1266: I Didn’t Mean To Grope You

I Didn’t Mean To Grope You

She was not a little girl anymore. She was well aware that Lu Tingchen was out of her league.1

Despite her conflicted emotions, she still managed to retain her sense of rationality.

Lu Tingchen certainly did not have to marry a woman like her, given his prominent status.　　

If he wanted to get married, there would probably be a long line of women extending from the imperial capital to this place, eager to marry him.

He was free to choose from all the women in this kingdom, and he could have any woman he wanted.

Chu Jiu's mind was still clear—even though Lu Tingchen's words moved her.

Instead of getting provoked by her coldness, Lu Tingchen smiled. "If I cared about status, I wouldn't have remained single at this age. I'm also aware that there are a lot of women who want to marry me because of my family background, and there have been plenty who made advances on me while I was in the imperial capital, but I've never been interested. In fact, before you came to the frontier, I planned to marry only after I turned thirty. Chu Jiu, you're the one who changed my mind. If it's status you're worried about, you really don't have to. As for why you should marry me…"

He abruptly reached out and pulled her to him by her waist, his jet-black eyes fixed on her. "Chu Jiu, you have feelings for me too—don't deny it—and I think there's no one in this world who can be a better match for you than me."

Chu Jiu leaned against his sturdy chest, her cheeks burning.

His assertive words only sent her thoughts further into a whirl.

Did she have feelings for him?

She lifted her head and stared at him in befuddlement.

After a long while, she lowered her head again. "You're too full of yourself."

"Really? But your heart's beating so fast." Lu Tingchen laid his palm over her heart.

Chu Jiu went rigid.

When she came back to her senses, she immediately raised a hand to slap him.

"How dare you, Lu Tingchen!"

Lu Tingchen was also taken aback, but he reacted just in time and grabbed her hand.

His handsome face turned sheepish. "I didn't mean to do anything weird—I just felt your heart beating really fast."

Chu Jiu shoved him away. She tore the petal off her head, hurled it at him, and stalked out of the tent.

Lu Tingchen raced after her.

"Listen to me, Chu Jiu, I didn't mean to grope you…"

He stopped himself short.

Lu Hetian and Ling Lihua had been heading over hand in hand, only to hear their son say this, followed by the sight of Chu Jiu storming out of the tent in a fury.

They were both startled, but soon figured out what was going on.

'Didn't he say he wouldn't touch Chu Jiu before he married her?' Ling Lihua thought to herself.

Did he end up going back on his word?

Grope? Did he mean what she thought he meant?

Subduing her excitement, Ling Lihua cocked an eyebrow and put an arm around Chu Jiu's shoulders. "Chu Jiu, did Lu Tingchen bully you? Don't worry, I'll get his father to punish him."

Without waiting for her to say anything more, Lu Hetian turned to Lu Tingchen, scowling. "That'll be ten laps around the camp, you disgraceful brat—and don't you dare take a break or eat before you're done!"

Lu Tingchen cast a dejected look at the three of them. Eventually, he went up to Chu Jiu, stuffed the flowers into her hand, and finally started on his laps with an air of great resignation.

Alarmed by the unexpected encounter with the Grand Duke and Duchess, Chu Jiu glanced at Lu Tingchen's figure disappearing into the distance and explained weakly, "Actually… the Heir Presumptive didn't bully me."

Ling Lihua's eyes glittered with a hint of a mischievous smile. "No need to plead for him, Chu Jiu. I've been finding this brat a real nuisance for some time, and now I finally have the chance to punish him with good reason."

"..." Was this something a mother should say?

"Don't worry. He's a tough lad—he'll be fine. Those few laps will do him good as part of his training," Ling Lihua added.

"I…" Chu Jiu wanted to explain that she was not worried about Lu Tingchen, but Ling Lihua interrupted her. "Let's go." Without giving her a chance to refuse, she grabbed her hand and entered her tent, leaving Lu Hetian behind her, forgotten.

Lu Hetian watched them enter the tent a little helplessly.

When Lu Tingchen reappeared at his side after having finished one lap, Lu Hetian stopped him. "I heard from your mother that you wish to marry Chu Jiu."

"That's right." Lu Tingchen did not deny it.

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