"A family's care is also important," Ying Lili argued.
"You are my family, Lili," Sheng Li replied. Ying Lili took a forward step while Sheng Li straightened up. She turned to him and gazed into his eyes. "What were you doing in that hall? I heard that you were panicking. Did something happen?" Sheng Li asked concernedly.
"Hmm." "The Second Prince has abused his Bai. I saw the wounds on her body. Sheng Li, Brother Yongzheng is still the same." Ying Lili did not want to keep the secret from Sheng Li, so she revealed the truth regarding Yongzheng.
A menacing expression appeared on Sheng Li's face. "How did you find out?" He asked.
"From Sister Bai. She was scared to share this. After many requests, she told me. Then, Court Lady Xu told me that Brother Yongzheng had been abusive to his servants for a long time. He used to beat them up to vent his anger on them. She even told me that how--" Ying Lili could not speak further as her heart ached from reminiscing about them.
"I will look into it," Sheng Li assured Ying Lili and caressed her head. Ying Lili thanked him and urged him to do everything fast.
"You came to the hall to inform me about this matter?" Sheng Li raised his eyebrow.
"No. Court Lady Xu told me how the Second Brother plotted against you. So, I was scared. I thought he might have fed poison to you," Ying Lili asserted. Sheng Li could see in her eyes that she had found out about his dark past which he hid from her or avoided most of the time. He tilted his head back to look at Court Lady Xu.
"Next time, I will not let it go," Sheng Li threatened her, who apologized to him.
Sheng Li turned his head back to Ying Lili. "Lili, the Second Prince cannot do that. Your husband has eyes everywhere," Sheng Li told her and put his hand down. After an hour, Ying Lili's birthday would come, and seeing her worry was concerning for him.
"Come, let's go to our private residence," Sheng Li grasped her wrist and took her to their private residence. Soon, they reached the residence after taking a ride on Kongqi.
They went to their private chamber inside the residence. Sheng Li pulled out a chair and pushed Ying Lili gently on it. Pouring water into a glass, he handed it to Ying Lili. "Drink it," Sheng Li told her.
"Bring the food," Sheng Li then ordered Court Lady Xu, who bowed and stepped out of the chamber.
Ying Lili drank the water and put it on the table. Sheng Li sat beside her on the other chair.
"Why are we here?" Ying Lili asked.
"To spend time," Sheng Li replied. Ying Lili nodded her head.
"Sheng Li, I heard from the assistant of Sister Liao Jun about the dancers. She told us that there was a beautiful dancer too," Ying Lili suddenly said.
"So?"
"You did not look at her!" Ying Lili astonishingly asked Sheng Li.
"I don't remember watching any dancer in particular. Why did you ask?" Sheng Li asked and rested his elbow on the table while his chin was on his fist.
"Sister Liao was worried that she might seduce the princes," Ying Lili replied.
Court Lady Xu came with two maidservants, who served the food to them. One of them tasted the food before letting the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess eat it.
"Leave," Sheng Li ordered them. They all lowered their heads and stepped backward.
"Did you think the same?" Sheng Li curiously asked.
"No," Ying Lili replied and picked the chopsticks. She picked the rice bowl and dug the chopsticks into it. Picking a small quantity of cooked rice, Ying Lili brought the chopsticks near her mouth but stopped as she heard Sheng Li.
"Well, her figure is nice," Sheng Li remarked.
Ying Lili widened her eyes and tilted her head to look at him. "Pardon!" She could not believe what she heard.
"Her figure is nice," Sheng Li repeated his words with a grin on his face.
Ying Lili blinked a few times and ate the rice. After chewing her food, she asked him, "So, you did watch the dance. You earlier said that you don't remember any dancer in particular. Did you learn to lie to your wife?" Ying Lili's tone was clear to show that she was angry.
"I recalled moments ago. She has these large, beautiful pearly eyes; a tiny nose; long eyelashes; long black hair reaching below her waist and a slender waist," Sheng Li described her features.
Ying Lili stopped eating and snickered. She angrily threw the chopsticks on the plate. So, even Sheng Li checked out that dancer! Ying Lili was proud of thinking that Sheng Li was not like the other men. Her mood was already ruined after knowing the true face of Yongzheng and it ruined more after Sheng Li explained about another woman in front of her.
"What happened?" Sheng Li intentionally asked. Teasing Ying Lili was fun for him. On rare occasions, she acted this way, and this face of hers, seemed cutest to Sheng Li.
"She even grabbed my hand once and asked me to dance with her," Sheng Li added fuel to the fire.
"Then, why are you here?" Ying Lili turned furious. "Go and dance with her," Ying Lili said angrily.
"Oh! Thank you, Lili. You are such a sweet wife," Sheng Li stated and stood up from the chair.
Ying Lili could not believe that Sheng Li was desperate to go for a dance with the other woman. He told her that they would spend time together, yet Sheng Li wanted to dance with another woman! Big tears formed in her eyes when Sheng Li stopped behind her chair and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Don't touch me!" Ying Lili was annoyed. She yanked away his hands from her shoulders, but Sheng Li again put his hands on them.
He pulled her up when Ying Lili angrily turned to him and said, "Don't annoy me. Go away."
Sheng Li smiled upon seeing her reaction, but then he saw the tears in her eyes.
"Oh, my Lili! You are such an angry bird. Why would I go to another woman when I have one? Huh?" Sheng Li moved the back of his index finger down her nose and quickly kissed her lips.
"Do you think this will bring my anger down?" Ying Lili questioned him. "I will kill you if you go near another woman, and I will also kill that woman, who tried coming closer to you," Ying Lili loudly said. She grabbed his robes from the collars. "How dare you notice these many features of another woman? You got seduced by her, right?" Ying Lili's anger reached the heavenly sky.
Sheng Li ended up smiling. "You are cute, Lili."
"You-" Ying Lili could not speak as Sheng Li captured her lips. He withdrew back and said, "I remember only one woman who can dance and make my heart go crazy." Ying Lili's anger reduced gradually, and she confusedly peered at him.
"I only remember one woman, who can seduce me; who has these large, beautiful pearly eyes; a tiny nose; long eyelashes; long black hair reaching below her waist and a slender waist." Sheng Li repeated the words that he mentioned earlier to her. "She is the only woman who grabbed my hand and told me to dance with her. Only she can do this," Sheng Li completed his words.
Ying Lili smiled and hit his chest with her arm. "Do you like to tease your wife?" Ying Lili questioned him and a tear rolled down over her cheek.
"A lot," Sheng Li tucked the hair strands behind her ear and leaned towards it. "It's rare to see her getting jealous. It's rare to see her getting possessive of me," he whispered in her ear.
He leaned back and looked again into her eyes. Ying Lili had understood that Sheng Li talked about her and she ended up thinking that he praised another woman in front of her. Her grip loosened from his robes.
Sheng Li dipped his head near Ying Lili's neck and kissed her there. Moving his face up, he touched his forehead with hers and said, "There is only one woman in Sheng Li's life that is his Lili." Sheng Li confessed to Ying Lili, who smiled.
"It's almost midnight," Sheng Li murmured.
"Huh?" Before Ying Lili could understand, Sheng Li covered her eyes with his palm. "What are you doing?" Ying Lili asked.
"Shhh," Sheng Li placed his index finger on Ying Lili's lips. "Just stay quiet and close your eyes," he told her. He slowly moved his hand down and then blindfolded her eyes with a red silk ribbon.
"Sheng Li, what are you doing? We need to eat our dinner," Ying Lili complained.
"Will you keep quiet?" Sheng Li urged her.
Ying Lili pouted and let Sheng Li do his work. "It is done, Lili.." Sheng Li was done blindfolding Ying Lili.