My wife is a witch princess

Chapter 80 Falling in Love with Someone You Shouldn't Have

"Xia Li."

Song Che called her name in a low voice, but the rest of his words seemed to be blocked by something, and he couldn't say them.

"Hmm?" Xia Li tilted her head slightly, her blue eyes reflecting his dark expression. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Song Che shook his head, avoiding her gaze. "I just... need to think things through. Can I... be alone for a while?"

Xia Li looked at him, paused for a moment, and said, "You don't want me to hear what you're thinking."

"Um."

"Okay." She nodded without asking any further questions or hesitating. "I won't bother you."

……

For the entire day, Song Che locked himself in his bedroom.

Xia Li moved silently around the living room, occasionally tidying up the already neat table, adding food to Bruce's plate, and finally quietly returning to her room.

Song Che sat down against the wall furthest from Xia Li's bedroom. He had secretly estimated during the last event that at a distance of about seven or eight meters, those jumbled thoughts would become indistinct. At this moment, he needed that distance.

He was examining everything he had done so far.

A witch from another world with an almost infinite lifespan and a mortal with only a fleeting hundred years—two lives that should never have intersected are forcibly bound together. Will there really be a good outcome?

No matter how mischievous Xia Li was in the past, he was the first to form a contract with her. As a human, he was born with the ability to disguise himself. Faced with such a beautiful girl, he subconsciously played the role of "reliable" and "gentle." Even though he was later driven crazy by her naivety, she believed in the "goodness" he showed.

Xia Li is still figuring out the meaning of "like" in a daze.

And all of this was almost entirely guided and intentionally orchestrated by him. No matter how immature she was in the past, the starting point of this whole affair ultimately stemmed from his instinctive impulse to get close to, and even possess, a beautiful woman when he faced her.

So, what will happen to Xia Li, his girlfriend, when human lifespan comes to an end?

When she truly understands emotions, how profound will the pain that follows be?

Song Che hesitated.

He hesitated when it came to "teaching Xia Li how to like someone".

Perhaps, I shouldn't let her understand?

There's nothing wrong with living like this, without really understanding what's going on.

Is it fair to let Xia Li live her whole life in a daze, never able to grasp the essence of emotions?

She shouldn't have been kept in the dark, living in a deliberately constructed, warm but false bubble.

Song Che closed his eyes, his breathing becoming somewhat erratic.

My mind is in turmoil, like a tangled mess with no end in sight.

He didn't know how to face Xia Li, or the girl he had been attracted to because of his momentary lust and his selfish desire to possess her.

Princess Xia Li is naive, but the other side of this naivety is an almost obsessive adherence to her promises.

She will definitely abide by the contract, whether it is explicit or implicit.

When he died of old age last time, his soul returned to Earth, and there was still a traceable path to follow.

What about next time?

When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; the underworld, reincarnation... If these things really exist, then where do all the suffering people in the world come from, with no one to turn to for help?

He dared not think about it, nor was he willing to place his slim hopes on vague legends.

He knew Xia Li wouldn't eavesdrop.

She values ​​promises and will keep them if she makes one.

The books on the table were not yet open.

I didn't read a single word all day.

The original plan to visit my parents that evening was also canceled.

For the first time, Song Che was acutely aware of his own "immaturity." He had only thought that Xia Li had become beautiful, sensible, and considerate of him. She was so wonderful that he only wanted to hold on to her and possess her, but he had never seriously considered her almost eternal future.

He tossed and turned in bed, the problem destined to remain unsolved, at least for now, he couldn't find the answer.

Words spoken cannot be taken back, and Xia Li will never forget anything. She will remember a boy named Song Che who said he liked her, took her to see the stars and fireworks, told her that she was a living person, and gave her warmth and hope... and then in the blink of an eye, he died, disappearing into a dimension she could no longer find.

For her, a hundred years might really just be a slightly longer period of rest and recuperation.

Song Che thought that perhaps he was wrong from the very beginning.

The right thing to do was to give her a meal, then find a way to hand her over to the police, saying she was a missing person, and never bother with her again.

...It was his fault.

He knew very well that if Xia Li suffered because of him in the future, the root cause would be his current greed and selfishness.

He could not deny his initial attraction to her, nor could he refute his strong desire to keep this innocent girl by his side.

A hundred years... for him, is a truly long period of time.

He was originally quite immature.

Anxiety and worry weighed heavily on his brow.

He knew he was thinking too much and too far ahead, but these things were destined to happen as long as life had an end.

Especially when Xia Li calmly said "I've been looking for you for ninety years," "I only have one gold coin left," and "I'm almost out of the life-saving potion," her nonchalant attitude made him feel even more choked up.

She seemed indifferent. But he did care.

Xia Li was willful and annoying when she was in the castle, but Song Che didn't think he was much better than her when he was young. Being pushed into a high position at such a young age, facing mountains of official documents and menacing enemies, she was actually... quite scared, wasn't she?

But she pulled through; she possesses a quiet, unwavering resilience.

Perhaps it's true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The more Song Che thought about it, the more he felt that Xia Li was perfect in every way. And this "perfection" in turn deepened his anxiety—he had to find a way that would be good for both of them.

dong dong dong.

A gentle knock on the door broke his endless loop.

"Brother Song Che." It was Tao Xiang's soft voice. "Sister Xia Li said she made soup and cooked rice for you, and it's all served."

"I'll eat later." Song Che rubbed his temples, his voice sounding tired. "Tell her she can eat as much as she wants."

"Okay, I'll tell my sister."

Song Che looked up and realized that the sky outside the window had become completely dark at some point.

He was in a daze all day.

He had always prided himself on being honest in his dealings with others, never intentionally mistreating or offending anyone. But now it seemed that wasn't the case. He harbored the deepest selfish motives and the most profound hesitation towards Xia Li.

"Let's... treat each other normally for now."

Sitting idly for a day, my thoughts become a tangled mess, ultimately proving futile.

Song Che sighed and opened the door.

In the living room, Xia Li was still wearing that slightly oversized apron, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Everything was imitating his usual manner. Tonight, she was stewing the very soup she hadn't been able to make herself last night. Song Che took a sip; the warm broth slid down his throat, and surprisingly, the taste was even better than what he had made last night.

Xia Li... is not stupid at all.

She learns everything very quickly.

"Are you praising me?" Xia Li's voice came from the other end, tinged with uncertainty. "I accidentally... overheard."

"It's alright." Song Che glanced at the clock on the wall. "The agreed time will be tonight."

Xia Li wiped her hands on her apron, her gaze falling on his face with an observing look: "You seem unhappy. Is it because of... what I said this morning?"

"No, Your Highness." He subconsciously used the old title.

"You're lying."

"I didn't..."

"Whenever you call me 'Your Highness,' you're basically lying," Xia Li said with certainty.

"...It's not entirely because of what you said." His lie easily exposed, Song Che gave a helpless twitch of his lips. "Xia Li wasn't wrong. There are some things I haven't figured out myself yet."

"Song Che also has things he can't figure out?" Xia Li's eyes widened slightly, seemingly surprised.

"Hmm." He nodded. "I might need... a little more time to think about it."

"Okay." Xia Li didn't press for details, but simply lowered her head and quietly continued eating. Although she didn't really want to admit it, she subconsciously felt that Song Che was smarter than her, and that there seemed to be no problem that could truly stump him.

In Hit, Song Che was her contractor; here, he was her boyfriend. But no matter how their identities changed, Xia Li always felt that Song Che was the one who led the way, the one who could teach her so much. So she only needed to look forward and learn, because as long as she kept moving forward, Song Che would always be waiting for her somewhere ahead.

She ate a few more bites of rice.

The rice smells delicious.

She didn't know why, but when she ate alone, she didn't feel anything special. However, when she sat with Song Che, even the most ordinary white rice seemed to have a warm sweetness about it.

……like.

Xia Li now refers to this definite feeling that brings her peace and satisfaction as "like".

After the meal, clear away the dishes and clean the stove.

Wearing an apron and busy at work, Xia Li looked no different from any other girl learning to manage her life. It was almost impossible to tell that she was once the silver-haired, blue-eyed, noble and aloof witch princess.

As Song Che watched her retreating figure, he suddenly thought that when summer came and the temperature warmed up, she might be able to wear that witch's dress made of special material again.

Summer, Xia Li.

Summer will arrive after the college entrance examination is over.

Perhaps we'll see her wearing that dress again in the spring.

After washing up, they said goodnight to each other and went back to their rooms.

Tomorrow is the weekend. Jiang Xiaoxiao's play performance is next week, and the final rehearsal is just around the corner.

According to her, everything is going smoothly and victory is assured.

Song Che lay back down on the bed, staring at the dark ceiling.

……

It was late at night, and both bedroom doors were closed. Only Bruce's even breathing could be heard from his bed. In a corner of the living room, a soft murmur of conversation could be heard.

"Sister, what happened? What is that wicked woman...?" Tao Xiang's voice was very low, filled with confusion and fear.

"I don't know." Tao Yao's voice sounded muffled, as if she were covering her mouth with her paw. "She talks nonsense all day long, 'not taking a single hair,' 'not plucking a single feather'... This mute, all she knows is those few phrases! If it weren't for the great loss I suffered during this Nirvana Rebirth, would I, as the Shadow Demon Fox Immortal, be afraid of her? No matter how powerful she is, doesn't she still need my illusions to succeed? I'm the one who takes the initiative; she has to follow my lead!"

"Sister, you're a cat now," Momoka whispered a reminder.

"Never mind the details!" Tao Yao flicked her tail irritably. "In short, this wicked woman is definitely in cahoots with that kid Song Che... Wait, I'll go to his room and find out the truth."