Chapter 40 It is human nature to be attracted by beauty when bathing together
Shen Zhiwei gradually began to discern a pattern in this spacious and quiet mansion. Her husband seemed genuinely busy. He would quietly leave in the early morning, just as she was about to wake up, and return late at night, covered in dew, when she was still half asleep.
During the day, she and a few extremely well-behaved maids were the only ones left in this huge palace.
The decoction was taken three times a day, unwaveringly, and the bitterness remained unwavering. Shen Zhiwei tried to inquire about her condition, but the maid only replied with a humbled expression, "The imperial physician ordered that the lady rest. I don't know the details."
She didn't ask any more questions.
Sometimes she would sit by the window, staring blankly at a withered old plum tree in the yard, trying to pluck out some shadows of the past from the bare branches, but it was always in vain.
Half a month passed in a flash, and the snow finally stopped. Shen Zhiwei woke from her nap and felt a little sticky. Since she woke up, the maid had only dared to wipe her body with a hot towel for fear of catching a cold. Now, the sun shone on her, making her feel even more uncomfortable.
She called her personal maid and said, "I want to take a bath."
Upon hearing this, the maid's face showed a trace of embarrassment. "Madam, His Highness has instructed that you are not well yet and should not take a bath in a tub, as it might introduce a cold into your body. Would you rather let me wash you?"
Shen Zhiwei frowned. Although she didn't remember the past, her dislike of being overly restricted was still there.
"It's okay. It's warm today and there are floor heating in the hall. Prepare some water. I can use the small hot spring pool in the side hall." She remembered that when she was taking a walk two days ago, she saw a hot spring pool with running water next to the main hall. It didn't look big, but it was hidden and warm.
Seeing her insistence, the maid dared not persuade her any further and had to respond and go to prepare.
Shen Zhiwei put on an outer robe and followed the maid through several corridors to the side hall.
The hall was indeed warm and humid. The white jade-lined hot spring pool was swirling with steam, and the gurgling sound of running water was evident. A faint, soothing incense burned by the poolside, and clean pajamas and towels were prepared behind a screen in the corner.
The maid bowed and retreated outside the hall, gently closing the door.
The hot spring hall was filled with steam and warmth, completely isolating the winter chill. Shen Zhiwei untied her outer robe, hung it on a nearby hanger, and walked to the pool in just her nightgown. The warm, moist air hit her face, carrying a faint scent of sulfur and herbs, refreshing her heart.
She tested the water temperature and it was just right. Just as she was about to take off her pajamas, her eyes inadvertently swept to the other side of the bath.
The water in the pool is drawn from a spring, the source of which is blocked by rugged rockery, forming a natural partition. The sound of water comes from there, which is clearer than other places in the pool.
I didn't have time to take a closer look when I came in just now, but now that I'm concentrating, I realize that there's a subtle sound of water disturbance behind the rockery, which doesn't sound like the natural flow of a spring.
Shen Zhiwei paused, her nightgown half untied. She hadn't meant to spy, but the sound... was too regular, like someone was behind her.
The maid said this side hall hot spring was specially built for her recuperation and should not be used by anyone else on weekdays. Was it the servants who were responsible for adding and changing the hot water? But the maid hadn't mentioned it just now.
She hesitated for only a moment, then walked lightly around the potted green ivy by the pond and looked behind the rockery.
The misty water vapor is like gauze and fog, lingering around.
Behind the rockery, a figure was immersed in the water with its back to her.
His long, wet, dark hair draped across his sleek back. The rippling water, reflecting the sunlight filtering through the hall's ceiling, flowed across his smooth skin. The outline of his shoulder blades was sharp and distinct, rising and falling slightly as he raised his hands to scoop up water.
It’s Xiao Wangqing.
Shen Zhiwei was stunned where he was.
Why is he here? At this time, he is usually in the palace handling affairs.
He seemed unaware of her arrival, still with his back to her, and slowly scooped up water to wash his shoulders and neck.
The water droplets slid down his firm muscles and sank into the water. His skin was a cold white from not seeing the sun for a long time, and in this hot spring water, it shone with a warm jade-like luster, without a single scar.
Shen Zhiwei's gaze involuntarily followed the line of his spine down to the surface of the water. The ripples of the water revealed a faint slender waistline.
very beautiful.
Is he... seducing her?
This idea popped up suddenly, a little absurd, but not completely impossible.
Although he treated her with restraint and courtesy these days, his silent concern and understanding of her preferences suggested that they were not completely strangers.
A husband trying to attract the attention of his amnesiac wife in this way? It seems to make sense.
The corners of Shen Zhiwei's lips curved up. If that was true, her husband had used some circuitous thinking.
She was indeed sold on this, and she wasn't one to be shy. Having seen it, there was no reason for her to retreat immediately. Besides, the scene was truly pleasing to the eye.
Miss Shen simply relaxed, leaning against the cool rockery beside her, and continued to admire him leisurely. Her eyes boldly wandered over his body, from his wet black hair, to his broad shoulders, his narrow waistline, and finally to the contours of his hips and legs submerged in the water, which evoked his imagination.
The water temperature seemed to rise a little, and her cheeks also became warm.
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Wangqing finally noticed something was wrong. He paused in his splashing and slowly turned his head.
In the misty air, his eyes met her unflinching gaze.
Xiao Wangqing tilted his head, his wet black hair plastered to his smooth cheeks. Drops of water rolled down his jawline, dripping onto Shen Zhiwei's heart. His gaze pierced through the misty water and plunged directly into her unabashed gaze.
Those eyes, always as still as an ancient well, seemed to have been struck by a stone, suddenly rippling across them in a circle of distinct ripples. Surprise, surprise, and obvious embarrassment.
He froze, his attempt to scoop up water stopped mid-air, the water dripping back into the pool from between his fingers. His cold, pale skin flushed visibly, spreading from his neck all the way to his ears.
He subconsciously wanted to step back and quickly glanced at the ink-colored undershirt placed on the stool by the pool, which was some distance away from him.
Shen Zhiwei leaned against the cold rock, taking in his instantaneous reaction. The suspicion of being seduced in her heart suddenly wavered.
This reaction was too genuine to be fake. It was more like a young man who was caught bathing while being caught off guard.
interesting.
Xiao Wangqing's Adam's apple rolled violently, and he spun around abruptly, his entire back facing her again, his movements so fast that they caused a splash of water. His voice came through the steam, raspy from being soaked in the mist.
"You...why are you here, Madam?"
He also knew that she was his wife.
Shen Zhiwei looked at the tense lines of his back, on which were hanging crystal water droplets, which trembled slightly with his somewhat disordered breathing.
She stood up slowly, straightened the loose collar of her nightgown, walked lightly around the rockery, and came to the edge of the pool, getting closer to him.
"The maid said that this hot spring was specially built for me to recuperate," her voice was as calm as usual, reaching his ears clearly, "I didn't know my husband was here."
Shen Zhiwei squatted down, dipped his fingertips into the pool water, stirred it a bit, and felt the perfect warmth.
"The water temperature is just right," she raised her eyes and smiled, her gaze falling on his wet black hair, "Your Highness, are you here to...relax as well?"
This question is a common one, but in this situation, it has an indescribable meaning.
Xiao Wangqing's back became even stiffer. He didn't turn around, and said in a muffled voice, "Well, I didn't know you would come."
"That seems to be a coincidence," Shen Zhiwei chuckled, lifting her fingertips from the water, bringing up a few strings of water droplets that dripped onto the jade tiles by the pool. "I've been lying in bed for half a month, and my body is sticky. I want to take a good soak. Since Your Highness arrived first, then I..."
She pretended to get up and leave, with just the right amount of hesitation in her tone.
"No need," Xiao Wangqing interrupted almost immediately, speaking a little faster than before, "Madam, if you need it, then use it. I... I'll be out right away."
As he spoke, he was about to stand up, and his movement caused even bigger ripples on the water.
"Husband, why bother?" Shen Zhiwei stopped him. She squatted down again, resting her elbows on her knees, holding her chin, admiring his silhouette underwater. "This pool is big enough to accommodate two people. Or...husband, do you find it inconvenient?"
Xiao Wangqing's movement to stand up stopped mid-sentence, unable to move forward or retreat. He remained silent, his tightly pursed lips and increasingly reddened ears visible through the mist.
Shen Zhiwei's evil taste was satisfied. She stopped pressing him and began to untie the ties of her nightgown. Her movements were neither hurried nor slow, and the rustling of the fabric made a soft sound, which was particularly clear in the hall where only the sound of water echoed.
Xiao Wangqing's back was obviously more tense, and even his shoulder blades were slightly raised.
Shen Zhiwei took off her pajamas and only wore a tight-fitting top, her fair skin faintly visible in the mist.
She tested the water temperature, then stepped into the pool. The warm water flowed over her ankles, calves, and waist, bringing a soothing, ironing feeling. She chose a spot not too far from Xiao Wangqing, sat down with her back against the pool wall, and sighed comfortably.
The water is rippling.
Xiao Wangqing always had his back to her, like a stiff stone sculpture, even his breathing was extremely light.
Shen Zhiwei closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the hot water envelop her body. She knew he was nervous and embarrassed, and this actually made her relax. If he was really deliberately seducing her, he wouldn't react like this.
After a long time, so long that Shen Zhiwei was almost falling asleep in this warmth, he heard the very slight sound of water beside him.
Xiao Wangqing adjusted his posture very slowly, but still did not turn around.
"Are you...feeling better?" he asked in a low voice, trying to find a safe topic.
"Well, thank you for your concern, Your Highness. My headache is much better now," Shen Zhiwei replied lazily. He opened his eyes and looked at his black hair soaked in water. "But I still can't remember anything."
The hair spread out like algae, and it felt nice to the touch, so she moved a few inches towards him.
Shen Zhiwei's fingertips entwined the strand of wet black hair, and the touch was cooler and smoother than she had imagined, like the finest silk soaked in water. She didn't use any force, just twisting it loosely, and her fingertips occasionally brushed against the slightly damp skin on the back of his neck.
Xiao Wangqing's back suddenly stiffened, he still didn't look back, but Shen Zhiwei could clearly see the red on his earlobe spreading rapidly, dyeing the entire earlobe red, and even spreading down to the side of his neck.
His voice was hoarse than before, and a slight tremor appeared on the back of his neck: "...Madam?"
Shen Zhiwei didn't respond. Her fingertips followed the direction of his hair and gently slid to the center of his shoulder blade. The muscles there were as tight as stone, trembling slightly with her touch.
In this situation, facing such a husband who seems cold and hard but is actually surprisingly young and immature.
It is human nature to be tempted by beauty.
She took another half step forward, the warm water covering her chest, the distance between them shortened to the point where she could hear her breath. She could almost smell his refreshing scent, which made her feel a little dizzy.
"My husband seems very nervous?" She asked knowingly, "Is bathing in the same pool making my husband so uncomfortable?"
Xiao Wangqing's breathing suddenly quickened, and he jerked sideways, trying to avoid her close breath and the hand that was tampering with his back. This movement exposed half of his chest to her view, the firm lines of his flesh clearly visible in the water's light, his cold, pale skin gleaming with an alluring glow.
Shen Zhiwei's eyes fell on that piece of skin without hesitation, even following the waves down, sweeping across the faint outline of the abdominal muscles. She had to admit that this look was really to her liking.
"It's not...uncomfortable." He uttered a few words with difficulty, his voice muffled in his chest. He still refused to turn around completely to face her. The lines of his profile were extremely tense, and his long eyelashes drooped, stained with moisture in the water vapor.
"It's just..." He paused, "It's not in accordance with etiquette."
"Is it against etiquette?" Shen Zhiwei chuckled softly, her fingertips finally leaving his back and tapping his stiff shoulder. "Your Highness is my husband, and I am his legitimate wife. How can it be against etiquette between husband and wife?"
Unless he was lying to her, had been lying to her from the beginning.
Xiao Wangqing's body stiffened even more. He seemed to finally be unable to endure this silent torture, and suddenly turned back to look at her.
His eyes were very dark, and were now soaked with water vapor, as if covered with a layer of mist.
She looked into those eyes and thought for a moment, then leaned forward, almost touching him. Her warm breath brushed against his ear, and her voice was very low: "Or...husband, are you actually shy?"
Xiao Wangqing's pupils suddenly contracted, as if these words had pierced his most secret thoughts.
He subconsciously wanted to retreat, but was blocked by the pool wall, with nowhere to retreat. His cheeks were red and almost bleeding, his lips were pursed and pale, his eyes flickered, and he didn't dare to look her in the eye.
This reaction pleased Shen Zhiwei.
She stopped moving forward and instead leaned back against the pool wall, creating some distance.
"It seems I was a bit abrupt," she said with a fake sigh, her tone tinged with laughter. "I thought His Highness invited me to bathe together as a sign of intimacy, but I didn't expect it would actually embarrass His Highness."
This statement is half true and half false, both a test and a ridicule.
Xiao Wangqing suddenly raised his eyes and looked at her: "I didn't..."
"Nothing?" Shen Zhiwei interrupted him, tilting her head to look at him, water dripping from her temples. "You didn't invite me? Then why didn't any servants stop me when I came in? Why is it His Highness who is in this pool?"
Xiao Wangqing opened his mouth, as if wanting to explain, but he didn't know where to begin. He looked into her smiling eyes, then finally lowered them dejectedly and whispered, "It's a coincidence."
"Coincidence?" Shen Zhiwei raised an eyebrow, obviously unconvinced, "Then this coincidence is really... indescribable."
As she spoke, her eyes moved over him again, her admiration undisguised.
Xiao Wangqing felt uncomfortable when she looked at him. He subconsciously closed his legs and sank deeper into the water, leaving only the part above his collarbone exposed.
There is beauty in the air and the atmosphere is ambiguous.
Shen Zhiwei reached out her hand, but this time she didn't touch his hair or shoulders, instead she gently stroked his cheek. Her fingertips felt the scorching heat and subtle tremors of his skin.
His eyelashes trembled, but he didn't avoid it.
"Your Highness," she said softly, looking into his eyes, which were so close to her, "Since we are husband and wife, aren't some things supposed to be this way?"
Her fingertips slid down slowly, brushing across his jawline and lingering at his Adam's apple, feeling the rapid movement there.
Xiao Wangqing's breathing became completely disordered, his chest heaving violently. He looked at her, his eyes gradually becoming blurred, as if bewitched by some invisible force.
Shen Zhiwei raised her head and moved closer to his lips.
The distance was so close that I could count the water droplets condensed on his eyelashes.
"Husband, do you want to... try it?"
These words acted as the final catalyst.
Xiao Wangqing's sanity completely collapsed at this moment.
He suddenly stretched out his hand, not to push her away, but to grab the back of her neck, and pressed her towards him with an almost ferocious force.
Their cold lips pressed against each other, wet from the pool water and filled with each other's hot breath.
The kiss came suddenly and violently, without any rules, more like an instinctive release and confirmation. His teeth knocked against her lips, causing a slight sting, but it was quickly drowned by a more turbulent wave.
Shen Zhiwei was stunned for a moment, then closed his eyes.
She could feel the trembling of his arms and hear the drum-beating of his heart in his chest. This kiss was clumsy, eager, and filled with something she couldn't understand.
despair.
It's not like calculation, but more like a drowning man grabbing a piece of driftwood.
The rippling water, the misty vapor blurring the two people's tightly entwined figures into a hazy silhouette. The only sounds in the hall were their disordered breathing and the subtle sound of water sliding over their skin.
It was unknown how long it took before Xiao Wangqing, seemingly exhausted from all his strength, slowly let go of her. His forehead rested against hers, his breathing still rapid, his cheeks still flushed, but his eyes were much clearer than before, with a hint of confusion and fear in them.
Shen Zhiwei panted, the touch of his lips still lingering on hers, along with a faint taste of blood, probably from the collision. She looked at his eyes, stained with color but still handsome, and felt a mixture of emotions.
The result of the test seemed unexpected, yet also seemed... expected.
She raised her hand and wiped away the stain of water on his lips with her fingertips.
"Husband," she asked softly, "Do you still think this is against etiquette?"
Xiao Wangqing did not answer, but lowered his head again, and this time the kiss was much softer, careful and cherishing.
Shen Zhiwei did not refuse.
The hot spring water is slippery and spring is coming.
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The author has something to say: Shen Zhiwei: I accept it with a smile
She has lost all her memories, is alone, and only has a lively and charming husband.
After too many concerns were filtered out with the past, only an innocent and clean Shen Zhiwei remained.
And Miss Shen has always been a carnivore.
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