Chapter 70◇

◎Hold the vital point◎

Feng Ran has been feeling a bit bored lately. Duan Jingchuan has been leaving the manor without her for several days in a row, and she doesn't know what he's been busy with. Every time she takes the initiative to look for Duan Jingchuan, he always manages to fool around with her and doesn't seem busy at all. But once he's out of her sight, Duan Jingchuan is always incredibly busy, and there have been several nights when she woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't find him anywhere.

"Xiuer, is my husband going through menopause? He's always frowning or rushing around, and he doesn't look as handsome as he used to." Feng Ran swung her legs listlessly, staring wistfully at the swallows flying north outside the window, her face showing envy.

Xiuer was already used to Feng Ran occasionally throwing out unfamiliar phrases, so she asked directly, "Princess Consort, what is menopause?"

“Oh, it’s when a woman’s period comes and a man arrives.” Feng Ran’s words were startling.

Xiuer paused for a moment, then calmly said, "Oh, then the young master wouldn't do that. The princess is overthinking it."

Feng Ran turned her head, her face full of accusation, "He hasn't smiled at me lately, and he doesn't let me suck on him as much anymore. He's really not as beautiful as he used to be, I'm not lying to you!"

She couldn't respond to that. Xiu'er's face was expressionless as she pondered how to call the young master back. Recently, the young master's wife had been harboring a lot of resentment and might be planning something big.

"Oh, so you used to like my face, Madam?" Duan Jingchuan returned at some point, staring at Feng Ran with a half-smile.

Feng Ran remained calm, pointing her little finger at Duan Jingchuan and continuing her accusation, "Look at this smile, it's not sincere at all. Where did the cute, blushing you from before go?"

Duan Jingchuan smiled helplessly. When it came to throwing tantrums, he was no match for his wife. However, it was also the easiest thing in the world to coax her.

Xiuer, with her keen senses, withdrew, leaving only the couple in the room. Duan Jingchuan, no longer concerned, sat down beside her and casually pulled Feng Ran into his arms, kissing her forehead. "It's my fault. I've neglected my wife a bit lately. Is this position comfortable?"

Feng Ran twisted her waist, found a comfortable position, and took a deep breath. "Mmm, so comfortable."

Duan Jingchuan sighed. Even though he was holding his wife in his arms, he couldn't feel at ease. He kept wanting to do something to prove that his wife truly belonged to him.

Feng Ran was very perceptive of others. She pulled her head out of Duan Jingchuan's arms and said, "Husband, is something bothering you lately? If so, I won't bother you anymore. I was just saying it casually."

Duan Jingchuan exerted force with his arm, and Feng Ran obediently straightened up, meeting his gaze.

This doesn't seem like a kiss. Feng Ran was a little puzzled, but why did her husband's expression look so strange?

She cupped Duan Jingchuan's face in her hands, gently pressing her forehead against his. "What's wrong? Why are you unhappy?"

Seeing the worry on Feng Ran's face, Duan Jingchuan frowned and gently stroked her face. "I just haven't figured out some things. I'm not unhappy, and you haven't bothered me."

Feng Ran shook her head and voiced her guess, "No, you're just unhappy, and it's directed at me."

Duan Jingchuan paused, unsure how to express his thoughts, yet delighted that Feng Ran had noticed his emotions. After much deliberation, he decided to speak his mind. He didn't want his wife to make unfounded guesses; he always wanted her to be happy.

He moved his arms, like holding a child, to help Feng Ran find a more comfortable position. He really liked holding her in this way, letting her be filled with his scent.

"I've been thinking, sometimes I really don't know if you like my scent or something else." Without beating around the bush or changing the subject, Duan Jingchuan finally voiced his unease.

He wondered what he should do if his wife only valued his appearance or a certain scent on him, rather than genuinely liking him as a person.

Or perhaps the lady is just a reincarnated demon who doesn't understand love and affection in this world, which is why he was so easily deceived. If the lady were to learn about love in the future, would she leave him?

He had too many anxieties in his heart. When he first got Feng Ran, he was overjoyed and even forgot to explore those unusual things. Later he realized that they had never expressed their feelings to each other.

After realizing this, Duan Jingchuan felt guilty every time he held Feng Ran in his arms. He felt like a villain who was deceiving a young and naive girl, but he just couldn't bear to let go.

If Feng Ran hadn't asked, he could have deceived himself into believing that she was willing and had feelings for him. But now that Feng Ran had asked, how could he lie to her? He could only quietly await his judgment.

If Feng Ran didn't like him, but only had other requests, he thought he would agree to them. However, the way he kept tightening his grip on Feng Ran's arms betrayed his true intentions.

Feng Ran couldn't connect with Duan Jingchuan's twists and turns. She tilted her head, her little face full of confusion, "I like your scent, that's true. Are you unhappy because of that?"

Duan Jingchuan's fingers trembled slightly as he asked with difficulty, "Is it just the taste?"

"Hey, tell me, are you doubting yourself?" Feng Ran grinned as if she had discovered something new, hugging Duan Jingchuan's shoulders and shaking him, even the strands of hair by her ears floated up.

Duan Jingchuan was momentarily confused about Feng Ran's reaction. Feng Ran was strong, and this shaking was almost enough to scramble his brains. He repeatedly begged for mercy, "Madam, if you keep shaking me, you might smell something unpleasant."

"Hmph, how do I look like a fool? Father tastes fine, and I'm not like this!" Feng Ran rolled her eyes speechlessly. She wanted to laugh at Duan Jingchuan for whining, but then she thought that he was naturally sensitive and had only recently improved, so she couldn't bully him too much. Instead, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Duan Jingchuan was initially feeling somewhat sorry for himself, but after being jolted by Feng Ran and then kissed on the head, his head was spinning, and his beautiful face looked unusually blank.

Beauty is so alluring! Feng Ran's eyes practically sparkled with admiration; it had been so long since she'd seen her husband with such an adorable, dazed expression.

A few strands of his silky hair occasionally clung to his nose, and the reddened corners of his eyes pierced through his stubborn exterior. His slightly parted lips, tinged with surprise, looked exceptionally alluring.

When she was with Duan Jingchuan, Feng Ran never suppressed herself. She did whatever she wanted, following her heart, and gave him another kiss.

Seeing that Duan Jingchuan hadn't come to his senses yet, Feng Ran smiled smugly, "Husband, you should be confident. With your looks alone, you can charm me for a lifetime."

Fearing that Duan Jingchuan might overthink things, Feng Ran made her point even clearer: "I don't really understand what it means to like someone. But I know that I'm happy when I see you, and I feel sad when I see you sad. These are emotions I've never felt before. In all my long lives, you are the only special one."

Duan Jingchuan's eyes trembled, and his heart felt as if it were being gripped and tightened by an invisible hand, as if the slightest movement would plunge him into an abyss.

A buzzing sound filled his ears, and all he could see were Feng Ran's lips opening and closing. He kept slowing his breathing, as if making even the slightest sound would shatter this beautiful dream.

I've already swallowed my pride and confessed my feelings, why isn't he even reacting? Feng Ran's inner voice was churning; this wasn't the scene of mutual confession she had imagined.

In all the romance novels I'd read before, the endings were always about hands on the waist and kisses, or being forced to kiss. Why did she end up with a wooden stake? If this wooden stake weren't so beautiful, she would have slapped her across the face.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Feng Ran, her evil spirits rising, stretched out her little claws and pinched and kneaded Duan Jingchuan's face until his handsome face was distorted.

As he was pinching, he suddenly thought of something interesting, and a wicked smile curled up at the corner of his mouth.

"Hmm!" Duan Jingchuan let out a muffled groan.

"How was it? Was it real? Was it enjoyable? Did you get distracted?" Feng Ran's hands kept moving, while her other hand hooked around Duan Jingchuan's neck, and she breathed softly in his ear.

Feng Ran's little hands were restless, completely driving Duan Jingchuan's eyes to tears. The pinkness on his neck spread upwards inch by inch. He grasped Feng Ran's mischievous little hands and pleaded in a trembling voice, "Madam, please don't do this."

Feng Ran became interested and didn't want to let go, so she casually pinched it a couple more times and said with a smile, "Didn't you used to like it a lot?"

Duan Jingchuan gasped, his voice hoarse, "Madam, your period..."

Feng Ran deliberately misinterpreted his meaning and pretended to be angry, saying, "Can't I kiss you when I'm menstruating? Can't I hug you? Can't I pinch you? You scumbag!" As she spoke, she didn't forget to speed up her actions.

"Ah!" Duan Jingchuan's voice was filled with pain, his words were incoherent, and he said "okay" intermittently. He buried his head in Feng Ran's hair and let her do as she pleased.

Feng Ran hadn't originally intended to do anything; she just wanted to tease Duan Jingchuan. But seeing how easy Duan Jingchuan seemed to bully her, her interest immediately soared. She skillfully reached under his clothes and worked even harder.

After a long while, a man's muffled groan and a woman's complaint came from the room. Then, the man said cautiously, "Madam, let me help you wipe your hands!"

The woman's voice was languid and coquettish as she said, "No, you scumbag! I'm tired, I'm weary, you can leave now." Then she pushed the man out the door.

Duan Jingchuan wasn't angry at all when he was pushed out the door. Unlike when he first entered, he was all smiles now, with a rosy complexion and a satisfied look in his eyes. The smile on his lips seemed to be permanently on his face and didn't fade for a long time.

Turning her head, she saw Xiong Qi and Xiu'er's teasing gazes, and her back tensed up. She pretended to be calm and said, "I'm going to the study. Xiu'er, prepare water for the Princess Consort to bathe and change." After saying that, she left without looking back.

Xiuer and Xiong Qi, like cats caught stealing cream, had their faces flushed but still pretended to be serious. They glanced at each other, belatedly realizing each other's shyness, and without saying hello, they tacitly turned in different directions to do their own things.

Only after closing the study door did Duan Jingchuan let out a long sigh of relief, his smile widening until he burst out laughing, "Hahahaha."

Once he started laughing, he couldn't stop. He circled around the open space, wishing he could jump up and down to express his joy.

He kept muttering, "My wife has me in her heart. My wife is so good. My wife said she likes me."

His face suddenly stiffened as he read this, and he slapped his thigh. "Oh no! I completely forgot to express my feelings to Madam! What should I do? Will she misunderstand me? Should I go now?"

He stepped back as soon as his foot touched the threshold, slapped his forehead, and said, "I'm such an idiot. Madam is obviously more perceptive than me. She must have sensed something just now, which is why she comforted me in that way. Duan Jingchuan, you're really getting more and more out of touch with reality."

A note from the author:

The male lead will no longer have any perks. Don't ask, the answer is that the character will be locked, and the author doesn't agree to it.