Chapter 117: Bewildered and Helpless

Guli was well aware that her beauty was peerless. She had long grown accustomed to the awestruck gazes of others and the endless stream of sincere compliments, yet she had never felt much of anything. This, however, was the first time she had been praised by the one she loved, and the realization filled her with boundless joy.

Maintaining her pose, Guli blinked her large eyes and asked with a smile, "So, am I more beautiful, or is Jun'an?"

Jun'an?

Lie Changan had not heard that name in a long time. It took him a moment to recall that it was Princess Jun'an, and he found himself quite puzzled as to why this was being compared to her. Still, he felt it was not unusual for women to compare themselves to one another, so he answered with composed indifference, "The Princess, of course."

"Which princess?" Guli arched her elegant brows, clearly dissatisfied with the answer.

"You, Princess Danqing."

Guli was satisfied. She smiled with contentment, a shy, peach-blossom flush creeping onto her fair, delicate face. Radiant as the spring, she sat back down in her original spot.

Once she moved away, Lie Changan felt his breathing return to normal. Only then did he realize that his palms, hidden beneath the covers, were slick with cold sweat from his nervousness.

"Tell me, in what way am I more beautiful than her?"

Lie Changan had never expected a follow-up question. He thought for a moment before answering with earnest sincerity: "The Princess possesses a beauty that could topple cities and bring down geese; it is unparalleled and enchanting. You embody a thousand charms—you are both the noble and majestic peony and the delicate, dew-kissed rose. As for Princess Jun'an..."

Lie Changan frowned, struggling to recall the features of Princess Jun'an. Even after a long while, he could not conjure a clear image of her.

"What about Princess Jun'an?"

Guli had been quite pleased with the first half of his answer, but when he paused, seemingly deliberating on the perfect words to describe Jun'an’s beauty, her face fell, and her mood soured instantly.

"Princess Jun'an..." Lie Changan racked his brain, but unable to remember what she looked like, he could only pluck a few phrases he had once heard his subordinates use: "Princess Jun'an is as graceful as a painting, as pure and ethereal as an immortal. Her demeanor is gentle and composed, she is well-versed and cultured, and she should be..."

"Enough, that’s enough!"

Guli could not bear to listen further. He was clearly reminiscing about Jun'an’s every gesture and expression, carefully weighing the most appropriate words to describe her. Guli stood up in a huff, feeling as though she had invited humiliation upon herself. With no mood left to spare, she could not bear to look at this blockheaded fool for another second; she turned away and stormed off in a temper.

Lie Changan remained there, utterly bewildered and lost. He always felt that the Princess’s temperament was as fickle as the weather—sunny one moment and rainy the next—far more difficult to decipher than any military manual.

Guli did not sleep well that night. She lay in bed with her eyes wide open, tossing and turning as she pondered Lie Changan’s words from earlier. One moment she felt a secret, sweet joy, and the next, she sank into gloom and sorrow.

He belonged to Jun'an; she knew this.

Yet, she could not control her heart. She wanted to keep him by her side for a little longer, to spend more time with him, to talk to him, hoping that perhaps she could fade the traces of Jun'an in his heart.

She was truly selfish and despicable, harboring the most unspeakable of motives. She was unworthy of loving him. After all, he was such a good man, and she was shamelessly throwing herself at him even though he already had a beloved.

And yet, Guli had often been plagued by the illusion—just like today—that perhaps Lie Changan might also care for her.

Was there any such possibility?

Even the slightest bit?

If not, why did she always see that impossible-to-ignore tenderness and indulgence in his eyes whenever he looked at her?