Looking at You Rong, who was foolishly grinning, Lin Qinghe felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Why was he so easily deceived? After just being given a chicken leg, he had completely changed his perception of her.
At the same time, Lin Qinghe felt an inexplicable pang in her heart. If a single chicken leg could make him so happy, what kind of life did he lead as a prince in the royal mansion?
Lin Qinghe flicked You Rong's forehead, causing him to frown and cover it. "Wangfei, why did you hit me again? Did I do something wrong? If I did... tell me, and I will change! You just said you'd give me meat every day, you can't go back on your word!"
Lin Qinghe chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, I won't go back on my word." She pushed back You Rong's hand holding the chicken leg. "Eat up, there's more after this chicken leg! I promise you'll be full today, you can eat as much as you want!"
You Rong's smile widened upon hearing this. He took a bite of the chicken leg, chewing and mumbling indistinctly, "Wangfei is the best! Grandma was right, Wangfei is beautiful and plays with me. I will treat Wangfei well from now on!"
"Mhm, eat up."
You Rong ate happily. After he finished, Lin Qinghe tore off another chicken leg and handed it to him. As he ate, he kept muttering about how good Wangfei was. Lin Qinghe watched him and sighed softly, murmuring, "What a little fool..."
You Rong didn't hear clearly and turned his head to ask, "Wangfei, what were you just saying?"
"Nothing, you keep eating. Hurry up and eat."
"Oh... okay!"
As You Rong ate with great enjoyment, Lin Qinghe lowered her gaze slightly, her expression thoughtful.
When You Rong had eaten his fill, he nudged Lin Qinghe, who was lost in thought beside him, and said with a grin, "Wangfei, I'm full. Shall we go back to sleep?"
Lin Qinghe snapped out of her thoughts and saw that You Rong's mouth was covered in grease. He fumbled around on himself for a moment, found a handkerchief, and wiped his mouth clean before asking, "Your Highness, are there any other side rooms empty in the mansion? Do you know where they are?"
You Rong, suspecting nothing, replied directly, "I know! All the side rooms in the eastern courtyard are empty. I used to hide there when I played hide-and-seek with people!"
Lin Qinghe said, "Good! Let's go. We won't go back to the bridal chamber tonight. We'll go to the side rooms in the eastern courtyard. Your Highness, please lead the way."
"We're not going back to the bridal chamber to sleep? Then... no! Grandma said that on our wedding night, Your Highness and Wangfei must consumate in the bridal chamber! If we don't go back to the bridal chamber, we can't consummate, so no!" You Rong said with a frown, his tone earnest.
Lin Qinghe: "..."
Given You Rong's current foolish state, it would be a miracle if he knew how to consummate.
Lin Qinghe coaxed him, "Don't worry, we can still consummate without going back to the bridal chamber. Let's go."
You Rong blinked, half-believing, "Really? But Grandma didn't say that?"
Seeing this, Lin Qinghe had to continue coaxing him, "Do you think I would lie to Your Highness? Didn't you just say earlier that I'd give you meat every day and wouldn't hit you like Granny Li, and that I'm a good person?"
"That seems to be true..." You Rong immediately cast aside his previous concern and chuckled, "Wangfei, let's go. I'll take you to the empty side rooms in the eastern courtyard. We'll consummate!"
Lin Qinghe felt speechless but maintained a gentle smile and coaxed, "Yes, yes, we're going to consummate. Hurry up, Your Highness."
You Rong grabbed Lin Qinghe's hand and walked out of the kitchen, expertly pulling her towards the eastern courtyard. Along the way, Lin Qinghe deliberately avoided the mansion's guards, ensuring no one noticed her and You Rong.
The original host had died on her wedding night, and she wanted You Rong to gain a reputation for being a wife-killer to prevent him from marrying again in the future. She had avoided the nuptial wine, but who knew if Consort Xiao's people had any other tricks up their sleeves? To be safe, not sleeping in the bridal chamber tonight was the best course of action.
Upon arriving at the side rooms in the eastern courtyard, You Rong pushed open an empty room and grinned back at Lin Qinghe, "Wangfei, we're here! We can consummate!"
Lin Qinghe forced a smile, "Yes, yes! Let's go in quickly. Once we're inside, we can consummate."
"Hooray! I want to consummate with Wangfei. Come in, Wangfei!"
Lin Qinghe was pulled into the side room by You Rong. She fumbled in the dark to light the candlestick on the table and subtly surveyed the room.
The side room had clearly not been cleaned for a long time. The table and bed were covered in a thick layer of dust, and the bedding smelled musty. It was unlikely to be a comfortable night here.
Lin Qinghe sighed inwardly.
Never mind, a night of making do was better than losing her life in the bridal chamber due to ignorance.
Just as Lin Qinghe was about to speak, You Rong excitedly grabbed her hand and pulled her to the bed. He pushed her down onto the bed and leaned over her, pinning her firmly beneath him.
Lin Qinghe was almost suffocated by his weight. She pushed against You Rong's chest, saying indignantly, "Your Highness! What are you doing! Get up quickly! You're crushing me!"
You Rong did not get up. Instead, he pressed down harder, grinning foolishly and saying, "This is what Grandma said. Consummation means pinning Wangfei down and resting together. After consummation, Wangfei can give me children."
Lin Qinghe: "..."
She could no longer tolerate it. Taking advantage of You Rong's inattention, she kicked him away. You Rong tumbled onto the bed, looking innocent and wronged, his lips pouting. "Wangfei... you hit me, you..."
Seeing that You Rong was about to burst into tears, Lin Qinghe quickly covered his mouth, took a few deep breaths, adjusted her emotions, and coaxed him gently, "Your Highness, I'm not hitting you. It's you who is wrong. Consummation is not like this, do you understand?"
"Huh? It's not like this?" You Rong pulled his hand away from his mouth, his expression full of doubt.
Lin Qinghe forced a smile and said, "Of course. Come, Your Highness, lie down properly. I'll teach you what consummation is."
You Rong obediently lay down. Lin Qinghe pulled the musty quilt over both of them and lay down beside him. She turned her head to meet You Rong's curious eyes and said, "Okay, consummation is when two people share a blanket and sleep on the bed together. Now, close your eyes. We'll consummate tomorrow morning."
You Rong thought of what his grandmother had told him, which seemed not much different from what Lin Qinghe had said, so he didn't suspect anything. He grinned and said, "Okay! I'll close my eyes and sleep. Tomorrow, Your Highness and Wangfei will consummate."
Lin Qinghe: "...Yes, that's right. Go to sleep quickly."
You Rong closed his eyes, and within moments, his breathing became steady. He fell into a deep sleep. Lin Qinghe, looking at his profile, had no intention of sleeping.
Lin Qinghe thought about how You Rong had entered the new world before her in the last world, and how the system had mentioned lowering the task difficulty for the first time. Was this a good or bad omen?
Her mind racing, Lin Qinghe placed her hand on her chest, recalling how her heart had ached sharply when You Rong suddenly fainted in the last world...
After thinking for a long time, Lin Qinghe shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She closed her eyes and said in a muffled voice, "Sleep, sleep. If we want to live comfortably in the royal mansion in the future, going to the palace tomorrow is our only chance. We need to be well-rested to act accordingly..."