks still flushed a vibrant, sunset-like red.
She moved slowly, like a snail, toward the neatly arranged table. Each step seemed heavy, as if a thousand pounds were pressing down on her. Finally, she reached her destination, gently sat down in the chair, and her whole body leaned forward slightly as if it had lost its support.
She slowly raised her hands, gently covering her delicate, apple-red cheeks. Her fingers were slightly bent, and through the gaps, one could see a complex light flickering in her bright eyes. At that moment, it felt as if a million ants were frantically gnawing at her heart; the indescribable feeling made her restless.
She murmured to herself involuntarily, "He Mingning, He Mingning, when did you become so shameless? You actually kissed a boy first! But... but he is my fiancé after all, it's only right that I kiss him! But, won't he think I'm being too presumptuous and rude? No, no, he let me kiss him first!"
And so, a fierce storm seemed to rage within He Mingning's inner world. A small voice told her that what she was doing was nothing wrong, just a perfectly normal act of affection between lovers; yet another voice kept criticizing her for acting too rashly and impulsively, for her behavior lacking in restraint and composure. The two little voices argued endlessly in her mind, neither able to convince the other.
Ultimately, this internal struggle left He Mingning feeling incredibly agitated. She was like an ant trapped on a hot pan, frantically pacing around but unable to find a way out. In desperation, she could only slam her head heavily on the table, close her eyes tightly, and try to calm herself down, but the feeling of frustration still lingered in her heart, refusing to dissipate for a long time.
Meanwhile, in the corridor outside the room, Granny Li, along with Lan'er and Cui'er, rushed over after hearing the strange noises coming from inside. They watched helplessly as their young mistress came running towards them, ignoring their warm greetings and bursting into the room. The three of them looked at each other, their faces blank with bewilderment, like three monks completely baffled.
Cui'er asked with a puzzled look, "What's wrong with the princess? Why is she running so fast?" Lan'er shook her head, like a rattle-drum, and said, "I don't know, maybe something urgent has happened!" Only then did Granny Li come to her senses and hurriedly said, "Then hurry up and go in to see!" At this moment, Cui'er and Lan'er also seemed to wake up from a dream and said in unison, "Oh, right, right, let's go see quickly." After saying that, the group rushed into the house like the wind.
Soon, they arrived at He Mingning's room. It was quiet inside, without a sound. Cui'er gently knocked on the door, as if afraid of disturbing the person inside, and whispered, "Princess, are you in?" He Mingning, however, was immersed in endless frustration and didn't hear the knocking at all. Li Mama and the others waited outside for a long time without receiving a response. Cui'er asked in confusion, "Why is there no sound? Has the princess already fallen asleep?" Lan'er immediately retorted, "Impossible! The princess is very clean; how could she fall asleep without bathing?" Then, both of them turned their gazes to Li Mama behind them, as if waiting for her answer.
Filled with suspicion and growing worry, Granny Li said to Cui'er and Lan'er, "Perhaps the princess is lost in thought and didn't hear the knocking? Cui'er, try knocking again." Cui'er quickly replied, "Okay, I'll go check right away." She then turned and gently knocked on the door. He Mingning, engrossed in her own thoughts, didn't respond. The three outside grew increasingly anxious, knocking frantically and calling out, "Princess, Princess, Princess, are you inside? Princess!" Granny Li said worriedly, "Cui'er, keep knocking. Lan'er, quickly go and fetch the guard on duty today. If the princess still doesn't respond, have the guard break down the door. Make sure the princess is safe." Lan'er and Cui'er agreed in unison and immediately went to their tasks.
Just then, He Mingning heard a noise outside the door and opened it from the inside. She looked at Li Mama and the others with a blank expression and asked, "Mama, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry?" Li Mama and Cui'er, seeing the door open, quickly called back Lan'er, who was halfway there, and the group followed He Mingning into the house. Hearing He Mingning's question, Li Mama said worriedly, "Princess, are you alright?" He Mingning asked in confusion, "I'm fine! What's wrong?" Cui'er quickly interjected, "Princess, it's good that you're safe and sound!" He Mingning hummed in bewilderment and then looked at Lan'er, signaling for her to explain what had happened.
Lan'er then said softly, "We just saw the princess rush in and thought she had something extremely urgent, so we came to check on her. But we knocked for a long time, and the princess remained as still as a tightly closed city gate, not even making a sound. We were very worried, fearing that something bad might have happened to the princess, so the nanny told Cui'er to keep knocking and shouting at the top of her lungs. She also told me to go outside and find the guards on duty. If the princess didn't show up, we told them to break down the door." Cui'er continued, "Luckily, the princess opened the door in time. Otherwise, by the time Lan'er found the guards, the princess's door would have been as fragile as paper, and the princess would have had to sleep with her head open." Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this.
He Mingning held Li Mama's hand tightly, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, Mama, I was deep in thought and didn't hear you knocking. It's my fault for making you worry." Li Mama gently stroked her hand and said softly, "It's alright. As long as you are safe and sound, Princess, this old servant is relieved." He Mingning smiled and nodded gently. However, at this moment, Cui'er asked with a suspicious look, "Is there something troubling you, Princess? How could you be so engrossed in your thoughts that you didn't even hear us knocking?" He Mingning's smile, which had just blossomed, withered instantly upon hearing Cui'er's question, like a flower struck by frost.