After flirting with the aloof prince, the concubine ran away pregnant.

Afu breathed softly, without replying.

Xie Xun released her wrist and turned to undo his own belt.

His dark outer robe fell onto the back of the chair, followed by his inner garment. The lamplight outlined his broad shoulders and back, and his tightly cinched waist and abdomen.

Afu's gaze involuntarily fell on him, and then she fell silent.

The general's physique is indeed quite impressive.

Anyway, she'll leave sooner or later, and she won't be able to sleep with such a top-quality woman again. Besides, she's unlikely to get pregnant within three to five years, so she's avoiding the most critical risk.

She curled her fingertips slightly, but didn't flinch when they touched his skin.

Xie Xun's breathing became heavier.

He lowered his head and kissed her, from her lips to her chin to her neck, pausing, probing, and then continuing.

At first, Afu didn't think anything of it, but later she felt more and more that something was wrong, and the process seemed so familiar.

Suddenly, an image appeared in the servants' quarters of the book "The General Handbook of Bedchamber Techniques".

What does "first calm their mind, then kiss their lips" mean, and "do not rush, but proceed step by step"?

She used to complain that the author treated sex as a swordplay manual, but now Xie Xun is acting like this...

Afu bit her lip, her shoulders trembling slightly. Xie Xun stopped what he was doing and looked up at her: "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." He narrowed his eyes, clearly not believing her. Afu forced a smile and said, "I just think you're exceptionally patient, sir."

Xie Xun stared at her, his voice hoarse: "You like it?"

Afu's face flushed, and she turned her head away without saying a word.

Xie Xun reached out and slowly untied the outer garment she was wearing.

The lights weren't bright, but they weren't dim either; her shoulders and neck were exposed to the air.

He looked at her, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

He kissed her, paused, stroked her shoulder, and then stopped again to see her reaction.

Afu felt her body burning from his teasing and finally couldn't resist reaching out to hook her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss.

It was a very light kiss, and I wanted to pull away as soon as I finished.

Xie Xun froze, and the next moment, his eyes changed completely.

He held the back of her head, preventing her from pulling away: "Kiss me again."

Afu: "..."

She hesitated for a moment, but still moved closer.

Xie Xun seemed to be completely ignited by this, and he grabbed her waist and pulled her onto the couch. This time, he didn't pause, but instead took her deeply and intensely.

A sudden gust of wind picked up outside the window.

The bamboo at Qixia Villa rustled in the mountain breeze, as if something was slowly pressing down in the night.

Afu lay on the couch, her fingers gripping the mattress, hearing her own breathing become erratic.

With her eyes closed, she felt the wind outside the window blowing through the bamboo forest, bringing in a refreshing dampness. Something fell on the eaves, first a few drops, then a few more after a long time, and then gradually became denser, forming a continuous sound.

The rain came.

Afu's breathing followed the rhythm of the rain, intermittent and continuous. Xie Xun's hand rested on her waist, the pressure varying from light to heavy.

The rain grew heavier, and the rustling of the bamboo grove turned into a rushing sound, like the entire landscape churning in the night. Water from the eaves gathered into streams, flowing down the gutters into the stone vats, producing a dull, repetitive echo.

The bamboo leaves, bent and bounced back by the rain, were wet and trembling in the wind. The raindrops from the eaves gathered into thin lines, falling intermittently, occasionally swept obliquely across the window paper by a gust of wind.

A gust of wind blew in from outside the window, and raindrops swept obliquely into the corridor, bringing in a breath of cool air that made Afu shiver slightly.

Xie Xun paused for a moment, then turned her over and looked at her face again.

He bent down, his breathing completely disordered, as if he had finally emerged from some orderly system.

His eyelashes were wet, whether from sweat or rain, she couldn't tell. As he lowered his head to kiss her, Afu heard a bamboo branch outside the window bend in the wind, then bounce back, splashing a soft, shimmering sound of water.

She closed her eyes and stopped counting the rain.

The next day.

When Afu opened her eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.

The bright sunlight streamed through the window paper, hitting the ground and making her squint. She tried to move, and every bone in her body ached.

Afu glanced down at herself and saw that she was wearing a large white undergarment, the hem of which trailed down to her upper thighs, exuding a faint, cool pine scent.

Memories of last night flooded my mind like a tidal wave.

The rain stopped yesterday, but the fire still burned fiercely and for a long time, fueled by the deer blood wine. Eventually, she couldn't bear it any longer and begged him in tears. Only then did Xie Xun wrap her in a blanket and carry her to the clean room.

She thought she was going to wash up.

As a result, the man put her into the bathtub, and as soon as the warm water reached her shoulders, he stepped in after her.

In the end, she couldn't even lift a finger and fell into a deep sleep in the bathtub, not even knowing how she was dried off and put back into bed.

"Girl, you're awake?"

The door was pushed open, and Bai Zhi came in carrying a basin of hot water. Seeing that Afu was awake, she quickly put down the basin and went to the bedside to help her up.

The blankets slipped down, revealing the shocking red marks on Afu's neck and collarbone. Some areas were even broken and bluish-purple.

Bai Zhi frowned as she watched, and tenderly took the outer robe draped over her shoulders, saying, "Young Master, you really don't know how to be gentle with a woman. How could you be so cruel..."

Afu let Baizhi wipe her face with a hot towel, her teeth clenched in resentment.

Xie Xun's attitude last night showed that he didn't know how to cherish women; he practically wanted to devour her whole.

After wiping her face, Bai Zhi wrung out a hot towel and applied it to her sore neck. Her voice, however, revealed an irrepressible joy: "But, Miss, I am truly happy for you this time."

"The Crown Prince's feelings for you are absolutely unique."

Afu couldn't help but ask, "What's so unique about it?"

"Think about it, Miss," Bai Zhi said in a low voice, her eyes sparkling. "The last time, the young master was drugged and delirious. I was so worried that once he woke up, he would only see you as an antidote and never touch you again. But last night was different. The young master was sober, yet he took the initiative to favor you. What does that mean?"

Bai Zhi concluded decisively: "This shows that the Crown Prince has feelings for the girl; he likes her!"

like?

Afu sneered inwardly.

Is Xie Xun's behavior what you call liking someone? It's called insatiable desire, or a man's possessiveness.

But she did not refute Bai Zhi; instead, she lowered her eyelashes, concealing a hint of sadness in her eyes.

After washing up and getting dressed, Afu sat down at the round table in the outer room.

Breakfast from the resort has already been delivered and has been kept warm in the food box.

The food was extremely light and elegant, with glutinous rice porridge cooked until it burst open in the emerald green bamboo tubes, accompanied by several refreshing side dishes and a small bowl of stewed pigeon soup that was so tender it fell off the bone.

Afu was indeed very hungry, and her stomach growled loudly. She picked up a spoon, scooped up a mouthful of hot porridge, and put it in her mouth.

A series of steady, powerful footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate.

The door was pushed open, and Xie Xun strode in.

Today he wore a dark, narrow-sleeved riding outfit, with a jade-inlaid leather belt tightly around his waist, outlining his broad shoulders and narrow waist. He wore deerskin boots, making him look sharp and cold.

Unlike his gloomy and cold appearance yesterday, Xie Xun today had a refreshed and contented look in his eyes.

Even her eyes, which were always icy, seemed a little softer at this moment.