Chapter 83: “…?”

Chapter 83 "...?"

An illustrated manual—but not your ordinary kind.

Tuo Baxiao had never seen anything like it before, yet he understood it at first glance.

Of course, it was so straightforward that only an idiot wouldn’t get it.

Ruo Lan had specially prepared this booklet for the young lady. It wasn’t overly explicit, nor did it involve any peculiar preferences, but it depicted everything necessary—clear, fluid lines, elegant figures, and a hint of sensuality without being crude. Alongside the illustrations were brief annotations, outlining key points.

Tuo Baxiao flipped through page after page, feeling as though countless doors had been flung open before him. Each page set his mind ablaze, each one a revelation. By the time he reached the last page, he was still left wanting.

That’s it?

Just this much?

With a sigh, he started poring over it again, absorbing every detail while lost in thought.

……

Jiang Congyan arrived at the bathroom, first brushing her teeth and washing her face before stepping into the bathtub.

She was meticulous in her dental care. With medical care being so limited, she treasured her teeth dearly. After every meal, she would rinse thoroughly, even if only with plain water. Before bed, she would scrub them diligently with green salt—better to be cautious, since there was no way to fix them if they rotted.

Dinner had run an hour late tonight, and in the summer heat, a hot bath wasn’t exactly refreshing. After a quick wash, she stepped out.

She rose slowly, water rippling softly around her.

Jiang Congyan snagged a towel off the rack to dry herself, then slipped into a light, flowing silk nightgown. She walked straight to the vanity, opened a porcelain jar, and dabbed on some moisturizer. The climate wasn’t excessively dry, but the prairie winds could be brutal. She then loosened her hair, letting it tumble down her back like ink.

By the time she finished her leisurely routine, a good half-hour had slipped by.

Jiang Congyan suddenly found it odd. Though her movements had been quiet, with his sharp ears, he surely would have caught the sound of water. Normally, he’d be impatiently waiting to bathe right after her—sometimes even lingering in the bedroom, waiting for her to finish.

But today, where was he?

Had he turned over a new leaf? Unlikely.

Had he not finished picking his books? Or failed to find what he wanted?

Curious, she stood and headed toward the adjacent study.

Parting the curtain, she saw the man seated in a chair, a bright candle lamp before him, lost in a book.

His back was slightly hunched, his expression utterly focused. The candlelight highlighted his sharp, aristocratic profile, giving him an almost noble aura.

Jiang Congyan had never seen him like this before and stilled in surprise.

From her angle, she could only glimpse the corner of a page, unable to discern its contents. Still, she found it strange—since when had he become so studious? He hadn’t even glanced up at her approach.

With this suspicion in mind, she walked over to him and stood by his side. Under the bright candlelight, her gaze fell onto the page—!!!

Her face burned crimson the moment she recognized what was on the page.

This bastard, looking so serious, as if studying some weighty tome—only to be holding *this* in his hands!

The shock left her mind blank, frozen in place. She forgot to snatch the book away at first. By the time she regained her senses and reached for it, he simply raised his arm, effortlessly evading her grasp.

She nearly stumbled into him, and he caught her by the waist.

Once she steadied herself, she snapped at the man with fiery eyes, "Where did you get this?"

Her voice was strained and trembling.

She'd held out a faint hope—perhaps he had obtained it himself—until the man replied,

"Found it on the bookshelf."

Jiang Congyan's heart sank, yet her entire body burned, her shoulders trembling.

Tuo Baxiao watched as she flushed with shame, looking thoroughly flustered. Instead of comforting her, he pushed further, asking, "Did you hide this? Why keep it tucked away? If you had such a treasure, you should’ve shown it to me sooner..."

Jiang Congyan couldn’t bear to listen any longer and turned to leave, but the man’s arm shot out like lightning, grabbing her slender wrist. The momentum sent her stumbling back toward him.

"Where are you going?"

Jiang Congyan said nothing, burying her face in her sleeve.

That day, when Ruo Lan had given her the booklet, she hadn’t wanted to look at it. Fearing her maids might see it, she had initially tucked it into a drawer. But whether it was the wardrobe, jewelry box, or storage chest, A Fei managed them all—and she was thorough, constantly checking every corner. So, none of those places felt safe.

Later, when she saw the densely packed bookshelves in the study, she thought of hiding it in plain sight. Among so many books, a small booklet would blend right in. Besides, A Fei and the others only dusted the surfaces, never dared to go through her books.

Two large bookshelves, each with multiple layers—who could’ve guessed Tuo Baxiao would find it so easily?

Jiang Congyan now regretted not finding an opportunity to burn it, avoiding this humiliation.

Just as she was burning with shame, a large hand suddenly gripped her forearm, forcibly pulling it down.

Without the sleeve to shield her, Tuo Baxiao saw her flushed cheeks, trembling lashes, and tightly pressed lips—her expression utterly mortified, yet her eyes carried an alluring charm.

Suddenly, he remembered the illustrations in the booklet. Some of the women’s expressions were just like that. He began imagining her in their place, picturing her snow-white, willow-slender body posed just so...

Tuo Baxiao’s throat tightened, his desire growing urgent.

He wanted to see her wear even more enchanting expressions. Nearly forgetting that he hadn’t washed and would disgust her, he leaned in and crushed his lips against hers.

The girl’s lashes fluttered like startled butterflies. Feeling his tongue trying to push in, she jolted back to awareness. The smell of his sweat hit her, and she hastily pushed him away.

She had just bathed, while he was covered in dust.

"Wash—go wash."

The man paused, glancing at her. Likely recalling her fastidiousness, he knew she'd refuse anything before he was clean. Biting back his frustration, he released her and strode toward the bath.

Freed, Jiang Congyan exhaled in relief, instinctively scanning the room—but the booklet had disappeared. He didn't trust her with it.

Hmph. He was guarding against her.

She had no idea what was even depicted inside. Maybe she should’ve looked, but she had no interest in such things. Especially now, with the man looking at her like she was his next meal, she felt uneasy and irritated, wanting no part of it.

Since Ruo Lan had prepared it for her, surely it wasn’t too explicit...?

Jiang Congyan could only console herself this way. What was done was done—life had to go on. Besides, they’d shared a bed many times already. What hadn’t they seen? It wasn’t a big deal.

But they were setting off at dawn. With the dog-man’s temperament, he definitely wouldn’t let the night pass without action.

Lost in these thoughts, she barely noticed time slipping by until a loud splash of water meant Tuo Baxiao was coming out.

She tensed up suddenly but forced herself to look calm.

Just as she intended to casually greet him, Tuo Baxiao didn’t even glance her way. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her waist, swept her up bridal-style, and carried her toward the bedroom, where he laid her on the bed.

His handsome face hovered above hers, his piercing green eyes blazing as they locked onto her.

Jiang Congyan knew what was coming. She lowered her eyelids, her long lashes veiling her dark pupils, her rosy cheeks lending her a strangely vulnerable look.

Tuo Baxiao saw through her nervousness beneath the calm facade and smirked, brimming with confidence. "I won't let tonight be unpleasant for you—only pleasurable," he said.

Jiang Congyan: "...?"

He gave her no time to think before his searing lips crashed down on hers.

He kissed every inch of her face before nipping at her earlobe, licking and teasing until she writhed from the unbearable mix of tickling—and something else, an uncontrollable tingling that made her toes curl and her breath quicken.

Crushed against his chest, she felt his hand stroke her back repeatedly, his usual way of calming her.

But later, despite sensing the tension in his body, he remained still.

Her dazed eyes fluttered open to find his face flushed, his forehead beaded with sweat—clearly restraining himself.

Yet his restraint did little to reassure her. Based on past experience...

......

"Don’t... don’t do this anymore," she pleaded through her tears, her voice broken and breathless.

Whatever he had seen seemed to have taught him new tricks, leaving her trembling all over.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck and growled low in his throat. "I told you I’d make you..."