The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat

Li Ji was actually just teasing Hua Manman. Seeing how resistant she was to consummating their marriage, he didn’t expose her lie about having her period.

It was Hua Manman, however, who felt guilty.

To make her lie more convincing, Hua Manman deliberately pretended to have a stomachache, acting very uncomfortable.

Li Ji watched her with a half-smile. "Are you really not feeling well? Your complexion still looks quite rosy."

Hua Manman hurriedly covered her face and forced an explanation.

"That’s because I’m wearing makeup. I put on rouge."

As the saying goes, one lie must be covered by a hundred more.

To make herself look even weaker, Hua Manman secretly touched up her makeup, deliberately powdering her face deathly pale.

She didn’t even dare to remove her makeup before going to bed.

Li Ji looked at her ghastly white cheek, so close to him, and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure you want to sleep like that?"

Hua Manman clutched her lower abdomen and said weakly.

"I know I look terrible right now, but I’m not feeling well, and my complexion really isn’t good. Please, bear with me."

Li Ji chuckled.

’Alright,’ he thought. ’I’d like to see what other tricks this woman can pull.’

The consequence of sleeping with makeup on was that Hua Manman broke out the next day!

She looked at herself in the mirror, reached out to touch the pimple, and scrunched up her face.

’This is so ugly!’

Li Ji asked if she wanted him to have the household doctor prescribe some medicine.

Feeling guilty and afraid the household doctor would discover the truth—that she wasn’t on her period—Hua Manman could only pretend nothing was wrong.

"It’s fine. Breaking out during your period is perfectly normal. It’ll clear up on its own in a couple of days."

Li Ji hadn’t expected her to keep up the pretense so stubbornly, even now.

He couldn’t help but ask, "Were you born in the year of the Ox?"

Hua Manman was confused. "No, why do you ask?"

Li Ji: "If you weren’t, then why are you so bull-headed?"

Hua Manman: "..."

’That actually makes sense!’

But that raised a question.

’Why must people born in the year of the Ox be so bull-headed?’

Perhaps the heavens were also curious, because for lunch, they were served beef.

The Great Zhou Dynasty had a clear edict prohibiting the slaughter of cattle.

But there were exceptions, such as old, frail cattle that could no longer plow, or injured cattle that could not be healed. After receiving permission from the government, they could be slaughtered.

The ox slaughtered today had broken its leg, and once it was determined it couldn’t recover, the government stamped its approval for the slaughter.

Hua Manman lamented internally, ’Oh, the poor little ox,’ while eating with great relish. ’This boiled beef is so fragrant!’

Li Ji suddenly asked out of the blue.

"Aren’t you on your period? You shouldn’t be eating spicy food right now."

Hua Manman froze mid-bite.

Then she feigned ignorance and said foolishly.

"I can’t eat spicy food? I’ve never heard of such a rule."

After speaking, she scooped up a large piece of beef, stuffed it into her mouth, and ate until her lips were slick with oil.

Li Ji ordered someone to take away the boiled beef in front of her and place it at the farthest end of the table.

Even with her arms outstretched, she couldn’t reach the bowl of beef, and her eyes welled up with tears in frustration.

’Ah! My beef!’

Li Ji pushed a plate of boiled shredded white radish in front of her. "You can eat this."

Hua Manman felt incredibly wronged.

She didn’t want to eat radishes; she just wanted meat!

Li Ji: "Why aren’t you touching your chopsticks? Are you full already?"

Hua Manman was indeed full—full of anger at him.

Meeting her sorrowful, resentful eyes, Li Ji’s smile grew even more cheerful.

He deliberately picked up a piece of beef, still dripping with chili oil, and dangled it in front of her.

"Want a bite?"

Hua Manman nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

Li Ji feigned a helpless look. "But you’re on your period. You can’t eat something this spicy."

Hua Manman blurted out, "Actually, I’m not—"

’—on my period!’

Luckily, she managed to stop herself at the last second and didn’t blurt out the whole truth.

Li Ji raised an eyebrow. "You’re not what?"

Hua Manman stared intently at the beef, her mouth watering uncontrollably. She was clearly dying for it, but she remained stubborn.

"Actually, I have no problem with spicy food. I’ve always eaten spicy food during my period, and it’s never been an issue."

’The beef smells wonderful, but my chastity is more important.’

’I absolutely cannot sell myself out for a mere piece of beef!’

Li Ji chuckled softly. ’This little thing is quite stubborn.’

He said slowly.

"How about this? Sing a song for me. As long as you can make me happy, I’ll let you have some beef."

Hua Manman immediately perked up.

’It’s just singing? I’m great at that.’

She picked up a soup spoon from the table and began to sing with deep emotion.

"If you are willing to peel back my homework, layer by layer, you will find, you will be amazed, this page is blank, and that page is blank too."

Li Ji: "..."

Hua Manman looked at him expectantly. "Wasn’t my song beautiful? Can I have some yummy meat now?"

Li Ji let out a resounding, cold laugh and directly ordered someone to clear away all the dishes in front of her, leaving only a plain bowl of white rice.

Hua Manman: "..."

’There’s no need to be so literal.’

...

The Mid-Autumn Festival was fast approaching, and the Prince Zhao Mansion was preparing to purchase a batch of lanterns, as well as some food items for festival gifts.

In the past, small matters like this were handled entirely by Gao Shan.

Now, however, Gao Shan came to Hua Manman with the account books, asking for her decision.

This was Prince Zhao’s intention.

From now on, all matters, big and small, in the inner courtyard of the Prince Mansion were to pass through Lady Hua’s hands.

The sight of the account books gave Hua Manman a headache, but with Prince Zhao sitting beside her like a supervisor, she couldn’t refuse. She could only resign herself to her fate, open the books, and begin to check every entry.

Only after she confirmed there were no problems with the accounts could Gao Shan officially proceed with the arrangements.

But that wasn’t all.

Next, Steward Jia from the estate came to see Hua Manman, wanting to ask what should be done for this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival.

Before the Old Madam passed away from illness, she had left an estate to Hua Manman. Hua Manman had once gone with Prince Zhao to see it.

The estate was very large. It not only came with a hundred mu of fertile farmland but also included a small mountain. The fields were planted with grain, the mountain had an orchard, and thanks to the hard work of the tenants, the annual yield was quite substantial.

Seeing that the estate was well-managed, Hua Manman made no changes to the personnel, leaving everything as it was.

She had also left Jin Ling’er and her brother at the estate, letting them settle down there.

The estate workers were not serfs; they were still free people. As long as they were hardworking and willing to put in the effort, their lives would surely not be too bad.

Steward Jia said that every year for the Mid-Autumn Festival, the estate would hold a banquet of several tables, gathering all the workers to drink, admire the moon, and celebrate the reunion together.

After listening, Hua Manman said.

"Then do the same as usual this year. You can handle the arrangements."