Li Ji saw Hua Manman's momentary stiffness, and the smile on his face grew wider.
He had Chen Wangbei step aside, then gestured at Hua Manman, indicating for her to push him out.
'I shouldn't have opened my big mouth!'
'I was just being polite! How could he take me seriously?!'
She had no choice but to brace herself. An expression of unconcealable joy spread across her face as she hurried forward to push Li Ji's wheelchair outside.
To facilitate Li Ji's movement, all the doorways in the Prince Mansion were built without thresholds, and all steps had been fitted with ramps.
Li Ji didn't say where he wanted to go, only that he wanted some fresh air, so Hua Manman pushed him around the Prince Mansion aimlessly.
Who knew this aimless wandering would last for most of the night.
Hua Manman felt like she had run a marathon. Her back ached, her legs cramped, and a fine sheen of sweat covered her forehead and back.
Seeing that dawn was approaching, she found she truly couldn't walk another step.
Panting, she asked, "Prince, it's getting late. Shouldn't we be resting now?"
Previously, she had been worried about how to handle the consummation of their marriage tonight.
Now, she wasn't worried about anything. She just wanted to lie down and get a good night's sleep immediately.
Li Ji turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on her beautiful, pleading eyes. It seemed he'd had his fun and was finally willing to let her off the hook.
He slowly uttered two words.
"Very well."
Hua Manman felt as if she'd been granted amnesty. Without another word, she began pushing him back the way they came.
The Prince Mansion was enormous, and in the deep darkness of the night, it would have been easy to get lost.
Fortunately, Hua Manman had an excellent sense of direction. Even though it was her first time in the Prince Mansion, she had memorized their route and smoothly pushed Li Ji back to the bridal chamber.
Inside the bridal chamber, the red dragon and phoenix candles were still burning quietly.
The red bedding on the bed looked vibrant and dazzling.
Just as Hua Manman was about to call for servants to attend to them, she heard Li Ji say lazily,
"I do not like being waited on by others."
Hua Manman didn't react for a moment, staring at him blankly.
Li Ji looked at her with a half-smile, as if observing an amusing toy, and continued.
"Since you have entered my household, you are my woman. From now on, the task of attending to me personally will fall to you."
What could Hua Manman say?
She could only curse Prince Zhao in her heart for being an absolute bastard while she replied with ecstatic delight,
"To be able to serve you personally, Prince, is a blessing I must have earned over three lifetimes!"
Li Ji heard her inner thoughts, and the smile on his face grew even wider. He seemed to be in an excellent mood.
Li Ji looked quite lean, but being over six feet tall, his frame was large. He certainly wouldn't be light.
His legs were impaired, preventing him from moving freely, so he had to be helped into bed.
Hua Manman had to use every ounce of her strength to half-drag, half-carry him onto the bed.
Next came helping him change and wash up.
Hua Manman had never waited on anyone before, so her movements were especially clumsy and awkward.
She fumbled for a long time, unable to find the knot on Prince Zhao's sash. Her small hands roamed over his waist, and she leaned closer and closer, until Prince Zhao's voice came from right above her head—
"How much longer are you going to grope around?"
Only then did Hua Manman snap back to reality, realizing that she had unknowingly burrowed her entire body into Prince Zhao's arms!
The posture looked exactly like she was throwing herself at him.
She was so startled that she hastily retracted her 'paws' and scrambled back, putting distance between them.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't do it on purpose!"
Li Ji stared at her for a moment and realized that this time, she wasn't deliberately putting on an act.
He said nonchalantly,
"Give me your hands."
Hua Manman dazedly raised her hands and held them out.
Li Ji took her by the wrists, pulled her hands over to his sash, and said in a low voice,
"The knot is here."