Chapter 42 Forced Kiss

"you……"

Huiyi stared blankly, speechless for a moment, only the word "you" lingering on her tongue for a long time.

Lin Lanting remained silent, quietly waiting for Huiyi to react.

His dark eyes never wavered, like a hawk staring intently at its prey, sending chills down one's spine.

Huiyi began to feel nervous and even uneasy under the watchful gaze.

"Why...did you break your promise?"

After holding it in for a long time, Huiyi asked this question with a strange expression, it was hard to tell whether she was happy or worried.

Lin Lanting suddenly smiled, beckoned to Huiyi with his finger, and said with a smile, "Princess, come closer, I will tell you something."

Huiyi didn't trust Lin Er and didn't want to get too close to him, so she refused, saying, "If there's anything you need to hide, just say it."

They even took a step back, adopting a completely defensive posture.

Overwhelmed by emotion, Lin Lanting broke free from the shackles of reason and decided to take a gamble and go all out.

Huiyi saw Lin Er suddenly reach out, felt a burning sensation on the back of her neck, and a force pulled her forward.

Not only that, the hand behind her neck forced her to lift her chin to meet the shadow that fell above.

The two kissed, inseparable.

Their hot breaths mingled, as did their lips.

It was damp and carried the warm, grassy scent of spring, sweeping over my entire body like a whirlwind.

By the time Huiyi realized what was happening, it was too late.

In a moment of distraction, Huiyi's lips loosened, allowing the cunning Lin Er to slip in.

Too smooth and flexible, it immediately causes chaos.

Realizing she had been taken advantage of, Huiyi struggled frantically, trying to escape the other person's grasp and that entangled tongue.

But her resistance was ineffective, not only because the large hand behind her neck was too strong, but also because a long and strong arm wrapped around her waist, sensing her intention to run away.

She was held so tightly that she couldn't move, and could only be held and caressed in his palm like a little sparrow.

Her body was numb from being sucked, but she couldn't escape. All Huiyi could do was gasp for breath and pound her hands on Lin Er's constantly heaving back, hoping to force him to stop.

But all she got in return was more intense stirring, as if the other party wanted to devour her.

As if she had been given some kind of muscle-softening drug, Huiyi felt her legs getting weaker and weaker. If it weren't for Lin Er's hand holding her waist, she would most likely have lost her balance and slipped down, making a fool of herself.

Huiyi had never seen such a scene before. From childhood to adulthood, apart from her own family, she had only ever held the hand of the little mentally challenged boy next door in the village when she was a child, let alone anything else.

She took that gentle brush on Mid-Autumn Festival night as an accident, telling herself it was nothing.

But I can't fool myself anymore.

Clutching tightly at Lin Er's collar, Huiyi took a bite, panting.

Her lips were delicate and couldn't withstand the hard blow. Lin Lanting immediately hissed and released her.

But because the kiss had been so intense and intimate, when they parted, some strands of saliva inevitably clung to each other, hanging down along their lips as they broke apart, messy and ambiguous.

Snap!

A crisp slap shattered the ambiguity.

Huiyi used considerable force this time, and Lin Lanting's face was turned to the side, his head tilted to the side.

Being hit is not a respectable thing to begin with, and being hit in the face is even less respectable.

Although Huiyi was sharp-tongued, she rarely laid a hand on anyone, especially not a rebellious young man like Lin Lanting.

When the slap landed, Huiyi Xin also felt a thud, not knowing what she was afraid of.

But then I thought, this guy is so audacious and arrogant that he dares to be so disrespectful to me, so what's wrong with slapping him?

"How dare you!"

Wiping her smeared lips, Huiyi immediately took a few steps back to create distance, and to bolster her courage, she shouted loudly.

After being slapped, Lin Lanting was also stunned for a moment, but his face did not show the irritability that Huiyi had worried about.

But what appeared was an even stranger laugh.

He covered his slapped face, laughing so hard his whole body was shaking, as if he were possessed.

"Princess, your strength isn't even enough to tickle my itch. Now you know why, right?"

Huiyi's mind was in a daze. The answer was taking shape in her mind and was about to come out, but she was still unwilling to make a decision.

Seeing Huiyi's evasive behavior, Lin Lanting deliberately moved closer and said, "Don't you understand?"

Huiyi, annoyed and embarrassed by his persistent questioning, shouted angrily, "I know, I know you're just lustful, you want my body, you lecher!"

Lin Lanting frowned and cut straight to the point, forcing the man into a corner with no way out.

"Stop pretending to be stupid, you know what I mean."

"I kind of like you. Let's forget about that lousy promise we made before and just start living a proper life together, okay?"

As she spoke, Lin Lanting moved to a different spot, positioned right by the door, clearly to block someone who might try to escape.

Completely and without any fancy pretense, she laid bare her thoughts.

Huiyi remained motionless for a long time, her expression confused and disoriented, as she was digesting the last bit of information.

Such a symbol is undoubtedly soft and non-aggressive, just a bewildered and confused young girl.

Lin Lanting's gaze softened as he quietly moved closer and pulled the still-dazed Huiyi into his arms.

"We are husband and wife, and I will treat you well for the rest of my life and make you happy. What are you hesitating for?"

Even in the midst of their embrace, Lin Lanting was already rapidly envisioning their future together.

Go back first, and make up for the missing moments of your wedding night tonight. He will then make it up to you properly and take a few days off to spend time with you.

He tailored clothes for her, showed her jewelry, and took her on a tour of the East and West Markets of Chang'an, letting her see all the excitement.

Like all couples in the world, experience the sweet romance of newlyweds.

Just thinking about it made Lin Lanting's lips curl up, and she tightened her arms around him.

Nestled in warm, comforting arms, listening to seductive words whispered in her ear, Huiyi momentarily succumbed to temptation.

This was a sweet temptation she had never experienced before.

Although it's unknown how long this sweetness will last, or even if it's real.

With the man's hot, intense breath filling her nostrils, Huiyi gradually broke free from this warm embrace.

"open."

She straightened her disheveled clothes and hair, her tone unusually calm.

This was not the reaction Lin Lanting had anticipated. His gaze darkened, and he asked, "Indeed, it's your turn to answer me."

"you say."

They were eyeing me intently, as if they would do something if I didn't give them a satisfactory answer.

Under such a gaze, Huiyi felt a chill run down her spine, as if she would be pinned down and harassed like before if she finished speaking.

So she came up with a clever idea. Pointing to the teacup on the table, she said imperiously, "I'm thirsty now. Bring me the tea."

Lin Lanting's eyes darted around, sensing something was amiss, but she ultimately agreed.

Taking advantage of the moment Lin Lanting turned around, Huiyi left after saying a few words.

"I don't like you, and I don't want to spend my life with you!"

After a loud shout, she darted out the door in an instant, as nimble as a swallow.

Even with Lin Lanting's quick reflexes, he couldn't stop the cunning rabbit from escaping. Having missed his target, Lin Lanting gritted his teeth and stared at the fluttering hem of the skirt, watching helplessly as Huiyi disappeared before his eyes.

The servants waiting outside looked on in surprise when they saw the princess running out in a panic.

Then, the prince consort followed out with a gloomy face. Logically, the princess should have had the upper hand, but she didn't seem to be doing well either.

For a moment, everyone was confused.

After escaping the house, Huiyi breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, Huiyi pretended to be calm and said, "Don't just stand there, I'm going to pick some fruit. Lead the way."

As if waking from a dream, everyone busied themselves, some carrying fruit baskets, others holding copper basins, and still others leading the way.

Huiyi pretended not to see Lin Er's anger and walked into the orchard surrounded by servants as if nothing had happened.

In the season when countless fruits ripen, the Zhuangzi, where hundreds of fruit trees are planted, is filled with the faint, sweet fragrance of fruit when the wind blows.

Because there are so many kinds, the sweetness in the air is very complex.

Huiyi took a deep sniff, and her agitated heart calmed down considerably.

But when she peeked behind her, she saw a ghost swaying back, its eagle eyes fixed on her.

Judging from that, he was likely to encounter trouble as soon as he was alone.

Her breathing faltered, but Huiyi forced herself to calm down and turned her head away from looking at Lin Er.

What sins did she commit to deserve such a calamity as Lin Er?

Huiyi blushed as she recalled how Lin Er had taken advantage of her.

How could he dare to do such a thing?

A slight tingling sensation remained on the tip of my tongue, and the exhilarating feeling of being stirred surged through my heart in an instant.

The autumn wind was bleak, but it couldn't dispel the warmth on Huiyi's face and in her heart. She could only think about picking fruit to relieve the heat.

As it turned out, picking fruit really could distract her; as soon as Huiyi stepped into a pomegranate grove, she was immediately filled with excitement.

Back in Lingzhou, there was an old pomegranate tree in front of her dilapidated home, which would bear a full load of pomegranates every year, allowing Huiyi to eat her fill.

She loved the sweet and sour taste that pomegranates gave her every year; it was one of the few delicious treats she had in Lingzhou.

Huiyi found it even more delicious than maltose.

Not to mention the lush forests here, with not only pomegranate trees, but also pear trees, jujube trees, hawthorn trees, persimmon trees, orange trees, grapevines, and more...

"Bring a ladder!"

When we were little, my three brothers and I would climb trees together to pick them. But now that Huiyi has been living a life of luxury for a few years, she's not as agile as she used to be, so she has to use a ladder to climb up.

Yu Niang and the others immediately looked worried, and were about to speak when the prince consort spoke first.

"It's too dangerous for the princess to go. Be careful not to fall again."

Huiyi glanced at him and saw that his gaze was deep and cold, lacking the warmth that had previously made her wary.

"I'll pick them for the princess."

He used to climbing trees to pick fruit and steal bird eggs all the time when he was a child. He was so familiar with it that he was thick-skinned and not afraid of falling.

Upon hearing Lin Lanting's words, Yu Niang and the others gave him an approving look, feeling that the prince consort was becoming more and more sensible.

Lin Lanting should have loathed such gazes, but at this moment, a secret delight arose within her.

See, there are still discerning people out there.

But the person he most wanted to curry favor with rejected him outright and even drove him away.

"Don't spoil my fun. If you pick it, what am I supposed to pick? If you have nothing else to do, go home."

Huiyi didn't want to see him; she even wondered if she should finish picking the fruit and return to the palace.

But after climbing the ladder and picking a few fruits, Huiyi temporarily forgot about her troubles.

Seeing that he couldn't stop them, Lin Lanting had no choice but to give up. However, he was still worried, so he stood near the ladder, ready to catch anyone who might fall down carelessly.

In the warm autumn sun, Huiyi walked among several trees and returned home laden with fruit.

But this also exhausted ninety percent of Huiyi's strength. After coming down from the ninth tree, Huiyi wiped the sweat from her forehead and felt completely refreshed.

"I'm not picking anymore, I'm exhausted!"

A basket of pomegranates, a basket of grapes, a basket of hawthorns, a basket of tangerines...

I picked a little of each kind; although it wasn't much, it added up to a considerable amount.

Taking the damp handkerchief handed to her from the side, Huiyi wiped her sweat a couple of times. Then she saw a cup of chilled lychee drink being offered to her lips. She assumed it was from one of the maids and casually bit into the lotus leaf edge of the silver cup to drink it down.

Cherry lips, tender and red, lightly rest on the lotus leaf-shaped silver cup, their colors vivid.

Because she was so thirsty, Huiyi drank very quickly, and some water spilled from the corners of her lips, trickled down her chin, slid over her slender, fair neck, and finally disappeared into her ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).

Lin Lanting stared blankly, unwilling to look away for even a moment, until Huiyi caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye and saw that it wasn't her maidservant serving the drink, but Lin Er. She jumped three feet away, like a cat seeing a mouse.

"Why is it you?"

The thought of how close Lin Er had been to her just moments before still haunted Huiyi.

She was terrified that Lin Er would force himself on her and be intimate with her like he had done before.

“Serving the princess is also the duty of the prince consort, so why can’t it be the subject?”

Fortunately, Lin Er wouldn't do anything outrageous in public, which eased Huiyi's tension.

"Hmph, all talk and no action!"

After that incident, Huiyi just wanted to avoid Lin Er and preferably not see him at all.

She remained steadfast in this principle throughout the day. Even after picking the fruit and returning to the Lin residence, Huiyi deliberately avoided the other party, and even Yu Niang and the others noticed that something was amiss.

But when asked, Huiyi was too ashamed to talk about what happened in the house, so she just gave a few perfunctory answers.

She just wanted to bury all the bad things that happened today and not let anyone know.

But when night fell, Huiyi realized that hiding was useless.

Back at the Lin residence, Huiyi sent some of the fruit she had picked from the estate that day to her parents, brothers, and sisters, and also sent some to her parents-in-law and Lin Dalang's courtyard.

Although the fruit wasn't anything magical, she picked it all herself; it was a small gift but carried great sentiment.

As night fell, no matter what she tried, she couldn't get rid of Lin Er, who insisted on staying in the house.

They couldn't be driven away by scolding, beating, or even by sending guards to drive them away.

Because Lin Er is really good at fighting and can withstand beatings, violence can't do anything to him.

He adopted an attitude of being fearless and willing to be beaten or scolded, which almost made Huiyi so angry that she fainted.

She couldn't very well really take Lin Er's life.

"I won't leave unless the princess kills me and drags me out today!"

Huiyi finally understands what it means to be like a dead pig that isn't afraid of boiling water.

Leaning wearily against the soft cushion, Huiyi waved her hand, dismissing the servants.

"You can stay, but you're not allowed to do anything reckless, or the entire Lin family won't get any sleep tonight, understand?"

She's the type to cause trouble. If Lin Er really bullies her again, she'll make a scene in front of Lin Zhongshu and Madam Guo.

Upon hearing the tone soften, Lin Lanting readily agreed.

He's not always so lustful; he was just out of his mind with anger during the day.

The servants withdrew and gently closed the door. Huiyi lay in the brocade curtains, wrapped tightly in her clothes, her heart pounding.

Her hunch was right; soon, heavy footsteps echoed outside the tent.

As the weather turned cooler, Yu Niang instructed that a lichen be laid out to prevent Huiyi from catching a cold by going to bed barefoot.

It was a tribute from Persia; it was brightly colored and soft, and was the most popular style in Chang'an.

Therefore, when Lin Er appeared at his bedside and pulled back the curtain in front of him, it was almost without a sound.

Huiyi stared wide-eyed at Lin Er, who had suddenly appeared beside her bed, her reaction no different from seeing a ghost.

Suddenly, the exciting scenes of the day flashed through her mind, and Huiyi's heart, which was already pounding, suddenly burst open, and she was about to cry out.

But the other party reached out and firmly covered it.

"Shh, don't shout. I'm just here to talk to you. I'm not going to kiss you."

"Blink if you understand, and I'll let go."

Huiyi's trembling pupils returned to normal, and she blinked.

"I have nothing to say to you."

She wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, trying to make herself invincible.

Lin Lanting saw it, raised an eyebrow, and said with amusement, "I do have one."

"explain."

Huiyi said succinctly, hoping that this fellow would finish speaking quickly and leave.

Lin Lanting also wanted to bring this up as soon as possible, so that he wouldn't have to worry about it every day.

"It's about what happened during the day. I want to live a good life with you, why won't you agree?"

Lin Lanting was completely baffled. He wasn't that bad, was he?

"You always make me angry, it's so annoying."

Huiyi immediately blurted out a sentence, and Lin Lanting reacted quickly, replying, "I can change it, as long as I don't make you angry. Whatever you say goes."

Going along with it, to put it nicely, was very easy for Lin Lanting.

Huiyi frowned and said again, "You're a bit too dark-skinned. I still prefer fair-skinned young men."

"you……"

Hearing this, Lin Lanting was furious and explained for the first time, "I wasn't dark-skinned when I was a child. It was because I was always fighting alongside my uncle that I got tanned. If you don't believe me, look at my grandparents and brother. Aren't they all fair-skinned?"

Huiyi was momentarily distracted, going over the names of the Lin family members in her mind, and belatedly realized that what Lin Er said did make sense.

Lin Lanting continued, "It's just that I got too much sun during the war. If you don't believe me, look at me now. Aren't I much fairer than when I first returned to Chang'an?"

The room was dark, and Huiyi couldn't see anything clearly. She snorted but didn't respond.

Lin Lanting was anxious and, having no other choice, came up with a roundabout plan.

"How about this, if we can't decide right away, we can give it a try first."

This intrigued her, and she tilted her head to ask, "Try what?"

Lin Lanting sat down on the edge of the bed, lowered his head, and said eloquently, "Let's try being husband and wife for a month. If you still don't think I'm good enough after a month, then I won't say anything more. But if you think I'm barely suitable to be your husband, then you can be my real husband and wife. How about that?"

Fearing that Huiyi would ignore him, Lin Lanting made a small threat.

"If you don't consider it, then I'll pester you every single day, making you unable to eat or sleep!"

Upon hearing this, Huiyi's wavering heart immediately settled down.

"Okay, I agree. I'll remember your words."

"If I still don't like it after a month, you should stay away from me."

Lin Lanting beamed with delight and replied nonchalantly, "As the princess commands!"

So what if he fails? The bond between husband and wife remains, and he's not afraid that she'll run away.

He has plenty of time.

As for those clueless pretty boys, he has plenty of ways to deal with them.

Having reached an agreement, both of them were now in a calm state of mind.

However, seeing Lin Er still standing by her bedside, Huiyi said with dissatisfaction, "If you're done talking, get out of here! What are you doing standing here?"

Although the two had made an agreement, the lingering impact of Lin Er's words still lingered in her mind, and she was terrified just thinking about it.

He thought that Lin Er would be more obedient after receiving his promise, but after being urged by him, he didn't budge. Instead, he smiled and said, "Since we're going to try it, how can we not try what it's like to sleep together?"

Huiyi, who had just loosened her grip on the blanket, suddenly clenched it again, looking warily at Lin Er, whose gaze was gloomy.

Sure enough, he was just lusting after her body!

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Author's Note: Here it is! It was so difficult to piece this together, but thankfully it's finished. This chapter is also quite long, so I'm happy! [heart emoji]