He wanted to see her true face.
He never expected her to be so intimate with him even in front of others.
Although they were in the Inner Chamber of their private courtyard, there were still many maids and attendants nearby.
At this moment, neither he nor she had Bathed to cleanse themselves, yet she leaned in to kiss him, whispering close to his ear.
The warm, fragrant, and soft breath of the young woman brushed against the shell of his ear, stirring an inexplicable heat within him.
Yan Chiyun watched her for a moment, then reached out to wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her even closer. Holding her, gazing at her, Pu Jinyu smiled with her eyes, meeting his gaze.
Even though the man before her exuded an imposing and powerful aura, she did not shy away in the slightest, continuing to look back at him, enticing him.
Faced with such a direct and unwavering gaze from the young woman, the heat in Yan Chiyun’s heart deepened even further.
He wanted to kiss her.
But… he couldn’t rush it just yet.
As if seeing through his intentions, Pu Jinyu was the first to retreat from his embrace. “The bathhouse has prepared hot water. Husband, you may Bathe first.”
He looked at her, smiled faintly, and hummed in acknowledgment.
“…”
Tonight’s passion was led by Yan Chiyun.
He had Bathed and prepared himself before her. When she emerged, he pulled her by the wrist and drew her into the canopy bed.
In the dim light, Pu Jinyu endured the man’s relentless kisses.
These kisses began by lingering on her lips, deepening, and entangling with her soft tongue. Once she was left breathless, they began to wander elsewhere.
Pu Jinyu wrapped both arms around the man’s neck, burying half her face against his shoulder, revealing only a pair of beautiful eyes.
Her long hair cascaded loosely, swaying with their movements, occasionally covering her eyes or clinging to the bridge of her nose.
She resembled a crabapple blossom with no branch to cling to.
Enduring wave after wave of storm and sea, an unceasing onslaught.
Her lips, swollen from kissing, parted slightly as she let out one soft gasp after another, catching her breath.
Yan Chiyun held her, lifting her slightly, allowing her delicate face to finally emerge fully. Her entire pale wrist encircled his neck as she clung to him.
She allowed the man to do whatever he wished to her, enticing him, indulging him.
Her expression seemed completely immersed in the moment, her gaze hazy, her pupils shimmering with moisture.
Everything about her was so delicate, so responsive and cooperative, yet upon closer inspection, one could detect a deep-seated emptiness and numbness in the depths of her eyes.
The canopy bed was too dimly lit for Yan Chiyun to notice her unease.
Moreover, she responded to his kisses, clung to him with her arms, smiled at him before it all began, called him husband, and showed no resistance whatsoever.
He believed this was a physically and emotionally pleasurable, exhilarating union.
His heart’s longing was satisfied, and she should feel the same. After all, they were husband and wife, mutually devoted, striving to conceive a child to continue their bloodline. In the future, with descendants, she would support her husband and raise their children, living together until old age.
Their intimacy had been frequent these past days—perhaps her body was already with child.
Thinking of this, he deliberately softened his approach, becoming less fierce.
Yet her legs wrapped around his waist, her toes grazing his lower back, sending a tingling sensation through him.
She truly knew how to entice him. He did not mind her clever little gestures when she drew near—not only did he not mind them, he even enjoyed them.
…
It was unclear how much time had passed before it all came to an end.
Pu Jinyu was too exhausted to open her eyes. She lay face down on the soft bedding, damp lashes drooping, while Yan Chiyun held her from behind.
Both were catching their breath, their mingled scents lingering on each other’s skin, their long hair tangled together.
Pu Jinyu remained silent for a long while, so Yan Chiyun carried her to bathe.
Ever since that meddlesome maid Jing Chun had left, no one dared to stop him or try to take her from him when he carried her out to the bathing chamber.
The woman in his arms was utterly compliant, showing no resistance. He placed her into the bathtub and had just picked up a cloth when she suddenly took it from his hand, lifting her makeup-streaked face.
“I’ll do it myself.”
Earlier, he had been thinking that after bathing her and wiping her face clean, he would surely see her true appearance. He had even felt a rare, slight nervousness.
But he never expected that, despite having been intimate countless times, she would still refuse—she did not want him to see her without cosmetics.
Why was that?
Pu Jinyu took the cloth and looked at the man’s face, naturally not missing the momentary pause in his movements or the shift in his expression.
He watched her without speaking, as if waiting for her to coax him, to offer an explanation.
In truth, Yan Chiyun, still holding the cloth, watched her, genuinely wanting to hear her explanation. Why was she unwilling to let him see her natural face?
Could it be that beneath the exquisite makeup, she was truly so unattractive that she felt too insecure to face him?
Did she think him shallow, a man who only cared about appearances, and feared he would distance himself or grow cold if she were not beautiful?
Yan Chiyun did not receive her explanation. She parted her lips but only gave him two words: “Alright?”
Since she had spoken almost pleadingly, what else could he say? Suppressing the disappointment in his heart, Yan Chiyun maintained a calm expression. “Mm, alright.”
With that, he said nothing more and walked straight out, heading to the other bathing chamber.
Pu Jinyu watched the man’s retreating figure, her expression growing increasingly cold.
After he left, she used the damp cloth to slowly wash away the thick, smeared cosmetics from her face, gradually revealing a fair, delicate, and exquisitely beautiful visage that could make one forget all worldly cares.
Yet this soft, charming face was icy cold. Even so, it was irresistibly captivating.
As her bath neared its end, Yan Chiyun still could not understand why Pu Jinyu was unwilling to let him see her true face.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand; on the contrary, he was well aware and accepted that everyone had their own secrets.
Even as husband and wife, one should not pry too deeply—there should be space and boundaries. In this regard, Pu Jinyu handled it well; she never put him in difficult positions or pressed him for details about his official duties.
But he felt… this sense of being excluded by her was unpleasant, and for a moment, it was hard to shake off.
Lately, he had noticed his own growing affection, unable to resist drawing closer to her. Naturally, he also hoped for reciprocal feedback, for her to draw closer to him.
Yet she always held back—previously hiding her fall and injury at the Pu Family, and now still concealing herself.
To say she was not intimate with him would be wrong; in bed, she was passionate, always clinging to him. But beyond that, what intimacy was there?
There was some, yet when he recalled her closeness after leaving the bed, it always felt strangely like a layer of polite veneer, not at all like it was in bed.
Was it because he had developed feelings for Madam Pu that he had become so sentimental and troubled by love?
Yan Chiyun frowned in thought when he suddenly heard voices outside. Looking through the screen, he saw the young maid Siyan speaking with her and helping her dry her long hair.
He raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, his slender fingers concealing the turmoil in his heart.
Pu Jinyu went to bed before Yan Chiyun.
By the time he arrived, she was already drowsy. As before, Yan Chiyun watched her for a while before lying down.
Not long after he lay down, she moved closer to him, nestling into his embrace, resting her head against the side of his neck, holding him intimately and even nuzzling against him.
Sensing her movements, Yan Chiyun keenly felt the gloom in his heart gradually easing.
He lowered his gaze to look at her face, now restored to its usual delicate beauty with makeup, and suddenly felt that her reluctance to show him wasn’t such an important matter after all.
After all, she was still willing to draw close to him. He could treat it as her secret and not be overly domineering.
With this thought, he wrapped his arm around the young woman’s waist, pulling her closer into his embrace, making it even more snug. He then closed his eyes, leaning his head toward hers, his handsome face pressed against her.
Pu Jinyu’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, but she did not open her eyes.
“…”
Yan Huaixiao had never imagined that even though he had been avoiding home, his mother could still finalize his marriage.
The family had acted too swiftly, directly drafting the betrothal gift list and sending a matchmaker to the Li Family at the Hanlin Academy.
He only learned from others that his marriage had been settled, which, in a way, forced him to return home.
Just as Pu Jinyu was about to arrive, Yan Huaixiao was arguing with Madam Yan. Their heated voices could be heard from afar. Yan Huaixiao insisted he did not want to marry and had no affection for the Li Family’s daughter.
When Madam Yan asked him whom he liked, he replied that there was no one—he liked no one. He only wished to focus on the Imperial Examination and did not want to be entangled in romantic affairs. Could she please stop pressuring and troubling him?
But Madam Yan was dissatisfied and even used Yan Chiyun as an example to pressure him, saying that Yan Chiyun had followed the family’s arrangements, balancing marriage and career without delay, and had now firmly established himself in the court.
“Are Elder Brother and Sister-in-Law truly as perfect as Mother claims? If they were truly harmonious, why have they had no offspring after nearly four years of marriage?”
In the early days of their marriage, Elder Brother and Sister-in-Law rarely met or spoke. To say they respected each other like guests would be too generous—it was more like respecting each other as strangers. What was the point of such a marriage alliance?
Recently, the two had grown closer, but not by much. It was likely only because Mother was urging them to have offspring and even considering arranging a second wife for Elder Brother, which had prompted Sister-in-Law to become more intimate with him.
Once they had a child, they would probably revert to their previous state of rarely seeing each other.
“You scoundrel, listen to what you’re saying!”
As Pu Jinyu stepped into the main hall, she heard Yan Huaixiao’s resolute retort.
The elderly maid was the first to call out, “Young Madam.” Madam Yan composed herself and said, “Wange, you’ve arrived. Come, take a seat.”
Yan Huaixiao, carried away by anger, had spoken without thinking. He never expected Pu Jinyu to overhear him directly, and his face instantly flushed with embarrassment.
“Sister-in-law, I didn’t mean it that way.” He apologized to Pu Jinyu, saying he had been so enraged that he spoke recklessly and hadn’t truly intended to offend.
“Kneel and apologize to your sister-in-law!” Madam Yan pointed at him and scolded.
Yan Huaixiao’s expression turned grim. But under the weight of Madam Yan’s authority, he had no choice but to comply. Pu Jinyu stepped forward to stop him before he could kneel. “Younger brother-in-law, there’s no need for this.”
“We’re all family. A few angry words are nothing.” After pardoning him, she deliberately put on a stern face and added, “But you mustn’t do this again. If I ever hear such words from you…”
Before Pu Jinyu could finish, Yan Huaixiao immediately assured her, “Sister-in-law, rest assured, I promise I’ll never speak nonsense again.”
“If it happens again, Mother can cut out my tongue as an apology to Sister-in-law.”
“What nonsense are you talking!” Madam Yan scolded him several more times before the matter was reluctantly put to rest.
Yan Huaixiao had originally hoped that Pu Jinyu’s arrival might help him say a few words, to persuade his mother to soften her stance and not force him into marriage.
But because of his earlier reckless remarks, he had already offended Pu Jinyu. So after she sat down and remained silent, he felt too embarrassed to ask for her help.
He argued his case and defended himself, but it was still a case of “a slender arm unable to twist Madam Yan’s thick leg.” Madam Yan even brought General Yan into it, saying that the General also thought this match was highly suitable—that the Li Family’s young lady was well-educated and refined, a perfect match for him.
Yan Huaixiao’s hope of seeking help from his father, General Yan, was completely extinguished. He fell silent, his face dark.
Seeing this, Madam Yan was very pleased.
Long before the marriage proposal and engagement, their eight characters had already been matched. Madam Yan didn’t want any mishaps in this matter, so she had someone select the nearest auspicious date to set the wedding.
The Yan Family ranked among the prominent households of Jingcheng, with each of its sons achieving success and bringing honor to the family. The Li Family was even more eager than the Yan Family to secure this marriage alliance, so naturally, they followed the Yan Family’s wishes and chose the nearest auspicious date.
Just like in her previous life, not long after finishing the arrangements for Yan Mingshu’s wedding, Pu Jinyu had to start preparing for Yan Huaixiao’s marriage.
Everything proceeded in an orderly manner. The days seemed smooth on the surface, but beneath lay turbulent undercurrents.
Today, she had just finished reviewing the account books submitted by the stewardesses and sent Siyan to supervise the servants in checking the items in the storeroom, confirming what needed to be purchased or replaced.
A young maid delivered a letter. Even before opening it, Pu Jinyu knew who had sent it.
She unfolded it, holding a cup of tea as she read while sipping.
In the letter, her birth mother complained incessantly, saying that ever since Nanny Wu and Jing Chun were driven away, she had been constantly harassed by Madam Pu in the Pu Family. Eating coarse food was one thing, but she often went hungry, had to sweep the courtyards, and slept in the servants’ quarters at night.
No one in the Pu Family treated her as a mistress. Lord Pu was heartless and didn’t stand up for her. She also mentioned that she had run out of money—the little savings she had were spent on hiring people to inquire about Pu Wange’s whereabouts, but she had yet to receive any news.
Pu Jinyu couldn’t help but sneer. This was a plea for money and sympathy. After reading it, she burned the letter without a second thought and paid it no mind.
Holding her teacup, Pu Jinyu lowered her eyes in contemplation.
That old wretch Nanny Wu was now half-dead, barely able to get out of bed—no longer a threat. But what about Jing Chun?
Jing Chun was the only one who knew the whereabouts of her legal sister. She had thought that by letting her go, she could lure the snake out of its hole, but she never expected her aunt to be so useless, failing to locate her legal sister to this day.
Either Jing Chun had not gone looking for her legal sister, or she had looked but her legal sister was still unwilling to return.
Whichever possibility it was, it no longer mattered.
If Jing Chun told her legal mother the news that her legal sister was still alive, her legal mother would surely break up the pair and order her to switch back with her legal sister.
She did want to leave, but certainly not by switching back.
In her previous life, they had destroyed her. In this life, she would repay them in kind.
As long as she ruined the marriage alliance between the Yan and Pu families, destroyed “Pu Wange” as a person, and brought disgrace and public scorn upon the Pu Family, would her legal sister dare to return, even if she regretted it later?
Looking at the red gift list before her, she couldn’t help but think of her previous life, when she was buried under the name “Pu Wange” in the Yan Family’s mourning hall draped in white cloth.
Gradually, a thick wave of hatred surged in her eyes.
[Author’s Note]
Here it is [rainbow fart]! This chapter randomly drops Luck-piecing red envelopes.