The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat

Chapter 417: Chapter 420: Fleeing in Disarray

Li Ji narrowed his eyes. "Even if you hide from me, I already know all the things you’ve cursed me for in your head."

Hua Manman was so embarrassed her toes curled.

’Aaaah! He read my thoughts again!’

’I have no privacy at all!’

’This is impossible! I can’t live like this!’

Li Ji heard her thoughts and was deeply displeased.

’What does she mean, she can’t live like this?’

’Does she actually want to live apart from me?!’

Li Ji pinched Manman’s cheek, his tone dripping with menace.

"I can tell you how to stop me from reading your thoughts, but first, you have to make me happy. I’ll only tell you the method once I’m pleased."

Hua Manman thought to herself, ’The most direct solution is just to live apart, isn’t it?’

’If we live separately, I’ll never have to worry about him reading my mind again.’

Li Ji’s grip tightened, nearly squishing her cheek out of shape.

"If you dare to live apart from me, I’ll break your legs."

Hua Manman howled in pain, "It hurts, it hurts! Let go!"

Li Ji let go.

Hua Manman clutched her still-aching cheek and said defiantly.

"Weren’t you going to break my legs? Do it now! You might as well kill the baby in my belly while you’re at it!"

With that, she deliberately stuck one leg out in front of Li Ji.

How could Li Ji possibly have the heart to break her leg?

But he couldn’t swallow his pride and admit it, so he could only stare at Hua Manman with a blank face.

Hua Manman was fearless. "What are you looking at? If you’ve got the guts, do it now!"

Painted into a corner, Li Ji could only bluff.

"You tell me to do it, so I should just do it? What do you take me for? The more you want me to do it, the more I won’t! Let’s see what you can do about it!"

Hua Manman: "..."

’This jerk, could you be any more childish?!’

She habitually complained in her head.

It was only after she finished her rant that she remembered: the jerk had the Mind Reading Technique. He could hear every single thing she thought.

’So embarrassing.’

Li Ji’s expression grew even gloomier.

"You’re not just cursing me in your head, you’re disgusted with me."

Hua Manman instinctively wanted to deny it.

But on second thought, he knew whatever she was thinking.

Even if she lied and said she hadn’t cursed him, he could still hear the curses in her mind.

Her denial was meaningless.

Hua Manman could only force a change of subject.

"It’s so hot in here. You should get out."

Not only did Li Ji refuse to leave, but he also reached out and pulled Manman into a tight embrace.

"Don’t even think about getting away from me."

Hua Manman pushed him but failed to move him.

She irritably punched him in the chest.

"Let me go."

Li Ji simply wouldn’t let go.

Hua Manman was helpless against him and could only resign herself to being held.

Huddled together tightly under the covers, Manman quickly started to feel the heat.

Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and the tip of her nose, her cheeks turning a rosy red.

’It really is hot.’

Li Ji suddenly said out of the blue.

"As long as you avoid my line of sight, I can’t read your thoughts."

Hua Manman froze for a moment.

She was still trying to figure out why that would work when Li Ji spoke again.

"Stop hiding from me."

In an instant, Hua Manman’s heart softened.

She couldn’t help but explain, "I’m not trying to hide from you. I just... I don’t know how to face you."

She had thought her disguise was perfect, that Li Ji would never see through her act. She never imagined he could hear her thoughts so clearly. It made her feel like a complete fool.

’So humiliating.’

Li Ji said, "However you faced me before, you can face me the same way from now on. Nothing needs to change."

Hua Manman asked cautiously.

"The things I curse you for... do those also not need to change?"

Li Ji: "..."

Hua Manman’s face fell. "See? You do care. It’s easy for you to say, but you can’t actually handle it."

Li Ji gritted his teeth. "Whatever you think in your heart, nothing needs to change."

Hua Manman was skeptical. "Really?"

Li Ji: "I can swear on it."

Hua Manman: "That’s not necessary. I believe you."

’This jerk might not be good for much, but at least he’s a man of his word.’

Li Ji remained expressionless. It sounded like a compliment, but on closer listen, it also seemed like an insult.

Hua Manman patted his back.

"Can you let me go now? I’m really hot. I’m about to get heatstroke."

Once he was sure she wouldn’t hide from him again, Li Ji finally released her.

Hua Manman threw off the thin blanket covering them.

She immediately felt much cooler.

Li Ji got out of bed and went out the door to ask for hot water.

Si Yun and Qing Huan had been waiting outside. When they learned of Prince Zhao’s request, their expressions turned strange.

Si Yun, in particular, was both angry and anxious.

She said, agitated, "The Princess Consort is still with child! How could the Prince... with her..."

As an unmarried young woman, Si Yun was too embarrassed to say words like "marital intimacy."

She had thought the Prince and Princess Consort were just having an intimate chat. She never imagined Prince Zhao would take advantage of the Princess Consort. ’What a beast!’

Li Ji heard her thoughts and knew she had misunderstood.

He said irritably, "Even if I were that desperate, I wouldn’t make a move on a pregnant woman. I want hot water to give the Princess Consort a sponge bath. She was sweating."

With the misunderstanding cleared up, Si Yun’s face immediately turned bright red.

She was mortified by her own sordid thoughts and hurriedly said,

"I’ll go prepare the hot water right away."

With that, she scurried away.

Soon, the hot water was brought over.

Li Ji refused to let anyone else help. He personally carried the hot water into the room and helped Manman undress.

Hua Manman was terribly embarrassed, but she forced herself to appear calm and composed, allowing Prince Zhao to undress her piece by piece.

She silently told herself, ’There’s nothing to be shy about. I’m pregnant now, so even if Prince Zhao wanted to do something, he couldn’t.’

And indeed, things went just as Hua Manman expected.

Li Ji had only intended to give her a simple sponge bath.

But he was a young man in his prime. Gazing at the delicate, smooth body of the woman he loved, how could he possibly hold back?!

Yet he knew very well that he couldn’t do anything right now.

He could only force himself to endure it.

After he finished washing Manman, he didn’t even have time to help her get dressed before he rushed off.

Judging by his panicked retreat, he was practically fleeing in disarray.

Hua Manman couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

She got dressed, and as soon as she walked out the door, she saw Si Yun and Qing Huan.

Seeing the Princess Consort was safe and sound, it was clear the Prince hadn’t done anything inappropriate to her. Si Yun and Qing Huan were finally able to relax.