Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Guarding Against Me Like a Thief? I’m Not a Beast.

That night, the couple had been at odds for too long.

There had been tears.

Words had been spoken.

In the end, a night of passionate lovemaking shattered the stalemate that had lasted for more than ten days.

It was also on this night that she said the word ’love’ for the first time.

Although he had demanded it, Xie Jinbai could faintly sense that the young woman in his arms was by no means indifferent to him.

It might not even be just some shallow affection.

Rather, it was a love that she herself had never, and dared not, confront.

He felt as though a sweet spring was slowly bubbling up in the parched, almost hopeless corner of his heart.

Overjoyed, he also began to meticulously plan his next move, scheming how he could get this young woman to stop running away and frankly face her own feelings.

One can never truly understand another’s joy or sorrow, not even with the person sleeping beside you, your most intimate partner.

Cui Lingyao had no way of understanding his inner thoughts. She hadn’t put on a single piece of clothing and was nestled naked in his arms, sleeping soundly.

...

「The night passed in a flash.」

Darkness faded, and the sky brightened.

The warm winter sun filtered in through the shadows of the trees, its overly bright rays disturbing her sweet dreams.

The sleeping young woman on the bed frowned slightly.

Xie Jinbai reached out to shield her from the light, just as he saw her butterfly-wing-like eyelashes flutter gently.

They opened.

Her bright pupils were moist and still hazy with sleep.

She looked pure and harmless.

Xie Jinbai’s expression faltered for a moment before he slowly withdrew his hand.

"You’re awake?"

Opening her eyes to see a large hand moving to cover them, Cui Lingyao was a bit dazed. Only after he pulled his hand back did she vaguely realize he had just been trying to use it as an eye mask for her.

She blinked and asked, "Why are you still here?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Xie Jinbai fell silent for a long moment, staring at her without blinking.

After a while, he said flatly, "Say that again."

"..." Cui Lingyao rubbed her face. "I mean, aren’t you busy today? It’s so late and you’re not even out of bed yet."

The same meaning, expressed a different way, was much more pleasant to hear.

The look in Xie Jinbai’s eyes softened, and he answered her, "I was afraid you’d wake up, not see me, and feel wronged again."

After all, at the courtyard gate yesterday, the fact that he went back to the study first to handle official business had been interpreted by her as being ’abandoned’.

So, after a night where their bodies and souls had become one, if he had left before she woke, wouldn’t she have twisted it into some other meaning?

He already held so little weight in her heart; he really couldn’t bear being falsely accused again.

His tone was light and his reply was earnest, with a hint of coaxing.

But hearing this just made Cui Lingyao feel awkward.

It made her sound so spoiled and willful.

Even if she had a bit of a temper sometimes, she was very clear-headed when it came to important matters.

She would never dare to interfere with his great ambitions.

Much less would she demand constant companionship from a man who managed countless affairs every day.

The feeling of being wronged last night had come on so fiercely and suddenly.

Looking back on it now, she found it baffling herself.

She had even stomached the celebration of him taking a concubine, so why was the hurt of being left behind worth crying over for so long?

"What are you thinking about?" Xie Jinbai tightened his arm around her and looked down into her eyes. "I’ve been too busy lately and have been neglecting Yaoyao. How about I spend the whole day with you today?"

"No need," Cui Lingyao said. "You can just go about your business. I can find things to do on my own. You don’t have to specifically spend time with me."

Not to mention, with the end of the year approaching, a huge Prince Mansion had countless social obligations to manage.

Just managing and organizing the maids, old servants, and footmen within the mansion was also a painstaking task.

Besides, she still hadn’t finished going over the last three years of account books.

She was completely swamped. How could she possibly be so bored as to need him to keep her company?

He had held her lips in a deep kiss for so long last night that even after a full night, they were still crimson, slightly swollen, and beautifully full.

But as he watched, this beautiful mouth opened and closed, saying only things that displeased him.

Xie Jinbai listened with an unchanged expression, then kissed her on the cheek and said, "Then you can put aside your tasks as well, and spend the day with me."

It was a statement.

Clearly, he wasn’t asking for her opinion.

Utterly tyrannical.

Normally, Cui Lingyao would have probably gotten annoyed, but now, looking at the handsome face magnified before her, she found that she actually fell for his act.

’What’s wrong with being a little domineering?’

’It only makes him handsome in a more unique way.’

’Look at those superior features.’

’A straight nose, deep-set eyes, and a clean, sharp jawline. Especially with those brows arching slightly upward—the untamable spirit in the corners of his eyes couldn’t be suppressed.’

’It’s so incredibly alluring.’

Cui Lingyao couldn’t resist. She tilted her head up and gave him a hard kiss.

Her lips landed on his jaw.

The rough stubble there scraped her, making the kiss painful for her.

She covered her mouth, her eyes welling with tears as she complained, "You’re hard all over. Even biting you would chip a tooth."

"...My fault," Xie Jinbai glanced at her, pulled her hand away, and looked down at her lips.

Her already red and swollen lips were now an even deeper shade of red after being scraped like that.

It certainly looked painful.

Xie Jinbai wanted to reach out and caress them to soothe her, but he was afraid of hurting her even more.

After all, with her delicate skin, she couldn’t bear the slightest bump or bruise.

He lowered his head and pressed his own lips against hers, sighing softly. "How can you be so delicate? I don’t even dare to kiss you with any force."

If he kissed her for a little too long, she would cry that her mouth hurt.

He leaned over and covered her body with his.

Their bodies pressed together with nothing between them.

Cui Lingyao was startled to realize she had slept naked in his arms all night.

And now, they were still at a distance where a single spark could ignite a fire.

’First thing in the morning...’

Cui Lingyao took a sharp breath and pushed him away a little. "Stop messing around. Let’s get up. I’m a little hungry."

Her defensiveness was simple and easy to see through.

Xie Jinbai saw through it in a single glance.

He clicked his tongue and said irritably, "Are you guarding against me like I’m a thief? I’m not some kind of beast."

"We were both naked, and I held you in my arms all night. Did I grope you and disturb your sleep?"

"Or did I lose control and do something to you?"

"I didn’t do anything, did I? I let you sleep peacefully until you woke up, right?"

"If I were really a heartless beast who didn’t care about you at all, would it be too late to guard against me only after you woke up?"

Cui Lingyao completely ignored him.

’In a situation like this, if things go wrong, his so-called ’spending the day with her’ would end up being ’spending the day in bed with her’.’

’No matter what pretty words he used, she would absolutely not discuss this topic with him in bed.’

Cui Lingyao pushed him away, sat up clutching the bedding to herself, and began to get dressed.

Xie Jinbai lay there, getting an unobstructed view of her slender, delicate back.

Her pearly white, delicate skin was covered in red marks.

He had made every single one of them with his kisses.

Except for the few lingering fingerprints on her soft, slender waist.

As he watched, the look in Xie Jinbai’s eyes began to change.

It grew deep and inscrutable, a dark tide churning within them.

Fortunately, Cui Lingyao didn’t turn around. She couldn’t see that dangerous look in his eyes as she reached behind her back to tie the thin straps of her undergarment.

Her scallion-white fingertips pinched two lotus-root-colored silk ribbons...

Xie Jinbai’s Adam’s apple bobbed. "Let me help you."

His voice was rough and hoarse.

Cui Lingyao knew him all too well. Her body instantly stiffened.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.