Chapter 45

Chapter 45

A vermilion boat with a flag bearing the character 'You' sailed rapidly on the vast river in the night, cutting through the waves, the sound of water loud and clear.

The highest deck of the boat was brilliantly lit, rows of warm-colored lanterns hanging from the eaves, swaying in the wind as if competing with the moon in the sky. The best rooms on the boat, apart from Zhou Xu's main cabin, were the spacious guest rooms adjacent to it, facing south with the largest area next to the main cabin, ventilated from east to west, with a view of the river from the windows.

Moonlight spilled over the river, like shattered silver on the ground, the carved window wide open, its pale light bathing the two on the bed.

In Xiao Luolan's eyes lingered an unshed mist, as Zhou Xu still held her in his arms, seated on his lap.

After uttering those words, he played with Lady Xiao's hands until her fingertips and the tender flesh of her palms turned red, then placed a ceramic whistle in her hand, "Wear it, after all, it's a gift from Miss Xiao to the lady."

Xiao Luolan's hands, rubbed red by Leader Zhou, felt burning hot and slightly painful. The sudden contact with the cold ceramic whistle made her shiver, and the mention of her daughter snapped her back to reality.

Xiao Luolan hung it around her neck, her heart trembling, feeling like she was treading on thin ice. She was more fearful of Zhou's words, not believing that someone of his temperament would remain unangered upon realizing he'd been used.

She inclined to believe he was already angry. Xiao Luolan bit her lip hard, realizing she had made a grave mistake by underestimating Zhou's acuity. When had he found out?

Zhou Xu noticed the red string sliding along the neckline, with the ceramic whistle in the shape of a bird swinging after a sharp drop.

Zhou Xu fixated on the little bird whistle, seemingly unconcerned about being used. After a while, he touched Lady Xiao's cheek, noticing her pallor, "Did I frighten you?"

Xiao Luolan lifted her head slightly to look at Leader Zhou, clean-shaven and gentle in his hold around her waist, but the smile on his lips caused her entire being to uncontrollably tremble.

Beneath those narrow eyes, it felt like all her thoughts were exposed.

Xiao Luolan was terrified of this feeling.

She wasn't clever, her only advantage being that Leader Zhou still showed interest in her. After all, even after realizing she had used him, he hadn't treated her badly, only asking her not to reject him.

Xiao Luolan now felt a bit intimidated by Lord Zhou, unable to meet his eyes. Hearing his question, she just murmured a soft affirmative in response.

She wasn't lying, as she was indeed frightened by Lord Zhou's words tonight, her legs still feeling weak.

Zhou Xu leaned down for a kiss, sensing Lady Xiao's body softening, no longer rigid or resistant. In his arms, she seemed like a spring of water, almost melting everything, and this time his kiss was more lingering and comforting.

"Open your eyes and look at me," Lord Zhou's voice was somewhat muffled. Xiao Luolan slowly opened her eyes, teardrops trembling on her lashes before falling. Zhou Xu gently wiped them away, tasting a bit cool and salty. He abruptly stood up, carrying Lady Xiao to the bed and laying her down.

This time, Xiao Luolan dared not make any move.

The bed curtains fluttered gently around them. Zhou Xu softly stroked her back, rhythmically, not making any excessive moves. Xiao Luolan, her nerves tightly wound, felt an uncontrollable sense of relief. She lay with her eyes downcast, leaning on Lord Zhou, covered with a thin blanket. Soon, her cheeks turned red from the heat, her temples damp, her body covered in a light sweat.

Zhou Xu absentmindedly patted Lady Xiao's back, feeling her silky skin. She, drenched in fragrant sweat, nestled in his embrace like a clump of soft snow.

Her body felt boneless, soft and voluptuous, almost melting into his touch, a fascination Zhou Xu had never felt for any woman before.

"I want to kiss you."

Xiao Luolan straightened up slightly to look at Lord Zhou, her hand trembling on his chest, her cheeks burning like fire. It seemed as if Lord Zhou was asking her permission, but just barely.

The next day, before dawn, Xiao Luolan awoke. The room was very quiet, and she could even hear the sound of the river outside, while the man beside her was almost silent, still in a deep sleep, holding her in his arms.

Xiao Luolan silently observed the cloud pattern on Lord Zhou's inner garment.

"Why don't you sleep a bit more?" Zhou Xu tapped Lady Xiao's back through the thin blanket.

Xiao Luolan's heart skipped a beat; she hadn't made any noise.

"I..." She uncomfortably drew the blanket around herself, "I can't sleep."

As she spoke, Xiao Luolan realized her voice was a bit hoarse. She pursed her lips and fell silent again.

Zhou Xu opened his eyes and looked down at Lady Xiao in his arms. His throat felt dry and sore again, seeing her cheeks still flushed as if intoxicated, he sat up.

Xiao Luolan hurriedly covered her body with the thin blanket.

Zhou Xu pulled the bedside bell, and Xiao Luolan noticed a hidden wire with a small bell near the canopy. She quickly said, “Don’t call anyone.” Her clothes and Zhou Xu's were scattered on the floor. If someone came in now and saw this absurd scene, how could she face anyone again...

Zhou Xu looked content, letting out a soft laugh and gently kissing Lady Xiao's hair.

Soon, Grandma Cui entered, standing before the bed screen, "Lord, Lady, would you like assistance to dress and wash?"

"No need for now, bring some honey water," Zhou Xu wanted Lady Xiao to sleep a bit more.

After Grandma Cui left, Xiao Luolan bent down to pick up the clothes from the floor.

"Sleep a bit more, it's still early," Zhou Xu wrapped his arms around Lady Xiao's waist, bringing her back to the bed. Her exposed skin was like snow with red plum blossoms. Xiao Luolan hid under the blanket, feeling the cool, soft silk against her skin but still feeling very insecure.

Grandma Cui returned with a tray, placing it on the bedside table, seemingly oblivious to the scattered clothes. She bowed and then withdrew.

Zhou Xu took the white jade bowl, blowing on the spoon.

Xiao Luolan looked at this man, remembering how last night Lord Zhou had kissed her everywhere as he said he would, except for actually touching her, maintaining a peculiar kind of integrity.

Zhou Xu sat cross-legged opposite Lady Xiao, reverting to his usual gentle and affectionate demeanor.

Previously, Xiao Luolan would have fed herself, but now she silently drank the water Zhou Xu fed her.

After feeding her, Zhou Xu placed the bowl and spoon back in their place.

The canopy curtains fluttered down again. Xiao Luolan lay in bed pretending to sleep, while Zhou Xu watched her for a while before asking, “Don’t you really want to sleep?”

Xiao Luolan opened her eyes and shook her head.

Zhou Xu got out of bed, found a set of clothes for Lady Xiao, and placed them on the bed. Xiao Luolan dressed quietly, and then, seeing no further reaction from Zhou Xu, she got out of bed, put on her soft shoes, and left the bed.

Xiao Luolan sat in front of the bronze mirror, gently opening the powder box and dabbing powder on her exposed skin. Worried about not covering her nape well, she applied extra there, successfully concealing any ambiguous marks. Lowering her head to pick up more powder, she inadvertently saw the ceramic whistle, recalling how she softly pleaded with Lord Zhou last night not to kiss her neck. She couldn't see his expression then, but he indeed did not kiss her neck afterward.

Now dressed, her robe's sleeves hanging down, her neck was clean. As long as she didn't look elsewhere, she appeared the same as before.

Xiao Luolan rolled up her sleeves and covered the marks with powder. When she looked up again, she found Lord Zhou standing behind her in the mirror's reflection, his face unreadable. Xiao Luolan's hands trembled, but she continued to apply powder over the ambiguous marks.

Zhou Xu watched Lady Xiao's silent resistance, her compliance and submission merely temporary pretenses, taking the powder puff from her.

Xiao Luolan bit her lip tightly.

"Madam missed a spot here." Zhou Xu reapplied powder to the marks on Lady Xiao's neck, then suddenly laughed, sitting on the floor, propping his head with his hand, and looking up at her.

Xiao Luolan felt baffled and took back the powder puff, avoiding looking at the man sitting at her feet.

Zhou Xu's laughter ceased, and he moved closer to Lady Xiao, placing her foot on his abdomen under his inner garment. Though it was summer, they were on the river and it was still early, with a chill in the air.

Xiao Luolan, having hurriedly risen, didn't wear stockings. Now suddenly feeling the warm, firm heat, she curled her toes, her white arches flexing.

"Don't move, Madam, let me warm you." Zhou Xu observed Lady Xiao, who seemed particularly different today, and chuckled softly, "I thought Madam wouldn't be cross with me anymore."

Xiao Luolan denied vehemently, "I'm not."

Zhou Xu hummed, holding Lady Xiao's foot against his abdomen, "Whatever Madam says."

Holding the powder puff, Xiao Luolan felt a turmoil of emotions inside – sourness, grievance, sadness, and anger. Unknowingly, her eyes began to well up.

Zhou Xu warmed Lady Xiao's feet and, seeing her aggrieved look, gently tickled the sole of her foot. Xiao Luolan's tears were stifled by the ticklish sensation, exasperated by his actions.

Zhou Xu firmly held Lady Xiao's foot to keep it still, and she tearfully glared at him.

Zhou Xu spoke candidly with a hint of distress, "I've never minded even when Madam used me, so please don't cry anymore."

Apart from in bed, he couldn't bear to see Lady Xiao cry.

Xiao Luolan's eyelashes were wet, her tears silently streaming more fiercely.

Zhou Xu sighed, stood up, and embraced her, whispering soothingly, "It was my fault yesterday, I spoke too harshly, don't take it to heart, madam."

Listening to him, Xiao Luolan knew well that Leader Zhou wasn't joking last night. He was seriously telling her not to reject him.

After much contemplation and interaction, Xiao Luolan understood something – Leader Zhou's personality was the complete opposite of his appearance. He was domineering and possessive, with a hint of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and deep down, a strong desire for possession and tyranny.

Yes, tyranny. Beneath Leader Zhou's seemingly gentle and cheerful exterior lay a terrifying tyrannical desire.

This was why Xiao Luolan dared not resist too much.

He was too accustomed to controlling everything. When alone, Leader Zhou never let her go, always holding her on his lap, feeding her food and drink. Sometimes, when Xiao Luolan clearly expressed her unwillingness, he would let her go, but she could sense his mood drop, especially in bed, where she felt his suppressed emotions even more acutely.

His kisses were always gentle, restrained in strength, but the more he held back, the more Xiao Luolan felt afraid.

To her, Leader Zhou was like a driftwood in a shipwreck. He could offer temporary salvation, but she couldn't reach the shore.

Zhou Xu comforted Lady Xiao, noticing her reddened eyes, nose, and mouth, pitiful yet adorable. He suppressed his body's restlessness, kissed her ear lightly, and whispered, "When we marry in the future, it won't be too late for the lady to cry then."

Xiao Luolan turned her head towards Leader Zhou.

Zhou Xu stroked his chin, "Hmm? Did I say something wrong?" He smiled, "Before we're married, I'll just kiss and do nothing else."

Xiao Luolan's hand clenched inside her sleeve. Maybe she was just cowardly by nature, filled with fear for the ancient world, unable to trust Leader Zhou completely. A man's words in passion cannot always be taken seriously; he can say so now because he likes her.

"Alright, can you tell me now why you resisted me so much last night?" Zhou Xu asked, kissing Lady Xiao, recalling the previous night's events.

Xiao Luolan shook her head, "It's nothing, I was just in a bad mood."

Seeing he couldn't get an answer, Zhou Xu then chose pearl hairpins, bracelets, and other jewelry for Lady Xiao. His taste was for flashy and shiny, especially gold, which he loved.

Xiao Luolan stopped Leader Zhou's hand, which was still selecting jewelry, saying helplessly, "Wearing too much can be heavy."

Zhou Xu sulkily withdrew his hand.

Just as Xiao Luolan closed her makeup box, she suddenly found herself placed down. Seated on a stool, she saw Leader Zhou studying the eyebrow pencil.

"Madam, let me draw your eyebrows."

Upon hearing these words, Xiaoluo Lan glanced at the small-sized eyebrow pencil in Master Zhou's hand, feeling slightly hesitant. Master Zhou didn't seem like someone adept at applying makeup.

Indeed, as she had guessed, Master Zhou was not skilled in drawing eyebrows.

Master Zhou first practiced a few times on his own arm, then, recalling Lady Xiao's usual eyebrow shape, he struggled to find the right touch with the eyebrow pencil. He lifted Lady Xiao's face; the sky was still dark outside, and the candlelight flickered inside, casting a warm glow on her face, her eyes like autumn waters, her lips a deep red.

Xiaoluo Lan looked up at Master Zhou, noticing his furrowed brows and the serious, earnest expression on his face, as if he were pondering over something very grave and important.

Finally, Master Zhou, holding the eyebrow pencil, began to draw.

Xiaoluo Lan, seeing his serious expression and initially amused, suddenly felt uneasy; her ears turned slightly red, her hands tightly clasped together.

After finishing one eyebrow, Master Zhou straightened up and asked with a smile, "What does the lady think?"

Xiaoluo Lan looked at herself in the bronze mirror. The woman in the mirror had a slightly flushed face, and her eyes and brows exuded an indescribable maturity and allure. She was startled and dared not look any longer.

"Quite good," she replied.

Rolling up his sleeves, Master Zhou lifted Lady Xiao's face and continued to draw her eyebrows, savoring the joy of the bridal chamber.

Lady Xiao, motionless, tilted her head back, presenting herself for his admiration, her beauty intense as spring flowers with dew, her silk dress trembling gently around her slender waist.

By the time he finished, the sky was almost bright.

Master Zhou gazed at Lady Xiao, gently kissed her, feeling that all his patience and tenderness in this life were bestowed upon Lady Xiao.

Deep love breeds fear, Master Zhou mocked himself inwardly.