Chapter 88

Chapter 88: A Kiss

After Liu Luoyi was suddenly embraced, she did not react for a while. All she felt was her shoulder slowly being soaked and Weichi Li’s arms gripping her tightly, even breathlessly. 

Weichi Li’s body stuck close enough to her for her to sense her trembling, as if her entire body were shaking. 

An Ge and Weichi Die landed after her and protected them. There was fighting all around them, but everything was calm and peaceful where they stood. 

“Princess, I am fine.” Liu Luoyi whispered. She hugged Weichi Li back, patting her back with gentle movements. 

But Weichi Li was unwilling to let go. She was too frightened. For an entire night, she had been looking for a way to enter the forest. Once in the forest, she ran around like a chicken with its head cut off, searching every nook and cranny. 

She saw a lot of blood—whose, she did not know—and followed the trail, trembling with fear the entire way until she was the unharmed Liu Luoyi. The feeling was like a boulder unloading off her shoulders. What was left was lingering fear. 

As Liu Luoyi looked at Weichi Li in her current state, she felt a warm current laced with pain flow through her heart. She must have been scared. The resolute, determined Weichi Li was crying for her. She did not know what she should do. She could only embrace her with all of her strength. 

After some time passed, Weichi Li finally let go. She wiped her tears away with her sleeves, wanting to laugh at herself.

“Take my hand. I’ll bring you out.” Weichi Li said with a nasally voice, then clutched Liu Luoyi’s hand tightly. 

Weichi Die blocked in front of the Northern King, whose face looked entirely stunned. She sent someone flying, turning her head to say: “Weichi Li, care to give me a hand?”

Weichi Li acknowledged, then wiped away her tears and turned around, looking at the man she had just kicked away. He felt somewhat familiar to her. She had been too anxious and treated him instinctively as an enemy, but looking at him now, he did not seem like someone from the Yan Kingdom at all. 

At this moment, he was looking at her with tears in his eyes, almost like he was having chest pains. 

“Royal Father, look out!” Weichi Die cried. A sword flashed, and someone fell in front of the Northern King. 

Royal Father? Wait, could this be the Northern King? Weichi Li shook her head. She only remembered seeing him when he was younger. Back then, he had not had his beard and looked quite handsome. 

Had she kicked him away just now?

Weichi Li covered her face, smacking a soldier who was crawling up from the ground. Then, she turned around nimbly and started killing the enemy. She determined that, for the moment, she would not look at this cheap father of hers. 

She did not know how to explain, so she might as well just pretend that she did not know, so as not to give the game away. 

The Northern King saw Weichi Li suddenly turn her back toward him. He shook his head in silence, wiping away the tears at the corners of his eyes. He sighed. Looks like Li’er was still mad at him. He felt a pang of sadness. The words Weichi Li said to him the day she left were still fresh in his mind. She had said that she was sick of life in the Northern Kingdom, that she did not want to be his daughter anymore. 

The Northern King now looked several years older. His straight back was now slightly stooped. He lifted his hand, gripping his sword tightly in the palm of his hand. In an instant, a swath of people were cut down. The forest was filled with the glinting of weapons, and as leaves and branches, all covered in blood, were sliced off of trees from time to time, they were ground into dust under foot. 

“Jiejie, go north!” Weichi Li shouted, then turned and started to flee north. After she heard her call, Weichi Die followed while protecting the Northern King. Their group dashed through the dense forest, the soldiers behind them continuing in their close pursuit. The soldiers attempted to cut off their path, but were cleared away by Weichi Li each time. 

After running for a while, they finally came across a large patch of sunlight like a mirage. Weichi Li, not concerning herself with the soldiers outside, suddenly grabbed Liu Luoyi by the waist and leapt into the air. Propelling herself by kicking a tree branch, the two of them flew into the air and landed within that patch. 

The group of horses and their riders before her were startled by her sudden appearance and raised their blades. Weichi Li frowned and lifted her hands, gathering her internal force into her palms so she was ready to strike. Seeing that a fierce battle was about to begin, a familiar voice called out from the middle of the riders. 

The person cried in pleasant surprise: “Princess!” Then, they ran over jubilantly. After a second look, Weichi Li saw that it was Xin Ran and let out a relieved sigh. 

Earlier, Weichi Li had Xin Ran sneak out of the forest according to Weichi Die’s guidance and find the Northern King’s reinforcements. The reinforcements must have been close; otherwise, Xin Ran would not have run into them so quickly. 

After the crowd of people saw Weichi Li, they were astonished one after the other. They immediately knelt down, shouting in unison with a deafening roar: “Greetings, Second Princess!”

For a moment, Weichi Li was a little uneasy with their shouting. She waved a hand, saying: “Royal Father is behind me. Go aid him.” She pulled Liu Luoyi away and started to run. The ground was littered with dead people of the Yan Kingdom, blood flowing like a river, most likely from the fighting just now. 

Liu Luoyi was not scared at all. As she saw Weichi Li lead her away by the hand, her lips hooked upward. 

The two of them separated from the group. Weichi Li suddenly turned around, grabbing Liu Luoyi by the waist and pressing her lightly against a tree trunk. 

Because they were just running, their breaths were quick, especially Liu Luoyi’s, whose chest was heaving. She raised her almond eyes slightly to gaze at Weichi Li, reaching out to caress her face. 

But her hand was caught by Weichi Li, who clutched her hand and lowered her head, saying: “I’m sorry.”

“Princess…” Liu Luoyi consoled her, “I’m fine.”

“It was my fault. I shouldn’t have left you. I endangered you. When I was searching for you, I thought that, if something had r-really happened to you, I would have gouged each of their hearts out one by one. I…” Weichi Li started to choke on her words. Suddenly, she pressed her forehead against Liu Luoyi’s, tears leaking out, her shoulder trembling. 

Seeing her so vulnerable, Liu Luoyi’s eyes filled with tears. She could only continue to console her. 

“I was completely willing. If I wasn’t always so weak, you wouldn’t have to worry about me all day.” Liu Luoyi said. She reached out her other hand and held Weichi Li, letting her lean against her. She stroked her back as she would a child. 

“You’re not weak, Xiao Liu’er. You saved Xin Ran, didn’t you? You led those people away yourself.” Weichi Li sniffled and sobbed. 

Liu Luoyi did not reply. She merely patted her over and over again. Her feelings were complicated. She had never thought that Weichi Li would be so important to her. She suddenly felt that her own worries, her fears, and even the nightmares that woke her up at night before were all utterly ridiculous. 

She was probably the only person who had seen her be so vulnerable before. With this thought, Liu Luoyi felt even more tender. 

Weichi Li suddenly looked up. Her eyes sparkled with tears, her nose red, her eyes bloodshot, and her hair hanging loose. Seeing Weichi Li’s current appearance, her heart skipped a beat. 

The face of the woman before her could make the hearts of other’s palpitate: aggressive and beautiful. 　

Weichi Li slowly drew near. Liu Luoyi could not pull away. She did not know why, but she felt afraid. Her breath quickened. She hurriedly grabbed Weichi Li’s shoulders and threw her head to the side, stammering: “Pr-Princess…”

She did not know what she was afraid of, nor what Weichi Li was planning to do, but she felt faintly alarmed, like there was something she could not endure. 

She could not endure the mad beating of her heart, the thick scent of green grass on Weichi Li. 

She mumbled something, resisting Weichi Li’s advance. 

“Xiao Liu’er, kiss me.” Weichi Li whispered. Her voice was low and husky, like the tinkling of the grass along Liu Luoyi’s ankle. For a moment, Liu Luoyi did not know where she was. She could not see the green before her, nor the devastation all around them. Her heart and her eyes were filled with the sight of Weichi Li’s lips, full and captivating. 

She was a little scared, but she was embraced by Weichi Li. She wanted to struggle free, but while she was not paying attention, her hands were already pressed against the tree behind her by Weichi Li, and she could not move. 　

“You…” Her voice was both ashamed and resentful. 

“I can’t wait any longer, hurry.” Weichi Li said, advancing forward. Her eyes carried a smile. As expected, she had long thought that this would be how Liu Luoyi would be; her words and actions were entirely different. 

She was afraid that, next time, she would not find Liu Luoyi. This kind of strange, possessive desire had never burned so fiercely before. 　

“Th-then, close your eyes.” Liu Luoyi whispered. She was extremely bashful. This kind of serious kiss made her expectant and scared. 

Weichi Li chuckled helplessly. She closed her eyes obediently, and after a moment, a pair of cool, soft lips brushed hers, but just as she was going to enjoy the sensation, the softness disappeared. 　

“I-I kissed you.” Liu Luoyi turned her head away, not wanting Weichi Li to see her bright red face. 　

“Kissed me? Like that?” Weichi Li opened her eyes and asked in surprise, looking down at Liu Luoyi’s flushed neck. 

“How else should I do it?” Liu Luoyi asked quietly. She wanted to move, but Weichi Li restrained her arms behind her back and embraced her so she did not run away out of shyness. 

For a moment, Weichi Li did not know whether to laugh or cry. She had always thought that Liu Luoyi had been unwilling, but it turns out that she just did not get it. 

Indeed, young girls from respectable families like her had nowhere to learn about these kinds of things. Even if they were to read books, unfortunately, they might still be in the dark. 

“Raise your head.” Weichi Li said, her voice low and gentle, with a natural allure. Hearing her words, Liu Luoyi just had to raise her head, but when she saw the faint smile in Weichi Li’s eyes, a rebelliousness rose in her heart. Why must she be so obedient?

With this thought, she struggled to free herself from Weichi Li. She said coldly, with an unintentional bit of coquettishness, “Release me.”

“Don’t move.” Weichi Li said, not paying attention to her at all. Liu Luoyi subconsciously stopped moving, her body stiffening. 

A second later, Weichi Li suddenly drew close, lightly pressing her lips to hers in a kiss laced with the taste of tears. Liu Luoyi’s eyes widened. Heat flooded through her, her body softening and sliding down. 

Weichi Li did not separate their lips. Instead, she supported Liu Luoyi in her arms. The corners of her lips curled upward, and she opened her eyes to look at Liu Luoyi. 

Liu Luoyi was far too embarrassed to look at Liu Luoyi. She shut her eyes, but the embarrassing moment was not over. Weichi Li had never been so domineering before, resuming her gentle attack without brooking resistance. 

Liu Luoyi did not struggle at all anymore—rather, she did not have the strength to struggle. She let Weichi Li hold her hands. From her head to her toes, her whole body was trembling, her heart throbbing. The wind sweeping across the landscape seemed to beget a bewitching atmosphere, sending Liu Luoyi up through the clouds and back down again. 

Unbeknownst to her, her eyes grew red and tears flowed down her face. Weichi Li felt her tears and deepened the kiss. 

From time to time, Liu Luoyi let out a moan. She herself did not realize it, but it made Weichi Li go crazy. Weichi Li let go of Liu Luoyi’s hands and, slowly, their fingers interlaced together, their palms rubbing against each other. 

Liu Luoyi felt that she was bobbing up and down in a deep body of water, drowning. In such a sea, all she felt was Weichi Li’s warmth. At last, just as she was about to suffocate, Weichi Li released her. 

Weichi Li watched Liu Luoyi, smiling. She was likewise pink-cheeked, but looking at the breathless Liu Luoyi in her arms, she felt more satisfied. 

Perhaps a bit evil, but she liked to see Liu Luoyi this way, as it was something only she could see. 

Liu Luoyi’s hair was a little disheveled, and tears continued to flow as she opened her eyes to look at Weichi Li. She was sobbing, but she did not have the chance to wipe the tears away. Her body was too weak to move, but Weichi Li let go of her hands. 

“Princess…” She entreated, wishing for Weichi Li to embrace her.