Chapter 111: The Drowsy Night

Did he truly know Yuan Xue?

Her heart seized, the pain so intense it made her forget to breathe.

Indeed, Zuoqiu Liye had approached her because of her unique abilities, and Dan Ying had approached her because she was 'Yuan Xue.' What of Ji Wuqing? Had he, too, approached her for the latter reason, rather than simply because she was Xuexue?

"How could I know if you don't tell me? Then... when did you first notice me?" Her voice sounded strained, carrying a slight tremor.

This was by no means a choke of emotion from being touched, but rather panic and fear. Yes, panic and fear. If even the person Ji Wuqing loved was not Xuexue herself, wouldn't all of this be utterly ridiculous?

"I thought Xue'er would be delighted to hear this. Why do you look so distracted?" Seeing her reaction, Ji Wuqing was clearly somewhat dissatisfied.

He reached out, wrapped his arm around her waist, and lifted her gently, placing her on his lap. One large hand slid up her neck to the back of her head, his fingers threading through her ink-black hair, gently cupping her skull.

In the face of such intimacy, Xuexue remained visibly distracted. She appeared much more detached, as if her soul had drifted away.

She leaned softly against his chest, quiet and seemingly docile. Yet, her small hand unconsciously gripped his robe, clutching the fabric tightly...

He placed his hand over the back of hers, gently folding her small hand into his palm, his fingers lightly playing with her slender ones. "The Xue'er in my eyes is not white snow, but crimson blood."

Hearing his words, Xuexue tilted her head slightly to listen.

"The one I love is the Xuexue who commanded the realm in the Kingdom of Yu, holding back my Kingdom of Ji for over three months—not the Yuan Xue whom Dan Ying cares about." Unable to bear her sorrowful expression, he finally leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Your husband loves no other, but the irreplaceable you, you silly girl."

She was irreplaceable. From the very moment he first glimpsed her through the window, she had already belonged to him.

Indeed, their meeting when the Kingdom of Yu fell was not the first time they had laid eyes on each other.

Or rather, it was not the first time he had seen her. He had already watched her from outside her window countless times; her every movement was long engraved in his mind, though she remained entirely unaware.

At this, Xuexue tilted her head. Hearing his words, her racing heart seemed to settle down. She had never imagined that a single sentence from someone could make her heart no longer her own, but his.

Realizing this, she felt a sense of relief. Perhaps she should be more honest?

"I admit, I was very afraid just now." She lifted her head, aligning her gaze to look directly into his. "I was terrified of your answer, Ziqing. I was afraid that the person you loved was not me, but someone else."

No matter what designs others had on her, she only cared about his feelings for her.

"I didn't expect my Xue'er to have such silly moments. Do you lack confidence in yourself?" Sensing her unease, he leaned in close, gently pressing his forehead against hers as tender words spilled from his thin lips.

Feeling his touch, her heart warmed, filled with a deep sense of peace.

She couldn't help but reach out, cupping his face in her small hands. "I really wish I could see what you look like," she murmured softly. It was barely a whisper, yet it stirred the depths of his heart.

The arm around her waist tightened. His breathing grew heavier, warm against her cheek. His gaze turned lingering and deep, like a shroud of mist—unclear, intangible, yet enough to make one's face flush and heart race.

"Do you want to kiss me...?" she asked, caressing his face, half-serious and half-playful.

"What?" Ji Wuqing seemed to chuckle softly, as if afraid he had misheard.

However, her response was to gently lift her head. Her lips brushed past his chin, slowly migrating to the corner of his mouth, rubbing against it softly as if playing a game.

Feeling her initiative and playfulness, a low chuckle vibrated in his chest. "That is not how you kiss. After all this time, Xue'er still hasn't improved," he murmured, his teasing tone making her heart flutter.

Unfortunately, before Xuexue could counter, her body was firmly pressed down onto the bed. Beneath her was a soft silk quilt. One of his hands gently clasped her waist, while the other propped him up beside her ear.

At the same time, his lips pressed hard against hers. He seemed intent on melting her into his mouth—dominant yet tender, passionate and lingering.

Gradually, he was no longer satisfied with just this. His lips breached her defenses, deepening the kiss...

Slowly, his lips drifted downward, resting on her neck. He reached out to loosen the only bath towel wrapped around her, his dark eyes clouded with desire.

In the quiet room, only the rustling of fabric broke the silence, a sound intimate enough to make anyone blush.

Xuexue lay there somewhat helplessly, a rosy blush spreading across her pale face, tinting her entire body with a peach-pink glow.

"Ziqing..." She did not know what was happening to her; she could only weakly cling to his shoulders. Her body felt burning hot. Could she have a fever?

"Mm, now doesn't seem to be the time for this..." Suddenly, Ji Wuqing stopped his movements with a hint of vexation. Clarity returned to his dark eyes. He pushed himself up and looked down at the girl beneath him, whose towel was in disarray, barely covering her.

Moreover, she had wrapped herself in the towel right after her bath, and it was still slightly damp.

He immediately pulled the silk quilt over to cover her, then slipped the damp towel off her body. Stepping off the bed, he went to retrieve the nightgown resting nearby.

Lying on the bed, Xuexue slowly caught her breath. Her face was still flushed, and for a moment, she didn't know what to say.

"Do you want to put on the nightgown?" He sat back down on the edge of the bed, placing the gown beside her.

"..." Was not wearing it even an option? She had absolutely nothing on right now.

"Well, should your husband help you put it on, or..."

Before he could finish, Xuexue reached out and pulled the nightgown under the covers. That flash of her snowy-white arm caught Ji Wuqing's eye, making him deeply regret stopping just now.

No, stopping was the right thing to do. If Xue'er fell ill because of it, that would be terrible.

Quiet finally settled over the night. The candlelight in the room flickered gently. Xuexue lay on her side on the bed. Before long, Ji Wuqing shed his outer robe and climbed in beside her.

He embraced her from behind, his chest burning hot against her.

Xuexue had also broken into a light sweat. How strange; she actually felt warm despite the cool weather. The feelings between people were truly mysterious. They used to sleep in each other's arms like this before, but tonight felt vastly different, so hot it felt as if they might catch fire.

Could this be the legendary "brief parting makes the reunion sweeter than a wedding night"?

Realization dawned upon her belatedly.

"Ziqing, are you asleep?" she whispered.

"Mm," Ji Wuqing responded from behind. There was no sleepiness in his voice. Instead, he nuzzled the back of her neck with deep attachment, his breath hot against her skin.

Clearly, neither of them was sleepy. It seemed sleep would elude them both tonight...

"We really cannot go on like this." Ji Wuqing seemed to realize something. Xuexue was puzzled for a moment, and then she felt him lift the quilt slightly, pulling his warm chest away from her back.

Having done this, he tucked the silk quilt around her tightly, lying outside the covers himself and wrapping his arms around her over the quilt. "There, that's better. Go to sleep now. You should be able to sleep like this, right?" His tone sounded like he was coaxing a child.

But what about him? Was he going to sleep outside the quilt?

With that thought, she rolled over, resting her head against his neck and reaching out to hug him close.

Gradually, silence filled the room.

Her breathing grew deep and steady as she drifted into a sound sleep. A large hand moved gently, caressing her sleeping face. Then, he shifted quietly, slipping into the warm quilt.

He pulled the sleeping girl into his arms, breathing in the unique, delicate fragrance of her body.

Perhaps because his body was a bit cold, Xuexue shrank back slightly, tilting her head. But in the next moment, she pressed closer to him, curling up in his chest, undeterred by the chill.

Ji Wuqing held her tightly, resting his face against her neck, feeling incredibly warm and comfortable.

When had he first come to know her? It was on that night, when the Kingdom of Yu had suddenly put up a stubborn resistance. The plan to conquer Yu within half a month had been unexpectedly thwarted, and everything had become rather complicated.

At that time, a sudden curiosity arose in him, wondering what could have happened to a country that should have been conquered without any effort.

Thus, he had infiltrated the imperial palace of Yu under the cover of night. In that luxurious yet chaotic palace, he discovered something intriguing. Standing by the window, he looked into the dimly lit hall. A young girl dressed in grand attire sat at the desk, which was piled high with documents. She was sorting through them in an orderly fashion.

A pale hand slid gently across the pages, seemingly keeping pace with her reading eyes. Yet, those eyes were covered by a black ribbon. He could not help but wonder what kind of eyes lay beneath.

Intrigued, he leaned against the window frame, quietly watching her movements.

Not until the moon reached its zenith, and she had reviewed every single document on the desk, did she silently set the finished papers aside. A hint of exhaustion showed on her face, her slender figure almost swallowed by the dim candlelight.

He watched as she groped her way through the palace, moving like a phantom of the night.

The night lingered, and everything proceeded in quiet secrecy.