My wife is a witch princess

Chapter 88 If you touch me again, I'll call for help.

After the Laba Festival, the festive atmosphere of the New Year quietly creeps onto the windowsills, becoming more tangible day by day. Small shops along the street are gradually hanging up bright red lanterns and gift boxes. Counting the days, there is still a week left before the holiday, and only about four weeks until the New Year.

Xia Li has an excellent memory for time.

Previously, Song Che had asked her to choose a birthday for herself, and after thinking about it, she said she would choose the same day as the Lunar New Year. Since then, it seems like a little calendar has been quietly hanging in her heart, and she has to calculate it from time to time.

"Song Che..." she asked as she untied her scarf after returning home, "When is Chinese New Year next year?"

After taking off her scarf, she casually retied the princess-style updo she had worn during the performance. She usually wore her hair down or in a high ponytail; this gentle updo was a first for her.

"Next year's Lunar New Year..." Song Che was packing his schoolbag when he heard this. He thought for a moment, "Probably around this time, maybe a few days before or after."

"Is it February 17th?" Xia Li pressed.

"It wasn't that date... I didn't check the calendar, but it was roughly the same." Song Che was a little vague when she asked him.

"Will it snow during the Lunar New Year?"

"It will rain." Song Che nodded firmly. "It rains every year during the Lunar New Year."

"Then let's build a snowman together when it snows." Xia Li seemed to be in a good mood today, talking more than usual. "The book says we can also have snowball fights, go ice skating, race dragon boats, and eat zongzi (sticky rice dumplings)."

Song Che was about to praise her for reading carefully, but he quickly stopped himself: "Your Highness, dragon boat racing and eating zongzi are things for the Dragon Boat Festival."

"...Oh." Xia Li blinked, her expression unchanged. "Anyway, let's build a snowman together. I read in a book that couples always do this."

"Yeah," Song Che smiled, "Let's pile them up together."

Xia Li placed the trophy she won in the play neatly on the table. The trophy was exquisitely crafted, but it wasn't made of real gold or silver. What Song Che cared about more was actually the special medal that was the prize, made of two gold coins pressed together.

He took it out and examined it carefully.

The gold coins fit together very tightly, almost as if they were one piece. The patterns on the front and back were exactly the same. The only difference was that there was a clear number "1" on the front, while the area on the back where there should have been a number was worn smooth, leaving only a blurry mark. Judging from the area, it looked like a three-digit or four-digit number.

Why grind it off?

It's unlikely he'd be after that little bit of gold dust; he probably just felt that having a "1" on the championship medal was enough. Song Che didn't dwell on it too much; the fact that the medal was made of real gold showed great sincerity.

He recalled the "consecration" incident. These two gold coins looked almost identical to the first one, but the first one had no number. What was the connection between them... Song Che couldn't figure it out.

He got up to look for Tao Xiang, but couldn't find the little guy anywhere. Turning around, he caught a glimpse of a fluffy black thing stuck in the gap between the sofa and the wall.

"What are you looking at!" the black mass said preemptively, its voice muffled. "This great king's leg isn't stuck, and you don't need to lift the sofa away right now. When you sat on it just now, I didn't feel a thing—it didn't hurt!"

Song Che paused for a moment: "It must have hurt terribly, right?"

"You're talking nonsense! It doesn't hurt at all!" Tao Yao's voice suddenly rose, laced with bluff. "This great king doesn't need your help!"

"Really?" Song Che pretended to withdraw his hand.

"...However," Tao Yao's tone softened instantly, tinged with a hint of awkwardness, "considering you'll definitely ask me to bless the gold coins...if you beg me, I'll reluctantly let you do me a favor."

Song Che didn't reply, but looked at her with a leisurely air.

After a few seconds of silence, Tao Xiang's soft, tearful voice came from the crack:

"Brother Song Che... I beg you, please move the sofa away... If you keep pressing down on my leg, I'm really going to break it..."

Tao Yao's stubbornness is truly incurable.

Song Che shook his head and moved the sofa away.

Tao Yao darted out with a "whoosh," shook her fur, and puffed out her chest, as if the embarrassment from before had never happened. Song Che, however, spotted a shriveled, cold steamed bun hidden under the sofa.

Before he could even speak, Tao Yao immediately retorted, "It was all hidden by Tao Xiang, that glutton!"

"Sister, you were the one who told me to steal it..." Momoka said, looking aggrieved.

"That's because you lack your own opinion!"

"My sister is bullying an honest person..."

"Alright, stop arguing." Song Che picked up the dusty steamed bun and threw it into the trash can, then turned and went into the kitchen to wash rice and cook porridge.

The porridge was simmering in the pot, and the aroma of rice slowly wafted out.

Song Che wiped his hands and came out, only to see Tao Yao still squatting to one side with her neck stiff. Even though her stomach was growling with hunger, she insisted on putting on an act of "I won't eat unless you beg me".

"The porridge will have to wait a while," Song Che said. "You can have cat food if you want."

Tao Yao turned her face away and remained silent.

Song Che looked at her "starving to death is a small matter, saving face is a big deal" expression, finding it both amusing and helpless. "I'm begging you, please eat something, okay?"

Tao Yao's ears twitched, and she immediately turned her head, raising her chin even higher: "You said it!"

"Yes, I said so."

"Alright, bring me the gold coins, and I, the Great King, will consecrate them for you."

Song Che handed over two gold coins.

Tao Yao took them and, just like last time, took a bite out of each one. But this time, the gold coins only left shallow teeth marks and didn't crack.

"Is that all?" Song Che asked, puzzled. "Last time I had to bite it in half?"

"That's...that's what Momoka accidentally broke in half!" Momoka's silly voice immediately chimed in.

Song Che looked at the cat paw prints that had somehow gotten on her face, and his helplessness instantly turned into amusement.

"Did you steal cat food again and get caught by Bruce?"

"Ah, no!" Tao Xiang hurriedly wiped her face with her little hands, but the more she wiped, the more smudged her face became.

This little one is either being bullied or on her way to be bullied. It's quite an achievement that she can still provoke someone as good-natured as Bruce.

The so-called "consecration ceremony" seems to be that simple.

The gold coin returned to Song Che's hand. He looked at the faint teeth marks, still unable to discern anything. Theoretically, if one gold coin could grant a special ability like "mind reading," then two gold coins should have two abilities. He looked up at Xia Li, then at Bruce and Tao Xiang.

One more small label did appear beside Xia Li, but only one more. Where did the other ability go? It couldn't have randomly landed on some life form, could it?

What if it fell on a cockroach...

Song Che quickly stopped this terrible thought and focused on what the new label on Xia Li's body was.

After seeing it clearly, he first breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt a wave of helplessness washed over him.

Fortunately, the second gold coin didn't grant any new abilities. It seems that future gold coins can no longer be "blessed".

Why is it that Xia Li always "wins" the lottery, while he's always the one who gets "taken advantage of"?

……

Xia Li was quite interested in the gold coins.

Since this gold coin is a magical item, perhaps we can glean something from it. The abilities it grants always seem to coincidentally align with her thoughts at certain stages of her life.

Last time, she only vaguely thought, "If only I could know what Song Che is thinking," and as a result, she gained the ability to read minds.

This time, she remembered Song Che saying that to truly understand each other, simply putting yourself in someone else's shoes might not be enough, unless you could "swap bodies" and experience it firsthand. So, subconsciously, she had the thought, "If only I could swap bodies and experience it myself."

After the strange gold coin was "blessed," the thought actually coalesced into a clear magic in her heart.

However, it seems it can only be used once.

She put down the pen and paper she was using to sketch out the potion recipe and moved closer to Song Che.

"Xia Li, listen to me first!" Song Che glanced at the words on the label, and alarm bells went off in his mind. "The magic given by these gold coins might have some strange side effects..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xia Li had already reached out and grabbed his arm.

It's like a dizzying sensation, as if your soul has been gently pulled out and stuffed into another container.

As his vision blurred and overlapped, when it became clear again, the first thing Song Che saw was "his own" face, so close to his own, filled with pure curiosity.

Xia Li leaned closer and patted him.

He subconsciously looked down and saw a pair of fair and slender hands that belonged to Xia Li.

Damn it, it's switched over already, and I'm not even ready yet!

Using Xia Li's body, he could feel a strange lightness, his gaze lowered, and his breathing naturally became shallower. He tried moving his fingers; the touch was delicate, but the strength seemed to have diminished considerably.

On the other side, Xia Li was using his body to move her hands and feet with novelty, looking down at him, and then looking up at him—or rather, at her own body.

"Xia Li..." Song Che began, hearing Xia Li's cool voice, which made him very uncomfortable. "How...are you feeling?"

"It's a bit heavy," Xia Li replied honestly, even stamping his foot. "It feels different when walking on it."

As she spoke, she actually took two steps, her steps initially hesitant but quickly becoming steady. Then she walked back, stopped in front of Song Che, and leaned close to examine him closely.

Song Che could clearly see the focused expression on "his" face, as if he were studying something. Being stared at like that felt extremely strange.

He shrank back, using Xia Li's hand to brace against "his" shoulder. "Calm down, this is your own body. Why are you so close?"

"See? Because of this body change, strange feelings always arise in my mind." Xia Li answered matter-of-factly, not only not backing away, but leaning forward even more, their noses almost touching. "From the outside, this is how I look at myself... Why does my body blush?"

Song Che felt his cheeks—now Xia Li's cheeks—becoming a little hot.

He tried to push "himself" away, but Xia Li was clearly stronger and he didn't budge.

"I have a... strange feeling." Xia Li stated in a puzzled tone, his gaze fixed on "Xia Li's" lips. "Could you come closer and take a better look?"

"Wait a minute!" Song Che quickly called out, his ears burning. He realized that talking to Xia Li about "social distancing" and "awkwardness" was completely pointless; all she could think about was "curiosity" and "exploration."

Fortunately, the label said that the magic only lasted for twenty minutes.

If it had been any longer, who knows what this inquisitive prince would have done to her with his body.

Xia Li, why are you doing strange things with this tonic?

"Your Highness, you...you need to calm down." Song Che took half a step back, his back against the wall.

"I'm very calm." Xia Li—using his body but his own voice—answered quite frankly.

She reached out and touched "Xia Li's" cheek with her fingertips. "It feels... different from when I touch it myself."

"Don't, don't touch me..." Song Che felt an itch where she touched him. To make matters worse, Xia Li's body seemed to have some kind of stress response to this unfamiliar "self-touching," her skin tightened slightly and turned pink.

"This is my own body," Xia Li said matter-of-factly, her fingers still on her cheek, even curiously pressing the soft flesh. "You can touch yourself too."

She was referring to Song Che himself.

"That would mean we'd be touching each other indiscriminately!" Song Che felt a chill run down his spine.

"Hmm." Xia Li nodded, indicating her agreement, but her hands didn't stop moving.

What are you talking about?!

Song Che inwardly groaned.

He suddenly stood up, wanting to escape this bizarre situation—he needed at least a few minutes to process this sudden sense of disorientation; being touched by "himself" right away had his mind about to explode.

However, he forgot that Xia Li's center of gravity and stride were completely different from his own. He lifted his foot with the force he was used to, but due to misjudging the height, his toes unexpectedly tripped on the coffee table leg.

"what!"

A short, startled cry—it was Xia Li's voice. He lost his balance and fell straight forward, landing squarely in the arms of "Song Che" opposite him.

Xia Li instinctively reached out and caught him.

The two bumped into each other, burying their faces in Xia Li's chest, the faint scent of his usual shower gel lingering around their noses.

The position was too awkward. Song Che scrambled to his feet and rushed to the other side of the table as if he were fleeing. He created what he thought was a safe distance and sat down with a thud, his heart pounding in his chest.

I feel so insecure.

Being a girl makes me feel so insecure.

He wanted to cry but had no tears.

Xia Li's interest was clearly piqued.

I don't know if it was because she felt novel using his body, or if she just had this... rogue potential hidden in her nature? She's definitely a rogue.

She leaned closer again, her face bearing an expression that Song Che would never show.

If he had dared to get this close to Xia Li normally, and even touched her with such ill intent, he would have given her a flick on the head long ago.

But now, he could only protest in Xia Liqing's clear, sharp voice, with a hint of grievance: "Don't come any closer... If you keep doing this, I'll... I'll call for help."

"Who are you calling?" Xia Li didn't stop, but instead moved even closer, their knees almost touching.

She used Song Che's eyes to observe with great interest the embarrassed expression on "Xia Li's" face.

"My name is..." Song Che was speechless.

Call them Bruce, call them Peach Blossom? They'd never understand a word they'd say!

I'm going to call the police right now, damn it!

Before he could come up with a threat, Xia Li was already so close that he could hear her breathing.

Like a kitten that has discovered a new toy, her eyes sparkled: "Why is it that when I'm so close to you using your body, I don't feel stiff or nervous... I'm actually a little happy?"

She paused, as if suddenly realizing something, and said in Song Che's voice what made Song Che wish he could disappear on the spot, "So this is what it feels like when you always want to touch me... It is indeed a rather improper thought."

Song Che was not only stiff and flustered, but he also felt his body burning from the tips of his ears to the base of his neck. He felt as if an electric current was running through the places where her gaze swept over him, causing waves of unfamiliar itching and tension.

If he could, he really wanted to give the "self" in front of him a good whack on the head right now!

Using your body to hit my own head, that makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

He thought viciously.

"You're not allowed to hit me!" Xia Li suddenly warned, covering her forehead.

"Huh?" Song Che was taken aback, then realized what he meant and said indignantly, "So you can still hear what I'm thinking even today."

He calculated the days; his mind-reading ability had been active for exactly one month and would only expire tomorrow.

endure.

He told himself.

I have to endure today, endure these twenty minutes... no, it's been quite a while already, just hang in there a little longer, and I'll be able to switch back!

However, Xia Li's "exploration" did not stop.

Her fingers reached out again, this time gently pinching Xia Li's earlobe. The cool fingertips touched her skin, making Song Che shudder.

"These are my ears too," she explained, her tone still matter-of-fact. "I can touch them myself, and you can't stop me."

Song Che strongly suspected that Xia Li was just using this as an excuse to flirt with him!

He gritted his teeth, deciding he couldn't just sit and wait to die: "You touched me... then I'll touch you too!"

As he spoke, he reached out and touched his own chest—his motive was half revenge and half curiosity to get back at the other.

However, his hand was firmly intercepted mid-air. Xia Li's hand was now much stronger than his, easily restraining his movements.

"Don't touch there." Xia Li looked at him, putting on a serious expression with his face, but her eyes were uneasy. "At most... I can let you touch my hand, or my calf."

"Then stop!" Song Che didn't really want to touch there; he just wanted Xia Li to stop this one-sided "harassment."

Xia Li's bodily senses were too strange. He could feel various subtle reactions from touch—itching, numbness, slight trembling—but these reactions didn't seem to correspond accurately to specific emotions like "shyness" or "anger." Ultimately, they were all vaguely categorized as a "strange feeling" that Xia Li often talked about. He even vaguely felt that deep within this body, there seemed to be a core of emotion missing, an emptiness, like... no real heart beating with emotion.

On the contrary, Xia Li was clearly sensing everything through his body at this moment.

Happiness is distinct happiness, curiosity is pure curiosity, and desire is straightforward desire—his body is honest and "noisy," and each sensation is clearly defined.

Moreover, this body seems to have a certain "improper" tendency, always restless and eager to get closer, touch, and devour the lovely person opposite.

Xia Li felt that she understood Song Che's little actions a bit better now, but she also found it novel and a little hard to control.

This has made things difficult for Song Che now.

This was his first time experiencing Xia Li's body, and he was constantly being teased by her... If this continued, he might really have to scream something without thinking.

There are thugs! Help!

Before Song Che could speak, his lips were pinched.