Chapter 92

92 Clinging to me

Li Hua shot the arrow towards Lóng Wei, who caught it because it was going to hit his face. Li Hua widened her eyes and her heart raced wildly in fear. She threw the bow and rushed to him.

“I warned His Highness that I am not good at this. What if he would be injured because of me?” She got worried and fidgeted with her fingers in fright.

Lóng Wei put his hand down. “The speed of the arrow that you shot was slow. Anyone would catch it and your concentration is more on the person before you instead of your aim. Li Hua, throw the fear out of you,” Lóng Wei again started to lecture her. Li Hua lowered her head while silently listening to him.

“Forgive me. I will try to-” she paused as Lóng Wei put his hands on her shoulders and made her look into his eyes.

“Not try. You need to put your everything into this training, Li Hua. You need to become strong physically. I want my wife to be equally strong as me or even more,” Lóng Wei asserted while peering into her eyes.

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“Yes, Your Highness.” Li Hua nodded at him. Lóng Wei looked at her broad forehead which was covered in sweat and the tiny fringes of her hair were stuck to it. He brought his left hand to her forehead and wiped the beads of sweat.

“Every bead of your sweat will give you a positive result in the long run. Trust me, the training seems difficult for now, but with time it will be easier,” stated Lóng Wei.

Li Hua felt strange in her heart. She always heard that women shall remain inside the four walls, serving her family, her husband, and her children. Even Feng Lao told her not to ever carry the weapon because her hands were not made for them.

Why was Lóng Wei different?

.....

These few days with him imprinted a great influence on her. His qualities had attracted her to him. Though she didn’t want to accept those unnamed feelings in her heart that had started to develop.

“There is a snake behind you,” Lóng Wei pranked her.

Li Hua jumped from her place and unbeknownst to her, hugged Lóng Wei tightly while her legs wrapped around his waist. That was the least unexpected thing that Lóng Wei anticipated. He thought she would hug him, but this he didn’t even expect in his dream.

Due to the sudden jump, Lóng Wei’s back hit the trunk of the tree behind him while his right arm securely wrapped around her waist.

Li Hua who was still unaware of the position they were in kept her eyes shut. “Your Highness, do something,” she said in a low voice. She opened her eyes when heard the laugh of Lóng Wei. Leaning back, she looked at him, who had stopped his laughter. She realized how she had clung to him.

No wonder, Lóng Wei didn’t let her go. His grip on her waist was firm.

“Why did His Highness prank me?” Li Hua questioned him.

“To make you hug me. But you did something more,” Lóng Wei replied and smirked. Li Hua blinked her eyes a few times and asked him to let her go. He shook his head.

“I still need to practice, Your Highness.” Li Hua slowly brought her hands to his shoulders and curled her fingers.

“Evening has fallen. There’s no need to practice anymore,” Lóng Wei said. “Evening means your husband will-” Li Hua put her palm over his mouth, thus preventing him from speaking something which she didn’t want to hear. Her mind was already juggling between the strange thoughts that were revolving in her head.

“Your Highness, please put me down,” Li Hua requested again. Lóng Wei used his other hand and put her hand down.

“My arm isn’t on your waist anymore. You are the one, who is still clinging to me,” Lóng Wei pronounced when reality hit her. She immediately put her legs down and stepped back when Lóng Wei drew her towards him by wrapping his arm around her waist. He twirled her, and this time her back gently hit the trunk of the tree.

He leaned down and kissed Li Hua softly. Moving his head back, he gazed into her doe eyes. Li Hua pursed her lips together, but unlike the other times, she didn’t scold him for stealing a kiss without her consent. Though she soon had averted her gaze from him.

He gradually pulled away from her when Li Hua ran out of his sight.

He chuckled and turned to look, but Li Hua had disappeared.

Li Hua stopped near the door of her chamber and touched her lips. “I should not have run away. His Highness will think that I blushed that was why I ran out,” she murmured.

“Your Highness, the bathhouse is ready.” She heard Court Lady Hong’s voice and turned behind. “Please hurry to the bathhouse because the Second Princess will soon come to see Her Highness,” she informed Li Hua.

“Why?”

“The Second Princess said she’ll tell Her Highness personally,” Court Lady Hong answered. Li Hua hummed and went with her to the bathhouse.

Li Hua put the water over her shoulders using her palms and caressed it. “This warm water has vanished the numbness in my body and even vanished my tiredness. Court Lady Hong, did you ever find a man who asked you to become strong, train yourself instead of being a virtuous wife?”

Li Hua was deeply influenced by Lóng Wei’s character. She wanted to know Court Lady Hong’s opinion on such men since she was senior to her.

Getting no response from her, she turned to look and quickly moved to the other side of the bathtub.

“What is the Sixth Prince doing here?” She was bewildered to see him and a little afraid too.

She looked down and took a sigh of relief because the water was covered with rose petals. She moved a little down so that her collarbone and shoulders would not be visible to him anymore.

“I thought to play with my wife,” Lóng Wei pronounced and advanced closer to the bathtub.

“STOP!” Li Hua loudly said, “I am done. I need to change. Will His Highness go out?” She asked and looked towards the door.

Lóng Wei, amused by her statement, kept walking to her. Li Hua kept moving in the water when she heard him say,

“I will jump into the bathtub if you move away from your place.”

She glued to her place and asked him what he wanted. Lóng Wei finally reached to her side and asked her to show her right hand. Li Hua first hesitated and then slowly brought it out of the water. Lóng Wei looked at the bruises. “I will bring the ointment for you. I needed to check the scratches and wanted to confirm if you got any wounds while practicing,” Lóng Wei explained to her.

“Don’t be scared. I won’t do anything without your consent. Kissing is allowed though,” Lóng Wei said and stood up to leave. Li Hua gazed at him in astonishment as he left soon. For a second, she thought that he wanted to bathe with her.