Everyone is afraid of sothing.
So are afraid of snakes, so are afraid of thunder, and so are afraid of the dark.
But what Li Ji feared was silence.
An environnt that was too quiet would dredge up the fear hidden in the depths of his heart, awakening the bloody images buried deep in his mory.
In a silent environnt, Li Ji would unconsciously tense up, unable to fall asleep.
Yet he wasn’t used to having other people around when he slept, either.
And so, for the past five years, he had suffered from insomnia almost every night.
Li Ji stayed awake until the middle of the night before he managed to drift off to sleep.
He woke before dawn.
Prince Zhao had four head maids, each in charge of different matters.
The one responsible for Prince Zhao’s daily needs was Jinxiu.
She led the junior maids into the room to attend to the Prince as he dressed and washed.
Although they were there to "attend" to him, it was really just to lend a hand. Li Ji did most things himself.
Though he was from a noble family, he had grown up in army barracks with his father. He always took care of small matters like dressing and washing up himself, rarely relying on others.
Li Ji asked, "Where is Lady Hua?"
Jinxiu answered truthfully, "Lady Hua is still sleeping."
Li Ji clicked his tongue. "She’s certainly comfortable. Go wake her up. I will wait for her to have breakfast."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Hua Manman was sleeping soundly when she was suddenly woken up, and her short temper imdiately flared.
She cracked open her eyes and grumbled irritably.
"What do you want? Who’s so shaless, ruining a person’s sleep this early in the morning?!"
Si Yun said helplessly, "My Lady, the Prince has summoned you. You can’t sleep any longer."
Hua Manman didn’t want to get up.
But her rational mind told her she couldn’t defy Prince Zhao’s command.
In the end, she could only grit her teeth. With a painful wrench, she gave up her warm, comfortable cocoon of blankets and painstakingly crawled out of bed.
’It’s so hard to be a salted fish!’
Si Yun hurriedly helped her with her hair and makeup.
Hua Manman reminded her while yawning.
"No need for powder, and don’t use rouge either. Use a lighter shade of lipstick."
Si Yun hesitated. "Won’t that be too plain?"
Her mistress was a naturally dazzling and vibrant beauty, perfectly suited for glamorous makeup. If her look was too plain, it would make her complexion seem poor.
But Hua Manman said, "I need to look plain today. Trust on this."
Si Yun had no choice but to do as she was told.
After her makeup was done, Hua Manman had soone bring her a small bottle of peppermint oil.
She hid the peppermint oil in her sleeve and gracefully walked out of the Glazed Pavilion.
When Hua Manman walked into the dining hall, breakfast was already set on the table.
Li Ji sat in his wheelchair, a faint, unreadable smile on his face as he watched her.
"Did you sleep well last night?"
Hua Manman sighed. "To be honest, I did not sleep well at all last night."
Li Ji raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Hua Manman gave him a sorrowful look and said in a deeply wronged tone.
"It was all because of you, Your Highness.
Yesterday at the Uncle’s Mansion, Your Highness misunderstood that there was sothing between and Song Ding.
I was so anxious and uneasy about it that I couldn’t sleep all night. My heart is just broken."
As she spoke, she lifted a sleeve to dab at the corner of her eye. Her brow furrowed, and she looked for all the world as if she were on the verge of tears, the very picture of misery.
However, Li Ji clearly heard her real thoughts at that mont—
’Emma, this peppermint oil has a real kick. It made my eyes red in an instant.’
Li Ji fell into a strange silence for a mont before speaking, his tone complex.
"I hadn’t realized you were so sensitive, to be this upset over such a trivial matter."
...
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