Chapter 26: He’s Jealous

Chapter 26: He’s Jealous

A Yuan arrived at Wei Xun’s courtyard, her heart uneasy. As she pushed open the door, the strong smell of alcohol hit her, and the sound of splashing water came from the inner chamber.

An elderly servant fetched a clean towel from the shelf and handed it to her. "The Heir Apparent is taking a bath inside. Lady Xie, go and attend to him. He’s been drinking, so be extra careful."

"...Yes."

A Yuan took the towel and entered the inner chamber.

Wei Xun sat half-naked in the bathtub, eyes shut. The window was ajar, letting in a warm evening breeze.

Spring had come to the capital, warming the air. Flowers in the courtyard were blooming in succession.

The breeze carried flower scents, mingling with bath steam, creating an ambiguous atmosphere.

A Yuan stepped forward quietly, wet the towel, and laid it on his shoulders.

Wei Xun wasn’t really asleep; he’d been listening to the outside. As A Yuan entered, his eyes snapped open.

"My Lord?"

A Yuan looked down and met his eyes. Her heart clenched, and she instinctively spoke.

The concubine’s fear made Wei Xun narrow his eyes. Was she afraid of him, or did her lover’s appearance make her want to leave?

Wei Xun refused to admit his jealousy, his chest sour as if filled with vinegar.

"Come here."

He seized A Yuan’s hand on his shoulder and yanked her forward.

Steam from the tub blurred the concubine’s form.

Wei Xun leaned in, hooked her waist, and with a flick, untied her belt.

Her robes fell, leaving only a pink, peach-blossom-embroidered undergarment on her pale skin.

A Yuan’s embroidery was exquisite; even her undergarment was finely made.

Wei Xun, soaked and tipsy, felt the alcohol’s effects. He hooked the concubine’s waist, the heat from his palm penetrating through the thin fabric, causing A Yuan to shiver.

"My lord?"

Her undergarment was pulled, and a sharp pain shot through her chest as the man bit down with force, his cold eyes darkening.

"Xie Yuan... do you have a heart?"

He had been so good to her, fearing she would be bullied in the future, he had even thought of marrying a tolerant and generous wife to ensure her comfort in the household.

But what about her? She had deceived him at every turn, and now an old lover had appeared.

Wei Xun sneered, pressing his palm tightly against her chest, as if trying to find the answer there.

A Yuan bit her lip, ignoring her shame, her eyes filled with panic.

The burning heat in front and the icy coldness behind made her feel as if she were trapped between fire and ice, enduring torment.

Wei Xun questioned whether she had a heart. Naturally, she did. But the heart she had given had been trampled, and she dared not open it again.

"My lord, you are drunk."

The concubine lowered her gaze, meek and submissive, yielding to his advances.

A surge of anger flared within Wei Xun. For that other man, she was willing to go to such lengths.

Fine, he would give her what she wanted!

"Face the other way!"

The man spoke in a deep voice, and A Yuan obeyed.

The inner bathing chamber was small, with a daybed by the window, partitioned from the tub by a screen.

A Yuan gazed out the window, hearing the splash of water as the man stepped out of the bathtub behind her.

She clenched her fists, her eyes downcast with anxiety.

Wei Xun's moods were growing more erratic, and his anger flared more frequently.

The night wind bore a scattering of petals, which landed on A Yuan, tickling her skin with allure.

A Yuan remained motionless, and moments later, he lifted her and laid her on the daybed.

His wet body dripped onto her, dampening the petals.

The scent filled the air, and Wei Xun grew more intoxicated.

A Yuan was pinned down by him, kneeling on the daybed, his fingertips tracing her waist.

He pinched and squeezed the petals, their juices accompanying his movements to create patterns on her back.

Wei Xun painted an iris, the pink juice staining it, landing on the woman's shoulder as if it had come to life.

Wei Xun stared for a long time, waiting for the juice to dry, then suddenly leaned down and gently kissed that shoulder.

Though the man's temperament was cold, his lips were scorching.

If she ignored the man's temperament, she would surely think he loved her deeply.

But how could that be? She was just a plaything in Wei Xun's hands, a canary that could never escape his grasp.

A Yuan lowered her body further, the separation of her back and lips causing the man's lingering affection to vanish completely.

The concubine's resistance deepened the cold laugh in his heart. She wanted to distance herself from him, but he would not allow it.

The man's large hand gripped her waist, his fingers pinching her chin.

"Look at me, who is loving you?"

A Yuan bit her red lip, trying hard not to let the moans escape, the corners of her eyes tinged with allure, her charm fully displayed.

"...It's the master..."

In bed, she had always followed Wei Xun's lead, no matter how harsh his temperament was.

But this time, Wei Xun did not feel satisfied.

Zhou Yan was like a thorn in his heart, one that could never be removed as long as he existed.

Perhaps because he already knew that A Yuan’s docility was feigned, seeing her obedient demeanor now, Wei Xun couldn’t help but suspect how she might try to deceive him this time.

Her eyes were clear and pure, holding only him in their depths, yet Wei Xun felt an inexplicable distance between them.

A Yuan’s heart was tightly locked, and he couldn’t enter.

He covered her eyes with his hand, his thin lips kissing from the tip of her nose to her lips, slowly descending from her collarbone to her chest.

Wei Xun planted several heavy kisses on her chest, his usually proud tone now tinged with a plea.

"This place is mine..."

Please, don’t like Zhou Yan...

She wanted to like Wei Xun, but she didn’t dare, nor did she feel she deserved to.

The gap in their statuses meant this relationship could never be equal from the start.

When Wei Xun was pleased, he spoiled her; when he was upset, he locked her away.

She was Wei Xun’s pet, called and dismissed at his whim, a toy for him to take out his frustrations on.

But even a toy has pride, and she never dreamed of standing by Wei Xun’s side.

How could a toy dare to talk about feelings with her master? Love—the most precious yet perilous of emotions.

She’d seen too many people destroyed by their emotions. Wei Xun was a good man, just not the one for her.

As the water grew cold, Wei Xun carried her inside. This was her first night in Wei Xun’s courtyard.

Exhausted and sore, she missed the guilt in his eyes.

A Yuan drifted into a hazy sleep as Wei Xun gently smoothed her furrowed brow with his thumb, kissing her forehead.

"A Yuan, don’t think I’ll let you go. You are mine..."