But Luo Ran didn’t know…
In the dead of night.
The man she believed to be fair, strict, and upright was now lying alone on the bed in the inner chamber.
The candles had long been extinguished.
Moonlight seeped through the carved window, falling upon his slightly rolling Adam’s apple.
His face, with its sharp, stern lines that appeared imposing during the day, was now half-hidden in the interplay of light and shadow, revealing no discernible expression.
Chu Jin’s eyes were closed, but his breathing was heavier than during the day, rough and labored, like a trapped beast suppressing something.
The mind that should have been occupied with military strategies and court affairs was now completely filled with the image of a woman.
Her flushed eyes, watery gaze, and the way she bit her lip to hold back tears on the soft couch flashed before his eyes again and again.
The glimpse of her slender legs beneath the skirt, her delicate and fair ankles that seemed as if they could snap with a gentle twist.
If only…
Chu Jin’s Adam’s apple rolled violently. He turned over, his muscular arm pressing down beneath him, yet unable to suppress the fire raging within.
Suddenly, the note from earlier that day flashed through his mind.
Slender waist.
Full curves.
Tightness.
That pitifully thin wooden stick…
His two fingers were thicker than that thing.
If it were replaced with his…
The moment this thought surfaced, Chu Jin’s breathing grew abruptly heavier, and a vein throbbed at his temple.
Chu Jin’s eyes snapped open, fixed on the ceiling above, his chest heaving violently.
He raised a hand to cover his eyes.
His rough palm pressed against his eyelids, his heavy breaths echoing distinctly in the silent night.
But the more he tried not to see, the clearer those images became.
The night was long.
Soft rustling sounds came from the bed, and after a long while, everything settled into stillness.
The final gasp was restrained and low, as if squeezed from the depths of his chest, rough and hoarse, dissipating into the moonlight, unknown to anyone.
That evening, after Luo Ran finished feeding Yan Ge’er, Xiao Yue had already fallen asleep on the nearby soft couch.
Luo Ran gently placed Yan Ge’er into the cradle, carefully tucked in the blanket, then picked up Xiao Yue and prepared to return to her own room.
Just as she pushed open the door, she collided with a figure.
Chu Jin stood outside the door, about to enter.
Startled, Luo Ran lost her footing and stumbled sideways, still holding Xiao Yue.
“Careful.”
With quick reflexes, Chu Jin wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back.
His hand was rough and strong, gripping her waist like an iron clamp.
Luo Ran was pulled entirely into his embrace, still holding Xiao Yue, unable to move.
She looked up, meeting his deep gaze, and her face flushed involuntarily.
“M-Master…”
Chu Jin looked down at her but didn’t let go.
His gaze was heavy, making Luo Ran’s heart flutter with unease. She struggled slightly, and only then did Chu Jin release her.
Luo Ran took a step back with the child in her arms and looked at him.
“Did Master come to see Yan Ge’er?”
Chu Jin gave a low “Mm,” his gaze lingering on her face for a moment before he stepped past her into the room.
Chu Jin came to see Yan Ge’er almost every day.
But these past few days, it seemed there were matters at court, and he hadn’t visited for two days.
Chu Jin stood by the cradle, looking down at the sleeping Yan Ge’er, weariness evident on his face.
Luo Ran stood nearby, holding Xiao Yue, and said softly,
“Yan Ge’er just fell asleep. He’s been very well-behaved all afternoon.”
Chu Jin nodded, glanced at Xiao Yue in her arms, and suddenly raised a hand to rub his temple.
“Do you know how to massage the head?”
Luo Ran thought of her former mother-in-law, who would often complain of headaches and body pains, constantly asking her to massage her head and back. Over time, she had become quite skilled at it.
So she nodded and said, “I know a little.”
Chu Jin then spoke in a low voice, “Put the child down.”
Luo Ran followed his instructions, placing Xiao Yue on the soft couch and covering her with a small blanket.
When she straightened up, Chu Jin had already left the room and was heading toward the other side of the courtyard.
Luo Ran followed him and realized it was the bathroom.
Hot water had already been prepared inside.
Behind the screen, steam rose from the bathtub, carrying a faint scent of medicinal herbs.
Chu Jin stood beside the screen, removed his outer robe, and casually draped it over a rack.
He glanced back at Luo Ran, who stood motionless at the doorway, and said calmly,
“Come here. I’ve had a terrible headache these past few days. Help me massage it.”
Luo Ran steeled herself and stepped forward.
Chu Jin had already entered the bathtub, the water reaching his waist.
He leaned against the side of the tub, eyes closed.
Luo Ran sat on a low stool nearby, but her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the man in the tub.
Amidst the misty steam, she could clearly see his robust physique…
His shoulders were alarmingly broad, his chest thick and solid, with well-defined muscles—not the bulky kind, but the lean firmness cultivated from years of martial arts training.
His wheat-colored skin, soaked in the hot water, glowed with a healthy sheen.
As a married woman, she was no stranger to seeing men unclothed, but Chu Jin’s build…
was simply too much.
Realizing she had been secretly scrutinizing the man’s naked body, Luo Ran hurriedly pulled her thoughts back.
Yet her face was already burning, and whether it was due to the steam or not, a thin layer of sweat had formed on her temples.
Chu Jin rested his sturdy arm on the edge of the wooden tub.
The muscles on his arm were taut, veins faintly protruding—clearly the result of years of wielding swords and drawing bows.
He tilted his head back, brows slightly furrowed, looking genuinely weary.
For some reason, Luo Ran’s heart softened.
She moved closer, reached out, and gently pressed her fingers against his temples.
The skin beneath her fingertips was warm, while her fingers were slightly cool—the contrast in temperature was distinct.
She massaged carefully, applying just the right amount of pressure, her fingertips occasionally brushing over his tightly furrowed brow.
Gradually, Chu Jin’s frown eased.
Luo Ran looked down at him. His eyes were closed, his lashes casting a small shadow beneath his eyelids.
Only when she was this close did she realize how strikingly handsome he was…
Thick brows, a high nose, thin lips—his features were sharp and flawless.
Her gaze trailed down from the bridge of his nose to his chin.
There, she noticed a tiny, almost imperceptible mole, visible only when one leaned in very close.
Luo Ran couldn’t help but lean in a little more.
She wanted to see that mole clearly.
Just then…
Chu Jin suddenly opened his eyes.
Their gazes met.
Face to face.
Luo Ran froze completely, her fingers still pressed against his temples, forgetting to pull back.
His eyes, fixed on her, were dark and deep, like an unfathomable pool of water, now staring intently at her.
His gaze was heavy, carrying a suffocating pressure that made her legs go weak.
Flustered by his stare, Luo Ran took a moment to react before hastily pulling away.
“I—I’ll go fetch a towel for the master…”
She blurted out an excuse, pushed herself up from the floor, and tried to leave.
Before she could take a step, her wrist was seized tightly.
Someone had grabbed her.
The floor was already wet, and Luo Ran slipped, stumbling backward. With a splash, she tumbled into the bathtub.
Scalding water surged over her, catching her off guard and making her choke several times as she flailed in panic.
A tight grip around her waist hauled her up.
“Cough, cough, cough…”
Her eyes stung, unable to open from the water, and her throat burned painfully from the choking.
Luo Ran coughed uncontrollably, gasping for breath, tears streaming from her eyes as the rims turned red.