Qiao Zhao felt somewhat uncomfortable for a moment.

Even though she had grown accustomed to these procedures recently, wasn’t he undressing particularly efficiently today?

“Zhaozhao, can we begin?”

Qiao Zhao pressed her lips together and nodded.

Someone obediently lay down.

Because much of the cold poison in his body had been extracted, his skin no longer looked so pale and now displayed a pearl-like luster.

His chest was firm, his abdominal muscles distinct, with deep lines converging into a line that disappeared into his long pants.

Qiao Zhao’s gaze fell there, feeling that something was amiss, yet she couldn’t pinpoint what for the moment.

After his identity was revealed, staring at that area made her somewhat uncomfortable. Qiao Zhao silently withdrew her gaze and took out silver needles from her pouch.

The fingers holding the silver needle touched his chest and suddenly paused.

Qiao Zhao’s gaze moved downward to glance at a certain area again, finally understanding where that sense of unease came from.

He had never exposed this much before!

Every time he would pull his long pants up high, almost to just below his chest. If not for the acupuncture points being near his heart, she would have suspected he could wear his pants like undergarments.

Seeing Qiao Zhao staring at that area, Shao Mingyuan’s face began to heat up, but he kept his eyes lowered and remained motionless.

Qiao Zhao withdrew her gaze to look at Shao Mingyuan. Seeing him with lowered brows and compliant eyes, looking like he was allowing himself to be scrutinized, she couldn’t help but feel frustrated.

What was he doing?

Did he think that exposing more would make her accept him? What kind of person did this scoundrel think she was? Was she someone whose wisdom was clouded by lust?

Miss Qiao’s face darkened.

The young general blinked in confusion.

Why was Zhaozhao angry? She used to like looking, and liked touching too…

Shao Mingyuan couldn’t help but recall Chen Guang’s words: The thicker your skin, the better.

This wasn’t particularly difficult—he could manage it.

Someone secretly encouraged himself, reached out to grasp the young woman’s soft hand, and placed it on his abdomen, then his handsome face quickly contorted.

Qiao Zhao looked down at the silver needle that had pierced someone’s abdomen and couldn’t help but laugh.

Shao Mingyuan was so embarrassed that his face turned completely red.

He had forgotten that Zhaozhao was holding a silver needle!

“Does it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

Qiao Zhao gave him a look. “Serves you right!”

She was preparing to perform acupuncture for him—why was he inexplicably grabbing her hand?

“Was General Shao trying to test whether the needle could penetrate?” The young woman extended her spring onion-like finger and gently poked at someone’s abdomen.

Shao Mingyuan secretly drew in a breath and didn’t dare make a sound.

“Don’t move around anymore.” Qiao Zhao removed the silver needle and warned.

“Alright.”

Shao Mingyuan watched the young woman who was bowing her head to perform acupuncture for him, his gaze focused.

Every peck and drink was perhaps predestined.

If he hadn’t gone to gather the thousand-year mysterious ice for Zhaozhao, the cold poison in his body wouldn’t have become so severe. Without such severe cold poison, Zhaozhao definitely wouldn’t have intervened. Then he would have had no opportunity to understand her or develop feelings for her.

And if he had only treated Zhaozhao as an ordinary girl, his brother-in-law definitely wouldn’t have given him such a brocade pouch.

Shao Mingyuan wasn’t stupid. Qiao Mo hadn’t revealed Qiao Zhao’s identity immediately but had hesitated to speak multiple times, proving that Qiao Zhao never intended for him to know from the beginning.

Just thinking about this made Shao Mingyuan break out in a cold sweat.

If that had been the case, what a regret it would have been.

Fortunately, everything was just right.

Qiao Zhao put away the needles and noticed someone staring at her foolishly. She couldn’t help but frown. “Alright, put your clothes back on.”

Shao Mingyuan lay there without moving.

“What’s wrong?”

“My hands are numb. Could Zhaozhao hand me my clothes?”

Qiao Zhao picked up Shao Mingyuan’s clothes and raised an eyebrow. “General Shao, do you need me to help you sit up too?”

The young general smiled gently. “That would be fine too.”

Fine your head!

The usually composed Miss Qiao could bear it no longer and cursed inwardly, directly throwing the clothes onto Shao Mingyuan’s face and turning to leave.

Such a strong reaction startled Shao Mingyuan. He immediately performed a carp leap from the bed to the floor and embraced Qiao Zhao from behind.

“Zhaozhao, don’t go—”

Qiao Zhao’s entire body tensed up.

She could feel the heat from his chest, which was different from when he wore clothes—the kind of difference that made one’s face flush and legs go weak.

After embracing Qiao Zhao, Shao Mingyuan realized what he had done and was dumbfounded.

He had embraced Zhaozhao without even putting on his outer robe. She must be furious, right?

He hadn’t intended to be inappropriate—just now was just a completely conditioned reflex.

But Zhaozhao definitely wouldn’t listen to his explanation.

Thinking of this, someone decided to go all out and held her even tighter, leaning close to the ear of the person in his arms and pleading softly, “Zhaozhao, don’t go.”

His ice-snow-like breath sprayed on the young woman’s fair neck, blooming into peach blossoms.

Qiao Zhao’s entire body stiffened, involuntarily thinking of that night in the cave.

That night was very long. Both she and he were completely unclothed, enduring until dawn…

Seeing that Qiao Zhao did not react, Shao Mingyuan steeled himself and confessed, “Zhaozhao, I’ve been attracted to you for a long time… Would you be my wife once more?”

Qiao Zhao regained her composure, reached out to pry away Shao Mingyuan’s hands, and said in exasperation, “Shao Mingyuan, let go of me!”

“I won’t let go!”

He didn’t believe she truly regarded him as a stranger with no relationship to her. With Zhaozhao’s temperament, if she truly felt nothing for him in her heart, she absolutely wouldn’t allow him to act this way.

Qiao Zhao thought she had misheard.

What did Shao Mingyuan say? Who exactly was this scoundrel?

“Shao Mingyuan, where did you learn these roguish tactics? Will you let go or not?”

“I won’t let go. If I let go, you won’t want to see me anymore.”

At least he’d have to wait until tomorrow to see her, and he couldn’t wait that long.

Faced with such a scoundrel, Qiao Zhao was so angry she didn’t know what to say.

She was firmly held in his embrace and didn’t even dare to struggle—that would look too unseemly.

“Shao Mingyuan, what do you want to do? Force yourself on me?” Qiao Zhao tried to make her tone calm.

Someone honestly replied, “I wouldn’t dare think of it.”

“Then let go. We can’t keep talking like this forever, can we?” By the end, Qiao Zhao despised herself for her negotiating tone.

Facing such a rogue, shouldn’t she slap him hard across the face?

“Then don’t turn around and leave immediately.” Shao Mingyuan held the young woman’s slender body and suddenly felt that Chen Guang’s suggestion was correct.

“Fine.” Qiao Zhao angrily closed her eyes.

The large hands encircling her suddenly loosened. Qiao Zhao immediately turned around, raising her hand with a look of mild anger.

Shao Mingyuan closed his eyes and even lowered his head to make it easier for her to hit him.

Qiao Zhao bit her lip hard and lowered her hand.

After waiting a while, Shao Mingyuan opened his eyes.

His eyes were distinct in black and white, very clear, now showing deep confusion, pure as a child.

Qiao Zhao lifted her foot and kicked the man in front of her on the calf, angrily saying, “Shao Mingyuan, you’re counting on the fact that I can’t do anything to you, aren’t you?”

“I’m not. I feel that whatever you do to me is fine.”

The premise being that she couldn’t ignore him, otherwise he would still be thick-skinned.