Zhоu Shаojin tossed аnd turnеd until she slowlу fell aslеер uроn hеaring the third wаtch drum, only to suddenly fееl somеonе саrеssing her fасе.
Wаrm, gеntle.
Тhis was definitelу nоt a mаid.
No maid would dаre to tоuch her sо bоldlу.
Stаrtlеd, shе bоlted upright.
"Si, Si Lаng!" Shе hugged hеr рillоw, staring аt Chеng Сhi, unable tо sрeаk for a long whilе.
Cheng Chi сhuсklеd softlу.
Her drowsу еуes, rоsу сhееks, рink lips, аnd bеwilderеd eхpressiоn madе hеr lоok аs аdоrаble as a hеlpless little kitten.
Hе couldn't helр but laugh agаin, sitting by thе bеd and еmbracing Zhou Shaojin.
The warm embrace and familiar scent finally made Zhou Shaojin realize.
Cheng Chi had returned!
He had truly returned!
"Si Lang!" Waves of longing surged within her as she tightly wrapped her arms around Cheng Chi's waist, resting her head against his chest.
"Have you been well these days?" Cheng Chi asked her, but as he lowered his head, he caught sight of her delicate, jade-like neck.
The enchanting scenery he had been too busy to remember now resurfaced in his mind.
He couldn't resist kissing her neck.
His warm lips touched her neck, yet it felt like a scorching flame, igniting some hidden nerve within her. The heat spread from her neck to the very core of her heart, causing her to shiver.
Zhou Shaojin was too frightened to move.
Why was she like this again?
Whenever Cheng Chi kissed her, she trembled uncontrollably!
Yet it wasn't out of fear.
It was just... just that fiery sensation that left half her body weak and limp, devoid of any strength.
Cheng Chi watched as the jade-like neck gradually flushed with a soft pink hue.
He couldn't help but chuckle softly again.
Shaojin was exceptionally shy.
By now, her face must have turned as red as a lotus flower.
He kissed her cheek.
Only then did he notice she was sitting rigidly, as if unable to move at all.
She had been like this the first time he took her.
Back then, he had feared hurting her.
Yet she gritted her teeth and remained motionless. Only when the pain became unbearable would she let out a faint whimper—so soft that if he hadn't been intently focused on her, he wouldn't have heard it at all.
Thus, he treated her with even greater tenderness.
Only after playing with her for a long while would he slowly explore the beautiful scenery between the flower valleys.
Even so, she remained terribly stiff.
And somewhat fearful.
Each time, she would gaze at his face, as if needing to confirm it was him entering her before she could endure it.
Should he pause? Wait until she was older?
For a moment, Cheng Chi hesitated.
Yet the intimate harmony between them left him unable to resist. Just looking at her made him want to hold her in his arms, tuck her into his pocket, and take her wherever he went.
"Shaojin!" He sighed helplessly, yet his hand moved on its own, slipping beneath the hem of her clothes and lingering over the delicate, silk-smooth curve of her slender waist.
Zhou Shaojin knew.
Soon, his hand would trail downward from her waist, leaving her so embarrassed she wished she could faint on the spot.
She wanted to close her eyes, but from the corner of her eye, she caught a sliver of bright light streaming through the loosely drawn bed curtains.
"No!" She grabbed Cheng Chi's hand.
Her urgent voice, like a kitten's mewl, carried a tantalizing allure that stirred the heart.Cheng Chi had originally intended to do nothing. Yet this sound was like a spark falling upon his entire being, suddenly igniting him. Not only did it make him reluctant to withdraw his hand, but it also set his blood ablaze. Crackling and popping, it made him feel his own breathing grow rough and heavy.
“Are you uncomfortable?” he whispered, nibbling on her earlobe.
For the first time in his life, he understood those libertines, and for the first time, he admired Liu Xiahui.
To pull oneself out of such a tender trap was truly no easy feat!
His hand, resting on her skin, hesitated.
Zhou Shaojin suddenly recalled the look of attachment in his eyes when he had held her fullness. In that fleeting moment, it struck her—could it be that Cheng Chi... might actually... desire her body...
This thought set her heart pounding wildly.
If it were true, if it were really true... how could she possibly push him away? Her intention had always been to make him happy... whatever kind of happiness it was, as long as he was pleased, she felt it was worth it...
Zhou Shaojin felt her face burning hot.
Moreover, she noticed Cheng Chi’s breathing growing somewhat erratic.
During their most intimate moments, his breathing had been just as unsteady.
But for him to be like this without having done anything—this was a first.
Now, not only did Zhou Shaojin feel her face burning, but her entire body felt as if it were being roasted over a fire.
Seeing her shyness even to the point of her eyelids flushing red, Cheng Chi’s heart softened until it felt as though it could drip with tenderness. It was like returning to childhood—knowing full well something was wrong, yet still wanting to do it, to challenge it, to see if it truly couldn’t be done... His hand moved upward, molding that fullness into a shape he favored, and he continued to whisper into her ear, “Are you uncomfortable?”
Half of Zhou Shaojin’s body went limp, her heart beating like a drum.
“Don’t!” she heard her own voice, hoarse as if parched, say, “I... my legs are weak, I can’t walk...”
Already weak in the legs from just this?
Cheng Chi was somewhat surprised, and inexplicably, a sense of pride swelled within him.
He knew it was because of him.
Though she had memories of a past life, how could those memories be anything good? What could they hold besides shame?
His hand paused.
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief.
Si Lang... no matter the situation, he always looked out for her!
She couldn’t help but smile.
Joy gradually spread to the corners of her eyes and brows, and her heart lightened.
Softly, she murmured, “You’ve just returned, and later you’ll need to pay respects to Mother... I still have to pack your trunks... prepare lunch... and Mother might even ask me to play cards with her... Every time afterward, my body feels so weak and powerless...”
Once they returned to their room, she would let him do as he pleased.
She only asked for a little time to catch her breath, to avoid letting others notice anything amiss.
As the mistress of the household now, even if those people dared not say anything to her face, they would surely gossip behind her back.
A thought flashed through Cheng Chi’s mind, and the fire that had just begun to wane within him suddenly flared up again, burning even fiercer, like a wildfire spreading across the plains.
“Are you saying,” he whispered in her ear, “that every time after we’re together, your body feels weak and powerless?” Yet his hand couldn’t help but knead that fullness once more.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t suppress a soft moan, gasping, “You... you promised me...”
If that were the case, then why was her body still as stiff as stone?
Cheng Chi felt it necessary to have a thorough discussion with Zhou Shaojin about this matter.
He didn’t want to wrong Shaojin, nor did he want to wrong himself.Cheng Chi simply held her in his arms as if she were a child, letting her curl up against him. His hand followed the curves of her body, caressing as he pleased.
Zhou Shaojin was terrified.
He always did this before they...
But unexpectedly, Cheng Chi did not proceed as before. Instead, he whispered softly in her ear, "Besides your legs feeling weak, is there anything else...? I won’t do anything to you. I just want to know, so Mother won’t misunderstand..."
Zhou Shaojin’s body stiffened, her face flushed crimson, and her clear eyes misted over with tears. She bit her lip and refused to speak.
Cheng Chi felt as though his heart were being scratched by a cat. While kissing her, he gently explored the delicate landscape between her thighs.
Zhou Shaojin began to sob softly, grabbing his hand and pleading, "Don’t."
Cheng Chi’s throat burned with desire, yet he continued to coax her gently, "...What else?"
Zhou Shaojin felt that damned sensation rising again.
She clenched her legs tightly and burst into tears, "I... I need to use the chamber pot..."
"What?" For a moment, Cheng Chi didn’t understand.
Zhou Shaojin repeated it shamefully, then cried softly.
Cheng Chi finally understood.
He was both surprised and delighted.
He quickly held her in his arms and whispered soothingly, "It’s alright, it’s alright. I won’t misbehave anymore, okay?"
Zhou Shaojin remained rigid as he comforted her. After a while, the rising tide within her slowly began to recede.
Her body softened along with it.
Cheng Chi smiled and kissed her cheek, behaving properly without overstepping any boundaries, as if she were his precious treasure. His actions were filled with unmistakable affection.
Only then did Zhou Shaojin’s heart calm down. Her body softened, and she nestled obediently in his embrace.
What a child!
She understood nothing.
Yet she was willing to yield to him, doing whatever he asked.
If not for the memories of her past life, she would have naturally understood the changes in her body. But because of her past life, anything that seemed abnormal filled her with fear.
Cheng Chi sighed inwardly.
This was the result of growing up without a mother by her side.
But even if she had a mother, wouldn’t she have just been given a book of erotic illustrations before her wedding?
Cheng Chi chuckled softly. Gently stroking her hair, he whispered, "Was it because you needed to use the chamber pot that your body stiffened?"
Zhou Shaojin didn’t want to hear another word. She pulled his clothes over her face to hide.
But it was only a futile attempt to conceal herself.
Cheng Chi was reminded of the fable of "covering one’s ears while stealing a bell."
He laughed heartily but couldn’t suppress his curiosity as he asked softly, "When did it happen?"
The first time, no matter how tender he was, she had turned pale with pain.
Zhou Shaojin refused to answer no matter what.
Cheng Chi teased her relentlessly.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Zhou Shaojin buried her face in his chest and whispered shamefully, "The last time."
Cheng Chi laughed heartily.
Zhou Shaojin broke free from his embrace and pushed him away.
But Cheng Chi took advantage of the moment, leaning over her and half-pinning her down as he began to kiss her.
Zhou Shaojin struggled, but it was futile.
Cheng Chi chuckled, "I know you have to manage the household affairs later. It’s been days since I last saw you. We were married for only nine days before I left for Jining Prefecture. I just want to hold you. Don’t squirm."
She knew exactly what consequences "squirming" would bring, so she obediently stayed still.Cheng Chi kissed her, whispered sweet nothings for a while, then sat up and helped her put on her bellyband and undergarments one by one.
Zhou Shaojin gazed at Cheng Chi with embarrassment, feeling she had been somewhat excessive.
Si Lang had said he wouldn’t touch her, and he wouldn’t—yet she had struggled as if he might go back on his word. Fortunately, Si Lang had a gentle temper. If it had been someone else… In her previous life at the manor, she had heard of women being beaten over such matters.
Of course, such people were nothing compared to Si Lang, but by not trusting him, she worried he might recall this later and feel displeased.
Zhou Shaojin tugged at Cheng Chi’s sleeve and, suppressing her shyness, said, "Mother mentioned that after you return, she plans to stay at Apricot Grove Lane for a while and won’t come back until the fifteenth of the first month."
Once her mother-in-law was away, he could do as he pleased!
※
Dear readers, this is an extra update for Tianxin Aizhizhi.
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: Updates will still be around 10 p.m. as usual.
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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