“Mmph!”
The moment Wen Yan broke the surface of the water, a pair of scorching, large hands suddenly clamped around her slender waist, giving her a violent fright.
But mindful of her identity, she bit her lip hard and did not dare to scream.
Her body went stiff. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect someone else to be in this remote pond.
To avoid prying eyes, she had deliberately traveled a long distance to find this spot.
She forced her racing heart to calm down, her mind working at lightning speed to figure out a way to save herself.
However, before she could come up with a plan, a forceful strength suddenly pinned her against the large rock in front of her.
The man’s scalding chest pressed tightly against her slender back.
Wen Yan was horrified.
The sheer disparity in strength between a man and a woman was displayed to its fullest at this moment.
Knowing she could not break free, she turned her head, wanting to see the other person clearly so she could seek revenge later.
But the moonlight was dim tonight and the surroundings were pitch black; she couldn’t see the man’s face at all.
She could only make out the faint, high bridge of his nose.
“Help me… and you will be handsomely rewarded!”
The man’s chin rested on her shoulder. His voice was hoarse, his breath scorching, and his tone carried a hint of a plea.
Even if Wen Yan had never experienced it herself, she was not entirely ignorant of the world.
Moreover, having once been curious about the affairs between men and women in her spare time, she had secretly flipped through a few erotic manuals. She knew the man behind her must have been drugged with some kind of aphrodisiac.
Realizing this, the fear in her heart suddenly faded, replaced even by a flicker of interest. “How do you intend to reward me?”
The man said nothing. Instead, he pressed a jade pendant into her hand.
“This Fu… will certainly take responsibility for you!” The man’s voice was low and gravelly, thick with suppressed desire.
The surname “Fu” immediately brought to mind her cousin Fu Zheng’s cold and handsome face.
At the thought of Fu Zheng, the jade pendant in her hand felt like a hot potato. Her hand trembled, and the pendant fell into the water.
Today was her cousin Fu Huixue’s birthday, and many friends had been invited to the villa to celebrate.
Because the villa was far from the capital, everyone planned to stay the night and return the next morning.
And in the evening, she had indeed seen her cousin Fu Zheng arrive at the villa.
Although the man behind her had a voice rasped by desire, upon closer reflection, it did indeed sound like Fu Zheng’s.
At this realization, Wen Yan’s heart sank.
Heavens, could the man behind her really be Fu Zheng?
This was simply too absurd!
The Fu Zheng she knew was loftily aloof and intimidating. She never imagined there would come a day when he would be like this…
Knowing the man was Fu Zheng, her only thought was to flee this den of trouble as quickly as possible.
Just as she was pondering how to escape, the man’s warm lips suddenly brushed past her ear. His knee nudged the back of hers, his voice low and seductive. “May I?”
Wen Yan’s legs went weak, and she nearly cried out.
This fellow, Fu Zheng…
She took a sharp breath. For some reason, her mind wandered to those erotic novels she had read, and the “ecstatic taste” they described…
Blood rushed to Wen Yan’s face.
She would never be able to marry in this lifetime anyway. Since someone had delivered himself to her door, why not go with the flow and take the opportunity to experience it?
Besides, tonight was dark and windy—perfect for doing something wicked.
Given Fu Zheng’s handsome face, she wasn’t the one losing out.
Thinking of the ecstatic taste described in the books, she made a daring decision.
She didn’t make a sound, but her slender fingers reached back boldly.
The man behind her let out a low groan and pulled her tightly into his embrace.
Everything that followed happened naturally.
Wen Yan’s mind went blank. All she could see were the swaying shadows of the trees, and all she could hear was the splashing sound of the spring water being churned.
West Wing of the Marquis of Wu’an’s Manor.
“Young Master, why is the skin on your knees all scraped?”
Shao’er, her personal maid, let out a startled cry while helping Wen Yan change her clothes.
Wen Yan looked down and saw that her knees were indeed red and swollen, with several spots where the skin had broken.
Startled, she quickly pulled down her trouser leg. “It’s nothing. I accidentally took a tumble at the villa last night.”
Recalling the intensity in the forest pond last night, her face flushed with heat and guilt.
That man Fu Zheng usually looked so ascetic and devoid of desire, but in private… he was so ferocious.
“How could you be so careless? And these red marks all over your neck—could you have been bitten by something?” Shao’er dropped another bombshell.
Wen Yan’s eyelids jumped. She looked into the bronze mirror and saw that her neck was indeed covered in mottled red marks.
Her face darkened instantly.
Is Fu Zheng a dog?
“There were too many trees at the villa; it must have been insects,” Wen Yan explained as she bundled her clothes tight.
She was lucky that Shao’er was innocent and understood nothing.
If it had been her mother…
Shuddering at the thought, she quickly pulled her collar up.
Once she was sure nothing could be seen, she hurriedly sat at the table to study.
Sure enough, a moment later, her mother, Madam Fu, walked in.
Seeing her sitting obediently at the table reading, a flash of relief appeared on Madam Fu’s face. She picked up a sewing basket and sat nearby to do needlework.
Wen Yan breathed a silent sigh of relief.
She composed herself and tried to focus on her books.
But because she had been put through the wringer too hard last night, she found it difficult to sit still after just a short while. Her lower back and her waist ached terribly.
“A-Yan, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Madam Fu noticed her restlessness and asked with concern.
“No, it might just be that I didn’t… sleep well last night.” Wen Yan avoided her mother’s gaze and told a lie.
Madam Fu nodded. “The scenery at the villa is fine, but the accommodations are naturally not as good as the manor. If you’re tired, go lie down for a bit. You’ll only have the energy to study after a good rest.”
Feeling as if she had been granted a divine reprieve, Wen Yan scrambled into bed.
The moment her aching back touched the soft bedding, she nearly let out a sigh of relief.
Madam Fu followed her over.
Seeing her daughter’s lack of decorum, her brows furrowed slightly.
She hesitated for a long moment before whispering, “A-Yan, about next year’s Spring Exams… perhaps we should just forget it. Don’t go through with the testing.”
“Mother, we’ve already come this far. We can’t give up.” Hearing this, Wen Yan sat up and put an arm around her mother’s shoulder.
“But… you are a girl after all. If this is discovered, it’s a beheading offense,” Madam Fu said, filled with worry.
“It won’t be. I’m being very careful,” Wen Yan said confidently. “Besides, the imperial examinations were Brother’s dying wish. I must fulfill it for him.”
At the mention of her eldest son, Madam Fu’s eyes dimmed. She stared blankly at her daughter’s face, which looked so much like her late son’s.
Seeing this, Wen Yan said softly, “Mother, I’ve rested enough. I’m going back to my books.”
Looking at her daughter sitting back at the table to continue studying, Madam Fu used a handkerchief to dab at the moisture in the corners of her eyes. She reminded her, “Your cousin Fu Zheng is quite free these few days and will be in the manor today. I’ve already spoken to him. You can go to his study in a while to ask for his guidance on some academic matters.”
Hearing that she had to go find Fu Zheng, the already guilty Wen Yan jumped in fright. “Mother, I don’t have any questions I don’t understand…”
Madam Fu thought her daughter was simply afraid of Fu Zheng. She smiled and said, “Your cousin was the Top Scholar of his year and has spent so many years immersed in officialdom. His knowledge is beyond what others can reach. Don’t be afraid; just be humble and seek his advice.”
Wen Yan: “…”
She knew Fu Zheng was formidable, but she was normally terrified of this cousin and avoided him as much as possible. Coupled with what the two of them had done last night, her heart was in her throat. She didn’t want to face him so soon.
However, whatever one fears most is bound to happen.
From outside, a servant’s voice rang out, “Young Master Wen, my Heir is already waiting in the study. If you are free, you may head over now.”
Wen Yan’s heart sank with a heavy thud.