After taking the medicine, Jiang Ruan had intended to rest early on the bed, but once she lay down, she found herself unable to sleep. She felt inexplicably restless in her heart. Though it was a cold winter day, she didn’t feel cold at all—instead, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

She initially thought it was an issue with the medicinal ingredients and didn’t pay it much mind, simply turning over and pulling the covers down a bit. But after a while, she felt increasingly hot. Not only that, but a strange tide of sensation surged through her body. She vaguely guessed what was happening, yet found it incredible. She tried to sit up, but as soon as she moved, her body felt unusually weak and soft.

“Xiao Shao,” Jiang Ruan couldn’t help calling out. The sound that emerged startled even herself—it was utterly charming and melodious, gentle and seductive.

Hearing this, Xiao Shao looked up and, seeing Jiang Ruan’s appearance, was also slightly stunned. He simply put down his book, walked to the bedside and sat down. Though his face still appeared cold, he couldn’t help asking with concern: “What’s wrong?”

Seeing Jiang Ruan’s face flushed red, he frowned and reached out to feel her forehead. Xiao Shao’s hands were cool with long, elegant fingers. When he touched Jiang Ruan’s head, she couldn’t help but sigh comfortably. This startled her—she felt she really had no face to look at Xiao Shao now. However, her body was more honest than her reason. She was burning all over and indeed craved Xiao Shao’s cold body, unconsciously leaning closer to him.

“You…” Xiao Shao suddenly withdrew his hand and grasped Jiang Ruan’s wrist to take her pulse. Jiang Ruan’s body trembled, and Xiao Shao’s movements paused slightly, as if he had suddenly discovered something. A pair of jet-black eyes looked at Jiang Ruan. Seeing his expression, Jiang Ruan roughly knew what had happened. For a moment she felt both ashamed and embarrassed, yet couldn’t suppress the impulse to rub against Xiao Shao. She could only bite her teeth and desperately endure the fire in her heart.

Xiao Shao withdrew his hand, his voice cool and unruffled: “I’ll go call Xia Qing over.” Though he said this, there was ultimately a trace of anger in his words. Regardless of whose handiwork today’s incident was, treating Jiang Ruan’s body so carelessly—even as a prank—was truly excessive.

“Xiao Shao,” Jiang Ruan grabbed him with one hand. She actually hadn’t used much strength—at this moment, all her attention was focused on fighting the flames leaping through her body, so where would she find extra strength? Xiao Shao’s steps paused as he turned back and said: “It’s fine, just the wrong prescription.”

He was probably still trying to comfort her. Jiang Ruan drowsily half-opened her eyes. At this moment, she seemed split into two people—one drowning in strange sensations she couldn’t control, while the other watched everything before her with complete clarity. The young man before her always wore black clothes, which made his already cold temperament seem coated with another layer of frost, as if he had abandoned all desires. It was truly hard to imagine there could be such a cold man in this world. At this moment, his features were handsome, his thin lips tightly pressed, his slightly furrowed brow looking quite appetizing.

Appetizing? Jiang Ruan clutched his sleeve corner and struggled to utter three words: “Don’t go.”

“Don’t worry,” Xiao Shao seemed to not yet understand her meaning. Seeing her insistent appearance and fearing she might fall, he sat down on the bed and said in a low voice: “I’ll be back quickly.”

Jiang Ruan felt somewhat annoyed. She had already spoken so clearly, yet Xiao Shao was still so obtuse. At this moment, her whole body burned like a branding iron. As soon as she got close to Xiao Shao, the cool, crisp scent from the man reached her, almost making her unable to resist pressing against him. In fact, Jiang Ruan did press against him. She wrapped her arms around Xiao Shao’s neck and rubbed against him somewhat unbearably.

A layer of red immediately appeared on Xiao Shao’s pale, handsome face. He wanted to push Jiang Ruan away, only saying: “Be good, let go.” The next moment, he felt his body being heavily bumped. Caught off guard, he was knocked down onto the bed, and immediately after, a soft body pounced on top of him.

Jiang Ruan struggled to prop up her body and glared at him fiercely. Her face was already flushed red from the medicine’s effects, her eyes so alluring they seemed ready to drip water, and her voice had melted into a puddle, yet she still tried to show full momentum, almost shouting: “I already told you not to go!”

But no matter how loud she was now, it only sounded like acting coquettish to Xiao Shao’s ears.

Xiao Shao quietly stared at Jiang Ruan lying on top of him, his voice flat: “Do you know what you’re doing?”

Jiang Ruan’s gaze was fierce like a hungry wolf, yet paired with a face that could topple nations—those eyes wet and glistening like a little fox in the forest. Unless one were a saint, anyone would be moved to some degree. Xiao Shao’s body was indeed cool. Lying on top of him was like lying on a block of ice, and Jiang Ruan sighed with satisfaction. She naturally knew what doing this meant. Her relationship with Xiao Shao had begun to become somewhat unusual since recovering from the poison, but she had always been slow to warm up. If she continued according to her own nature, who knew when it would happen? She and Xiao Shao were husband and wife to begin with. More importantly, she didn’t reject having more intimate actions with Xiao Shao.

Xiao Shao was too much of a gentleman—unless he had her consent, he would never take the initiative to request consummation. And with her temperament, she probably wouldn’t say it either. It was better to take advantage of this opportunity, which also gave her a way out. If she missed this chance, she didn’t know if she would have the courage to so actively express her attitude to Xiao Shao in the future.

Rarely was her mind so clear at this moment, but when she met Xiao Shao’s calm, dark eyes, for an instant she felt as if she might be sucked in. Jiang Ruan steeled her heart and suddenly smiled: “This.” After speaking, she raised her hand and used all her strength to pull off Xiao Shao’s belt.

Xiao Shao’s body stiffened, and the suspicious flush on his face became even clearer. She didn’t know why, but the cool body beneath her didn’t seem as cold as before. Jiang Ruan sat astride him, looking down at him: “You and I are already husband and wife. I’m doing what a wife should do.”

Xiao Shao’s long eyelashes trembled slightly. His gaze was sharp, but his tone was gentle: “A-Ruan, you won’t regret this?”

Jiang Ruan didn’t speak, slowly leaning down and mustering courage to bite his neck. She had always been someone who knew restraint—this medicine’s effects weren’t actually as strong as imagined, at least not as heavy as what she had been poisoned with last time. It was just that now she was also half-pretending to be foolish, taking advantage of this opportunity. Fortunately, her face was already red, so her particular emotions couldn’t be seen.

Xiao Shao narrowed his eyes, his whole body seeming to tense into a tight bundle, while Jiang Ruan nuzzled around his neck like a kitten. Jiang Ruan had no experience—probably taught by the books she had read before entering the palace in her previous life. She kissed randomly, thinking about what her hands should do next. Before she could remember, her hands were caught in a cool palm.

Jiang Ruan slightly propped up her body, somewhat puzzled. However, she didn’t expect that with her snow-white skin and flower-like beauty, when she propped her arms and leaned down to look at Xiao Shao, her long black hair fell behind her, with one playful strand covering her face. Her eyes were like silk, her cherry lips appetizing—she seemed like an enchantress who had fallen to earth, every movement soul-stirring.

Jiang Ruan had always known she was beautiful and imagined she probably looked quite good at this moment too. However, she hadn’t expected Xiao Shao’s reaction. Xiao Shao stared intently at her, his gaze very deep, the dark eyes containing emotion that almost seemed ready to devour someone. Jiang Ruan paused, then suddenly pinched Xiao Shao’s waist provocatively. She immediately felt his body tense, and just as she was secretly pleased, the next moment she felt the world spinning—her position with Xiao Shao had reversed. Xiao Shao looked down at her from above, one hand propped beside her pillow. His features were cold and clear, his dark eyes like a deep pool—at this moment the pool water was churning, strange emotions overwhelming, while his breath was burning, dangerous aura rushing toward her.

Jiang Ruan sensitively detected something was wrong, feeling that Xiao Shao today was very different from usual. Under such direct staring, she actually felt somewhat guilty for a moment. She struggled, wanting to push Xiao Shao away, but she had no strength now. Having already sweated profusely, the woman’s charm inadvertently showed, and the allure at the corners of her eyes was truly heart-breaking. Xiao Shao’s voice suddenly became low and hoarse, as if trying hard to restrain something: “Don’t move.”

Jiang Ruan immediately understood and no longer dared to move carelessly. She had originally thought to resolve this matter quickly, having been so bold today only by mustering up rare courage. Who knew she would now be caught in a difficult situation? The nervousness in her heart had long since drowned out the original passion. Instead, the closer to the critical moment, the more she began to sober up.

Just as she was hesitating about what to do next, Xiao Shao suddenly sat up. He was deciding to stop here again—Jiang Ruan felt inexplicably disappointed. But she saw that after sitting up, Xiao Shao indeed took off his boots and outer clothes. When he turned back to meet Jiang Ruan’s disappointed eyes, he was slightly stunned, then couldn’t help laughing.

Jiang Ruan was startled, then felt the annoyance of being caught. Why should she feel disappointed about this sort of thing? As if she were coveting Xiao Shao’s beauty. Just as she was looking for some excuse, she saw Xiao Shao already leaning down. Her body immediately didn’t dare move, and then her lips were blocked by something warm and soft.

Jiang Ruan could clearly hear the sound of her own and Xiao Shao’s heartbeats. Having never done such intimate things in either her previous or current life, this kiss was extremely long. When he released her, Jiang Ruan was focused only on breathing, her body already soft.

Having just been kissed, Jiang Ruan’s lips were even more delicately appealing, beautiful and fresh like red cherries in May. She leaned her head back slightly, her long black hair meandering across the bright red pillow. Her eyes were alluring, her brows curved, lips red and teeth white—truly a peerless beauty.

Under his gaze, Jiang Ruan’s face grew even hotter, but she didn’t want Xiao Shao to see her timidity. She wanted to blow out the lamp, but as soon as she moved slightly, Xiao Shao pressed close again, his expression unlike his usual coolness.

Though she had experienced various storms in her previous and current lives, this was roughly her first time with intimate matters between men and women. It was both strange and nerve-wracking. Her initial bold provocation had completely dissipated, but there was no turning back now—naturally it was impossible to have Xiao Shao stop at this point.

She couldn’t call a halt, and having Xiao Shao on top of her like this was truly torturous. Jiang Ruan gritted her teeth: “You… hurry up.”

Xiao Shao was slightly stunned again. The lamp hadn’t been extinguished yet, and Xiao Shao’s face was truly devastating to nations, his deep eyes seeming to flash with bright starlight. He said in a low voice: “A-Ruan.”

Jiang Ruan fiercely pinched his lean waist again, looking at him somewhat resentfully: “I… I’m ready, hurry up.”

Xiao Shao smiled slightly, his voice flat: “A-Ruan, it’s too late to regret now.”

…

Like the silent blooming of red plum blossoms on a winter day—gorgeous and dazzling, with only this single plum blossom’s beauty in all heaven and earth, soul-stirringly crashing into the admirer’s heart. Those petals trembled delicately and shyly, and even the harsh winter day would bloom with different beauty because of this. Snowflakes were cold and crystalline, red plums charming and passionate—this was a match made in heaven, a beautiful scene that would make anyone who saw it lose themselves. Yet they bloomed quietly in the night, unknown to all, presenting this intimate beauty to the world.

The enchanting sounds in the dark night almost carried far beyond, and even on this bitter winter day, the room seemed lit with fiery passion. Life’s once-in-a-lifetime encounter was completed this night in the most intimate exchange. As if all those barriers and displeasure vanished into smoke, the two became one in the most honest posture from now on. The darkness and sorrow of her previous life, the endless pain hidden in her heart, those secrets that couldn’t be told to others—all seemed to change after tonight passed. There was now someone in this world who would stand shoulder to shoulder with you, sharing honor and disgrace in the name of husband and wife. This was a strange experience, yet one filled with anticipation.

Xiao Shao rolled off of Jiang Ruan. After such an intense spring night, he was covered in sweat. Jiang Ruan lay on the bed—whenever she thought of her passionate, active behavior just now, she wanted to die of shame right there in the bedding. Thinking that the first time had been so forward, when Xiao Shao remembered in the future, he would probably find it amusing.

Xiao Shao stroked her long hair gently: “I’ll have someone bring water.”

“No need,” Jiang Ruan called out urgently. Meeting Xiao Shao’s gaze, she felt somewhat embarrassed again. However, asking for water now would undoubtedly announce to the entire manor what they had done today. She wasn’t used to presenting herself so boldly before others, especially in such private matters. But looking at her sticky body, not getting water seemed unreasonable either, so she felt conflicted.

Xiao Shao looked at her thoughtfully and nodded: “I’ll get it myself. Does your… body still hurt?”

He saw through Jiang Ruan’s concerns at a glance and spoke very considerately. But mentioning body pain immediately reminded Jiang Ruan of those intense scenes from earlier. “It doesn’t hurt anymore,” Jiang Ruan quickly replied. As soon as she finished speaking, she felt soreness coming from below and couldn’t help but secretly complain. She had seen Xiao Shao’s usual cold, clear appearance, but on the bed he seemed like a different person. He truly had a martial arts background—his stamina was surprisingly good. Even though she had always been able to endure, she felt somewhat overwhelmed. What’s more, this fellow had a wicked heart, insisting she make sounds. She had never felt so embarrassed in this lifetime—Xiao Shao was truly black-hearted. She hadn’t noticed this in daily life.

Xiao Shao couldn’t help tugging at the corner of his mouth, saying slowly: “Good, I’ll go brew medicine.” These two words “brew medicine” he said with deep meaning, as if containing extremely profound significance, while maintaining a completely calm expression.

Jiang Ruan choked. Thinking of that bowl of medicine earlier—success and failure both due to medicine. She had originally thought to use the medicine’s effects to accomplish today’s deed, which probably wasn’t much. Who knew that later when the medicine wore off, she had still been so out of control? Thinking about it now was truly embarrassing. The Embroidered Uniform Guards in this manor had always had excellent hearing—they might have heard the sounds from their room. Thinking of this, Jiang Ruan felt ashamed and angry.