The carriage stopped.
With a gentle halt.
Mianmian woke up.
Just like in the past when she was in school, she would wake up when the bus stopped, hurriedly jumping off.
She had arrived at her stop just in time, quickly running into the crowd. Thank goodness, she wasn't late.
She was always so sleepy during school days, even falling asleep standing on the bus.
Her mind wasn't that smart, but she had to study hard, striving to be as good as others, even surpassing her classmates. So she would study late into the night, never getting enough sleep, and having to wake up very early.
As she started running, blending into the crowd of students, she would gradually wake up and become cheerful.
Even though everyone wore school uniforms, she could still recognize her classmates. Sometimes her shoulder would get a pat.
"Jiang Mianmian, have you finished memorizing that passage?"
"Ah, which one?"
"The Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River."
"Oh, we have to memorize that too? This one as well?"
Mianmian opened her eyes.
"Graceful as a startled swan, supple as a swimming dragon... Dim and indistinct, like a wisp of cloud veiling the moon; swaying and swirling, like whirling snow caught by the wind... Radiant as the morning sun rising over the dawn clouds, dazzling as a lotus blossom emerging from clear waves... Shoulders as if carved from jade, waist as slender as a roll of silk... Extraordinary in grace and charm, serene in demeanor and carriage... Wearing a gossamer dress of dazzling beauty, adorned with jade pendants of exquisite craftsmanship. Crowned with gold and kingfisher feathers, bedecked with gleaming pearls to illuminate her form..."
Before her appeared a living goddess of the Luo River.
Majestic and beautiful in one.
At that moment, Mianmian felt that she was truly a princess.
Breathtakingly beautiful, full of an unapproachable aura.
As if she were an unreal existence.
She realized then that beauty wasn't just skin deep, but radiated from within, from the very bones. She was truly beautiful, making you willing to accept all her faults.
As if everything she did was justified.
She was too beautiful.
Making one want to preserve this beauty, to make it eternal.
Not wanting her to age.
"Hui Yun, you're so beautiful."
Princess Hui Yun exuded her full regal aura. She had thought about many things during this journey.
She felt she had recovered, seeming to recall everything from the past.
Yet she also felt she might be even more ill, as she wanted to kill.
In the past, even when things didn't go her way, she only tormented herself, or at most played tricks on others. She had never laid a hand on anyone.
She couldn't even bear to harm a snake she had raised, releasing it into the deep mountains instead.
But she seemed to remember, worried about the snake, she went back to look for it. However, she had raised it too well. Once in the deep mountains, it was quickly snatched by a bird of prey, carried high into the sky, then dropped to its death. It was then torn apart by several predatory birds, followed by insects and small beasts, all feasting on it until it quickly disappeared.
The survival of the fittest.
She cried for a long time.
It was the first time Jingjue had held her, comforting her.
Jingjue said, "Princess, all things are equal. You and I will also dissipate one day."
She said, "If we're going to dissipate anyway, can you try to love me? Before we dissipate, try loving someone. Monks say all is emptiness, but without having possessed anything, how can one know what emptiness is?"
The more memories she recalled, the more painful and vivid she became, and the more beautiful.
"Call me grandmother or great-grandmother, don't use my name. It's disrespectful." Hui Yun's thoughts were brought back by the little one's call.
"Grandmother and great-grandmother worry about making you sound old. You're too beautiful," Jiang Mianmian sincerely exclaimed at that moment.
She wasn't just charming for her age; she was charm itself.
"Grandmother, are we home?"
Mianmian felt she had slept for quite a while.
"We are."
The gates of the Princess's Manor opened one after another.
Princess Hui Yun didn't get off the carriage, riding all the way to the front of her living quarters before stopping.
Mianmian was worried that her grandmother princess's mental illness might worsen from her stimulation.
At present, her grandmother princess seemed a bit overexcited.
She even ate a bit too much.
Judging from the princess grandmother's physical condition, it should still be quite good.
However, she must have many hidden injuries and ailments.
Some people are like that, living on hormone secretions, able to ignore various pains.
A way of living through mental victory.
Mianmian thought about feeding her grandmother princess some spirit spring water, then going home.
So she decided to stay for the night.
The princess usually ate very little, but today she ate unusually much.
She seemed to have a good appetite.
She mainly didn't want to be picky with food in front of the little brat, setting a bad example.
This way, if she saw the little brat being picky, she could criticize her righteously.
To be a role model, the princess really had to go to great lengths.
She ate many dishes that looked healthy but didn't taste good.
She felt a bit nauseous.
Yet she still had to eat gracefully and nobly in front of the little brat.
Princess Hui Yun planned to throw up after finishing if she really couldn't bear it.
She had done this kind of thing before anyway.
Mianmian passed water to her grandmother princess, who gratefully drank it.
This child might be mischievous, but she was still very filial.
That night.
After telling many stories to the little brat, she finally managed to lull her to sleep.
Princess Hui Yun felt that taking care of children was exhausting.
She increasingly realized how difficult it must be for Qin. Not only had Qin raised three children so well, but she had also adopted Little Cong. She thought she should reward Qin with more gifts, noticing how plainly she dressed.
Having been constantly pestered by the little brat, she hadn't had a chance to induce vomiting, and now she felt everything had been digested and she couldn't bring it up anymore.
Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt a tumultuous churning in her stomach.
It seemed she had eaten something that disagreed with her.
She had to admit that age was catching up with her; eating such things now upset her stomach.
Princess Hui Yun dashed to the bathroom.
She felt completely drained from diarrhea, which seemed endless. Sitting on the toilet, she could smell the stench emanating from her entire body.
She was thankful that the little brat was asleep; otherwise, she might have popped up to say, "Princess, please poop."
She wasn't sure if she would have actually raised a hand to the child if that had happened.
Princess Hui Yun struggled for most of the night. Fortunately, she always had attendants to serve her. After being cleaned up, Princess Hui Yun lay down next to the little brat and fell asleep.
At daybreak, Mianmian opened her eyes to see the beautiful woman lying beside her. Her long hair was spread out, her skin like jade, her figure curvaceous. She was lying on her side, close to Mianmian, who found her breath catching for a moment.
She was startled, feeling for an instant as if she were being embraced by an stunningly beautiful female ghost.
Princess Hui Yun opened her eyes, looking a bit confused, then came to her senses as she saw the little one in her arms.
Mianmian felt her heart racing. There really were ageless goddesses in this world. She herself had grown up drinking spiritual spring water, and this was as good as it got for her.
But this grandmother princess, in every move she made, was naturally unrivaled. It was as if drinking the spiritual spring water had merely wiped away the dust from her, making her even more beautiful and alluring. Even as a girl herself, Mianmian felt shy about looking at her too much.
"Grandma, when will you send me home?"
"What's the rush? Your father has court today. We'll go back together after he's done," Princess Hui Yun said with a yawn, speaking lazily.
Mianmian took the opportunity to roll away a bit.
Princess Hui Yun: "Why are you running away? We've already slept together all night."
"Princess, you're too beautiful. I'm afraid I might fall in love with you."
Princess Hui Yun gritted her teeth, wanting to smack someone first thing in the morning. The little brat had been so well-behaved while asleep, but as soon as she woke up, she started talking nonsense.
...