"Little wild thing, quite sharp teeth you have."

"You’re the wild one, sneaking into a lady’s boudoir in the middle of the night, entangling yourself without shame. Have you no decency?"

Pei Jue: "..."

Pulling her into his arms, he looked down at her.

"Are you angry?"

Feng Yun: "Why would I be angry? I’m magnanimous." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Pei Jue said, "That’s good."

Feng Yun: ...

Did she have to say she was angry for him to know?

If she said she wasn’t, would he believe her?

Feng Yun felt inexplicably wronged and pushed him, "Go wash up."

"I’ve already done so," Pei Jue said.

No wonder he felt damp when he pressed against her just now.

"Then the General must be tired after the long journey. Sleep now, we can talk about anything else tomorrow."

As she spoke, she got up. Pei Jue asked her, "Where are you going?"

Feng Yun bent down to open a trunk, took out a blanket, "It’s hot, and I’m a light sleeper, afraid to disturb the General, I’ll go sleep in the east wing."

Pei Jue with darkened eyes: "Sleep here."

Feng Yun raised her eyes to glare at him, "The General only needs to take care of himself, no need to worry about me."

"If I don’t take care of you, then who will?" Pei Jue suddenly stood up, yanked her arm, threw the blanket back into the trunk, and pulled her into a full embrace, "This lifetime, I have claimed you."

This lifetime, claimed...

His voice carried an inexplicable anger.

Yet, to her ears, it also carried an unreasonably comforting strength.

Feng Yun stayed still, quietly looking at him.

Pei Jue scooped her up around her waist, laid her on the bed, nestled down, and kissed her temple as though sighing, "I won’t touch you, go to sleep."

His voice inexplicably made Feng Yun’s heart flutter.

Just this once, couldn’t she?

He said he wouldn’t touch her, and just like that?

Pei Jue was perfectly calm, lying down beside her, and began speaking of his ventures to the northwest.

In the dark of night, his voice was very low, profound and hushed, his hand accustomed to wielding weapons, calloused, teasing her with nearly imperceptible strokes, light and gentle.

Feng Yun soon realized that she couldn’t make out a single word he was saying...

That hand...

It sent tingles through her.

Her heart swelled with emotions but lacked release.

She quietly inhaled, trying to endure, yet unable to resist, she nestled into his shoulder, whispering faintly.

"Spring nights are short; let’s do something else."

Pei Jue’s gaze fell on her face, inscrutable. His movements didn’t stop.

"Not scared anymore?"

Feng Yun, looking at him, "A returning hero, afraid or not, deserves some reward."

Pei Jue remained silent.

He thought of her, and even when he tried not to, he thought of her.

Feng Yun also felt she was troublesome, especially as Pei Jue’s expression seemed too composed, as if he hadn’t thought about this during their separation...

Could it be he was satiated elsewhere?

She steeled herself.

"Or... perhaps we should just sleep."

Pei Jue didn’t speak, pulled her close, his body pressed against hers, his Adam’s apple moving subtly while his chest heaved rapidly, allowing her easy access to how... desperately he had wanted her.

In such a dark setting, Feng Yun could only sketch his face in her mind.

She became more compliant, resting her chin on his shoulder, basking in the warmth of a living being, and chuckled softly, "You’re getting a bargain."

This time, he slowed his pace, wary she might feel pain and refuse him, leaving her breathing hard, the passion rising, yet the next move was still pending.

Feng Yun lifted her head to nibble at him, "General."

"Hmm." His voice was very low, softly brushing her cheek, "If you can’t bear it, bite me."

He placed his hand by her mouth, his abdomen tense, his eyes fixed on her, watching her eyes close, her cheeks flush like rouge, her moans lost in passion, then he finally advanced, letting out a long breath...

"Lady Yun..."

A sigh escaped him, a sign of wish fulfillment, of lost and found, akin to long-awaited rain after a drought, the relief was incomparable, causing his scalp to tingle with a sensation that made him wish to erupt, tearing apart this fragile body adorned in rouge.

Feng Yun was blissfully unaware of the danger, let alone the man’s restraint.

The General’s imposing presence was so scorching that it made her lose her sense of reality. She couldn’t withstand this slow torture and amidst the gradually intensifying numbness, she moaned softly, clutching his neck tightly, her face flushed red as if drunk.

"I feel as if I’ve fallen ill again..."

How could one fall ill without reason?

Whether she sought a ridiculous excuse or was truly lost in a fog of emotion, her entire being was drenched in sweat.

"General, General..."

"Mmm..." He paused in a masochistic halt, allowing her a moment to adjust before he resumed his charge.

Feng Yun, having been neglected for months, couldn’t hold on for long. Before many moments passed, she was convulsing in his arms, whimpering under the relentless tide of stimulation.

Pei Jue’s eyes darkened, and he groaned.

"Lady Yun..."

In the chaos of breath, he thought of the desolate marshes of Heibei Mountain, recalled the endless dunes of sand...

In countless life-or-death moments, he had envisioned this face, these eyes – afraid that if he died, he would never see her again, afraid that without him, her tender skin would be ravaged by other men. He feared that without his protection, her stunning beauty would make her prey for those who sought power, a spur for Xiao Cheng’s northern campaigns, the cause of Ao Qi’s descent into an abyss of taboo love...

Scene after scene flashed by, and he shut his eyes.

Such addiction, eroding a hero’s ambition.

The woman’s languid moans carried a groggy mumble, slipping through the curtain to the outside, while the man’s muffled gasps, his restrained breathing, were just audible...

Xiaoman’s cheeks were flushed with color.

Stepping out again, she saw Zuo Zhong standing under the eaves.

The heat had intensified, becoming unbearably suffocating.

Unlike last time, she couldn’t offer him a warm pot or a piece of clothing. Instead, once again, she stood there helpless, silent amid the intimate affair of her masters.

Xiaoman silently bowed her head, intending to walk away, when Zuo Zhong’s voice came from behind her.

"I’m watching over here. You should go and get some sleep."

Xiaoman hadn’t expected him to show concern for her.

Turning back to look at him, her eyes bloomed like spring flowers.

"I’m not tired."

Her face reddened again as she lowered her gaze.

"When the Lady calls for water later, she’ll ask for me."

Zuo Zhong glanced toward the dark night’s window, "The General will be a while longer. Don’t wait up. I’ll have others attend to the water."

Xiaoman pursed her lips, feeling it strange to discuss her master’s chamber affairs with the Left Guard.

But to them, it was nothing more than duty.

She locked eyes with Zuo Zhong and pointed to the neighboring window.

"Huanhuan and Peipei are on duty tonight. If you knock on the window, they’ll wake up."

Zuo Zhong grunted in acknowledgment, making out the blush on the girl’s face by moonlight before turning away to stand at attention.

Without a hint of sleepiness, Xiaoman walked a few steps, then turned back.

"Big Brother Zuo, may I talk to you?"

Zuo Zhong was surprised and remained silent.

Xiaoman spoke with flushed cheeks, "When you all went to the northwest to fight, the Lady and I stayed home, filled with worry. Especially around March, there were always bad tidings, and I was nearly scared to death..."

She lowered her head as she spoke.

"I know." Zuo Zhong replied, watching as Xiaoman looked up at him before adding rather hesitantly, "Otherwise the General wouldn’t have hurried back without delay, not even stopping in Xijing..."

Xiaoman uttered, "Oh," then asked, "And you?"

Zuo Zhong was taken aback, his lips tightening slightly.

"Wherever the General is, that’s where I am."

That wasn’t what Xiaoman wanted to hear.

But just as Zuo Zhong couldn’t find more to say, she couldn’t ask for more either.

"Then, Big Brother Zuo, you should also get some rest early. The estate is secure with the guards we have. You can rest easy with them here."

Zuo Zhong nodded, "I understand."

Xiaoman gave him one last look, sadly holding the lantern, and stepped into the chamber.

The door creaked open.

And shut again.

The wind of the summer night was far too scorching.

Zuo Zhong sighed deeply.