Tsk. This sleepy little thing hasn't woken up yet. Xiao Heye twirled the jade thumb ring on his thumb, raised an eyebrow, and narrowed his sharp, hawk-like eyes slightly as he slowly walked towards the bed.

When Xiao Heye returned to his room after the morning court session, he found that Su Tiyue was still lying in his bed, showing no intention of getting up, as if she really regarded Yelan Pavilion as her own palace.

Xiao Heye lowered his eyes, his narrowed pupils containing an obscure emotion. After his gaze lingered on her face for a moment, Xiao Heye turned and went into the washroom, washed his hands, and changed into casual clothes.

It was unclear whether the rustling sound of him dressing woke Su Tiyue up, or whether she had slept enough.

When Xiao Heye came over after changing his clothes, Su Tiyue was sitting on the bed, looking at him drowsily.

On her small face, there was none of the panicked expression that Xiao Heye had imagined.

"What time is it, Master?" Su Tiyue had just woken up, her voice soft and sweet. Su Tiyue was really a heavy sleeper; if Liu Wan hadn't come to wake her up at the appointed time in Jinxiu Palace, Su Tiyue could have slept all day.

"It's just past noon." Xiao Heye sauntered to the edge of the bed and looked at her. "Why didn't Your Highness sneak back today? Aren't you afraid those little servants will find out?"

Su Tiyue narrowed her eyes, smiled at him, and then shook her head, saying, "I'm not afraid anymore. Anyway, I only have three people left to serve me at Tingyu Tower now: Liu Wan, Qingwu, and Xiao Anzi... As long as the headmaster disciplines your little servants at Yelan Pavilion well, I'm not afraid of anything."

When Xiao Heye heard Su Tiyue say that she was not afraid of anything anymore, why did he feel like laughing?

Xiao Heye knew better than anyone that Su Tiyue's feigned initiative, her obedient behavior, and her elaborate attempts to seduce him were all because she was afraid—afraid of that old emperor, afraid of serving him in bed, afraid of being favored, terribly afraid. She just wanted to find a backer.

"Is Your Highness hungry? This servant has asked Li Xun to prepare lunch." Xiao Heye lowered his head and straightened the brocade quilt beneath her.

Su Tiyue didn't answer his question, but instead stretched out her two slender arms from under the covers, reaching towards him. Su Tiyue said in a soft voice, "Zhangyin, I want a hug."

Xiao Heye glanced at her sideways, sitting on the edge of the bed without reacting for a long time. His face was gloomy, his eyes were cold, and there was a faint fire in his eyes, as if he wanted to burn her to ashes.

Seeing that he didn't react, Su Tiyue whispered again, "Hug me."

This time, Xiao Heye did not refuse her.

He snorted coldly, then reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"Tsk," Xiao Heye opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say for a moment.

Su Tiyue gave a soft hum and snuggled closer to him, burying her head in his chest. She could smell a faint sandalwood scent, a delicate fragrance with a hint of coolness.

"Where did you go today, Master Seal, who got up so early?" Su Tiyue rubbed against him, her voice soft.

"Guangming Palace, go to the morning court."

"Oh," Su Tiyue looked up at him from his arms, "You want a kiss too."

Su Tiyue had just crawled out of bed, her body warm and soft. When Xiao Heye held her in his arms, it was like holding a soft little lamb. She was the apple of Xiao Heye's eye, playing and laughing without restraint, and making many unreasonable demands of him.

However, Xiao Heye couldn't refuse.

He lowered his head, carefully cupped Su Tiyue's face, and kissed her.

When his slightly cool and soft lips touched hers, Su Tiyue was stunned, her eyes wide as she stared at him blankly.

Xiao Heye tilted his head, forcefully and domineeringly drawing out the tenderness from her mouth, robbing the air from her lips and teeth...

After a long while, when Xiao Heye released her and stopped, his deep gaze was fixed on Su Tiyue, like a hunter staring at his prey, his eyes full of possessive pride and a sense of accomplishment.

Su Tiyue blushed and breathed heavily... She was a little scared, and also a little... excited. She was scared because Xiao Heye, who took the initiative, was as fierce and forceful as a wolf, and his kiss and the scent around him were enough to make Su Tiyue feel suffocated with fear.

She was excited because she discovered that Xiao Heye could also take the initiative and be obedient at times, and that he didn't seem to dislike women as much as she thought.

That day, Su Tiyue asked him whether the person he would never abandon was a man or a woman, and Xiao Heye answered that it was a man.

Su Tiyue thought...

"Heh... It seems Your Majesty is satisfied?" Xiao Heye stretched out his slender fingers, his fingertips slowly tracing his lips, as if he was still savoring the kiss from just now.

Su Tiyue pursed her lips. "Didn't the Master of Ceremonies comment on my kissing skills at the Wenhui Pavilion last time?"

“Then I’ll give my evaluation of the palm print this time,” she continued, “in four words.”

Xiao Heye tilted his head, a smile playing on his lips: "Oh?"

"That's all." After saying that, she made a smug face at him, then crawled out of the covers and prepared to go back to Tingyu Tower.

But before Su Tiyue's legs could even touch the ground, Xiao Heye grabbed her ankle, used a bit of force, and placed her feet on his lap, his large, cold hands holding them tightly. He said slowly, "Your Majesty, there will be a banquet in the palace tomorrow, and it will be more lively than usual."

"Then what?"

"Your Highness appeared so openly in my room that even the servants in the South Garden dared not spread rumors... But if some fool outside the palace took the wrong path and wandered into a place they shouldn't have, and saw something they shouldn't have seen... Your Highness, what do you think, should I keep that person or not?"

Could Xiao Heye be addicted to killing? While this statement was meant to remind her to be mindful of their relationship, it also hinted at his violent tendency to kill her to silence her.

As expected of a truly wicked and heinous demon, his every word is about killing...

Unfortunately, Su Tiyue is much bolder now than when they first met. Threats and intimidation are nothing to her now; she can easily withstand them.

She gave a sly smile.

Su Tiyue deliberately curled her toes in his palm and said mischievously, "I understand what Master Xiao means. So I'll stay obediently in Tingyu Tower tomorrow and not run around, okay?"

Xiao Heye nodded in satisfaction: "Tsk, it's more fun if Your Majesty stays this obedient all the time."

"Tch..." Su Tiyue rolled her eyes at him and prepared to withdraw her jade foot, but unexpectedly, Xiao Heye had no intention of letting go of her at all. He said coldly, "Your Majesty has forgotten? This servant has asked Li Xun to prepare lunch."

Su Tiyue said irritably, "What, has Master Xiao become so greedy these days? Sleeping with me isn't enough, you want me to have dinner with you too?"

Xiao Heye paused for a moment, then gently patted her smooth, jade-like instep: "Whatever Your Majesty thinks is fine."

Su Tiyue was startled when he suddenly hit her, and frowned, saying it hurt.

It doesn't really hurt, it's just... isn't that how women usually act coquettishly?

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this word, Xiao Heye gave her a cold, disdainful look, then lifted her feet and slowly kissed the instep. "Does it still hurt?"

"How could you... how could you be like this? You're shameless..." Su Tiyue muttered under her breath.