"Whether or not Dou Ban’s words are true, Madam Zhong’s behavior today was indeed suspicious. It seems we’ll have to stay at the villa for the night," Leng Ruo Li sighed.
"Mhm," Jun Mo Han nodded in agreement.
"However, it’s fortunate that we came to the villa to admire the flowers today and learned about this. Otherwise, this Nevernight Villa would have claimed a few more lives. Now I’m really curious about who kidnapped Dou Ban and what their intentions are?" Leng Ruo Li frowned again.
"We’ll know tonight," Jun Mo Han said softly, suddenly pulling Leng Ruo Li closer by her waist.
At that moment, a mischievous thought flashed through his mind. Before Leng Ruo Li could react, he playfully nibbled her earlobe, startling her into a scream.
As soon as Leng Ruo Li recovered, she instinctively shielded her earlobes, turned her head, and glared at Jun Mo Han, scolding him, "You scoundrel! You pervert!"
But Jun Mo Han, his skin unusually thick today, didn't seem offended by her scolding. Instead, he looked at her with a playful smile.
This only made Leng Ruo Li more annoyed. She raised her hand and pinched his arm hard.
With that pinch, Jun Mo Han's handsome and flawless face shifted slightly. Then, he forcefully pulled Leng Ruo Li backward, their bodies tumbling onto the grass. They rolled a few times, clinging to each other, before finally stopping with Jun Mo Han pinning her down like a thousand-pound boulder.
At this moment, Leng Ruo Li's face darkened like the bottom of a pot. Her eyes, glaring at Jun Mo Han, burned like embers, as if she could incinerate him instantly.
"Jun Mo Han, you’re so heavy! Get off me, quickly!" Leng Ruo Li pushed against his chest with her hands, trying to prevent him from pressing down further.
"No, I won't. It feels so soft and comfortable pressing on Li'er," Jun Mo Han replied infuriatingly.
Leng Ruo Li: "..."
"You bastard! You're so heavy, I can barely breathe. If you don't get up by the count of three, I'll use my internal energy to blast you away!" Leng Ruo Li threatened him.
"Alright, alright, Li'er. I won't press you anymore. Just let me nuzzle against you a bit," Jun Mo Han whined playfully.
"Jun Mo Han, can you be serious for once? We're by the river, and if someone comes, we'll be thoroughly embarrassed." Leng Ruo Li reminded him.
"Li'er, don't worry! Dusk is approaching, and all the hired hands at the villa have gone home to cook. No one will see us," Jun Mo Han reassured her.
Seeing that she couldn't persuade Jun Mo Han, Leng Ruo Li let him continue to press down on her.
"Li'er, I desire you so much, but you're still a year away from eighteen. I'm afraid I won't be able to wait and will..." Jun Mo Han murmured, half-pressing on Leng Ruo Li.
Leng Ruo Li: "..."
As Jun Mo Han spoke, Leng Ruo Li could feel the intense desire emanating from him. Her face flushed all the way to her ears, and her entire body tensed up. This man was clearly aroused again. Indeed, Jun Mo Han was in his twenties. At his age in ancient times, men would already be weary of being fathers. And Jun Mo Han, reportedly, was still a virgin. Thinking of it this way, Jun Mo Han seemed rather pitiful.
As Leng Ruo Li thought this, she suddenly burst into laughter.
"Pfft hahahaha..."
Her sudden laughter completely bewildered Jun Mo Han.
Disregarding whatever Jun Mo Han was thinking, Leng Ruo Li asked him with a smile, "Jun Mo Han, have you ever been with a woman before?"
Hearing this, Jun Mo Han's face instantly flushed like a burning sunset. He looked extremely embarrassed and rolled off her, lying beside her on his back, facing upwards.
However, Leng Ruo Li didn't urge him to return. After all, such matters were private. But without an answer, she would have an unsettled feeling. Fortunately, Jun Mo Han didn't disappoint her. After a moment, he regained his composure, his face slowly returning to normal, and he said, "Li'er, I haven't been with a woman. Do you believe me?"
"Don't the royal family members receive sex education after the age of twelve?" Leng Ruo Li countered instead of answering directly.
"Yes, after I turned twelve, my Imperial Father assigned palace maids to select women for me. I refused them. Later, my Imperial Grandmother also chose one for me, but I politely declined. However, my Imperial Grandmother threatened me, saying that if I didn't consummate with that woman, I wouldn't be allowed to go to war, and she also told me to leave an heir before I departed. Thus, under my Imperial Grandmother's coercion and persuasion, I chose to consummate with the palace maid she had selected."
"But on the night of consummation, when I saw the woman acting as lowly as a prostitute, I was utterly disgusted and kicked her out of the door… She died on the spot. Later, my Imperial Father and Imperial Grandmother never dared to mention this matter to me again." Jun Mo Han recounted his past without any reservation to Leng Ruo Li.
"Pfft hahahahaha..."
Upon hearing this, Leng Ruo Li burst into delighted laughter again.
"So, does that mean you're still a virgin?"
"Uh..."
"You could say that."
As he spoke, Jun Mo Han's face turned red with embarrassment again, his cheeks burning as if on fire.
Fortunately, at this moment, they heard Uncle Zhong calling them back for dinner, which helped Jun Mo Han diffuse the awkwardness.
"Your Highness, Royal Consort, it's time for dinner!" Uncle Zhong had been watching by the river for quite some time before spotting the King and Consort. He then waved vigorously and shouted loudly.
"We're coming, Uncle Zhong!" Leng Ruo Li and Jun Mo Han quickly got up from the grass, brushed off the dirt and leaves from their clothes, and walked towards Uncle Zhong.
The three of them then returned to the small courtyard of the villa. Madam Zhong had already set the dishes on the small table in the living room.
"Your Highness, Royal Consort, there isn't much to eat at the villa. We can only offer you simple fare," Madam Zhong said with a smile, looking at the royal couple.
Leng Ruo Li lowered her eyes and scanned the dishes on the table. They looked decent, and the aroma was quite inviting. There was braised grass carp, braised chicken with mushrooms, two vegetable dishes, a basin of rice, and a plate of pastries. Although the variety was limited, the portions were generous and sufficient for four people.
"Madam Zhong, you are too kind. Your cooking is exquisite, even better than the chefs at the restaurants in the capital. We are truly fortunate to be here today," Leng Ruo Li praised her sincerely.
"Royal Consort, please don't praise this humble woman so much. My culinary skills are only suitable for cooking at home for my family. Compared to the chefs in the capital's restaurants, I am still far behind," Madam Zhong said, a happy smile gracing her face.