Yun Kui tiptoed into the room and, noticing Deshun’s gaze, quickly raised a finger to her lips in a hushing gesture.
Deshun stole a glance at his master, who had his eyes closed, seemingly unaware. He handed the silver ewer to Yun Kui and quietly retreated behind the folding screen.
Steam rose from the water’s surface as the Crown Prince sat bare-chested in the bath, his broad, sculpted shoulders emerging from the water. His muscular arms rested casually on the edge of the pool, the sinewy lines of his muscles sharply defined.
Yun Kui swallowed hard, her face alight with infatuation.
Just then, the man suddenly spoke, "Why did you stop?"
Startled, Yun Kui nearly dropped the ewer. She hastily scooped up hot water and poured it slowly over his shoulders.
Glowing droplets trailed down his pale, firm skin, disappearing into the water at the swell of his chest.
Her fingers traced the bulging veins along his arm like coiled dragons, and she smirked inwardly.
"During the medicinal baths, you always hid yourself away—but now you’re in my hands!"
"This scene deserves a poem—
The Crown Prince is mighty and grand,
With a chest like a fortress, hard and tanned.
Today I get to touch and feel,
Happier than a feast’s appeal!"
The Crown Prince: "...Pfft."
Hearing his sudden chuckle, Yun Kui broke into a cold sweat.
Holding her breath, she cautiously studied his expression. Thankfully, his eyes remained closed—he likely hadn’t noticed the switch.
"Is this man insane? Laughing to himself during a bath?"
"Scared me half to death."
She scooped another ewer of water and let it cascade down his collarbone. The sharp jut of his Adam’s apple brushed against her palm, sending a shiver through her.
Having spent most of her time in the palace among eunuchs, she rarely encountered such a striking, alluring throat.
The imperial guards were tall and brawny, their Adam’s apples prominent, but years of sun and rain had left their necks rough and darkened. In the past, she might have found that ruggedness appealing, but now, with the Crown Prince’s flawless elegance beside them, those sweat-drenched, sunburnt necks held no charm for her.
She much preferred this kind of refined masculinity.
Her gaze drifted lower. Beneath the shimmering water, his narrow waist boasted eight perfectly defined abs, each as finely carved as the finest jade.
Yet his chest and back bore scars from the battlefield—some from arrows she had personally treated. The scabs had peeled away, leaving tender pink flesh, while other wounds, from unknown weapons, remained uneven, a testament to past brutality.
It was startling, but not unsightly.
Like a sword tempered in battle, each mark was proof of valor, a badge of honor.
Especially now, with droplets clinging to the scars—it was undeniably enticing.
Her eyes trailed further down, where the water deepened, obscuring the view. It was like a turbulent sea hiding dark, towering rocks—both thrilling and terrifying.
"Ahhh, I want to slide down His Highness’s shoulders like a playground, play hide-and-seek in those abs, ride on his—"
Lost in her admiration, Yun Kui suddenly felt a hand clamp around her wrist and yank her forward. Losing her balance, she stumbled and—splash!—plunged into the water.
In an instant, she was drenched, her hair ribbons drooping like soggy rabbit ears.
Sputtering, she looked up into the Crown Prince’s dark, ink-like eyes. "When did Your Highness realize I was here?"
The Crown Prince smirked. "If I were so oblivious that I couldn’t tell when someone replaced my attendant, I’d have died a thousand times over."
Yun Kui wiped the water from her face. "You knew all along but didn’t say anything—just waited to drag me in. Did you find that amusing?"
The Crown Prince scoffed. "And now you’re the one complaining?"
From the moment she arrived, her eyes had been glued to him, devouring every inch.
He hadn’t even scolded her, yet she dared to act aggrieved.
Yun Kui wobbled in the water, taking two unsteady steps before her foot slipped. She teetered backward—only for a strong hand to seize her arm and steady her before she fell again.
Heart pounding, she clung to his arm for balance.
Hoping to preempt any objection, she asked, "May I hold Your Highness’s arm? I’m afraid I’ll slip."
The Crown Prince arched a brow. "You’re already clinging to me. Does it matter if I say no?"
She thought greedily, "Then can I hold your waist instead?"
His gaze darkened. "Why are you here? Weren’t you supposed to be reflecting on your mistakes?"
Yun Kui’s eyes lingered on his firm chest as she licked her lips. "This servant came to assist Your Highness with your bath."
"Came to admire those abs—but since you were bathing, I snuck in for a little indulgence."
The Crown Prince’s voice turned icy. "You dare ignore my orders?"
Yun Kui hurriedly replied, "This servant did reflect! I shouldn’t have met with the guards in private or watched those dancers. From now on, I’ll remember that I belong to Your Highness alone—my eyes and heart are only for you!"
"Pretty words are easy. Who can’t say them?"
Seeing the tension in his jaw and the sharpness in his gaze, she faltered. "I mean every word. Does Your Highness not believe me?"
The Crown Prince let out a cold laugh, his teeth clenched.
Yun Kui lowered her voice. "I also wanted to thank Your Highness. Eunuch Cao told me today that you sent guards to protect me. If not for you shielding me in the side hall, His Majesty might have silenced us all. And the Heir of Ningde Marquis, who poisoned me—Your Highness avenged that too..."
As she spoke, her gaze unconsciously followed a droplet sliding down his throat.
It was impossible not to stare.
With a man like this—flawless, bare before her—who could control their eyes? Certainly not her.
Her cheeks flushed as she murmured, "To repay Your Highness’s kindness... may I help wash you?"
The Crown Prince studied her silently.
Yun Kui vowed, "I’ll be more careful than Deshun. I’ll serve you well."
Though his expression remained stern, he didn’t refuse. Emboldened, she reached for his chest.
The Crown Prince’s eyes flicked to her soaked robes clinging to her body. His Adam’s apple bobbed. "You plan to serve me dressed like that?"
Yun Kui glanced down at her drenched garments—heavy and translucent. She hadn’t brought spare clothes, having sneaked in. Did he mean...?
That seemed too indecent. She shuffled toward the edge. "My clothes are in the way. Perhaps Deshun should—"
Before she could move, the Crown Prince seized the back of her neck and hauled her back.
Her back hit the tiled wall as their positions reversed. Yun Kui hunched, face burning, too flustered to meet his eyes.
The Crown Prince gently peeled off her soaked outer robe, revealing the snow-white undergarment beneath, now nearly transparent from the pool water, clearly outlining the vibrant pomegranate embroidery on her inner garment.
He tossed the drenched undergarment aside, his gaze returning to her, tracing every inch of her form.
The young woman’s cheeks flushed pink, her delicate, porcelain-like skin warmed and softened by the heated pool, its texture as tender as fine sugar cake or freshly peeled lychee, so supple it seemed it might bruise at the slightest touch.
The Crown Prince pinched lightly at the plush curve of her flesh, leaving two faint red marks on the rosy skin.
With a low chuckle, he murmured, "After all these years serving in the palace, you’re still not toughened up? Just this much, and you’re already marked?"
Yun Kui muttered under her breath, "You’re too rough."
A strange warmth pooled between her legs, something liquid and unfamiliar stirring at his touch—not the water, but something else… something she had once tasted, lingering on that jade ring of his.
Her eyes flickered instinctively to the obsidian ring adorning his finger.
Solemn and imposing, its polished surface gleamed without ostentation, the intricate dragon motif so finely carved that she could feel every overlapping scale brushing against her skin.
Suddenly, she dared not reach out, much less cleanse him. Her legs, weakened by the water, trembled beneath her, forcing her to brace against the tiled wall for support.
She glanced up at him helplessly, damp tendrils of hair clinging to her flushed cheeks, her shimmering eyes misted over with a look of fragile vulnerability.
The next moment, his fingers tipped her chin up, and his warm lips claimed hers.
