Тhе rоom was so quiеt... Хin Mei fеlt she cоuld hеаr thе sоund оf her own blоod rushing madly to her heаd.
Sо this is what it fеels likе tо bе tоo аshаmеd tо fаcе anyonе, huh? Shе cоvered her fаce with hеr hands, fumbled hеr wау intо а squаt, аnd tried to lift thе bеd boаrds tо сrawl undеrneаth.
Suddеnly, foоtstеps sоunded from behind hеr. The little hеаrt in Хin Mеi's chest startеd роunding wildly аgаin—shоuld shе орen hеr еyеs and lоok? Or nоt? It was а dilеmmа.
Thе drаwings sсаttered all оver the floor werе picked uр one bу onе, gаtherеd together, and smoothed out.
After a long hesitation, she finally spread her fingers and peeked through the gaps. She saw Lu Qianqiao silently gathering the papers and books from the floor. He placed them on the table as if nothing had happened, his voice perfectly calm when he spoke. "...It is late. I'm leaving."
...How could he be so calm and composed?! It made her attempt to crawl under the bed seem utterly foolish!
Xin Mei scrambled up from the floor, pretending she had just been picking up the drawings from under the bed. She sidled over, trying to hide them, and cleared her throat. "W-well then, take care. I won't see you out..."
He did indeed turn to leave, but his steps were somehow flustered. He walked headfirst into the door. The wooden door, usually quite sturdy, crashed to the floor with a "bang," its echo reverberating wave after wave through the Sinister Clan in the dead of night.
In the courtyard behind, her senior brothers, repeatedly woken by the noise, could finally take the abuse no longer. They yelled at the top of their lungs, "It's almost the third watch! Can you two stop messing around?! Can't you just be good and enjoy a sweet reunion in bed?!"
Lu Qianqiao didn't look back. He instantly yanked the door panel back up, then froze, not knowing what to do with it.
Xin Mei's eyes were sharp. She clearly saw the tips of his ears turn red, bit by bit, and his shoulders seemed to be trembling slightly.
Poor thing... Could he be so embarrassed that he was crying?
Ugh, if he were calm and composed, she would be the one mortified. But since he was embarrassed, she, in turn, calmed down.
What an inhumane and nasty habit...
Xin Mei cleared her throat. "Just put it to the side. Don't worry about it."
He tremblingly set the door panel aside. From the back, he looked like he was about to cover his face and flee. She quickly spoke up, "Um... Lu Qianqiao, actually... it's nothing, really. It's normal... No need to be nervous."
He remained frozen in place, unwilling to turn around.
She thought for a moment. "How about you come back in and sit for a bit? We can discuss our marriage and plans for having children..."
He let out a long, helpless sigh, slowly turned around, and stared at her with an expression she couldn't comprehend.
"Xin Mei," he managed to say, "You... We can't... right now... In short..."
Ugh, even his neck was red... Was it because he knocked over the door, or because he'd seen the Collection of Orchid Musk and Delicate Stamens? Speaking of which, he had repeatedly put off consummating their marriage, even resorting to using the Demon Binding Rope on her. Could it be because... because—he didn't understand any of this and was too embarrassed to say so?!
Realization dawned on Xin Mei. Her gaze instantly softened with pity.
This poor child. Although he had a mother, it was as good as not having one. No one must have ever taught him about these things. No wonder, no wonder...
She picked up the Collection of Orchid Musk and Delicate Stamens, walked over gently, placed it just as gently into his stiff palm, and continued in a gentle voice, "Lu Qianqiao, you don't have to be afraid. This... take it and look at it slowly when you're alone. You'll understand soon enough. Remember, you must look at it when you're alone."
...What the hell.
Lu Qianqiao fought back the urge to throw the picture book down and tear it to shreds, stiffly tossing it back to her. "I don't want it."
"You do." She gently pushed it back. "You... uh, you need to study a bit..."
The fingers forced to hold the book instantly tightened. The poor Collection of Orchid Musk and Delicate Stamens let out a pained groan as the hardcover paper cracked into pieces.
Lu Qianqiao stared at her, his voice low and hoarse. "Study what? Say that again."
Xin Mei gave him a kind smile. "Don't you know how? You can look at this picture book to learn the ways of a husband and wife."
The Collection of Orchid Musk and Delicate Stamens was instantly thrown to the floor. He stared at her for a long moment, then suddenly gave a strange smile. It seemed to be filled with killing intent, and also... also something else she couldn't quite name, but it felt a little dangerous. She subconsciously took a step back.
"That's right, I don't know how," he murmured. "Will you teach me?"
What, what? Teach him?!
Xin Mei waved her hands frantically. "I-I don't either..."
"Come here."
A hand grabbed her and pulled her over.
This time, he didn't lift or carry her, but genuinely and firmly held her... or rather, "clamped" would be more accurate. He used his strength without restraint. Xin Mei felt like her ribs were about to shatter and cried out in pain. The next moment, her lips were covered by a pair of warm, dry ones.
The bright light of the full moon seemed to fall entirely before her eyes in brilliant white flashes. However, Xin Mei suspected it was a symptom of suffocation from being held too tightly. She let out a pained whimper, pushing against his chest with both hands.
If he didn't let her go... if he didn't let go soon, she was going to suffocate and foam at the mouth!
Just in time, his lips moved away. She gasped for air, complaining in ragged breaths, "I... almost suffocated..."
He lifted her up by the waist. Xin Mei hastily wrapped her arms around his neck, and her still-damp lips were sealed once more. This time, his lips were no longer dry but searingly hot and wet, tangling and rubbing against hers in meticulous detail.
That brilliant white light appeared before her eyes again. She subconsciously held her breath, wanting to dodge but reluctant to do so, unable to tell if it was pleasure or pain.
Their entangled lips parted slightly. His voice, laced with panting, rasped, "Don't you know how to breathe through your nose?"
So... so you could breathe through your nose!
Unwilling to be outdone, Xin Mei lowered her head and kissed him again—she knew how now! Who was afraid of whom?
As the kiss deepened and intensified, their breathing lost its calm rhythm and grew ragged. Their lips were moist, but their breaths were as hot and dry as a desert wind. Not content to just rub their lips together, he parted his lips and teeth, tentatively taking her soft upper lip between them, licking and sucking.
That strange, elusive feeling coiled around her like a rope, winding her tighter and tighter. Xin Mei couldn't help but bite back, nipping him lightly on the nose.
The next moment, he bit her lip, a hint of punishment in the action.
"...Open your mouth. No biting."
"You bit me too...!"
Her weak protest was swallowed as a fiercer kiss descended, and with it, his tongue.
She could no longer think about things like biting. Her entire being felt like a piece of candy dissolving in warm water, about to melt away completely.
So, this was what a real kiss was. Besides eating and talking, lips could also be used to gently caress the one you love.
Xin Mei was a fast learner, and she had never been one to remain passive. She quickly followed his lead, her tongue dancing with his, inextricably tangled.
She felt it wasn't enough, that she wanted something more. She instinctively hugged his head tighter, kissing him deeper and deeper.
A low groan rumbled in Lu Qianqiao's throat. His moist lips suddenly left hers, only to press down again, landing on her delicate ear. He kissed his way down its exquisite shape, finally landing heavily on the small hollow of her collarbone, his tongue darting out to lick it intently.
It tickled! But not in a truly ticklish way.
Xin Mei went limp, her strength gone. Dazed and lost in desire, she asked him, "...Aren't we getting into bed?"
The passion filling his chest was doused with ice-cold water by her words...
What was he doing? It wasn't time! He couldn't!
He buried his head in her chest, panting, unable to speak. He just shook his head.
"Then... then we can get that picture book, and we can learn as we go... Right, that Guanyin Sitting on a Lotus looked pretty good..."
He gave a bitter smile. "You're teaching me again?"
Her chin rested on his forehead as she struggled to reach out and fumble with the front of his robes. "Then let's take it one step at a time... First... first let me take off your outer robe..."
Her fingers were as nimble as a snake, slipping through the opening of his robes to touch the bare skin of his chest.
The man in her arms shuddered as if pricked by thorns. He raised a hand and pushed her away forcefully. Xin Mei saw a flash of golden light—all right, Demon Binding Rope, my old friend, we meet again.
This time, he bound her especially tight, pinning her arms inside as well. Then he lifted her up, tossed her onto the bed, and threw the quilt over her head.
"Lu Qianqiao!" Xin Mei's muffled shout came from under the quilt. "You-you actually have the nerve to tie me up twice in one night!"
He let out a long breath, feeling the desire overflowing in his chest, his heart pounding as if it would leap out.
With a bitter smile, he reached out, wanting to pat the quilt-wrapped, worm-like Xin Mei reassuringly, but he felt a little timid. After a long hesitation, he could only say in a low voice, "Xin Mei, I'm the one who couldn't hold back... I'm sorry. Just wait a little longer..."
What on earth was he so conflicted about? She didn't understand at all!
Lu Qianqiao walked to the door, picked up the Collection of Orchid Musk and Delicate Stamens, and after a moment's thought, tucked it inside his robes.
"...I'm taking the picture book. We'll save the rest for next time."
He propped the fallen door panel against the empty doorway, then beckoned with his hand. The Demon Binding Rope flew back to him in the blink of an eye.
Xin Mei tumbled and crawled off the bed, chasing him to the door, but his figure was already gone.
A mixture of anger and lust flared up from the bottom of her heart. She smashed the pitiful door panel to smithereens with one punch.
"Lu Qianqiao! You coward!"
A man who starts a fire and doesn't put it out is the most hateful person in the world
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