The Last Night

The day before the Prince of Jin'an's birthday.

Dusk had not yet deepened, but the lamps in Jinglan Garden were already lit.

Two maids pushed in a clothes rack bearing two newly tailored dresses, their colors shimmering in the candlelight.

"Miss, the Silk Pavilion has delivered the clothes you ordered."

Qiao Shuyi had been reclining shoulder to shoulder with Zongzheng Heng on the couch. Hearing this, she rose and went over to the rack. She ran her fingertips over the fabric of the two dresses, then looked back at him, her eyes curving into a smile.

"Zhigui, help me choose. Which of these two looks better? I'll wear it to my father's birthday banquet tomorrow."

One of the maids eagerly explained from the side:

"Miss, the one on the left is a moonlit-brocade gauze robe with cloud patterns, an off-shoulder cut, and wide sleeves. The fabric is a tribute from Suzhou. The tailor said that when you wear it beneath the moonlight, your shoulders will look as though they're draped in a pool of clear radiance, cool and ethereal with a touch of bewitching allure."

"The one on the right is an apricot-colored, wide-sleeved gauze robe woven with gold and patterned with red plum blossoms and cold fragrance. The gold threads form a subtle pattern, and the red plum blossoms were dyed with real cold fragrance. It's luxurious and gorgeous, and it suits your complexion best, miss."

Qiao Shuyi listened, her gaze moving between the two dresses, but gave no opinion.

She waved a hand. "You may leave us for now."

The two maids curtsied and withdrew.

The moment the door closed, Qiao Shuyi turned and sat on Zongzheng Heng's lap, wrapping both arms around his neck.

"Zhigui, whenever I bought new clothes before, or Mother sent me precious fabric to make a new dress, I used to be so happy. I'd try them on again and again, happy for the whole day."

She paused, her fingertip tracing gentle circles on the back of his neck.

"But now... I think I'm happiest when I'm not wearing anything at all."

Zongzheng Heng had been listening to her intently. Only after turning her words over in his head did he realize what she meant.

He clenched his back teeth, a vein twitching slightly.

"Shushu... you're a woman."

"So what? I just say whatever comes to mind. Besides, I only say these things to you."

"And I really do like you very much."

Her fingertip slid from the back of his neck to his cheek, caressing it gently.

"At first, I liked your face. You were so handsome you didn't look mortal. Later, when you came out of the water dungeon and I applied medicine for you, I discovered your body was wonderful too-broad shoulders, a narrow waist, well-defined muscles, and so very powerful and valiant. I liked you even more then."

"And now... your... I like that too."

She lifted her eyes to his. There was not a trace of shyness in her gaze, only open delight.

"So big, so red, and so fragrant... may I... kiss it?"

Zongzheng Heng's gaze darkened. His shadowed eyes looked as though a cluster of ghostly flames burned within them, making one's heart tighten.

"Who taught you all this?"

Qiao Shuyi blinked, utterly unabashed.

"It's in the erotic pictures."

"Zhigui, don't you like it? Actually, I... I want you to kiss me too..."

Zongzheng Heng's dark eyes grew deeper still.

He did not answer. He simply reached out and lifted her into his arms.

His martial arts had now recovered, and lifting her took no effort at all.

Qiao Shuyi had noticed on the day his martial arts returned.

More than once, she had even sensed killing intent flash through his eyes.

But every time, he had held himself back.

The goal of this month is nearly achieved, isn't it?

Zongzheng Heng, will you really kill me?

But as the day of the Prince of Jin'an's Manor's destruction drew closer, Qiao Shuyi still felt somewhat unhappy.

From her first day after transmigrating, she had relied on her family background and the Liu Family's silver to live freely and extravagantly.

But what about after this? She would have only herself to rely on.

Her days of fine clothes, rich food, and spending gold like dirt would probably soon be far behind her.

She was letting her thoughts run wild when her bottom suddenly felt a chill-

Qiao Shuyi came back to herself and looked down, only to find that he had placed her on the table.

She had thought he would throw her onto the bed, but she had not expected...

She raised her eyes and met Zongzheng Heng's dark, fathomless gaze.

"Didn't you want to kiss it? This height is just right."

Qiao Shuyi swallowed.

Such a closet pervert.

An absolute closet pervert.

She cursed him inwardly, but her hands had already settled on his belt without her noticing...

Whoa.

Every time she saw it, she could not help marveling.

As expected of the male lead-his looks were first-rate, and so was his body.

Heaven had gifted him a living, and it was a full imperial feast.

She heard him breathing above her. At first it was steady, but gradually it grew ragged and heavy, like a muffled rumble of thunder holding something back.

Zongzheng Heng looked down at the top of her head. His Adam's apple bobbed once, then again, until he could no longer hold back. He tilted his head up, and a muffled groan escaped his chest.

She did not know how much time had passed.

She was lifted clean off her feet-

The world spun, and her back landed heavily in the soft brocade quilt.

She blinked, gazing at the handsome face above her.

Their positions had been reversed. She had been the one lowering her head just now; now it was his turn.

Qiao Shuyi looked at the top of his head and suddenly felt a little dazed.

Getting a man addicted to what happened in bed was no long-term solution.

She understood that.

Serve a man with beauty, and when beauty faded, love would slacken-throughout the ages, how many women had stumbled over that?

Looks would age, novelty would fade, and that little craving for pleasure could not withstand the passing of many springs and autumns.

But keeping a man in the palm of one's hand had never been the foolish business of following one road until it went dark.

What happened in bed was its own kind of skill. It was instinct, it was fire, a maze of enchantment that, once ablaze, left one unable to tell east from west.

But beyond the bed, there was another layer-the heart.

It was that little attachment that kept him from hating her completely or forgetting her, that kept his hand from closing around her throat even when he clearly ought to kill her.

In bed and out of it, neither could be neglected.

She had never considered matters in bed filthy.

They were simply each taking what they needed.

When he wanted it, she gave it; when she wanted it, he gave it.

Neither owed the other anything, and neither had forced the other.

If it brought them both pleasure, why think of it as something so sordid?

That night, Zongzheng Heng indulged himself.

It was not because the medicine had forced him to lose control, nor because she had teased him until he had nowhere to escape-it was because he himself wanted to.

Tomorrow was Qiao Nanyu's birthday banquet, and also the day Qiao Nanyu would become a prisoner.

After tomorrow, he would leave the manor and leave her.

This night might be their last moment of tenderness together.

He held her close, his palm resting against her bare back and stroking it gently, again and again.

Her breathing was slow and even; she was fast asleep.

He lowered his head to look at her, and a tangle of indescribable feelings suddenly welled up in his heart.

He had told her that one day, he would kill her.

Yet she had never shown the slightest guard around him.

Was she certain he would not do it?

Or was it as she had said-that she would willingly die by his hand?

He did not know.

He only knew that he had never seen through this madwoman.

If Qiao Shuyi had been awake at that moment and known what he was thinking, she would probably have given a soft laugh.

For she had long known that he was the emperor, the male lead of this world.

If he truly wanted to kill her, what could a woman without the strength to truss a chicken do to resist?

Rather than spend every day in fear, she might as well take a gamble.

She was betting on her own eyes, on the days and nights they had spent together, and on the hand that had ultimately loosened every time he had gripped her throat.

She trusted her ability to read hearts, and she trusted her ability to hold them in her grasp, even if that person was the emperor.