Chapter 10: Call Him Hengzhi

Chapter 10: Call Him Hengzhi

Before meeting A Yuan, Wei Xun had never expected to have children.

Even his wife, to him, was just a means to carry on the family line.

He would grant her respect and the authority to manage the household, but love was beyond his capacity.

Yet, with A Yuan, Wei Xun couldn’t help but soften. Her background made life inherently tough, and who else could she depend on but him?

While prioritizing a concubine over a wife could destabilize a household, his A Yuan was so obedient and well-behaved that she would never abuse his favor. As long as the main wife was accommodating, the household would stay peaceful.

Wei Xun had been exceptionally bright since childhood, used to controlling everything. But he didn’t realize that the heart cannot be controlled.

In the flickering candlelight, he tightened his grip around her waist, his dark eyes intense.

"A Yuan, who am I?"

A Yuan bit her lip, her voice quivering as if she might cry.

"...Master... You are... the Heir Apparent..."

The sea roared with towering waves, and A Yuan, like a lone boat, was almost capsized.

"Hengzhi... A Yuan, say my name, Hengzhi."

Wei Hengzhi, Wei Xun's courtesy name, was reserved for those closest to him.

A Yuan was dazed, but her remaining sense of propriety reminded her she was unworthy.

Hengzhi was a name reserved for the Heir Apparent's wife. As a concubine, she couldn’t cross that line.

She lowered her gaze slightly, masking the pain in her eyes, and raised her arm, softly begging.

"Heir Apparent, please treat A Yuan gently..."

Wei Xun tried every trick he knew, but he still couldn’t get A Yuan to say his name.

He looked down; the young concubine nestled obediently in his arms, her voice hoarse from crying.

Though they were so close, Wei Xun always felt A Yuan was like the wind, slipping away if he wasn’t careful.

His heart ached as he leaned down to kiss her lips.

......

The next morning, when A Yuan awoke, the space beside her was already empty.

Wei Xun seldom stayed the night, so she was accustomed to it.

A Yuan clutched the blanket and sat up, her legs sore and weak, her throat dry and scratchy from crying and begging.

"Chun Tao, fetch me a glass of water."

She leaned against the headboard, her delicate face radiant from the night’s intimacy.

The gauze curtain was lifted, and a steaming cup was handed to her. A Yuan took it without looking.

The warm honeyed water eased her parched throat.

"Would you like more?"

The man's deep voice sounded above her head, and A Yuan's fingers tightened around the cup as she suddenly looked up.

"My Lord, what are you doing here? Where is Chun Tao?"

She hadn't expected Wei Xun to still be here at this hour. Wasn’t he supposed to be handling official business?

Wei Xun didn't answer her question. Instead, he turned and poured her another cup of honeyed water.

A Yuan was indeed extremely thirsty. Since Wei Xun remained silent, she didn’t push for an answer, so she decided to drink more water to soothe her throat.

Her soft lips, damp from the honeyed water, looked even redder.

The man's thumb pressed against them, wiping away the excess before slowly drying it.

After a long moment, he finally withdrew his hand.

"Chun Tao is outside. I'll call her in later to attend to you. Help me get dressed."

With that, Wei Xun grabbed a robe from the nearby stand.

A Yuan took it and instantly recognized it as the one she’d made.

Yesterday, after scolded by Wei Xun, she had quickly handed the robe to Chang Yuan, too afraid to ask if Wei Xun liked it.

Now, he had specifically brought it back and waited for her to wake up to put it on. A pang of bitterness struck A Yuan’s heart.

Why did he have to be so kind? If he were just a little harsher with her, she wouldn’t feel this awful now.

"Yes."

A Yuan lowered her head and answered softly, then stood up, threw on an outer robe, and stood barefoot on the floor.

The cold made her shiver involuntarily.

Wei Xun frowned slightly as he reached out and picked her up, letting her stand on his feet.

"My lord..." A Yuan's small hands clutched his lapel.

Wei Xun's cool voice came from above, "Stay like this."

A Yuan never dared to disobey her master's orders.

Hiding her embarrassment, she fumbled to take off Wei Xun’s outer robe and replace it with the new one she had made.

"Enough!"

The robe was only halfway on when Wei Xun pushed her away.

His way of teasing A Yuan only ended up hurting himself.

"I'll do it myself."

Wei Xun moved her hands aside and quickly finished dressing.

He lowered his head, a hint of helplessness crossing his heart.

When it came to A Yuan, even his prized self-control had completely slipped.

Looking at the concubine who was so weak she could barely stand, Wei Xun's expression softened.

"Go back to bed and get some more sleep. Weren’t you crying about being tired last night?"

"My lord!"

A Yuan rose on her tiptoes, reaching up to cover his lips with her hand. Her almond eyes, usually charming, now flashed with embarrassment and annoyance, showing more life than her earlier fragility.

"I didn’t..."

Wei Xun chuckled softly, swept her up in his arms, and placed her on the bed.

His nose brushed against her palm, and he left a gentle kiss there.

"Yes, you didn’t. I’m the one who wronged you, A Yuan."

A Yuan couldn’t resist his tenderness. Her eyes welled up, and her heart ached with grievance.

"Please, my lord, don’t tease me."

She might lose herself completely.

But the thought of his tenderness one day belonging to someone else made her heart harden.

Wei Xun didn’t understand A Yuan’s sorrow, thinking she was just shy. He gave her cheek a playful pinch before standing up.

"Alright, sleep now. I’m leaving."

A stack of official documents awaited him at the office, and he’d already lingered too long today.

Wei Xun was tender when comforting her, but he left without hesitation.

The opening and closing of the door brought a gust of cold air, and A Yuan’s mind grew clearer. She was, after all, just Wei Xun’s plaything. One day, when he tired of her, he might cast her aside without a thought.

A Yuan lowered her head, bitterness flickering in her eyes, but deep inside, her resolve hardened.