10 – I accept your apology
Feng Shan laughed for a long time in the courtyard before finally entering the house.
As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Gu Pingting lying face down on the bed, her small face buried in the bedding, pouting angrily. Feng Shan suppressed a laugh and said, “Alright, don’t be angry anymore. It was just the village children playing a role-playing game. Don’t take it seriously.”
Gu Pingting didn’t move or speak.
With her face buried in the bedding, Feng Shan worried she might suffocate. He walked to the bedside and scooped her up in one swift motion.
Feng Shan was strong, and Gu Pingting was as light as a little chick, easily lifted and set upright on the bed.
Gu Pingting struggled briefly but couldn’t break free, so she huffed angrily, “It’s all Silly Girl’s fault! Why did she have to tease me for no reason? If she hadn’t dressed as a man and claimed to be an imperial guard, I wouldn’t have believed her.”
It was clearly her own foolishness—she hadn’t noticed all the obvious flaws—yet she still blamed others. Feng Shan held back a laugh and said, “Don’t blame Silly Girl. When she was little, she was playing on the cliff behind the village and accidentally fell, injuring her brain. Her mind is impaired—an adult’s body with a child’s mind. She didn’t mean to tease you; she just wanted someone to play with.”
Gu Pingting bit her lip, sitting on the edge of the bed and staring at her feet, too angry to know what to say.
When she was angry, her delicate little nose would unconsciously scrunch up, looking utterly adorable. Feng Shan couldn’t resist pinching her cheek. “You, why are you so temperamental? Always needing others to coax and pamper you. Come on, stop being angry. Smile for me.”
Gu Pingting was already fuming, and just then, Feng Shan pinched her again. She flared up loudly, “I told you not to pinch me! Don’t pinch me!! Can’t you understand?”
She was genuinely angry now, her willow-like brows furrowed and her beautiful eyes wide open. Feng Shan found it amusing. “Oh! You’re really angry!”
Even when she was furious, her softness remained. Feng Shan used both hands to knead her cheeks.
Gu Pingting squirmed, trying to avoid his touch, but his arms were long and strong, and she couldn’t break free no matter how hard she tried.
Growing desperate, Gu Pingting grabbed his large hand and bit down hard!
She had two sharp, playful canine teeth, and when she bit down fiercely, they sank into his skin. Feng Shan hissed in pain. “Has the little puppy learned to bite now?”
Gu Pingting held on tightly, refusing to let go, her round eyes glaring at him angrily.
Gu Pingting thought she looked fierce, but Feng Shan found her amusing. He chuckled, “Let go, or I’ll bite you back.”
Gu Pingting snorted but still didn’t release him.
She was small and weak, so Feng Shan didn’t feel much pain. But to make her let go, he thought for a moment and decided to tickle her.
Gu Pingting burst into laughter from the tickling and naturally released Feng Shan’s hand. She was ticklish and giggled as she rolled to the far side of the bed. “Ah, I was wrong… haha. I’m sorry… don’t tickle me, I won’t do it again, I won’t… haha…”
Feng Shan wanted to punish her and deliberately held her down. Gu Pingting laughed until she was exhausted, her little legs kicking wildly.
She was making such a fuss that Feng Shan pinned both her legs down and flipped her over, pressing her entire body beneath him.
His broad frame loomed over her, and Gu Pingting’s vision went dark for a moment.
As a princess, Gu Pingting had been extremely sheltered by her Royal Father and Royal Mother since childhood, leaving her innocent and naive.
Though she didn’t understand matters of intimacy, she knew this position between them was improper. Gu Pingting pushed against him, “Get up, don’t press down on me.”
Feng Shan used one large hand to pin both her slender arms to the bed.
The evening light was dim and hazy, casting a soft blur over everything in the tiled-roof house, yet Gu Pingtíng’s beauty was anything but hazy.
She was so fair and delicate, with large, clear eyes and a soft, rosy mouth.
Pressing down on the petite, fair-skinned woman, Feng Shan, a man in the prime of his vigor, couldn’t help but react.
Feng Shan stared at her with fiery eyes, and Gu Pingtíng timidly mumbled, “You’re not really going to bite me, are you? Don’t bite me, I’m afraid it’ll hurt.”
With Feng Shan so strong, wouldn’t he bite her wrist clean off in one go?
Unaware of how alluring she was, she was both innocent and seductive. Feng Shan licked his lips and said gruffly, “Little thing, I want to eat you up.”
His tone was fierce, not at all like a joke. Gu Pingtíng shrank back, genuinely frightened. “You’re joking, right?”
She was truly naive, so naive it bordered on foolishness.
Feng Shan was amused by her, dotingly tapping her nose. “Now you’re scared? Weren’t you brave enough to bite me earlier? Come on, give me a smile, and I’ll let you off.”
Gu Pingtíng pouted, not very pleased.
Feng Shan raised an eyebrow, leaning closer to her and lowering his voice. “Be a good little thing and smile for me.”
Feng Shan’s voice was rough and deep. When he spoke loudly, it was like a thunderclap in a stormy night. But now, with his voice lowered, it was unexpectedly pleasant to hear.
Hearing his whisper, Gu Pingtíng suddenly blushed, lowering her lashes and not daring to look at him. She forced a small smile and whispered, “Feng Shan, get up. Don’t press down on me.”
When she smiled, her dimples appeared faintly. Not wanting to frighten her, Feng Shan rolled over and sat up. “I’ll go make dinner for you. What do you want to eat tonight?”
Gu Pingtíng thought for a moment and said, “I want dumplings.”
Feng Shan nodded. “I’ll make them for you.”
With that, Feng Shan went to the kitchen, while Gu Pingtíng stayed in the room playing with a Luban lock. She had grown tired of tangrams, so Feng Shan had bought her this Luban lock when he went to the county town to sell animal pelts the day before. It was more fun than tangrams.
Gu Pingtíng liked it even more…
Before Gu Pingtíng could solve the lock, Feng Shan walked in carrying a bowl of meat filling, ready to wrap dumplings on the table.
Gu Pingtíng glanced over. Feng Shan was wiping the table. He was tall and burly, not at all like a man who would do household chores.
Gu Pingtíng looked away and continued working on her Luban lock.
After much effort, she finally solved it. Gu Pingtíng smiled happily, leaning on her crutch as she excitedly ran over to show Feng Shan the lock. “Look, I solved it,” she said proudly.
Feng Shan smiled. “Next time, I’ll buy you something else.”
Gu Pingtíng nodded and sat down at the table, bending over slightly.
When Gu Pingtíng was a princess, she had many lessons to learn—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, cooking, and dance—all of which she had studied extensively.
She knew how to cook, and she did it with finesse, but she disliked touching anything greasy. Unwilling to get her hands dirty, Gu Pingtíng simply sat by the table, watching Feng Shan wrap dumplings.
Honestly, the delicate task of wrapping dumplings didn’t suit Feng Shan, this big, burly man. It looked rather comical, and Gu Pingtíng giggled.
Feng Shan asked her what she was laughing at.
Gu Pingtíng shook her head and asked, “Why did you only prepare such a small bowl of meat filling? It’s not enough for you.”
Feng Shan pinched a pretty frill on a dumpling. “This is a hassle. I’m mainly making them for you. I’ll have some noodle soup later.”
Gu Pingting was taken aback for a moment, her gaze falling on Feng Shan’s hand. There was a row of tooth marks on the fleshy part between his thumb and index finger, dotted with specks of bright red—she had bitten him.
Gu Pingting thought for a moment and said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have bitten you.”
Her tone carried a hint of self-reproach and apology. Feng Shan glanced up at her. This little woman, though she had a fiery temper and was somewhat spoiled, was never annoying.
On the contrary, her spoiled nature was just right—charming and adorable.
Feng Shan arranged the dumplings neatly. “An apology shouldn’t just be empty words.”
Gu Pingting thought that made sense and asked, “Then what do you want?”
Feng Shan smiled. “From now on, when I pinch your cheeks, you can’t get angry. You have to let me pinch them as much as I want, okay?”
Gu Pingting looked at Feng Shan unhappily. This man really knew how to take advantage of a situation!
Just as Gu Pingting was about to refuse, Feng Shan cut in first, “Not willing? Then why apologize? So hypocritical.”
Hearing this, Gu Pingting grew annoyed. “This princess is not hypocritical!”
A glint flashed in Feng Shan’s eyes. “Then you’re willing. Good! I accept your apology.”
“I… I…” Gu Pingting was at a loss for words. She shot Feng Shan a reproachful look—he had tricked her.
So cunning!
Gu Pingting grew angry. Leaning on her crutch, she stood up, ignoring Feng Shan, walked to the bedside, and sat down. She then reassembled the Luban lock she had just taken apart, intending to solve it again.
“Angry again? I have to coax you eight hundred times a day!” Feng Shan thought for a moment and added, “Tsk! And I’m still willing to do it, eagerly and happily. It’s like I’ve drunk your bewitching potion!”
His words were crude yet amusing. Gu Pingting curved the corners of her lips slightly, lowered her head to play with the Luban lock, and refused to acknowledge him.