My wife is a witch princess.

"Sure. If you'd like."

“What kind of existence is ‘wife’?” Xia Li tilted her head, a strand of silver hair slipping off her shoulder.

“My wife…” Song Che gazed at her profile, softened by the light, unsure whether it was the late hour that stirred his emotions, or if the affection in his heart was truly overflowing. He recalled a passage he had read somewhere and murmured it aloud:

"A wife is a wife. She's the one who blinks her eyes obediently when held in someone's arms; she's the one who, when she gets what she wants, jumps over like a kitten eating a can of canned food and says, 'I love you the most.'"

He paused, his voice becoming even softer, as if describing a distant yet warm dream.

"My wife is the kind of person who, when she has free time, will pat my head and touch my face. She's the kind of person who will secretly brush her lips against mine when we kiss, and then scold me for being 'shameless' after we're done kissing."

"When she receives flowers, all she sees is the color of the petals; when she receives a can of cola, all she sees is the bubbles. When she hugs me, her eyes crinkle into a smile—at that moment, I can't see if I'm in her eyes, but I know she's the most beautiful woman in the whole world. Of course, maybe only the two of us feel that way."

Xia Li listened quietly, her eyes unblinking.

"My wife is the first person I see when I get home, wearing fluffy pajamas, curled up on the sofa eating potato chips. She's the kind of person who's attracted to stray cats, maybe because... 'like attracts like'? But my wife has a home, and she's loved by someone."

"My wife is warm, and she always has a warm, pleasant scent. But if I'm sad, she'll soften her heart."

"My wife is soft—her hair is soft, her clothes are soft, her cheeks are soft, her body is soft, and her heart is soft too."

"My wife is a bit lazy. She doesn't like to blow-dry her hair or comb it. But her hair is so long and beautiful, hanging down like the Milky Way. She says she hates troublesome hair? That won't do... it will make her hair sad. So, I have to slowly, slowly, use a comb to smooth and soften those silver strands one by one. Then, she will feel that her hair smells nice and is beautiful again."

After the words were spoken, the room fell silent. Only the faint sound of the wind outside the window and their soft breathing could be heard.

Xia Li remained silent for a long time. She simply sat there, her head slightly lowered, her silver hair obscuring most of her face. Song Che couldn't see her expression, only her hands resting on her knees, her fingers curling and then relaxing.

After a long while, she spoke very softly, her voice like a feather brushing against your ear:

“Your ‘wife’… sounds like a cat.”

Song Che was stunned for a moment, then chuckled softly.

“Hmm,” he said, his gaze falling on her. “Maybe…it really is true.”

"I'm going to go to bed."

"Okay, go to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow."

Song Che didn't know if she understood his feelings, nor did he know what Xia Li's feelings were. He simply said what he wanted to do and say, and in the end, he still needed to see what Xia Li thought.

Xia Li got up and left, closing the door behind her.

Song Che shook his head, got up to turn off the light, but just as he reached the door, Xia Li suddenly came back, grabbed his hand and kissed him.

"I don't know what it means to kiss someone you like, but aristocratic etiquette dictates that you should return the kiss." Xia Li's voice was very soft. "This is just a return kiss, nothing more. You kissed my hand just now, and I did it out of respect for you."

"Yes, I understand." Seeing her hasty explanation, Song Che felt that Xia Li probably liked him too, but she herself really didn't understand what liking someone meant.

But there's no rush, there's plenty of time, he can teach slowly.

Chapter 63 The frugal master is often the troublemaker

The next day, Song Che got up very early.

Surprisingly, he didn't have insomnia after last night's conversation; instead, he slept soundly.

I woke up refreshed in the morning, and even the chill in the winter air didn't feel so biting.

He put on his coat and walked out of the bedroom, just in time to see Xia Li brushing her teeth at the sink. She was hunched over, her silver hair loosely tied back.

As Song Che watched, the feeling from last night kept replaying in his mind.

...Xia Li's lips were soft and cool, like jelly.

Xia Li paused noticeably while brushing her teeth, pulling out the toothbrush which was covered in white foam. She hesitated for a moment, then expressionlessly shoved the toothbrush back in and continued brushing.

...It should still have a hint of toothpaste mint. It must feel sweet and soft to kiss...

"You have too much on your mind," Xia Li said vaguely, her voice muffled by the water and foam.

"What, you're annoyed by me?" Song Che leaned closer, teasing her on purpose. "You think I talk too much?"

He turned on the tap, filled the water, and prepared to brush his teeth.

"No."

"It's clearly disdain." Song Che laughed as he squeezed toothpaste. "Last night you were talking about respect and manners, and I thought you were such a proper and good girl. But you've already shown your true colors this morning—all that respect was just an act, wasn't it?"

"I do not have."

After rinsing her mouth, Xia Li wiped the foam from the corners of her mouth with a towel. She wanted to refute, but was speechless for a moment.

She was clumsy with words and terrible at explaining things, and besides, there didn't seem to be anything to explain. So she just stood there blankly in front of the mirror, her brows furrowed, looking frustrated and unable to think of a solution.

However, she had a vague feeling that it wasn't her fault.

Song Che glanced at the living room.

Bruce was curled up in a ball on the sofa, while Peach Blossom had run off somewhere again. He couldn't be bothered to care; since the cat wasn't around, it wouldn't get breakfast.

"By the way, Xia Li, I need to remind you of something." Song Che walked over and stood beside her in front of the sink, starting to brush his teeth. "My parents should be back in two weeks. Do you still remember your role?"

"remember."

"One more thing: you're not a student now, you're out working, but you're temporarily unemployed. If they ask what kind of jobs you did before, just say they were all odd jobs, like handing out flyers or being a restaurant server. Oh right, Tao Xiang is your cousin now, so don't give yourself away."

"Ah."

Song Che thought about it again and seemed to have no other loopholes. The fact that Xia Li was a "witch" could not be said under any circumstances. The character setting of being an orphan who came out to make a living on her own was more reasonable and would easily evoke sympathy.

My mom is gentle but also very serious, and she'll definitely interrogate him about finding a girlfriend.

After getting ready, the two left one after the other. The hallway was quiet in the early morning, with only the sound of their footsteps.

Song Che walked and thought. Women seem to be all like this, with a stubborn streak in their bones. Just like her mother insisted on going out to work back then, simply because she wanted to prove herself and didn't want to be outdone by other parents.

His family was of modest means; no matter how hard they tried, they were just one of the most ordinary people, with enough to eat and wear but not enough to be wealthy.

To truly change one's fortunes, both ability and luck are indispensable. My mother understood this principle, but she just couldn't swallow her pride. Approaching forty, she resolutely went out to make her way in the world. My father followed her, searching for opportunities all over the country. But after two years, the money they saved seemed to be no different from what they had managed to make back in their hometown of Nanhui.

Song Che had thought before that great wealth and status were things that could only be encountered by chance, and that it was enough to live a comfortable and carefree life.

No need to buy a house or a car, just rent a small two-bedroom apartment and ride an electric scooter when you go out. It may not sound like a grand ambition, but it's easy and carefree.

Eat what you want, play what you want, it won't cost too much money. Doing this will only make relatives and neighbors think you're "unambitious." But Song Che is too lazy to care what others think; living happily is the most important thing.

However, he could somewhat understand his mother's desire to "prove herself." Just like how he liked Xia Li, he couldn't bear to let her actually rent a house with him, ride an electric scooter, and be looked down upon by others.

Humans are strange like that. To put it bluntly, they're a bit pathetic. They might be able to laugh it off when they're looked down upon, but the thought of the people they care about also having to endure those stares makes them feel uneasy and uncomfortable.

Song Che himself couldn't figure out why. Xia Li probably understood even less. She "listened" to Song Che's endless thoughts, and finally extracted only one core meaning: Song Che thought she was quite troublesome.

She understands.

Therefore, she tries her best not to bother Song Che with many things.

Xia Li also needs to work hard to earn money, at least... she can't be a burden.

Your Highness has always been the one who shelters and helps others. When did you become a burden to others?

...That seems to be the case now.

Xia Li pursed her lips, their color appearing very pale in the morning light.

"Let's go, Xia Li." Song Che called out as he saw her suddenly stop.

"……Oh."

Following Song Che onto the bus, Xia Li watched as he tossed two coins into the coin box with a clang, silently adding two yuan to her debt bill in her mind.

As she watched the street scene slowly receding outside the window, she suddenly asked, "If I walk back, can I save two yuan?"

"Theoretically, yes. But the road is too far, it's unnecessary."

Wait, you don't actually want to come back, do you?

Song Che's heart skipped a beat.

“Yeah, it saves money.” Xia Li said, then fell silent for a moment.

Because she immediately "heard" Song Che calling her a "little idiot" in his mind.

It's strange. I used to call someone an idiot, but lately I always add the word "little".

In short, Song Che was cursing.

She was actually quite angry.

Ever since she came here, she's always been called "stupid." But she feels she's not stupid at all, just clueless. That little rascal Song Che is clearly trying to use this opportunity to get back at her for the "bullying" she caused back in Hit.

She understands.

So I kept enduring it.

“I’ll walk back myself,” Xia Li added, her tone a little stubborn.

"Sure, do you know the way?"

"I've written it down."

"Alright, you can go by yourself then."

"..."

Xia Li pursed her lips and turned to look out the car window.

The bus swayed slightly, and her expressionless profile was reflected in the window. She "heard" Song Che muttering a few more words about her in his mind. Thinking about it, before he gained the ability to read minds, he didn't know how many times he had silently cursed her in his heart.

Xia Li is unhappy.

“I can save money by walking,” she emphasized again, her voice muffled.

"It's only one dollar, you can't do much with the money you save, and it's tiring to walk."

Even a dollar is still money.

"It's money, but it's not very useful."

"I'm going to keep walking."

"Okay, okay, as long as you don't think about flying back on a broomstick. Walking is also a form of exercise."

"..."

The bus swayed and rattled along, the carriage filled with the weary silence of the early risers. Song Che leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes to doze off for a while, but opened them again after a few seconds. In the end, he couldn't bear to let her walk such a long way alone.