Scars make even the most beautiful jade flawed

Jiang Yan Hui had drunk quite a bit and was a little tipsy, but she didn't want to show it in front of outsiders, so she fell asleep as soon as she got into the carriage.

Upon entering Lingzhou City, I overheard the guards and horse handlers chatting as they opened the gates, and realized that only half an hour remained until the new year.

As he rubbed his temples to relieve his fatigue, he hesitated for a moment when the stableman asked if he was going back to the Prince's Mansion, and then said, "I'll spend the night in the building tonight."

Ma Gong understood immediately, raised his whip, and rode towards one of the few lively spots in Lingzhou City, the wind and snow lashing against the windshield ahead with a whooshing sound.

Lingzhou is extremely cold in winter, and the nights are even more desolate, like an empty city, which makes people feel fear.

Inside the building, the air was still warm and fragrant, and the women were as beautiful as jade. Male prostitutes flocked to Jiang Yan Hui like bees to flowers, and the atmosphere of laughter and joy diluted the boundless loneliness.

Jiang Yanhui's lips curled into a very faint smile. She was surrounded by the fragrance of her two arms, and the laughter of the women around her lingered in her ears. They used all sorts of methods, such as coquettish teasing and charming, to make this great Buddha happy.

The emptiness that used to be temporarily filled by coming here has failed me; it feels like there's a bottomless pit in my chest that I can't fill no matter what I try to put in.

Jiang Yanhui irritably pressed down the corners of her mouth, her slightly furrowed brows making her handsome features appear aggressive. The male prostitutes surrounding her seemed to sense her sudden change in mood and instantly fell silent.

They watched helplessly as the person who had just entered walked away, completely bewildered and unable to understand what was going on.

On New Year's Eve, the Jiangbei Prince's Mansion was decorated with more festive decorations than usual. Aunt Pan rushed to the mansion gate after receiving the news and happened to meet Jiang Yanhui, who was returning home in the cold moonlight.

Aunt Pan placed her hands together in front of her and bowed slightly, saying, "Your Majesty, the hot spring bath in the backyard has been prepared. You may go there directly."

Jiang Yan replied, "I'll be back at an unpredictable time. It's windy and frosty outside, so don't go out too late."

Aunt Pan smiled but didn't say anything, and seeing this, Jiang Yanhui didn't make any further demands.

A hot spring nestled in a secluded bamboo forest is shrouded in a light white mist. Despite the chilly wind, this place is warm and comfortable, and the surrounding greenery is a rare sight in Lingzhou.

Her eyes and brows were even more captivating after being wet with water, like the misty, beautiful green mountains after the rain. Unfortunately, Jiang Yanhui, troubled in her heart, lacked the leisurely ease one would expect when soaking in a hot spring. Her slightly furrowed brows made people hesitant to approach and disturb her.

The servants on the shore knelt obediently on the cushions, wiping the skin on the back of her neck with a wet towel, their breathing slow and soft, as if afraid of disturbing the king's closed eyes and rest.

Jiang Yan inevitably recalled those clear, black and white eyes. A casual joke had startled him like a little rabbit, and he was the first guy to dare refuse her invitation.

Jiang Yan opened her eyes, her amusement undisguised. She raised her hand, and the servants behind her immediately stopped what they were doing and listened attentively to their master's request.

"Go, tell Ah Chou to wait outside my room."

The servant dared not disobey his master's orders, and rose with small steps to leave, following the hem of his robe.

With something fun to do next, Jiang Yanhui lost interest in continuing to soak. The moment the woman got up, she grabbed a towel to wrap her water-dampened body, and in that instant, one could glimpse the power contained in her stretched back beneath the billowing white mist.

The woman under the moonlight was dressed in a dark black casual dress, with a dark black cloak with gilded patterns draped over her shoulders. Her features, which were skin and bones, were sharp and three-dimensional, like a sharpened sword that had been washed and polished, capable of cutting through the wind and frost of Lingzhou for thousands of years.

With his back straight, broad shoulders steady, and movements swift, he glanced at Ah Chou, who stood timidly in the courtyard with his head down, as he passed by.

The cold wind reddened his cheeks, and the thick cotton coat did not look cramped on his thin body. Even with a woolen neck warmer wrapped around his neck, he still subconsciously shrugged and hunched his neck to resist the cold wind.

A small clump of food residue clung to the corner of his rosy, full lips, looking like the pastries that the manor would distribute to the servants every New Year's Eve. It was a wonder he had eaten them whole before coming over.

"Come in." Jiang Yanhui entered the house without further explanation or lingering.

The cold night wind made Ah Chou's toes feel cold, but she didn't think about anything else and followed Jiang Yan back into the house.

Nowhere in the entire prefecture, or even the entire Lingzhou, could compare to the warmer place inside Jiang Yan's house. Ah Chou couldn't help but cover her nose and sneeze slightly, her big, bright eyes darting around as if afraid of incurring punishment for any impolite behavior.

Jiang Yan Hui didn't notice his little actions. She stood in front of the clothes rack with her arms outstretched in a noble manner. A Chou was stunned for a few seconds before he quickly stepped forward to take off her cloak and hung it neatly on the rack, where the charcoal fire dried the moisture on it.

In the dim candlelight, Ah Chou's skin was as smooth and lustrous as the finest white pearl. His delicate and refined features, coupled with his clean and elegant demeanor, made him a true unpolished gem, stirring a restless desire in Jiang Yan Hui, who cherished beauty, to sculpt him. Curling up on the soft couch, Jiang Yan Hui rested her arm on a round pillow, propping her chin up and down with her dark, inky eyes, her gaze finally settling on the corner of his mouth stained with food residue.

He chuckled softly and said, "There are pastries on the table, go and have some."

A bewildered Ah Chou followed the instructions and came to the table. The pastries on the tall plate were exquisite and beautiful, all kinds he had never seen before. Just looking at them, he could imagine how delicious they were. His stomach rumbled twice.

Yu Guang glanced cautiously at Jiang Yan Hui, who was reading a book, then decisively grabbed a flower-shaped pastry and put it in his mouth. The sweet taste filled his tongue, and he squinted his eyes happily.

On New Year's Eve, each room was given a plate of sweet pastry, which meant that each person could only get one and a half pieces.

In Lingzhou, where resources are scarce, it's not easy to find something sweet, let alone pastries that look appealing.

After eating two pieces and feeling full, Ah Chou looked at the remaining pastries and had an idea. Ah Chou remembered the way Xiao Le took small, careful bites of the sweet pastry, and he wanted to take some back to share with Xiao Le.

Jiang Yanhui raised her eyes at the opportune moment, a faint smile playing on her lips, and asked, "Are you full?"

Ah Chou nodded truthfully, his hands twisted in front of him, struggling with how to express his meaning clearly to Jiang Yan Hui.

"Open the box next to the wardrobe and take the things out." Jiang Yan put down her book, sat up straight cross-legged, and watched as Ah Chou took the items out of the box one by one and arranged them.

All of them were men's clothes and accessories, complete sets.

Just by looking at the pattern, you could tell it wasn't cheap, and unsurprisingly, it felt silky and soft to the touch. Ah Chou gripped the clothes very lightly, afraid that the newly grown calluses on her fingertips would scratch the beautiful fabric.

Standing amidst a pile of expensive clothes, Ah Chou appeared uneasy, unsure of where to place himself, and slowed his breathing as he awaited further instructions.

Jiang Yan pointed casually, "That one, try it on."

Ah Chou paused for a few seconds, then slowly peeled off his cotton-padded coat like a little turtle. When he was left with only his starched and faded undergarment, his neck and earlobes turned red. He carefully turned his back to Jiang Yan Hui, observing her expression.

Xiao Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, struggled to take off the remaining fabric, and quickly put on the clothes, regardless of their value.

In the flickering firelight, Ah Chou's slender body was clearly visible. Jiang Yanhui, with her excellent eyesight, could see the two dimples on his pert buttocks, his long, thin legs tightly pressed together, and the skin on the back of his feet glowing a healthy pale pink.

Just as she thought, Ah Chou was an unpolished gem, both physically and behaviorally awkward and incredibly interesting.

Jiang Yanhui's eyes darkened, and she pressed her tongue against her cheek, like a subdued wild beast patiently waiting for its prey to be put into its mouth.

The lake-blue silk robe was a little too big for Ah Chou, but it did not detract from his overall stunning appearance. Ignoring his uneasy awkwardness, he looked as fresh and handsome as a young master from a noble family.

"Have Uncle Ban take it to be altered to your size tomorrow." Jiang Yan beckoned with her finger, "Come here."

Ah Chou took two steps forward but dared not move, his big eyes filled with vigilance. However, the servant's resistance was ineffective in the eyes of the superior, and Jiang Yanhui easily pulled him to her side.

Jiang Yanhui's burning hot palm touched A Chou's trembling lower back. The emotion in her slightly raised eyes was something that the inexperienced A Chou could not understand. She asked in a hoarse voice, "Is it cold in the room?"

Ah Chou trembled uncontrollably, his stiff hands hanging at his sides, shaking his head slightly.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Yan pulled him into her lap, her high nose lingering on Ah Chou's fair and slender neck, gently inhaling the scent of soap pods emanating from Ah Chou.

The warm breath brushed against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. Ah Chou instinctively tilted her head back to avoid it, but the other person persisted, pressing their nose against hers.

Ah Chou caught a faint scent of alcohol emanating from Jiang Yan Hui. His blank mind snapped back to reality, and he grabbed the arm around her waist, his face filled with fear and unease.

She received a light slap on the buttock and heard the person buried in the crook of her neck say, "Behave yourself, or I'll strip you naked and throw you into the snow."

Instantly, Ah Chou dared not move an inch, sitting stiffly on Jiang Yan Hui's lap, her eyes blinking rapidly.

The moment the soft lips touched her skin, Ah Chou trembled, tears welled up in her clear eyes, and an inexplicable fire rose from her lower abdomen, causing her to clench her legs together uncontrollably.

With a rustling motion, the wide neckline tore open, revealing unsightly dark brown scars protruding on both sides of the delicate collarbone, creating a stark contrast with the surrounding fair and smooth skin, making them appear even more grotesque and ugly.

The surge of lust subsided abruptly, and Jiang Yanhui frowned unhappily.

A flaw in a beautiful jade is truly a downer.

"stand up."

Indifferent and aloof, as if the tenderness and intimacy just moments before belonged to someone else.

Ah Chou realized what was happening and quickly grabbed his collar to cover his scars. His weak legs gave way and he staggered a couple of times before regaining his balance.

Feeling utterly miserable, Jiang Yanhui was too lazy to say anything more. She waved her hand dismissively at the beggar, saying, "Take whichever one you like."

After the blush faded, Ah Chou's face turned deathly pale. She took off her expensive clothes and put on a thick cotton coat. Her bloodless lips trembled slightly, and she couldn't explain why tears were streaming from her eyes, but she just couldn't stop them.

He didn't take the valuable clothes and jewelry, but instead took the most inconspicuous pastries from the table.

A note from the author:

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Manual brake