Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

Shui Rong's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice, low and husky, lost some of its usual gentleness: "Hmm...that's enough. Come here."

He patted the soft couch beside him, gesturing for her to lie down.

Wang Xifeng hesitated for a moment, but finally followed his instructions and slowly walked over. She first sat down gently on her side, and then slowly lay down.

The close-fitting undergarment was already rather short, and when she lay down, the hem inevitably slipped up, revealing a small section of her snow-white calves. She subconsciously raised her hand to pull it back, but her wrist was gently held by Shui Rong.

"Don't move." His voice was deep, with an undeniable calmness. "The acupoints need to be located accurately. The closer the clothes are to the body, the clearer the sensation will be, and the better the treatment will be."

Wang Xifeng's ears turned bright red, her eyelashes trembled violently, and in the end she did not struggle anymore. She simply turned her head away to avoid his overly burning gaze, and her fingertips secretly clenched the brocade cushion on the couch.

Shui Rong took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and gently pressed his fingertips on the "Xuanji" acupoint below Wang Xifeng's collarbone. Wang Xifeng trembled slightly, and a very soft whisper escaped her lips: "...Hmm?"

"This has been blocked for a long time." His voice seemed to whisper in my ear as his fingertips slowly circled the acupoints. "Last time I cleared some of it, this time I'll go a little deeper... Sister, relax, don't tense up."

His hand moved down to her chest, his fingertips pressing precisely on her "Shanzhong" acupoint through her thin undergarment.

Wang Xifeng's breathing suddenly became erratic, her chest rose and fell slightly, and her clothes swayed gently with her breath.

Shui Rong's fingertips were steady and focused, concentrating solely on massaging the acupoints, his gaze always fixed on his fingertips, deliberately avoiding her undulating shoulders.

The two were very close, their breaths mingling. The heat from the warm pavilion rose up, enveloping them and making them feel warm all over, but they both restrained themselves and kept up with the last bit of propriety.

After all, there are strict rules of etiquette and distinctions of status. Even under the guise of "treatment," there are certain boundaries that must not be crossed.

The back massage finally ended. As Shui Rong withdrew his hand, the warm touch from under her clothes still lingered on his fingertips. He subtly withdrew his hand to his side, his fingertips slightly curled.

Wang Xifeng lay on the couch, fine beads of sweat glistening on her forehead and temples. Her thin undergarment was slightly damp with sweat, clinging to her body and vaguely outlining the lines of her shoulders and back.

She was breathing slightly, slowly turned over, and when she looked up at Shui Rong, her usually sharp and intelligent phoenix eyes were now covered with a thin layer of mist, less sharp and more soft.

Shui Rong also had sweat on his forehead, and he unbuttoned two buttons on his outer shirt, which was pressed against his chest, but he still maintained a calm demeanor.

He suppressed the unease in his heart, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, his voice steady as usual: "Sister Feng, most of the meridians in your back have been unblocked. Next... according to the medical books, it's time to treat the soles of your feet. The soles of the feet are where all the meridians of the body converge. Massaging this area can guide the body's Qi and blood back to their source, which is crucial for the body's recovery."

He gestured for Wang Xifeng to lift her feet, and to make it easier to apply force, he placed a soft cushion under her knees so that she could comfortably place her feet. He then sat down sideways on the edge of the couch, maintaining a proper distance.

Wang Xifeng initially obediently lifted her foot, and when the sole of her foot was covered by his slightly cool palm, a subtle tingling sensation spread from the sole of her foot.

She was already sensitive, and this close contact made her breathing even more erratic.

Shui Rong first gently placed his palm on the back of her foot, slowly rubbing along the arch of her foot. After finding the Yongquan acupoint, he slowly pressed down with his fingertips. The pressure gradually increased, and the kneading was done with a methodical approach.

Wang Xifeng's body trembled slightly, her toes curled unconsciously, and a suppressed moan escaped her lips: "Mmm... Your Highness, be gentle..."

Just as he was focusing on regulating his acupoints, Wang Xifeng's foot suddenly pressed down slightly, her toes brushing against his knee unintentionally.

Shui Rong froze, as if struck by lightning. In an instant, his blood rushed to his head, his breathing became heavy, and the veins on his forehead became visible.

He suddenly looked up at Wang Xifeng, his voice tense with restraint: "Sister Feng... what's wrong with you...?"

Wang Xifeng's cheeks were already flushed from the treatment, and her eyes were filled with a touch of tenderness. Her breathing had not yet calmed down.

She tilted her head, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, her voice soft and sweet, yet carrying a hint of feigned innocence: "Your Highness... it was I who lost my composure. But seeing how hard Your Highness is working, if there is anything I can do to help, I will certainly do my best."

These words were like a fine needle, gently piercing Shui Rong's last line of rational defense.

His pupils contracted sharply, his Adam's apple bobbed violently, and his hands instinctively gripped her ankles. His fingertips touched something delicate, but he immediately loosened his grip, afraid of losing his composure.

In the flickering candlelight, a complex mix of emotions surged in his eyes—a mixture of excitement, restraint, and a hint of helplessness. His voice was low and hoarse, almost incoherent: "Sister...do you know the weight of these words?"

Wang Xifeng did not answer, but a very faint smile appeared on her lips. Her eyelashes drooped, obscuring the light in her eyes. Her usual shrewdness and calculation had transformed into a pool of gentle spring water.

The heat inside the warm room grew increasingly intense, and the atmosphere between the two became increasingly subtle amidst the restraint and probing.

........................

The next morning, before the mist had completely dissipated, a sliver of light had already seeped into the inner chambers of the Prince's mansion.

Shui Rong leaned back in the carved chair, holding a celadon teacup in her hand, slowly sipping her tea, but her gaze remained fixed on the half-closed door of the inner room.

The fragrant tea wafted through the air, but couldn't conceal the languid look of satisfaction in his eyes.

The door finally creaked open.

Wang Xifeng, supporting herself on the door frame, slowly walked in.

She wore a plain undergarment, her hair slightly disheveled, and her face still flushed. Her steps were extremely slow, each one like walking on cotton, tinged with a delicate tremor. When she reached Shui Rong, she first gave a soft hum before raising her eyes, her voice containing three parts coquettishness, three parts reproach, and four parts shyness:

"Your Highness... you really put in a lot of effort to treat me last night. Look, my wrists, ankles, and legs are still a little sore from all the massage you did for so long."

As she spoke, she gently raised her wrist and moved her ankle, indicating that the area where he had treated and held her tightly the night before still felt sore and swollen.

But her phoenix eyes were shimmering with moisture, and her voice trailed off with a deliberately coquettish flirtation.

She paused, then added, her voice even lower, her soft breath clearly penetrating Shui Rong's ear: "But... Your Highness was truly considerate yesterday. When I said the pressure was a bit too strong, you immediately softened it, not forcing me in the slightest..."

"puff--"

I almost spat out my tea while drinking it.

He quickly put down his teacup, covered his lips with his sleeve, coughed twice, and barely managed to steady himself. But his eyes were frighteningly bright, filled with amusement and lingering interest, as he stared intently at her.

Wang Xifeng felt guilty under his gaze, and her ears instantly turned bright red.

She knew exactly what Shui Rong was thinking—after she said last night, "If Your Highness finds it hard, I will do my best to share the burden," the subtle barrier between them was completely shattered.

But he actually always kept to himself and maintained proper etiquette. Even when he was treating her closely, his breaths were intertwined and his warmth was blended together. He only used precise massage and warm palms to relieve her meridian blockages little by little. Instead, he made her feel sore and weak all over, and even her voice became a little hoarse.

Looking at her sharp-tongued and unforgiving manner, Shui Rong's eyes held amusement, and her tone was somewhat teasing: "Your mouth really doesn't hold back, do you want more?"

She gave a soft snort, naturally understanding the meaning behind his words. Feigning annoyance, she turned her face away, her voice tinged with a hint of coquettishness: "Hmph, dream on! Ouch..."

Before she could finish speaking, she had barely moved her body when she was pulled by a soreness in her waist and legs. She gasped in pain, stumbled, and almost lost her balance.

Seeing this, Shui Rong could no longer sit still.

He got up, walked a few steps to her, put one hand on her waist and the other around her arm, gently but firmly carrying her to the bedside.

"Don't push yourself." His voice was deep, with a hint of helpless indulgence. "Last night, you... provoked me too much, and I couldn't control myself. Come, take a good rest."

He helped Wang Xifeng sit down, but her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the couch. She was wrapped in a brocade quilt and curled up into a ball, revealing only her flushed face.

She glared at him, but didn't have the strength to curse anymore. She just muttered softly, "...Just have someone send me home tonight. So as not to...so as not to be laughed at by others."

Shui Rong sat back down in her chair, picked up her teacup again, but didn't drink. She just looked at her, a very faint smile curving her lips: "Okay. I'll take you home tonight."

He paused, then added in a voice so low that only the two of them could hear: "However... if you try to seduce me with those little mouths again next time, things won't be so easy for you."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng's face flushed even redder, and she grabbed a pillow and threw it at him: "Your Highness!"

He easily caught the pillow, chuckled softly, placed it back beside her, and then leaned down to give her a very light kiss on the corner of her forehead: "Rest well. I have some things to take care of; I'll have someone bring lunch over."

After saying this, he stood up, flicked his robes, and slowly walked out of the inner room.

The moment the door closed, Wang Xifeng buried her face in the quilt, groaned softly for a while, and then slowly exhaled.

Deep down, she couldn't help but think: This man... usually so gentle and refined, but last night he seemed like a completely different person. Yet, the more he restrained himself, the more... reluctant she became to let him go.

She closed her eyes, and a smile unconsciously curved her lips.

As the morning light grew stronger outside the window, the Prince's mansion gradually came alive. But in this inner room, the lingering warmth and ambiguity of last night still lingered.