cold clothes

Leng Yi's mind went blank for a moment, feeling nothing but the soft touch of her lips. Yin Jiu first took Leng Yi's lips into her mouth, then her tongue plunged in, intertwining with Leng Yi's.

The sensation from his tongue sent shivers down his spine like an electric shock. Yin Jiu tried to deepen the kiss, and with a little force, Leng Yi lost her balance and leaned against him, falling onto his lap. He braced himself on the bed with one hand to support their weight.

The pain from Leng Yi's body pressing against his wound gave him a strange sense of pleasure. In truth, his sense of pain had become dulled; the pain Leng Yi inflicted felt more like a provocation of desire, fueling the lust within him and making him want nothing more than to drag Leng Yi down with him.

Yin Jiu's kiss was too deep, and Leng Yi gradually became oxygen-deprived, her mind becoming hazy. This feeling was very similar to the feeling after drinking the medicine fed to her by the two nannies. Suddenly, a dull pain came from the depths of her mind, and Leng Yi's consciousness was pulled back to the scene of her instruction, the nannies' commanding voices echoing in her ears.

After taking the medicine, Leng Yi became completely delirious. The only thing clearly imprinted in her mind was the voice of command, which she could only obey. Later, she developed a conditioned reflex even without taking the medicine.

Just like it is now.

Leng Yi regained her senses due to the overwhelmingly soft touch. She had never kissed anyone before, and the instructor hadn't been involved in that process. Once she came to her senses, she realized how close Yin Jiu was to her; all she could see were his slightly closed eyes, his long, thick eyelashes trembling gently. Their breaths mingled, the subtle sound of water like ripples on a lake's shore under the shade of trees.

She was kissing Yin Jiu.

As if struck by lightning, Leng Yi, with a strength she didn't know she had, pushed Yin Jiu away. But Yin Jiu's hand was on Leng Yi's waist. Leng Yi pushed him down, and then fell down with him.

Leng Yi quickly sat up, covering her mouth with both hands. The lingering tingling pleasure in her mouth made her feel even more guilty.

Yin Jiu lay on the bed, breathing heavily on his stomach. His handsome face showed a blank expression, his lips were moist, and a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, making Leng Yi feel very guilty.

Yin Jiu truly has romantic feelings for her... This makes it even more important that she has no further contact with him. She needs to explain things clearly and break off the relationship, but she just can't bring herself to tell him about her unbearable experiences.

As soon as she opened her mouth, it felt like her throat was being choked, making it impossible for her to utter a single word or catch her breath. It was so painful that she couldn't help but want to cry.

Leng Yi cried, and Yin Jiu felt it was her fault for making her cry. She sat up and wiped away Leng Yi's tears, saying, "I'm sorry, you hate it. I won't do it again..."

“No, I’m just afraid of getting you dirty,” Leng Yi said, trembling.

Yin Jiu's heart clenched instantly, and she sat up abruptly. Leng Yi's tears flowed even more fiercely as she poured out her pent-up emotions to Yin Jiu.

She poured out all her pain, her self-loathing, and her desire for revenge.

Yin Jiu listened quietly to her lament, her brows furrowed with sorrow.

Leng Yi had never told anyone else these things because she knew it would be useless. Lingcao and Nuandong would only make her endure it, Aunt Fang couldn't help her, and neither could Yin Jiu. No one could help her... But it always felt better to say it out loud.

Leng Yi calmed down a bit, sniffed, and said, "Did Qingyou tell you?"

"Ah."

"No wonder she was so calm." Leng Yi's heart was pounding with anxiety. If Yin Jiu knew, why did she still kiss her? Could it be...?

“I’m not calm,” Yin Jiu said in a deep voice. “How could I be calm? It’s just that I… how could I take the initiative to reopen your wounds?”

Leng Yi looked at Yin Jiu with teary eyes, and Yin Jiu met her gaze. This time, Leng Yi did not look away; her gaze was like the moonlight over a lake, easily stirring the tides in her heart.

"You don't mind me?"

Yin Jiu's eyes dimmed for a moment, then she said, "I don't mind, but I do mind myself. If I had come back sooner, you might not have had to suffer all of this. Although I don't have much power, I will try to find a way to make your pain less."

At this moment, Leng Yi felt as if she were dreaming.

"You really don't mind me?" Leng Yi believed Yin Jiu was speaking sincerely, but she still felt inferior and insecure. Could there really be a man who didn't care about a woman's virginity? Even though she hadn't gone all the way with any man…

"What do I despise about you? Do I despise you for losing your virginity?" Yin Jiu shook her head helplessly. "The concept of chastity is a figment of our imagination. It's just something created out of thin air by the feudal ethics to exploit people. You are a victim, not someone who did it willingly. Why should I despise you?"

These words struck her like a thunderbolt. Leng Yi's nose stung, and she felt like crying again, but she felt pathetic for crying so easily, so she covered her face to stop herself from crying.

Is this really something a man in a feudal society would say? I feel even more feudal than Yin Jiu...

"Actually, I should be the one asking you this question: Do you despise me?" Yin Jiu's Adam's apple bobbed, her eyes somewhat cautious. "I have no power or influence; I'm just a tool for others to fight for power and profit. Because of my special status, I've always lived a life of constant uncertainty. I can barely protect myself, let alone you. However—" Yin Jiu's expression changed, her brows and eyes turning somewhat sinister. "Just because I can't protect you now doesn't mean I can't in the future. Even if it means being shattered to pieces, I will reach that position."

Leng Yi was slightly taken aback, suddenly sensing that Yin Jiu had revealed his hidden fangs. In truth, she had always sensed the heavy burden Yin Jiu carried. When she first met him, his eyes were cold, and he acted like a man much older than his age; teasing him was the only way he showed any signs of being a child. Later, as they became more familiar, he became more sarcastic and pretentious, and although Leng Yi outwardly disliked it, she enjoyed the lighthearted banter with him. Now, four years later, even though Yin Jiu had learned a more refined and perfect disguise, his feelings for her were still genuine.

She could feel it.

Oh no, it's so hard not to get love-struck!

She threw her previous resolve to the back of her mind. Since Yin Jiu didn't mind, why should she be coy? She immediately made a completely new decision.

Leng Yi placed her hands on Yin Jiu's chest, touching one of the newly healed scars. Her blue eyes, still wet with tears, looked at him tenderly and said softly, "Yin Jiu, since I am the most beautiful courtesan, it means I will have many men in the future. Moreover, the Fengxiang Pavilion forbids romantic relationships between men and women."

“I know, I’ll find a way to stop you from doing those things. The drug you were given before was harmful to your mental health, so don’t drink it again. I’ll ask Aunt Fang to prepare an antidote for you. For the next few days, pretend to be frightened. Qingyou will help you deal with Hu Mama’s two henchmen. Give me a few days to stop these sordid practices.” Yin Jiu spoke fluently, as if she had rehearsed it many times in her mind. “As for prohibiting romantic relationships… will you be bound by this rule?”

Yin Jiu countered with a question, a confident smile playing on his lips. He reached out and enveloped Leng Yi's fingers, which were wandering across his chest, then pried them apart, their fingers interlocking. His fingers, calloused from years of martial arts training, felt rough and itchy to the touch, while Leng Yi, though also a swordsman, maintained their suppleness through careful maintenance.

Leng Yi also smiled slightly: "Of course not, I'd like to destroy this Fengxiang Pavilion."

"How do you want to destroy it?"

"Will you help me?"

Yin Jiu's eyes were deep and unfathomable. "Fengxiang Tower is the remaining power of the Xie family. The Fifth Prince still needs the assistance of Fengxiang Tower to ascend the throne. If it is to be destroyed, it will have to be destroyed after the Fifth Prince ascends the throne and becomes emperor."

Would the Fifth Prince be willing to destroy the power of his own maternal clan?

"That's not necessarily true. Didn't His Majesty purge all the maternal relatives after he ascended the throne?"

Leng Yi understood. Yin Jiu was the Fifth Prince's confidante. If the Fifth Prince could become Emperor, Yin Jiu could help her escape this cage. This was undoubtedly a ray of light in the eternal night, a hope in a desperate situation.

"Yin Jiu, I am your blade," Leng Yi said softly.

The words, though seemingly whispered, carried the weight of a vow. Yin Jiu panicked and said nervously, "I never intended to use you. I'd do my best to keep you away from the court's intrigues."

“I’m already caught up in the conflict, how could Aunt Hu possibly let me go? If you want to protect me, you have to go against Aunt Hu, which will only increase the risk for you. Besides, in your eyes, am I just a pretty face, of no use to you?”

"Of course not, it's just that the struggle for power is a matter of life and death..."

"Everyone dies eventually. Rather than being tortured to death like cattle or slaves, it's better to die while pursuing a great cause. Besides, isn't there still a glimmer of hope? If you don't fight at all, your fate will be completely in the hands of others."

Leng Yi's eyes were firm and bright, radiating a sacred light that made Yin Jiu dare not look directly at him. Yin Jiu's heart was stirred, almost completely captivated by them.

They could see a similar light in each other's eyes; they were kindred spirits, accomplices, and lovers.

It's unclear who took the initiative, but the two kissed again, their intertwined fingers tightening even more.

He reluctantly let go only when she was almost suffocating, panting, "Do you still need to apply medicine to your wound?"

Upon hearing this, Yin Jiu noticed that her upper body was still naked, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Then I'll leave it to you."

Leng Yi smiled slyly, then pushed Yin Jiu down onto the bed, picked up the medicine that had fallen earlier and applied it to Yin Jiu's wounds, and then helped him tighten the bandages.

Throughout the entire process of applying the medicine, Yin Jiu cooperated obediently with Leng Yi. Leng Yi's act of wrapping the bandages for him felt like dressing him. Moreover, Leng Yi noticed that when Yin Jiu was in pain, a certain part of him would become aroused.

Yin Jiu was a little shy, which seemed to be more effective for Leng Yi than the medicine that the nanny forced down her throat.

"Yin Jiu, your body is really not innocent." Leng Yi gave him a reproachful look, then her hands slid down to her waist unintentionally.

Yin Jiu's Adam's apple bobbed, and her voice became hoarse: "My mind isn't exactly innocent either."

"But your injury hasn't healed yet..."

Yin Jiu immediately tried to sit up: "I, I can do it!"

Leng Yi pushed him back down with both hands.

"Don't move around if you're injured," Leng Yi said casually, her gaze drifting over Yin Jiu. "I'll do the moving, won't I?"