Ruyi Pavilion.
Pei Muyin stared at the Eastern Pearl on the upturned toe of her embroidered shoes.
She raised her hand, intending to lift the bridal veil.
But her parents’ words echoed in her mind.
“Yin Yin, we know your personality is bold and strong-willed, but in front of others, you must act with the grace and dignity of a noble lady.”
“Once you’re married and take charge of the household, after drinking the ceremonial wedding wine, you can do as you please.”
Her hand paused mid-air.
She waited obediently for her husband.
From the corridor outside came a rather frivolous voice, tinged with a lazy tone.
“Grandmother is so thoughtful, worrying that the bride and I might be thirsty, she specially sent the ceremonial wedding wine.”
Xie Chiyu entered the room carrying two cups of wine, his gold, silver, and jade ornaments jingling with each step as he swayed his narrow waist.
He placed the wedding wine on the table, propping his chin up with one hand.
With her vision obscured, Pei Muyin’s hearing grew sharper.
“Husband, could you please lift my veil?”
Xie Chiyu hadn’t expected this simpleton to be so proper, and couldn’t help clicking his tongue.
“You have hands of your own, lift it yourself!”
Pei Muyin’s eyes darkened slightly.
She had long heard that the eldest son of the Xie family was difficult to get along with.
Seeing it for herself truly surpassed all hearsay.
“Husband, I must trouble you to lift my veil so that I may serve you properly.”
Xie Chiyu grew impatient with her words. Picking up the ceremonial rod, he strode forward and lifted her veil.
A face of breathtaking beauty reflected in his pupils.
Her watery eyes shimmered like spring, her delicate nose elegantly arched, her skin as fine and porcelain-white as frost and snow, her vermilion lips pressed together lightly.
His Adam’s apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.
Pei Muyin secretly pinched her fingertips.
She was stunned by the lavish decorations in the room—opulent and dazzling to the eye.
Moonlight filtered through the carved lattice windows, casting mottled patterns onto the enormous Eastern Pearl beside the writing desk.
It was the first time she had seen an Eastern Pearl as large as a football!
At a glance.
A cricket was even kept in a cage by the window!
Xie Chiyu, confident in his own good looks, thought he had captivated her and couldn’t help raising an eyebrow in amusement.
“Hey, what are you daydreaming about?”
Pei Muyin snapped back to reality.
The man before her had slightly upturned peach blossom eyes that seemed to convey affection, his thin lips curved in a casual smile.
His long black hair was tied high, and around his neck hung a golden choker adorned with carved pendants.
She suddenly froze.
Was the eldest son of the Xie family really this flamboyant?
Xie Chiyu touched his face, somewhat puzzled.
“Am I really that good-looking?”
Pei Muyin remembered the time. “Husband, let us first drink the ceremonial wedding wine.”
Xie Chiyu waved his hand in refusal but was grabbed by the wrist and pulled to sit beside the table.
He swallowed hard—what had this simpleton been eating to grow up so strong?
How could she be so powerful!
Pei Muyin gripped his shoulder and pressed him down firmly, with a hint of avenging her younger sister.
Xie Chiyu felt as if sitting on pins and needles.
His eyes flickered slightly as he awkwardly smiled and took the wine cup, linking arms with her.
Pei Muyin closed her eyes and drank.
Seeing her eyes closed, Xie Chiyu raised an eyebrow and secretly poured out his wine.
He hadn’t forgotten.
As soon as his elder brother and sister-in-law discussed divorce, he intended to follow suit.
Better not drink the ceremonial wine.
Pei Muyin slowly opened her eyes. Now that the ceremonial wine had been drunk, there was no need to pretend to be a noble lady any longer.
But when one wears a mask for too long, suddenly removing it doesn’t necessarily mean returning to one’s true self.
“Husband, you will sleep on a makeshift bed on the floor, and I will sleep on the couch.”
Xie Chiyu had never intended to share a bed with her in the first place. He quickly gathered bedding and laid it out on the floor, only too glad to avoid consummating the marriage.
However.
As he lay on the floor with his eyes closed, trying to sleep, he felt an intense gaze fall upon him.
Pei Muyin sat by the bed, reaching out to pat her own cheek as she stared at the man on the floor.
Strangely, she found his face increasingly appealing, almost tantalizing.
Driven by instinct, she removed her clothes and slipped under his blanket.
Xie Chiyu froze in shock.
“What are you doing? Go to bed and sleep properly.”
Pei Muyin, her face flushed, leaned close to his ear, her red lips exhaling a fragrant breath.
“That cup of wedding wine was drugged.”
“It’s an aphrodisiac.”
The tips of Xie Chiyu’s ears turned red.
They were going to divorce sooner or later—they would never spend their lives together. Even if she was under the influence of the drug, he shouldn’t be the one to help her.
He immediately reached out to push her away.
“I’ll go find a doctor to prepare an antidote for you!”
But she grabbed his wrist, using the plain silk ties from her undergarment to bind his hands, pressing him firmly to the floor.
“What doctor?”
“Aren’t you the ready-made antidote right here?”
The sound of tearing fabric suddenly rang out.
Xie Chiyu widened his peach-blossom eyes in shock, unable to undo the tight knot on his wrists.
He watched helplessly as she placed her hands on his narrow waist.
“Help! Someone’s assaulting an innocent man!”
“Let me go!”
Hearing his frantic cries, Pei Muyin reached out to stroke his handsome face, her touch carrying a soothing intent.
“Be good and help me relieve the effects of the drug. Less talking, more action, understand?”
Xie Chiyu, never having been treated like this before, glared at her with crimson eyes. “You pervert!”
Her expression shifted slightly as she kissed his lips, silencing his unspoken words.
Xie Chiyu let out a low, helpless groan, noticing her movements above him pause briefly.
He saw her face suddenly turn pale.
Glancing at the faint red stain on the bedding, his voice grew hoarse:
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Maybe you should get off, and let me take over?”
Pei Muyin pressed down on his restless waist, whispering, “Shut up!”
Xie Chiyu’s handsome face flushed so deeply it seemed blood might drip from it, and he pursed his lips in silence.
Pei Muyin sat up, taking a moment to steady her breathing, realizing the effects of the drug hadn’t yet subsided.
She glanced at the chaotic scene on the floor.
Then, bending down again, she cupped his head with both hands.
Unable to resist, Xie Chiyu could only surrender to the moment.
A long time later, she lay weakly atop him, damp and breathless.
A look of satisfaction flickered in Xie Chiyu’s eyes.
Yet, the thought that his virginity had been taken by a woman pinning him down left him feeling somewhat aggrieved.
Even if they had consummated the marriage, it wasn’t by his will—sooner or later, he would still divorce her!
Pei Muyin untied his wrists.
Xie Chiyu covered his chest with both hands, his peach-blossom eyes fixed on her with a pitiful gaze.
Pei Muyin looked at the scratches on his chest and the scattered marks on his body.
She felt a bit embarrassed.
“I didn’t mean to treat you like this. The drug took over, and I just acted on impulse.”
“I untied your wrists because I wanted to take you to bathe.”
“I swear, I never intended to treat you this way. Now, will you come with me to the bath?”
Xie Chiyu knew it was his grandmother who had drugged the wedding wine, so he couldn’t blame her.
The two made their way to the bath chamber.
Xie Chiyu shuffled in his slippers, stepping behind the screen.
“You go bathe first. After you’re done, I’ll go in and clean up.”
Pei Muyin frowned, taking his hand. “Let’s bathe together.”
Xie Chiyu widened his peach-blossom eyes, glaring at her.
She explained, “I promise I won’t touch you improperly.”
“It’s just that it’s late now, and bathing together will be quicker.”
Only then did Xie Chiyu lower his guard and follow her into the bathtub.
Though he was a playboy, this was his first time doing such a thing.
Watching the woman across from him who showed no sign of shyness, Xie Chiyu gritted his teeth and washed himself with warm water.
Returning to the room.
Pei Muyin had sobered up considerably. Seeing the chaotic traces on the floor, she closed her eyes for a moment.
“You can sleep on the bed with me.”
Xie Chiyu hugged the embroidered quilt, wanting to keep his distance from her.
Pei Muyin’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she said guiltily:
“Then you take the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor.”
In the end, Xie Chiyu still ended up sharing the bed with her.
Pei Muyin noticed the crimson at the corners of his eyes and sighed silently to herself.
Cursing herself inwardly for being a beast.
Her eyelids fluttered, somewhat puzzled that a powerful minister with immense influence could be subdued by her.
Never mind, there was no time to worry about that now—she still had to serve tea to the elders in the morning.