Chapter 7: Making Enemies 3

Ouyang Jing nodded indifferently and flicked his sleeve, signaling her to rise and withdraw. Lvlu hurriedly and respectfully exited the sleeping quarters, carefully closing the door behind them.

Liu Qinghua realized that the man she had seen upon waking up was indeed Ouyang Jing. Seeing the black gold mask on his face was truly a rare sight, and she couldn't help but stare at him for a few extra moments.

Noticing her bright, piercing gaze fixed upon him, Ouyang Jing found it somewhat amusing. He walked over to sit beside her and asked with a faint smile, "Why are you looking at this Prince in such a manner?"

He was usually a man of few words and rarely smiled, yet today he was uncharacteristically joking with her. "Could it be that you bumped your head so hard during the day that your brain has gone bad?"

However, what one person says without intention, another hears with intent.

Without shifting her gaze, Liu Qinghua asked, "Did you hear that I hit a pillar, or did you see it with your own eyes?"

Ouyang Jing was momentarily stunned, but he quickly took her hand and comforted her, "Xin'er did not intend to make things difficult for you; she is simply used to being pampered and felt jealous seeing this Prince marry you into the manor. Please be more tolerant of her. After all, she is of lower status than you, so it is inevitable that she feels wronged in her heart."

That last sentence made Liu Qinghua feel displeased. Even if she were standing on Hongyue's side, she felt Ouyang Jing's words were truly unfair and overly biased toward Lu Xin.

It was clearly Lu Xin who had driven that girl to such an unbearable humiliation that she committed suicide by hitting a pillar, yet he actually protected the perpetrator. Perhaps the tragedy that occurred during the day was also the result of him standing idly by and allowing Lu Xin to run amok.

She resolutely brushed his broad palm away. The slight goodwill she had felt toward him after hearing Lvlu recount Prince Jing's deeds had now vanished without a trace.

Ouyang Jing let out a soft sigh. Although he knew Liu Qinghua harbored a thousand grievances, he feared that if he did not show extra leniency toward Lu Xin, her temperament would lead to even more outrageous incidents.

After a full day of banquets and social obligations, he was physically and mentally exhausted; he did not want to be caught in a dilemma between two women anymore.

He patted Liu Qinghua's hand and said, "This Prince is also caught in a difficult position; I hope that one day you will understand. Everyone is tired today, so rest early."

Before he could make a move, Liu Qinghua immediately used both hands to push him off the bed. Asking with a hint of nervousness, "This is our first formal meeting; you aren't planning on doing *that*, are you?"

Finding her reaction quite interesting, Ouyang Jing raised an eyebrow and asked back, "Doing what?"

What a wicked man!

Seeing his reaction, it was clear he was asking while knowing the answer. Liu Qinghua didn't have time to joke around; she got out of bed, pushed Ouyang Jing directly toward the entrance of the sleeping quarters, and said, "It's getting late, hurry up and go back."

Ouyang Jing hadn't originally planned to stay the night at Yihe Residence, but Liu Qinghua's intense reaction still filled him with doubt. He asked, "Other women spend day and night longing to serve their husbands by their side; why are you so resistant to this Prince?"

"I am different from others, and our relationship is also different from other couples."

Liu Qinghua personally opened the wooden door for him and, without a word of explanation, pushed Ouyang Jing out. After waving to him with a forced laugh and saying "Goodbye," she slammed the door shut heavily before Ouyang Jing could even respond.

The maidservants and servants waiting outside Yihe Residence witnessed this scene. Every single one of them struggled to suppress their curiosity, bowing their heads and trying their best to stifle laughter, fearing they might be seen by the Prince.

Sure enough, the matter spread throughout the Prince's manor shortly after. The news that the Prince had been kicked out of the room by the Princess on their wedding night became common knowledge throughout the estate.

Hearing the servants discussing this, Lu Xin was both shocked and enraged. She was shocked because she had clearly seen the tragic scene of Liu Qinghua's suicide and hadn't expected her to be alive; she was enraged because Liu Qinghua had actually refused the Prince's intimacy, which was an honor she should have been desperate for.

In her shock and rage, she could not sleep. In the middle of the night, she got up to catch some cold air to clear her head, only to end up catching a chill.

The next morning, according to etiquette, the two consorts should have accompanied the Prince for breakfast. To everyone's surprise, Ouyang Jing sat alone in the Shuixian Hall for a full hour before Liu Qinghua finally walked in, yawning lazily.