Chapter 89 089 She was wearing someone else's undergarments.

Lu Yuanyuan suppressed the urge to break free from his grasp and run away, her expression remaining calm: "I ate a few pastries at Zhou Que's place."

Yin Xiaozhu paused, didn't say anything, but continued to lead her inside.

In a few steps, Lu Yuanyuan arrived at the inner hall. The sun had already set, and the candle flames flickered inside the lamp box. On the table were five or six exquisite boxes, piled up like a small mountain. The ribbons binding the boxes were tied tightly, but they couldn't stop the aroma of pastries wafting out. Judging from the packaging, they were all snow dumplings and small sesame balls with filling—things she loved to eat.

Was this the snack that they prepared for her as soon as they received the news that she was coming back from the mortal world, something she hadn't eaten in a long time?

After transmigrating into this world, she encountered few kind people, so she cherished every bit of kindness she received and longed to repay it. If she hadn't accidentally discovered the truth, she would surely be moved by such sentiments right now.

Yin Xiaozhu was the most cunning liar she had ever met. He acted so subtly and meticulously that it was no wonder he had completely fooled her, leaving her all delusional and infatuated.

Lu Yuanyuan's other hand, which was hanging by her side, quietly clenched into a fist.

Anger and hatred surged like a volcano deep in the sea, lava churning and crackling. The more intense the rage, the more delighted she appeared. She effortlessly withdrew her wrist, strode to the table, and picked up one of the boxes: "These are Qin Fang Ge's snow dumplings, aren't they? I knew it as soon as I smelled them."

Like a child unwrapping a gift, she was joyful and excited, opening each box to examine it. When she lowered her head, her slender, fair nape, so delicate it could be encircled by one hand, was inadvertently revealed.

The scene, which hadn't been seen for months, brought a vibrant, lively atmosphere to the long-silent house.

Yin Xiaozhu stepped forward. He was much taller than her, and when he bent down, he could completely encircle her in his arms between the table and the table.

Noticing a heat source approaching from behind, Lu Yuanyuan didn't turn around. She sighed and muttered in a plaintive tone, "Sigh, if I had known there were snow dumplings waiting for me here, I wouldn't have eaten at Zhou Que's place. Now, my stomach is so bloated that even drinking water feels too much; I can't hold any more of these good things."

She paused for a moment, then put down the box, turned around, and a hint of regret appeared on her fair face: "Oh, no, let's not talk about these unimportant things. Yuanjun, you're still recovering from your injuries, don't just stand there."

Without a word, she reached out, grabbed his forearm, and pulled him toward the bed.

Under the candlelight, two shadows overlapped and were scattered on the ground. His fingers and forearm seemed to fit together perfectly, intimately close, yet they were always separated by a sleeve, never directly touching skin.

Since he didn't refuse, Lu Yuanyuan successfully pulled him to the bedside. Watching him sit down, she lifted her skirt and planned to sit on the footstool, which was a little lower than the bed.

But before her buttocks even touched him, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her up and pulling her into his embrace.

Since they were in the bedroom, Yin Xiaozhu hadn't tied her hair up and was only wearing casual pajamas, the collar slightly open, revealing her collarbone. A quick glance downwards revealed that their hair was intertwined.

In an instant, Lu Yuanyuan froze, her lips trembling slightly.

Hatred could drive her forward relentlessly. But on the other hand, knowing that this person could kill her at any moment, and had already tried twice, to still stay so intimately with him was like a mouse willingly approaching a snake—a challenge that went against her primal instincts.

Afraid that he would notice her unease, she had to use all her strength to suppress the trembling in her body and try her best to act as before.

So she paused for a moment, then pretended to struggle and said, "You!"

His hands, encircling her waist, were exceptionally strong, holding her in a way that wouldn't hurt her but would absolutely prevent her from escaping. Half a day passed, and no matter how much she struggled, she couldn't get up; it looked as if she was actively wriggling in his arms.

At the same time, due to the slippery fabric and the influence of gravity, her buttocks were slowly sliding towards his legs.

Yin Xiaozhu's eyes darkened, and he tightened his grip on her arm, preventing her from moving any further.

Seemingly accepting her inability to resist his fate, the girl in his arms stopped struggling, two faint blushes rose on her snowy cheeks, and she poked his cheek with her index finger, a little annoyed and embarrassed: "Are you a child? Why do you insist on doing what others tell you not to do?"

Soon, he grasped the hand that was poking her face.

Seeing her like this, Yin Xiaozhu was not displeased at all; in fact, she seemed to be in a better mood. She said lazily, "Weren't you worried about me? Then I'll let you come closer so I can check you out myself."

The person in his arms glared at him angrily: "Nonsense! You're just taking advantage of the fact that I'm still drunk and not as strong as you."

“I didn’t.” Yin Xiaozhu paused slightly, then curled her lips into a smile. “But I remember, when you’re not drinking, you don’t seem to be as strong as me.”

Hearing him say that, the person in his arms seemed genuinely annoyed and couldn't help but raise their hand and slap his shoulder twice.

He grabbed her hand again and coaxed her, "Okay, okay, I have it."

Because their bodies were pressed together, Lu Yuanyuan could clearly feel a slight vibration coming from his chest.

He was chuckling to himself.

Even now, Lu Yuanyuan doesn't understand why Yin Xiaozhu was a monster when he was young, and why he was impossible to kill. But now, she feels that what she is touching is just ordinary flesh and blood.

She really wanted to see with her own eyes whether the heart hidden in this chest was pitch black.

Yin Xiaozhu's mood improved completely, and she finally let go of his hand.

However, the alarm bells in Lu Yuanyuan's mind did not stop.

She didn't understand why Yin Xiaozhu would allow her to see his wounds.

She remembered that before going to the mortal realm, she had stumbled upon his secrets of both his snake tail and his gender in one night. Adhering to the principle that "the more you know, the faster you die," she had subtly hinted to him after waking up that she didn't know he was a man.

Yin Xiaozhu believed her for the time being, but before letting her go, she still bit her, leaving a handle to threaten her.

Could it be that he later reviewed the situation and felt that her reaction at that time was too clumsy, and, being as suspicious as he was, wanted to test her a second time?

In an instant, several guesses and corresponding contingency plans flashed through her mind. But on the surface, she still put on a concerned and worried expression.

Yin Xiaozhu rolled up his sleeves himself, and sure enough, his arm was wrapped in a snow-white bandage that extended all the way to his shoulder.

It's not a part that reveals gender.

It seems she was overthinking it.

Lu Yuanyuan lowered her head slightly, her fingertips lightly touching the bandage: "Then you have to be more careful next time."

Yin Xiaozhu frowned slightly.

Although she kept asking about his health as soon as she entered the room, there were still some differences compared to before.

She stopped nagging him not to use his hand, asking if he had changed his dressing, and offering to feed him.

Everything was too proper, too just right, which subtly revealed a sense of distant indifference.

Yin Xiaozhu seemed to be deep in thought and stopped talking.

Lu Yuanyuan turned around, put her feet off the bed, and put on her shoes. Suddenly, she stopped bending over, touched her stomach, turned back, and blinked: "Yuanjun, I'm really hungry now. But I don't want to eat snacks. Is there any hot food in the kitchen at this time? I want to eat noodles."

In Mount Shu, there's a rule of serving three meals at fixed times. Since it was well past the designated mealtime, there was naturally nothing in the dining hall. However, if the sect leader's daughter made a request, then that was perfectly acceptable.

When Yin Xiaozhu returned to the room after giving instructions, he saw Lu Yuanyuan sitting on the soft footrest by the bed, her upper body lying on his bedding, breathing evenly, her cheeks flushed, her hair loose and languid, like a begonia in spring.

It was probably because of the fatigue from the journey and the lingering effects of the alcohol that I felt sleepy.

Just now, he did see her rubbing her eyes frequently, and her eyes were watery.

Yin Xiaozhu paused, slowed his pace, and walked to the bedside, looking at her from above.

...

Lu Yuanyuan knew he had come in.

She lay there motionless. After a moment, she was surprised to feel a hand touching her face. As if not wanting to wake her, the hand moved very gently, the thumb tracing her cheek inch by inch, giving a mischievous feeling of tenderness.

Lu Yuanyuan did not struggle.

Although she never expected that Yin Xiaozhu would touch her face while she was asleep.

If the situation allowed, she really wanted to open her eyes and see his expression right now. Was he admiring his possession, or did he feel that everything was under his control? Or did he think she was ridiculously stupid?

The rabbit, destined for slaughter sooner or later, actually circled around the hunter and even slept in front of him. He must be quite pleased with himself.

Just then, she suddenly felt the hand that had been lingering on her cheek freeze.

...

She lay prone in front of him, completely unsuspecting, the sleeves of her coat spread out and tucked under her elbows.

Yin Xiaozhu's fingers traced her cheek. Seeing that she was lying there awkwardly and struggling, he was about to carry her to bed. Inadvertently, his gaze swept over a certain spot and he noticed that the sleeve of her inner garment was peeking out from the cuff of her outer garment.

It wasn't just a corner showing, but a large portion of it had fallen out.

The undergarment is worn close to the skin. When a woman takes it off, she is left with only a thin undergarment barely covering her body; when a man takes it off, he is bare-chested. Therefore, the undergarment is usually made to fit very well. Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for such a long section of it to fall out.

The candlelight flickered, its flame casting a thin line of light across the wall. Yin Xiaozhu focused her gaze and gently pulled the piece of inner garment outwards.

This undergarment is in the standard style for direct disciples of Mount Shu. But it's clearly not Lu Yuanyuan's clothing. Judging from the sleeve length and width, it must belong to another tall man.

She was wearing someone else's undergarments.

Because the size was wrong, she had rolled up the sleeves twice to make them fit. However, perhaps because she had moved too much, the rolled-up sleeves came loose and slid down her forearm, covering her wrists.

Yin Xiaozhu's expression suddenly changed.

Just then, as if sensing someone beside her, she let out a lazy hum. Her eyes were still half-closed, but as if it were an instinctive habit, she raised her hand and covered his hand that was resting on her face, affectionately rubbing her cheek against his palm, like a cat showing its belly to its owner and begging for affection: "...Duan Lansheng, can't you let me sleep a little longer?"

This is less of a complaint and more of a coquettish remark.

Receiving no response, her eyelids slowly twitched, her eyelashes lifted, and she vaguely made out the outline of the person sitting by the bed. Finally realizing where she was, a hint of surprise flashed in her shimmering eyes. The next second, she released his hand and immediately straightened her back: "Yuanjun?"

Looking up, a beautiful face, so somber it seemed to drip with gloom, came into view.

Meeting his gaze, Lu Yuanyuan, propped on her knees, looked bewildered, seemingly unaware of having called someone by the wrong name while half-asleep. She rubbed her face and asked uncertainly, "Yuanjun, is the noodle soup ready?"