Mu Wanyao was speechless for a long while, staring at Yan Shang with wide eyes like a fool.

For someone like Yan Shang to whisper such words in her ear was already embarrassing enough. Being stared at so intently by Mu Wanyao made half his face turn crimson. Feeling both ashamed and annoyed, he lowered his eyes. His hand holding Mu Wanyao’s had grown sweaty, and he quickly withdrew it, bracing himself against the edge of the bed.

He felt foolish for saying such things.

As he rose to leave, Mu Wanyao reacted swiftly, grabbing his hand and pulling him back.

This time, she didn’t just pull him back – she turned around, pushing against his shoulder with her finger. Yan Shang fell back into a sitting position, and just as she would when teasing him in the past, she showed no hint of shame as she sat directly on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Mu Wanyao felt his thigh muscles instantly tense beneath her.

Inwardly, she held back her laughter.

Outwardly, she embraced him, pressing her face close to his as her sharp, cool fingernails traced across his face. Wherever her fingertips touched, the skin beneath reddened in response.

She watched him through half-lidded eyes as he turned his face away, looking nearly boiled with embarrassment.

Mu Wanyao called out to him in a sweet, coquettish voice: “Second Brother Yan, don’t be like this. Every time I get close to you, you seem so nervous. Why are you always so tense?”

Yan Shang’s mind was in chaos.

He lowered his head with a bitter smile. Though he hadn’t wanted to say it, given how far the conversation had gone, he could only admit: “I’ve never encountered a situation like this with you before, so naturally I’m nervous.”

Mu Wanyao’s eyes rippled like spring water. She pressed her face against his, arms around his neck, and softly kissed his cheek.

She felt his body tense, his waist lifting slightly as if to stand, but he suppressed the impulse.

Mu Wanyao marveled: “Just one kiss on the cheek and you can’t handle it?”

Yan Shang complained: “You’re sitting in my lap, arms around my neck, face against mine… and you say it’s just a kiss on the cheek, then blame me.”

Mu Wanyao loved this reaction of his.

She gave him a sidelong glance: “So you mean you want me to move away and let you sit quietly by yourself?”

She made as if to rise, and Yan Shang, who had been averting his gaze, seemed to truly panic. He suddenly turned his head and pressed his hand against her shoulder to stop her from leaving. This instinctive action pushed the young lady down, and when Mu Wanyao looked at him with a knowing smile, he realized he had once again made a useless gesture.

She had only been teasing him – she was never going to leave.

Yan Shang remained silent for a long while, feeling dejected, thinking he must have made a fool of himself again.

Seeing him with downcast eyes, Mu Wanyao quickly consoled him: “Don’t be like that. These are just little romantic games between lovers. I’m not trying to bully you deliberately. It’s just that when I see you like this… I can’t help myself.”

Seeing him so proper and serious in public, she wanted to tease him in private. Seeing him so upright and dignified among court officials, she wanted to remove his clothes in private, watch him breathe heavily, and hear him make sounds he would never let out otherwise.

Such was human nature’s mischievous side.

Mu Wanyao held Yan Shang, kissing him again and again, sweet and tender. Though Yan Shang’s face burned impossibly red, her repeated kisses gradually softened his rigid expression. Slowly, he raised his eyes to look at her, meeting her enchanting gaze as she peered down at him.

Their eyes met.

Mu Wanyao whispered: “You don’t seem as nervous anymore, have you noticed?”

Yan Shang’s mind was completely mush; he could only manage a vague: “Mm.”

Mu Wanyao’s fingers found a strand of dark hair behind his ear, twirling it playfully. After sitting in his lap and teasing him for so long, she finally whispered in his ear: “Are you not satisfied?”

Yan Shang started: “What?”

After speaking, he realized that from the moment Mu Wanyao sat in his lap, she had been testing his reactions, probing his earlier words about being “not satisfied.”

Yan Shang couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

He complained slightly: “It’s true. You… you only care about your pleasure, never considering mine.”

Mu Wanyao’s eyes widened: “No way! Like this, you’re not feeling good?”

Disbelieving, her hand moved down toward his waist. Yan Shang, who had just begun to relax, was startled and tense again, grabbing her hand to stop her from touching. But Mu Wanyao’s fingers had already felt something – he was already aroused… Mu Wanyao gave him a sideways glance, clearly doubting his claims.

Yan Shang’s lips trembled, his face growing even redder and more rigid.

There were many things he preferred not to say, but Mu Wanyao was truly forcing him to speak. After struggling internally for a while, he finally reasoned that since they were in private, Mu Wanyao probably wouldn’t tell others.

He finally said: “This is exactly why I’m… not satisfied.”

Mu Wanyao: “But does it feel good?”

Yan Shang remained silent.

Mu Wanyao’s petal-like lips pressed against his face, her breath washing over him: “Like this, does it feel good or not?”

Yan Shang slowly nodded once.

Mu Wanyao’s eyes curved in delight as she hugged his neck, nearly breathless from how adorable he was: “Oh, so Second Young Master Yan is both pleased yet suffering.

“You are a genius. If you feel pain, you should block out the pleasure, simply stay away from me, not let me near you at all. That way you naturally won’t suffer anymore, but your ‘pleasure’ will be gone too, no?”

Yan Shang’s eyes reddened at her teasing, and he gripped her wrist, saying softly: “Stop talking!”

Mu Wanyao laughed into his neck, then flicked her tongue against his skin. He made a startled sound, dodging away to stare at her in shock, speechless, clearly unable to believe that in the middle of a normal conversation, she would tease him with her tongue. In an instant, his neck flushed red as well.

Mu Wanyao lay languidly against his neck until Yan Shang covered her mouth.

Mu Wanyao didn’t mind this at all.

He looked down to see her small face resting on his shoulder, his hand covering everything below her nose, leaving only a pair of cat-like, seductive eyes visible. As her silken gaze made his body burn hot, leaving him dazed, he felt a tongue lick his palm.

He quickly withdrew his hand, no longer covering Mu Wanyao’s mouth.

Even someone as mild-mannered as Yan Shang was driven to slight annoyance: “Don’t do that! You’re always teasing me like this, making me feel… making me feel… like you’re bullying me.”

Mu Wanyao’s eyes widened: “You only just realized I’m bullying you? I’ve been bullying you all along. I like seeing you like this.”

Yan Shang frowned – her scent was so sweet. He felt a bit… a bit… uncomfortable again.

Unaware of Yan Shang’s wandering thoughts, Mu Wanyao happily took his hand, and kissed his knuckles, making him tremble slightly.

She lowered her head to look at her lord’s long fingers held in her hand, sighing: “Such long fingers, so beautiful.”

After a while, Yan Shang said softly: “You kissed me again.”

Mu Wanyao looked up at him, studied him for a moment, and then said slowly: “You could kiss me back, you know.”

Yan Shang paused, looking down at her strangely: “But don’t you dislike when I take the initiative?”

Mu Wanyao: “…”

They stared at each other in silence for a long moment.

Yan Shang had a moment of realization: “…Actually, you don’t dislike it that much, do you?”

Mu Wanyao smiled slightly, no longer the teasing smile from before, but a genuine, fond, gentle smile.

She leaned attentively against his shoulder, looking up at him, suddenly understanding the source of Yan Shang’s struggle. It wasn’t that he disliked such things; on the contrary, he enjoyed them very much. But because she didn’t like him taking initiative, he rarely asked for anything.

Even when he would take initiative briefly, she would pull away.

So Yan Shang thought she disliked it.

If she disliked it, he would give up.

That’s why he said he couldn’t be satisfied.

Mu Wanyao said softly: “If I don’t like it, you just give up taking initiative?”

Yan Shang looked down at her, saying: “I thought that would make you happy.”

Mu Wanyao smiled – she was indeed quite happy.

She reached up to gently brush his chin, feeling the faintest stubble. He had grown up now, already nineteen… and she was almost twenty. She hadn’t met this young lord in their best years, yet his features were refined, his temperament gentle – how wonderful he was.

Mu Wanyao caressed Yan Shang’s features, and Yan Shang, gazing at the gentle waves in her eyes, didn’t pull away.

Suddenly, Mu Wanyao said: “Yan Shang.”

Yan Shang responded softly: “Mm?”

Mu Wanyao said coldly: “Actually, you don’t like me as much as I like you.”

Yan Shang looked at her in surprise, feeling the room was a bit hot.

A hint of a smile curved in Mu Wanyao’s eyes as she said softly: “My heart has fluttered for you for so long. Even back in Lingnan, I felt something… but I suppressed it. Later, when I saw you again at your temporary lodgings in Chang’an’s Yongshou Temple.

“In the pouring rain, Juyuan pushed open the wooden door, and I saw you rise from beneath mountains of books. You slowly lifted your face, with your long, graceful features, high bridge of nose, and faintly red lips… At that moment, my heart suddenly began racing. Looking at you then, I felt as if something I had let slip away had come back to find me.

“But at that time, you didn’t feel anything, did you?”

Yan Shang’s head was spinning, a sense of frustration rising in his chest, making the room feel too warm. Perhaps the charcoal fire was too hot?

He gave Mu Wanyao an apologetic look, indicating he hadn’t heard clearly what she was saying, asking if she could repeat it. But as he opened his mouth to speak, Mu Wanyao’s finger covered his lips, gesturing him not to talk.

Her voice remained cool: “Actually, you’ve never particularly liked me. Just as you said yourself, you’re very detached from emotions. Because you’ve given so much of your feelings to family, friends, teachers, and colleagues. You’ve distributed your emotions too widely, so toward romantic love, you’re simply indifferent.

“Your kindness to me stems from many reasons. Of course, I believe one of those reasons must be that I’m very lovable. Otherwise, why wouldn’t you be so kind to other young ladies?”

As she praised herself for being “lovable,” she finally broke character under Yan Shang’s steady gaze, her face turning slightly red.

Yan Shang was suppressing his restlessness, trying hard to hear what she was saying. He had to focus intently on her eyes to keep from getting distracted.

To keep from letting his thoughts wander, from thinking about how beautiful her eyes were, wondering if her face was as soft to touch as it looked, how lovely her lips were, even more beautiful when moving…

Mu Wanyao’s eyelashes trembled as she avoided his somewhat burning gaze.

She continued sharing her heart’s words: “You don’t like me as much as I like you. But once you convinced yourself to be with me, you began trying hard to get close to me, wanting to nurture this relationship. Everything I say and do comes from my heart, while you plan carefully how to treat me well.

“I like you but don’t put in effort, you don’t like me as much but put in extra effort. The two of us are really… too ridiculous.

“You’re blushing now, your racing heart… it’s all just because this is your first time experiencing romance, which is unavoidable.”

Yan Shang said softly: “The way you speak makes me feel… like I’ve failed. Are you upset that I don’t love you enough, yet act as if I care for you? But what is the best kind of love? I already like you. Are you… are you…”

He was too upset to continue.

Because the remaining words would have been about separating from her.

As Mu Wanyao spoke, Yan Shang felt increasingly hot, trying hard to suppress it. However, hearing her words, his heart became confused, not understanding why things were this way. Could feelings be compared like this? Was she trying to hurt his heart again and again…

Mu Wanyao smiled slightly, explaining slowly: “What I mean is, I don’t think I treat you well enough. Even though I was the first to fall in love, I still force you to take the initiative in nurturing this relationship. I indeed have some issues… in this aspect because of certain things.

“Yan Shang, please be more understanding of me, don’t easily let go of my hand, alright? I might be terrible… but I’ll try my best.”

Yan Shang was stunned, staring at her in a daze, forgetting the heat in his body, letting it consume him, making his face even redder, his mind somewhat dizzy.

He mumbled: “You’re not going to leave me?”

Mu Wanyao: “…”

She suddenly sat up straight, eyes wide and blazing: “Where did I say I was going to leave you? Is this how you interpret others’ good intentions?”

Yan Shang: “…”

Looking at her blazing eyes, knowing she wasn’t going to leave him, he felt relieved and had space to think about other things. For instance, looking at her eyes, he thought about how adorable she looked when angry, with her eyes wide and round… making him want to kiss her.

Though he thought this in his heart, he didn’t dare act on it. He felt it wasn’t right to think such things when she was trying to have a serious conversation with him.

However, while Yan Shang restrained himself, Mu Wanyao wasn’t as controlled. Seeing his slight smile made her heart flutter. When she didn’t suppress her feelings, she could see just how much she liked Yan Shang.

She loved this gentle gentleman so much… and now with his face so red, he was somewhat cute.

Mu Wanyao leaned forward and kissed his lips.

Yan Shang was being tortured by his desire-filled thoughts while repeatedly pondering Mu Wanyao’s words, wondering how to bear his heart to her. As his thoughts were in complete chaos, she pressed her lips to his. He was startled and leaned backward.

With this backward motion, Yan Shang somehow lost control of his balance and fell back, suddenly lying on the bed.

This resulted in him being pressed down and kissed by Mu Wanyao again.

Yan Shang’s face instantly flushed red again, and as he tried to get up, her nimble tongue touched his lips, signaling him to open his mouth. He couldn’t help but open it, but she didn’t enter. Yan Shang waited for a long time but didn’t feel the intoxicating sensation he was used to.

Making him feel both uncomfortable and disappointed.

He opened his eyes to look at Mu Wanyao, who was lying in his arms, still holding his neck.

Mu Wanyao’s hand rested against his neck, her lips near his, as she exclaimed in surprise: “You’re sweating! Why are you nervous again?”

Yan Shang also felt himself sweating, and he didn’t dare look into her eyes anymore. Lying in the warm bedding, he turned his face away somewhat embarrassedly: “I’m sorry…”

Mu Wanyao was even more surprised: “Silly, why are you saying ‘sorry’ for this? I’m not blaming you. You being easily nervous is so cute, so fun!”

Mu Wanyao’s cheeks reddened, and she gazed at him again and again with attachment before lowering her head to kiss his eyes and nose. She was extremely passionate, and Yan Shang suddenly reached out to cover her mouth. He embraced her back, holding her in his arms, and turned to his side on the bed.

Holding Mu Wanyao, they lay side by side, facing each other.

Mu Wanyao was amazed that he had pulled her down, and her eyes curved in a smile.

Yan Shang said softly: “Your Highness, may I kiss you?”

Mu Wanyao was confused: “What do you mean? Aren’t I already kissing you?”

Yan Shang: “I want to kiss you, not you kissing me.”

The bed curtains hadn’t been drawn, and they lay together on the bed, in a small space that seemed to generate much warmth and courage.

Yan Shang boldly asked: “Could you let me take the initiative once? Let me kiss you properly? Next time… next time you can take the lead again, alright?”

Mu Wanyao hesitated.

She frowned with some internal struggle. It wasn’t that she disliked Yan Shang; she was afraid of herself… afraid she couldn’t help but show an unpleasant expression that would discourage him.

She feared his initiative might make her recall unpleasant memories… she couldn’t bear to have Yan Shang hurt for such a ridiculous reason.

Mu Wanyao, feeling awkward, could only vaguely say: “Isn’t it good when I take the initiative? This time I’ll take longer, make you satisfied, isn’t that good?”

Yan Shang shook his head.

He said: “I want to take the initiative too.”

Mu Wanyao: “You’ve done it before, haven’t you?”

The first time they nearly slept together on the bed, wasn’t he the one who initiated the kiss? That snowy night on the city wall, wasn’t he the one who took the initiative too?

Yan Shang’s face was burning red, but he said: “It’s different… I didn’t understand then.”

He persisted: “Let me do it once, please?”

Ah, even for something like this, he had to negotiate with her gently… After a while, Mu Wanyao said reluctantly: “But you’re not good at it.”

Yan Shang showed a hint of displeasure.

He said patiently: “That was before… Now I’ve already, already… done it so many times. I’ve learned. It won’t be uncomfortable, Yaoyao. Let me try once, just once.”

He had started unconsciously calling her “Yaoyao.”

When his gentle, mellow voice called her “Yaoyao,” Mu Wanyao’s heart softened a bit, making her want to nod. Usually, Yan Shang would always call her “Your Highness,” “Your Highness,” deliberately pushing their relationship apart in front of others.

His occasional “Yaoyao” made Mu Wanyao delighted.

Mu Wanyao had already decided to control her expression and force herself not to think of the past, wanting to let Yan Shang enjoy himself once. But she still teased him a bit: “Call me ‘Sister Yaoyao’ once, and I’ll let you do it.”

Yan Shang’s voice was soft and gentle: “Sister Yaoyao.”

Mu Wanyao was stunned.

Her heart instantly melted, but she couldn’t believe Yan Shang would give in so easily. Usually, he would never…

However, this time she didn’t have a chance to overthink.

He propped himself up slightly, leaning down to kiss her. Led by him, guided by him—

Mu Wanyao was very nervous.

Her hands clutched the bedding beneath her, afraid she might push him away involuntarily. Afraid she wouldn’t be as passionate as those previous two times and would discourage Yan Shang…

But when his lips touched hers, it felt like snow gently falling on her heart.

Mu Wanyao was startled.

Her hands, tightly gripping the bedding below, slowly relaxed.

She closed her eyes, allowing his kisses to fall like sweet spring rain.

She felt as if embraced by spring winds, held by pure snow. Her lips gradually numbed, and her heart slowly softened. The haze in the depths of her heart began to disperse, the ice mountain crumbling and sinking deeply. That ice mountain began to melt bit by bit, spring drawing ever closer… She could feel it all so clearly—

The hair ornaments and pins in Mu Wanyao’s hair fell, her long hair spreading out, falling onto Yan Shang’s hands. In the young lord’s elegant hands, it was like holding a beautiful waterfall of deep black.

Yan Shang said softly: “Is Your Highness crying? Was I not good?”

Mu Wanyao shook her head, keeping her eyes closed, unsure whether her eyelashes were wet or not. She embraced his neck, letting him hold her.

Yan Shang held her loosely, seeing her eye corners flushed red, her closed eyelashes tangled with moisture. This beauty, lying in his arms, was too alluring. Her snow-white skin had turned pink, her lips lightly bitten, her eye corners curved, revealing a hint of light. Her feathered lashes trembled, radiating charm.

With desire, she was like a poppy. Without desire, she was a pure peony.

Like a peony, she had somewhat withered, but he felt as if his kisses made her bloom again… Could he make her bloom?

While Yan Shang gazed at her in a daze, Mu Wanyao secretly opened one eye to look at him. A playful light appeared in her eyes, and without looking, she reached out her arm. Their clothes were already somewhat disheveled from their play, and as she extended her arm, her sleeve slid down gently, revealing a jade-like arm glowing with soft light.

Yan Shang thought she was reaching for an embrace and bent down to hold her. Who knew that her hand would reach behind his neck, gently pulling upward to remove his hair tie? His long hair fell along his shoulders, several strands falling onto her face.

Mu Wanyao buried her face in his arm and laughed, as mischievous as a little fox.

Yan Shang said hoarsely: “Naughty.”

He paused, suppressing his discomfort, and said: “I’ve kissed you well, now I can compensate you. What do you want?”

Mu Wanyao looked at him strangely, wondering if he was truly this dense.

She said: “I just want to have you.”

Yan Shang paused, then sincerely said: “Then I wish you success in having me.”

Mu Wanyao: “…”

Yan Shang propped himself up for a long while, his body swaying slightly before he lay down, facing her. He was somewhat confused, his eyes still carrying a hint of desire, but his lips murmured: “Can I… stay here overnight?”

Mu Wanyao remained silent.

Thinking, didn’t I already agree to that? What is he asking about?

Mu Wanyao didn’t answer, but Yan Shang clearly couldn’t hold on anymore. He closed his eyes and mumbled vaguely: “I… I feel unwell.”

Mu Wanyao: “…Isn’t it normal for you to feel unwell? You should… wait, no.”

She saw that his eyes were closed, his face so red, yet he was lying beside her, unable to even prop himself up like before… Mu Wanyao quickly sat up, kneeling beside him, patting his face: “Yan Shang, Yan Shang? What’s wrong?”

She touched his face, and its temperature frightened her greatly.

Mu Wanyao pushed him, but he couldn’t even open his eyes, seeming to have passed out.

Mu Wanyao was stunned with fear, now truly panicked to the point of tears: “Yan Shang, Yan Shang… what’s happening? Do you have some incurable illness you haven’t told me about?”—

Late at night in the Princess Danyang’s mansion, an Imperial Physician was secretly summoned.

The Imperial Physician saw Princess Danyang looking listless, pale-faced, with apparent traces of tears.

Not daring to look too long, the Imperial Physician hurried to diagnose the patient.

Mu Wanyao anxiously stood behind the Imperial Physician, painfully worried. The Imperial Physician turned back, giving Mu Wanyao a strange look.

Mu Wanyao tensed.

She nervously clasped her hands, but her face remained rigid and cold: “What’s wrong with him? Tell me the truth. I can handle it.”

She thought that if Yan Shang had some incurable illness… as a princess, couldn’t she save him?

Even if she had to summon all the famous doctors in the world, she would cure him.

The Imperial Physician spoke slowly, with a somewhat strange tone: “This young lord is… if I’m not mistaken, he’s just drunk.”

Mu Wanyao: “…?”

She opened her mouth to deny it: “Nonsense, he didn’t… ah.”

She suddenly closed her mouth.

She remembered.

Yan Shang hadn’t drunk any alcohol.

But Mu Wanyao had drunk quite a lot. Throughout the evening while Yan Shang was eating, Mu Wanyao had been drinking out of boredom.

She had held him for so long, and most importantly… he had finally kissed her.

And kissed for quite a while.

Perhaps the alcohol in her mouth had transferred to his…

And he had collapsed.

Just from that tiny bit of alcohol… just that tiny bit from her mouth—

Mu Wanyao looked disdainfully at the useless young man on the bed.

After such a false alarm, Mu Wanyao noticed the maids standing in the room with lowered heads, all trying to hold back their laughter.

She condensed her face and said angrily: “See the guests out!”

The maid Xiarong asked quietly: “Should we brew some sobering soup?”

Mu Wanyao grew more angry: “No need!”

Xiarong said: “But doesn’t the young lord need to go to the official temple tomorrow? If he doesn’t wake up… what should we say when people from the temple come asking?”

Mu Wanyao: …Then his embarrassment would be known throughout the world.

A slightly wicked smile appeared at the corner of her lips as she snorted: “Then let everyone laugh at our little Yan Er. I hear our little Yan Er has many friends, doesn’t he?”