Chapter 91: “Ah!”

Chapter 91 "Hey!"

Jiang Congyan was annoyed. What was he doing? She’d come to welcome him formally, and here he was acting so shamelessly in front of so many people.

The crowd burst into laughter.

The king was impatient.

Hearing the laughter, Jiang Congyan's face burned.

"What are you doing? Let me down! So many people are watching—I’m completely humiliated!" she said, pushing at him with her hands, trying to get him to release her.

To her surprise, the man listened, loosening his arms and spreading them wide, as if leaving it entirely up to her.

But Jiang Congyan would rather he hadn’t let go. The Li Eagle kept galloping, the horse's back rising and falling sharply. Even gripping the saddle tightly, she felt like she could be thrown off at any moment—she felt completely unsafe. She was truly frightened, her body instinctively pressing closer to the man’s chest.

This bastard was doing it on purpose.

"Tuo Baxiao!" she yelled, her voice breaking.

The wind roared, loosening a few strands of her carefully arranged hair.

The man chuckled, closing his arms around her again, yanking her tightly against him—so tightly it was as if he wanted to crush her into his own body.

He bent his head, pressing his lips to her ear. "Did you miss me?"

His hot breath fanned over her skin. Jiang Congyan bit her lip and refused to answer.

The man was displeased. He opened his mouth and nipped at her.

Jiang Congyan remembered what had happened the last time they were on horseback, and panic shot through her. She quickly turned her face away. "Do that again, and I’ll be furious."

At least last time there had been no one around. Now the entire court was watching.

Had she known he’d be this shameless, she wouldn’t have come to meet him. It wasn’t as if she’d gained anything from it anyway.

Tuo Baxiao knew her temper. After a moment’s hesitation, he didn’t push further—but he didn’t pull away either. He pressed again, "Did you miss me?"

His large hand at her waist gave a firm squeeze, massaging teasingly, making her shiver with a mix of pleasure and irritation.

Bastard.

Jiang Congyan cursed him a thousand times in her heart, but she was in his clutches now. Saving face mattered more than embarrassment.

"I did," she muttered reluctantly.

Finally, the man relented, pressing her tightly against him, skin to skin. She could feel the tension in his body, and she remained stiff the entire way.

Moving through the outer camp, they finally reached the royal tent.

Tuo Baxiao dismounted swiftly, then lifted her down.

The moment her feet touched the ground, Jiang Congyan nearly stumbled. After being bounced around on horseback for so long, her thighs and backside ached, and she hadn’t yet recovered.

He caught her effortlessly, chuckling as he swept her up into his arms and carried her straight toward her own tent.

No—not now… right after getting back…

"You just got back. There must be matters to attend to."

"No," the man answered without hesitation.

"..."

"I have something to tell you," Jiang Congyan's mind raced.

"What is it?"

Jiang Congyan faltered, unsure what to say. Before she could fabricate a response, the man had already stepped into the tent.

Military campaigns left little time for cleanliness. Following her lady's orders, A Fei had prepared hot water and clean clothes in the bath area, along with a delicious meal, waiting with her maids in the hall to attend to their mistress. Seeing the lady carried back in the king's arms, the experienced A Fei knew exactly what was to come and led the maids away, leaving only the prepared items in the bath area.

Jiang Congyan watched helplessly as they departed, suddenly panicked. She wanted to stop them but couldn't.

With no outsiders present, the man dropped all pretense. Before even setting her down properly, his mouth crashed onto hers.

The moment he kissed her, Jiang Congyan frowned. On horseback with the wind rushing past, she hadn't noticed it earlier, but now indoors, with him so close, his odor became overwhelming.

Even as early autumn brought cooler weather, his hard ride back had left him drenched in sweat, his back nearly soaked through. Not to mention the rough stubble scraping painfully against her skin.

Clenching her teeth, she held her breath and clamped her mouth shut, pushing hard against his face with both hands.

Feeling her obvious revulsion, the man not only refused to relent but yanked her closer, scrubbing his stubble against her skin until her fair cheeks flushed red.

Jiang Congyan was truly angered now. She bit down hard on his lip, holding nothing back.

With a sharp inhale, he finally released her, his lips bearing a clear row of teeth marks.

"That disgusted by me?" he snorted.

After so long apart, she showed no longing, only revulsion at his sweat.

Jiang Congyan turned her face away coldly, her pale neck turning away in disdain.

Other reunited lovers shared warmth—nothing like his teasing that left her both humiliated and frightened. And now, knowing full well she couldn't stand his grimy sweat, he still insisted on pressing close.

"You've no idea how much I've missed you. Day and night, even in my dreams—"

Jiang Congyan clapped a hand over his mouth. This man truly couldn't speak a decent word.

"Aren't you going to bathe?" she demanded, unable to bear it any longer. The stench was unbearable; she could swear his stench was rubbing off on her own skin.

So much for her clean outfit today.

Tuo Baxiao glanced down at the delicate hand covering his mouth, then stared into her eyes as he slowly dragged his tongue across her palm.

"Ah!"

Caught off guard, Jiang Congyan gasped. The warm, slick sensation made her skin tingle, her arm went limp as she instinctively jerked her hand back.

Seeing her fair cheeks flush crimson, her dark eyes shining with fury as she glared at him—so vividly expressive it made him ache with desire—Tuo Baxiao wished he could throw her onto the bed right now. But his lovely lady stood firm, denying him any touch.

"Will you wash me?"

Before she could voice her refusal, the man dragged her into the bathroom.

Tuo Baxiao lifted the curtain and saw that only her old small bathtub remained in the center.

"Hmm?" He tilted his head to look at her.

Jiang Congyan turned her face away, trying to ignore his scorching gaze, and said flatly, "I don’t need it. It just takes up space for no reason."

Tuo Baxiao snorted.

Her little act didn’t fool him. She might not have needed it while he was away, but knowing he was back and still refusing to set it up was clearly deliberate. She had always been reserved about such matters, even resisting shared baths until he had to sweet-talk her forever before she’d agree.

He recalled the new books he had acquired—they depicted far more than just bathtubs. Compared to the illustrations, his past attempts seemed downright tame.

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. He was about to explode, and if she didn’t insist he clean up first, he would’ve already—

Tuo Baxiao grabbed her hand and placed it on his waist. "Unlace me."

"Don’t you have hands?"

He stubbornly insisted, refusing to let go of her hand, his rough thumb rubbing circles into her soft palm.

Before he left for war, she had once dressed him herself, and he had grown weirdly fixated on it—especially the way his heart hammered like it might burst right out of his chest when she undid his clothes.

Unable to break free, Jiang Congyan reluctantly began loosening his belt.

In moments, he stood bare before her, his muscular chest radiating heat.

Jiang Congyan’s ears flushed, and she avoided looking at him.

Tuo Baxiao moved to the washbasin, where water had been prepared. He scooped some into his mouth, swished it around, and spat. Then he splashed another handful onto his face, scrubbing briskly. Feeling the stubble on his jaw, he picked up a razor and shaved in front of the mirror.

His movements were swift and practiced.

He approached the bathtub, where warm water had been prepared. Cramped as it was, he could squeeze in, but he wasn’t one for long soaks—he just wanted to scrub quickly. He poured water over himself and grabbed a handful of soap powder.

Jiang Congyan wasn’t about to watch him wash up and turned to leave, but he stopped her. She stood sideways, asking, "You must be starving. Shouldn’t you eat first?"

No sooner had she spoken than a wave of water crashed over her, drenching half her dress. Water beaded on her lashes, then fell with a soft *plink*, streaking down her pale cheeks.

She froze, turning slowly, momentarily stunned.

Tuo Baxiao was equally surprised—he hadn’t meant to, but his haste and force had accidentally splashed her.

"You—"

She’d already shed her cloak, and her silk dress, now soaked, clung to her skin, hugging every curve. His throat tightened, his green eyes darkening.

Suddenly, he remembered a page from one of those books—a woman with her robes half-open, slumped weakly by a hot spring...