The room was so quiet… Xin Mei felt she could hear the sound of all her blood rushing madly to her brain.

This was probably what they meant by having no face to see people, right? She covered her face with her hands, groping as she crouched down, trying to pry up the floorboards and crawl underneath.

Footsteps suddenly sounded behind her, and Xin Mei’s little heart in her chest began wildly pounding again—should she look with open eyes? Or not look? This was a difficult question.

The scattered papers on the floor were picked up one by one, gathered together, smoothed flat.

After hesitating for a long time, she finally spread her fingers and stole a peek through the gaps, only to see Lu Qianqiao silently tidying up all the papers and books on the floor, placing them on the table as if nothing had happened, his voice very calm: “…It’s late at night. I’ll go now.”

…How, how could he be so calm and composed?! Making her attempt to crawl under the bed seem incredibly foolish!

Xin Mei quickly stood up from the ground, pretending she had found the papers under the bed, walking over furtively and coughing softly: “Then, then have a good journey, I won’t see you out…”

He indeed turned and walked away, his steps somehow a bit flustered. He crashed head-first into the door, and that usually sturdy wooden door fell to the ground with a “bang,” echoing in waves throughout the deep night at Xinxie Manor.

The senior brothers in the back courtyards who had been continuously awakened by the noise finally couldn’t bear the torture and shouted at the top of their lungs: “It’s almost midnight! Can you two stop making a ruckus?! Can’t you just behave on the bed—a brief separation makes reunion sweeter?!”

Lu Qianqiao didn’t turn back, instantly pulling up the door panel and standing there frozen, not knowing what to do.

Xin Mei had sharp eyes and clearly saw his ears gradually turning red, his shoulders seemingly trembling slightly.

Poor thing… could he be so embarrassed that he was crying?

Well, if he remained calm and composed, then the embarrassed one would be her. But since he was embarrassed, she calmed down instead.

What an inhumane bad habit…

Xin Mei cleared her throat: “Just put it aside, don’t worry about it.”

He tremblingly placed the door panel to one side. From his back, he looked like he wanted to cover his face and run away frantically. She quickly spoke up: “That… Lu Qianqiao, actually… actually it’s nothing much, very normal… no need to be nervous.”

He stood frozen in place, refusing to turn around.

She thought for a moment: “How about coming back in to sit? We could discuss marriage matters and child-rearing plans and such…”

He let out a helpless long sigh, slowly turned around, and gazed at her quietly with an expression she couldn’t understand.

“Xin Mei,” he forced himself to speak, “you… we can’t right now… in any case…”

Eh, even his neck was red… Was it because he knocked over the wooden door, or because he saw that Orchid Musk Tender Pistil Collection? Speaking of which, he had repeatedly declined consummating their marriage, even going so far as to use the demon-binding rope to tie her up—could it be because… because he simply didn’t understand these things and was too embarrassed to say so?!

Xin Mei suddenly understood, her gaze instantly becoming soft and pitying.

This poor child—though he had a mother, it was as good as not having one. Surely no one had taught him these things, right? No wonder, no wonder…

She picked up the Orchid Musk Tender Pistil Collection, walked over gently, gently placed it in his stiff palm, and continued gently: “Lu Qianqiao, you don’t need to be afraid. These… take them and look slowly when you’re alone, you’ll understand quickly. Remember, you must only look when you’re alone.”

…This was truly hellish.

Lu Qianqiao suppressed the urge to throw that album out and tear it to shreds, stiffly returning it to her: “I don’t want it.”

“You need it.” She gently pushed it back. “You… eh, you need to study a bit…”

The few fingers forced to hold the album instantly tightened, and the poor Orchid Musk Tender Pistil Collection made a sound of distress as its hard cover cracked into fragments.

Lu Qianqiao stared at her steadily, his voice low and hoarse: “Study what? Say that again.”

Xin Mei kindly smiled at him: “Aren’t you inexperienced? Look at this album to study the ways of marital harmony.”

The Orchid Musk Tender Pistil Collection was instantly thrown to the ground. He stared at her for a long time, then suddenly revealed a strange smile that seemed full of killing intent, but also like… like something she couldn’t describe, but somewhat dangerous. She instinctively stepped back.

“Yes, I don’t know how.” He murmured. “Will you teach me?”

What, what? Teach him?!

Xin Mei waved her hands repeatedly: “I, I also don’t…”

“Come here.”

A hand grabbed her over.

This time it wasn’t lifting or carrying, but genuinely and solidly embracing… or rather, restraining would be more appropriate. He used his strength without restraint. Xin Mei felt her ribs were about to break and cried out in pain. The next moment her lips were covered by two warm, dry lips.

The clear radiance of the full moon seemed to fall entirely before her eyes, waves of brilliant white. However, Xin Mei suspected this was a suffocation phenomenon caused by being held too tightly. She groaned painfully and pushed forcefully against his chest with both hands.

If he didn’t let her go… if he didn’t let go, she would suffocate and foam at the mouth!

The two lips timely moved away, and she gasped for air, complaining intermittently: “I… almost suffocated…”

Her whole body was lifted by the waist. Xin Mei hurriedly supported his neck, and her still moist lips were blocked again. This time, his lips were no longer dry but carried scalding wetness, meticulously entangling and rubbing against hers in every detail.

That brilliant white appeared before her eyes again. She instinctively held her breath, wanting to hide yet reluctant to hide, unable to distinguish whether it was pleasure or pain.

The entangled lips separated slightly, and his voice, carrying some breathlessness, sounded hoarse: “Don’t you know how to breathe through your nose?”

So… so she could breathe through her nose!

Xin Mei refused to be outdone, lowering her head to kiss him again—now she knew how! Who was afraid of whom?

As the kiss deepened and intensified, their breathing was no longer gentle, gradually becoming urgent. Between their lips was moisture, but their breath was as scorching and dry as desert wind. Not content to merely rub between lips, he parted his lips and teeth, tentatively taking her soft upper lip, licking and sucking.

That strange and elusive feeling surrounded her like rope, coiling around her tighter and tighter. Xin Mei involuntarily bit back, taking a bite of his nose, a gentle bite.

The next moment her lips were bitten by him, with punishing intent.

“…Open your mouth, no biting people.”

“You also bit…!”

The weak protest was swallowed back, and along with the increasingly fierce kiss came his tongue.

She could no longer think about biting people. Her whole being seemed to become a candy, soaked in warm water, about to melt at any moment.

So this was what kissing meant. Lips served not only for eating and speaking, but also for tenderly caressing one’s beloved.

Xin Mei learned quickly. She had never been one to remain passive, and soon she imitated him, her tongue dancing with his, unable to disentangle no matter what.

She felt it wasn’t enough, wanted something more, involuntarily hugging his head tightly, kissing deeper and deeper.

Lu Qianqiao made a low sound in his throat. His moist lips suddenly left, then immediately pressed back, landing on her delicate ear, kissing down along its exquisite shape, finally landing heavily on a small hollow before her collarbone, extending his tongue to lick densely.

Ticklish! But not really that ticklish.

Xin Mei weakly went soft, asking him with the confusion of one deep in desire: “…Aren’t we going to bed?”

His chest full of passion was doused ice-cold by her single sentence…

What was he doing now? It wasn’t time yet! It wasn’t allowed yet!

He buried his head in her chest, gasping, unable to speak, only shaking his head.

“Then… then we can get that album and study while we do it… oh right, that Guanyin Sitting on Lotus from earlier was quite good…”

He smiled bitterly: “You’re teaching me again?”

Her chin rested on his forehead as she struggled to reach for his collar: “Then let’s take it step by step… first, first let me remove one piece of your outer clothing…”

Her fingers were as nimble as snakes, slipping through the collar seam to touch his bare chest skin.

The man in her arms shuddered all over, as if stabbed by thorns. He raised his hand and forcefully pushed her away. Xin Mei only saw a golden flash before her eyes—well, the demon-binding rope, old friend, they met again.

This time he bound her especially securely, even including both arms, then lifted and threw her onto the bed, blankets covering her completely.

“Lu Qianqiao!” Xin Mei called out muffledly from under the blankets. “You, you actually have the nerve to tie me up twice in one night!”

He let out a long breath, feeling passion overflowing in his chest, his heart seeming ready to leap out.

With a bitter smile, he reached out wanting to pat the blanket-wrapped silkworm that was Xin Mei comfortingly, yet felt somewhat timid. After hesitating for a long while, he could only say in a low voice: “Xin Mei, the one who can’t control himself is me… sorry, wait a little longer…”

What exactly was he struggling with? She completely didn’t understand!

Lu Qianqiao walked to the doorway, picked up the Orchid Musk Tender Pistil Collection, thought about it, and still put it in his bosom.

“…I’m taking the album. Keep the rest for next time.”

He propped the fallen door panel against the empty doorway. With a wave of his hand, the demon-binding rope was instantly withdrawn.

Xin Mei rolled and crawled off the bed, chasing to the doorway, but could no longer see his figure.

Rage mixed with desire surged up from her heart as she punched the poor door panel into splinters.

“Lu Qianqiao! You coward!”

Men who lit fires but didn’t put them out were the most detestable in the world!