Inside the room, Pei Yunting unconsciously swallowed as she watched Yan Huaijin stride toward her, every step radiating hostility.
Fortunately, she had long cultivated the ability to remain calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before her. Her expression revealed nothing as she steadily poured him a cup of tea.
“Your injuries haven’t healed yet. Why are you out already?”
The sight of her calm, indifferent demeanor only irritated Yan Huaijin further. Narrowing his eyes, every inch of him seemed to proclaim, “This prince is in a terrible mood today.” Yet Pei Yunting acted as though she noticed nothing.
Lifting the hem of his robe, he sat down across from her, staring so intently it seemed he wanted to bore a hole through the girl who refused to meet his gaze.
Instead of growing angrier, he suddenly laughed.
“Pei Wanwan, your ability to infuriate people improves by the day.”
When she still refused to answer, remaining perfectly composed, Yan Huaijin’s chest rose and fell violently, as though he were about to cough up a mouthful of blood.
“Don’t tell me you don’t know what kind of place this is. And don’t tell me you came here looking for pleasure.”
Xiaoxiang House was filled with every sort of person imaginable. If her identity were exposed here, even the Jade Emperor himself couldn’t clear her name.
Yet this fool was happily sitting here making tea.
If he hadn’t come today, she probably wouldn’t even know when she’d been sold off.
A noble young lady bringing her guards to a brothel…
Only she could come up with something so outrageous.
The more Yan Huaijin thought about it, the angrier he became. Feeling parched, he casually picked up the tea she had just poured and drained it in one gulp. Only after setting the cup down and tasting its lingering sweetness did he raise an eyebrow.
Resting her chin in her hands, Pei Yunting smiled brightly at him.
Though dressed as a young man, she couldn’t conceal the innocent charm that only made her look more adorable in his eyes.
“Well? The tea’s good, isn’t it?”
He shot her a sharp glare.
The smile on her face never faded.
Clearly, it held no intimidation whatsoever.
“Of course not. I…” Pei Yunting frowned delicately, about to refute him and continue explaining her grand plan, when his expression suddenly changed.
The words died in her throat.
Yan Huaijin merely cast her a meaningful glance.
She immediately understood.
Someone was outside.
The two of them had committed countless mischievous deeds together since childhood, and over the years they had developed an unspoken understanding.
He never needed to say anything aloud.
A single glance.
A single gesture.
She understood everything.
Having trained in martial arts since childhood, Yan Huaijin’s senses and reflexes were far keener than hers.
At that moment, someone was clearly standing outside the door, seemingly about to enter.
The pair rose simultaneously.
Without stopping to wonder why anyone would intrude into their private room, Yan Huaijin immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her behind the folding screen beside the window, intending to wait and see.
If whoever had come knew Pei Yunting was here today and meant to harm her…
Yan Huaijin would show no mercy.
Barely had they hidden themselves when the door burst open.
A woman’s flirtatious laughter exploded in their ears like thunder.
The two exchanged glances.
Each saw the other’s panic.
Neither had ever experienced matters between men and women.
Though they had heard countless bawdy rumors, listening to them firsthand was an entirely different matter.
Especially Yan Huaijin.
With his sharper hearing, he could hear every sound far more clearly than Pei Yunting.
He had already come of age and was a vigorous young man.
Being forced to stand here listening to such intimate sounds…
What kind of absurd situation was this?
He gently patted the frozen Pei Yunting. Seeing her face so red it looked ready to drip blood, he motioned for her to come closer.
Even Pei Yunting, who usually feared nothing under heaven, was at a complete loss.
She instinctively clung to the only lifeline beside her.
The moment he reached out, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him.
Looking down at his childhood sweetheart burying her face against his neck, Yan Huaijin sighed inwardly.
He was just about to signal the Shadow Guards and escape through the window when a sweet, coquettish voice drifted from behind the lotus-patterned bed curtains.
“Lord Liu…”
Not every woman in Xiaoxiang House sold her body.
But those who did had all undergone special training.
They specialized in extracting secrets while men were at their weakest, sometimes plying them with alcohol or other means until they became so bewitched that they would reveal every secret they possessed.
At that moment, Yan Huaijin no longer cared about the embarrassing situation.
A few days earlier, he had been injured while secretly investigating the embezzlement case that had recently become Emperor Ren’an’s greatest concern.
The case implicated numerous officials.
Although they had been exceedingly cautious, they had still been discovered by hidden assassins.
Those assassins had attacked with ruthless ferocity.
Yan Huaijin had been wounded.
When he was finally brought back to his palace, he remained unconscious for three full days.
And this Lord Liu…
Just happened to be one of the officials involved in the case.
It was like finding a pillow just as sleepiness struck.
A perfect opportunity delivered right to his doorstep.
Keeping one arm loosely around Pei Yunting’s waist, he lowered his head and whispered almost inaudibly,
“Bear with it a little longer. He’s exactly the man I’m investigating. Once we’re done here, I’ll take you out.”
What else could Pei Yunting do?
She simply nodded and continued enduring the sounds of passion unfolding nearby.
Seeing how embarrassed she was, Yan Huaijin couldn’t help laughing inwardly.
Then he remembered.
Women were different from rough men like them.
And the one in his arms had especially thin skin.
With another helpless sigh, he gently covered both of her ears with his hands while concentrating on listening to the conversation beyond the curtain.
This Yue-niang…
She would only strike when her target was most overcome with desire.
Now wasn’t even the crucial moment.
As his thoughts wandered, Yan Huaijin suddenly remembered the basket of tribute oranges he had sent Pei Yunting before he was injured.
He had received only two baskets in total.
Yet he had given half to her.
After hearing he had been wounded…
She hadn’t even come to visit him.
He had even worried she might become implicated and had thoughtfully assigned his own Shadow Guards to protect her.
And only a few days later…
She had run off to a brothel to give him a headache.
What an ungrateful little thing.
Pei Yunting, still flushed with embarrassment, clutched tightly at his robes around his waist.
Yan Huaijin wasn’t faring much better.
He had only recently finished drinking two cups of tea.
Now his mouth had gone dry again.
The chaotic sounds around them left him deeply uncomfortable.
Yet the girl in front of him refused to loosen her grip.
Grinding his teeth, he tried to move slightly farther away.
Unexpectedly, the moment he shifted…
Pei Yunting immediately followed him.
He began regretting everything.
Why had he rushed over here?
Why had he hidden behind this screen?
Why had he let her hug him in the first place?
What a disaster…
Pressed together like this, warmth naturally spread between them.
Pei Yunting was tense.
Yan Huaijin had never found anything so difficult to endure.
How had he never noticed before…
That Pei Yunting was so soft.
So fragrant.
Holding her felt as though he were embracing a living piece of dragon’s salve incense.
Only then did he finally understand why the young nobles of every great family—
Even his imperial brothers—
Were so captivated by Pei Yunting.
Even he himself…
Taking a deep breath, Yan Huaijin finally loosened his hold.
“Don’t hug me so tightly.”
“I’m still injured.”
…
After hearing everything he needed, Yan Huaijin immediately ordered someone to escort Pei Yunting home.
Once he returned to Chengqian Palace, he headed straight for the bathhouse without a backward glance, refusing any attendants and locking himself inside.
The palace servants naturally did not dare question him.
After preparing fresh clothes, they quietly withdrew.
That night, a torrential rain fell.
The air was hot and humid.
Inside his sleeping chambers, Yan Huaijin found himself trapped in torment.
He had a dream.
In the dream, he returned to Xiaoxiang House.
Layer upon layer of bed curtains hung before him.
Behind them stood two figures.
Suddenly, the curtain before him parted.
He saw the silhouettes of a man and woman embracing.
Yan Huaijin froze where he stood.
His mind went blank.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
The woman turned her head.
Only then did he see her face clearly.
Beautiful eyes shimmering with autumn’s allure.
One glance was enough to steal a man’s soul.
A delicate nose.
Soft red lips.
Snow-white teeth.
It was…
Pei Yunting!
Yan Huaijin’s heart trembled violently.
He turned in fury to glare at the man—
Only to discover, in utter shock…
That the man was himself.
The world suddenly spun.
He was no longer standing at a distance.
Instead, he had become the man holding her in his arms.
Though he knew he had completely lost his reason…
He still refused to wake.
Countless charms stirred the soul until every bone in his body seemed ready to melt away.
Then suddenly, nestled against his chest, Pei Yunting softly called,
“Huailin-gege…”
Yan Huaijin drifted deeper and deeper into the dream…
Completely lost within it.