After Spending a Passionate Night with the Eldest Princess - Chapter 3

Xin Yuan had no choice but to sit back down. When under someone else’s roof, one had to lower one’s head.

The wisdom of ancient people truly could not be underestimated. She had not managed to probe out anything on her end, yet this woman had nearly dug out her entire background.

Miss Qin poured herself another cup of wine and softened her voice. “What plans does Miss Xin have next?”

She asked lightly, but Xin Yuan did not dare be careless. “Naturally, I wish to find a place where I can settle down and make a living, then live an ordinary life.”

Surely there was nothing wrong with saying that.

Anyone would want to live a stable life. With such a general answer, she refused to believe this woman could still find any loopholes.

Unexpectedly, she had still underestimated how meticulous the person before her was.

Miss Qin lifted her wine cup and said with a half-smile, “Does Miss Xin not plan to find your family first?”

That identity document was probably not reliable after all.

Xin Yuan: “…”

This woman really was… almost demonically clever!

She took a sip of wine, hiding the panic in her eyes, and said calmly, “Miss Qin must be joking. Of course I must first find my parents and younger brother before considering how to settle down and make a living.”

The more one said, the more mistakes one made. Right now, she really wanted to run away…

Miss Qin looked at her as though she were looking at prey caught in an inescapable net. Her eyes were filled with interest and certainty, as if victory was already in her grasp.

“Does Miss Xin wish to settle in the capital in the future?”

This time, Xin Yuan became more cautious and answered carefully, “After I find my parents, I will see what they think.”

An answer without a single leak!

After saying this, she paid attention to the expression of the person before her. She no longer felt as if she were looking at a beautiful, otherworldly woman. Instead, it was more like she was facing some terrifying beast.

Miss Qin did not seem surprised by this answer at all. She chuckled softly. “The world is vast. With only Miss Xin’s own strength, I fear it will be very difficult for you to reunite with your family. Why not stay in the capital first? I will help you search for your family. How does that sound?”

Xin Yuan’s expression went blank for a moment. How was she supposed to answer this?

If she agreed, then she would definitely find it hard to gain freedom in the future. Her every move would be under someone else’s watch.

But if she refused, it would make it seem as though she was not anxious to find her family, which would make her true identity even more suspicious.

So this woman had never intended to let her leave at all, had she?

But what did this woman want from her?

After a moment of silence, Xin Yuan decided to pretend to agree first.

“Then I will have to trouble Miss Qin. If you can help me find my parents, I will be endlessly grateful. I would be willing to work like an ox or a horse, with no way to repay your kindness.”

“There is no need for you to work like an ox or a horse. As for repayment, there are a few things I would like to ask. I hope Miss Xin will answer truthfully.” Miss Qin tapped her fingers against the tabletop from time to time, calm and composed.

Xin Yuan nodded and did not rush to speak.

Was the answer she wanted to know finally coming? What exactly did this woman want?

“Has Miss Xin ever been married or engaged?”

Hearing this, Xin Yuan nearly knocked over the wine cup in her hand. She stared at the woman before her in disbelief. “What does Miss Qin mean by this?”

Did she want to marry her?

She could not be blamed for guessing that. First, Xidao allowed marriage between women. Second, she really could not figure out what this woman wanted from her.

So what she wanted was Xin Yuan herself?

It was a little reasonable, but mostly absurd.

Miss Qin had been watching Xin Yuan’s reaction the whole time, so naturally, she did not miss the strangeness in the other woman’s eyes. She even understood what that look meant.

The atmosphere stilled for a moment. Miss Qin’s expression turned slightly solemn. “Miss Xin has misunderstood.”

Xin Yuan could not help laughing dryly twice. “I have never been married or engaged.”

As long as this woman was not after her as a person, that was fine. She did not want to start a loveless marriage the moment she arrived here. After all, this woman looked either rich or noble. If she forced the issue, Xin Yuan really was not confident she could retreat unscathed.

Unexpectedly, Miss Qin’s next words were even more shocking.

“Miss Xin is a member of the religious order, is she not?”

The State Preceptor claimed himself to be the ancestor of those who sought the Dao. He managed all the Daoist temples, large and small, in Xidao and had issued countless Daoist rules. Among them, the strictest one was: those who entered the Dao could not marry. Men could not take wives, and women could not marry others.

Since the young woman before her was the person descended from the heavens whom the State Preceptor was searching for, and also the successor to the next State Preceptor, she should believe in these Daoist rules as well.

Xin Yuan fell silent. “I am not a member of any religious order.”

How had the topic suddenly turned to that?

Did she look like some transcendent Daoist sage? With this small, skinny body of hers, she looked more like she would be blown away by a gust of wind.

Hearing this, Miss Qin looked deeply at Xin Yuan. “Does Miss Xin wish to enter the religious order?”

Xin Yuan no longer knew what to say. Why would she enter a religious order when she was perfectly fine? She was a worldly person.

“I do not want to become a nun.”

Could it be that this woman wanted her to enter a religious order? Then she might as well marry her. She liked eating fish and meat; she did not like knocking on wooden fish drums.

Miss Qin’s expression paused slightly. She was not a member of a religious order and did not wish to enter one. How could she be the successor to the next State Preceptor?

Could it be that the State Preceptor’s words had all been excuses to brush her off? Was there something else strange about this so-called person who descended from the heavens?

She was not certain. She would ask more.

“What thoughts does Miss Xin have about entering the Dao?”

Xin Yuan: “…”

Speechlessness had reached a whole new level of speechlessness.

“No thoughts. What exactly does Miss Qin want to ask?” Thanks, but no thanks. She was a very worldly person who was attached to mortal pleasures.

Miss Qin chuckled and brushed it off. “Nothing. I was merely asking.”

As soon as the words fell, the two of them each harbored their own thoughts and quietly drank.

The wine in the cup soon reached the bottom again. Xin Yuan stood once more. “Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Qin. I am a little drunk, so I will not disturb you any longer.”

It was one thing for this woman to keep saying shocking things, but more importantly, if they continued chatting like this, Xin Yuan was afraid she would say something wrong after drinking.

This time, Miss Qin only nodded slightly and did not say anything more.

Late at night, Xin Yuan lay on the bed, forcing herself to stay awake as she reviewed the conversation between the two of them.

First, it could be confirmed that Miss Qin definitely wanted something from her.

Second, if she followed her to the capital like this, it would probably be difficult to leave in the future.

Lastly, what nonsense was this woman talking about? One moment, she was talking about dreams. The next, she was full of talk about religious orders. It was all so strange.

Xin Yuan tiredly pinched the bridge of her nose. Gradually, she could no longer resist her sleepiness and drifted into a dream.

The scene before her changed. Light gauze curtains hung around her, candlelight hazy and dim. Beside the bed stood a woman dressed in red, her hair black as ink. She was cold, aloof, and proud, like a half-bright, half-dark first-quarter moon, otherworldly and peerless.

As if bewitched by something, Xin Yuan unconsciously took a few steps forward and walked up to the woman.

The person who had originally looked so cold and distant slowly curved her lips. Her brows and eyes turned bright, overflowing with tenderness.

Xin Yuan looked dizzily at the person so close to her. She watched as the woman reached out, her jade-white, slender fingers hooking into Xin Yuan’s collar.

In her daze, Xin Yuan felt as though she had drunk several jars of aged wine and had become intoxicated in the woman’s affectionate gaze.

Her breath caught. Helplessly, she watched as the woman pulled her to the bedside.

Those hands also moved from her collar to the back of her neck, clinging to her as they fell.

Their breathing suddenly grew chaotic, and their heartbeats gradually lost balance…

The woman lightly pressed her red lips together, seductive affection flowing in the depths of her eyes.

In a daze, Xin Yuan lowered her head and slowly leaned toward those tempting lips.

Before their lips and teeth met, neither knew who had closed their eyes first…

The instant softness touched softness…

It was as though their heartbeats had stopped. Their breaths intertwined, as if even their souls had been drawn together.

Dazed and entranced, body and heart both trembling…

“How dare you!”

A cold rebuke suddenly rang out. Xin Yuan abruptly sat up, gasping for breath. Before her eyes was pitch darkness.

She rubbed her brow hard. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the dark, and as she looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar room, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

Help. Was this really her own brain? What was it thinking?!

She had actually dreamed of that woman—and even dreamed of such an indescribable scene!

It had to be because she drank too much. It definitely was!

Xin Yuan shook her head and completely lost all sleepiness.

At the same time, in the room opposite hers.

Miss Qin sat up dazedly, her eyes flickering, dark and unreadable.

She had not guessed wrong. The person who had been appearing in her dreams these past few days was Xin Yuan.

Before tonight, every time she dreamed, she had only seen a vague figure. She could not see the person’s face clearly, only that indistinct image appearing in her mind.

But just now, the shadowy figure in the dream had finally become clear. It was Xin Yuan.

Not only that, but in the dream, the two of them had even…

Miss Qin lightly touched her chest, feeling her heartbeat that had yet to calm down, and furrowed her brows.

“Master.” In the outer room, Qiuyue heard the movement and walked in with a candlestick.

Then she saw that, in the middle of the night, her Highness was not sleeping. Instead, she had gone to the table and was gulping down cold tea. Her cheeks were flushed with an abnormal red, and she looked both ashamed and furious.

“Qiuyue.”

The solemn tone made Qiuyue instinctively grow nervous.

“This servant is here.”

Miss Qin heavily set down the teacup and ordered coldly, “I command you to return to the capital at once. In secret…”