In the past, she might have shyly denied it, but tonight, Su Yushan didn't want to suppress herself anymore. She mustered up her courage and bravely expressed herself, following his words.

Her fingertips gently traced his thin lips as she looked directly into his eyes without any hesitation, softly chiding, "What difference does it make whether I invite you or not? Haven't you come uninvited countless times already?"

Indeed, there were quite a few, Hongli couldn't deny, and replied with a smile: "Since you were so reserved, I had no choice but to take the initiative."

Her alluring gaze made his blood boil. He had wanted to talk to her, but now he had lost his patience and could no longer control himself. He lowered his head and gently kissed her lips.

The sweet scent filled their mouths. Tonight, Su Yushan seemed particularly relaxed. She no longer restrained herself as before, but followed her heart, expressing her true feelings with gentle moans.

Such a beautiful voice was undoubtedly the greatest encouragement to Hongli. When their emotions were at their peak, he held her hand in his own and placed her hand on the side of the pillow, giving her the greatest joy.

She felt as if she were floating in the void, like waves of wheat being pushed along. This strange feeling filled her with both shyness and anticipation. Just as she was savoring the sensation, Hongli abruptly stopped and seized the opportunity to ask...

"Yushan, do you like me?"

She was engrossed in her work with her eyes closed when the sudden question caught her off guard. Su Yushan opened her dazed eyes blankly, looking puzzled. "Huh?"

Her eyes told him that she knew the truth, but was just deliberately avoiding it. "Tell me, I want to hear the truth."

Her reason and emotions were constantly at odds, and she herself was unsure what the truth was. "I...I haven't thought about this issue."

"Now think about it. If you don't tell me, I have no motivation." Hongli deliberately stopped, using this as a threat to try and get her to give in.

"Really? You're not out of energy, are you?" Su Yushan smiled slyly, raised her head slightly, and leaned close to his ear, sticking out her delicate tongue to trace the outline of his ear.

Her doubts infuriated him, yet her initiative also delighted him, his dark eyes unable to conceal the rising desire within him. Hongli, eager to prove himself, could no longer restrain himself; his high, straight nose brushed against her neck, and he chuckled softly.

"Well, you've gone bad too."

Su Yushan's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly with a hint of reproach, and she said with a coquettish smile, "Don't you like me being naughty? Then I'll be good."

"No, I love it, I love it so much!" Tonight, she brought Hongli a great surprise. The docile rabbit suddenly turned into a fox, which he found novel and fascinating, and he couldn't stop bathing.

In fact, Su Yushan knew very well that most men liked innocent and naive women, but if a woman was always innocent, it would make him feel too bland. Occasionally, she had to be a little naughty to give him some freshness. However, she had to grasp the right balance. She couldn't be too dull or too naughty. She had to be charming but not frivolous in order to add some excitement.

At this moment, Hongli was already burning with passion because of her, and he completely forgot his purpose. Regardless of whether she admitted it or not, he couldn't wait to punish this little fox so that she would know what the consequences of doing bad things would be.

His strength grew stronger and stronger, and Su Yushan could no longer utter a complete sentence.

The candlelight outside the tent flickered dimly, but he, tireless and oblivious to the time, demanded her twice more. Only when she was exhausted and begged for mercy did he finally call it a day and spare her for the time being.

"Do you know you were wrong? Will you dare say I'm no good again?"

At this moment, she was extremely exhausted, and her only feeling was regret. She deeply regretted why she had the audacity to seduce him on a whim. Wasn't this just asking for trouble?

Blinking her sleepy eyes, Su Yushan looked up at him with a pitiful expression, "I was wrong, I'll do it again next time."

She's getting bolder and bolder. Hongli grabbed her wrist, intending to assert his authority as husband, but she immediately backed down and begged for mercy.

"Just kidding, don't take it seriously. It's getting late, you should rest. You have to attend the morning court tomorrow! If you stay up too late and get dark circles under your eyes, the Emperor will definitely ask you if you were a thief last night."

She was just making casual remarks, but Hongli pointed a finger at the tip of her nose and said, following her words, "Yes! I did go to steal your heart, but unfortunately you won't give it to me."

Such a precious thing, she dared not give it away easily. "My heart belongs to me. I will share a little with you when I am happy, and I will take it back when I am not happy."

She makes it sound so easy! Hongli smiled and sighed, "If feelings were truly as you say, something that can be controlled at will, then there wouldn't be so many lovesick men and women in the world."

She speaks so lightly now, simply because she hasn't fallen for it yet. Once she gives her heart, even someone as self-assured as her will likely find it hard to escape the entanglement of love.

With a soft sigh, Su Yushan excused herself, saying she was sleepy, and stopped discussing these troubling matters.

Women are generally more sentimental, while men are more focused on their immediate feelings and don't think too much. Hongli was unaware of her complex thoughts, silently savoring the sweetness of the moment, and drifted off to sleep with the lingering afterglow of pleasure in his arms.

After a period of recuperation, Su Yushan's face finally recovered completely. The imperial physician prescribed rare flower dews, and no marks were left on her face. Although the matter was fraught with difficulties, it did not affect the relationship between the two. On the contrary, it made them see true love in adversity. Su Yushan's trust in Hongli gradually deepened, and she no longer questioned him as she used to.

Time flowed by quietly. After this incident, Changyue paid extra attention to her master's food, clothing, and daily necessities, fearing that something unexpected might happen again. Hongli specially arranged for guards to take turns guarding outside her courtyard. Although Su Yushan was not used to it, she still felt a bit safer.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!