3 – But she’s really so cute!
Gu Pingting lay on the bed as daylight gradually dimmed and evening approached.
Feng Shan entered the room once more, carrying a large basin in his hands. The basin was so big it resembled more of a pot, filled to the brim with steamed buns.
Feng Shan placed the buns on the table, then brought in another basin of soup.
Two whole large basins. Gu Pingting pursed her lips. No wonder he was so big and burly—he ate so much all by himself…
Feng Shan first scooped a large bowl of meat soup and handed it to Gu Pingting. “Here. You’ve been unconscious for days. You must be hungry.”
Gu Pingting was indeed hungry, but looking at such a huge bowl of meat soup! Her whole body felt weak and sore, and she couldn’t lift it.
Gu Pingting didn’t take it, only whispering softly, “I don’t have any strength in my hands. Could you feed me?”
Feng Shan said gruffly, “Can’t even hold a bowl?”
His voice was loud, booming overhead like thunder on a clear day.
Gu Pingting felt a bit aggrieved. She moved her small hands and said, “My arms hurt, and… this bowl of yours is just too big.”
Feng Shan stared at her—delicate and fragile, looking very obedient and utterly useless.
Feng Shan was a rough, rugged man who usually hated trouble the most.
He preferred things straightforward and efficient. Forget feeding someone, even if others ate too slowly during a meal, he had no patience for it.
Seeing him silent, Gu Pingting thought he had agreed.
Gu Pingting was truly starving. Smelling the aroma of the meat soup, she leaned forward, bringing her face close to the bowl and opening her small mouth, waiting for Feng Shan to feed her.
Her eyes were clear, fixed greedily on the meat soup. Her pink lips parted slightly, making her look exactly like a little greedy cat who had been starved for too long.
Like this, she was incredibly lively.
Feng Shan’s steadfast, tough heart seemed to have been suddenly struck twice by a soft little fist, leaving it tingling.
Feng Shan stared at her. Though it was troublesome, she was really so adorable…
Feng Shan sat down by the bed and picked up a piece of meat to feed her.
This ordinary bowl of meat soup before her, compared to the dishes made by the imperial chefs in the palace, could only be described as crude.
In the past, Gu Pingting’s picky stomach wouldn’t have given it a second glance.
But now, Gu Pingting was so hungry that she found this bowl of meat soup incredibly fragrant…
Seeing her eat with such satisfaction, Feng Shan grinned. He really wanted to pinch her—what would her reaction be?
Someone so soft and tender—would she puff up like a cat? Would she get angry?
Feng Shan only thought about it; he didn’t actually pinch Gu Pingting’s little face. He was afraid he might scare her into crying, and then it would be hard to comfort her.
After all, this little woman seemed very delicate, as if she’d be difficult to soothe.
Feng Shan, this rough man, hated trouble the most.
Gu Pingting ate only half a small bowl before she was completely full, shaking her head to say she was done.
“Eating so little, no wonder you can’t even hold a bowl,” Feng Shan said, taking back the bowl. Sitting by the bed, he finished the remaining meat soup in one go.
Gu Pingting watched him finish it with lingering satisfaction, pouting slightly. This man really had no manners!
“I’m thirsty.” The meat soup was a bit salty, and Gu Pingting felt thirsty after eating.
Feng Shan stood up, walked to the table, and picked up the water jug. It was empty, so Feng Shan strode out.
Gu Pingting didn’t wait long before she saw Feng Shan return holding a gourd dipper. He walked up to her and said, “Drink.”
Gu Pingting looked at the dipper—it was bigger than her head. She didn’t understand—were all the things in his house this big?
Was there no cup for drinking water? Either a bowl or a dipper, everything was so clumsy…
Though she was very disdainful, looking at Feng Shan’s fists, which were bigger than vinegar jars, she didn’t dare voice her unwillingness to drink.
Gu Pingting still only took two sips of water before she couldn’t drink anymore. Her fair, delicate little face scrunched up into a frown, clearly unhappy.
Feng Shan urged her, “You kept saying you were thirsty, drink a bit more.”
Gu Pingting shook her head, “The water is hard, it hurts my throat.”
Feng Shan: …
He could see it now—it wasn’t the water that was the problem, it was this little girl being difficult.
Feng Shan turned around, placed the water ladle on the table, and sat down to eat his dinner. A large basin piled high with steamed buns and another large basin of meat broth.
Gu Pingting watched as he wolfed down his food. He took two bites to finish a large steamed bun, washing it down with the meat broth, eating quickly and heartily.
Gu Pingting swallowed her saliva. This man could really eat.
Just as Feng Shan was eating, someone walked in from outside. Feng Shan greeted him, “Uncle Li, you’re here.”
Gu Pingting saw an old man in coarse cloth and a short shirt walk in. “Feng Shan, I cut down a big tree in the mountains to make a beam for your brother Wen, but the tree is too big. The young men in our family spent a whole day trying to carry it down but couldn’t manage. Now, with nightfall approaching, I wanted to ask you to help me carry it down.”
Feng Shan nodded, “Alright, I’ll come over after I finish eating.”
The old man glanced at the two large basins of food on the table and chuckled, “Why are you eating so little today?”
Feng Shan replied, “The weather’s hot, I don’t have much appetite.”
Gu Pingting: …
He ate two large basins and still had no appetite? How much would he eat when he actually had an appetite?
After finishing his meal, Feng Shan cleared the bowls and followed the old man out.
Gu Pingting was left alone in the room. Everything was quiet, and as the sky gradually darkened, there wasn’t even a lamp in the room.
It seemed like the wind had picked up outside. The strong wind howled through the mountain valleys, its mournful sound like ghosts and monsters wailing. Moonlight and tree shadows clung to the window, and as the wind blew, the shadows resembled the claws of monsters, scratching back and forth against the window paper.
Gu Pingting grew frightened. She hid entirely under the covers, but the sound of the wind grew louder and louder. The room was pitch black, and Gu Pingting cried out of fear.
Royal Father, Royal Mother, Crown Prince brother…
Pingting wants to go home…
Gu Pingting regretted it deeply now. She shouldn’t have been so willful.
The hot weather had come early this year. Royal Father and Royal Mother were busy with state affairs, and unable to bear the heat, she stubbornly insisted on going alone to the summer retreat palace to escape the heat. But something happened along the way.
She fell off a cliff and ended up here.
Huddled under the covers, listening to the howling mountain wind, Gu Pingting grew more and more afraid.
But the mountain wind seemed to deliberately torment this timid and delicate princess, blowing and howling with all its might.
Gu Pingting shrank under the covers, sobbing and crying without end.
When Feng Shan returned, he was drenched in sweat. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he went to fetch water to bathe. Passing by the door of the room, he faintly heard crying inside.
It was soft, whimpering, and sounded utterly pitiful.
Feng Shan frowned, pushed the door open with large strides, lit a lamp, and walked to the bedside.
Gu Pingting was completely buried under the covers, looking from the outside like a small, trembling lump. She was crying so hard that her body shook with each sob.
Feng Shan pulled back the covers and saw Gu Pingting curled up into a tiny ball, her fair, delicate face covered in tears, with droplets hanging from her long, thick eyelashes.
Trapped under the covers, she had cried until her little face flushed red. Her fair skin, combined with the crimson at the corners of her eyes, made her look like a soft, milky dumpling dusted with an alluring pink blush.
She looked so pitiful crying…
But all Feng Shan wanted to do was kiss her!
For no other reason than that this little woman, with her face glistening with tears, was too delicate and soft. When she cried, Feng Shan truly just wanted to kiss her!
Tears, crystal clear, slid down the crimson corners of her eyes. Feng Shan felt each drop fall straight into his heart, stirring a restless heat within him.
He stared at her intently, his gaze unwavering, and said in a low voice, “Why are you crying for no reason?”
Gu Pingting opened her eyes to look at Feng Shan. He was so tall, standing by the bedside and blocking all the light.
She was completely enveloped in his shadow and whimpered, “…I’m scared.”
Her voice was so small and tender, as if it had softly brushed against Feng Shan’s heart.
She was so beautiful, so adorable, so soft and delicate…
Feng Shan liked her so much!
He was left speechless, because at that moment, Feng Shan felt he was done for…
For he clearly sensed that his steadfast, resolute heart was now completely filled with this pitiful little woman before him.
It hadn’t even been half a day. He hadn’t even remembered this little woman’s name. He had even found her troublesome.
Yet none of that stopped him from being captivated by her, from being ensnared!
That feeling of being utterly smitten was overwhelming, crashing straight into Feng Shan’s heart.
Soft and flustered.
Feng Shan had lived a rough, tough life and had never experienced such a feeling before.
He knew he was bewitched by this little woman before him! In just half a day, with just these words.
Feng Shan reached out his large hand and touched Gu Pingting’s delicate face. The skin beneath his fingers was incredibly soft and tender.
His gaze deepened. He wanted to marry this little woman!
He wanted her to bear him a whole brood of children!