Chapter 122

Chapter 122: Turning Her Head Away When Lihua’s Lips Pressed Against Hers Again “Ouch…” Gan Qiongying fell hard, her elbow landing on the carriage cushion but slipping as the carriage jolted. Her wrist gave way, and she tumbled straight into Lihua’s arms. Her nose slammed right into Lihua’s chest, the sudden sting bringing tears to her eyes. Outside the carriage, the servants stood frozen, exchanging bewildered glances. Tianjiao still had her hand clamped over her mouth, unable to recover from the shock of seeing the Consort walk normally. Her face was already a tear-streaked mess. San Jiu was clueless; with the Consort crying and laughing, he was even more confused than Gan Qiongying about what was happening. Chen Wa and Manyue, at least, had some idea—especially Manyue. Seeing the two stumble into the carriage, she blinked a few times and immediately began clearing the area. “You, you, you, and you! Get back to your duties and stay far away. Leave one little boy—that little one over there—to hold the horse and keep it from moving.” “Chen Wa, you come here too! How dare you eavesdrop!” “Tianjiao, where are you going? To see the Consort?” Manyue swiftly grabbed Tianjiao, who had recovered enough to approach the carriage, and whispered, “Do you know what the Princess and Consort are doing?” Manyue leaned close to Tianjiao’s ear and chattered for a moment. Tianjiao’s tears hadn’t even dried before her face flushed bright red. Meanwhile, Chen Wa followed Manyue’s instructions and pulled San Jiu away, while the other servants were also sent farther off. Everyone stood at a distance, all eyes fixed on the carriage. Manyue’s expression kept shifting, and she occasionally clicked her tongue, whispering something into Tianjiao’s ear that Tianjiao seemed unsure whether to listen to, awkwardly trying to push Manyue away. Inside the carriage, however, things weren’t as explosive as Manyue imagined. But the atmosphere was still unusually tense. Gan Qiongying rubbed her nose and looked up, meeting Lihua’s bloodshot eyes. He had stopped crying, but his entire body was rigid with tension. Gan Qiongying, lying on top of him, could feel that his state was particularly off. He was also clenching his fists tightly. If Gan Qiongying didn’t know he wasn’t a violent person, she might have suspected he was about to hit her. “What on earth is wro—” Gan Qiongying started to ask, but Lihua suddenly hooked his arm around her neck and pulled her back down. Gan Qiongying crashed into Lihua’s chest again. This time, she was somewhat prepared and managed to brace herself with her hands, avoiding a full impact. Before she could react further, Lihua suddenly lay back on the floor, gripped her waist, and lifted her up, bringing them face-to-face. Lihua’s eyes were red, his neck was red, his whole body was flushed, and Gan Qiongying’s nose was also red from the impact. She opened her mouth, about to ask again, “What’s wrong with you?” when Lihua, lying on the cushion, suddenly lifted his head and bumped into her nose… Gan Qiongying had tried to dodge, but she couldn’t—Lihua was still holding the back of her neck. Her nose, which had just started to feel better, was assaulted by another wave of soreness. Lihua was simply too frantic. His entire body was uncoordinated, and he completely forgot to turn his head to avoid bumping noses. So, of course, nose met nose. Gan Qiongying was caught between laughter and tears, reaching out to rub her nose, but her wrist was caught by Lihua. Soon her mood completely froze, because Lihua bumped into her, suddenly turned his head, and leaned in again. This time they didn’t bump noses. Gan Qiongying only felt two soft, warm lips gently press against hers. Gan Qiongying was utterly stunned, and Lihua was too. The two stared wide-eyed at each other, their breaths halting simultaneously. A moment later, both were flushed red, their chests aching from holding their breath. It was Gan Qiongying who reacted first. Flustered, she shook off Lihua’s hand, climbed down from him, and retreated toward the carriage door. Earlier, she had thought quite boldly, even imagining some substantial development with the God of Wealth to get more money and more easily claim various benefits. Gan Qiongying always felt that as a woman from the 21st century, she was worldly and experienced, and matters of romance and intimacy were no big deal—she would surely be the one in charge. But in reality, she was also an inexperienced fool. When Lihua actually got serious, Gan Qiongying’s first reaction was to run! Their lips had only touched briefly, yet Gan Qiongying looked as if the sky had fallen. Mainly because she had repeatedly doubted and dismissed her concerns, she now believed Lihua was a living deity, just like her—not lustful at all! She never associated Lihua with the idea of romance or intimacy. But now Lihua had suddenly stepped down from his divine pedestal and kissed her lips. This wasn’t like kissing her forehead; she couldn’t explain it away as the God of Wealth merely bestowing blessings. At this moment, Gan Qiongying’s mind was like a leaking engine, sputtering and unable to drive the car forward. Lihua was an exceptionally gentle person—restrained, proper, measured in his actions, a gentleman with the integrity of plum blossoms and the resilience of pine and bamboo. Normally, with Gan Qiongying reacting like this, he would have immediately retreated into his shell, wallowing in misery and imagining all sorts of chaotic thoughts. But now, his entire being, his heart, his soul, and his senses were completely occupied by Gan Qiongying. He no longer had the extra rationality to analyze or carefully consider why Gan Qiongying was avoiding him. Instinctively, he sat up and chased after her. Just as Gan Qiongying reached the door, he grabbed her shoulder. In his haste to catch her, the two tumbled down by the door. Gan Qiongying’s head knocked against the carriage curtain, and a hairpin was dislodged, falling through a gap in the carriage shaft onto the ground. The horse startled, stomping its hooves anxiously and snorting through its nostrils. Gan Qiongying was dazed from the impact. Though it didn’t hurt much—her head had landed on Lihua’s hand—she was completely bewildered. Because Lihua was above her, and he had never given her such an intense sense of oppression before. Lihua’s eyes were still frighteningly red. After supporting Gan Qiongying’s head, he pulled her back into the carriage. This time, they ended up sitting face to face. Lihua cupped Gan Qiongying’s head, blinked, and without saying a word, leaned in once more. Gan Qiongying's mind began to clamor with a cacophony of thoughts, her vision blurring and her head emptying until only Lihua's magnified face remained. Instinctively, she shrank back, turning her head away just as Lihua's lips brushed against hers once more. Gan Qiongying had no idea what she was doing; every action was purely reflexive. Her mind could no longer form coherent thoughts, not even a simple question like, "What are you doing?"