frightfiction Chapter 46 Ying's Feelings (1)
Chapter 46 Ying's Feelings (1)
After Cheng Ying and Qin Yaoyao played and joked together for a while, it gradually got dark. Cheng Ying finished her dinner in Qin Yaoyao's courtyard and then said, "Yaoyao, it's getting late, I should go back." Qin Yaoyao replied, "Okay." Then she called Banxia over and said to her, "Go get some Golden Needle Eyebrow Tea for Ying-jie to take back and try." Banxia responded and immediately turned to get the tea. Not long after, Banxia returned with a small paper package in her hand. She said, "Miss, here you go." Qin Yaoyao took the paper package and handed it to Cheng Ying, saying, "Sister Ying, you can take these tea leaves and drink them. Let me know when you're done, and I'll bring you some more." Cheng Ying smiled and said, "Wow, how come there's so much? He Yanxi gave this to you. Aren't you worried about giving me so much?" Qin Yaoyao playfully replied, "Of course I'm worried! In that case, sister, please give the tea leaves back to me." Cheng Ying quickly raised her hand and said with a smile, "That won't do! Since you've given them to me, they belong to me. There's no reason to take them back after giving them away."
Qin Yaoyao smiled faintly and replied softly, "Then why did you ask? I just felt sorry for you. If we weren't so close, and I didn't treat you like my own sister, I wouldn't have been willing to give it to you!" Cheng Ying nodded quickly and replied, "Yes, yes, I feel the same way. Thank you so much, little sister!"
Qin Yaoyao smiled and said, "Alright, it's getting late. I'll have Dongxue take you home." Cheng Ying waved her hand and replied readily, "No need, I can go home by myself. Don't forget, I'm a skilled martial artist, so I'll be fine. Don't worry." Qin Yaoyao felt a little relieved and reminded her, "Then you must be careful on your way home." Cheng Ying nodded to reassure her and said, "Okay, I'll be going now." With that, she turned and left.
After Cheng Ying left, Qin Yaoyao quickly finished washing up, then sat quietly on the edge of the bed, picked up a book and began to read, silently waiting for her brother Yanxi to arrive.
Meanwhile, Cheng Ying was walking home alone. As she walked, He Mingfeng's face suddenly appeared in her mind without warning, startling her. Then, she recalled the words Qin Yaoyao had said to her.
Cheng Ying muttered to herself, "How strange, why is that guy's face still appearing in my mind? It's all Yao Yao's fault for talking nonsense. How could I like him? It must be because of Yao Yao's words that I'm so upset." As soon as she finished speaking, she hurried home, feeling somewhat agitated. However, she didn't notice that a figure was lurking not far behind her. This person was none other than He Mingfeng, the one who often flashed through her mind.
He Mingfeng quietly followed Cheng Ying, maintaining a safe distance to ensure her safety. Only after seeing her safely enter the residence did he turn and leave. Back at the Prince's residence, upon entering, He Mingfeng said to the steward, "No need for anyone else to serve you; everyone may rest." Upon receiving He Mingfeng's instruction, his personal guard Lin Yi and the steward responded in unison, watching their master walk with a pleasant smile towards his courtyard. Along the way, He Mingfeng was in high spirits, humming a little tune softly.
Lin Yi looked at the steward in confusion and asked, "Uncle Li, did you just tell us to go and rest? Did I hear that right?" Uncle Li replied with a smile, "Haha, you heard right, His Highness did say that! So you can rest assured and get a good night's sleep tonight."
Upon hearing this, Lin Yi was so happy he almost jumped for joy. He exclaimed excitedly, "Wow, that's fantastic! Uncle Li, you don't know, these past few days I've had to accompany my master to the military camp for training during the day, and then when I get home at night I'm busy relaying messages between my master and Miss Cheng. I haven't had a moment to rest at all, and I feel like I'm about to collapse from exhaustion. Thankfully, tonight I can finally relax and not be so busy anymore! Uncle Li, I'm going to bed now!"
Uncle Li smiled and nodded in agreement. Lin Yi turned to leave, but then seemed to suddenly remember something and turned back, asking in confusion, "Uncle Li, don't you think His Highness has been acting strangely lately?" Uncle Li chuckled and replied, "Haha, it's not strange at all, His Highness has clearly become more perceptive! Didn't you say you were very sleepy? Why aren't you going to sleep yet?" Lin Yi then snapped out of his daze and quickly said, "Right, right, right, look at my brain, it's all muddled! I'll go to sleep now."
Before he finished speaking, he ran off with light steps like a happy little bird. Watching his departing figure, Uncle Li shook his head and muttered to himself, "That silly boy, in a few days, we'll probably have a mistress in our household." With that, a satisfied smile appeared on Uncle Li's face, and he slowly walked away.
After returning home, Cheng Ying first went to help her mother in her courtyard before returning to her own. As soon as she entered the courtyard, Cheng Ying's personal maid, Xiao Qin, greeted her and said, "Miss, you're back!" Cheng Ying responded and then instructed, "Xiao Qin, fetch me some hot water; your mistress is going to take a bath."
Cheng Ying was feeling restless and agitated because she kept thinking about He Mingfeng's face on the way. All she wanted to do was take a bath to calm herself down. Xiao Qin thought her young mistress was acting a little strange today, but she assumed it was because she had played for too long and was too tired, so she didn't think much of it. She responded and turned to prepare hot water.
Before long, Xiaoqin had prepared the hot water and left the room as Cheng Ying had requested. Cheng Ying stepped into the bathtub and slowly immersed herself in it, feeling the warm water enveloping her. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her thoughts. However, He Mingfeng's image kept appearing in her mind, preventing her from completely letting go.
Time passed slowly, and Cheng Ying gradually became immersed in thought, eventually drifting off to sleep. When she came to her senses, she found the water had cooled. So, she got out of the tub, gently dried herself with a towel, and then put on clean clothes. After getting ready, Cheng Ying climbed into bed, preparing to drift off to sleep.
Lying in bed, Cheng Ying tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Despite her efforts to relax, the turmoil deep within her remained. Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating Cheng Ying's face. She stared at the ceiling, her thoughts surging like a tide. He Mingfeng's smile, his eyes, and all the moments they shared flashed through her mind. She couldn't understand why this man had such a profound impact on her, making her feelings so complex.
As time passed, Cheng Ying grew increasingly drowsy, yet her mind remained sharp. Finally, exhaustion overcame her thoughts, and she slowly closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep. Perhaps in her dreams she could find some answers, or at least temporarily escape her troubles. The night deepened, and the world fell into silence, except for Cheng Ying's dream, which continued to unfold…
She quickly drifted off to sleep, her dream filled with a vast, white mist, like a fairyland. Cheng Ying cautiously made her way through the mist, her heart filled with curiosity and anticipation. Suddenly, she heard someone calling her name, the voice faint and indistinct, as if coming from afar.
Cheng Ying was overjoyed and quickly responded, walking briskly towards the direction of the voice. As she walked, she gradually saw a blurry figure, which became clearer and clearer. When she finally saw it clearly, she was overjoyed; it was none other than He Mingfeng!
Cheng Ying was as happy as a child. She ran quickly to He Mingfeng and asked breathlessly, "Was it you who called me just now?" He Mingfeng smiled and nodded, and said gently, "Yes, it was me who called you. Let me take you to see what's ahead."
Just then, a miracle occurred! The surrounding white mist seemed to be parted by an invisible hand, quickly dissipating. Cheng Ying then found herself in a beautiful horse ranch, bathed in bright sunshine, with lush green grass, everything appearing so peaceful and beautiful. She remembered coming here with He Mingfeng before, also at this horse ranch, where they resolved their misunderstandings, buried the hatchet, and became good friends.
However, the scene shifted, and a new vista appeared before them. A crystal-clear stream came into view, its waters gurgling and making a pleasant sound. He Mingfeng gently took Cheng Ying's hand and led her to the stream. Cheng Ying excitedly looked at the fish swimming in the stream and exclaimed happily, "He Mingfeng, look! There are so many fish in this water! They look so happy!"
Looking at Cheng Ying's smiling face, He Mingfeng's lips curled up slightly, and he said softly, "Yes, I see. Want some? I'll go catch a few, and we'll have grilled fish for lunch, how about that?" Before he finished speaking, he had already jumped into the water and swam towards the stream as if he were in his element. Before long, He Mingfeng returned triumphantly with quite a few fish.
The two found a clearing not far from the stream, quickly built a fire, and began grilling the delicious fish. As the aroma of the grilled fish filled the air, they ate and chatted, their laughter echoing. In the firelight, their eyes met, and an indescribable emotion welled up within them; they couldn't help but kiss.
Suddenly, Cheng Ying woke up with a start, finding herself sitting in her own bedroom. She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, thinking to herself, "Thank goodness, it was just a dream, otherwise I would have been so embarrassed." However, she immediately shook her head and muttered to herself, "No, even a dream is embarrassing. If Yao Yao knew, she would definitely laugh at me."
Thinking of this, a blush crept onto Cheng Ying's face, and a complex mix of emotions welled up inside her. Hugging her blanket, Cheng Ying muttered to herself in annoyance, "Cheng Ying, how could you be so shameless as to have such a dream?" After lamenting this, Cheng Ying tossed and turned in bed for a while, finally burying her head under the covers. She drifted off to sleep, thankfully without any dreams, but she still woke up late.
In the morning, Xiaoqin brought in the toiletries and, seeing that her young mistress was still asleep, called out, "Miss, wake up!" Cheng Ying said playfully, "Okay, Xiaoqin, just let me sleep a little longer, okay? Just a little while." Xiaoqin looked at her spoiled mistress and said with a smile, "Sure, I'd love for you to sleep until you naturally wake up! But do you really want to do that?" Upon hearing that she could sleep until she naturally woke up, Cheng Ying happily said, "Xiaoqin is so kind! Xiaoqi wouldn't be so agreeable!" After saying that, Cheng Ying turned over and continued sleeping, like a cute little pig.
Just then, Xiaoqin said, "Then it seems Miss's date today is going to be canceled." Cheng Ying turned around and asked in confusion, "What date?" At this moment, Xiaoqi came in from outside and said, "It's Miss's date with the Fifth Prince to go horseback riding today. Look at the time, the Fifth Prince should be almost at the gate by now." Upon hearing this, Cheng Ying panicked instantly and said, "Oh no, I forgot! Quick, quick, help me get dressed!" After a flurry of activity, Cheng Ying was just about to eat breakfast when a servant came to report that the Fifth Prince was already waiting at the gate. Cheng Ying looked at the delicious food on the table, hardened her heart, and left. Xiaoqi called after her, "Miss, take a steamed bun with you." Cheng Ying replied, "Never mind, I can't keep him waiting too long. I'm off." After saying that, she quickly walked towards the gate. The carriage at the gate was already prepared. Because Cheng Ying was in a hurry, she ran over, so when she arrived at the gate, a thin layer of sweat had appeared on her forehead, like morning dew, crystal clear.
As soon as she reached the gate, Cheng Ying saw He Mingfeng riding a horse in the distance, like a dazzling pearl shining in the morning sunlight. His face was radiant with vitality, illuminated by the sunlight. Cheng Ying was mesmerized. When He Mingfeng saw Cheng Ying emerge, he dismounted and called out, "Cheng Ying!" Cheng Ying snapped out of her reverie and quickly walked forward, saying, "Have you been waiting long? I'm so sorry, I overslept today." He Mingfeng looked at the fine beads of sweat on Cheng Ying's forehead and said with concern, "Did you run all the way here? There's no need to rush. I'll wait for you." Hearing He Mingfeng's gentle words, Cheng Ying's face flushed instantly, and she softly said, "Okay." Then, she gracefully boarded the carriage.
Cheng Ying gracefully boarded the carriage, and He Mingfeng skillfully mounted his horse. They then slowly rode towards the horse farm. Inside the carriage, Cheng Ying was filled with curiosity. She couldn't resist peeking through the curtain, but dared not lift it too wide, afraid He Mingfeng would notice her peeking. She only dared to open it a tiny crack. Through the crack, her gaze fell on He Mingfeng on horseback, and a fleeting, almost imperceptible, feeling a connection between them, like husband and wife, arose within her. This sudden thought startled Cheng Ying. She quickly lowered the curtain, muttering to herself in a flustered manner, "What am I doing? Stop thinking like this." A blush crept onto her cheeks, as if she had been startled by her own thoughts. Cheng Ying took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She told herself it was just a baseless fantasy and she shouldn't let this feeling disturb her peace of mind. However, He Mingfeng's image had left a deep imprint on her heart.