The View from Up High

By the time they returned to the residence, it was nearly five in the evening.

Summer days were long, but by this hour, some of the midsummer heat had already faded.

The weather was fine today. For some reason, Su Luoqian took Zelan to the tower in the rear courtyard.

Lu Jingsi stared after her with a dark gaze, saying nothing.

The autumn provincial examinations were approaching in various regions. Over the past few days, the emperor had ordered him to keep a close eye on the movements of the principal examiners to prevent cheating in the imperial examinations.

Chengying murmured something behind him, and master and servant turned and headed for the study.

Up in the tower in the rear courtyard.

Su Luoqian looked out through the open window.

Prince Cheng'an's Residence stood on the eastern end of Ankang Street. Most of the residences on this street belonged to high-ranking officials and nobles, and because Lu Jingsi enjoyed the emperor's favor and trust, his residence was the largest on the street, and its tower the tallest.

From here, she could see roughly all the residences on the eastern stretch of the street; their walls did nothing to block her view.

In the short time it had taken her to climb the tower, the sun had begun to sink in the west.

Unexpectedly, this turned out to be a fine place to watch the sunset.

Su Luoqian's spirits, which had been weighed down for most of the afternoon, finally lifted somewhat.

She did not know how long she stood by the window. Only when the last ray of the setting sun had vanished did she say softly, "Zelan, come on. Let's go downstairs."

But no answer came from Zelan behind her.

Su Luoqian turned around instinctively and saw Lu Jingsi standing behind her.

There was no trace of Zelan anywhere in the tower.

The man was still wearing the same night-dark purple brocade robe, its sash defining his strong waist, with a jade pendant hanging below.

Su Luoqian's lashes trembled slightly. Realizing that her gaze had strayed there again without her noticing, she quickly looked away, turned around, and gazed out the window once more.

"Why did you come up here, Your Highness?"

Lu Jingsi did not answer. He walked over to stand behind her.

His uniquely crisp, cool scent enveloped Su Luoqian from behind, and her slender hands tightened instinctively on the window frame.

She pressed her lips together and secretly nudged her elbows backward, intending to put some distance between them.

"It's time for dinner, Your Highness. Let's go downstairs."

Her little movement did not escape Lu Jingsi's notice. His warm, large hand closed around her slender arm through the fabric, and he stepped forward, pressing even closer.

"It's all right. Let's stay a little longer."

The dusk-mountain purple dress Su Luoqian wore today was as thin as gauze, smooth and delicate, and she had a purple jade hairpin in her hair.

Lu Jingsi needed only to lower his eyes slightly to see her trembling lashes. Below them were the tip of her small, pert nose and the lips she had bitten until they were faintly pale.

He released her arm from his grip and brushed his long fingers over those pitiful red lips, pressing lightly.

His voice was low and husky. "Are you nervous, Consort?"

Su Luoqian's heart suddenly raced. "Lu Jingsi, let's go downstairs. Someone will come looking for us soon."

"No one would dare come up."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the man tipped up her chin and turned her face toward him. A kiss came abruptly.

His free hand slipped along the smooth fabric, beneath her arm and forward, then closed tightly.

Through the fabric, he held her heartbeat in his palm.

"Mmm..."

Su Luoqian went limp in an instant, her knees giving way. Only by leaning against him could she keep from sliding down.

One behind the other, their bodies pressed tightly together as they stood before the window.

The window was wide open, and the summer night breeze drifted in, unable to dispel the blush at the roots of Su Luoqian's ears or the indescribable heat.

In this position, she was forced to part her lips, and Lu Jingsi seized the opening to claim her more thoroughly.

His hand was no gentler.

So nervous that she gripped his broad sleeves with both hands, she let the man's breath gradually move lower.

Powerless to resist.

When a prickling sensation came from her neck, she hurriedly tugged at his sleeve and tilted away slightly. "We still have dinner to eat in a little while."

If he left any marks and the servants saw them, how embarrassing that would be.

Lu Jingsi's hot breath spilled over her tender, pale neck, and he suddenly chuckled. "You're still thinking about dinner, Consort?"

Su Luoqian was both embarrassed and annoyed, yet her voice came out utterly coquettish. "If you're going to do it, then do it. Surely you don't mean to withhold my meals too?"

"How could I withhold your meals, Consort? Where else would you get your strength?"

Su Luoqian understood his implication, and her cheeks flushed crimson. When she noticed he meant to undo her dress, she quickly caught his hand.

Her almond-shaped eyes, usually clear, were now misted with moisture, utterly seductive, though she herself was unaware of it.

She still tried to put up a brave front with her words. "I didn't expect... mm, that the dignified Prince Cheng'an would... would be such a lecher."

Lu Jingsi lifted his head from her neck, his dark eyes startlingly bright. Like a hunter who had sighted his prey, he was too excited for words.

"If I weren't so lustful toward you, Consort, then you would have cause to worry."

Su Luoqian froze at his words.

Then she realized that he was not wrong.

Living as they had for the past few months, "as respectful as ice" toward each other, was not a long-term solution after all.

Now that she had married him, she had to hold her position as Prince of Cheng'an's Consort securely if she was to protect the Su Family.

Su Luoqian instinctively looked away, no longer meeting his eyes, and muttered, "Even so, you can't do it here."

Lu Jingsi held her hand and pressed her into his embrace, letting her feel him close against her.

"The view is fine from up high."

"I must thank you, Consort. I'd never discovered this fine spot before."

Su Luoqian was truly afraid he meant to do it right here. In a panic, she shook her head repeatedly, making the purple jade hairpin and dangling ornaments in her coiffure sway.

"No, not here."

Seeing how strongly she resisted, Lu Jingsi felt even more inclined to tease her. He gripped her chin with his long fingers and made her turn her head to look at the crescent moon outside the window.

"How beautiful the moon is. We could kill two birds with one stone. Don't you like it, Consort?"

"No, I don't, I don't."

"This isn't a good place, Lu Jingsi. Can we go downstairs?"

Her voice was plaintive, as though it carried a hook.

It made Lu Jingsi's throat bob heavily.

His large hand resting on her snow-white breast tightened maliciously, drawing a muffled moan from Su Luoqian.

Lu Jingsi had never been the sort to soften his heart and show others pity. When it came to attacking a person's resolve and wearing them down, Lord Lu of the Prison Administration was all too skilled.

At this moment, he truly looked like a monstrous villain forcing himself upon a respectable woman.

Su Luoqian closed her eyes, enduring the scorching heat kindled in her chest, and wondered to herself whether she could escape his hold if she caught him off guard with an elbow.

But before she could reach an answer, the man's deep voice sounded by her ear.

"Thinking of how to deal with me?"

Su Luoqian: !!!

She opened her eyes abruptly and stared at him in disbelief.

H-h-he... how did he know?

Seeing her like this, Lu Jingsi finally buried his face against her neck, the corners of his lips lifting silently.

"You disguised yourself and slipped into Lin Yonghong's villa, Consort. I thought you must have been so very bold."

"That's different..."

Su Luoqian hurriedly protested.

As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized he had tricked the answer out of her.

She pressed her lips tightly together and said no more.

Lu Jingsi quietly loosened his hold on her slender waist, but Su Luoqian did not notice.

Or perhaps her body was still limp, and out of habit she remained leaning against him.

The two of them were still pressed together.