Chapter 168 The Succubus, bound by red ribbons...
Suddenly, she felt a warmth on the back of her hand. Yue Yining snapped back to reality and realized that Xie Qingyu was holding her hand, which was resting on his sleeve.
"So the arrangement you mentioned, Miss, is to go boating on the lake with Lord Ye." Xie Qingyu's voice remained gentle and warm, showing no sign of disappointment. "I understand."
Ye Miheng was also surprised to run into Xie Qingyu on this ship. He was so astonished that he didn't even notice Xie Qingyu's strange way of addressing Yue Yining.
Seeing Xie Qingyu holding Yue Yining's hand, he frowned and was about to pull Yue Yining over when Xie Qingyu had already let go of his hand before he could.
“In that case, I won’t disturb you two any longer.” Xie Qingyu nodded slightly and said softly, “I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.”
Yue Yining stood there, watching helplessly as the elegant and refined young man in white passed by her.
Xie Qingyu left without looking back.
He never showed the slightest sign of losing his composure and remained dignified and proper throughout.
However, watching someone's departing figure, Yue Yining inexplicably felt a chill down her spine.
She raised her hand to rub the goosebumps that had risen on the underside of her arm. Ye Miheng couldn't hold back any longer and leaned closer: "Why is he here? Didn't you say you asked him and he wouldn't be participating in the lake tour today?"
"And what did he mean by that just now?" Ye Miheng asked in surprise. "Didn't you tell him about us coming out?"
"..." Yue Yining was starting to regret it.
Feeling guilty, she lowered her head and whispered, "...No."
Ye Miheng and she both fell silent.
"You... sigh, what were you thinking?" Ye Miheng sighed and scratched his head. "But judging from his reaction just now, he didn't seem angry. There shouldn't be any misunderstanding, right?"
"You can explain it to him when you get back later."
Yue Yining thought so too.
Judging from his expression alone, Xie Qingyu was a magnanimous, dignified and polite gentleman. Even though his lover lied to him and went on a spring outing with other men without informing him beforehand, he did not show the slightest anger.
However, Yue Yining's intuition told her that Xie Qingyu couldn't possibly not be angry.
She knew his personality better than anyone.
And Xie Qingyu, who is usually very meticulous, was actually able to smile and say goodbye to her just now...
Yue Yining shuddered.
Another possibility is that Xie Qingyu has gone mad with anger.
After the two returned to the private room, Yue Yining became even more distracted.
Although Ye Miheng was sitting opposite her, her mind was filled with Xie Qingyu's departing figure. Perhaps it was the memory that embellished her, but she gradually felt that the figure was extremely desolate, lonely, and pitiful.
After sitting and drinking for a while, Ye Miheng suggested going to the deck to enjoy the scenery, and Yue Yining went out with him.
Upon reaching the deck, the view suddenly opened up. The painted boat glided slowly in the center of the lake, surrounded by shimmering waters and a vast expanse of blue waves. The distant mountains were like dark green smoke, and countless colorful boats and painted boats dotted the landscape.
Yue Yining hadn't taken two steps when she felt someone staring at them.
She followed the gaze and saw several well-dressed officials who were not familiar to her. They frequently glanced at Ye Miheng beside her, exchanged a few glances, and finally slowly moved closer to them. One of them even smiled and said, "Lord Ye, I didn't expect to meet you on this pleasure boat. What a coincidence!"
Ye Miheng recognized the other party as several officials from the Fourth Prince's residence and returned the greeting with a bow.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, several people glanced at Yue Yining beside Ye Miheng, their expressions revealing obvious deliberation.
Yue Yining then realized something.
It turns out that this group of people were all officials from the Fourth Prince's faction.
Yue Yining was very sensible. She took a half step back without making a sound and said softly to Ye Miheng, "You two talk first, I'll go and look at the scenery ahead."
Ye Miheng turned his head: "Hey? Are you leaving? Then I'll..."
Seeing his reaction, Yue Yining looked helpless and could only lower her voice and say, "...If someone takes the initiative to talk to you, and you don't say a few words in return before leaving, it will give people something to talk about. Don't let people have a problem with you for no reason. I'll stay up ahead, and you can come find me later."
"...Alright. I'll come find you later."
Yue Yining nodded, turned and walked forward along the edge of the deck. She found a less crowded spot on the side of the ship, stood there, and gazed into the distance, letting the spring breeze carrying moisture caress her face.
Looking back again, the group of people were indeed chatting with Ye Miheng without any restraint. Looking at their smiling faces, there was no trace of their hesitation and doubt just now.
She stopped paying attention to Ye Miheng and instead leaned against the intricately carved elm railing, lost in thought, and then thought of Xie Qingyu.
Why would he come to cruise the lake?
Was he really here for her, or did he have other business to attend to and just happened to run into her?
Just as I was lost in thought, a somewhat uncertain voice suddenly came from beside me: "...Lord Yue?"
Yue Yining turned her head at the sound and saw a young man in a blue silk shirt standing on the side of the ship. When he saw her looking over, the hesitation on his face immediately turned into a smile: "Lord Yue! It really is you!"
Yue Yining recognized him as well and exclaimed in surprise, "Wang Zhou?"
She hadn't seen this person for a long time, but she recognized him the moment she saw him.
Wang Zhou was the "male concubine" that the Eldest Princess gave to Yue Yining last year. She did not let him serve her in bed, and she also discovered that he was actually a member of the Wang family. At that time, Yue Yining was looking for a way to investigate the truth of the Wang case, so she pretended to accept him, but in reality, she made him her secret agent to secretly collect evidence for the case.
Wang Zhou immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying, "This humble one, Wang Zhou, greets Lord Yue!"
"So it was you." Yue Yining smiled. "Judging from your complexion, you and your family must have settled in by now, right?"
Wang Zhou nodded: "Yes, it's all thanks to the help of the Yue people."
"Although all the family property was confiscated and it was difficult to restore the former glory, at least the lives of the whole family were saved."
"I later took my family to Jinling, and now I have a minor clerical job in the Jinling government office. Although the salary is meager, it is enough to make a living and support my family. Life has finally settled down." Wang Zhou said earnestly and gratefully, "I have always wanted to find an opportunity to thank you for your kindness, Lord Yue. I never expected to have the honor of meeting you here today!"
"No need for formalities." Yue Yining felt a sense of relief. "Seeing that you are doing well now, I am relieved."
In the cracks of this power struggle, she managed to save several innocent lives and give people a glimmer of hope; ultimately, it was due to the good deeds she had accumulated.
During their pleasantries, Yue Yining suddenly felt a gaze upon her. The gaze was almost tangible, gradually becoming impossible to ignore, and a chill ran down the back of her neck.
An ominous premonition struck again.
Yue Yining subconsciously looked up and saw a tall, slender figure standing by the railing on the carved corridor of the three-story painted boat.
Wearing a snow-white brocade robe and a jade belt, who else could it be but Xie Qingyu?
He had been standing there for an unknown amount of time, his eyes slightly lowered, his gaze fixed precisely on the direction where she and Wang Zhou were. A breeze from the lake ruffled a few stray hairs from his forehead, and the pale sunlight falling into the lake's center transformed into a soft glow, illuminating half of his face, making his jade-like features appear even more otherworldly.
Yue Yining's heart sank.
"Xie..." She was about to call out to him when Xie Qingyu turned his head away and left from the side of the corridor.
Yue Yining was taken aback. Could it be that he had only been looking at the scenery in the distance and hadn't seen her and Wang Zhou?
Perhaps that's true. Xie Qingyu was too far away from her, and he was looking down from the third floor, so she couldn't be sure if he was really looking at her.
Besides, if he really saw her, he wouldn't have turned away when she tried to call him back, would he?
Despite these thoughts, Yue Yining had a vague sense of extreme danger and unease.
As the pleasure boat docked, Yue Yining watched Xie Qingyu disembark and leave from the window of a private room on the second floor, her mind filled with unease.
After finally watching the performance by the musicians on the boat, the two returned to shore. She hurriedly said goodbye to Ye Miheng, got into the carriage, and instead of returning to her residence, went straight to the Xie residence to find someone.
When Yue Yining arrived at the Frost Pen Courtyard, she saw Yin Yi guarding the gate and greeted him, "Guard Yin, has your young master returned?"
To her surprise, Yin Yi was unusually respectful when he saw her. He walked over quickly with a strange expression on his face.
"...Lord Yue," Yin Yi said in a low voice, "He has been back for quite some time now. He said you would probably come to the Xie residence for dinner today, so he asked us to wait for you here."
Yue Yining was stunned for a moment, "Oh...."
He had guessed it. He had guessed that she would come looking for him as soon as she got off the ship.
Is he inside now?
Yin Yi: "Yes. My lord has been staying in the room since he returned. Please come in, my lord. There is no one else in the room."
"He..." Yue Yining hesitated, looking at Yin Yi's expression. "How did he look when he returned today? Was he unhappy?"
Yin Yi: "......."
This is more than unexpected; it's downright insane! Who knows what he did out today, coming back to pull this stunt!
The thought of what work he had just been forced to do made Yin Yi feel that his hands and eyes were no longer clean...
"Your subordinate dares not presume to know your intentions, Master," Yin Yi said, bowing. The implication was that he couldn't say for sure; you'd understand once you went in and saw for yourself.
Yue Yining understood immediately and stiffened slightly: "...Okay, I understand."
As a grown woman, Yue Yining has always been bold and fearless, but now she walks those few steps from the courtyard gate to the house door with trepidation, as if walking on thin ice.
As the sun set, the courtyard fell silent. She curled her fingers and knocked on the door.
A clear, gentle voice came from inside the door: "Who goes there?"
“...It’s me.” Yue Yining lowered her voice and whispered, “What are you doing? May I come in?”
There was a moment of silence inside the door. Yue Yining didn't receive a response, but instead heard a series of footsteps approaching, knowing that Xie Qingyu had come to open the door for her.
The thought of facing him face to face soon filled me with a sudden sense of unease.
With a creak, the door opened from the inside.
Yue Yining raised her head slightly, but before she could see Xie Qingyu's face clearly, her hand, which was hanging by her side, was taken by him.
A gentle voice came from above: "Why are you standing outside, Miss? Please come in."
He took Yue Yining's hand and led her inside. After a few steps, he closed the door behind her, the door panel closing with a soft sound.
There were no lights on inside, only a few candles in the inner room, casting a dim glow. Yue Yining was taken aback, but Xie Qingyu only paused for a moment before closing the door and continuing to lead her inside.
Yue Yining is actually very good at admitting defeat.
When she was a child, she picked up trash on the street to eat, and knew that she had to run away when older children came, and that she could not go to occupied territory to find food. After going up the mountain, she learned the Five Arts quickly, but her temperament was slow to settle down. She often caused trouble in the temple and was caught by Qiu Wuzhu and given a beating on the hand. After going down the mountain, she met Fu Yao and was completely controlled by Fu Yao. Logically speaking, she was the older one of the two, but her living habits were a mess and she was always being lectured by Fu Yao.
Having grown up like this, she has a wealth of experience in admitting defeat.
Whenever she was in the wrong, Yue Yining could always quickly put down her airs and admit her mistake, just like now: "I'm sorry, I should have told you beforehand. Actually, Ye Miheng and I had a good chat. He said that as long as I accompanied him on the lake trip this time, he would give up on me. I thought this was the last time, so I agreed to it."
"As for why I didn't tell you, well, well at the time, I felt... I felt..." (Keep making things up!)
Yue Yining's face turned ashen, a hint of despair in her expression. It seemed she had absolutely no room for argument; it was all her fault.
The two had just walked around the screen. Xie Qingyu, who was walking forward, suddenly stopped upon hearing this.
Yue Yining also suddenly stopped.
The white brocade robe before him, bathed in darkness, resembled a bright moon. He turned to face her, the shimmering light on the satin surface rippling slowly with his movement.
Yue Yining felt like she had a rabbit nestled in her arms, her heart pounding wildly.
He raised his hand, and just as Yue Yining thought he was going to do something to her, he slightly hooked his fingers and simply brushed aside the black hair tangled at her temples.
“…I know,” Xie Qingyu said softly. “Miss was afraid I would be unhappy, so she didn’t tell me before going to her appointment.”
Yue Yining was taken aback, not expecting him to understand her. Her eyes lit up. "So you're not angry anymore?"
“Of course,” he said. “Why would I be angry with Miss?”
Yue Yining was taken aback by these words. Xie Qingyu had already turned around and was about to take another step forward, but Yue Yining grabbed her arm and stopped her in place.
"...Are you really not angry?" Her voice carried a hint of doubt.
This time, Yue Yining didn't miss his expression. She tilted her head slightly and carefully examined his face.
Xie Qingyu lowered her eyes to look at her, her voice gentle as she spoke, "Didn't Miss explain to me as well? You went to meet him because it was the last time, and he said he would give up."
"It's just a small thing, why should I be angry with you over it? I can understand your actions, there's nothing to be angry about."
“But reason is reason, and emotion is emotion.” Yue Yining looked at him, her gaze piercing. “Are you really not bothered?”
"Even when you watched Ye Miheng and me walk out of that room one after the other, you were completely unmoved? At that moment, didn't you feel angry and embarrassed at being deceived by me?"
"No."
"Really?" Yue Yining asked. "So, you weren't jealous at all?"
"Your Majesty, I would never have such inappropriate feelings."
After Xie Qingyu finished speaking, Yue Yining reached out and grabbed his wrist, holding it very tightly.
His palms had thin calluses, and as she gripped them tightly, the friction against her soft palm sent a continuous warmth up her skin, slowly dissolving his precarious facade.
Yue Yining saw the smile on his face fade.
"...If I were to say yes," Xie Qingyu said very softly, "would Miss blame me?"
Yue Yining felt a sudden pang of sadness. Before she could even savor the sharp pain that suddenly struck her, she reached out and hugged the waist of the person in front of her, her slender arms tightly entwined around him.
Suddenly, she hugged him tightly, and Xie Qingyu's body stiffened instantly, but he did not raise his hand and just stood there motionless.
The gentle and soft-hearted person in his arms said to him, "No, absolutely not."
"Xie Qingyu, you can be jealous, you can be temperamental, and you can even lose your temper with me. Don't be afraid."
The person she was holding slowly melted under her gentle words, transforming from stiff and helpless to soft and vulnerable.
His slightly trembling fingers cupped the back of her head, soft strands of hair entwining around his fingertips.
Xie Qingyu buried her face completely in Yue Yining's shoulder and neck, and her eyes suddenly became hot again, pressing down with burning heat, like a bright red mark on the end of her collarbone.
“I know, Miss,” Xie Qingyu said. “I know that none of them have ever entered your heart.”
“But, this is probably my nature. I was born greedy and jealous.” He hugged the person in his arms tighter, embraced her more deeply, and dissected himself more thoroughly, laying bare his ugliness and desires for her to see. “Even if I can pretend to be tolerant and magnanimous, my heart is being gnawed by jealousy, which is hard to dispel.”
"Seeing them occupy the young lady's side, even though I know they are insignificant people, I still feel like I'm dying of torment."
He may have made some progress; he's not entirely useless or incorrigible.
At least this time, he controlled himself, did not lose his composure in front of others, and did not lose control over her.
“I want your gaze to be fixed only on me.” He brushed against her temple, his pale red lips slightly parted, uttering a humble yet stubborn murmur, “...I would do anything for that.”
Even the most despicable and lewd seduction techniques in his eyes, he was willing to try them himself.
As long as she likes it.
"What...?" Yue Yining looked puzzled. Before she could finish speaking, Xie Qingyu lifted her up by the waist and carried her to the bedside.
She had a vague premonition that something was wrong, but Xie Qingyu simply placed her on the bed and did not make any further moves.
Yue Yining's heart suddenly began to pound. She looked at Xie Qingyu, who was standing in front of her with his back to the candlelight, and couldn't help but say, "You..."
She suddenly fell silent. In the hazy light, Xie Qingyu raised her hand to untie the jade belt around her waist, and then slowly took off her outer robe. The soft fabric touched the ground, making rustling sounds like spring flowers blooming.
“Miss,” he said gently, handing her one end of his sash, “can you help me?”
Yue Yining leaned against the bedside, her palms sweating slightly. "...How can I help you?"
"Help me undress," Xie Qingyu said. "I have prepared a gift for you, Miss."
Gift?
Yue Yining's heart was pounding faster and faster, almost reaching her throat. She gripped his hand tightly and slowly pulled off his belt.
The soft fabric seemed to come alive; the moment her fingertips moved, it slid down to his shoulders like flowing water, piling up at his feet and revealing what lay beneath.
Yue Yining's eyes widened suddenly, and she gasped for breath.
The candlelight was dim, revealing her fair, jade-like skin, like moonlight flowing through the night.
And on that skin, several bright and dazzling vermilion ribbons were wrapped around it.
The red silk bound him in an exquisite yet almost sacrilegious way, tying it to his tall, slender body, around his shoulders and neck, and just enough to tighten around his front.
Crimson hues pressed against the pristine white, overflowing and rising gently with his breath.
The ribbon continued downwards, wrapping around her muscular waist.
Yue Yining's gaze uncontrollably slid down, her cheeks suddenly burning.
...The area bound by the thin red silk was swollen and bulging, revealing a breathtakingly vibrant color.
The extreme interplay of red and white, the sanctity and the eerie, the mysterious blended into one. Xie Qingyu was like a carefully wrapped gift, waiting to be unwrapped. To outsiders, her face was aloof and stunningly beautiful, but now it held a sacrificial, purely alluring expression. Her affectionate eyes gazed at her with such infatuation, the water in her eyes shimmering and sparkling.
Such attire was utterly dissolute. He was being stared at by her, and the corners of his eyes reddened, whether from shame or excitement, it was hard to tell.
His eyes, moist and soft, showed vulnerability, yet his gaze revealed undisguised desire.
She was as if she were an all-powerful deity, and he was merely a devout believer awaiting mercy—if this deliberate seduction could be considered wholehearted submission.
Yue Yining's throat went dry, her voice trembled, and her mind was in complete chaos from the extreme visual impact. "You...you...this..."
Xie Qingyu leaned slightly forward and grasped her stiff, trembling hand.
He guided her fingertips to the skin bound tightly with red silk, his voice low and husky:
"Does Miss like this gift?"
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Author's Note: Yin Yi: This is absolutely insane!
Ningning: I like it so much... (blushing)
Yin Yi: ?
Xie Qingyu: I'm glad you like it, Miss^^
Hahaha, this should be considered a work-related injury for Yin Yi... But well done! [thumbs up]
The Succubus Jade has appeared out of nowhere, and the lustful Ning is completely captivated. The next chapter will be even more exciting! [covering face and peeking]
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