Chapter 123: Be Good—Don’t Be Petty
Nan Xun ignored Little Eight. She sighed and lay back on the bed, unwilling to move, her body already soft as a puddle of mud.
Cui Huan came in carrying water. “Your Highness, it’s already chen hour. I saw you sleeping so soundly that I didn’t have the heart to wake you.”
Nan Xun struggled to prop herself up by the edge of the bed. Seeing this, Cui Huan hurried over to help her. When her eyes accidentally caught sight of the greenish-purple marks all over Nan Xun’s body, she stared wide-eyed. “Young Master Yan really doesn’t know his limits—how could he… how could he…”
Nan Xun waved it off indifferently. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I was just bitten a few extra times. It looks scary, but it’s really nothing.”
Cui Huan muttered a few more words under her breath, then attended to Nan Xun’s washing and grooming. After that, Nan Xun ate a little.
Thankfully, she was living in the Cold Palace now—she could get up whenever she wanted. It wasn’t like those favored consorts who had to rise at five or six in the morning, spend one to two hours washing, dressing, and putting on makeup, then go visiting and paying respects to higher-ranking consorts.
If one wasn’t careful, the whole morning would be gone—an utter waste of time.
Nan Xun slumped limply on the long couch inside the room. The weather had turned cool, so she rarely went into the small courtyard. Only when the sunlight was especially good would she move her rocking chair outside, find a sunny spot, and doze off with her eyes half-closed.
Cui Huan had followed Nan Xun for so long that she’d been influenced by her laziness as well. She pulled over a small stool and sat beside Nan Xun, dozing off before she even realized it.
When Yan Han arrived, this was the scene he saw.
He couldn’t help but smile. Moving lightly, he crouched in front of Nan Xun and carefully admired her lovely face. When she was asleep, she looked completely different from when she was awake—but he liked both versions.
Yan Han kept staring at her. After a while, an itch stirred in his heart. Unable to resist, he lowered his head and captured those sweet, peach-blossom lips.
The woman let out a soft mm, her eyes opening just a slit. When she saw it was him, she lazily closed them again, as if nothing had happened.
Yan Han’s mind wavered, his voice dropping. “Yaoyao, are you seducing me?”
Nan Xun didn’t open her eyes. Amid the mingling of lips and teeth, she chuckled softly. “If my husband says it’s seduction, then it’s seduction.”
Yan Han prided himself on his self-control, but at those words, something in his mind went boom and collapsed. He kissed her fiercely again, his large hand sliding to her waist before hoisting her up.
Nan Xun jolted awake, all drowsiness vanishing.
“Yan Han! What are you doing? It’s broad daylight!” she cried softly.
Yan Han shushed her and gestured toward Cui Huan.
The little maid was leaning on her hand, sleeping soundly, her mouth slightly open, drool almost dripping out.
Nan Xun immediately lowered her voice and scolded him irritably. “You do realize Cui Huan is still here, right? And you know you should avoid impropriety? Brother Han, do you have any shame at all? It’s the middle of the day—are you planning to drag me into the inner chamber to do that?”
Yan Han replied shamelessly, “Yaoyao, one day apart from you feels like three autumns to me. I miss you so much it makes my heart ache. Even if it’s daytime, so what? I’m your husband. I want you, anytime.”
Nan Xun: …
“Little Eight, Little Eight, come out right now. Do we still have that hallucinatory powder from last time? Give me ten bottles.”
Little Eight dutifully played dead, not making a sound.
Nan Xun sneered inwardly. If you give it to me now, I won’t pursue why the emperor can suddenly function. But if you don’t—hehe.
The next second, Nan Xun felt a small porcelain bottle appear in her arms, accompanied by Little Eight’s aggrieved voice. “Sob, sob, you always bully me. The emperor being able to function was really an unexpected situation…”
Nan Xun replied casually, “Mm, I believe you. Head pat.”
Little Eight: …
So—had it been tricked? Nan Xun had already believed it, and earlier she was just scamming it for the powder?
Yan Han’s strides were long—one of his steps equaled three of Nan Xun’s. He quickly reached the inner chamber and, in great haste, set her down on the bed, then leaned over her.
Nan Xun immediately pressed her hands against his chest and said urgently, “Brother Han, I’ll do whatever you want, but I have one condition.”
Yan Han pried her hands away and kissed her, not sparing her forehead, the bridge of her nose, or her eyes. As he kissed her, he said, “Yaoyao, say it. Whatever it is, I’ll agree.”
Nan Xun’s lips curved slightly. An idea came to her—perhaps the hallucinatory powder could be saved for another time.
“Brother Han, although you took off your mask last night, it was pitch-black, and I didn’t see your face clearly at all. Can you take it off again now?”
At those words, Yan Han stiffened and stopped.
He straightened Nan Xun’s rumpled palace gown, lifted her from the bed, and said apologetically, “Yaoyao, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have ignored your wishes and tried to do something like this in broad daylight.”
Nan Xun: …
She looked at his bloodshot eyes and nearly burst out laughing inside.
Yes—just like this. Endure it properly. Let’s see if I don’t suffocate you to death!
“Brother Han, I didn’t say I was unwilling. I actually quite like it.” Nan Xun leaned closer, wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head slightly, and kissed his chin, smiling with crescent-shaped eyes.
Yan Han’s breathing turned ragged; he nearly suffocated.
He stared at Nan Xun intensely for a moment, then suddenly—rip!—he tore a long strip from his own robe.
Nan Xun let out a small eh. “What are you doing?”
Without another word, Yan Han blindfolded her with the strip of fabric. His low, hoarse voice sounded by her ear. “Yaoyao, you can touch me—however you want. I want you. I want you right now. I can’t hold back anymore.”
After saying that, he removed the mask from his face, then took Nan Xun’s hand and guided it to his cheek.
Nan Xun protested indignantly, “Brother Han, you’re too sly. Why should I have to touch your face while blindfolded?”
Yan Han sucked on her lips, coaxing her softly. “Be good, don’t be petty. Touch properly—don’t you want to know what I look like?”
Nan Xun: …
Did the big boss really think she was a child—so easy to fool?
Nan Xun vented her frustration by groping his face indiscriminately, even grabbing his cheeks and pulling them back and forth, deforming that handsome face.
Even so, Yan Han’s hands didn’t slow down at all.
With astonishing speed, he began peeling Nan Xun like an egg still in its shell. The waistband was tied too tightly at first; when he couldn’t untie it, he simply tore it in half. In a few swift motions, he ripped open the outer palace robe, then the undergarments.
He stripped her completely bare—not a single piece left.
After that, he began to enjoy his feast.
