Chapter 60: Everything he coveted of Shi Wan should rightfully belong to him. ...
Jiang Xu even felt that the person in front of him was somewhat unreal. The dull pain in his heart was even greater than last time. He steadied his breathing and revealed a complicated expression that could hardly be called a smile. "...No need."
The man's tone was very steady, just like always. Shi Wan's gaze swept quickly over him before settling on the bowl of medicine on her desk. She drank it all in one gulp. The nourishing medicine seemed to ease her physical and mental discomfort as soon as it entered her mouth.
A moment later, the contraceptive soup was brought over.
With a similar consistency and color to the previous one, Shi Wan stared at it for a while, then gently blew on it before drinking it. However, just as the rim of the bowl touched her lips, Jiang Xu stopped her.
He stood a few steps away from Shi Wan, his expression as calm as before, but the strength in his wrist was immense. A resistance surged forth, and Shi Wan simply stopped resisting him silently. "You gave your permission for this medicine, so why are you stopping me now?"
"let go."
“The contraceptive medicine is cold in nature. You just drank a nourishing medicine, so you shouldn’t drink it now.” Jiang Xu’s voice was somewhat suppressed, and his dark eyes were like an abyss. Shi Wan felt a little scared when she was stared at by his gaze.
The man was incredibly strong. In the midst of the struggle, the bowl and cup were shattered by a brute force, scattered all over the floor. The medicine inside turned into a puddle of water, soaking the carpet.
Silence spread. His gaze was complex, as if he were condemning her, with a hint of helplessness. Yet, she was not the one who had done anything wrong.
Jiang Xu is the one.
Using her, threatening her—can all of this be offset by a few meager acts of kindness?
Who knows if such good intentions might conceal a deadly poison?
Jiang Xu's tone was sour, "Don't take this medicine anymore."
"I couldn't ask for more." Shi Wan withdrew her gaze, no longer looking at him, and said coldly, "If you don't touch me, I naturally won't have to suffer this."
After she finished speaking, the gaze beside her seemed to become even more intense, almost burning her, relentlessly clinging to her. But when she looked up, everything was like a fleeting cold breeze that brushed across her cheek, leaving only a momentary chill and nothing else.
The people waiting behind him breathed a sigh of relief after Jiang Xu gave them a signal and quickly began cleaning. He stared at Shi Wan's direction for a while, seeing that most of her figure was hidden behind the curtain, the bedding was half-draped over her legs, and her chest was heaving up and down, as if she was about to get angry again. He paused for two breaths, then suddenly turned around and went out the door.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Xu asked, having calmed down a bit after leaving the house.
It was Jing Yan who had just knocked on the door. He looked hesitant, but his tone was calm and even, as if he had been waiting outside for a while and had already prepared his speech. "Your Majesty, about half an hour ago, that servant from the Zhang family brought a few men and sneaked around the courtyard we bought. The brothers caught them red-handed. When the servant realized he couldn't fight back, he started making up some nonsense. As you instructed, we released one of them to go back and deliver a message. Judging by the time, the person has just arrived."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xu's expression hardened further, and his voice became even colder than the winter wind and snow, "Zhang Yiwen has come in person?"
Jingyan asked more cautiously, "Yes, they're outside right now, Your Majesty, what do you think...?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xu suddenly chuckled. After a while, he said in a tone that was neither a smile nor a frown, "When guests arrive, basic hospitality is still necessary."
Having served under Jiang Xu for several years, Jing Yan felt a chill run down his spine upon seeing this. However, adhering to the principle that "it's all the same whether you stick your neck out or not," he still said, "Your Majesty... Young Master Zhang said he came to see the Madam."
"And...and you said it." Noticing the growing chill in Jiang Xu's eyes, he choked up, "You said...you came to return a lost item to a friend."
Jiang Xu abruptly stopped, his casual clothes rustling slightly in the cold wind from the corridor. His expression hardened, and he asked with interest, "...Friend?"
He and Shi Wan should be "good friends," a match made in heaven. What is this guy? He calls her "good friend" without even asking.
The two walked quickly forward and arrived at the gate, where the guards on either side hurriedly opened it.
Outside the door, Zhang Yi instinctively looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall, elegant man standing there. Although his clothes were ordinary, they could not hide his noble and refined air. Then, his gaze fell on the man's face. Just as rumored, he was young and handsome, and a sharp, imposing aura and superior presence swept over him.
Zhang Yiwen unconsciously straightened his back and bowed respectfully. "I have long admired the name of Prince Jingbei. I am Zhang Yiwen from Huzhou." Seeing the other party's cold expression, he paused for a moment, then explained with a smile, "If my servant did anything inappropriate just now, I hope you will forgive him." But in his heart, he was in a state of turmoil.
The person who just informed him clearly said that the place was heavily guarded, and it looked like a kidnapping operation. He mentioned that Wan'er was in danger, but how could... the Prince of Jingbei himself be here?
The message Zhang Xun had previously sent mentioned that Wan'er was receiving considerable care from the Prince of Jingbei. As men, this "care" seemed rather obvious. However, he couldn't know more details about military affairs, and Zhang Xun hadn't sent any messages back for a long time, so Zhang Yiwen was now somewhat unsure.
To what extent exactly did this "care" extend? It was probably not difficult; it was just a matter of a servant attending to him.
After pondering for a moment, Zhang Yi felt somewhat relieved and looked up.
In any case, since this is a misunderstanding, there's nothing that can be done about it now...
Coming to his senses, he chuckled awkwardly and began, "This time..."
"Brother Zhang," Jiang Xu suddenly spoke, his tone extremely ordinary, casually adding, "There's probably some misunderstanding here?"
Zhang Yi was taken aback, but having found a way out, he naturally followed Jiang Xu's words and said, "That's exactly right! My men misunderstood and thought it was bandits causing trouble, which is why I came here rashly." He paused for a moment, then added, "I have long heard of your reputation and admire you greatly. I was hoping that one day, if I had the opportunity, I could sit at the same table with you and have a discussion."
“No problem.” Jiang Xu looked at Zhang Yiwen, who was a little shorter than him. From his angle, he could clearly see the thin layer of sweat on the other man’s nose. He saw that Zhang Yiwen was somewhat surprised by these words, and then his face lit up with uncontrollable joy. He suddenly added, “Brother Zhang is, after all, a good friend of my wife.”
My wife?! Zhang Yi's joy froze instantly upon hearing this. He vaguely realized something was wrong, but fearing he might offend the person before him, he quickly forced a half-hearted smile, endured for a moment, and managed to utter a dry, probing question, "I have heard that Miss Wan'er works under you...
However, seeing him lose his composure, Jiang Xu felt not the triumphant joy of a victor, but rather even more anger and shock. This fellow was indeed up to no good. Although the army's defenses were strong, which meant that these noble families received the news a little slower, they must still know that Shi Wan was his person.
Whether it's maids, servants, or anything else, they all are the same.
His people.
From top to bottom, thoroughly.
Jiang Xu's smile widened. "Brother Zhang is right. Wan'er is indeed my person."
“Although she comes from a humble background, she is very affectionate towards me and serves me very well, so I decided to take her as my concubine.” As he spoke, seeing Zhang Yiwen’s face growing paler, he continued to feign regret, saying, “To be honest, it is my fault for not thinking things through.”
"With wars raging these days, I was thinking of waiting until spring this year, when the fighting has subsided a bit, before making a public announcement." He paused for a moment, not satisfied with that, and patted Zhang Yiwen's shoulder lightly. Sure enough, the man was completely lost, his hand resting on his shoulder like a piece of rotten wood.
"Since Brother Zhang's information is outdated, and there has been a misunderstanding... it doesn't matter. Brother Zhang's men will return safely in a while."
Jiang Xu felt relieved and said, "However, there is one more thing. My wife is, after all, a woman, and values her reputation above all else. I hope Brother Zhang will be lenient and not mention this 'friend' matter." Such scoundrels should be treated with more decency.
Zhang Yi was in a state of utter confusion, his heart in turmoil, unable to describe the feeling. After a long while, he finally found his voice, "No, it's alright, you're too kind. I only met your wife by chance. The word 'friend' is just my way of expressing my desire to befriend her."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xu felt increasingly restless, but he was adept at pretending, so he maintained a calm and peaceful demeanor on the surface.
Even now, Zhang Yi is still trying to exonerate Shi Wan, afraid that he will find out that the two are close. He tries to take the blame for any possible offenses, always considering Shi Wan's feelings.
However, the more someone acts this way, the more it means that he has harbored, and will continue to harbor, those unspeakable thoughts.
Zhang Yiwen cared about Shi Wan even more than Jiang Xu had imagined.
The moment the idea popped into his head, he couldn't help but feel a little itchy. A moment later, he glanced behind him and saw that Jing Yan had already prepared the things. Upon seeing this, he immediately stepped forward and presented the silver notes.
Jiang Xu said calmly at the right moment, "I thank Brother Zhang on behalf of my wife for his righteous act. This five hundred taels of silver is just a token of our gratitude. I hope Brother Zhang will accept it."
The moment Zhang Yiwen saw the silver note, his hands began to tremble involuntarily, but fortunately, he hid it under his sleeve and no one noticed.
Sure enough, when Wan'er first met him, the Prince of Jingbei... knew about it! He just kept quiet about it!
Thinking of this, Zhang Yi felt even colder. In his mind, his family and his beloved were swaying back and forth, locked in a struggle. After a moment, as if he had made up his mind, he pursed his lips tightly, looking somewhat disheveled. In the chilly winter wind, he didn't care about anything else. He hurriedly exchanged a few pleasantries, then accepted the silver notes and hastily left.
Only after walking for a long time did I dare to secretly glance back twice, and then let out a long sigh.
......
After the people left, it was almost evening, and the sky was quietly darkening.
Jiang Xu remained calm and turned to head towards the study. Beside him, Jing Yan seized the opportunity and hurriedly reported, "Madam has just had some food and is now asleep."
"Understood," Jiang Xu said coldly. "Go and wait."
Seeing that someone responded, he quickened his pace on his own.
Inside the study.
Jiang Xu strode to the table, where a scroll was quietly unfurled. It was the painting he had done that morning, and after several attempts, his already excellent skills had become even more refined.
He stared for a moment, the ferocity in his eyes softening slightly, but his thoughts remained unsettled. Like a sharp sword, it swung haphazardly, attempting to cut down anything that shouldn't exist.
Shi Wan greeted the likes of the people she saw today with smiles and gentle voices.
Why... could she be so kind and gentle to Zhang Yiwen, a man who relied on his family's influence and had no achievements to speak of?
Only... did Jiang Xu speak coldly to him?
Why... couldn't she just smile at him too?
Is it so hard to genuinely smile at him and treat him better in that dilapidated courtyard? He has already made such concessions!
My heart twitched slightly, mixed with a kind of contradictory resentment, which intensified and filled my heart.
For a fleeting moment, Jiang Xu even felt that he should... hate Shi Wan.
When this person stayed by his side, he always gave her the best of everything, from food and clothing to daily necessities. Even when she made mistakes, he never truly hurt her; he simply lifted her up high and then gently put her down.
He believed he had done enough in every single matter.
But how did she repay him?
Jiang Xu's heart skipped a beat. His gaze swept over the portrait inch by inch. He took a light sniff from a few inches away. The ink was faintly fragrant. The figure in the painting was lifelike, with a pair of amber eyes that shone with a kind of moist, indifferent light.
Inside the room, wisps of smoke curled upwards, and the charcoal fire warmed the chilly air; everything was utterly quiet. The broken porcelain shards and medicinal residue on the carpet had been completely cleaned up, leaving the room as it was at the beginning.
It was late at night, and Shi Wan was already fast asleep on her bed.
Jiang Xu stopped in front of the collapse, his eyes deep and unfathomable, fixed on the person before him.
He gave her so much; their lips met, their ears swayed, and they did the most intimate things in the world...
Shi Wan, she should be his.
His heart is his, and his body is his too.
Every part of his body, along with his blood, flowed through him and merged with him.
Jiang Xu suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
The gaze that had been deliberately averted returned, resting on the face of the person on the couch, meticulously tracing her every breath and every tiny movement.
Licking it inch by inch.
With her delicate nose and arched eyebrows, Shi Wan was several times more beautiful than in any painting, which made him even more infatuated with her.
I want it, I want it...
He wanted it.
Take a bite of Shiwan.
The thought of smooth, soft skin alone is enough to ignite an irresistible urge, drawing him to slowly take a step forward and quietly extend his palm towards the place he longs for.
The man's palms were as cold as those of a cold-blooded animal; the warmth of the charcoal fire had no effect whatsoever. His icy hands pressed tightly against the woman's warm, soft skin, greedily absorbing everything he could.
Jiang Xu remained standing in the same spot, his back ramrod straight, his eyes lowered, his long eyelashes casting deep shadows, concealing all the emotions in his eyes. Gradually, the desire in his heart slowly seeped out again.
It is even better than that.
He thought, "I'll eat her."
Eat her...
Eat her.
Eat it all, eat it all, eat it all, eat it all, eat it all, eat it all, eat it all, eat it all...
Once he devours Shi Wan, no villain will dare to covet her anymore. She will not leave again, and... nothing will bother him anymore.
Beneath the shadows of his eyelashes, a strange, intense light flickered in his dark eyes, mingled with clusters of dark fire. He tightened his fingers further, allowing the warmth and fragrance emanating from Shi Wan's body to intensify, filling his nostrils. Before long, a faint, abrupt red mark appeared on her fair skin.
"Hmm..."
The person on the bed seemed to sense something, his brows furrowed unconsciously, and a soft, faint sound came from his throat.
Jiang Xu's gaze was fixed on Shi Wan's face. In the darkness, he slowly curved the corners of his lips into a smile. After a moment, all the unbridled impulses stemming from primal greed were once again suppressed.
His voice was like a murmur, recalling his earlier teasing remark. Now, it contained a kind of madness and destruction about to break free, converging into a mysterious request: "Have a nightmare."
In that case, in a dream.
He will definitely be there.
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Author's Note: If you like this, please leave lots of comments! This book features many new attempts I wanted to make, and I vaguely feel there's potential for improvement...? I feel like I've reached a more comfortable level of writing. By the way, the male lead is almost completely turning evil! [heart emoji]
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