Chapter 121: Only Tonight, You Can Do Anything to Me

Chapter 121: Only Tonight, You Can Do Anything to Me

Shen Zhixue looked at the Duchess, his nails digging into his palms, and spoke softly, "Let's go, none of you are to follow."

The guards exchanged glances. This was the Crown Prince personally appointed by the Empress, and no one dared to offend him, so they could only follow Shen Zhixue from a distance.

After dismissing the others, Shen Zhixue whispered, "Madam?"

The Duchess of Fidel tilted her head, smiling innocently, "This isn't the place to talk."

With that, she quickly led Shen Zhixue into the chamber.

Shen Zhixue closed the door and turned around, his voice icy, "What are you plotting now, Madam?"

From the seemingly innocent but deeply meaningful statement earlier, it was clear that the Duchess was not as mentally impaired as rumored. On the contrary, she was very clever.

"I take it not everything the Empress said was true, was it?"

The Duchess of Fidel sat at the table, no longer appearing foolish, and smiled softly, "You always catch on quickly."

Shen Zhixue laughed at himself, "Compared to you, my reactions are the slowest. So, that bowl of medicine you gave to Jiang Huizhou—were you helping Fidel or Jiang Huizhou?"

"I'm not helping either of them," the Duchess picked up a glass of water and poured one for Shen Zhixue, "From the first time Young Fidel, or Jiang Huizhou as you call him, stood before me, I knew he was just like Fidel."

Shen Zhixue remained silent, and the Duchess continued, "They lack moral sense, empathy, and the ability to sympathize, caring only about themselves. Even if they fall in love with someone, it changes nothing. He protects, pampers, and indulges you, all just to get the response he wants from you to satisfy himself. They are extremely self-centered, never considering things from another's perspective. What they want, they must have, no matter the means. Why waste your time with such a cunning person?"

Shen Zhixue opened his mouth, ready to say something. He wanted to defend Jiang Huizhou, to say that Jiang Huizhou wasn't like that, or even if he was, he was trying to change; he was a man who followed his desires, living for the moment, yet he chose to push him away after drinking that medicine to induce his sensitive period, because he didn't want to.

But he didn't dare to say it.

No one knew if this self-sacrifice, this suppression of his nature for love, was just an act. He was truly frightened by Jiang Huizhou, afraid that after being moved by his own actions, he would be harshly slapped in the face.

"You..." Shen Zhixue paused, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Just because I don't want there to be a second me," the Duchess smiled, "Because such a life is too hard to endure, Zhi Zhi."

Shen Zhixue asked, "What exactly happened between you and... Duke Fidel back then?"

"Much like what the Empress said, except," the Duchess propped her chin, "I loved him."

Shen Zhixue was also surprised, "So back then, you married Duke Fidel's brother because..."

"Circumstances forced me to do so," the Duchess sighed, "I didn't expect him to suddenly change so drastically, eventually going mad. Actually, before the real Duke Fidel died, I thought about eloping with him, but... by then, there was already too much between us."

"Enough, it's all in the past. The little love we had was already extinguished when he killed Duke Fidel and my child," the Duchess reached out and gently touched Shen Zhixue's face, "Love paved with schemes and plots is just a moon in the water, a flower in the mirror, so vague that even he couldn't see it clearly. How could it give you a future?"

Shen Zhixue moved his lips, "I will leave, but not now."

The Duchess raised an eyebrow, "Do you still want to entangle with him? He won't change. Clever people are arrogant, and you can't outplay him. Are you only willing to stop when you end up like me?"

Shen Zhixue shook his head, "I promised the Empress that I wouldn't leave until the Fidel incident is resolved. Although I know what they are planning is for the people of the Federation and the Empire, it doesn't mean he can deceive and use me, then seek my forgiveness under the guise of protection."

The Duchess laughed, "As you wish. If you want to leave, you can always come to me or the Empress. I think if the Fidel matter is resolved, she will stand by your side."

Shen Zhixue smiled, "Thank you."

"You," the Duchess shook her head, "You're quite clever with outsiders, but with insiders, you're too sincere and honest. It's as if all your cunning becomes hollow."

"Is that so," Shen Zhixue said, "Then I'll make sure to fill it with more substance in the future."

The Duchess chuckled at his antics and sighed, "Actually, you're perfect just the way you are, Zhi Zhi. Someone who truly deserves your devotion will come along, but that person will definitely not be Jiang Huizhou."

After saying this, the Duchess quickly put on a naive expression again and walked out of Shen Zhixue's chamber, laughing and chatting.

Shen Zhixue lay on the bed and slept for a while.

In the darkness, it seemed like something warm was spraying on his neck.

Shen Zhixue opened his eyes; the room was pitch black, and it seemed like someone was lying beside him.

He instantly struggled, and the person grabbed his wrist, whispering in his ear, "It's me, Zhi Zhi."

Now, hearing this voice, Shen Zhixue felt his whole body turn cold. His movements gradually slowed, and he spoke expressionlessly in the dark, "Weren't you in the secure zone? How did you get to the palace?"

"I was worried about you," Jiang Huizhou nuzzled his earlobe. "I was going crazy without seeing you. Anyway, I have my ways. Are you safe in the palace? I heard about the decree from Her Majesty. My dear Zhi Zhi is incredible; you can handle anything without me—you're amazing."

Shen Zhixue felt a cold dread in his chest. All he wanted now was to grab Jiang Huizhou by the collar and demand to know how many more lies were waiting for him.

But he couldn’t do that.

Shen Zhixue closed his eyes, "So how did you get to the palace?"

Jiang Huizhou seemed to sense something. He sat up and looked at Shen Zhixue's eyes nervously under the moonlight, "What's wrong? You don't seem happy."

Shen Zhixue looked at him for a long time, then suddenly squinted and smiled, "Just kidding, did I scare you?"

Jiang Huizhou breathed a sigh of relief and clung to him, "You really scared me, I thought..."

Shen Zhixue asked, "Thought what?"

"That you became the crown prince and didn't want me anymore," Jiang Huizhou said ambiguously, pinching Shen Zhixue's hand bone, "Almost lost my place as the crown princess, really scared me."

Shen Zhixue laughed, raised his fingers, and touched Jiang Huizhou's face, "Are you really alright? Did you use the Inhibitor or something?"

"No," Jiang Huizhou said softly, "Other means."

Shen Zhixue seemed determined to get to the bottom of it, "What means?"

Jiang Huizhou tilted his head and started to change the subject, "Are you really that worried about me?"

"Of course," Shen Zhixue said softly and slowly, "I adore you."

Jiang Huizhou was stunned, his ears turning red, he looked away, then looked back at Shen Zhixue, seemingly shy, and whispered, "Today... why are you so..."

Shen Zhixue pulled his collar, lowered his head, and kissed Jiang Huizhou's Adam's apple, "I heard that if you take the Inhibitor, you can't emit pheromones. Let me see if it's true."

He distinctly heard Jiang Huizhou gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Jiang Huizhou instantly pounced on Shen Zhixue, biting his lips.

Shen Zhixue wrapped his arms around Jiang Huizhou's neck, his slender fingers touching the gland behind Jiang Huizhou, "Jiang Huizhou, I want to smell your scent."

"Stop teasing me," Jiang Huizhou rubbed his lips, "I just can't resist. Why do you do this? You won't let me mark you, but you keep teasing me. Are you trying to kill me, Zhi Zhi?"

"Alright," Shen Zhixue chuckled, "Will you give it?"

"How could I not?" Jiang Huizhou tangled his hair and sniffed it, "I'd give you the world."

Shen Zhixue looked at him for a long time, then shivered, "Alright."

Jiang Huizhou squinted and pulled Shen Zhixue closer. He seemed to sense something and said in a deep voice, "You're really off tonight, Zhi Zhi. Is there something..."

Shen Zhixue gave a silent smile.

Yes, Jiang Huizhou was such a perceptive person. His emotions, his every move—weren't they all under Jiang Huizhou's control?

He was always a master of acting, but this time, he truly couldn't perform.

He couldn't pretend to be clueless, couldn't ignore the concealment and deception between them. They were tightly embraced, yet worlds apart.

Jiang Huizhou grabbed his wrist and said hoarsely, "What's wrong with you? Can't you tell me?"

Shen Zhixue hugged him back and said, "I want you."

Jiang Huizhou was stunned. Shen Zhixue had never been so straightforward before. This declaration of desire set his entire body on fire. Shen Zhixue's initiative was more intoxicating to Jiang Huizhou than his rut.

Before he could react, Shen Zhixue's lips were on his, with a suggestive breath.

"Didn't you want to mark me?" Shen Zhixue pressed against his forehead, panting softly from the previous kiss, "Tonight, you can do whatever you want to me."

To ease Jiang Huizhou's doubts, Shen Zhixue had come up with a very reasonable excuse: "From the moment I saw you hurting yourself in the safety barrier, I started to regret. Since we are ultimately each other's, then if marking can make you happy, I am willing."

Jiang Huizhou's voice shook, "Zhi Zhi..."

Shen Zhixue spoke, "Hurry up, it's almost dawn."

Jiang Huizhou squinted, his fingers gently pressing on Shen Zhixue's gland, "...Zhi Zhi, I love you."

In response to this whisper was Shen Zhixue's ambiguous moan escaping his lips.

A crisp fragrance filled the entire palace. Shen Zhixue made him feel slightly uneasy; everything before his eyes was blurry.

He couldn't tell if it was sweat or tears.

Jiang Huizhou, Shen Zhixue's, revealed the gland on his slender neck, fragile yet lethally alluring.

"Good Zhi Zhi, does it hurt?" Jiang Huizhou bit his earlobe, his hand guiding Shen Zhixue's hand through his waist, pressing against his flat abdomen, "Can you feel it? Here, is Zhi Zhi's womb."

Shen Zhixue's sobs were muffled in the pillow, indistinct.

"Now, it's time for a physiology lesson." Jiang Huizhou called Shen Zhixue's, "The first time an Alpha knots inside an omega, it lasts a full six hours... During these six hours, it will stay in your womb, being absorbed bit by bit."

Shen Zhixue shook his head in discomfort, "No, Jiang Huizhou."