Absolutely Spoiled - Chapter 67.2

Chapter 67.2 – Shi Yi’s Second Life

Time went by in a blink of an eye, the once unassuming little princess had blossomed into a stunning young lady in her cozy palace. With a slender waist and graceful posture, she exuded elegance and charm.

“I’m feeling a bit drowsy. I need to rest. Could you please step out for a moment?” Her sweet voice was soothing to hear. 

Once the nanny left, Yu Zhiyi stayed awake and quietly sneaked out. She carefully shut the door and glanced around. Finding no one in sight, she was about to take a step out, and she heard a voice behind her. 

“Looking for me?”

“You startled me again!” Yu Zhiyi’s big, bright eyes widened with surprise. 

Back when Shi Yi first stumbled into the side hall and met her, he didn’t shy away from her because she was an abandoned princess. Instead, he made it a point to seek her out during his time in the palace. This place was usually deserted, giving them a sense of freedom. 

As Shi Yi matured, he started bringing her little treats—nothing fancy, just various snacks that she happily accepted. But as she got used to this way of connecting, he began gifting her some accessories. 

Initially, she turned them down, so he simply left them behind. 

“If you keep this up, I won’t come out to see you next time!” she warned. 

“Are you really sure? No more folk tales for you, no more interesting storybooks from outside the palace, and you’ll miss out on the famous dishes from Haizhenlou…” 

Yu Zhiyi: “…” 

Well, it seemed she was at a disadvantage here.

When the little princess was feeling down, Shi Yi took her hand and placed something in it, saying, “Regardless of whether you want it or not, I’m giving it to you.”

His words left her speechless. 

Even though she was a princess living in the palace, she wasn’t as fortunate as some regular folks and didn’t even have any money. She did embroidery in the palace and asked Shi Yi to take it outside for her. She used part of her earnings to buy silk thread and the rest to support herself. Thanks to Shi Yi’s help, her life improved. 

Shi Yi was serious, not joking around. Yu Zhiyi wanted to repay him, but since she couldn’t give him jewelry, her only option was her needlework. So, she made him a pair of shoes as a thank-you gift.

After that, Shi Yi enjoyed this gift-giving style and asked her to make shoes, socks, and even clothes. 

However, she never agreed to his later requests. 

The young man in the blue brocade outfit hid his right hand behind his back and approached slowly. 

Yu Zhiyi noticed his little gesture and tilted her head, asking, “What do you have this time?”

Shi Yi placed his hand on her forehead to block her view, saying, “It’s something nice, but I can’t just give it away. What about you? Do you have anything for me?”

The young princess lowered her gaze. “Is it really okay to ask for gifts from others?”

“Isn’t it just me?”

‘This guy has no shame!’ But she was too shy to reveal it, so she hesitated before finally saying, “No gift.”

“Yiyi, I remember the last time I got a gift was a month ago,” Shi Yi said, pinching her cheek. His rough fingertips contrasted with the softness of the little princess’s face.

Instantly, her cheeks turned red, and she looked away, panicking, “No, we can’t do this.”

Shi Yi smiled and handed her the gift, saying, “Princess, this is for you.” 

The design of the rouge box was intricate and beautiful, and Yu Zhiyi loved it at first glance. “How much did this cost?” she asked. 

“I can’t remember, I just picked it up on a whim,” Shi Yi replied casually. 

Yu Zhiyi was skeptical but had no way to check since she had always been in the palace and didn’t know the prices outside. Later, she discovered that what she held was the most popular rouge among the women in the city. 

“Things outside the palace are so fascinating. I wish I could go out one day and see them for myself.”

Those confined within the palace walls always long for the vast world beyond. 

Shi Yi paused for a moment as if considering, “Want to leave the palace? I can take you out.”

 Yu Zhiyi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Is that really possible?”

He nodded gently, put the rouge box in her hands, and said firmly, “I will pick you up in three days.”

***

The lights were shining, music was playing, and the streets were alive with various things. 

A carriage pulled over, and a delicate little hand lifted the curtain, only to be quickly pulled back by a strong hand. Yu Zhiyi was eager to jump out and explore this exciting new place, but Shi Yi held her back, saying, “What’s the rush?”

He then pulled out a veil to cover the face of the woman beside him, leaving just her stunning eyes visible. Shi Yi leaned in, captivated by those clear eyes, but quickly covered them with his hands, saying, “Don’t look at me.”

He stepped out of the carriage first and offered his hand to help her down. 

Her slender fingers looked tiny in his grip. Even though they were safely on the ground, Shi Yi held her tightly, saying, “There are a lot of people here. Since it’s your first time out, I want to make sure you’re okay. I’ll hold your hand.”

“Yeah!” Yu Zhiyi exclaimed. She was fascinated by the vibrant lantern market. “The night outside the palace is so lively!” She admired the sights, while the man beside her focused solely on her. 

The young princess, experiencing the outside world for the first time, was fascinated by everything she saw, finding it all so interesting and beautiful. “This mask is gorgeous!” she exclaimed, pointing at a fox mask that she adored. 

Shi Yi immediately pulled out some silver and told the vendor, “I’ll take this.”

Yu Zhiyi quickly held his hand down, “Brother, don’t.”

She didn’t want to waste money.

Shi Yi wasn’t really focused on that, so he followed up with her question and asked, “What did you just call me?”

“Brother, brother…”

Since they were holding hands, a vendor thought they were in a romantic relationship, so she changed her wording. 

Shi Yi felt a rush of excitement and pulled out some silver, saying to the vendor, “Hey, I want two of those!”

Yu Zhiyi was like, “???”

She couldn’t convince Shi Yi and didn’t dare to admit her love for certain items. Still, he ended up buying a bunch of little things, and they headed home with almost a full load. 

She had snuck out of the palace and couldn’t stay out for too long.  As time passed, Shi Yi reminded her it was time to head back. 

Yu Zhiyi looked at the lively market with a hint of sadness, saying, “I really have to go now.”

Shi Yi noticed her low spirits but felt powerless to change the situation. While sending her back, he stuffed all the little things he could carry into her hands. 

Yu Zhiyi glanced down at her treasures and murmured, “If only I weren’t a princess…”

If she weren’t a princess, maybe she wouldn’t feel so trapped. 

Shi Yi replied, “But Yiyi, you’re a great princess.”

She looked confused, asking, “What makes it great?”

He said, “If you weren’t Princess Jiahe, I might never have met you.”

If she wasn’t the less favoured Princess Jiahe, their paths might not have crossed. Everything seemed to be connected in some way. Thanks to Shi Yi’s last words, the little princess felt grateful for the first time to be ‘Princess Jiahe’!

Shi Yi took out a golden bell, and said, “This is for you too.”

It looked like a bell but made no sound.

Yu Zhiyi was curious. “What is this?”

“Yes…it’s a little gadget, but I like it very much. You must keep it!”

“Since you like it, why do you give it to me?”

Shi Yi curled his lips and said, “You know, I’m not used to wearing such small things. You can keep them for me first. If I need them in the future, I’ll ask you.”

This was not considered a “gift”, and Yu Zhiyi gladly accepted the entrustment.

Have a nice day!