The Prisoner of Beauty

Xiao Qiao gazed fixedly at Wei Shao, her eyes unblinking, gradually misting over with a layer of moisture. Suddenly, she stretched out her arms towards him, tightly wrapping them around his neck, and murmured indistinctly, "Husband," burying her face deeply into his chest.

Wei Shao felt the delicate arms tightly clinging to his neck, holding a soft, pliant body in his embrace. The body curled into a small, motionless bundle in his arms, as tender and fragile as an infant.

It felt as if an invisible hand had twisted his internal organs, slowly tightening them into a knot. He felt extremely uncomfortable.

Unconsciously, he held her even tighter, pressing his lips to her ear and soothing her softly, "Manman, don't be afraid anymore. It's all my fault, I was wrong to bring you here and leave you alone. Hit me, hit me as much as you want, I'll let you vent your anger..."

He continued to comfort her in this manner, his tone gentle, as if coaxing a child.

The more Wei Shao comforted her, the more fragile Xiao Qiao's emotions seemed to become. She closed her eyes, shook her head a few times, and with a sudden surge of emotion, she couldn't hold back her tears.

Seeing that she had been comforted to tears, Wei Shao became flustered and his words became even more incessant.

"Manman, what do you want me to do to stop you from crying?"

He blurted out whatever crazy thoughts came to his mind.

But the more he comforted her, the more Xiao Qiao's tears fell. Although there was no sound of crying, she kept sniffling with her eyes closed, her shoulders shaking. In no time, she had soaked a patch of Wei Shao's robe.

Wei Shao was stunned. Suddenly, he laid her back on the bed, knelt on one knee beside it, leaned down to cup her face, and kissed her lips.

His kiss, like his demeanor tonight, was unprecedentedly gentle, filled with comforting strength.

As their lips and tongues intertwined, Xiao Qiao gradually calmed down from the initial turmoil she felt upon seeing him, and her sobs slowly ceased.

"Manman, what else do you want me to do to make you happy?"

After ending the slightly salty kiss, Wei Shao continued to kiss her ear, gently nibbling on her soft, jade-like earlobe.

Xiao Qiao, feeling a bit shy, closed her eyes and rubbed her cheeks against his chest to wipe away the remaining tears and snot. She hummed softly, opened her eyes, pushed his face away, and whispered, "I need to use the bathroom."

Wei Shao was momentarily taken aback, then picked her up again and turned towards the bathroom.

At the door, Xiao Qiao, seeing that he seemed intent on entering, quickly grabbed his arm and said, "I need to get down."

Wei Shao had already stepped inside and said softly, "You're still sick, let me help you."

Xiao Qiao's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She tightened her fingers, pulling at his sleeve, and shook her head, "I don't need your help. Go out!"

Wei Shao gazed at her, noticing her flushed cheeks. After a moment's hesitation, he finally set her down slowly and said, "Then I'll wait here for you."

Xiao Qiao forcibly pushed him out. Seeing him still standing at the door, unwilling to leave, she bit her lip and said, "Stay away from me. Otherwise, I..."

She wanted to say, otherwise I won't be able to go, but she couldn't bring herself to say it, and just kept urging him.

Wei Shao sighed, reluctant to leave, and walked away, looking back every few steps.Xiao Qiao closed the door. Never before had she felt like this, even the simple act of relieving herself seemed to set her heart racing, as if a little rabbit was thumping in her chest. Yet, she also felt an overwhelming sweetness. She was extremely careful, trying not to make any noise as she finished, and then let out a sigh of relief. After washing her hands, she opened the door, only to unexpectedly see Wei Shao, who had somehow returned and was leaning against the doorframe.

"Even the sound of my lady relieving herself pleases me. I barely heard a few sounds before you were done?" he said with a smile.

Xiao Qiao was taken aback, her cheeks flushing with two red clouds. She clenched her delicate fists and pounded his chest, calling him a bad person.

After a few thuds, Wei Shao burst into laughter. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her hips and lifted her off the ground, bringing her chest level with his face.

He seemed to be deliberately mischievous, pressing his face against one side of her chest and then rolling it around.

Xiao Qiao's nightgown was thin and soft, making her sensitive. She quickly raised her hand to push his face away. He then took the opportunity to press against her other soft mound. This time, he went even further, opening his mouth to include her clothing, gently nibbling and licking with his teeth and tongue.

Xiao Qiao let out a soft moan, her body immediately going limp as she hung onto him, giggling softly and pushing his head away. They made their way back to the bed like this, with Wei Shao lying down beside her and continuing to tease her for a while. Xiao Qiao was eventually squeezed into the corner of the bed, laughing until she was weak, when she suddenly started coughing again.

Wei Shao quickly stopped, his hand moving to gently rub her chest.

Xiao Qiao coughed for a while, and once the dryness and itchiness in her throat subsided, she stopped. She looked up to see him staring at her intently, his eyes filled with tenderness. Feeling a sweet warmth in her heart, she said, "I'm fine now, I feel much better."

Wei Shao gazed at her rosy cheeks, which were more radiant than flowers, and suppressed the urge that had long since emerged to devour her. He helped her lie down, pulling the quilt up to her chin, and said, "You sleep first. I'm all sweaty, and I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I'll take a shower and then come back to sleep with you."

Xiao Qiao nodded.

After Wei Shao finished his shower, he turned off the lights. In the dimness, he climbed into bed, lay down, and reached out his arm to pull Xiao Qiao into his embrace.

"Sleep," he whispered softly in her ear.

...

Xiao Qiao slept soundly and peacefully in Wei Shao's warm embrace, not even dreaming. The next day, she felt refreshed and clear-headed, except for some lingering fatigue and a slight dryness in her throat, she was almost fully recovered.

Wei Shao stayed with her the entire day. They were truly inseparable, eating and sleeping together, feeding her medicine, not letting her walk even half a step, spoiling her to the point of making her feel like she was on top of the world. Even when Xiao Qiao bathed at night, he didn't let Chun Niang attend to her.

Previously, when Xiao Qiao had been ill, Chun Niang had not allowed her to bathe, only wiping her body daily.

The weather in late spring was unpredictable. A few days ago, it had rained, bringing a sudden chill after the warmth, which had caused Xiao Qiao to fall ill again. But as soon as the weather cleared up in the past two days, it became hot immediately. Xiao Qiao felt sticky all over, and since she was almost fully recovered, she soaked in hot water and had a comfortable bath.

Wei Shao bathed with her. Afraid that she might catch a chill again, he didn't move her much in the water. After she finished bathing, he carried her out, dried her body, wrapped her in clothes, and then tucked her into bed.Xiao Qiao nestled comfortably in Wei Shao's embrace, her starry eyes half-closed, allowing his hand to caress her back. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, Wei Shao sat up, lifted the corner of the quilt, and caught hold of her foot.

Xiao Qiao opened her eyes and saw him holding one of her feet, examining it repeatedly with a strange expression. She guessed the reason behind his action.

Wei Shao looked up and asked, "Does it still hurt?"

That incident had once terrified Xiao Qiao almost to the point of losing her courage. Every time she recalled it, she felt a chill run through her body.

As for the foot that Chen Rui had bitten, although the tooth marks had faded after a few days, for many days afterward, her foot seemed to retain an indescribable discomfort.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," she shook her head and whispered softly.

Wei Shao gently stroked her foot with his palm, then lowered his head and kissed the tender skin on the top of her foot. "It's my fault for letting you suffer such a fright," he said.

The skin where his lips had touched felt as if it were burning.

Xiao Qiao curled her toes, wanting to pull her foot back, but he held it tightly, not letting go, and kissed it again and again, as if trying to erase all the traces that had been left on her foot.

Xiao Qiao's face slowly turned red, and she murmured shyly, "I'm really fine now. Don't do this..."

Wei Shao ignored her. After kissing the top of her foot, he kissed each of her neat and beautiful toes one by one. After kissing both feet, his lips slowly moved upward along the skin of her foot.

Her calf, knee, thigh...

Xiao Qiao watched as his kisses moved higher and higher, gradually feeling a bit flustered and short of breath.

He was about to reach the top of her leg, and it seemed he had no intention of stopping.

Could he be planning to...

Her eyes grew wider and wider. Just as his lips were about to touch her most intimate place, she hurriedly tried to close her legs, but his hand firmly held them in place.

Without hesitation, he kissed her there.

"Don't..." Xiao Qiao was extremely embarrassed, shaking her head repeatedly. But the sensation was intoxicating, and she felt her entire body go weak, moaning softly, her face flushed, her body squirming and trembling slightly.

"Please don't..." she pleaded.

But Wei Shao paid no heed, continuing to please her with his lips and tongue.

A sudden wave of pleasure washed over her, and Xiao Qiao couldn't hold back. Her body responded, and the thick quilt beneath her became soaked.

At that moment, he entered her, and the two became one.

...

Perhaps out of pity for her recent recovery from illness, Wei Shao did not take her too hard that night.

Only once, and it was over. Yet both of them felt as if they had been enlightened, filled with immense joy.

"Manman, did you like what I just did to you?" Wei Shao whispered in her ear, his voice tinged with pride.

Xiao Qiao pressed the back of her hand against her eyes, shaking her head repeatedly.

Wei Shao looked at her adorable, contradictory expression and laughed heartily. After laughing, he moved her hand away from her eyes and said, "Manman, open your eyes."

Xiao Qiao obediently opened her eyes, which still held a lingering glow of passion.

"Hold me," he commanded again.

Xiao Qiao once again obediently embraced him.

Wei Shao let out a deep sigh.

"From now on, no matter what happens, don't hide it from me. Tell me immediately, understand?" Wei Shao said, his tone serious, a stark contrast to his earlier playfulness.

Xiao Qiao was slightly taken aback."Like this time, you clearly encountered such danger and suffered such a fright, yet why didn't you mention a word of it in your letter to me?"

His tone gradually grew heavier.

Xiao Qiao whispered, "I didn't want you to..."

"Didn't want me to be distracted?" Wei Shao interrupted her, his brow slightly furrowed. "Do you know how I felt when I only found out about this a month later? It made me feel like you didn't regard me as your husband at all. I would rather you hadn't saved that Qiang boy than have you face even the slightest danger. If the Beihe Tribe submits to us, fine; if not, I'll just fight. Pacifying the western frontier is only a matter of time. But if something were to happen to you, how could I live with myself?"

His tone grew even more severe.

Xiao Qiao bit her lip. "Husband, I was wrong..."

Wei Shao's expression softened slightly, and he snorted, "Will you dare to keep things from me in the future?"

"I won't," Xiao Qiao shook her head.

Wei Shao's expression finally relaxed completely. He pulled her into his arms, kissed her forehead, and said, "That scoundrel Chen Rui, last time he managed to escape by luck, and this time he went even further, treating you like that. If I don't..."

He stopped mid-sentence.

"Husband, if you don't what?" Xiao Qiao opened her eyes.

Wei Shao said, "Nothing. I was just talking." He gently stroked her hair, smiled at her, and his tone turned tender again. "You're tired, go to sleep."

Author's note: Writer's block, sorry for the late update~