Chapter 120

Xiao Qiyun's gaze followed Su Zhelan's retreating figure, watching him disappear without a trace of lingering affection behind the curtain leading to the inner room. The gentle smile on Xiao Qiyun's face vanished instantly, leaving only a cold indifference.

His gaze was icy, piercing directly at Sheng Xuan, who was still gripping his wrist. His voice was low and suppressed, carrying an undeniable command:

"open."

Sheng Xuan immediately pulled his hand back as if he had shaken off something dirty, even wiping it on the hem of his clothes! His face showed undisguised disgust, and he raised his chin, sneering at Xiao Qiyun: "Tch! Who wants to hold your hand!"

He then took a step forward, almost touching Xiao Qiyun, his roguish smile carrying a strong sense of provocation. He raised his hand and patted Xiao Qiyun's shoulder without any politeness—the force was not light, and it carried a hint of a warning.

“Your Highness,” Sheng Xuan’s voice was lowered, but every word was clear and smug, “Don’t forget… tonight, it’s my turn.” His eyes gleamed with a “don’t try anything funny” light.

After saying that, Sheng Xuan didn't wait for Xiao Qiyun's response. She snorted triumphantly and strode towards the inner room curtain where Su Zhelan had disappeared.

As he lifted the curtain and stepped inside, he deliberately raised his voice, a hint of schadenfreude and tattling in his tone, and shouted into the room:

"Ze Lan! His Highness the Crown Prince isn't studying properly! It's boring! I'm not playing anymore!"

Xiao Qiyun stood there, watching Sheng Xuan's smug expression as he slipped into the inner room. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a cold, speechless glint flashed in his eyes. He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging irritation in his heart, and followed him into the inner room.

The inner room was quieter than the outer room, and the lighting was much softer.

Su Zhelan was leaning against a low couch by the window, her eyes slightly closed, seemingly resting and oblivious to the commotion outside.

As soon as Sheng Xuan entered, his gaze locked onto Su Zhelan on the low couch. He immediately leaned over, bent down, and his face was almost close to Su Zhelan's ear. In a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, he described the "failure" of the "teaching" outside just now, embellishing the story of how Xiao Qiyun was "unappreciative".

Xiao Qiyun ignored Sheng Xuan's clamor. He walked straight to the other side of the table, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a glass of water.

He picked up his cup, took a slow sip, and calmly glanced at Su Zhelan's profile before giving a brief look to Sheng Xuan, who was still chattering away. The meaning in his eyes was self-evident—noisy.

Time passed slowly in a subtle tranquility. Dinner ended, and night deepened. Candles were lit in the room, casting a warm yellow glow upon the three of them.

Sheng Xuan walked a few steps to Xiao Qiyun's side, reached out and pushed Xiao Qiyun's shoulder towards the door, her movements carrying an undeniable urgency:

"Alright, alright! Your Highness, please take care!" Sheng Xuan's voice was loud and cheerful, with a hint of urgency as he urged her to hurry up. "Ze Lan should rest! If we stay any longer, Mr. Su Yan will nag her again!"

As he spoke, he casually lifted the curtain leading to the inner and outer rooms for Xiao Qiyun, his posture resembling that of a servant who had finally seen off a "troublemaker."

Xiao Qiyun's body stiffened slightly from Sheng Xuan's sudden shove, and the gentle smile on his face almost vanished.

He gave Sheng Xuan a deep look, but ultimately said nothing. He simply nodded slightly, his expression a little stiff, and then, with a pace that was still composed but seemed a bit faster than usual, lifted the curtain of the outer room and disappeared outside.

That figure, from behind, subtly conveyed a sense of reluctance at being forcibly asked to leave.

Sheng Xuan watched Xiao Qiyun leave, then immediately lowered the curtain, let out a long sigh of relief, and his face was once again filled with a pure, hearty smile. He practically skipped back to the low couch, plopped down on the footstool, and looked up at Su Zhelan, his eyes shining like stars.

Su Zhelan sat quietly on the low couch, watching Sheng Xuan's beaming face, his clear eyes filled with undisguised confusion. He tilted his head slightly, his brows furrowed, and his voice carried a hint of bewilderment:

“You…” Su Zhelan’s gaze swept across Sheng Xuan’s face, then glanced in the direction Xiao Qiyun had left, “…Why are you still here?” He thought Sheng Xuan would leave with Xiao Qiyun as usual.

Upon hearing this, Sheng Xuan's smile widened, tinged with smugness and cunning. He leaned closer to Su Zhelan, bent down, and said with an barely suppressed elation in his voice:

"Hehe, Zelan, you forgot?" He deliberately lowered his voice, with a hint of mystery, but more so with undisguised joy. "Tonight... it's my turn to stay and keep you company!" His eyes sparkled, full of anticipation and a sense of satisfaction that "it's finally my turn."

Su Zhelan sighed softly, a hint of resignation in his voice: "...Alright." He braced himself against the edge of the low couch, preparing to get up. He looked up at Sheng Xuan, who was still standing in front of him with an expectant expression, and said in a calm tone: "...Go wash up first."

“Okay! But…” Sheng Xuan replied quickly, but his actions were completely different! Instead of turning around to go to the washstand, he suddenly reached out and gently pressed Su Zhelan’s shoulder, pushing Su Zhelan, who was just about to get up, back onto the low couch!

"Don't rush, don't rush!" Sheng Xuan said with a bright smile, but her tone carried an undeniable air. "It's so late at night, I want to take a bath! To relax and unwind!"

As he spoke, he turned and walked towards the door, preparing to call for help.

He walked to the door, lifted the curtain, and loudly ordered, "Someone! Prepare the bath! The water must be hot!" After giving the order, he lowered the curtain, hopped back to the low couch, grinned at Su Zhelan, and his eyes shone with an astonishing light:

“Wait! Once they’re ready, we’ll go together! Take a bath and then sleep soundly!” He said cheerfully, as if it were a matter of course, leaving Su Zhelan no room to refuse.

Su Zhelan was somewhat stunned by his series of movements, and the sensation of her shoulder being pressed back onto the couch still lingered.

He watched Sheng Xuan's matter-of-fact and gleeful manner as he arranged for the two of them to "bathe together," opened his mouth, but in the end, he just closed his eyes helplessly, leaned back on the couch, and tacitly agreed.

Not long after, a servant's respectful voice came from outside the door: "Young master, the bath is ready, and the water temperature is just right."

"Understood!" Sheng Xuan immediately responded, his voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement. He leaped up from the footstool, rushed to the low couch in a few steps, stretched out his hand to Su Zhelan, who was still resting with her eyes closed, and said with a grin, "Let's go! Zhelan! The water's ready!"

Su Zhelan opened her eyes, looked at Sheng Xuan's outstretched hand, and frowned slightly, seemingly wanting to get up herself. But Sheng Xuan didn't give her that chance at all!

With an extremely natural movement, Sheng Xuan bent down, put one arm around Su Zhelan's shoulder, and put the other arm under Su Zhelan's knees—in a half-hug, half-embrace position, he lifted Su Zhelan directly off the low couch!

"Hey!" Su Zhelan exclaimed softly, caught off guard, and instinctively grabbed Sheng Xuan's shirt to steady herself. A hint of surprise and annoyance flashed across his face. "I can walk by myself!"

"Oh, don't be so polite!" Sheng Xuan completely ignored Su Zhelan's protest, his face beaming with a smile, and carried him toward the door leading to the hot spring bath from the inner room. "The water's all filled, let's hurry! Don't let it get cold!"

As he walked, he swung his arms around, as if he thought Su Zhelan was very light and her steps were quick.

Su Zhelan felt extremely uncomfortable with his sudden, somewhat domineering, intimate gesture. He struggled, but Sheng Xuan's arms were too tight, and he couldn't break free at all.

He could only give up helplessly, his body stiffening slightly as Sheng Xuan half-carried him through the curtains of the inner room. In his ears, he could hear Sheng Xuan humming an off-key tune, and his undisguised smugness as if his plan had succeeded.

Inside the cubicle, a large bathtub was steaming, with a few flower petals floating on the surface, and a warm, humid atmosphere filled the air.

Su Zhelan was carefully placed by Sheng Xuan beside the bathtub, and her gaze was immediately drawn to the few unusual flower petals on the water's surface.

He frowned slightly, his clear eyes filled with a hint of confusion and... speechlessness.

He looked up at Sheng Xuan, who was standing beside him, eagerly preparing to take off her clothes, his tone calm but with a hint of barely perceptible inquiry:

“These flower petals…” Su Zhelan’s gaze swept across Sheng Xuan’s face before returning to the water’s surface, “…you ordered them to be prepared?”

He couldn't think of anyone else but this guy who would do something like scattering flower petals into a bathtub.

Sheng Xuan was untying his belt when he heard this, and his movements stopped. The expectant smile on his face instantly turned into confusion.

He followed Su Zhelan's gaze to the water's surface, and when he saw those few petals, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with the question, "What is this thing?"

"Huh?" Sheng Xuan's voice carried a hint of surprise and disdain. "It wasn't me!" He immediately denied it, his tone crisp.

"Who put this fancy stuff in here? Taking a bath is like something a young lady would do!" he said, while reaching out to scoop up a petal that had drifted in front of him and tossing it out of the tub with disdain.

He flicked away the petals, his attention immediately returning to Su Zhelan. He saw that Su Zhelan was still standing by the tub, merely looking at the water, showing no intention of taking off her clothes and getting in.

"Oh dear! The water's getting cold! What are you dawdling for!" Sheng Xuan took two steps to Su Zhelan, his face showing a hint of impatience and urgency. He reached out to untie the belt around Su Zhelan's waist. "Come on! Let me help you!"

His movements were quick and direct; his fingers had already hooked onto Su Zhelan's sash knot.

Su Zhelan was startled by his sudden action and froze! Almost instinctively, Su Zhelan raised her hand and grabbed Sheng Xuan's outstretched wrist! The force was considerable, stopping his movement.

"No need." Su Zhelan's voice turned cold, carrying an undeniable refusal, and she looked sharply at Sheng Xuan. "I'll do it myself."

Sheng Xuan's wrist was firmly gripped by Su Zhelan. He was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting Su Zhelan to react so strongly. But then, the urgency and confusion on his face were instantly replaced by a mischievous grin that seemed to indicate sudden realization.

Instead of backing away, he leaned forward slightly, bringing his face close to Su Zhelan's ear, taking advantage of her grip on his wrist.

A warm breath brushed against Su Zhelan's earlobe, carrying an ambiguous, teasing whisper. The voice was extremely low, yet clearly penetrated Su Zhelan's ears:

"What's there to be shy about?" Sheng Xuan's voice rose slightly at the end, carrying a hint of roguishness and smugness. "Didn't we do everything?..." He deliberately pronounced the words "did everything" softly and slowly, full of blatant implication and teasing.

Su Zhelan's breath hitched! The fingers gripping Sheng Xuan's wrist tightened instantly! He could clearly feel the heat of Sheng Xuan's breath against his ear, and the undisguised teasing and...reminder in his words.

A surge of heat uncontrollably rushed to my ears and neck, instantly turning my fair skin a thin blush.

He abruptly shook off Sheng Xuan's wrist as if burned, simultaneously stepping to the side to create distance between them. He lowered his head slightly, avoiding Sheng Xuan's mocking gaze, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tension and embarrassment:

"...Stop talking!"

Sheng Xuan looked at Su Zhelan's ears turning red instantly and her profile trying to appear calm. His mischievous smile deepened, and his eyes were filled with smug satisfaction, as if to say, "I hit the nail on the head, didn't I?"

He knew when to stop, and didn't press any further. He simply crossed his arms, looked at Su Zhelan with a grin, and spoke in a light tone:

"Fine, fine! I'll shut up! Then hurry up and take your clothes off! The water's going to get cold if you keep dawdling!"

As he spoke, he deftly took off his clothes and stepped into the large bathtub with a splash. The warm water instantly enveloped him, and he let out a comfortable sigh, leaning back against the tub.

With his arms draped over the edge of the tub, his bright eyes stared unabashedly at Su Zhelan, who was still standing by the tub, her back to him, taking off her clothes.

Su Zhelan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the restlessness in her heart and the heat in her ears. Her movements were noticeably stiff.

His outer robe and inner garment had been removed and neatly draped on a rack to the side. Now he was only wearing a thin inner garment.

He could clearly feel the burning, mocking gaze behind him, as if it could penetrate the thin fabric.

The fingers that were untying the sash of her inner garment paused almost imperceptibly. Her fingertips gripped the thin strap, yet she hesitated to make another move. The heat she had so painstakingly suppressed behind her ears seemed to be making a comeback.

Sheng Xuan, watching from inside the bucket, noticed Su Zhelan's hesitation. A mischievous smirk played on his lips as he deliberately dragged out his words, his voice carrying the languid quality unique to water vapor and an undisguised teasing tone:

"Hey—Ze Lan—" Sheng Xuan's voice was particularly clear in the misty steam, "What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and take them off!"

Seeing that Su Zhelan still hadn't moved, he leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his arm, his mischievous glint in his eyes, and deliberately spoke in a tone that implied "I understand you":

"Don't you hate having wet clothes sticking to your body the most? That feels so uncomfortable! Come in and soak in the water, it'll feel so good!" He said, splashing some water with his hand to deliberately make a splashing sound, as if he was tempting you, or even urging you on.