The two people fell into silence as the chirping of birds rang in their ears.
Chu Jiao cast a glance at the dazed man next to her and giggled mischievously, “Beardie, let’s have a race!”
“If you win, I’ll fulfill one of your requests… If I win, I’ll shave your beard off. What do you say?”
She simply couldn’t stand looking at the man’s thick and bushy beard any longer. It was pricking her eyes.
“Ah, a silly girl like you wants to compete with me?” Hu Luoyan finally hooked his lips up into a smile, “Fine. If you really win, I’ll shave this beard I’ve grown for 3 years!”
“Don’t you underestimate me!” Chu Jiao swiftly raised her reins, and with a charming yell, the brown filly sped off into the wind, leaving behind the view of an agile figure for the man to stare at.
Hu Luoyan held the ropes tightly in delight and clenched his legs, the Ferghana horse quick-wittedly picked up pace, excitedly chasing the horse before it.
The two people agreed on setting the hilltop not too far away as the end point. Whomever reached there first would be deemed as the winner.
Hu Luoyan originally thought that this pampered princess, who couldn’t even get on her horse without any help, was just a pretty flower vase1A flower vase is someone who looks pretty but has no skills to speak of.. But, he didn’t expect to have really underestimated her. The girl was skilled in handling the filly, being able to shake him off in just a short while.
However, Hu Luoyan had already been riding ever since he was a child. After giving her a headstart in the beginning, he finally started getting serious and was able to catch up to her in just a few moments.
The two people were neck and neck as they reached the destination, but in the end, Hu Luoyan was just a cut above, snatching victory for himself.
He teased the proud little girl, “Princess. I apologize. This general has carelessly snagged the win.”
Chu Jiao pursed her lips in disatisfaction, “It’s not fair. You’re riding a Ferghana horse! How can my docile filly win against it!”
“Heh, then we can have another race, “Hu Luoyan magnanimously proposed, “We can even switch horses.”
Yet, the end result was still the same.
Harsh reality gave the confident Chu Jiao a resounding smack on the face.
Chu Jiao tiredly got off her horse and sat on the ground, heavily panting for air, “Tell me. What do you want this princess to do? This princess will keep her word.”
Subsequently, Hu Luoyan also came to a halt, placing the two horses at the side to feed on some grass before plopping himself down beside the girl. He nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders, saying, “I haven’t thought of it yet. I’ll leave it for later.”
He truly hadn’t thought of what to ask from her yet. Moreover, with their current identities as princess and soon to be brother-in-law, it wasn’t appropriate for him to request anything.
“Alright.”
The two people sat on the ground, feeling the slight cool breeze and the sun’s warmth. Though there were no words being uttered, the atmosphere between them was exceptionally nice.
Hu Luoyan’s lips began to twitch, suddenly having the urge to tell the young girl of his true identity.
What would she think?
Would she be happy? Or. would she get angry?
However, at this moment, Chu Jiao suddenly yawned.
She hadn’t had a good night’s sleep these past few days due to her car sickness, so now that she was basking under the sun’s warmth, her innate drowsiness started to overwhelm her.
“Are you tired?” Seeing her mouth agape, Hu Luoyan quickly retracted the words he was about to say and took off his cloak, neatly laying it on the grass behind Chu Jiao. “Get some sleep, I’ll wake you up when the troops have caught up.”
A dark shadow was visible underneath the young girl’s eyes, and with one look, it already told Hu Luoyan just how bad her sleep quality was these past few nights.
“Mm, okay…”
Chu Jiao lazily lied on the cloak and responded vaguely, her eyelids getting heavier as the seconds passed.
Hu Luoyan also took this opportunity to lie beside her. Although he didn’t feel drowsy, he propped his head sideways to gaze at the young girl’s sleeping countenance.
Ever since he had planned to seize the throne up until he had gained control of the 36 regions, he had never truly rested before. At night, he would plainly close his eyes just as he was physiologically required to, but as for his thoughts, they would be completely immersed in scheming and plotting for his next plans. The more the days passed, the more mature he had become, and the more aged he had grown.
However, upon meeting this lively princess from the enemy kingdom, in just a few short months, he had experienced a never before-encountered vitality. A 30-year old man like him had fun competing with her, just like a young man would.
The gentle sunlight sprinkled on top of Chu Jiao’s fair sleeping face, causing a golden halo to appear on her silhouette.
Hu Luoyan slowly reached out a hand, his calloused fingers inching the girl’s peaceful face, but just as it was a few centimeters away from her, he stopped.
He softly stroked the thick strands of hair on the girl’s face and continued from her exquisite brows to her ruddy cheeks.
Then, it came to a halt at those slightly arched, perfectly-shaped lips that seemed to be forming a small smile.
The young girl’s lustrous lips looked slightly dry and cold as of this moment due to not drinking enough water, and the tickling sensation on his fingers made Hu Luoyan furrow his brows.
As though bewitched by some spell, he lowered his head, holding her lips.
He completely ignored the water pouch hanging on the horse’s back, telling himself. ‘The young girl must’ve been thirsty, so he was merely wetting her lips on her behalf.’
Translator Little Potato: Hi all, just a reminder that any chapters with H in the title will be locked under a pw which will only be shared in our discord so make sure to join to read the ~
[Completed]
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