Chapter 72 Would His Highness allow others to treat you like this...?

Chapter Sixty-Nine

The warmth between their lips invaded her breath, waking the sleeping girl from her drowsy state.

"Lin Xiao".

She opened her eyes groggily, her voice dazed, as if muttering in her sleep, "You..... um....."

Her lips were sealed with a kiss the moment she opened them. It was like a passionate embrace that had been restrained for a long time. At first, it was gentle and awkward, with a hint of probing, but slowly, as she sensed her lover's lack of resistance, she became increasingly unable to control herself.

The night is long and misty, shrouded in rain and fog.

She had always been used to his obedience and had never noticed his domineering nature, so she naturally never expected him to do this.

She wanted to refuse, but couldn't. Several attempts to refuse were swallowed back, her voice trembling, "Lin..."

She was incredibly sleepy, but the hot breath and the intertwining of their lips made her feel as if she had fallen into another boundless dream, like listening to the rain under the eaves, becoming more and more immersed.

Breathing became increasingly difficult, and Shen Panyan struggled to wake up. Her hazy thoughts returned, and she was immediately filled with shame and anger.

How could he, how could he take advantage of me while I was asleep... Shen Panyan forced herself to stay awake and reached out to push him.

Lin Xiao noticed her movement, stopped, and said in a hoarse, panting voice, "Your Highness."

Shen Panyan's almond-shaped eyes widened, filled with shame and anger. "You, how could you do this while I was asleep...do such a thing? Don't you know that this is insubordination? Aren't you afraid, aren't you afraid I'll punish you...?"

Her stammering, weak-tongued rebuke was clearly not intimidating at all.

"Then how does Your Highness intend to punish me?" He seemed to chuckle.

In the darkness, a rustling sound arose. Shen Panyan felt her hand being grabbed and gently placed on a well-defined face. Soft eyelashes brushed against her fingertips. Shen Panyan's eyelashes trembled, and she couldn't help but pull her hand back, but it was forcibly held down, preventing her from escaping.

He grasped her hand, tracing it across his high, straight nose, soft lips, and firm Adam's apple... all the way down until it stopped at his chest, where his heart was pounding.

Shen Panyan's face was flushed red, and her fingertips trembled uncontrollably. The warm and soft yet firm touch almost burned her mind into a blank. She didn't understand what he meant at all. Was he tempting her to continue?

Chen Panyan panicked and became incoherent, trying several times to pull her hand back, but without success.

"Lin Xiao, what... what are you doing? Let me go..."

"Your Highness." He lowered his head and leaned close to her, his voice extremely low, his breath lingering in her ear, "Lin Xiao knows his mistake. You are Lin Xiao's master, and you can punish Lin Xiao however you wish."

"I, I..." Shen Panyan was so embarrassed that he almost buried his head in his chest. How could he still remember what happened at the waterside pavilion after all this time?

Who admits their mistakes like this? He wasn't like this before.

He was clearly seducing her, making her reluctant to punish him.

She wasn't going to do as he wished.

But what punishment is she going to give him?

He's only staying for three days, and he's injured now. Should he be punished by being forced to stay overnight?

She simply couldn't punish him.

Chen Panyan was furious. She pulled her hand back, turned around, moved her body a little away from him, and puffed out her cheeks. "Considering your sincere attitude and that you are injured, I will not punish you this time. However, you are not allowed to touch me again."

“Otherwise, I will definitely punish you!!” she warned.

Lin Xiao smiled and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

With that, he reached out and pulled the princess, who had just been moved away, back into his arms. Before she could get angry, he whispered an explanation, "Your Highness, the night is very dark tonight. I will stay by your side. Go to sleep."

The sparks of fire that had risen in Shen Panyan's heart were instantly extinguished by his words.

She was indeed terrified of such intense darkness.

However, given what he had done before, Shen Panyan warned him with embarrassment, "If you do that again, I will punish you by not allowing you to eat breakfast tomorrow."

Lin Xiao paused for a moment, then let out a low laugh. "Alright, but Your Highness must also grant me one request."

"What's wrong?" Shen Panyan asked, bewildered.

Lin Xiao lowered his head, his breath falling softly on her ear, his voice suppressed and restrained, tinged with a helpless gritted teeth, "You are not allowed to move again."

She kept fidgeting from the very beginning.

Feeling guilty, Shen Panyan couldn't help but flinch, "I...I understand..."

However, there was something poking her in the quilt, which made her very uncomfortable.

Helpless, Shen Panyan had no choice but to force herself to ignore the discomfort and close her eyes again.

Suddenly, she felt Lin Xiao move, and the thing that was pressing against her was gone.

So it was something that belonged to Lin Xiao?

Half-asleep, Shen Panyan felt a sense of bewilderment and confusion.

She wondered what kind of weapon Lin Xiao was hiding on his person. She remembered that he seemed to have many weapons on him, and he didn't even take them off when he slept.

Tomorrow, she will definitely not allow him to bring weapons to the bed again.

This time, Lin Xiao didn't disturb her again, and Shen Panyan slept soundly through the night.

It rained all night, and the dense rain gradually stopped when the sky brightened this morning, revealing the bright sunshine that slanted into the wide bed.

Shen Panyan slowly woke up from her dream, opened her eyes with a hazy expression, and it took her a while to realize that Lin Xiao, who had been lying next to her, was gone.

Thinking of what happened last night, Shen Panyan couldn't help but blush and covered her face with the brocade quilt.

She had never seen him so domineering and predatory before. He had always been gentle and submissive towards her. He was simply audacious...

Shen Panyan couldn't help but hesitate again: should she let him sleep with her tonight?

But he's injured and doesn't live with me, so where will he live?

Sleeping on the roof beam? Wouldn't that be uncomfortable? Besides, it gets very cold at night.

But... letting him onto the bed, Shen Panyan always felt like she was inviting a wolf into the house.

Shen Panyan bit her lip, suppressing her embarrassment. After much internal struggle, she finally decided to let him onto the bed. However, this time, she would absolutely not let him do as he pleased.

Hearing the noise inside, Qingdai and Zhuzhi pushed open the door and came in together.

The two men helped her to her feet, and Qingdai said gently, "Princess, the carriage is ready. When shall we depart to return to the capital?"

Shen Panyan said softly, "Qingdai, I want to stay with Mother a little longer. Let's wait two more days before returning to the capital."

Qingdai was slightly surprised, but didn't think much of it. "Yes, this servant will go and tell the people below to take the horse back."

When Zhuzhi woke up, she was wondering how she got back. Qingdai told her that she had accidentally fallen on the mountain and knocked herself unconscious. The princess had come down the mountain alone and had someone bring her back.

Zhu Zhi apologized to her with a face full of guilt, but Shen Panyan looked away guiltily and dared not utter a word.

Lin Xiao knocked the bamboo stick unconscious.

She had been sleeping fully clothed, but when she woke up, her outer skirt had somehow disappeared, leaving only her snow-white undergarment.

It was obvious who had done it.

She felt ashamed, but not angry. Instead, she breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, if Zhuzhi and Qingdai found out that she had slept fully clothed, she would not know how to explain it.

She chose a moon-pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) to change into. After Zhuzhi finished dressing her, she had the maids bring her breakfast, which consisted of vegetarian dishes.

Zhuzhi had intended to serve her breakfast, but Shen Panyan refused, saying, "You can leave now, Zhuzhi. I don't need anyone to serve me here."

The princess disliked having people around her, so Zhuzhi curtsied and said, "Yes."

Seeing her turn and leave, Shen Panyan breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the vegetarian dishes on the table, she ate in small bites. She didn't have a big appetite, and soon she was full. She gently put down her chopsticks, feeling nervous.

She hesitated for a moment, then decided to call Lin Xiao out, "Lin Xiao!"

The next moment, a tall and handsome young man appeared in front of her.

"Your Highness."

As soon as Shen Panyan saw him, she thought of what happened last night and wished she could get up and leave immediately to hide. However, when she was looked at by his dark eyes, her legs seemed to be nailed to the spot.

"Are your injuries... are they much better?" she stammered.

Lin Xiao gazed at her and smiled, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am fine."

Shen Panyan turned her face away, her fair cheeks flushed a light pink. "Okay, much better."

As she spoke, she pushed the bowls and chopsticks she had used over, biting her lip, "You haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Here, have these. It's not good for outsiders to know right now, so you'll just have to make do with these bowls and chopsticks I used."

"I am not wronged." Lin Xiao took a long stride and sat down next to her.

He reached out and took the bowl and chopsticks, naturally picking up a vegetarian bun and putting it to his lips. When Shen Panyan saw this, she felt her face flush and her heart race, as if she had returned to last night, to that passionate and lingering kiss. Almost instantly, she stood up abruptly.

"Take your time eating, I'm going out now!"

After saying that, she strode out, but the next moment, his voice rang out.

"Your Highness."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, “If you leave this room, I will be unable to continue having breakfast.”

Once she leaves, a maid will naturally come in to tidy up. Lin Xiao is someone who shouldn't be here; he can't let others discover him.

Shen Panyan's knuckles tightened inch by inch as she suppressed her shame and turned around, saying, "I... I won't leave."

She sat back down beside him, turned her face away, and twisted the hem of her skirt with her knuckles. "You, you should eat quickly!"

Seemingly feeling that he was eating too slowly, she reached out and pushed the bowls and plates in front of him, saying, "Eat quickly!"

Lin Xiao: "....."

He put down his chopsticks, looked at her with a smile in his eyes, and asked with great interest, "Does Your Highness really want to get rid of me?"

Shen Panyan instinctively retorted, "I didn't."

"Then why did Your Highness do this?"

He glanced at the bowls and plates in front of him, knowing that even if he could eat a lot, he couldn't finish all the food in one go.

Chen Panyan: "I..."

She twisted her fingers, her face flushed, knowing she had been unreasonable. "Then...then you can eat slowly, I won't rush you..."

Seeing that he remained calm and unmoved from his food, Shen Panyan asked anxiously, "Why aren't you eating?"

Lin Xiao shook his head, "Since Your Highness wants me to leave so much, then I will leave."

After saying that, he got up and left. Shen Panyan was anxious and chased after him, "I, I didn't mean to send you away. You are still injured. How can you get better if you don't eat?"

Seeing his retreating figure, she seemed to have made up her mind, "I... I won't rush you."

Anyway, they've already slept in the same bed. Before, before, at the waterside pavilion, she had kissed him on her own initiative. It's no big deal. It's just... just... a kiss. Lin Xiao is so handsome, she's not at a disadvantage.

Lin Xiao lowered his eyelashes. "Your Highness doesn't really need to care about your subordinates. Didn't you say you don't like them? If that's the case, why bother with these things?"

"......"

The harsh words she had spoken back then had come back to haunt her. Shen Panyan choked back a sob, "You, that's all in the past, why are you bringing it up again?"

"I remember every word Your Highness said." He turned around, looked up at her, and strode towards her, his eyes dark and deep. "Was Your Highness deceiving me back then?"

Shen Panyan: "..."

She took a step back, turned her head, and remained silent.

You already know, why ask?

Of course, she would never admit it: "I... I'm just concerned about you, it has nothing to do with whether I like you or not."

“I’m like that to everyone!” she emphasized.

"Yeah?"

Lin Xiao nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. Looking into her trembling, frightened eyes, he lowered his head, his warm breath brushing against her ear, "Your Highness, would you allow others to treat you like this?"

A light, warm kiss landed on her earlobe.

Shen Panyan opened her almond-shaped eyes wide, her body trembling slightly.