Wow!
The firm touch made Song Nianchu’s pupils dilate instantly.
This was completely different from the feel of his face—the taut muscles were practically heart-stopping.
To make matters worse, Mu Shi'an seemed unsatisfied, guiding her hand slowly down his chest.
Song Nianchu’s eyes widened further. Where had this guy learned all this?
Wasn’t he a complete novice?
How had he suddenly become so skilled?!
Her pulse raced, her breathing growing uneven.
But just as her fingers were about to reach the most critical area, she felt something warm trickling from her nose.
"Chu…" Mu Shi'an’s expression faltered slightly.
"Huh? What’s wrong?" Song Nianchu’s attention was still fixed on his abdomen.
"You… have a nosebleed." Mu Shi'an slowly released her hand.
"What?" She barely registered his words, instinctively raising a hand to touch her nose.
One look confirmed it—her fingers were smeared with blood!
"……"
Naturally, their activities came to an abrupt halt. Mu Shi'an redressed and fetched warm water, using a towel to wipe away the blood smeared across her face.
Meanwhile, Song Nianchu sat on the bed in utter despair, tilting her head back at a melancholic forty-five-degree angle.
"Feeling dizzy? If you are, lie down and rest." Mu Shi'an picked up the basin, ready to empty it.
"Mu Shi'an, you should go sleep with Hao Xuan and the others tonight," Song Nianchu muttered gloomily.
"Why?" He looked puzzled.
"Why?! After humiliating myself like this, how could I possibly share a bed with you?" She was on the verge of tears, her fragile maiden heart shattered into pieces.
Mu Shi'an chuckled.
"You’re laughing?!" She glared at him.
"I’m not laughing at you. The weather’s just been too dry lately. Drink more water and you’ll be fine." He scrambled for an excuse.
"I might’ve believed you if you weren’t grinning while saying that!" She huffed indignantly.
Ahem.
Mu Shi'an struggled to suppress his amusement.
It wasn’t his fault—Song Nianchu’s reaction was just too endearing.
"No need to rush. We’ve got plenty of time… for you to get used to it." His words were tactful.
But they only stoked Song Nianchu’s frustration. She gritted her teeth, glaring at him.
"You said you’d never been in a relationship before, so how did you suddenly become so smooth? If you hadn’t tempted me like that, I wouldn’t have… gotten a nosebleed."
"I learned from the book under your pillow," Mu Shi'an hinted.
"What?!" Her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
"The book under your pillow," he repeated.
Song Nianchu turned and lifted her pillow—the book was still there, but its position seemed slightly off.
"You… you read it?!" She stared at him in horror.
"Mm." He nodded.
"How could you read something like that?!" Her face burned even hotter, her nose tingling ominously again.
"You hid it under your pillow every day, so I thought you must really like its contents. I just… studied it a little." His explanation was deadpan.
Song Nianchu: "……"
"Did I misunderstand? You don’t actually like it?" Mu Shi'an pressed when she stayed silent.
"I—" She couldn’t even form a response.
How was she supposed to answer that?!
"Mu Shi'an!" She gnashed her teeth.
"What?" He blinked innocently.
"Who said you could be such a fast learner? Be honest—how many times did you read it?"
"Just once."
"Once, and you’re already this good?!" She couldn’t believe it.
"How many times should I have read it?"
Song Nianchu: "……"
Here she was, poring over it daily without making progress, yet he’d mastered it in one read and left her nose bleeding.
Now she finally understood why villains in novels resented protagonists so much.
When someone else masters in one attempt what takes you years of practice, who wouldn’t turn to the dark side?
Too riled to let it go, Song Nianchu abruptly stood from the bed.
"Be careful—you just had a nosebleed. You might feel dizzy." Mu Shi'an immediately set the basin aside, stepping forward to steady her.
But the next moment, she pounced, knocking him onto the bed.
"Mu Shi'an, tonight’s the night! I refuse to believe consummating our marriage is this hard!" She yanked at his clothes while declaring her intent.
"But you just had a nosebleed," he protested, catching her wrists.
"That little nosebleed means nothing!" Failing to remove his undershirt, she went for his waistband instead, determined to strip off his pants.
"Chu, there’s no need to rush. We have all the time in the world—" Mu Shi'an flailed, trying to stop her wandering hands.
"Who’s got time to wait? Tonight, I’m taking charge—and I’m the one doing you!" She pinned him beneath her, enunciating each word.
She was reclaiming her dignity, no matter what!
Since Mu Shi'an had already seen the "secret manual," Song Nianchu saw no reason to hide it. She flipped through it openly, studying the pages.
At first, Mu Shi'an flushed crimson, but under her diligent "practice," he soon relented.
Song Nianchu, triumphant as a preening peacock, straddled his waist.
She’d braced herself for an all-night battle, but the outcome left her stunned.
The mortified expression she’d worn earlier now belonged to Mu Shi'an.
Clearing her throat awkwardly, she rolled off him.
Though her own body still ached, she mustered the strength to console her shell-shocked partner.
"Um… I read that men’s first time… is usually like this. Don’t… take it too hard…"
Mu Shi'an: "……"
"With more practice, I’m sure you’ll improve," she added encouragingly.
Mu Shi'an: "……"
"Or if it’s really bad, we can see a doctor. Some medicine should fix it."
"Sleep!" Unable to take it anymore, Mu Shi'an clamped a hand over her mouth and yanked the blanket over them.
"But—" Worried he might develop a complex, she tried to reassure him again, but he pulled her into his arms, cutting her off.
"Sleep." His voice was rough.
Song Nianchu obediently nodded and fell silent.
But privately, she couldn’t help recalling Hua’s words.
Maybe handsome men really weren’t that great in bed after all…
