Chapter 16

The Qianyuan’s lips pressed against the back of her neck, moving very lightly and slowly.

Yan Lingshu’s hands, resting on her knees, gradually clenched around her sleeping robe. She wanted to remind Yu Qingci not to do these unnecessary things. “You…”

The word had only just left her mouth when Yu Qingci gave an extremely light press of her lips.

Yan Lingshu’s neck trembled faintly.

Yu Qingci was pressed close to the back of her neck, so she sensed that reaction with perfect clarity.

This only made her even more convinced that she could not bite down directly. She had to take this step by step and go slowly.

Yu Qingci’s movements became even gentler and slower. It was as if she were pressed against a fragile piece of smooth, tender tofu, carefully trying to massage it. One moment she rubbed against it, the next she lightly held it between her lips.

Aside from that faint tremble at the very beginning, Yan Lingshu gave her no other reaction.

Yu Qingci could feel that the place where her lips were pressed against the back of Yan Lingshu’s neck was growing hotter and hotter, as soft as melting spring water.

It was just that Yan Lingshu’s scent pheromones still had not been released.

Was her soothing not good enough?

Yu Qingci thought for a moment. Her lips parted slightly, then gently closed around the spot.

This time, she did not let go so easily. It was as if she were holding a mouthful of tofu that would melt with a single press of her lips. The tip of her tongue touched it very carefully.

The faintly damp sensation pressed against her skin. The mist in Yan Lingshu’s eyes trembled violently, and she could no longer control the scent pheromones at the back of her neck.

A rich green plum wine fragrance was released from the back of the Kunze’s neck.

Yu Qingci was too close. The Kunze’s scent pheromones rushed into her mouth and between her teeth, and it was as if she had drunk an entire bottle of green plum wine in one breath. Her whole person grew dizzy, almost drunk.

The Qianyuan’s scent pheromones surged out once again.

The bed curtains fell closed. In the small enclosed space, both of their rich scent pheromones filled the air. The two scents fused quickly, barely giving either of them any room to breathe.

Yu Qingci sniffed lightly and sighed softly, “So sweet.”

The original green plum wine fragrance carried a trace of tartness. After merging with her jasmine scent, it gained an irresistible sweetness.

Yu Qingci could no longer quite remember what she had originally meant to do. She only instinctively sensed that the canine teeth used for marking were itching badly, urgently needing to bite onto something.

She pressed the tip of her tongue against the aching canine teeth. A thread in her mind remained stretched unauthorized copytaut, constantly reminding her that she could not bite yet.

Yu Qingci lifted her head, and her gaze happened to land on the other woman’s reddened earlobe.

That small, completely flushed earlobe looked very soft and very delicious.

Her canine teeth itched and ached unbearably. Yu Qingci could not restrain herself. She leaned forward and bit down, biting squarely onto the other woman’s earlobe.

Yan Lingshu no longer had much strength. The merged scent pheromones were like a pool of warm spring water, and she drifted in that hot spring, dazed and lost.

Then a faint sting came from her earlobe, followed by an itch like a feather brushing across her heart.

Yan Lingshu’s gaze trembled, and a tear slipped from the corner of her eye without warning.

The cold touch of the tear struck her cheek. Yu Qingci lifted her eyes and saw the beauty in her arms with her face covered in a flush, her eyes brimming with water. Her lowered doe eyes looked especially pitiful.

“Yan Lingshu.” Yu Qingci softly called her name and moved forward, lightly touching the tip of her nose to Yan Lingshu’s.

She raised a hand to Yan Lingshu’s flushed cheek and murmured, “Your Highness, may I now?”

Yan Lingshu lowered her eyes. Her gaze was filled with watery mist, making it impossible to see her emotions clearly.

Who knew how much time passed before she gave a very soft “Mm.”

Yu Qingci ground her canine teeth together and turned toward the back of Yan Lingshu’s neck.

Her soothing seemed to have worked. Even a light touch of her fingertip met softness that seemed ready to cave in.

The person in her arms trembled so faintly it was almost imperceptible.

Yu Qingci withdrew her hand. She lowered her head, and her lips pressed against the spot.

This time, she no longer hesitated. Following instinct, she pierced her canine teeth in.

The Qianyuan’s scent pheromones poured out through her canine teeth.

Unlike a simple merging of scents, the impact of a temporary mark was clearly much greater.

Yu Qingci had thought she could keep hold of her reason. But the instant she pierced in, it was as if a huge wave had crashed over her head-on, scattering her reason until only hard-to-control instinct remained.

She pressed against the back of Yan Lingshu’s neck, biting deeper.

The hand she had wrapped around Yan Lingshu’s waist had moved to the side of her waist at some unknown point, gripping her there and pulling Yan Lingshu’s body completely against hers.

They were like lovers in the heat of passion, without the slightest gap between them.

Yu Qingci did not know how long she had bitten her. She only felt that it was not enough. A simple mark alone was not enough. She wanted to do something more…

Yu Qingci pushed Yan Lingshu down with her, her lips moving to the woman’s delicate neck.

Her lips pressed to the warm skin, following the line of Yan Lingshu’s neck and shoulder as they wandered outward, until the collar of her sleeping robe slipped down from her shoulder.

Yu Qingci pressed against Yan Lingshu’s rounded shoulder and opened her mouth to bite down.

She did not bite very hard, yet she heard a very soft “Mm” beside her ear.

Yu Qingci lifted her eyes to look. Yan Lingshu lay on her back on the red brocade quilt, her black hair spread loose. A thin sheen of sweat had formed across her forehead, and strands of hair clung to the side of her face. Mist filled her eyes.

Sensing Yu Qingci’s gaze, Yan Lingshu lifted her damp long lashes and looked at her.

The instant their gazes met, Yu Qingci felt as if her heart skipped a beat.

She could not help moving closer to Yan Lingshu’s nose. With every breath, all she felt was the other woman’s hurried breathing, drawing her heart into endless restlessness.

Yu Qingci touched the corner of Yan Lingshu’s eye, wiping away that physiological tear, and asked in a low voice, “Your Highness, are you all right?”

The Qianyuan seemed to have bailiantales.com already regained her reason, without even the slightest trace of confusion left.

Yan Lingshu shifted her gaze away and looked to the side. “I am fine.”

Her voice sounded a little unsteady, not at all as fine as she claimed.

Yu Qingci moved aside, turning over to lie beside her and working hard to calm her restless breathing.

But the bed was filled with their scent pheromones. The more she breathed, the more agitated she became.

Yu Qingci sat up at once. She turned her eyes toward Yan Lingshu and was just about to ask something when her gaze shifted and suddenly caught sight of what seemed to be bright red blood between the fingers of Yan Lingshu’s right hand.

Yu Qingci nervously took Yan Lingshu’s hand. “Your Highness, is your hand bleeding?”

Yan Lingshu had not guarded against her, and Yu Qingci easily pried open her palm, revealing a silver needle hidden inside.

She had gripped it too tightly. The tail end of the silver needle had pierced several bloody dots into her palm. Once her hand opened, the blood beads welled out even more fiercely.

Yu Qingci froze for a moment, then quickly realized what Yan Lingshu had done—

Yan Lingshu had been holding this silver needle the entire time, using self-injury to keep herself clear-headed.

“I’m fine.” Yan Lingshu pulled her hand back. She sat up, not even looking at read the original at bailiantales.comthe wound in her palm.

Yu Qingci opened her mouth. She wanted to say something, but closed it again. Instead, she got off the bed and walked to the drawer where the medicines were kept. Looking at the labels, she took two bottles of medicine and a roll of gauze.

She walked back to the bedside and sat down, extending her hand toward Yan Lingshu. “I’ll help Your Highness apply medicine.”

Yan Lingshu heard her tone and held out her hand. Watching Yu Qingci carefully apply medicine for her, she asked, “Are you angry?”

“Yes, I’m angry.” Yu Qingci smiled bitterly. “But I don’t know who exactly I should be angry with.”

Should she be angry at herself for being so useless and letting scent pheromones control her mind, or angry at Yan Lingshu for treating herself this way?

This was someone she had truly liked while reading the book. Now, seeing Yan Lingshu casually mistreat her own body with her own eyes, Yu Qingci really found it difficult to remain calm.

She carefully finished treating the wound in Yan Lingshu’s palm and wrapped it with gauze. Then she lifted her head to look at Yan Lingshu and said directly, “Your Highness, the gland at the back of your neck also needs medicine.”

“No—”

Before Yan Lingshu could say “need,” Yu Qingci interrupted her directly. “No. It must be treated.”

Before this, Yu Qingci never would have imagined that she would dare speak to Yan Lingshu in this tone.

But who had asked this princess to be someone who did not cherish her own body?

Besides, she had bitten those injuries herself. She should naturally take responsibility.

“Your Highness, I promise I will only apply medicine and do nothing else.” Yu Qingci raised two fingers to the heavens and swore.

Her attitude was firm, with the look of someone who would absolutely not give up unless she was allowed to apply the medicine.

Yan Lingshu fell silent for a few breaths. Then she turned around and gathered her loose long hair to the front, exposing the gland at the back of her neck.

She did not want Qinhe and the others to see the injuries at the back of her neck, which was why she had deliberately ignored them.

A Kunze’s gland had a certain ability to heal itself. It was just that on the wedding night, Yu Qingci had lost control and failed to control her strength…

The cool ointment was spread over her gland by warm fingertips.

Yan Lingshu pressed her lips together slightly, feeling a faint strangeness in her lower abdomen.

It had also been like this during the marking earlier. She had only managed to ignore this sensation by piercing her palm.

“Your Highness, you cannot clench your right hand.” Yu Qingci’s voice sounded faintly from behind her.

Yan Lingshu subconsciously loosened her read the original at bailiantales.cominjured right hand. Then annoyance flashed through her eyes—

Why was she listening to Yu Qingci?

After reminding her, Yu Qingci placed her attention back on Yan Lingshu’s gland, doing her best to use only the lightest pressure as she applied the ointment.

Fortunately, she had not lost control too badly today. Although her canine teeth had pierced a little deeply, she had not bitten too hard.

Yu Qingci carefully and thoroughly rubbed the ointment in, making sure she did not miss even the slightest spot.

“Your Highness, it’s done.” Yu Qingci put the lid back on the medicine bottle.

The moment she stood, Yan Lingshu turned toward the inner side of the bed, looking as if she did not want to see her at all.

Yu Qingci sighed in her heart, thinking that Yan Lingshu probably hated her even more now.

However, Yan Lingshu, whose back was turned to her, was not thinking too much. She simply did not want Yu Qingci to see the redness rising on her face, and did not want the Qianyuan to notice that she had been stirred.

Yu Qingci put away the medicine bottle and returned to sit by the bed. Looking at Yan Lingshu’s back, she said, “Your Highness, let’s talk.”

Yesterday, after they smelled each other’s scent pheromones, it had been this sentence. Today, after the marking, it was something similar again.

Yan Lingshu calmed herself, then turned to look at her. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Talk about…” Yu Qingci deliberately drew out her tone. “Your Highness’s body.”

Yan Lingshu frowned.

Yu Qingci pointed to her injured right hand. “Your Highness, you are of imperial blood and noble birth. Do you truly not understand the principle of cherishing yourself?”