To Coax Her.
With that slap, the atmosphere instantly plunged into an unprecedented dead silence.
Pu Jinyu had struck with great force. This slap carried not only her hatred for Yan Chiyun but also the long-suppressed resentment she had harbored toward the Yan Family for so long.
The slap not only left Yan Chiyun’s face reddened but also left her own hand numb and aching.
This pain spread densely across her palm. As she looked at the handsome face of the man before her, now turned aside, for some reason, it inexplicably reminded her of the suffering she had endured in the Yan Family in her previous life.
Those scenes of trembling fear, constant anxiety, and forced smiles as if treading on thin ice flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern, one after another without pause.
She didn’t even know how she had endured all those years. Looking back now, it had truly been too bitter.
Yes, it was all for her birth mother.
That woman who had brought her into this world but had never truly loved her for a single day, full of sweet words, using her as a stepping stone, a convenient tool to deceive.
Kept in the dark for nearly thirty years, she ultimately didn’t even make it past the threshold of thirty. When she died, she was still being insulted by her.
She was her daughter, flesh of her flesh, yet she had never cherished her, nor had she ever made plans for her.
What was it all for? Was it simply because she was just a girl? Because she hadn’t given birth to the son she wanted, in her eyes, she was nothing but a cheap, worthless burden.
She had tried so hard. She made her disguise as a man, enter school and pursue an official career, and even made her soak in cold water in winter to induce a high fever, all just to get Lord Pu to come and visit. For all these torturous things, whenever she asked, which one had she not obediently done?
But what about her birth mother? Her heart was truly too cold.
Yan Chiyun said she was foolish, and indeed she was foolish. If not for her foolishness, she wouldn’t have been deceived and manipulated by her birth mother for so many years.
But what kind of good person was he? What right did he have to say that about her? Why did he stand so high and mighty, accusing her of being stupid? And he even wanted to teach her how to act—what did this despicable man know?
From her previous life until before Yan Huaixiao’s wedding banquet in this life, even though she was an imposter of the Pu Family’s eldest daughter, she had always done her utmost to fulfill her role as a wife of the Yan Family, never making any mistakes. She believed she had never wronged anyone in the Yan Family.
But…
Even so, what she wanted had always been out of reach. She wanted her birth mother’s love, but even until death, her birth mother had never loved her. She wanted the identity of Pu Wange to be utterly ruined, but despite great effort, the results were minimal—not to mention divorce, even a separation was impossible.
Why was it so difficult for her to accomplish something on her own? All of this was because of the man before her, who wielded immense power.
If he hadn’t been so outstanding, her legal mother wouldn’t have insisted on the marriage alliance between the two families. Her legal sister wouldn’t have taken such a risky path. Her birth mother wouldn’t have been so deluded as to come up with the idea of a substitute marriage. And to avoid shaming him, she was constantly lectured by Madam Yan on how to behave with grace and propriety.
Now that things had come to this point, why was he clinging to her, unwilling to separate?
She didn’t know whether he liked her legal sister or not, but as long as she provoked and humiliated him, he would surely let go.
So she raised her hand and gave him a resounding slap—not just to vent her anger, but also to achieve her goal.
Yan Chiyun had always held a high position, the Heaven’s favored son of the Yan Family, and had never endured such humiliation before. He would surely be willing to let go, though it was also highly likely he would fly into a rage and kill her.
On the day of the wedding banquet, when Yan Chiyun kicked open the door and stormed in, she sensed a seething murderous intent from his furious, handsome face. Yet she didn’t understand why he hadn’t killed her—why he had even protected her instead.
Either he liked her elder sister, or he wanted to torment and take revenge on her.
Pu Jinyu glared at the man before her, tears brimming in the corners of her eyes. Her beautiful pupils were filled with moisture, and in the blink of an eye, crystal-clear teardrops slid down her cheeks, tracing glistening trails.
When Yan Chiyun turned around, his face clouded with boundless, dark anger, this was the scene that met his eyes.
Her tears seemed to drip directly onto his heart, extinguishing his fury and leaving him momentarily speechless and frozen.
She was actually crying?
He hadn’t done anything to her. On the contrary, she had viciously slapped him across the face and even insulted him. If anyone should be crying, it ought to be him.
Yet here she was, crying as if she had endured immense suffering and swallowed countless grievances, her expression reflecting just that.
The tears overflowed uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes, and her lips trembled with bitterness, yet her expression remained fiercely stubborn.
Though he didn’t know what she was being stubborn about or why she was crying now. Back then, when she was caught with another man, slapped by her own mother, and even faced Madam Pu’s attempt to beat her to death, she hadn’t shed a single tear.
Not only did she not cry, but she hadn’t shown the slightest trace of fear.
Yet now, she was crying.
This made Yan Chiyun instinctively reflect: Had he been… too harsh?
She didn’t want to be intimate with him, yet he had insisted on kissing her.
But that was only because she had provoked him so intensely. He had already laid the evidence before her, showing that he was willing to offer her a way out, yet she showed no appreciation at all.
Fine, he admitted that his tone when speaking to her earlier had indeed been somewhat aggressive. He shouldn’t have been so stern and fierce.
Pu Wange was his wife, not a prisoner in Zhaoyu Prison. In the heat of the moment, he had lost control and lashed out at her.
But he truly hadn’t meant it. He, too, had suffered grievances in this matter, yet she refused to yield, not even offering a single kind word.
He had patiently explained so much to her, even if his tone hadn’t been the best. But how could she respond with nothing more than a cold, infuriating “oh,” and then impatiently cut him off to ask when they could divorce?
He really wanted her to stop talking, which was why he had resorted to such a reckless method, forcing a kiss upon her.
Though Yan Chiyun sensed the complex, turbulent emotions in the person before him, he couldn’t understand where her grievances came from. After carefully reflecting, he even found himself wondering—had he been wrong to kick open that door so forcefully? Had he stripped away her dignity?
As he pondered, his gaze fell on the Dossiers and letters scattered on the floor. Suddenly, it occurred to him: Could her tears be because of Cheng Wenque’s betrayal?
Earlier, she had read the Dossier, and he had analyzed the pros and cons for her, revealing Cheng Wenque’s motives for approaching her and even presenting the interrogation results that exposed Cheng Wenque’s attempt to shift the blame.
Though she claimed not to care, perhaps deep down she was as heartbroken and unable to contain herself as his fourth sister had been?
Cheng Wenque’s betrayal of her was no different from her betrayal of him, her husband, that day.
That day, he had been utterly enraged by her act of adultery, so he assumed she must be angry today as well.
But why shed tears over such a spineless, worthless man?
Yan Chiyun’s slapped cheek still throbbed with pain. As his thoughts circled, the overwhelming fury from being struck and humiliated gradually faded, and he slowly calmed down.
Looking at the young woman before him, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes, he found himself momentarily at a loss for words. “…”
Pu Jinyu didn’t want to cry and was doing her utmost to hold back, but the thought of her mother made the tears uncontrollable.
She didn’t want anyone to see her vulnerability, especially not this arrogant, foolish man who tried to lecture her on how to live.
He seemed angry, yet he didn’t speak, nor did he storm off in a rage or reach out to kill her in a fit of fury.
Why was he just standing there, blocking her way and staring at her? Hadn’t he been hit enough?
Feeling her emotions spiraling out of control, Pu Jinyu didn’t want to face him any longer. Yan Chiyun was tall and imposing, blocking her path. To get past him, she would have to push him aside.
Long weary of wearing a mask and forcing smiles to placate others, she raised her hand to shove him away, her words sharp and unyielding. “Get out of my way!”
In the brief moment Yan Chiyun was lost in thought, she managed to push him back half a step. He watched as she agilely jumped down from the round table and turned to leave.
He quickly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. “Where are you going?” His voice came out as cold and harsh as ever.
Remembering his earlier reflections, he softened his tone slightly. But unsure of what to say next, he tightened his grip on her wrist, refusing to let her go.
Pu Jinyu felt his palm was too large and scorching, like a shackle meant to bind and control her tightly.
She was utterly fed up with this feeling and struggled against him. “I told you to get out of my way!” She didn’t just use her hands—she kicked and struck him without restraint, like a bristling hedgehog.
Restraining a delicate woman like Pu Jinyu would have been easy, but Yan Chiyun couldn’t bring himself to use force against her, fearing he might accidentally hurt her, especially when she was so emotionally distraught and clearly not herself.
Instead, he exerted a bit of strength to pull her back, drawing her into his embrace and holding her close, his arms encircling her.
“Alright, alright, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have scolded you so harshly earlier. I’m sorry.”
The apology slipped out effortlessly, as if it weren’t so difficult after all.
Yan Chiyun’s expression remained cold, his brows furrowed, but his deep voice had softened considerably. He continued in a rush, “I’m not angry at you for being fool…” He caught himself before the word “foolish” could escape, instantly shifting his tone.
“…but at that scoundrel for being so cunning and deceitful, tricking you, keeping you in the dark, and then shifting all the blame onto you.”
It takes two to tango—he understood that well and didn’t believe Cheng Wenque’s claims.
These words were originally meant to soothe her, spoken hastily to calm her down, but as he spoke, he realized they weren’t just for her. They were also a way to comfort himself, a form of self-deception.
To soothe her, and to soothe himself as well…
Because he didn’t really want to divorce the woman in his arms. As for why he didn’t, he couldn’t quite explain it. He did feel some affection for Pu Wange, but it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t live without her. Yet, he still wanted to hold onto her.
Since he wanted to, he acted on it.
“That man is utterly ignorant and foolish to the extreme. He doesn’t study seriously, his mind is full of crooked schemes and unorthodox methods, wanting to reap without sowing. Who knows how many filthy things he has done? It’s because he is too despicable. Such a person is not worth your tears…”
He really wasn’t good at comforting people. Usually silent and solemn, now that he had spoken more, he was afraid that too many words might lead to mistakes, making her feel he was lecturing her and achieving the opposite effect.
“In short, it’s not your fault. It’s his fault, and also… my fault.”
Pu Jinyu had been struggling at first, but as she listened, she gradually grew quiet.
A pair of eyes, washed clean by tears, gradually concealed their hatred and irritation amidst the man’s magnetic, gentle words by her ear, revealing their original tranquility, now tinged with a faint, elusive interest.
Her quietness made Yan Chiyun sigh in relief. He lowered his head, rubbing his chin against her soft hair, inhaling the fragrance of rouge from her.
“I won’t mention this matter again in the future. You should… let it go too.”
He had almost said that there were plenty of people better than Cheng Wenque in this world, but he quickly stopped himself. He was trying to comfort her and win her back, not help her find another man.
He really must have been knocked silly by that slap she gave him, bewitched to such an extent.
Never mind, he had already said what needed to be said.
With a cold expression, he raised his hand and gently stroked the back of the person in his arms, comforting her through action.
“…”
After such a commotion, they lay back down on the bed.
The tension in Yan Chiyun’s heart lingered for a long time because the person beside him was lying on her side facing him, staring straight at him.
What was she looking at?
He turned over, meeting the young woman’s tranquil gaze.
Outside the bed curtains, a candle burned, casting a dim yellow light inside.
Having cried earlier, she had reapplied her makeup. Her round, beautiful eyes showed no trace of tears now, but she kept staring at him, watching him, as if trying to uncover something from his face.
Yan Chiyun stretched out a long arm and wrapped it around her waist. He paused slightly, sensing no resistance from her, and sighed in relief, slowly pulling her closer.
As they drew near, he could see her more clearly.
He asked her in a low voice, “What are you looking at?”
Pu Jinyu didn’t answer.
In the past, when she didn’t want to answer, he wouldn’t press further. But now he wanted to understand her true nature better, so he persisted, “Could it be that my face is also stained with rouge?”
Hearing this, Pu Jinyu shifted her gaze to the man’s cheek. There was no rouge, only the scent of medicine.
The medicine he used was of high quality and had indeed reduced much of the swelling, but it was still severe, with visible redness.
Seeing her shift her gaze to stare at his cheek, Yan Chiyun deliberately lightened the mood to tease her, “My lady really didn’t hold back.”
“Fortunately, His Majesty granted two days of official leave. Otherwise, if I went to court looking like this, I’d probably become a laughingstock.”
Was he trying to make her laugh?
Pu Jinyu pondered his intentions. Even though she already had some inkling, she needed confirmation. She lifted her eyes and continued to look into the man’s eyes.
Yan Chiyun had a very handsome appearance, with exquisite and outstanding features. Although she didn’t like him—even felt a faint disgust—she had to admit that looking at his face was indeed pleasing to the eye.
She reached out and touched his cheek, the spot where she had struck him.
Recalling that she had touched his face before, Yan Chiyun guessed she still had some interest, so he didn’t stop her movement.
But he hadn’t expected that this time, her touch wasn’t gentle—instead, she pressed down forcefully on his injured area. Her nails, already grown somewhat long, now pressed down without restraint, making him feel the sharp pain.
Caught off guard, he gasped in pain, only to see the young woman who had inflicted it curl the corners of her lips upward.
Seeing him in pain seemed to put her in a good mood.
Had she always been this cruel?
Yan Chiyun grasped her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. “On purpose?” he asked, noticing she was still smiling at his discomfort.
After laughing for a moment, Pu Jinyu averted her gaze, her expression turning cold and indifferent once more, still ignoring him.
As he looked at her profile, glimpsing her thick, curled lashes and observing the structure of her face, he couldn’t help but think of something.
She had been married to him for nearly four years now. How old was she this year?
She often wore makeup, outlined her lips in red, and styled her hair in an elegant and dignified manner. Yet, looking at the structure of her face now, he couldn’t help but feel she wasn’t very old—even somewhat youthful, almost like his younger sister.
Logically, she should be older than his sister, and by several years. But how could her bone structure…? How could it resemble his sister’s?
At Zhaoyu Prison, there were specialized coroners who performed autopsies to determine causes of death. He often supervised to ensure nothing was overlooked, and over time, he had learned a great deal. He knew well that a person’s age could be falsified, but bone age could not be forged.
Could the age she had reported to the family be wrong? Or was it the dim light of night playing tricks on his eyes?
As Yan Chiyun pondered this, she suddenly leaned closer to him. The fragrance of her cosmetics drifted over, unintentionally clouding his thoughts and diverting his attention.
Pu Jinyu lay against his chest, gazing at his face before shifting her focus to his cheek, where she had pressed so hard that clear nail marks remained.
The corners of her lips curled upward again. Pressing against his shoulders, she rose slightly and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on the side of his face where he had been struck and pinched.
Yan Chiyun stiffened abruptly, somewhat flustered by her sudden change.
Was this her way of making amends?
His hand encircled her waist protectively.
Though the young woman pulled away almost immediately, the warmth of her touch lingered on his cheek.
Looking into her unwavering eyes, he suddenly felt a strong urge to kiss her, yet he dared not act recklessly. Her resistance was still fresh in his mind, and she had just been crying moments ago.
Yan Chiyun raised his hand to gently stroke the side of her face, responding to her kiss in his own way.
Pu Jinyu hadn’t fallen asleep. She suddenly leaned closer to the man again, and this time, her kiss landed directly on his thin lips. She pressed against him, kissing him intently.
Mimicking the way he had kissed her in the past, she moved her lips over his, gently nibbling and caressing.
Her sudden closeness and passionate kisses made Yan Chiyun’s heart race uncontrollably.
He didn’t dare respond too eagerly, afraid of startling her and disrupting her actions.
Pu Jinyu noticed the man’s restraint, and beneath her lowered lashes, her eyes churned with deep mockery.
Yet, with her demure and obedient demeanor, Yan Chiyun couldn’t discern her true intentions from her expression. He simply thought she had changed her mind and, unwilling to speak, chose to convey it this way.
Pu Jinyu continued kissing the man’s thin lips for a while before she rose slightly, panting softly as she gazed at his handsome face, now clearly stirred with desire.
Then she lowered her head again. This time, she not only lingered over his thin lips but also extended her soft little tongue, prying open the man’s lips and kissing directly inside.
Once she reached inside, she slowly swept over his lips and tongue, as if out of curiosity, exploring and surveying everywhere with soft, gentle movements.
Unintentionally, she stirred him even more, making it somewhat unbearable to hold back.
This wasn’t the first time they had kissed, yet it made him incredibly nervous, even afraid to move.
After being kissed by her for a while, Yan Chiyun wanted to take the initiative, but he feared disrupting the favorable situation, especially since Pu Wange had finally begun to show willingness to get close to him.
She continued kissing him, leaning in closer and closer.
Her two soft hands cradled the man’s handsome face as she kissed him repeatedly inside his thin lips.
Although her advances were continuous, she refused to go further. He grew increasingly restless under her kisses, unsure if she could sense it.
After a while, she seemed about to pull away.
But Yan Chiyun caught her soft tongue and continued kissing her. This was a tentative step forward, and he worried she might become annoyed or push him away directly.
Fortunately, she didn’t do so. After a brief pause, she responded to his kiss.
Inside the curtained bed, the two kissed more and more intimately, the sounds of their kisses growing louder, and their panting becoming increasingly audible.
After a moment, they finally separated.
Even after parting, the connection lingered like an unbroken thread.
Their foreheads pressed together as they panted, their breaths mingling into one, indistinguishable as to which strand belonged to whom.
Many things had happened today—arguments, conflicts.
That they could now kiss like this was something he hadn’t expected.
He had thought it would take much longer for her to soften, but it had come so quickly and so proactively.
Even though he was restless, thinking of all that had happened today and the kiss he had initiated that she had rejected, he didn’t want her to think he was coaxing her just to do this.
Yan Chiyun steadied his breathing, suppressing his desire.
His large hand moved up from the young woman’s back, patting the back of her head as he whispered softly, “Are you tired?”
The implied meaning was to ask if she wanted to rest.
But unexpectedly, the corner of her lips curled up, and her nimble fingers slipped through the brocade quilt, finding his desire and drawing close to him.
Yan Chiyun gasped sharply, feeling both pleasure and delight.
How could she… be so bold and reckless?
He couldn’t understand her intentions at all, growing more and more unable to see through her.
Pu Jinyu nestled against the man’s neck, panting as she kissed him repeatedly.
Yan Chiyun was truly struggling to hold back.
After another round of Pu Jinyu’s actions, he frowned, closed his eyes, and struggled, moving closer to her, gripping her waist, and pinning her beneath him.
Meeting the young woman’s eyes, he lowered his head to peck the tip of her nose.
“…Do you really want this?”
Even at this point, he was still considering her feelings and asking for her consent.
Pu Jinyu answered the man’s question with action.
Not only did she rise to kiss the corner of his lips, but she also grasped his most sensitive spot, drawing him close and signaling for him to proceed.
Yan Chiyun was left flustered and disheveled by her. After confirming from her expression that she truly wanted this and wanted him to do it, he lowered his head and kissed her deeply.
Taking over her closeness, he gradually gave her the intimacy she needed.
Within the curtains, the soft rustling of clothes being removed gradually emerged, along with the girl’s sobs, delicate moans, and the man’s magnetic, low coaxing.
These sounds together wove a tapestry of lingering tenderness within the tent, long-lasting and heart-fluttering.
Pu Jinyu clung to the man’s broad shoulders, feeling his closeness, one wave after another.
Though he was very powerful, he still took great care of her, always mindful of her feelings.
Her full lips slightly parted as she leaned close to the man’s mouth and softly whispered, “Yan Chiyun, do you like me?”
Here we go! This chapter also includes a randomly dropped Luck-piecing red envelope.
Don’t worry, my dears—I write pretty fast, and the story will progress quickly! But please keep the discussions peaceful and avoid arguments, okay? [Rainbow fart]