Xianglan froze for a moment, then suddenly understood. Her face instantly flushed crimson, as if about to bleed. She lifted her head in disbelief, glaring at Lin Jinlou.
Lin Jinlou acted as if nothing had happened, saying, "Eat quickly." He picked up a morsel of food with his chopsticks, then looked up at Xianglan's stunned expression and chuckled softly. Effortlessly, he pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her, and brought his sunflower-patterned wine cup to her lips. Xianglan turned her head away in disgust.
Lin Jinlou raised an eyebrow, pinched her chin, and applied pressure. Xianglan winced in pain and involuntarily opened her mouth. Lin Jinlou poured the entire cup of wine down her throat. The pungent liquor rushed up, choking her until she collapsed against a cushion, coughing uncontrollably.
Lin Jinlou watched coldly as she coughed violently, then said indifferently, "Don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. Little Xianglan, whatever I say, you must obediently comply. Today, you’ve already provoked me twice. If you do it again, things won’t be so comfortable for you. Understood?"
Xianglan turned her head and saw the cold glint in Lin Jinlou’s eyes. She thought to herself, Yes, right now my entire being is in his hands. Why be so stubborn? If I force a smile to please him, wouldn’t I be more at ease? Just treat it as acting—truth and illusion, isn’t life just like that?
She kept comforting herself, but tears inexplicably welled up, rolling down her jade-white face like melon seeds, unstoppable.
Lin Jinlou pulled her up again, stroking her hair and back as if soothing a kitten, saying, "Alright, alright, stop crying. You’re always acting like a pitiful little thing. If you just behave, everything will be fine."
Xianglan opened her tear-filled eyes wide. Lin Jinlou’s face had resumed its careless smile as he picked up a bamboo-green handkerchief to wipe her tears. Xianglan whispered, "I’ll wipe them myself," and pulled out her own handkerchief from her waist to dry her eyes.
Lin Jinlou then picked up a piece of chicken breast and brought it to Xianglan’s lips. She stared at the greasy meat, unwilling to take a bite, but dared not defy him. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Lin Jinlou set the chicken breast down, picked up a piece of shad fish, dipped it in seasoning, placed it on a plate, and pushed it toward her, saying, "Eat this instead. It’s light and fragrant, and the belly meat has no bones." He then stuffed the chicken breast into his own mouth.
Xianglan slowly picked up her chopsticks, took a small piece of the fish. The shad was tender, melting in her mouth—a rare delicacy.
Lin Jinlou added a few more dishes to her plate, saying, "Eat it all. I see you’re quite thin—you need to nourish yourself properly. Chunling said you only had one pancake and a bowl of soup for lunch today. Such meager portions aren’t even enough to fill the gaps between your teeth. If you eat so little, you’ll fall ill soon." He glanced at her clothes—a light yellow silk-padded jacket over a rose-purple skirt, which accentuated her slender waist—and smiled, "These clothes were made for you on my orders, right? I knew your waist is slim; this looks good on you."This dress was from the two chests of seasonal clothing Lin Jinlou had prepared for her. Chunling took it out for her to wear, and seeing it was modest and proper, she changed into it. Little did she know Lin Jinlou had this dress made specifically to admire her waist. Xianglan cursed inwardly: "Shameless, shameless, shameless." She kept her head down and slowly ate her meal.
Lin Jinlou poured his own wine and drank leisurely. They ate for a while until Xianglan finished her porridge, then he ordered the remnants of the meal cleared away. After rinsing their mouths and wiping their hands, the maids served delicate tea and pastries, bringing two steaming cups of tea.
Lin Jinlou took a sip of tea and tossed a key from his waist into Xianglan’s lap. Leaning against the headrests, he said, "This is the key to the innermost drawer by the headboard in the bedroom. Inside, there’s a pouch with three hundred taels of loose silver and several dozen strings of coins. Take from it if you need money. If the silver runs out, I’ll replenish it."
Xianglan kept her head lowered and said nothing. Lin Jinlou didn’t seem to mind.
Soon, Jixiang came in with a letter to report some matter. Lin Jinlou went to the main hall to attend to official business. Xianglan let out a long sigh and gulped down a large mouthful of tea. Lin Jinlou was unpredictable in mood and tyrannical by nature. Being with him kept her on edge. She pondered privately that when she had the chance, she should seek advice from Shu Ran and ask how she managed to coexist peacefully with this Living Yama.
She didn’t know how much time had passed. As she leaned against the headrests, drowsy and nearly asleep, Lin Jinlou returned. He called loudly to the maids outside, "Chunling, pack your mistress’s things. Starting tonight, she’ll sleep in the inner bedroom."
Xianglan was startled and immediately sat up, her face pale and her palms cold.
Lin Jinlou walked up to her, bent down, and pinched her cheek. "I moved to the study because of that woman Zhao Yuechan. Now that she’s gone, it’s high time I returned to my room. Starting today, you’ll serve me closely and sleep in the same bed with me. Aren’t you happy? Earlier, I let you choose new curtains and bedding for the room. I just went to take a look—they’re simple and elegant." He straightened up and walked out, turning his head to add, "Come to the room once you’ve packed up," before leaving.
Xianglan didn’t know how she managed to wash up and enter the main bedroom. The room was enormous, and despite being filled with precious curios and luxurious furniture, it still felt spacious. Lin Jinlou was half-lying on the bed, propped up by several pillows. He was bare-chested, covered only by a thin quilt below, likely completely naked underneath.
Xianglan’s breathing suddenly quickened. Her legs felt as if filled with lead, unable to move.
Seeing Xianglan enter with her hair cascading loosely and wearing a white inner garment, which accentuated her peach-blossom complexion and snow-white skin, Lin Jinlou couldn’t help but swallow hard. He beckoned and said, "Come here."
This was a case of "escaping the first of the month but not the fifteenth." Xianglan closed her eyes, resigned to her fate, and walked over. Lin Jinlou patted the empty space beside him. Xianglan sat down, trembling as she removed her shoes and climbed onto the bed.
As soon as the bed curtains were drawn, Lin Jinlou pulled her into his embrace. Xianglan caught a whiff of alcohol and a strong masculine scent, and memories of that night flooded back like a tidal wave. Her body stiffened, lying rigidly on the bed.Lin Jinlou held the warm, fragrant, and soft jade-like figure in his embrace. His skin was scorching hot as he used one hand to undo Xianglan's clothes, his lips pressing against hers, sucking and nibbling, his breath fanning across her face, his panting growing heavier. He peeled open Xianglan's undergarment, revealing a vast expanse of skin as smooth and fair as congealed lard, resembling the finest silk. Unable to resist, he kissed it, beginning to bite gently, capturing the trembling peaks, and grasping the round softness that dazzled his eyes.
Xianglan's eyes widened, feeling a fiery hardness pressing against her lower body. Trembling with fear, she pleaded, "No, don't..."
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