121. Sharing the Same Bed

Le Qianxue’s face flushed a deep red. Her very soul had nearly been snatched away by Zhan Lianjing.

She steadied her heart and turned her head away, muttering to herself, "What a menace..."

A smile played in Zhan Lianjing’s eyes. Although he was somewhat weak, his grip remained firm as he pinned Le Qianxue in place. With her upper body pressed against him, she turned her head, and their noses brushed against one another. Their warm breath mingled in the space between them.

Le Qianxue froze, staring fixedly at Zhan Lianjing, captivated by his dark, bottomless eyes. She thought to herself, "Oh dear, I promised myself I would stay composed."

Zhan Lianjing held her shoulders, the corners of his mouth curling upward as he whispered into her ear, "Whatever you are still angry about, you can say it all at once. I will change; I will yield to you."

Hearing such tender words, Le Qianxue felt her mind grow numb and hazy, her thoughts drifting along with him. Her voice softened as she let out a faint, "Mm."

With a great enemy looming, she had actually been seduced by his handsome face. Le Qianxue could have kicked herself. Yet, feeling the solid warmth of Zhan Lianjing’s body, she couldn't help but find him quite alluring.

Their posture was incredibly intimate; Le Qianxue could hear her own heart pounding—thump, thump, thump. His gaze remained scorching, and she felt that if things continued this way, she might lose control. She shifted slightly and said, "Let me go..."

Zhan Lianjing wasn't using much force, but he possessed the skill to prevent her from straightening up. He tilted his head slightly, his breath becoming even warmer. He chuckled, refusing to let her pull away.

Zhan Lianjing said softly, "You are a feast for the eyes; I cannot help myself, so what am I to do?"

Le Qianxue’s mind went blank. She hurriedly replied, "What are you doing? I’m still a young girl; don't go having such wild thoughts about me."

She felt a bit dazed, though in this ancient era, people matured early. Le Qianxue was nearly seventeen, which, by standard measures, was considered a late age for marriage. Hearing her call herself a little girl, Zhan Lianjing couldn't help but laugh. He recalled the time he had seen her bare back—she had long since blossomed into a beautiful, jade-like woman. The thought of this choice cabbage being snatched up by Yu Guhan was something he could not permit.

Zhan Lianjing narrowed his eyes and said, "Yunge is the one who is actually young; you don't count. Girls even younger than you already have children."

Le Qianxue’s cheeks burned. With Zhan Lianjing so close, she feared she wouldn't be able to resist the temptation and would end up devouring him. She wasn't sure who would lose out in that scenario...

Le Qianxue pretended to be composed and hummed, "That is their business. Are we even together now? Don't get so close, get away."

Zhan Lianjing did not let go. He couldn't quite grasp her true feelings, but regardless of her reluctance, he did not want to let her go easily. After all, there was only one person like her, and she was the only one he truly wanted.

Zhan Lianjing straightened his expression and asked, "Then what would you have me do? Tell me."

Le Qianxue looked at him. "Anything will do."

Zhan Lianjing nodded. "That's right, anything will do."

Le Qianxue scoffed, half-joking. "That works perfectly. I’ve been trying to figure out how to call off the marriage with the Crown Prince. Why don't you handle that for me?"

Zhan Lianjing frowned. "Even if you hadn't asked, I would have handled it for you. I have already made meticulous arrangements. As long as you stay here for one night, everything will be resolved."

Le Qianxue felt a bit strange. "So quickly? Why must I stay here for the night?"

"You don't need to ask about that. Tomorrow, you will naturally understand."

Hearing him say this, Le Qianxue didn't overthink it. Zhan Lianjing’s thoughts were often beyond her guessing. However, the fact that she wouldn't have to go to great lengths to solve this was a relief. She knew that rescuing someone from the imperial palace was troublesome, and she didn't want to take risks without absolute certainty. Since Zhan Lianjing had a way to settle the matter, she was happy to let him handle it, lest any mistakes end up implicating the entire General's Residence.

Le Qianxue’s mood brightened, and her eyes sparkled.

Zhan Lianjing said, "So, does this mean you forgive me?" He had already paid his blood debt; all that was left was apologizing to Yuan Tianci.

Le Qianxue studied him closely, unsure of her own feelings. As she hesitated, Zhan Lianjing suddenly leaned in. She was startled and pulled back, but his hand supported her from behind, preventing her from retreating. Le Qianxue swallowed, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

"What are you doing?" she asked subconsciously. As soon as the words left her lips, she realized how redundant they were. With Zhan Lianjing this close, what *could* he be doing?

Zhan Lianjing leaned in closer, inhaling her scent, his heart overflowing with joy. He chuckled and took a small nip at the nape of her neck.

Le Qianxue frowned and cried out, trying to push him away, but he didn't budge. She scolded, "Are you a puppy? If you don't let go, I’m going to stick you with a needle!"

Zhan Lianjing didn't release her. In truth, he hadn't used much force, and though she threatened him, she hadn't actually acted. He felt secure in his audacity, but Le Qianxue was a woman of her word. Zhan Lianjing groaned as his body went limp; he knew she had truly used the needle.

He finally let go, and she clutched her neck, looking annoyed. "Sharp-toothed and vicious—what exactly are you trying to do? If you bite me until I bleed, I'll bleed you dry in return!" Her blood was precious, and Zhan Lianjing didn't know how to treasure it at all.

Zhan Lianjing looked at her with amusement. The mark on her neck was slightly red, but the skin wasn't broken. His eyes were filled with a rare, genuine smile. "I've left my mark, so now you can't run away," he said softly.

Le Qianxue was stunned. She stared at him and cursed, "What an idiot. What kind of mark is that? You just wanted to bite me, didn't you?"

Zhan Lianjing replied, "That's true. You just looked so delicious."

Enraged and embarrassed, she glared at him. "Speak properly! You are not allowed to say things like that."

"Then what should I say? That isn't what I meant," Zhan Lianjing said, feigning innocence. "Though if you want, I am more than happy to accompany you."

"Accompany me in what? Don't you realize how weak your body is right now?" she retorted sharply.

Zhan Lianjing disagreed. "Don't think that. Even a rotting ship still has three pounds of nails left."

Le Qianxue was speechless and decided to ignore him. Zhan Lianjing pressed his luck, trying to inch closer to her again. Le Qianxue grew irritated. "Don't come any closer, do you hear me?"

"I don't hear a thing."

In dealing with Le Qianxue, Zhan Lianjing had learned a new tactic: persistent pestering. Even if she wasn't willing to accept it now, she would surely soften if he wore her down.

However, Le Qianxue had her own trump card. "If you nudge any closer, I am leaving immediately."

Zhan Lianjing had no choice but to stop. Yet, he looked like a downtrodden young bride, appearing quite sorrowful.

"Get some rest," Le Qianxue said. "You've exhausted so much internal energy; aren't you afraid of dying?" Her tone was still hard, but her words were filled with concern.

Zhan Lianjing smiled. "I'm not afraid, because you are here."

Le Qianxue’s hand paused. "What does it matter if I'm here? I don't treat people without payment."

Zhan Lianjing chuckled. "And here I thought you were the benevolent Ghost Doctor. So, you only treat people for money?"

"I charge based on the person," she replied. "For someone like you, I'd charge at least ten thousand taels of silver."

"We are in this kind of relationship now; do you really need to charge me?"

She bristled instantly. "What relationship? We have no relationship whatsoever! Don't you go talking nonsense."

Seeing her reaction, Zhan Lianjing quickly said, "Alright, alright, I won't say it. I am tired and will take a rest, but you cannot leave. You must stay until tomorrow, or the plan will fail."

Le Qianxue felt puzzled, but she nodded. "Understood."

Hearing her agreement, Zhan Lianjing finally felt at ease enough to rest. His hand had been resting to the side, but after a moment, he reached out and grabbed Le Qianxue’s hand. She was startled and looked at him, but seeing he had fallen into a deep sleep, she tried to pull her hand back. Alas, Zhan Lianjing held it tightly and would not let go.

Could he really be asleep? How could this be?

Le Qianxue watched him for a long time; he truly seemed to be asleep. She sighed and, having no other choice, allowed him to keep holding her hand. Bored, she realized that with Zhan Lianjing holding her, there was nothing she could do. As the sky slowly darkened, drowsiness overcame her, and she drifted off to sleep, curled up against him.

During that time, Haoyue had led servants in to clear away the dishes, but because Zhan Lianjing and Le Qianxue were behind the light curtains on the daybed, the servants couldn't see clearly. Haoyue sighed in relief; it seemed their relationship had finally thawed.

Le Qianxue slept until the middle of the night before waking up. She realized she was lying on a soft cushion, feeling incredibly comfortable and warm, and she was snuggled up against something—or someone—that felt very pleasant.

Suddenly, she remembered she wasn't in her own room, but at the Thousand Gold Pavilion. She opened her eyes instantly. The suite was lit by only a single small candle, its flame weak. The first thing she saw was Zhan Lianjing’s profile. His expression was cold and stern as he reviewed a scroll in his hands, while his other arm held her close.

"Awake?" Zhan Lianjing looked at her, his eyes warm.

"I..." Le Qianxue looked around. The daybed was quite large, and there was plenty of room for two people. She had no idea when she had climbed up.