She had never seen Cui Zhuo like this.
He leaned half against the bedside, eyes closed, brows lightly furrowed, hands gripping the chairback so tightly that the veins on the back of his hands stood out.
His slightly disheveled robe hung half-open, revealing a chest heaving with shallow breaths, glistening with a thin layer of sweat. He seemed to be restraining something with immense pain.
Li Tingyuan didn’t know whether it was because she had been drinking or because the fragrance in the room was overpowering.
Upon seeing Cui Zhuo in this state, a wave of heat surged through her own body.
She swallowed heavily and cautiously approached him. “Prince… ah!”
Before she could finish her words, her wrist was suddenly seized firmly. The man’s sharp, hawk-like gaze fixed directly on her.
Li Tingyuan’s heart tightened violently, and in her panic, she turned to flee.
But before she could move, she was pulled right in front of him.
“Was it you who drugged me? Hmm?”
Cui Zhuo’s voice was hoarse beyond recognition. He pinched her chin, forcing her to look directly at him.
Only then did Li Tingyuan notice his bloodshot eyes, his gaze dark and abyssal, and the hand gripping her was frighteningly hot.
Even if Li Tingyuan knew little of such matters, she now understood what was happening.
Suppressing her panic, she whispered softly:
“Prince, you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I… I’ll take you out first…”
The incense in the room was clearly problematic, and Li Tingyuan could now feel the changes in her own body.
She pinched her palm to stay alert, trying to support Cui Zhuo and help him up.
But not only was there a natural disparity in strength between men and women, Li Tingyuan’s legs were also growing weak from the effects of the drug. After several attempts, she still couldn’t lift him.
Anxious, her voice trembled with tears:
“Prince, Prince… please wait here for a moment. I… I’ll go call for help…”
Unexpectedly, as soon as she tried to stand, Cui Zhuo grabbed her again.
Li Tingyuan felt the world spin around her as she was pressed tightly onto the bed.
His breathing grew even more scorching and rapid, the veins at his temples throbbing, cold sweat beading on his forehead. His gaze, dark as an abyss yet burning like fire, fixed on her, filled with undisguised desire.
He seemed to have reached his limit, his entire body tense and trembling slightly.
Their bodies pressed close together, and Li Tingyuan held her breath, her chest rising and falling in sync with his.
The fragrance in the room grew even more intense, mingling with the clamor of voices and the sound of music from outside, unsettling her mind.
Occasionally, women’s light laughter drifted past the nearby window, so close it felt as if it were right beside her ear.
Inside the bed curtains, where the temperature continued to rise, their breaths intertwined.
Li Tingyuan’s gaze drifted to Cui Zhuo’s crimson lips, and a sudden impulse to kiss them arose.
After what felt like an eternity, the struggle and desire in Cui Zhuo’s eyes faded slightly.
Staggering, he pushed himself up, looming over her. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he rasped:
“No matter who sent you, get out now, or I’ll kill you!”
With that, he pressed a hand to his forehead, swaying unsteadily.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, Li Tingyuan, drawing courage from somewhere unknown, suddenly stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist.
The young woman’s rosy lips parted slightly, her eyes misty and dazed, calling out to him in a voice almost like a soft moan:
“Prince… Cui Zhuo…”
Cui Zhuo stood still, his body rigid with restraint.
In an instant, he suddenly took a sharp breath, turned abruptly, and pushed Li Tingyuan down onto the bed, his body covering hers.
He braced himself beside her, his expression unreadable as he stared at her for a few moments before leaning down and fiercely capturing her lips.
Everything that followed was like dry kindling ignited by a spark, spiraling out of control.
The dim candlelight in the room cast a sheen of sweat on the man's body, his shoulders rising and falling like mountain peaks, the veins on his pale neck pulsing.
Cui Zhuo was both restrained to the extreme and wildly out of control.
Li Tingyuan clutched his arm tightly, her consciousness muddled, as a secret pleasure intertwined with unknown fear and helplessness deep within her heart.
…
A cold breeze swept in, extinguishing two of the lamps in the room.
Li Tingyuan snapped back to reality, only then realizing that her clothes were already soaked through by the icy drizzle.
She took a deep breath, pressing a hand to her wildly beating chest.
The next morning, as she looked at the sleeping Cui Zhuo beside her and the disarray scattered across the floor, she ultimately chose to flee.
Li Tingyuan lowered her gaze slightly and tugged at the corner of her lips.
—Even after three years, the palpitations of that night remained vivid in her memory.
Those feverish, damp memories and the guilt of having defiled Cui Zhuo gnawed at her day and night, even though he had no idea who had been with him that night.
The next day, Li Tingyuan, mindful of her promise to accompany Cui Yueyao to meet Jiang Xuxian, rose early.
The two maids Cui Zhuo had assigned to her were perceptive; knowing she preferred quiet, they usually gave her space but appeared precisely when she needed them.
As soon as Li Tingyuan got out of bed, Yun Xiang entered the room carrying a basin of warm water.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Li Tingyuan thanked her softly before allowing her to assist with washing and dressing.
"By the way, has there been any news from Chuntang Yuan today?"
"Not yet," Yun Xiang replied. "Perhaps the Third Young Lady hasn't risen yet."
Li Tingyuan said nothing.
She doubted Cui Yueyao would still be in bed on such an important day as meeting Jiang Xuxian. More likely, she was agonizing over which outfit to wear in her room.
Just as Li Tingyuan finished dressing and was about to head to Chuntang Yuan to find Cui Yueyao, she heard Yun Qiao knock softly on the door outside and whisper:
"Young Lady, there is a young gentleman waiting for you at the side gate. He says… he is your younger brother."
Huaishan?
At these words, Li Tingyuan's expression tightened instantly. She hurriedly finished fastening her outer robe and strode quickly toward the door.
"He's here? Why hasn't he come in? Did he say what the matter is?"
Shouldn't Huaishan be at the academy at this hour? Why would he come looking for her so suddenly?
Anxious, Li Tingyuan quickened her pace and soon arrived at the side gate of Cuifu.
Outside the gate stood a young man with the poised bearing of a pine tree and the grace of a crane.
Over the past two years, Li Huaishan had grown rapidly in height. Though he appeared slender compared to a grown man like Cui Zhuo, this only accentuated the spirited demeanor of a young man.
Seeing Li Tingyuan emerge, a smile spread across the young man's features. He jogged forward a couple of steps and said cheerfully:
"Elder Sister!"
Only when Li Tingyuan saw him standing safely before her did her heart settle.
She examined him closely, and a genuine smile touched her eyes. Pressing her lips together lightly, she poked Li Huaishan:
"How old are you now, still so impulsive?"
Li Huaishan was already past sixteen. Coupled with the changes in their family over the past year, he had long shed the naivety of childhood and was praised by his tutors at the academy for his maturity and steadiness.
Only when facing his own sister did he still act like a child, even though he had to look down at Li Tingyuan when standing before her.
Li Huaishan lowered his head and carefully studied his sister's expression for a moment. Seeing no trace of worry on her face and nothing unusual about her complexion, he finally felt relieved.
He smiled and said:
"I took some time out from the academy today to tell you some good news, Sister."
Li Tingyuan smiled as she straightened his collar for him:
"What good news?"
Speaking of this, excitement crept into Li Huaishan's tone. "Xue Qinghong, Great Scholar Xue, has agreed to take me as his disciple!"
Li Tingyuan's hands paused as she adjusted his collar, and the smile at the corners of her lips gradually faded.
Sensing her change in mood, Li Huaishan's initial excitement slowly turned into confusion. He cautiously glanced at her and asked:
"Sister… are you unhappy?"
Li Huaishan anxiously added:
"If Sister doesn't want me to become Great Scholar Xue's disciple, I'll immediately—"
"No!"
Li Tingyuan snapped back to her senses upon hearing this and immediately stopped him. "No, Sister is very happy!"
Her eyelashes lowered slightly, and when she raised them again, no trace of any other emotion could be seen in her eyes. She only smiled and said:
"Great Scholar Xue Qinghong is renowned throughout Eastern Zhou. Becoming his disciple is a tremendous honor. Sister is proud of you. Quickly tell me, how did Great Scholar Xue suddenly decide to take you as his disciple?"
Li Huaishan glanced around and lowered his voice:
"This matter is all thanks to Lord Cui—that is, Cui Zhuo, the eldest legitimate son of the Cui Family. Sister, you must have met him during your stay at Cuifu these past few days, right?"
Li Tingyuan's heart stirred, and her throat tightened slightly. "Mm."
Li Huaishan continued:
"Yesterday, I was at the academy debating with a classmate over a question assigned by our teacher. At some point, Lord Cui and Great Scholar Xue unexpectedly came to the academy together. Lord Cui heard my arguments and became quite interested. He tested me on the spot, and my answers must have greatly satisfied both Lord Cui and Great Scholar Xue. Lord Cui casually remarked, 'If this young man is taken as a disciple and nurtured, his future will be immeasurable.' So, Great Scholar Xue took me as his disciple."
Li Huaishan grew more and more excited as he spoke, his words brimming with pride and disbelief.
"I can hardly believe my incredible luck! Sister, do you think Great Scholar Xue might have just said it offhand?"
Hearing him say this, Li Tingyuan couldn't help but recall Cui Zhuo's cold and harsh words to her in the study yesterday. For a moment, she couldn't quite describe the feelings in her heart.
"Sister?"
Seeing her distracted expression, Li Huaishan called out again.
Li Tingyuan suddenly snapped back to her senses, forced a smile at him, and comforted him:
"No, he wouldn't. Great Scholar Xue is highly respected and would never joke about such matters. Since he said he would take you as his disciple, he must be serious."
Although she didn't understand Cui Zhuo's intentions in doing this, deep down, Li Tingyuan was still happy for her brother that he could fulfill his wish of becoming Xue Qinghong's disciple.
A smile welled up in her eyes as she patted Li Huaishan's head:
"Besides, my brother is already outstanding in his own right. Isn't that why Great Scholar Xue took notice of you?"
Li Huaishan felt a little embarrassed by her praise and scratched his head. Suddenly, he looked up, his eyes lighting up. "Yao Yao?"
Li Tingyuan turned around at the sound, her reaction mirroring Li Huaishan's—her eyes also lit up. She went over and linked arms with her:
"Which celestial maiden has descended to the mortal realm? Otherwise, how could I not know there exists such a stunningly beautiful woman in this world?"
Cui Yueyao had dressed with care today, wearing a fei-colored dress and skirt, over which she draped a gauzy outer garment of the same hue. Her waist, cinched by a moon-white belt embroidered with fei-colored begonia flowers, appeared slender enough to be held in one hand. The golden filigree tasseled peony hairpin in her hair shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight.
Her entire presence was radiant yet carried a touch of gentleness, truly stunning to behold.
Embarrassed by Li Tingyuan's teasing, she secretly pinched her and smiled toward Li Huaishan across from her:
"I never imagined Huaishan has grown so tall now."
The child from her memory had now become a young man who stood a head taller than her.
Li Huaishan's ears flushed faintly red at her words, not daring to meet her eyes directly, he softly called out, "Sister."
Li Tingyuan patted him, "If there's nothing else, you should return to the academy as soon as possible. It's not good to be away for too long. Yao Yao and I have important matters to attend to."
"Where are you going, sister? I can give you a ride."
Cui Yueyao smiled and politely declined:
"No need, the carriage from Cuifu is already prepared. I'm going boating on the lake with your sister."
"Boating on the lake…"
Li Huaishan murmured to himself, then suddenly looked up at Cui Yueyao, his tone urgent:
"Are you going to see that Jiang fellow again?!"
"Huaishan!"
Li Tingyuan hadn't expected him to be so rude and called his name with a stern tone.
Li Huaishan coughed lightly, lowering his head again to conceal the fleeting shadow in his eyes:
"My apologies for the rudeness. Sisters, take care on your way."
Author's Note:
Upcoming Story: "Raised in Turns by Twin Childhood Friends"
【1v2, age gap】
【Soft, adorable, charming Mei Bao vs. Refined and Scheming vs. Wild and Unruly】
Jiang Ningxi had two twin childhood friends who were ten years older than her.
Because a fortune-teller predicted she must not enter the capital before turning eighteen, she had been entrusted by her parents to the care of her childhood friends' family since birth.
But she had never been able to tell their faces apart, only distinguishing them by their personalities.
The elder brother, Zhou Yu'an, was gentle and refined, patiently teaching her everything since childhood.
She had even learned to write her own name sitting on Zhou Yu'an's lap, her small hand guided by his as he taught her stroke by stroke.
Even when she first experienced her menstrual flow, he was the first to know, soothing her panic and preparing a Menstrual Belt for her.
Meanwhile, the younger brother, Zhou Yanjing, had a terrible temper—arrogant and unruly—always provoking her anger.
He had broken flower branches others gave her, insisting on giving her a bouquet of begonias she disliked.
He would often slip into her bed on cold days, chilled from the outside, using her as a Bed Warmer.
Over the years, Jiang Ningxi naturally grew fonder of Zhou Yu'an.
At sixteen, her parents arranged a marriage for her with a family far away in the capital.
When the news reached Zhoufu, Zhou Yanjing tied her onto a horse and galloped all the way to the edge of a cliff.
He said nothing, his face cold and grim. Several times, Jiang Ningxi thought they would both plunge into the abyss.
Terrified, Jiang Ningxi went to find Zhou Yu'an when he returned to the estate that night, throwing herself into his arms seeking comfort.
Zhou Yu'an gently patted her back, his tone coaxing:
"Zhou Yanjing is too wicked. From now on, Ning Ning should not want him anymore. Just want Yu'an, okay?"
Jiang Ningxi nodded in his embrace, wanting him to kiss her as he used to.
Just then, the brocade curtain of the inner chamber was lifted, and a man elegantly curled his lips:
"See, I told you she wouldn't recognize us."
Jiang Ningxi turned in surprise to look at the person holding her, only to have her jaw gripped harshly as Zhou Yanjing's voice turned dark:
"Jiang Ningxi, how dare you entertain the thought of abandoning me?"
Zhou Yu'an also stepped forward slowly, gently stroking her hair, his tone still gentle:
"She isn't just abandoning you—she's abandoning both of us. But Ningning, you still haven't learned to distinguish between me and Yanjing. Shouldn't you… be punished for that?"
[The two male leads share sensations during moments of intense emotion.]