Chapter 33 The "Social Death" Scene After Sobering Up

Chapter 33 The "Social Death" Scene After Sobering Up

In the early morning, the first rays of sunlight shone through the window and onto the simple bed in the side room.

Tang Li slowly opened her eyes and stared blankly at Cheng Chen above her head for a while.

Although she poured the "honesty water" into her sleeve last night, in order to complete the performance, she pretended to be crazy and acted foolishly on the ground for half an hour. In the end, she was carried back by two rough old women like a sack of potatoes.

At this moment, she felt refreshed and full of energy.

What kind of splitting headache?

What, still hungover?

It doesn't exist at all.

but--

Tang Li rubbed her face, took a deep breath, and started to act out her own story.

She first ruffled her already messy hair even more, then pressed her temples with her fingers, forcing a pained expression. She even rolled around on the bed a couple of times to create a sense of decadence, as if she were dying from a hangover.

"Ouch... my head..."

Tangli groaned and whimpered as she climbed out of bed.

The play isn't over yet.

Although we managed to get away with it last night, that old fox Pei Yunjing is very suspicious.

This morning, I had to project an air of unease and fear, as if I had completely lost my memory, in order to dispel his doubts.

After a quick wash, Tang Li walked unsteadily toward the main courtyard with a look of grim determination.

...

Breakfast was already laid out in the side hall.

Today, Pei Yunjing was unusually not wearing his oppressive black court robes, but instead wearing a moon-white casual outfit.

His dark hair was only half-tied up with a jade hairpin, which made him look less stern and fierce than usual, and more like a noble young master with a touch of languid elegance.

He was sitting at the table, slowly drinking a bowl of rice porridge.

Hearing the noise at the door, he lifted his eyelids and glanced at the figure huddled at the door, wanting to go in but not daring to.

"woke up?"

Pei Yunjing put down the spoon, picked up the silk handkerchief beside him, and wiped the corner of his mouth. His voice was unreadable.

Tang Li's heart skipped a beat.

It's here! The moment of judgment!

She steeled herself and shuffled into the house. Before she could even speak, she shrank back like a quail, twisting her handkerchief in her hands, and timidly bowed.

"This humble servant... greets Your Highness."

Tang Li raised her head, her doe-like eyes filled with confusion and unease, and cautiously probed:

"Your Highness...did I drink too much last night? I vaguely remember...saying a lot of nonsense? If I offended Your Highness..."

"Nonsense?"

Pei Yunjing raised an eyebrow, his beautiful phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.

He leaned back in his chair, as if savoring the good show of the previous night:

"The princess was quite imposing last night."

Tang Li's knees buckled, and she almost lost her balance.

Pei Yunjing extended a long, slender finger, pointed to his chin, and looked at her with a half-smile:

"Your Highness doesn't remember?"

"Last night, you were clinging to my leg, crying your eyes out. And that's not all..."

His tone was low and laced with a hint of malicious amusement:

"You even pointed your finger at my nose and called me a bastard. You even..."

Pei Yunjing touched his chin, as if a certain sensation still lingered there:

"You even dared to touch me, pinching my chin and saying I look like... a vase made by Nuwa?"

"!!!"

Tang Li's pupils dilated instantly.

Although these were indeed things she did under the influence of alcohol, and they were the honest truths in her heart, how come they sounded so much like a death sentence coming from Pei Yunjing's mouth?

Calling the regent a bastard?

Is flirting with the Regent just a pretty face?

If it were anyone else, their head would have been hanging at the city gate and dried up by now!

"Thump!"

Without any hesitation, Tang Li bent her knees and knelt on the ground smoothly.

"Your Highness, spare my life!"

She instantly became a drama queen, tears streaming down her face, her expression one of utter heartbreak and self-loathing:

"I deserve to die! I really drank myself into oblivion! That was absolutely drunken ramblings! It wasn't what I truly meant!"

Tang Li raised her head, her eyes so sincere they could be considered for Party membership:

"In my heart, Your Highness is wise and mighty, handsome beyond compare, with the world in your heart, benevolent and kind... how could you possibly be a scoundrel! It must be... the wine that's the problem! Yes! It's that wine that drove me mad!"

Pei Yunjing looked at Tang Li, who was kneeling on the ground frantically pledging her loyalty and trying to pile all the idioms she had ever learned on him, and finally couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

He really is a brainless idiot.

Greedy, lustful, cowardly, and loves to eat.

Such easily identifiable "useless" items, while not of much use to you, at least...

Not tired.

And it's actually quite fun.

"Alright, stop howling."

Pei Yunjing's ears were itchy from her noise, but this time he didn't have a headache.

He picked up his chopsticks in a good mood and pointed to the empty seat opposite him:

"Get up and eat. Kneeling on the ground so early in the morning is bad luck."

Upon hearing this, Tang Li immediately fell silent, nimbly scrambled to her feet, dusted off her knees, and swiftly sat down opposite him.

The breakfast on the table was very plentiful.

Besides the congee and side dishes served to Pei Yunjing, there were also several steaming baskets of dim sum in the middle, as well as a plate of translucent, bright red meat—

Crystal pork jelly.

Tang Li's eyes widened instantly, and her throat bobbed involuntarily.

Meat!

It's a big piece of meat!

Pei Yunjing took in her reaction.

The image of that woman clinging to his leg last night, crying and begging for braised pork knuckle and other meat, resurfaced in my mind.

Oh.

There are people in this world who would risk their lives for a meager meal.

"Eat."

Pei Yunjing, in a moment of great compassion, reached out with his chopsticks, picked up the best piece of crystal pork jelly with its perfect balance of fat and lean meat, and, for the first time ever, placed it into the empty bowl in front of Tang Li.

"?!"

Tang Li looked at the meat in the bowl, flattered, and then glanced at Pei Yunjing.

Has the sun risen in the west?

This week, the skin-peeler actually served her food?

Was it not poisoned?

"Since you want to eat meat so much..."

Pei Yunjing put away his chopsticks, his tone indifferent, with an air of nonchalance as if he were feeding a cat or playing with a dog:

"From now on, I'll have the kitchen add a meat dish to every meal for you."

He glanced at Tang Li's thin face, which still looked somewhat gaunt even with makeup, and frowned in disdain.

"I don't want word to get out that you look like a reincarnated starving ghost. People will think that my Regent's Palace can't even afford to support a princess. That would be a slap in my face."

That's a perfectly plausible reason.

But Tangli didn't care at all!

What's this about being slapped in the face?

This is real, solid meat!

They're long-term hostages!

"Thank you, Your Highness! You are truly a kind and benevolent person!"

The light in Tang Li's eyes was brighter than the sun outside. She picked up the piece of crystal pork and stuffed it into her mouth with a gulp.

The smooth texture of the pork skin jelly and the fresh aroma of the lean meat explode in your mouth.

It's so delicious!

At this moment, Tang Li felt that last night's thrilling "social death" performance was absolutely worth it!

This hurdle has been completely overcome.

Not only did he save his life and clear his name, but he also successfully achieved upward social mobility.

From a medicinal ingredient fed only with coarse food, it has become a pet that gets to eat meat.

Bearing humiliation and carrying heavy burdens?

It does not exist.

As long as she gets meat to eat, I'll make her kneel down and call me "Daddy" every day!

Pei Yunjing looked at the little woman across from him, her cheeks bulging and her face full of satisfaction. The last trace of doubt in his eyes about "beast language" vanished completely as she ate with such unpretentious manners.

That's enough.

Let's keep it.

As long as she behaves well, the Prince's Mansion can afford to provide her with this little bit of meat.