Chapter 122
The next morning, Sheng Xuan woke up early and, feeling the soft body in his arms, couldn't help but smile smugly.
He looked down at Su Zhelan's still-weary and vulnerable profile as she slept, a sense of satisfaction almost overflowing within him. But soon, his thoughts drifted to the evening—tonight, it was Xiao Qiyun's turn!
No! Absolutely not! Sheng Xuan's eyes darkened. He didn't want that pretentious Xiao Qiyun to touch Su Zhelan again. He had to find a way... to coax Su Zhelan out? Yes! While Su Zhelan was away, he'd get a bigger bed! ...His mind raced, his eyes sparkling, and the smile on his lips growing increasingly smug and...infuriating.
Just as he was lost in thought, his smile growing increasingly blatant—
Su Zhelan in his arms trembled slightly and slowly opened her eyes. The initial haze of waking only lasted a moment before the crazy and shameful images of last night flooded into her mind like a tidal wave! The excruciating pain and emptiness of being forcibly pinched at the root, the unfamiliar stimulation of being invaded and expanded, and the extreme collapse of being forcibly dragged into a double climax, losing control of her spasms, and crying until she lost her voice... every frame was so clear it was blinding!
And at this moment, the culprit is holding me tightly in his arms, with that smug, triumphant, and utterly infuriating smile on his face!
"Bastard!" Anger mixed with intense shame and indignation instantly overwhelmed all reason! Su Zhelan's eyes shone with an astonishing light because of his anger, but his cheeks were flushed red with rage! Without thinking, he raised his hand and slapped Sheng Xuan's smug, punchable face with all his might!
"Slap!" The crisp, loud sound of a slap was particularly jarring in the quiet morning!
Sheng Xuan was caught off guard by the sudden slap, his face snapping to the side! His cheek burned with pain, and his ears were ringing. He was completely stunned, covering his face, his eyes wide, staring in disbelief at the furious Su Zhelan in his arms.
However, this shock lasted only a moment. Sheng Xuan had actually expected it—he had indeed gone too far last night, pushing Su Zhelan to the brink of collapse; it would be strange if Su Zhelan didn't get angry when she woke up. To some extent, he accepted the slap.
"Why...why did you hit me?!" Sheng Xuan's voice was filled with astonishment, but the grievance was deliberately amplified, and there was even a hint of "I knew it" in his eyes.
"Why did I hit you?!" Su Zhelan trembled with anger, his eyes reddening. He shoved away Sheng Xuan's arm that was holding him, struggled to sit up, pointed at Sheng Xuan's nose, his voice shrill and trembling with extreme anger and shame.
"You bastard! You beast! Last night...?! You still have the nerve to laugh?! You still have the nerve to be calculating here?!" His chest heaved rapidly, tears welled up in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.
Sheng Xuan covered his burning cheeks and looked at Su Zhelan, who was trembling with anger and had red eyes. The displeasure he felt from being hit was quickly replaced by a subtle feeling of "she was really angry." There was even a hint of the despicable thought that "hitting someone is a sign of affection" flashed through his mind.
He licked his slightly numb lips, and instead of being angry, he grinned, revealing a smile that was both ingratiating and a little roguish:
"Oh, Zelan, don't be angry..." His voice softened, with a hint of coaxing, "Last night... it was my fault, I was a jerk, I went too far! You did the right thing! You deserved it!"
As he spoke, he cautiously reached out to pull Su Zhelan's wrist. Seeing that Su Zhelan didn't immediately shake him off, he became a little bolder and gently shook it. "Getting angry is bad for your health. Calm down, okay?"
Su Zhelan was speechless, choked by his flippant smile and quick, insincere apology. A lump formed in his throat, making him feel even more aggrieved. He abruptly shook off Sheng Xuan's hand, turned his head away, and refused to look at him.
Sheng Xuan wasn't discouraged. She grinned and rolled out of bed, quickly putting on her outer robe. "Don't be angry. I'll go and have someone prepare hot water and breakfast."
He walked to the door, then turned back and winked at Su Zhelan, "You were exhausted last night, you need to make up for it today." Before Su Zhelan could react, he quickly slipped out.
A short while later, servants brought hot water and a hearty breakfast. Sheng Xuan wrung out a hot towel himself, leaned close to the bedside, and still wore that irritating smile: "Want to wipe your face?"
Su Zhelan, with a cold face, snatched the towel, wiped herself haphazardly a few times, and didn't even look at Sheng Xuan.
Shengxuan didn't mind. He ladled out a bowl of hot porridge, picked out a few delicate side dishes, placed them on a plate, and put them on the small table by the bed.
"Have something to eat? These are all your favorites." He offered chopsticks to you solicitously.
Su Zhelan initially intended to continue ignoring him with a cold expression, but after a restless night, her stomach was indeed empty. The aroma of food wafted over, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
She glanced at Sheng Xuan's smug expression that said, "I know you're hungry, so eat up," and felt even angrier, but in the end, she still took the chopsticks with a cold face and started eating in silence.
Sheng Xuan sat on the edge of the bed, not saying a word, just watching Su Zhelan eat with a smile. Whenever Su Zhelan's bowl was almost empty, he would immediately and attentively refill it.
Su Zhelan felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze and wanted to throw her chopsticks down several times, but she held back when she looked at the food in her bowl.
Breakfast ended in a silent and eerie atmosphere. Seeing that Su Zhelan had put down her chopsticks, Sheng Xuan immediately handed her some tea to rinse her mouth and a clean handkerchief.
After Su Zhelan finished getting ready, he squatted down, picked up Su Zhelan's shoes and socks, and pretended to help him put them on.
"I'll do it myself!" Su Zhelan finally couldn't help but scold in a low voice.
"Hey, don't move, let me do it." Sheng Xuan smiled and dodged Su Zhelan's outstretched foot, gently but firmly grasping Su Zhelan's ankle, putting on her socks, and then carefully putting on her shoes.
His fingers brushed against Su Zhelan's instep and ankle intentionally or unintentionally, with a hint of ambiguous sensation.
Su Zhelan stiffened, her cheeks flushed, feeling both ashamed and angry, yet unable to break free. As Sheng Xuan dressed her, he carefully observed Su Zhelan's expression, noticing that she was still glaring angrily, as if she wished she could disappear immediately.
He was secretly pleased, and deliberately probed in a "cautious" tone: "Ze Lan...why don't you want to...go out for a walk today? Don't stay cooped up inside..."
Get out? Hearing those two words was exactly what Su Zhelan wanted! He couldn't wait to get away from that bastard!
"Yes! I have something to do today!" Su Zhelan replied almost immediately, his voice cold and carrying a sense of eagerness to get rid of him. He immediately stood up, his movements so fast that he almost staggered.
Without even glancing at Sheng Xuan, he walked straight to the coat rack, quickly put on his outer robe, then went to the bookshelf, grabbed the few hidden scrolls, and stuffed them haphazardly into his clothes.
"Where are you going?" Sheng Xuan also stood up, still wearing that irritating smile on his face, and slowly strolled to Su Zhelan, deliberately blocking the doorway.
"It's none of your business!" Su Zhelan said irritably, shoving Sheng Xuan who was blocking the doorway, and strode out without looking back.
Sheng Xuan watched Su Zhelan's furious, almost fleeing figure, and the smile on his lips instantly widened, filled with smugness and the cunning of someone who had succeeded in their scheme. He touched his still slightly numb cheek, feeling no pain whatsoever, but rather that the slap was worth it!
"Hmph..." He snorted softly, turned around in a pleasant mood, walked to the bedside, and his gaze fell on the bed that seemed to be in the way.
"Someone come here!" he shouted, his face beaming with undisguised excitement. "Go! Find me immediately the owner of the best carpenter's shop in the west of the city! Be quick! Tell him... the manor needs a new bed! The biggest and sturdiest one! It must be ready by today!"
As he gave instructions, he was already planning the style and location of the new bed in his mind, and his smile grew even brighter.
Clutching the heavy volumes of files, Su Zhelan practically fled the courtyard.
The cool morning air did nothing to extinguish the anger and shame in his heart.
The tingling sensation in my palms seemed to linger from the slap Sheng Xuan had given me, and I could almost hear that bastard's obnoxious laughter echoing in my ears.
He stood at the crossroads, his chest heaving, looking around blankly. Should he go find Master Su Yan? The thought had barely crossed his mind before he extinguished it.
No, the way he looks now—his eyes are probably still red, he carries the lingering resentment and traces of last night's absurdity—he's bound to be teased by his master again. His master's all-seeing eyes will only make him feel more ashamed.
Where to go? He needed a quiet place, a place where he could calm down and sort out his thoughts. He subconsciously stroked the files in his arms; the cold touch cleared his chaotic thoughts slightly.
Yes, ... he can't keep getting bogged down in all this mess.
His gaze swept across the surroundings, finally settling on the elegant courtyard in the distance. Xiao Qiyun's courtyard.
Xiao Qiyun… Su Zhelan's brows furrowed slightly. His courtyard, like the man himself, was serene and elegant, a place where one could find peace.
With that thought in mind, Su Zhelan no longer hesitated and strode towards Xiao Qiyun's courtyard. His steps still carried a slight, almost imperceptible unsteadiness, a lingering effect of the previous night's overexertion, but he straightened his back, trying to make himself appear as if he were simply visiting on business.
Su Zhelan stood outside the vermilion gate of Xiao Qiyun's courtyard; the morning chill seemed even stronger. He took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions surging within him, and raised his hand to knock on the door knocker.
"Tap, tap, tap."
A crisp knock sounded particularly clear in the quiet morning. Footsteps soon followed from inside, and with a creak, the door was pulled open a crack. A servant dressed in simple eunuch attire peeked out, his face showing a hint of surprise and caution.
"Who are you looking for?" The servant looked Su Zhelan up and down, his tone polite but distant.
Su Zhelan tried to keep her voice calm and even: "I'm looking for His Highness the Crown Prince. Please inform him that Su Zhelan has something to discuss with him."
The servant's gaze swept over Su Zhelan's tightly pursed lips, then fell on the dossier he was holding. He nodded and said, "Please wait a moment." With that, he politely but neatly closed the door again.
Su Zhelan was shut out of the door, and the cool morning breeze seemed to blow more directly on him, causing him to subconsciously pull his clothes tighter.
The waiting time wasn't long, but for Su Zhelan, whose mind was in turmoil, every second felt incredibly long.
Just then, the door opened again. This time, it was Xiao Qiyun himself who opened the door.
Xiao Qiyun was dressed in casual clothes, with a thin gauze outer garment of the same color over it. His dark hair was tied up with a simple jade hairpin, making him look elegant and relaxed.
His face showed just the right amount of surprise, but more so a gentle concern. He strode out the door, his gaze quickly sweeping over Su Zhelan, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.
"Ze Lan? So early?" Xiao Qiyun's voice was as clear and gentle as ever, with the unique warmth of early morning. "Come in quickly! It's still chilly in the morning, why are you standing outside in the wind?"
He stepped aside to let Su Zhelan in, then turned his gaze inside the door and said in a slightly deep voice, "Next time Su Zhelan comes, just invite her in directly; there's no need to announce her arrival."
From inside the door, one could faintly hear the servant's trembling voice responding.
Su Zhelan was slightly taken aback by Xiao Qiyun's series of natural actions and words. He had thought he would need to explain, but Xiao Qiyun welcomed him in so naturally.
"I've arrived too early, sorry to disturb you," Su Zhelan said softly, following Xiao Qiyun into the courtyard. He noticed a faint ink stain on Xiao Qiyun's sleeve.
Xiao Qiyun smiled gently and led him through the quiet courtyard. The path was lined with tall, verdant bamboo, still glistening with morning dew. "Don't say I'm bothering you. It's you who..."
He turned to look at Su Zhelan, his eyes filled with genuine concern, "Why did you come so early? You don't look well, and your hands are a little cold."
He naturally reached out and touched the back of Su Zhelan's hand holding the dossier. The icy touch made him frown even more. "Have you had breakfast yet?"
Su Zhelan's heart tightened at his question, and the chaotic scenes from last night flooded back into his mind. He subconsciously avoided Xiao Qiyun's probing gaze and mumbled, "I've already eaten."
He paused, then added, "There are some... things I want to look at again in a quiet place." He raised the file in his hand again.
He keenly noticed the stiffness in Su Zhelan's tone and the lingering melancholy between her brows, and understood, but considerately refrained from asking further questions.
As they spoke, the two had already reached the door of the study. Xiao Qiyun pushed open the slightly ajar door, and a faint scent of ink and books wafted out.
The study was bright and clean. On the desk by the window, a thread-bound book lay open, with a wet brush next to it and the ink in the inkstone still damp, indicating that the owner had just been reading.
"Please sit down first." Xiao Qiyun led Su Zhelan to sit on the soft couch by the window, where comfortable cushions were laid out.
“It’s quite quiet here, feel free to look around.” He pointed to the desk. “Anything you need is on the desk.”
He paused, his gaze falling on Su Zhelan's slightly tired face, and softened his voice, "You seem a bit tired, why don't you have some hot tea to warm yourself up?"
Looking into Xiao Qiyun's gentle and concerned eyes, Su Zhelan's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
He nodded: "Okay... thank you for your help."
Xiao Qiyun smiled, turned around and walked to the door, whispering a few instructions to the maid waiting outside.
Soon, servants brought out steaming hot tea and several plates of delicate pastries.
"Warm yourself up and rest for a bit," Xiao Qiyun said gently. He then walked behind the desk and sat down, picking up the open book but not looking at it immediately. His gaze remained gentle on Su Zhelan. "I'll be right here. Call me anytime if you need anything."
Su Zhelan held the warm teacup, feeling the warmth spreading from her palms.
He looked up at Xiao Qiyun behind the desk. The other man was bathed in the morning light, his expression serene, like a tranquil painting. He lowered his head and sipped a mouthful of tea. The bittersweet taste seemed to calm his chaotic mind.
However, Su Zhelan did not notice that the gentle smile in Xiao Qiyun's eyes quickly faded as he lowered his head to flip through the book, replaced by a deep light that carried scrutiny and a hint of barely perceptible possessiveness.
His slender fingers gently caressed the edges of the pages, a faint yet meaningful smile curving his lips.
The study was quiet, with only the soft sound of turning pages and the occasional chirping of birds outside the window.
Su Zhelan held his teacup, his gaze fixed on the file in his arms, but he couldn't concentrate on reading a single word. The chaotic scenes of last night and this morning still swirled in his mind, leaving him restless.
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the study door.
"Young master, breakfast is ready." A servant's respectful voice rang out from outside the door.
Xiao Qiyun raised his head, his face instantly regaining its gentle and refined expression.
He put down his book, stood up, walked to Su Zhelan's side, and spoke gently.
"Ze Lan, breakfast is ready. Would you like to have some with me?" He leaned down slightly, his gaze falling on the teacup in Su Ze Lan's hand. "You just said you've eaten, but you don't look well. Have some light porridge with me to warm your stomach."
Su Zhelan initially wanted to refuse, as he genuinely had little appetite. However, looking at Xiao Qiyun's gentle yet expectant eyes, and considering that he had arrived uninvited so early in the morning, disturbing the other party and troubling them to arrange tea and snacks, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. The words of refusal reached his lips, but he swallowed them back.
“…Okay.” Su Zhelan put down his teacup and replied softly. He stood up and gently placed the dossier in his arms on the soft couch.
A satisfied smile flashed in Xiao Qiyun's eyes as he reached out and gently supported Su Zhelan's arm: "Let's go."
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