0p0 Chapter 152 He Mingning's Unease
Chapter 152 He Mingning's Unease
Before long, time flew by, and the sumptuous and delicious lunch in front of He Mingning was devoured in no time. Satisfied, she put down her chopsticks and bowl, slowly rose, and left the table with the lightness of a butterfly in flight.
Her graceful figure moved with elegant steps, as if strolling leisurely towards her room. Each step seemed to carry a unique rhythm and cadence, pleasing to the eye. The moment she stepped into the room, a faint fragrance wafted out, refreshing and delightful.
He Mingning walked straight towards the soft, comfortable bed in the room without glancing to the side. The bed resembled a pristine white cloud, making one want to immediately throw themselves onto it. Reaching the bedside, she gently lifted her skirt, carefully sat on the edge, and slowly leaned back, stretching out completely and lying flat on the bed.
Just before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, He Mingning suddenly turned around as if remembering something, and softly instructed Lan'er, who had followed him into the room, "Lan'er, I'm a little sleepy now and want to take a nap. Please remember, don't let anyone disturb me."
Upon hearing this, Lan'er quickly nodded obediently and replied, "Princess, don't worry, Lan'er will definitely not let anyone disturb your rest." After receiving Lan'er's affirmative answer, He Mingning smiled slightly and then closed her eyes again with peace of mind.
She first slightly adjusted the position of her head to find the most comfortable angle, then gently moved her legs to allow them to completely relax. Once everything was ready, He Mingning finally closed her eyes completely and began to focus on the peaceful and serene atmosphere around her.
The room was utterly quiet. Apart from the occasional rustling of leaves in the breeze outside the window, almost no other sound could be heard. In this tranquil environment, He Mingning felt his body and mind gradually relax, and his previously tense nerves slowly eased.
Before long, a strong wave of drowsiness swept over her. He Mingning's consciousness gradually blurred, and her thinking began to sluggish. Finally, unable to resist the invasion of sleepiness, she slowly drifted into a sweet dream.
At this moment, the entire room was enveloped in a tranquil and warm atmosphere. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the floor, adding a touch of mystery to the room. He Mingning, fast asleep on the bed, was like a beautiful and moving painting, making one reluctant to disturb this peace and beauty.
Upon waking, He Mingning was no longer tired; she looked radiant and full of energy. She eagerly picked up a book and began reading with great enthusiasm. Time slipped away quietly as she focused on the pages, and before she knew it, night had fallen over the sky outside the window.
He Mingning went to bed early today. She lay gently on the soft mattress, her body and mind seemingly immersed in an atmosphere of unparalleled tranquility. Perhaps it was because she had just taken a bath; the warm water had washed away her fatigue and stress, making her feel exceptionally relaxed. Or perhaps it was because of her pleasant conversation with her sister during the day, which had put her in a cheerful and relaxed mood. Whatever the reason, she was able to quickly drift off into a sweet dream.
However, sleep wasn't so peaceful for He Mingning tonight. Although she had drifted off to sleep, her thoughts were like wild horses, difficult to control. Perhaps she had thought too much before falling asleep; those complex thoughts intertwined and swirled in her subconscious, eventually transforming into a dream.
In this dream, He Mingning first saw the scene of her first encounter with that person. The sunlight shone brightly on them, a gentle breeze ruffled their hair—everything was so beautiful and natural, like a meticulously painted harmonious picture. Then, the scene shifted to the moment they met again yesterday. The same place, a similar atmosphere, their conversation was still as harmonious and pleasant as ever, filled with laughter.
In her sleep, He Mingning unconsciously smiled slightly, a happy and sweet smile spreading across her face. However, just as she was immersed in this warmth, the scene in her dream suddenly changed. This time, she found herself in Fan Junyu's private room in the familiar Misty Rain Pavilion. Initially, the two chatted happily, like longtime friends. However, as their conversation flowed, they inadvertently brought up the highly anticipated marriage. Fan Junyu paused slightly, but quickly regained his composure and slowly said, "My marriage to the princess is an agreement made by our parents long ago. As for me personally, I have yet to find someone I love. Therefore, you can rest assured, I will certainly fulfill this marriage agreement."
As soon as he finished speaking, He Mingning, sitting beside him, immediately looked suspicious and pressed on, "If you really meet a woman who moves your heart in the future, how will you handle this matter? Will you still uphold this engagement?" Faced with He Mingning's sharp question, Fan Junyu answered almost without hesitation, "If that's the case, I will certainly choose to annul the engagement without hesitation! After all, I won't let myself suffer any grievances just because of an engagement. Life is short, why force myself to settle for a loveless marriage?"
Hearing this, He Mingning was clearly not satisfied with the answer. She continued to press on, "So, the reason you're willing to marry me is entirely because of our engagement, a decision you made out of necessity, not because you genuinely like me?" Fan Junyu was somewhat bewildered by the question. He frowned, looking at He Mingning with a puzzled expression, before finally speaking after a long pause, "Isn't that obvious? We haven't known each other for long, and there's no deep affection between us. We're only together now to fulfill our parents' wishes and my responsibilities."
Upon hearing these words, He Mingning felt as if her heart had been stabbed by an incredibly sharp knife, then mercilessly churning within. The pain was like a thousand tiny, venomous ants frantically gnawing at her heart, each bite bringing excruciating agony that made it almost impossible for her to breathe.
In an instant, tears welled up like a burst dam, streaming down her face. Her vision was already blurred, and through her teary eyes, she could only gaze at the indifferent figure before her—Fan Junyu.
He Mingning's lips trembled, and she asked in a voice trembling with tears, "You...you really don't have even the slightest bit of affection for me?" However, Fan Junyu simply stood there quietly, looking at her expressionlessly, without saying a word. After a moment, he resolutely turned around, strode away, and left without looking back.
As Fan Junyu's figure gradually disappeared from sight, He Mingning could no longer support her weight. Her legs buckled, and she collapsed helplessly onto the cold ground. She hugged her knees, buried her face in her arms, and burst into tears. At that moment, she was like a child abandoned by the whole world, lonely, helpless, and desperate.
After an unknown amount of time, He Mingning suddenly opened her eyes, jolted awake from the nightmare. She looked around blankly, her eyes filled with terror and confusion. Only when she realized it was all just a dream did she breathe a sigh of relief, but her heart, still pounding with the pain of her recent ordeal, continued to race.
He Mingning slowly sat up, reaching out to touch her cheeks, finding them covered in wet tear stains. The pillow beside her was also completely soaked. All of this clearly demonstrated how vivid the nightmare had been, so much so that the excruciating pain still lingered in her heart, refusing to fade.
He Mingning sat on the bed in a daze, unable to come back to her senses for a long time. At this moment, Lan'er, who was keeping watch outside, heard the commotion inside and quickly got up to ask, "Princess, what's wrong?" He Mingning then snapped out of her daze and quickly said, "I'm fine, you should go and rest!" Lan'er responded and withdrew.
He Mingning, like a graceful and light butterfly, elegantly danced from the soft and comfortable bed. Her movements were exquisite, as if a fairy had descended to earth, as she lightly flew to a table not far away.
Upon reaching the table, she quickly picked up the kettle and poured herself a glass of water. Then, without hesitation, she picked up the glass and drank it down in large gulps, like a desert traveler finding a spring in an oasis after a long drought. The way she drank the water could only be described as "swallowing it like a whale," as if she wanted to gulp down the entire glass of water in one go.
After finishing her water, He Mingning took a short breath, then looked up at the dark sky outside the window. Only then did she realize with surprise that dawn had not yet broken, and the whole world was still immersed in a tranquil darkness.
Recalling the strange dream she had just had, He Mingning couldn't help but feel a pang of fear. The scenes and plot of the dream kept flooding her mind like a tide, disturbing her peace of mind. Her original deep sleepiness vanished instantly, like a frightened little bird that could no longer fall asleep peacefully.
In utter helplessness, He Mingning thought to herself, "Since I can't sleep, I might as well read a book for a while. Perhaps it can calm my restless heart, which is as turbulent as a vast ocean. This way, I can avoid my thoughts running wild like a runaway horse, and stop my random, incoherent thoughts." With that thought, she gently put down her cup, turned around, walked to the bookshelf, and reached for the travelogue she hadn't finished reading that afternoon.
Back in her seat, He Mingning opened her book, ready to continue reading. However, as time ticked by, the book remained stuck on the first page, as if sealed by some mysterious seal, impossible to turn even a single page. Clearly, while He Mingning appeared focused on the book, her mind had already wandered far away; she was completely distracted and unable to concentrate on understanding the words and content.
Although she kept saying she would read to calm herself down, in reality she was like a blind man trying to describe an elephant, completely oblivious to the words before her, unable to absorb a single one. Her heart remained like a small boat in a storm, tossed and turned in a turbulent sea of emotions, unable to regain its former tranquility and peace.
In the early morning, the sky, like a shy maiden, slowly unveiled its veil, gradually brightening. Sunlight streamed through the windowpanes, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow into the room.
Lan'er tiptoed into the room and immediately saw the beautiful scene before her. He Mingning, dressed in an elegant white undergarment, sat quietly at the table, her posture as upright as a sculpture. She held a yellowed book tightly in her hand, but her eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if she were immersed in her own thoughts, her whole being in a daze.
Seeing this, Lan'er became anxious and moved with lightning speed, arriving beside He Mingning in the blink of an eye. She bowed slightly and asked with concern, "Princess, what's wrong? Why are you standing here in a daze?"
Hearing Lan'er's voice, He Mingning snapped out of her daze as if waking from a dream. She blinked slightly in a fluster and quickly replied, "I...I'm fine, I just spaced out for a moment." As she spoke, a faint blush appeared on her face, like a peach blossom in full bloom in spring.
Lan'er frowned slightly, her gaze falling on He Mingning's thin clothing. Without a word, she turned and grabbed a thick coat. She carefully unfolded the coat, her movements as gentle as a mother caring for her beloved child, and then gently draped it over He Mingning's shoulders, carefully adjusting the collar and cuffs.
“Princess, you got up so early today, why didn’t you put on more clothes? The weather is getting colder every day, what if you catch a cold?” Lan’er said, while reaching out to touch He Mingning’s forehead. She breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that there was nothing wrong.
He Mingning nodded obediently, responding softly like an incredibly docile little lamb, "Yes, I felt a bit hot when I first got up, so I didn't think about wearing more clothes. But don't worry, Lan'er, I'll definitely pay more attention in the future and won't make you worry anymore." After saying that, she gave Lan'er a sweet smile, a smile like the warm sun in winter, warm and reassuring.