Pretending to be asleep
It turns out he was just pretending to be asleep.
Lin Xu's heart skipped a beat, and she turned to look at the figure lying at the head of the bed. Dou Yanxun slowly opened his eyes, his thick eyelashes casting a long, narrow shadow on his face in the light. His eyes, however, held a dark light, and he simply stared at her silently, motionless.
"Still not asleep... I thought my husband was already fast asleep."
Her voice was very soft, but Dou Yanxun said nothing, continuing to stare at her intently. His peach blossom eyes stood out sharply in the surrounding silent night.
Lin Xu thought for a moment. She had indeed drunk some Jiuniang Chunjiu during the banquet that night. Later, after she returned to the side hall from outside, a palace maid brought her some Zuixian Niang, which had a mellow taste. She was also a little thirsty at that time, so she drank some more with the side dishes.
How could the two kinds of wine smell so strong when mixed together that he could still smell it even after I had taken a bath?
Feeling a little embarrassed, she took a deep sniff of the air and realized... she did indeed still smell of alcohol.
Dou Yanxun's expression was somewhat indifferent. Was he holding a grudge against her for drinking?
"...There were many people at the banquet today, so I only ate a little."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Lin Xu realized her tone was off. It sounded as if she had done something wrong and was explaining herself to him. Besides, when did Dou Yanxun start interfering in her affairs?
"Seeing old classmates I hadn't seen in a long time, I was in a good mood and couldn't resist having a few drinks?"
Dou Yanxun lay on the bed, his right hand supporting his neck, and spoke calmly in response to her words. Although it was a question, his tone was inexplicably more forceful than before, sounding as if he were quite certain.
Unable to control herself…it sounds like she really loves drinking. Lin Xu was inwardly scoffing at this, but a thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Why is Dou Yanxun so concerned about her drinking? Could it be that he suddenly remembered the time when he revealed his true feelings after getting drunk not long after their marriage?
At that time, she had only drunk a small cup of Tusu wine mixed with honey, and she was already tipsy. She even cried and threw herself into his arms, pouring out her heart... Now that she had drunk wine at the banquet, there was no reason for her to be so sober.
Could it be that Dou Yanxun suddenly realized that he was just pretending to be drunk that time? Did he discover his weakness?
Lin Xu's heart tightened, and she couldn't help but feel flustered. In her haste, her words became somewhat indistinct. Her once bright eyes narrowed, and she tried her best to add a touch of "drunkenness" to her words and actions.
"...It's getting late, my husband, let's rest..."
Dou Yanxun reached out to her and, before Lin Xu could react, pulled her into his arms.
Lin Xu was sitting at the foot of the bed when he was suddenly pulled, so he couldn't dodge in time and his entire upper body fell into his arms.
Dou Yanxun was wearing a smoky blue silk nightgown, its texture soft and supple. His thick, black hair was unbound, falling loosely onto the pillow. His collar was open, and Lin Xu bumped right into the crook of his neck.
After he had a fever a few days ago, his body became much thinner. His collarbone was very warm, but it was angular and sharp, which made her face hurt.
Lin Xu couldn't help but hiss softly.
Dou Yanxun raised one eyebrow, and after a moment's thought, he pulled her up again, lifting Lin Xu up a little.
Looking at the face lying beneath her, so close to hers, she could no longer maintain her composure. They were too close… the previous position was actually better than this. Now, she was almost entirely leaning against him, her thin summer nightgown offering no respite from their body heat.
For a moment, she didn't know whether to hide or stay there. In just a short while, Lin Xu could clearly feel the chest of the person beneath her gradually turning from warm to hot.
Lin Xu couldn't help but blush down to the roots of her ears.
Dou Yanxun seemed to sense her intention to break free, and tightened his grip on her.
The embrace was so tight that she had nowhere to retreat and could only look at the face so close to hers in utter panic.
"Husband..." she whispered to him.
Even though she and Dou Yanxun had been married for a long time and had even had many intimate moments, some feigned and some genuine, she still found it difficult to adjust to such close interactions in private. After all, it had only been a little over a month since they had officially become husband and wife.
Although Lin Xu had lived two lives, she really had no experience in this matter. Seeing that the atmosphere was gradually becoming more ambiguous, she unconsciously wanted to run away.
The voice of the person beneath her rose softly. Dou Yanxun's warm breath brushed against her face, making her tremble.
"Lifelike".
Dou Yanxun softly called her name, his right hand, which had been free, finally freed from under her neck and gently stroked her hair. His palm was very soft, and her hair, not yet completely dry, was enveloped in the warmth of his hand.
"Don't move."
Lin Xu paused for a moment, then stopped trying to break free.
Dou Yanxun added, "Do you know how hard it was for me to endure?"
Her face flushed crimson instantly. The culprit, however, remained perfectly calm, as if she had merely uttered a perfectly normal statement. But what could she do? She couldn't escape, she couldn't break free. What else could she do?
After thinking for a moment, Lin Xu decided to be the first to back down. After all, Dou Yanxun was shameless and might say something else. The embrace was tight, so she reached out to push his chest away, but as soon as her palm touched him, Dou Yanxun closed his eyes.
In the dim candlelight, Lin Xu saw his Adam's apple move.
"It's getting late tonight..."
"So you need to come back soon."
Dou Yanxun slowly opened his eyes again, and there seemed to be some emotions in them that she couldn't yet understand, but which were extremely aggressive.
Before she could speak, a deluge of kisses and warm breaths rushed over her. Dou Yanxun grabbed her hand, flipped her over, and the two completely switched positions.
All the words she wanted to say in resistance, explanation, or struggle were silenced by his soft lips and vanished into the night. She felt dizzy and gasped for breath as she heard his hot breath wash over her ear.
"...The Third Prince married someone else, are you heartbroken?"
Lin Xu suddenly opened his eyes.
What does all this have to do with her? The Third Prince's wedding day has nothing to do with her. At most, the only time they crossed paths was being classmates for a few months. So why is she heartbroken?
Could this be the reason why Dou Yanxun couldn't fall asleep and spoke in a stiff tone?
She looked blank and shook her head with all her might. "I have only a very shallow relationship with the Third Prince... how could I be saddened by his marriage?"
Dou Yanxun propped himself up with one hand, seemingly scrutinizing Lin Xu's expression intently. After a long while, he gripped her hand and suddenly tightened his grip.
"You put a lot of thought into preparing the gift list."
Lin Xu recalled the gifts she had prepared for the Third Prince's celebration. They weren't particularly valuable, but they were meant to please him. At that time, Dou Yanxun was still suffering from a high fever and was bedridden, so she hadn't discussed it with him, assuming he didn't care.
When did he start secretly asking about her gift list?
"The Third Prince is currently enjoying great power, and since I was invited, I prepared some writing implements. But I wouldn't say I put much effort into them..."
For some reason, she became very cautious.
Dou Yanxun simply gave a faint "Oh." Lin Xu breathed a sigh of relief, but his kiss landed again, this time forcefully on her chin and neck.
Lin Xu's hands were tightly gripped by him, leaving her no time to dodge. She felt his scalding breath, which sent shivers down her spine. Dou Yanxun, however, persisted, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable certainty.
"And what about me?"
Lin Xu's consciousness gradually became confused, and he did not understand what he was asking.
Dou Yanxun sighed softly, and unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand, causing her wrist to ache from being squeezed too tightly.
"—Where's my gift?"
So that's what he cared about! Lin Xu suddenly realized. She felt like she was really drunk, and even her mind was sluggish. The gift for Dou Yanxun... It wasn't his birthday or a holiday, so how could she have thought of preparing a gift for Dou Yanxun?
However, she was currently under someone else's control and naturally could not answer like that. So Lin Xu spoke softly, "...My husband has been promoted and his career is going smoothly. I will naturally prepare a congratulatory gift."
The thick mist in Dou Yanxun's eyes seemed to dissipate a little. He finally loosened his grip on her hand, and Lin Xu breathed a sigh of relief. But the man had no intention of letting her go, and continued to shower her with kiss after kiss.
"I will not be able to bear it anymore from now on."
After realizing what he was saying, Lin Xu's face, which had finally calmed down, turned red again in an instant.
What else could she say? He had blocked all her escape routes. The high-hanging gauze curtains had fallen at some point, plunging the hall into darkness. Only he was beside her, and only he remained…
In the darkness and chaos, she slowly closed her eyes.
.
Lin Xu slept soundly through the night. However, a thick fog rolled in at dawn, which only dissipated after the sun had fully risen. Lin Xu felt dizzy and lightheaded. When Zhu Ling and Rong Wei quietly came in to serve him, he thought it was only the middle of the night.
She closed her eyes tightly and murmured indistinctly, asking Zhuling to blow out the lamp. Zhuling couldn't help but laugh and said, "Madam, it's time to get up. It's already Chenshi (7-9 AM)."
It was rare for Rongwei to see her in such a girlish state, and the two of them couldn't help but smile.
Lin Xu opened her eyes in a daze and looked at the pillow, only to find it empty.
"The Second Master got up very early, first went to pay his respects to the Master, and then went out with the Eldest Young Master and the Master."
Dou Yanxun will soon be going to Laining County to take up his post as magistrate, so naturally there are many things that need to be taken care of.
She sat up and slowly rubbed her temples.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
