The candle flame flickered, the spring night was short, and like a baby's cry, sleep eluded her.
Green Wan's four principal maids were overjoyed and couldn't sleep for half the night.
The sun hung overhead, the roosters crowed several times, and the bright sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, falling onto the bedside, bathing the sleeping figure's face. Her long lashes trembled, and her beautiful eyes half-opened.
The steady breathing beside her reached Nan Shiying's ears, and her face instantly flushed.
Recalling the wildness of last night, she still felt a lingering fear. But as soon as she moved her upper body, a sharp pain shot through her lower regions.
The quilt covering her slipped slightly. Nan Shiying grabbed the corner of the quilt. The steady breathing beside her became rapid and chaotic. She turned her head and met Ji Jinmo's deep, fiery gaze.
Nan Shiying felt a prickling sensation on her scalp. She swallowed subconsciously and used her jade arms to push against Ji Jinmo's chest, preemptively stopping the man's impulse to turn into a beast.
However, as she moved, the quilt slipped down another inch, revealing large patches of pale skin covered in bruises and marks. The visual impact of the snow-white skin against the purplish marks reignited Ji Jinmo's nearly suppressed fire. His dragon rose to the sky once more, soaring.
He flipped over, pressing her down beneath him again.
"No..."
Nan Shiying's hands pushed against his chest, and she begged softly.
The usually proud person before her now had a blushing face, lowered eyes, and a gentle demeanor. This immense contrast was intoxicating, pulling him deeper. Seeing her like this, Ji Jinmo lowered his head and kissed her lips passionately. Their lips met, love flowed between them, and after a long while, Ji Jinmo lifted his head.
He nuzzled Nan Shiying's delicate nose with his own, his lips almost touching hers. As he spoke, his warm breath traced the lines of her lips and flowed into her mouth through the slight gap of her involuntarily parted lips.
Nan Shiying's gaze was almost hazy.
"Let me hold you for a while, just for a little while!"
He had overdone it last night, but the sensation was so intoxicating and soul-stirring that he couldn't help himself. If it weren't for her body, Ji Jinmo would have insisted on continuing.
He turned his head and buried his face in her neck. Nan Shiying wrapped her arms around him, and they clung to each other, bare and unhindered, feeling each other's breath, the warmth of their bodies, and the rhythm of their heartbeats.
By the time the sun was high, Nan Shiying and Ji Jinmo finally got out of bed. Hearing the movement in the room, Green Wan and Bai Zhi entered with basins of water to help them wash up. Xiao Huan and Lan'er carried food boxes, placing the prepared lunch on the table.
"Master, Empress, please dine!"
Nan Shiying was already ravenous, feeling that the dishes from the small kitchen were more fragrant than usual today.
As Ji Jinmo ate, he watched Nan Shiying. Seeing her cheeks puffed out with food, he couldn't help but smile inwardly.
Green Wan and the others exchanged glances, their smiles reaching their eyes.
After the meal, Green Wan handed a bottle of medicine to Nan Shiying. "Empress, Elder Du asked me to give this to you."
"What is this?" Nan Shiying took the medicine bottle, uncorked it, and smelled it.
Green Wan's face flushed slightly. She glanced discreetly at Ji Jinmo and whispered, "Elder Du said it's medicine to relieve pain, for external application."
Nan Shiying: "..."
Damn it!
That disrespectful old man.
But speaking of which, how did he know?
Nan Shiying suddenly looked up, glaring at Green Wan.
Green Wan quickly explained, "This morning Elder Du came to find you at the Xin Yuan Pavilion. I said you weren't up yet, and fearing he would wake you and Master, I persuaded him to leave. But less than fifteen minutes after he left, he returned and pressed this medicine into my hand."
"I really didn't say anything!"
This was something they, among themselves, could happily indulge in, but they wouldn't dare speak of it to others.
Nan Shiying twitched her lips, wondering if she was just unlucky or if Elder Du was just too good at timing. He could have come at any time but chose today.
Tsk.
Nan Shiying felt a bit annoyed and glared at Ji Jinmo.
Ji Jinmo waved his hand, dismissing Green Wan and the others.
He walked to Nan Shiying's side, took the ointment from her hand, and said to her, his face unblushing and his heart steady, "Let me apply the medicine for you."
Nan Shiying's eyes widened suddenly, her face turning from white to red, then redder still, as if it might bleed. She glared at him through gritted teeth and pointed at the door, shouting, "Get out!"
Ji Jinmo had no intention of leaving.
He bent down, scooped Nan Shiying onto his shoulder, and strode towards the bed.
Nan Shiying beat his back, finding it as hard as iron. Her hands hurt from hitting him. However, thinking of the crisscrossing scars she had seen on his back last night, she felt a pang of reluctance to use force, though her teeth itched with resentment.
This damned scoundrel, how could he, how could he do this in broad daylight...
Ji Jinmo gently placed Nan Shiying on the bed, his hands against the bed frame. He kissed her lips like a butterfly landing on a flower, then his hands moved down, undoing the sash at her waist.
Nan Shiying quickly grasped Ji Jinmo's hand, her cheeks flushed, her eyes like springtime. "I can do it myself."
Ji Jinmo smiled. He said, "Don't be afraid, I really just want to apply the medicine for you."
His voice was as gentle as water. If one couldn't see his face, they would think he was an exceptionally refined and elegant scholar. Nan Shiying looked at Ji Jinmo, seeing the desire in his eyes, but also the tenderness and deep affection. Her heart softened completely. She subconsciously released her hand and tilted her head back, lying down on the bed.
Ji Jinmo removed her lower garments, scooped out the ointment, and inserted his fingers.
The moment his fingers entered, Nan Shiying's entire body tensed. Her hands, resting naturally by her sides, suddenly clenched the sheet beneath her. The fullness and an indescribable itch caused her to groan involuntarily. The soles of her bare feet, resting on the edge of the bed, stretched taut, her toes pressing against the edge, as she instinctively lifted her lower body.
The tender flesh wrapped around his fingers was filled with grooves. With each in-and-out motion, it felt as if she were being tightly sucked. Ji Jinmo's breathing grew heavier, and a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He used almost all his strength to control his inner impulse. He took a deep breath and then rotated his fingers, spreading the medicine evenly on the inner walls.
"Hiss~"
All of Nan Shiying's muscles tensed. She parted her lips slightly, her breaths carrying an endless cascade of gasps from her throat. Her eyes were almost hazy.
However, the thread of rationality kept her from completely succumbing. She raised a hand to cover her mouth, suppressing the uncontrollable gasps and moans.