Yun Kui had always known the Crown Prince treated her exceptionally well.
In her unfortunate childhood, she had encountered nothing but the cruelty of the world. Never before had there been someone who indulged all her reckless whims, stood up for her when she was bullied, shielded her with his own body in life-and-death moments, assured her that he would bear all burdens, promised to take her beyond the palace to see the world’s splendors, spent extravagantly for her, and remembered even the smallest preferences hidden in her heart—buying her candied hawthorns and rabbit-shaped lanterns…
Yet when he spoke the words "love" and "spending a lifetime together" aloud, her heart still trembled violently.
Her cheeks flushed slowly, the fair skin beneath the golden chain visibly tinged with a faint rosy hue.
His gaze darkened, trailing slowly downward along her collarbone.
Yun Kui’s back broke out in sweat as she curled into the blankets, leaving only her dark, glistening eyes exposed—shy, flustered.
The Crown Prince tugged the blanket down from her face, his thumb brushing against her moist, crimson lips. "Flustered already? Wasn’t this exactly what you wanted to hear from me?"
Yun Kui parted her lips slightly, nibbling lightly on his fingertip. The faint sting of her teeth assured her this wasn’t a dream. Only then did she murmur, "Did I?"
His fingers ventured deeper, tracing the golden chain downward until they found the ruby-adorned gold plate, caressing it slowly.
Heat spread through Yun Kui’s entire body. Unable to escape, and afraid of dampening the bedding, she could only shift onto her side, pressing her legs tightly together.
His hand followed. The sound of his slightly labored breathing brushed her ear.
Biting her lip, her cheeks burning, she whispered, "I’m curious… Your Highness has seen countless beauties. Why would you like someone like me?"
The Crown Prince replied calmly, "I’ve never seen any beauties."
What an evasive answer.
Yun Kui lowered her eyes to the hand roaming freely over her chest. "Your Highness has extraordinary self-control, ruling the world with steady hands. Naturally, you wouldn’t be easily swayed by mere beauty."
The Crown Prince’s fingers paused briefly.
"And it surely can’t just be because I can ease your headaches," Yun Kui continued teasingly. "Otherwise, you could’ve just treated me as an ornament hung in the Chengguang Palace. There’d be no need to cling to me day and night, spoiling a mere ‘medicine ingredient’ rotten."
The Crown Prince pinched her soft flesh. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Yun Kui clenched her fingers, enduring the sensation. "I was thinking… Your Highness can read minds. Yet no matter how boldly I’ve lusted after you in my thoughts, not only have you not punished me, but you’ve even grown fond of me. Could it be because…"
The Crown Prince stared at her chattering lips as she continued, unable to hide her smugness, "Others either fear Your Highness or want to assassinate you. Only I—either praising your face or coveting your body. Though you pretend to be composed, deep down, you relish it. That time I thought I was about to die from poisoning and boldly teased you, you played along, letting me take the lead before turning the tables. Am I right?"
The Crown Prince regarded her silently for a long moment before finally commenting, "Wildly speculating about your sovereign’s intentions and painting me in such an unflattering light—what punishment do you deserve?"
Yun Kui huffed in frustration. "Your Highness always does this. After just a few words, you pull rank. How can I ever accept your affection without hesitation?"
The Crown Prince: "…"
"Fine, I won’t say anymore! I’ve overstepped and disrespected you—better watch my head! Why don’t you go find some docile little maids to serve you instead?"
She turned to burrow deeper into the bed, but he seized her waist and yanked her back. "You, hesitant? I think you’re plenty bold."
He should’ve known—once he confessed, she’d only grow more audacious, climbing higher with every inch given.
Just as he was about to reprimand her, her soft, rosy lips suddenly pressed against his in a fleeting kiss.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, "Your Highness, don’t be so stern with me. Let me revel in this a little. I… I’m happy hearing you say you like me. Happier than if I’d eaten honey."
The corners of her lips curled upward, her dimples faint, her almond-shaped eyes shimmering with radiant warmth. Under the golden candlelight, her gently swaying figure resembled a sunflower dancing in the breeze.
The Crown Prince lowered his head, brushing a featherlight kiss against her eyelids.
Yun Kui hadn’t expected him to kiss her there. Her lashes fluttered lightly as she glimpsed her tiny reflection in the depths of his dark, fathomless eyes.
It was nothing like the fervent, heated kisses driven by desire. This time, his fingertips traced her cheek with unbearable tenderness, his lips lingering at the corner of her eye before trailing down to her ear, then along her neck, moving lower with deliberate slowness.
A gentleness she’d never experienced before—as if he were kissing the most precious treasure in the world.
Her body, adorned with golden chains and jewels, seemed like a gift meticulously wrapped by the heavens, waiting for him to unwrap it with painstaking care, savoring every inch of her silken skin with his lips and teeth.
Tentatively, she reached up to touch his face, her fingers trembling slightly.
She had explored his chest, his abdomen—even further—but never dared to touch his face like this.
Most of the time, his expression was stern and imposing, cold as a blade—admired from afar, never to be trifled with.
Suppressing a smile, she whispered, "Your Highness… am I beautiful?"
He didn’t answer immediately, his thumb brushing over the faint marks left by the golden chain on her shoulder. But then, he heard her silent grumbling.
Fine, don’t answer. You’ve always had terrible taste—claiming you’ve ‘never seen any beauties.’
Sigh… Lord Shen praises Lady Shen’s beauty every day. How enviable.
She felt his scorching breath against her neck, sending shivers down her spine as she curled slightly.
The man gazed at the luminous face before him—her crescent-moon eyes, rosy cheeks, cherry-like lips, and skin as smooth and fair as sweet milk. Of course, she was breathtaking.
But beauty alone wasn’t why. He adored the serene warmth she exuded, her boldness, her vibrant vitality. With her around, the Chengguang Palace no longer felt desolate—like a small boat with a warm golden light anchored in an endless sea, or a sunflower blooming in a dark, icy room with just a handful of soil and a sliver of light.
She stirred his emotions—anger, exasperation, bittersweet longing—yet through her, he truly felt alive. No longer a detached sovereign hiding behind a cold mask, no longer walking a razor’s edge with every step.
Yun Kui had no idea what he was thinking, only that his gaze was unfathomable, as if she might drown in its depths.
Softly, she mused, "If only we could swap skills. If I could read minds, I’d know what Your Highness is thinking. You’re so good at learning and practicing—you should be the one invading people’s dreams, observing firsthand, then coming back to pamper me—"
Before she could finish, her impudent mouth was silenced. "No need for mind-reading. I’ll tell you now."
His Adam’s apple bobbed slowly, his breath scorching, his voice low and steady. "Beautiful. Exquisitely so."
Her lips curved, her eyes brimming with laughter. "I knew it. Your Highness does have taste."
There, where heat had been building, he teased and pressed with deliberate slowness. Clutching the sheets, she inhaled sharply, her entire body trembling.
Suddenly remembering something, she quickly reached out to push him away. "Wait."
The Crown Prince frowned. "What is it?"
She grabbed the extra chain beneath them and fumbled to loop it around the little prince's neck. The little prince, already far from his usual state, grew even more heated in her grasp.
"Be good to me, sweetheart."
As if aware, the little prince twitched and even tapped her palm lightly.
Yun Kui swallowed nervously. "Now Your Highness and I are tied together like grasshoppers on a string. From now on, we'll fly side by side!"
The man's veins bulged on the back of his hand as he gripped her slender, soft waist, pulling her down with him into a sea of pleasure and fiery torment.
The night was a storm of passion. By the end, Yun Kui not only ached for herself but also mourned the ruined golden chain.
She had gained a new understanding of the man's destructive power.
A custom-made piece worth three hundred taels—supposedly sturdy—had shattered effortlessly in his hands. Even the little prince's neck chain had snapped. She couldn’t tell whether it had broken under extreme pressure or simply from being stretched too wide. Thankfully, the edges were smooth and polished, sparing their skin from scratches.
Sweat dripped from his forehead as he stared at her crumpled little face. "Why the regret? I’ll replace it. I’ll have the Imperial Household Department—"
Before he could finish, she lashed the chain sharply across his chest. His muscles tensed slightly, and though it didn’t hurt, a thin red mark bloomed on his skin.
Before he could speak, she shrank back timidly. "I... is this a crime punishable by beheading?"
The Crown Prince smirked. "Now you’re scared?"
Yun Kui muttered, "You’re the one who ruined my chain and wanted to involve the Imperial Household Department, making me a laughingstock."
The Crown Prince scoffed. "Who would dare laugh?"
"They’d laugh behind your back, and you’d never know..." Then, remembering his ability to read minds, she deflated. "Fine, you win."
She licked the red mark on his chest—vivid against his firm, sculpted muscles—and found it inexplicably enticing. Unable to resist, she took a few more tastes.
"Delicious."
His breath grew heavy, and just as he seemed ready to continue, Yun Kui wilted, clutching the blankets and retreating to the far side of the bed with a pitiful whimper. "No more... please, Your Highness, let’s just sleep..."
The Crown Prince knew he’d pushed her too hard today. But glancing down at his own eagerness, he couldn’t help pulling her into his arms from behind. "Sleep if you want. Don’t mind the rest."
Yun Kui: "..."
How could she not mind?! It was her legs being used!
This time, she couldn’t get up at all, sleeping straight through until noon.
The afternoon sun glared brightly, but Yun Kui kept her eyes shut, drifting in and out of a hazy dream.
She dreamed of Mother.
Mother had passed away soon after Yun Kui was born, so she had no memory of her face. In the dream, there was only a faint silhouette—a woman in a simple light-green dress, her hands warm with thin calluses.
In the dream, Yun Kui was a child of seven or eight, clutching Mother’s sleeve and sobbing, begging her not to leave.
Mother knelt and patted her shoulder. "Be good, Kui. Even if I’m gone, you still have Father. Go to him, won’t you?"
She cried uncontrollably. "I don’t want Father! I want Mother to live!"
Mother sighed. "Don’t cry, Kui. Didn’t you always want a family, someone to be with you? Father will love and protect you just the same. He didn’t dislike you—he just never knew I had you with him."
She shook her head violently, tears streaming. "Kui doesn’t like Father! Kui doesn’t want him!"
Mother said softly, "When you find him, make him repay everything he owes us. All right?"
...
"Yun Kui, wake up."
Tears dampened her cheeks in the dream. The distant voice calling her name finally roused her, and she slowly opened her eyes.
