My wife is a witch princess.

"I think Song Che is a good person."

"Of course, Your Highness only just realized that now?" Song Che deliberately put on a stern face, but the little flame of expectation in his heart reignited. "Then tell me, Your Highness, what are my strengths?"

He was still somewhat concerned about his image in Xia Li's eyes. After all, it was basically unrequited love; this silly witch didn't even understand what "like" meant.

Xia Li put down her chopsticks and began to think seriously.

"...Song Che's cooking is delicious!"

Is there anything else?

"...Song Che's porridge is delicious!"

"Anything else?" Song Che's expectations began to slowly decline.

"Let me think..." Xia Li pondered for a few more minutes, "...The steamed buns that Song Che took me to eat were delicious."

Song Che: "..."

Xia Li blinked, somewhat puzzled, when she saw him suddenly stop talking and just stare at her.

"Let me think about it some more." She thought she hadn't said enough and decided to keep digging.

If you can't figure it out, I'll strangle you tonight!

"Are you trying to strangle me again?" Xia Li paused, her tone still serious. "I don't think that's right. I just haven't thought of it yet, and I haven't done anything wrong."

"I know……"

Song Che was a little dejected, but also a little amused.

After all that, it turns out that his goodness in her heart is roughly equivalent to his delicious cooking?

What's so special about this? Does it mean he's a good cook?

He secretly hoped that she would find him thoughtful, considerate, and patient.

"I……"

Xia Li couldn't think of anything else right away, but she just felt that Song Che was good. That "good" was general, rather than a series of specific merits.

She paused, trying to organize her thoughts, "I think you are meticulous and helpful."

"That was what I was thinking just now," Song Che bluntly exposed.

"Yes," Xia Li readily admitted.

You still have the nerve!

Song Che had always considered himself to have a good mindset and strong resilience. But at this moment, he deeply felt that Xia Li was the true queen who couldn't handle pressure.

No matter how fierce the wind and rain, she remains unmoved.

Xia Li was already used to his internal criticism, so she didn't argue back, but stubbornly continued to ponder the serious question of "what's so good about Song Che".

He even forgot to eat the cold ribs in his bowl.

Song Che didn't leave either, but sat opposite him and waited, looking like he was saying, "Let's see what you can come up with."

The steam from the pork rib soup had almost completely dissipated.

—The pork rib soup's cultivation has been completely dissipated, and it can no longer rise again.

Xia Li finally spoke again, this time her voice was soft, but with a wistful seriousness: "I feel... Song Che and I have been through a lot together. In Hit, Song Che was very smart. When attacking the Forbidden Kingdom, the tactics you proposed were effective time and time again, saving many, many people."

“I was just standing on the shoulders of giants.” Song Che shook his head, not taking credit. “Those tactical ideas were not my original creations. I just used the wisdom of my predecessors and was lucky.”

Xia Li had never examined "Song Che" so closely before.

After she finished speaking, she remained silent for a long time, so long that Song Che thought the topic was over, before she raised her eyes and solemnly said:

"I'll think about it carefully. I'll let you know tomorrow."

Her expression was unusually serious, as if answering this question was no less important than breaking a high-level magic circle or concocting a perfect longevity potion.

After saying that, she picked up her chopsticks again and touched the ribs that had gone cold on the side of the bowl: "They're cold, Song Che."

"Okay, I'll go heat it up." Song Che picked up the pot and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

Just as he turned around, Xia Li looked at his back and suddenly said clearly:

"Song Che, I feel... you're very good to me."

Song Che paused, then put the pot down and came out. "Do you want to kiss me?"

“…No.” Xia Li almost agreed to Song Che’s request. That little rascal always tricked her unexpectedly. She asked the magic mirror after kissing him last time, which was very improper.

The fake boyfriend-girlfriend relationship is legitimate, but now it's subtly crossing that line, meaning it's developing in an improper direction.

Xia Li wasn't ready yet.

Because she didn't understand what liking someone meant, and whether she liked Song Che. She didn't want to live like this in a daze; she wanted to be clear about her feelings, to be certain of them, and then to respond to Song Che seriously.

This is the proper etiquette and respect Your Highness should show.

"I'll think it over and then I can kiss you," Xia Li promised.

"Okay." Song Che felt that this would take forever. What if Xia Li got too much exposure to modern life and went astray?

Becoming like those bad girls...

Song Che dared not think about it; he absolutely could not let Xia Li become like that!

“Xia Li, you really need to go to school and learn about true human emotions and values.”

Xia Li asked in confusion, "But I don't have an ID card."

“I’ll teach you. Let me think about where to start…” Song Che pondered, “Let’s start with girls needing to respect and love themselves. There are some things that can’t be taken lightly.”

Chapter 68 You are first and foremost Xia Li

The reheated ribs didn't taste quite as good as when they were fresh out of the pot, but the aroma of the meat was still irresistible.

Xia Li didn't say anything this time, focusing instead on the few pieces left in her bowl. Song Che was also genuinely hungry; he hadn't noticed while chatting so enthusiastically, but now his stomach was growling loudly, making him feel dizzy with hunger.

Generally speaking, when two people are together, one of them is usually clueless and the other is unhappy.

But here, Xia Li has two roles: she is often confused about the situation and easily gets angry over all sorts of trivial matters.

After finishing their meal and while clearing the dishes, Xia Li suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence: "What you said, 'self-respect and self-love'... I understand what it means. Cherish yourself, don't belittle yourself, act with moderation, and be self-disciplined."

She didn't stop wiping the table, her tone as if she were reciting some rule of conduct for His Highness.

Song Che placed the washed dishes on the drainer, dried his hands, and turned to look at her: "I know Your Highness has always been sensible, serious, and meticulous in your work, and you are strict with yourself. But when I said 'self-respect and self-love,' I didn't mean exactly that."

He walked to the dining table and sat down, gesturing for Xia Li to sit down as well.

Bruce sidled up to him and lay down at his feet.

"In my opinion, Your Highness may not have... truly achieved it."

Song Che spoke earnestly, looking at her with a calm gaze.

Xia Li sat opposite her, her brows furrowed, clearly not convinced by the assessment: "I have always had self-respect and self-love."

As a witch princess, she never slacked off in her demeanor, speech, or even her inner principles.

“No, the ‘self-respect and self-love’ I’m talking about first requires a clear awareness of ‘your’ existence, and then it’s about how to treat that ‘self’.” Song Che tried to explain more clearly, “Xia Li, first and foremost you are ‘Xia Li,’ an individual with your own feelings, and only then are you ‘Your Highness,’ and only then are you ‘someone’s friend’ or ‘tenant.’ But I’ve noticed that you often forget the ‘Xia Li’ from the beginning.”

He paused, then gave an example: "For instance, you always seem to be afraid of 'troubling' me. You'd rather struggle to figure things out on your own, even if it means hitting walls or getting hurt, than ask for help."

“That’s because…” Xia Li responded immediately, feeling that her logic was sound, “One should try one’s own best to solve one’s own problems first, and only seek help if one is truly unable to do so. This is independence and responsibility. I’m just a little slower, but I believe I can eventually do it.”

"So you just endured the pain in your leg without saying anything?" Song Che wasn't blaming you, but simply stating the facts. "If it really was a bone or ligament injury, the longer it dragged on, the bigger the problem would become. Your own body was giving you warnings, but you didn't 'hear' them, or you 'heard' them but chose to ignore them. Is that what you call taking care of yourself?"

Xia Li pursed her lips, not immediately refuting.

“I understand your thoughts. We have a saying here, ‘Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.’ It’s good that you don’t want to suffer the troubles yourself, and it shows that you are considerate of others.”

Song Che's tone softened, "But there's another saying: 'Relationships are mutual, and dependence is permissible.' Sometimes, accepting help from others and allowing yourself to 'bother' them isn't weakness or rudeness, but rather trust, and it's also giving each other an opportunity to deepen our connection."

You always think about 'not being a burden,' but have you ever considered that your excessive 'lack of trouble' sometimes makes me feel...pushed away, and that you don't really trust that I can or am willing to share the burden with you?"

Xia Li's eyelashes trembled, and her fingers, resting on her knees, curled slightly.

These words were somewhat unfamiliar to her, even a bit subversive.

In Hitler, it was common for the strong to act alone, and weakness and dependence were often accompanied by danger. Her upbringing taught her self-control, resilience, and the ability to take responsibility on her own.

“It’s like when I teach you to cook.” Song Che used a lighter example. “If you were terrified of the oil splattering the first time you stir-fried vegetables, but you stubbornly insisted on finishing the dish, you might end up burning yourself and ruining the food. But if you yelled and dodged, that’s okay. I teach you the method, I shield you, and in the end, the dish is cooked, and you’ve learned something. Isn’t that better than stubbornly enduring it?”

“But…” Xia Li tried to find a foothold for her own ideas, “If you always rely on others, you can’t truly grow.”

“That’s right, so the key is balance.” Song Che nodded. “It’s not about relying on everything, but about daring to reach out or accept a helping hand when needed. ‘Self-respect and self-love’ also includes understanding your own limits, using resources wisely to achieve goals more effectively, and taking care of yourself at the same time. These are not contradictory.”

He looked at her profile as she fell into thought and continued, “True ‘love yourself’ means listening to your body and your heart, eating when you’re hungry, resting when you’re tired, speaking up when you’re in pain, and asking questions when you’re confused. It’s allowing yourself to have areas where you’re not good at something and that you need time to learn, instead of criticizing yourself for ‘not being able to do it.’ It’s putting Xia Li’s feelings on your priority list, instead of always putting them behind ‘responsibility,’ ‘obligation,’ and ‘not causing trouble for others.’”

The living room was quiet, with only the faint sound of wind outside the window.

After a long while, Xia Li finally raised her eyes: "I... am not used to thinking like this. In Hit, any weak thought can have fatal consequences."

“I understand.” Song Che’s voice was gentle. “But this isn’t Hite. At least in front of me, in my home, you can try to… relax a little. Put 'Xia Li’s' feelings first. For example, next time your hair isn’t dry, just call me; if you’re tired from walking, say we should take a car; if there’s something you don’t understand, ask it like you did just now. This won’t make you weak, it will only make you… more like a living, breathing person who can cry and laugh, who needs and is needed.”

Xia Li listened quietly for a long time before nodding slightly: "I... will try to think about it."

She inexplicably felt that these words made her feel at ease and happy.

"That's enough." Song Che smiled and reached out to rub her head. "Take it slow. Remember, first and foremost, you have to be Xia Li, a girl who deserves to be treated well and who can take care of herself with confidence. All other identities come after that."

Xia Li felt the touch on her head and moved away slightly. "Do I feel the same way about you as I do about Bruce? I see you always touching Bruce like that."

“It’s definitely different now, but I touched your head because…” Song Che laughed, “because I knew I could touch it now. Normally, you would have hit me on the head.”

How do you know I won't hit you right now?

“Because…” Song Che looked at the corner of her mouth, “Did you notice? You just… smiled.”

"……I."

"Hmm, you have a beautiful smile." Song Che didn't know if Xia Li would be happy to be praised for her beauty like other girls, but he wanted to say what he really thought, "Being so beautiful makes me want to be indecent."

Just as Song Che was about to get a tap on the head from Xia Li, Xia Li spoke softly, "Is it really that good-looking?"

Chapter 69 I Don't Want to Face Reality (4k)