The Abandoned Wife of a Military Family: Your disguise has been exposed again.

Chapter 213 My Lips Are Swollen
Rong Zhen first brushed Yun Wei's hair to one side, then rubbed his hands together to warm them before placing them on the back of her neck.

The moment the man's warm palm touched her skin, Yunwei trembled. A tingling sensation spread from her tailbone, and her heart began to beat faster uncontrollably.

She bit her lip, her face inexplicably turning red. Afraid that the man would notice something amiss, she quietly rested her head on his lap, not daring to move.

But Rongzhen still noticed her unusual behavior.

His long, slender fingers lightly brushed her face as he said in a low voice, "Why is your face so red?"

When Yun Wei looked up, she met his smiling dark eyes.

She suddenly felt a little embarrassed, coughed lightly, and tried to remain calm as she picked up the hand warmer she was holding. "It's too hot, it's a bit too hot."

Seeing her trembling eyelashes and evasive gaze, Rong Zhen seemed to realize something. A slight smile played on his lips. He didn't expose her, but his slender fingers placed on her sash, as if to help her untie it. "Since you're hot, then... take off one of your clothes?"

Yunwei panicked and quickly pressed his hand down, "It's not... that hot."

"Oh," Rong Zhen responded softly, a smile flashing in her eyes, but she didn't tease her any further.

He continued kneading the back of her neck, asking, "Is this the right amount of pressure?"

"Just right." Yun Wei breathed a sigh of relief and quickly replied.

Rong Zhen didn't say anything more and focused on massaging her neck.

Perhaps she was tired, as the man gently and firmly massaged her, Yunwei yawned, her eyelids drooped, and she unknowingly fell asleep.

When she woke up, the carriage had already arrived outside the county magistrate's mansion.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes and sat up. "Have we arrived?"

Seeing her drowsy state, Rong Zhen stroked her hair and said gently, "Hmm, if you still want to sleep, then continue sleeping. I'll carry you inside."

Upon hearing this, Yun Wei regained some composure. "I'm fine, why would I let you carry me inside?"

"Then carry it on your back?" Rong Zhen asked with a serious expression.

Yun Wei's lips twitched slightly. "What's the difference?"

“Of course there are, one is to hold them in front, and the other is to carry them on your back,” Rong Zhen said seriously.

Yunwei couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. "I'm not going to argue with you anymore. I need to go back and rest early so I can get up early tomorrow."

"I know, but we should at least eat before we rest." Rong Zhen said, taking her hand, getting off the carriage, and then leading her directly into the Prince's mansion.

Yun Wei blinked her almond-shaped eyes slightly, "Didn't we say we were going to have dinner? Why did we end up at your residence?"

"What's the difference between being in my residence and being in yours?" Rong Zhen replied with a smile.

Yun Wei choked for a moment.

Well, this man is using her own words against her.

“I’ve already had it prepared, you can eat it right away.” After Rong Zhen finished speaking, he led her directly to the dining hall.

When Yunwei saw the pot of steaming hot soup on the table, a look of delight flashed across her face. "Eating antique soup?"

Rong Zhen said, "It's cold outside, and you've been out in the cold all day. Eating this will make you feel better. Please sit down."

Yunwei sat down as instructed, feeling a warm glow in her heart as she looked at the bubbling broth in the pot.

On a cold night, coming back from outside and being able to eat a hot pot like this is such a blessing.

Seeing her staring at the pot with such longing, Rong Zhen couldn't help but smile.

"Princess." At this moment, a servant brought hot water for Yunwei to wash her hands.

"Thank you for your trouble." Yun Wei nodded and put her hands into the basin of hot water, washing them carefully.

By the time she finished washing her hands, Rong Zhen had already put the cooked mutton into her bowl.

"Eat it while it's hot."

"Mmm." Yun Wei didn't stand on ceremony, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat heartily. Seeing that she was enjoying her meal, Rong Zhen stopped eating. He continued to use his chopsticks to put the ingredients into the soup to cook. After they were cooked, he scooped them out one by one and put them into Yun Wei's bowl.

Yunwei buried herself in her food and ate until she was sweating profusely.

“I’ve been thinking about making this for the past few days, and I never expected that my first antique soup of the year would be eaten here,” she said as she ate, her voice slightly muffled.

Rong Zhen listened to her talk while he was cooking the meat in the hot pot. Upon hearing this, he smiled and said, "If I had known you would like this, I should have made it for you sooner."

"It's not too late now, make this for me to eat tomorrow night too," Yunwei said casually.

"Okay." Rong Zhen nodded in agreement.

Upon hearing this, Yunwei paused in her eating and looked up at the man opposite her.

The white steam rising from the boiling pot blurred the man's face.

Yunwei was completely absorbed in watching.

"What are you looking at me for? Eat up. It'll get cold and the meat will get tough, and it won't taste as good." Rong Zhen glanced at her briefly, and seeing her staring at him intently, he urged her gently.

Yunwei snapped out of her reverie, a corner of her heart softening. She looked away, picked up clean chopsticks, and put a few slices of meat into his bowl as well. "You eat too."

"Okay." The man nodded with a smile.

Yunwei discovered that this man had become increasingly gentle in private, completely lacking the imposing and unapproachable demeanor he had when they first met.

She quite liked this change in him.

Because of this, he has become more down-to-earth and is no longer aloof.

After dinner, Rong Zhen escorted Yun Wei back home.

The two didn't go through the main gate, but went straight through the side gate.

When they reached the small gate, Yunwei stopped and said, "No need to see me off. You should go back and rest early too."

"Okay." Upon hearing this, Rong Zhen released her hand.

Yunwei took two steps forward, turned around and saw that he was still standing there. She paused, then suddenly turned back, pulled down his neck, and kissed his lips.

Rong Zhen was stunned for a moment, then, after realizing what was happening, he pulled her into his arms with one hand and supported the back of her head with the other, leaning down to deeply savor her unique sweetness.

……

When Tian'er saw that her mistress hadn't returned so late, she was about to go to the Regent's Palace to ask when she saw her mistress suddenly rush in from outside.

"Sweetie, prepare water, I want to take a bath."

Sweetie noticed that her face was flushed, her lips seemed swollen, and her clothes were a bit disheveled.

She paused, then asked with concern, "Miss, what's wrong?"

Yunwei didn't dare to turn around, and only replied perfunctorily, "Nothing."

“But your face and lips are red and swollen…” Sweetie said worriedly.

Upon hearing this, Yunwei immediately recalled her kiss with Rong Zhen by the small door, and the blush on her face deepened.

Faced with the maid's doubts, she coughed lightly and explained, "I just ate Gu Xun Geng at the Regent's Palace. Their dipping sauce was too spicy. It made me sweat all over."

Sweetie understood, "Miss's lips are swollen from the spiciness."

Yunwei choked on her saliva, but pretended to be nonchalant. "Perhaps."

Sweetie advised, "Miss can't eat spicy food, so eat less next time."

"Okay, go prepare the water." Yun Wei nodded, and as she turned around, she couldn't help but touch her lips, and they really did feel a burning sensation.

It's all Rong Zhen's fault; he always kisses so forcefully.

Next time, I must not let that scoundrel grind her lips again.