My wife is a witch princess

Chapter 90 Aren't you happy when I touch you?

The air in the living room fell silent for a moment.

Song Che and Xia Li stared at each other across the table, neither looking away first. After the unanimously uttered "Don't speak yet!", a brief silence followed, leaving only the lingering echoes of their own surprise, and then—

Gurgle.

A clear and long mournful cry came from Song Che's side.

His body stiffened, and he instinctively pressed his stomach.

Immediately afterwards, another softer but equally noticeable "gurgle" came from Xia Li's direction.

The two of them stopped at the same time.

Tao Xiang, who had been squatting by the table leg, clutching an empty bowl and gazing longingly, pouted and said, "Brother... Sister... Tao Xiang is still hungry, please give me some food..."

Her voice was soft and delicate, sounding incredibly aggrieved, as if she were the one who had just been scolded and was also the one who was hungry.

The thread that held Song Che and Xia Li together snapped.

Song Che gave in first, his shoulders slumping slightly: "...Okay, I'll cook."

Xia Li also lowered her gaze, looked at her fist that she had unconsciously clenched, and silently relaxed it.

She stood up. "I'll help."

Tao Xiang: Great, it's almost time for dinner.

There wasn't much in the refrigerator: half a head of broccoli, a few eggs, two carrots, and a small piece of frozen pork.

Song Che took it out and weighed it in his hand, wondering what he could possibly scrape together.

Xia Li had already tied her apron—and she tied it well enough not to wrap herself up like a dumpling.

She stood next to Song Che, her gaze sweeping over the ingredients, and reached out to pick up the half head of broccoli.

"Break it into small pieces and soak it in water for a while. I heard it can remove pesticides." Song Che handed over the carrot. "Peel this one and cut it into chunks."

Xia Li nodded and took the peeler.

At first, her peeling movements were a bit clumsy, with uneven pressure, resulting in patches of skin that were either too thick or too thin. But after a few tries, she got the hang of it, her movements became smoother, and she was peeling off thin, even pieces of skin.

Song Che was preparing the pork nearby, slicing it and marinating it with cooking wine, soy sauce, and a little starch. Out of the corner of his eye, Xia Li had already finished peeling the carrots and started breaking up the broccoli. She broke them up very carefully, making sure each floret was about the same size, put them in a bowl, added water, and gently stirred them with her fingers.

The only sounds in the kitchen were running water, the soft chopping of vegetables, and the sizzling of oil heating up. The argument about "who was more indecent" seemed to have been temporarily put on hold.

But silence itself is also a form of continuation.

"Song Che," Xia Li suddenly spoke, her voice mingling with the sound of water.

"Um?"

"Just now..." she paused, "when I used your body, I felt... when I was hungry, here—"

With her still-wet fingers, she gently touched her stomach through her clothes. "It feels tight, empty, and makes a sound."

The description is objective, like reading a lab report.

"That's your stomach moving, reminding you it's time to eat," Song Che explained, setting the marinated meat slices aside. "Everyone does that."

"But it feels different." Xia Li shook her head, flicked the water droplets off her hands, and turned to look at him. "With my own body, the feeling of hunger... is very faint. I just know 'it's time to eat.' But with your body, that feeling is very clear, very... urgent."

It's as if I'm a glutton.

Song Che remained silent.

Her eyes held a thoughtful expression: "So, the feeling of 'hunger' varies in intensity in different bodies?"

Song Che paused while chopping vegetables.

He hadn't expected her to think from this perspective. "Probably. It might be related to metabolism and sensory sensitivity."

He thought for a moment and added, "It's like some people are afraid of pain, while others aren't."

Xia Li nodded thoughtfully and turned back to continue washing the vegetables.

A few seconds later, with her back to him, her voice drifted over: "Then... what about 'sorry'? What about 'shy'? Are these feelings different in different bodies?"

Song Che's heart skipped a beat; he knew she had come full circle.

"Maybe," he mumbled, heating the pan and pouring in oil. "Emotions are complex, related to physical reactions, but not entirely the same thing."

Once the oil is hot, add minced garlic and ginger slices to the pan and sauté until fragrant.

Song Che poured in the sliced ​​meat and stir-fried it quickly. Once the meat changed color, he added the carrot chunks and continued stirring.

Xia Li washed the broccoli, drained the water, and placed it on the cutting board.

She didn't leave, but stood a little behind Song Che, quietly watching him cook.

My gaze fell on his hands as he flipped the spatula, and on his forehead, which was glistening from the heat of the stove.

"When you use my body..." she began again, her voice close to his ear, "what does 'shyness' feel like?"

Song Che froze for a moment as he stirred the food. What did he mean by "using your body"? His words were always so easily misunderstood.

The sliced ​​meat almost stuck to the pan.

He quickly tried to salvage the situation, his tone a little flustered: "Well... my face was burning, my heart was racing, I didn't want to be stared at... something like that."

"Oh," Xia Li responded, not asking any further questions, but she didn't leave either.

Song Che felt the gaze behind him was too strong, and his neck went slightly numb.

He quickened his pace, pouring the broccoli into the pan, adding salt and a little oyster sauce, and stir-frying quickly and evenly. The green broccoli, glistening with oil, steamed up with the aroma of meat and garlic.

"Okay, get the plates."

Xia Li turned around to get it.

When she handed it over, her fingers inevitably brushed against Song Che's hand. It was a very light touch, but both of them reacted as if they had been burned, and quickly pulled away.

The food is served.

A simple stir-fry of carrots, broccoli, and sliced ​​pork, topped with golden scrambled eggs.

Tao Xiang had already climbed onto the chair by herself, holding her special little bowl and spoon, and was looking on longingly.

Bruce strolled over and sat down on the corner of the table, his tail swaying leisurely.

Song Che served rice to everyone. The three of them sat around the small table, and the warm, simple aroma of the food somewhat diluted the earlier atmosphere.

"Eat up," Song Che said habitually.

Tao Xiang had already scooped up a large spoonful of scrambled eggs and stuffed it into her mouth, panting from the heat, her eyes squinting happily.

Song Che picked up a piece of broccoli with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

The food was cooked to perfection, crisp, tender, and sweet, with a savory and salty flavor from the meat juices. He glanced at Xia Li; she was eating small bites, chewing intently.

"How does it taste?"

Xia Li swallowed her food and nodded, "Delicious." She paused, then added, "Carrots are sweeter than broccoli."

"Yes, carrots are naturally sweet."

"The meat slices are very tender and not dry."

"It's been marinated with starch."

The conversation was ordinary, just a regular exchange about the food. But Song Che could sense that Xia Li was experiencing the meal in a more "refined" way.

It's not just about eating, it's more like... experiencing.

Halfway through the meal, Xia Li suddenly put down her chopsticks and looked at him.

"What's wrong?"

"I want to try again," Xia Li said earnestly.

"Try what?"

"Try...using my own body to feel what you just said." Xia Li's eyes were bright under the light. "'Shy,' 'embarrassed'...I want to know if I can feel clear boundaries with my own body."

"...How do I try?"

Xia Li did not answer immediately.

She stood up and walked to Song Che's side.

Song Che instinctively tried to lean back, but the chair was against the wall, leaving her nowhere to retreat. Did she realize that she was playing with fire and getting carried away, and that things might get out of hand?

Xia Li leaned down and brought her face close to his.

They were so close that Song Che could see her eyelashes, smell her fragrance, and feel her warm breath brushing against his cheek.

Song Che's body froze instantly.

My face flushed rapidly, and my heart pounded uncontrollably in my chest.

He tried to look away, but Xia Li's azure eyes were fixed on him, devoid of any mockery or teasing, only seriousness.

"Are you...?" Xia Li observed his expression and slowly began to speak, "Are you 'shy' right now?"

"You..." Song Che didn't know what to say, "Get up first."

"Your face is red." Xia Li pointed out the fact, reaching out a finger to gently touch his cheek. "It's hot."

His fingertips were slightly cool, but Song Che felt that his face was even hotter.

"Your heart is beating fast too," Xia Li continued, her gaze falling on his chest. "Your clothes are moving slightly."

"Xia Li!" Song Che grabbed her wrist, which was still trying to cause trouble. The force wasn't strong, but it was enough to stop her.

That's enough.

She had a firm grip on the family's status and always led Song Che astray.

Xia Li obediently stopped, but did not immediately back away.

She remained bent over, looking at Song Che's face, a look of realization flashing in her blue eyes.

"So, that's what 'shyness' is," she concluded.

She picked up her chopsticks and continued eating, as if the person who had just leaned in to observe her wasn't her at all.

"And what about you?" Song Che couldn't help but ask, his heart still pounding. "What did you feel with your own body?"

Xia Li slowed her chewing. She pondered for a moment, then shook her head: "It feels... a little different."

"Why is it different?"

"Not that... intense." Xia Li chose her words carefully. "I know we're close, and I know you're nervous, but my body... isn't reacting as strongly as yours. My heart is beating a little faster, but not much. My face... feels a little hot too."

She raised her hand to touch her cheek, confirming, "Yes, a little."

She looked at Song Che, her eyes filled with confusion: "Why? Is it because my body... isn't very 'shy'?"

Song Che looked into her eyes, which were filled with a thirst for knowledge.

He probably understood.

Xia Li wasn't oblivious; it's just that her body's physiological threshold for emotional responses might be higher, or subconsciously she might not yet be able to link these physical signals with specific emotional labels. Just as a person with a sensitive sense of taste can detect more layers of flavor, her "physical perception" of emotions is still in the calibration stage.

"Maybe... you're just not used to calling these physical changes 'shy' yet," Song Che explained, picking up his chopsticks to lighten the mood. "Take it slow, you'll get used to it as you experience it more."

Xia Li nodded, accepting this explanation.

She picked up a piece of carrot, but didn't eat it immediately. Looking at it, she suddenly said, "Next time you're 'shy,' can I observe you again?"

Song Che choked on his rice: "...There's no need to observe that specifically, is there?"

"Why?" Xia Li asked matter-of-factly.

"……Have a meal!"

Tao Xiang glanced at Song Che, then at Xia Li. Although she didn't understand, she sensed that the atmosphere was a bit strange. She wisely decided to bury herself in her food and not get involved in the complicated adult world.

Bruce yawned, jumped off the table, and went back to his bed to sleep. To him, the intricacies of human relationships were far less appealing than a warm bed and plenty of food.

After the meal, Song Che washed the dishes, while Xia Li wiped the table and swept the floor.

With clear division of labor and excellent teamwork.

After tidying up, it wasn't too late.

Song Che opened his books to review for the exam. Xia Li, carrying her math workbook and magic potion draft paper, sat down opposite him.

A halo of light enveloped a small section of the tabletop, enveloping the two in a warm and bright environment, separating them from the dimness of the rest of the living room.

After finishing a set of English reading exercises, Song Che looked up and stretched his neck, only to find Xia Li looking at him.

"What's wrong?"

"Song Che," Xia Li spoke, her voice exceptionally clear in the quiet night, "Is this... considered a typical day for a 'couple'?"

Song Che was taken aback, not expecting her to ask this suddenly. "I guess so."

He thought for a moment, "Eating together, doing housework together, studying together... that's probably how ordinary couples are."

"Oh." Xia Li lowered her head, looking at the densely packed equations in her workbook, her fingers unconsciously tracing numbers. "So, 'teasing'... is that a common occurrence for couples?"

Song Che was stumped; the question was too tricky.

"Uh...some couples joke around, and sometimes...there's physical contact," he explained as objectively as possible, "but only if both parties are willing and happy. If one party isn't willing, then it's not a joke."

Xia Li raised her head, her blue eyes looking at him: "So before... when you wanted to touch my hair and pinch my cheek, were you happy?"

Song Che felt his face getting hot again.

He coughed and said, "...I am quite happy."

But more than anything, I found her cute and wanted to tease her.

He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Oh." Xia Li lowered her head again, this time remaining silent for an even longer time. "So today... when I used your body to touch my own face, were you... unhappy?"

Song Che: "..."

How was he supposed to answer that?

Xia Li's logic has always been sound; he was the one who was touched!

"It's not that I'm unhappy..." he finally mumbled, "It's just that it was too sudden, I wasn't prepared. And, after all, it's my body, it feels a little... strange."

Xia Li seemed to understand. She nodded, "Then next time, I'll ask you first."

"There's going to be a next time?!" Song Che's voice rose a little. "And you're asking me first?"

It's like someone telling you before they kill you, "I'm going to kill you, don't fight back," you idiot!

"If there's also the possibility of body swapping," Xia Li added.

"There won't be any more!" Song Che said firmly. "That gold coin can only be used once!"

"Oh," Xia Li responded, sounding somewhat... disappointed.

Song Che decided not to continue this dangerous topic.

He refocused his attention on the book, but his thoughts drifted a little. He secretly glanced at Xia Li across from him. She was frowning as she worked on a quadratic equation, a strand of hair falling down and being tucked behind her ear.

It was very quiet and beautiful.

Is it troublesome? A little.

But it's also very interesting, uniquely interesting.

The clock on the wall points to eleven o'clock.

Song Che closed the book: "That's about it. I have an exam tomorrow, so I should go to bed early."

"Hmm." Xia Li put down her pen and began to tidy up.

The two washed up and said goodnight to each other. Before returning to their respective rooms, Xia Li stood at the door of her bedroom and suddenly turned around.

"Song Che".

"Um?"

"Goodnight," she said, and then, under Song Che's somewhat surprised gaze, she tiptoed slightly and touched his cheek with her lips.

Instantly separate.

Just as Song Che realized what was happening and wanted to kiss her back,

Xia Li had already stepped back, her blue eyes looking at him, clearly reflecting his stunned expression. "You're not allowed to kiss me."

"This is also... part of a couple's daily routine," she explained. "It's what the book says, a goodnight kiss."

After saying that, she quickly turned around, pushed open the door, and slipped inside.

Song Che stood there, touching his cheek.

After a long pause, he chuckled softly and shook his head.

Well, it seems that when it comes to "learning about love," this witch's actions sometimes exceed his expectations.

It doesn't seem so bad.

He turned off the living room lights and went into his bedroom.

Outside the window, the city lights flickered on and off in the winter night.