Lu Jingsi Seemed to Finish Pretty Quickly

Su Luoqian knew when to stop. "All right, all right, I won't say any more."

If Lu Jingsi wanted to keep her from leaving Prince Cheng'an's Residence, he had plenty of ways to do it. For now, she couldn't afford to offend him too much.

The carriage fell quiet, and the clop-clop of hooves outside became clear.

Before long, the carriage stopped in front of the gates of Prince Cheng'an's Residence.

Su Luoqian had just stepped down onto the carriage stool when she saw Nanny Liu leaning shakily against the side of the gate, crying out, "Your Highness, you must stand up for this old servant!"

Lu Jingsi glanced at her, his brows deeply furrowed. "For matters concerning the inner household, go to the princess consort," he said coldly.

With that, he strode straight through the gate and paid her no more attention.

Nanny Liu had yet to begin the rest of her long list of complaints, and already she had lost the chance to voice them.

She could only stand there, stunned. "Your Highness..."

She had knelt for an hour that morning, and her legs were still giving her trouble. Even if she wanted to chase after him, she couldn't catch up.

Fulin followed Lu Jingsi the whole way. As he passed Nanny Liu, he frowned at her with a look that said, "Why didn't you listen to me?" After a few glances, he hurried to catch up with Lu Jingsi.

Su Luoqian delicately lifted her skirt and walked in at an unhurried pace. She stopped in front of Nanny Liu, a polite smile curving her lips, and said in a gentle, pleasant voice, "If you've suffered any grievance, Nanny Liu, please tell me. I'll certainly stand up for you."

Nanny Liu gripped the side of the gate so hard her nails turned white. After a long while, she finally forced out through gritted teeth, "I wouldn't trouble you, Princess Consort."

The main building of the main courtyard.

Behind the screen in the inner chamber, steam rose from a wooden bathing tub, its surface covered with brilliant flower petals.

Amid the hazy mist, Su Luoqian let Zelan slowly help her out of her clothes.

Her jade-like body was fair, her skin translucent as thin ice, soft and fragrant as snow.

Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders like a black waterfall, unable to conceal her shapely curves.

Su Luoqian stepped into the tub with one slender leg, making a faint splash.

Holding a cloth, Zelan gently wiped her shoulders and back.

She said softly, her tone cheerful, "That look on Nanny Liu's face just now was so satisfying. His Highness wouldn't pay her any attention at all. Let's see if she still dares throw her weight around after this."

"Princess Consort, you don't know this, but she also secretly replaced the vegetable vendor who supplied the residence with her own husband and son."

Su Luoqian rested her arms on the rim of the tub. Her eyes, which had been lightly closed, opened a fraction. "When did that happen?"

"Not long before you married into the residence," Zelan replied. "I heard it from one of my friends who helps out in the kitchen."

Hearing when it had happened, Su Luoqian closed her eyes again and rested her delicate chin on her arms. She gave a languid "Mm."

"It seems the vendor they replaced even came looking for them, but Nanny Liu cursed him and drove him away." Zelan pursed her lips. "Their whole family depends on the residence for their living now."

Since it had happened before she married into the household, Su Luoqian didn't want to involve herself too much. "As long as there's nothing wrong with the vegetables they deliver, that's fine."

Zelan acknowledged her and said no more.

Su Luoqian said softly, "You can go out first. I'll stay here by myself for a while."

"Yes."

A faint, delicate fragrance lingered in the bathing room, and after a while, the steam began to fade.

Without calling Zelan, Su Luoqian stood up and climbed out of the tub herself. She took the undergarment draped over a corner of the screen and fastened it on.

Draped in a gauzy robe, she walked around the screen toward the bed. The hem swayed gently as she moved, her graceful curves appearing and disappearing beneath it.

Since their marriage, Lu Jingsi had rarely spent the night in the main building. She paid it little mind, so she dressed rather loosely and comfortably after bathing.

Today, however, brought a surprise.

Su Luoqian had just fastened the ties of her gauzy robe and turned out of the bathing room when she saw the tall man standing beside her dressing table. On the table sat the wooden box Cui Anlan had given her earlier.

Seeing Lu Jingsi's large, faintly veined hand about to touch the box, Su Luoqian's heart jumped. She hurried forward and quickly pressed her hand down on it.

Her clear, bright almond eyes fixed on him. "What are you doing here?"

Lu Jingsi's gaze moved back and forth between the wooden box and her flushed face. He slowly withdrew his hand. "Where in this residence am I not allowed to go?"

Su Luoqian turned sideways, blocking the box from view. "Don't you... always sleep in the side room next to the study?"

"Mm," Lu Jingsi replied mildly. "But I want to stay in the main building tonight. What, will my princess consort not allow it?"

"..."

Su Luoqian suddenly felt a little nervous, and her fingers tightened instinctively on her gauzy robe.

She had just finished bathing, and her eyelashes seemed to hold traces of moisture. When she tilted her head up to look at him, the outer corners of her eyes were raised and tinged red, her bright almond eyes damp.

His reflection could even be seen faintly in her dark pupils.

The gauze could not hide her lovely figure. Her hair fell straight down, water still dripping from its ends and seeping through the thin fabric in spots, gradually revealing her delicate pink skin.

Her pale undergarment wrapped around her soft, full, snow-white breasts, which rose and fell slightly under his gaze.

For a moment, the room was quiet.

Only then did Su Luoqian realize that they were too close—so close that his crisp scent almost enveloped her.

She turned her head away awkwardly, no longer meeting his gaze.

A moment later.

"I'll have Zelan bring another quilt."

"What's in this box?"

A man's voice and a woman's voice rang out almost at the same time.

When Su Luoqian heard what he had said, her heart tightened. She turned and quickly hid the little wooden box in the cabinet beside the dressing table.

"Just some private things for women. You wouldn't want to know."

Lu Jingsi watched her hide it with quick but slightly flustered movements. At last, his burning gaze shifted slightly away.

But his voice was somewhat cold when he spoke. "We're husband and wife. Why should we use separate quilts?"

Su Luoqian moved a few steps to the side, went over to the clothes rack, and took down a garment to put on.

"I'm not used to it."

"You must get used to it."

The man's voice was cold and low, leaving no room for refusal.

Su Luoqian instinctively raised her eyes to look at him, and her gaze met his without warning.

His dark eyes were deep and unfathomable, as though they could see through her at a glance.

She stiffened her neck, the tips of her ears red, and tried to negotiate with him. "Can't I get used to it slowly?"

"Heh." Lu Jingsi gave a very soft chuckle. He was just about to speak when Chengying's voice came from outside.

"Your Highness, another one has been found, in the west of the city."

It went without saying what had been found.

Lu Jingsi had no time to say anything else. With a sweep of his sleeve, he turned and strode out.

Only when the sound of his footsteps had faded did Su Luoqian let out a deep breath.

Zelan hurried in from the outer room, looking worried. "Princess Consort, are you all right?"

It was nearly nine in the evening, and none of the people in the courtyard had expected His Highness to come at this hour. They had wanted to come in and announce him, but he had stopped them, leaving them to stand outside the room with their hearts in their throats.

Su Luoqian shook her head. "I'm fine."

Water was still dripping from the ends of her hair, so Zelan took a towel and gently dried it for her.

After a moment, Su Luoqian raised her hand. "You can go out first."

The room fell quiet. Resting her cheek on her hand, she pondered.

Over the past two months and more, Lu Jingsi had slept in the side room by the study most of the time and had rarely come to the main building after nightfall.

Su Luoqian hadn't needed to worry about sharing a bed with him. Life had been so comfortable that she had almost forgotten—

They couldn't go on sleeping apart forever.

The memory of their wedding night resurfaced, and her cheeks suddenly turned red.

Although it had hurt a little, she only had to bear it and it would probably be over. After all, Lu Jingsi seemed to... finish pretty quickly.