After Spending a Passionate Night with the Eldest Princess - Chapter 17

The person inside the room only unlocked the door, then made no other movement, as if she had already walked back.

Just as Xin Yuan was about to push the door open and enter, Tang Er’s voice came from behind her.

“Miss Xin, please wait. Master’s meal tonight did not include wine.”

Xin Yuan subconsciously nodded and waited where she was.

Before long, Tang Er quickly returned and handed over a jug of wine.

Xin Yuan accepted the wine jug smoothly, then pushed the door open and entered.

Inside the room, the woman sat somewhat lazily on a chair. A faint flush colored her fair face, and her ink-black hair hung loosely over her shoulders. Dampness still seemed to linger faintly among the strands. A vague, subtle fragrance filled the air, quiet and mysterious.

The moment Xin Yuan entered and saw this scene, a few scattered lines of poetry flashed through her mind: Like a lotus rising from clear water, a peerless beauty with a different kind of shyness.

The resentment filling her chest suddenly stalled, and for some reason, her temper vanished.

Clearly, the woman before her had just finished bathing. The food on the table had not been touched yet.

Miss Qin glanced at the wine jug in Xin Yuan’s hand and slightly curved her lips. “Miss Xin wants to drink and chat merrily with me?” Her smile was faint and did not reach her eyes.

Looking at this falsely gentle appearance of hers, Xin Yuan blurted out, “Stop smiling. It’s fake.”

Miss Qin’s smile paused slightly. “What does Miss Xin mean by that?”

Her voice was on the colder side. When her emotionless words fell into the ear, they were like ice and snow striking a mountain spring, every word cool and clear.

“I don’t mean anything.” Xin Yuan’s reason returned. She blamed herself for speaking without thinking and was even more annoyed that she had lost focus for that brief instant just now.

A woman with such bright, gorgeous beauty could too easily distract a person, especially when this woman had once gazed at her so deeply and affectionately in a dream.

That was why the contrast was even more obvious.

Although the woman before her often smiled at Xin Yuan, it was different from the tenderness and charm she showed in the dream.

Xin Yuan could easily tell how little sincerity this woman’s smiles carried outside of dreams.

Miss Qin said nothing more. She gathered the hair by her temple slightly, picked up her chopsticks, and began eating.

Xin Yuan sat directly across from her and placed the wine jug on the table.

Miss Qin did not even look at her. She lowered her eyes and continued picking up food. Her movements were careful and elegant, very pleasing to the eye.

Xin Yuan patiently waited until she finished eating before carefully saying, “I came to make peace.”

Miss Qin set down her bamboo chopsticks and slowly wiped the corner of her mouth, as if she had heard nothing at all. She did not respond.

Xin Yuan took a deep breath and deliberately lifted the newly swollen half of her face, going straight to the point. “I was too offensive before. Miss Qin is magnanimous, so please don’t lower yourself to argue with a crude person like me.”

Of course she wanted revenge for those two slaps, but when the enemy was strong and she was weak, throwing an egg against a rock was not wise. So for now, she could only lower her head and wait for an opportunity.

Mainly, if she let that young guard continue hitting her, her face would not survive.

She did not want to walk around with a pig’s head all the time. It was embarrassing—and very embarrassing.

Miss Qin looked at her visibly swollen face. The corner of her mouth tugged slightly, but she held it back and unhurriedly picked up her teacup.

Xin Yuan could not help rolling her eyes. “If you want to laugh, just laugh. Isn’t this all thanks to you?”

She was almost used to it by now. After all, that blockhead Guo Xiaowu had covered her mouth and secretly laughed the entire way.

Miss Qin pressed her lips together, then smiled gently. “Miss Xin should understand that I also had no choice.”

She did not have a habit of hitting people in the face. The reason she had ordered the young guard to do so was, first, to warn this person not to rely on that dream and act without fear, or even try to threaten her.

Second, it was to stagger their resting times so that Miss Qin would not be controlled by someone else in the dream again and fall into a passive position.

Xin Yuan tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I promise you. From now on, we’ll keep out of each other’s way. I sleep during the day, and you sleep at night.”

She was not stupid. She could figure out why this woman had the young guard watch her. It was only to avoid sleeping at the same time as her, avoid that dream, and prevent the two of them from sharing dreams.

But Miss Qin did not think that would quite work. “What if Miss Xin cannot resist sleepiness?”

A faint smile hung at the corner of her mouth. Her voice was leisurely and pleasant, but the words she spoke were not the slightest bit considerate.

In short, the young guard would continue watching her. Only then would Miss Qin feel at ease.

Xin Yuan rubbed her brow and could not hide her irritation. “Then he still can’t keep hitting my face.”

Miss Qin set down her teacup. Feeling that the warning had been sufficient, she took a step back. “I will have Jiang Si use another method to remind you. You may blink as you please.”

In other words, Xin Yuan was still not allowed to close her eyes and sleep. He would no longer slap her, but he would still watch her.

Hearing this, Xin Yuan secretly let out a breath of relief. Then she felt that she had been completely led off track. In the end, she still did not have the freedom to close her eyes.

“I can avoid sleeping, but I can at least close my eyes to rest, right?”

Privately, she hoped she could share that dream with this woman again. After all, in reality, the difference in their strength was too great. Only in the dream could she regain the initiative.

The feeling of being slapped twice was not pleasant. She also wanted to vent some anger.

Unfortunately, that thought could only stay in her heart. If they truly reached the dream, she did not dare act recklessly now. Otherwise, once they woke up, who knew how this woman would torment her?

“Improper,” Miss Qin said faintly.

Xin Yuan looked at the unmoved woman, and the anger in her heart rose again. Yet she had no way to deal with her.

Stifled and frustrated, she picked up the wine jug, poured herself a cup, and drank it all in one go.

Seeing this, Miss Qin also poured herself a cup and softened her tone. “I can only wrong you for these next few days. After we return to the capital, I will find a solution as soon as possible.”

After saying this, she drained the wine in her cup.

Xin Yuan raised her brows noncommittally. “After returning to the capital, are you certain you can find a solution?”

Miss Qin’s expression showed some hesitation. In the end, she still did not give a clear answer.

She was not certain…

Xin Yuan gave a dry laugh and instantly lost all interest in talking. “Then I won’t disturb Miss Qin any longer.”

If she had to stay up, then she would stay up. If she was not allowed to close her eyes, then she would not close her eyes. She admitted defeat.

But just as she stood and had only taken two steps, her feet suddenly swayed. Her body felt as if someone were holding a torch to roast her, heat surging through her in waves.

Almost at the same moment, Miss Qin abruptly stood and coldly shouted, “Xin Yuan, how dare you!”

Xin Yuan turned back blankly and saw the person by the table looking at her with an icy expression. Her eyes were sharp and filled with towering anger, yet her cheeks carried an abnormal flush.

Xin Yuan froze slightly. After reacting, she spoke very quickly. “I don’t know what happened either. I’m having a little trouble breathing.”

The first step of being cautious: when something happens, first clear oneself of blame.

Miss Qin pressed both hands hard against the table and stared fiercely into Xin Yuan’s eyes. “What did you do?”

She struggled to support her body and suppress the sudden wave of heat, but her legs still softened. She fell back into her seat.

Xin Yuan frowned. For a moment, she could not understand what was happening, but the reaction of her body told her that something was wrong.

She might have been schemed against… No, it should be that both of them had been schemed against!

Looking at Miss Qin’s somewhat disheveled state, her gaze unconsciously moved toward the jug of wine on the table.

Miss Qin clearly realized something as well. Their gazes tacitly fell on the wine jug.

Xin Yuan’s mind spun faster than ever before, and she spoke first. “Tang Er gave me this wine.”

Tang Er had a problem! But wasn’t Tang Er this woman’s guard commander?

Then was this woman the one with the problem? But looking at this woman’s state, it did not seem like…

As soon as these words came out, something flashed quickly through Miss Qin’s mind, but her reason was slipping away even faster.

She unconsciously tugged at her own collar. As if controlled by something, she shakily rose and walked toward Xin Yuan.

Xin Yuan watched helplessly as Miss Qin slipped into her arms. Her thoughts slowed, and she let the woman wrap her arms around her waist. With their breaths mingling, it felt as if she were in a dream.

The difference was that this time, Xin Yuan could not control herself either. Her reason was on the verge of fleeing, and her body was not quite obeying her commands.

“Miss Qin, calm down. This isn’t a dream.” Xin Yuan’s heart tightened. With the little reason she had left, she pushed away the person in her arms.

This was not a dream. If anything happened, it would be hard to deal with afterward.

Hearing the words “this isn’t a dream,” Miss Qin’s gaze seemed to clear a little.

She frowned, then quickly walked toward the door, but no matter what, she could not push it open.

Xin Yuan steadied her steps and hurried over to push the door with her, but the door did not move at all.

Miss Qin calmed her breathing slightly and opened her mouth. “Tang…”

After only calling out one word, she tightly pressed her lips together, and her heart sank straight down.

Tang Er was the guard commander of the Eldest Princess’s residence. If Tang Er truly had done something, then by now, he had probably already sent everyone away.

Xin Yuan was just about to call for help too when her sleeve was grabbed.

“It’s useless.” Miss Qin gripped Xin Yuan’s sleeve tightly with one hand and clenched the other against her chest. Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were grave.