Though she said she wasn’t bothered, when Di Shengyue returned to her room, Xiao Yinxue had already ordered several braziers to warm it for a long time.
The room was toasty warm, like a sun parlor.
Xiao Yinxue had also instructed her personal maid, Luoxiang, to prepare hot water for her.
Di Shengyue gave an awkward smile. This Xiao Yinxue was truly contrary to her words. She had even sent her most trusted maid to wait on her.
“General, please,” Luoxiang said.
Luoxiang and Youtao were both Xiao Yinxue’s maids. Youtao was lively, while Luoxiang was very steady.
Knowing that Di Shengyue disliked being served by others, Luoxiang hung the clean clothes on the screen and then withdrew to the side.
Steam rose from the wooden tub. After soaking for a while, Di Shengyue felt the cold dissipate from her body, and she was thoroughly warmed up.
She looked up at the clothes hanging on the screen—a light blue robe, her favorite color.
No matter what Xiao Yinxue did, she was extremely meticulous and thought of everything.
To have a wife like this, how could she have failed to cherish her in her previous life?
After soaking, Di Shengyue took the clothes from the screen, changed, and walked out.
“Is the Princess asleep yet?” Di Shengyue asked Luoxiang.
“Not yet,” Luoxiang replied. “Is the General going to see the Princess?”
“Yes,” Di Shengyue nodded and followed Luoxiang to the small courtyard where Xiao Yinxue was staying.
“Take it away! I told you I’m not drinking it!” Before even entering the room, Di Shengyue heard Xiao Yinxue’s willful voice.
Di Shengyue pushed the door open and saw Youtao holding a steaming bowl of ginger soup, trying to persuade Xiao Yinxue: “Princess, you were chilled today. Please drink some of this ginger soup.”
“I said I’m not drinking it.” Xiao Yinxue pinched her nose, her brows tightly furrowed, her eyes filled with obvious disdain.
Youtao stood by, at a loss. Seeing Di Shengyue, she cast a pleading look at her.
Di Shengyue walked forward, took the ginger soup from Youtao, sat down beside Xiao Yinxue, and offered the bowl to her, advising, “Your constitution is frail. If you don’t drink this ginger soup, what if you catch a cold?”
“How can I drink something that smells so awful?” Xiao Yinxue asked.
“Princess, it only smells a bit unpleasant. It actually tastes as sweet as honey water when you drink it,” Di Shengyue coaxed.
“Really?” Xiao Yinxue looked at Di Shengyue with suspicion. “You drink a sip first.”
Di Shengyue took a sip from the bowl. The slightly pungent, spicy taste filled her nostrils.
Di Shengyue said without changing her expression, “See, Princess? It’s really not hard to drink.”
Xiao Yinxue drank a hesitant sip.
Her beautiful eyebrows immediately knitted together, practically twisting into a knot.
After only one sip, she protested, refusing to drink any more: “No, no, I won’t drink it! Liar! I won’t listen to anything you say this time!”
Seeing the bowl of ginger soup barely touched, a hint of helplessness flashed in Di Shengyue’s eyes.
Why was she so delicate!
Di Shengyue picked up the ginger soup and drank it all in one gulp. Then, she used her finger to tilt Xiao Yinxue’s chin up and pressed her lips against that tender pink mouth.
“What are you doi—mmph…” Xiao Yinxue’s remaining words were completely swallowed by Di Shengyue.
The pungent, spicy taste mingled between their lips and teeth.
Xiao Yinxue’s eyebrows were almost forming the character for river in her frown.
Di Shengyue suddenly found the Xiao Yinxue before her incredibly adorable.
Her tongue hooked Xiao Yinxue’s small, fragrant tongue, lightly tracing the soft curve of the tip.
Xiao Yinxue’s cheeks were already flushed from the brazier in the room, and they grew even redder now.
The ginger soup was completely fed into Xiao Yinxue’s mouth during their playful retreat and chase.
A pair of bright eyes glared at her, full of indignation. How could this person be so hateful? She took advantage of her being weaker, not only forcing her to swallow that awful-tasting ginger soup but also taking liberties with her.
Di Shengyue released Xiao Yinxue. The unswallowed ginger soup dripped down the corner of Xiao Yinxue’s mouth. She reached out and gently wiped the liquid from her lips.
Xiao Yinxue hadn’t recovered from her anger, and she fiercely bit Di Shengyue’s finger, biting down hard several times.
However, she didn’t use too much force, only leaving a shallow bite mark around the fingertip.
“Is the Princess angry?” Di Shengyue withdrew her finger, tracing the faint mark on it.
Xiao Yinxue hadn’t bitten hard. To someone who had fought on battlefields all year like her, it was like being gently scratched by a kitten.
Xiao Yinxue snorted, turned her body, and faced away from her.
Luoxiang smiled. “The Princess has been afraid of bitter flavors since she was small. The General’s actions this time will likely earn her resentment.”
“But the General is still clever,” Youtao giggled, saying, “The Princess truly has no way to deal with the General.”
“Whose maids are you two, anyway!” Xiao Yinxue scolded angrily.
“Whoever is good to the Princess is whose we are,” Youtao and Luoxiang laughed together.
“One day, I’m going to marry you all off!” Xiao Yinxue threatened.
“Oh, Princess, please don’t!” Youtao and Luoxiang rushed forward, clinging to Xiao Yinxue and saying sweet words.
Di Shengyue watched the three of them in a playful commotion, the corners of her mouth curling upward unconsciously.
In her previous life, when had she ever seen Xiao Yinxue so happy?
“What are you thinking about?” After a while, noticing Di Shengyue looking somewhat absentminded, Xiao Yinxue asked.
“I was thinking about the Late Empress,” Di Shengyue composed herself and said, “Your fear of bitter things is nothing like the Late Empress. How valiant the Late Empress was.”
Respect filled Di Shengyue’s eyes when she spoke of the Late Empress.
“Hmph,” Xiao Yinxue pouted, saying, “You weren’t much older than me when Mother passed away, so how do you know what Mother was like?”
“My father once fought in campaigns with the Late Empress. I grew up listening to my father recount stories of the Late Empress,” a hint of nostalgia appeared in Di Shengyue’s eyes.
Sadly, those days didn’t last long before her father fell in battle.
Thinking of this, Di Shengyue’s gaze darkened slightly.
There were people and debts she would settle sooner or later!
Seeming to notice the shift in Di Shengyue’s tone, Xiao Yinxue gently squeezed Di Shengyue’s hand and said, “Tell me a story about Mother. She was already gone when I first started remembering things.”
“There will be a chance later,” Di Shengyue curled her lips, suddenly feeling the urge to tease Xiao Yinxue. “Princess, it’s late. You should rest.”
“Hey… you!”
“I shall take my leave,” Di Shengyue said, and with that, she left Xiao Yinxue’s private room.
“Di Shengyue!” Xiao Yinxue watched her straightforward departure, feeling both angry and annoyed.
How could she do that! She piqued her interest and then just left her hanging!
This Di Shengyue was an absolute jerk!
Just as Di Shengyue was about to go to sleep, Luoxiang knocked on the door. Upon receiving permission, she entered, carrying a food box.
“This is ginger soup the Princess specially ordered to be brewed for the General.” Luoxiang opened the food box, took out the ginger soup inside, and handed it to Di Shengyue.
Di Shengyue looked at the deep brown ginger soup, a trace of helplessness in her eyes.
She accepted the ginger soup and drank it in one go. The taste of this bowl was so strong it was as if a whole pot of aged ginger had been boiled.
The intense spicy flavor filled her mouth and nose, making the tip of Di Shengyue’s nose sting.
“The Princess asked this servant to tell the General that the stronger it is, the better the effect for warding off the cold,” Luoxiang said with a smile, pouring her another cup. “The Princess also said that since it’s like honey water, the General must like it.”
Di Shengyue shook her head. Sure enough, Xiao Yinxue was getting her revenge.
But the method of revenge was truly comical.
How could she be so adorable!