Chapter 129: Then, He Accepts This Declaration of War
Even though they were speaking of violent things, Sen Ji didn’t think she was violent at all. On the contrary, he found her incredibly charming.
She seemed… to be protecting him more and more.
Involuntarily, he wanted more.
Looking at her in her thin nightgown, Sen Ji couldn’t help but swallow. He asked tentatively, “Can I… come in?”
Xie Qiang hesitated slightly. Meeting the manās cautious and expectant gaze, she stepped aside. “Mhm.”
As soon as Sen Ji walked in, he smelled a scent of “burning fire.” It became even more obvious as he approached the bed. He couldn’t help but stop, his palm unconsciously clenching. “Did someone… come by?”
“Mhm, Hong Que stopped by.” Xie Qiang knew she couldn’t hide it from his nose, so she told the truth. “He only just left.”
When he arrived, he hadn’t run into Hong Que. How did he leave?
Sen Jiās gaze swept across the room, finally landing on the balcony in the distance. “Why didn’t you keep him for the night?”
“What?” Sen Jiās reaction was a bit unexpected. Xie Qiang looked at the balcony and then at him. “Why would I keep him for the night?”
“Haven’t you already kissed?” Sen Ji lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes looking at her lips with a dark complexity.
He had only been gone for a dozen minutes… and she had already kissed another Sentinel.
Although he had no right to be jealous, Sen Ji still couldn’t help the bitterness in his heart, envying the young Sentinel who could be allowed to leave his scent on the girl.
Xie Qiang covered her lips and closed her eyes in despair.
Is the sense of smell for these Sentinels just too supernatural? Wouldn’t it mean that no matter who she saw or what she did, it would be discovered clearly?
“Don’t frown.” Sen Ji leaned down, gently smoothing out the girlās slight frown. He forced a smile and said, “Itās okay. Itās your freedom. If you want to be with both of us ‘simultaneously,’ I… can accept it too.”
As long as she could continue to like him.
Like the “person” he was.
Xie Qiang was briefly dazed. It took her a long while to realize what he meant by “simultaneously.”
Her face turned beet red instantly. she shamefully hid her face behind her hair and shouted in a low voice, “Iām not that perverted!”
Furthermore, she couldn’t even handle one; how could she possiblyā
Considering Hong Queās crude nature when kissing, Xie Qiang didn’t dare think any further.
The way she hid her face with her hair was simply too pure and cute. Sen Ji couldn’t help but reach out to brush aside the hair on her forehead, his fingers sliding into her hair along the way.
Gently holding her head, he kissed her nose and moved downward inch by inch. His voice was husky and magnetic. “Then… Iām staying over tonight?”
“Mhm…” Xie Qiang clutched her hair, her gaze shifting slightly. she was a bit embarrassed to look at him. “Wasn’t it always going to be like that…”
Sen Jiās heart stirred. He directly picked the girl up and walked toward the bed.
Everything happened naturally until the manās hot hand felt the slightly raised tooth marks. He was briefly stunned. Before he could react, the girl acted like a startled white rabbit, suddenly drawing her legs back. “Ah, I… that wasn’t intentional!”
Aaaaahhhhh! She almost forgot that Hong Que had left tooth marks there!
Sen Jiās lips parted slightly. The tooth marks under his finger pads felt like a red-hot iron, burning him as if his entire body were being scorched by crimson fire. He looked up at the panicked girl, a trace of a dejected and helpless bitter smile flashing in his eyes.
Why be panicked?
This is your right.
You being like this… makes me feel that I am very incompetent. As the future First Consort of the State, he had actually made his Imperial Wife feel guilty, unable to balance her feelings for the other Consorts.
But in his heart, he was so happy.
Happy that she actually cared so much about his thoughts, that she would specifically explain to him for fear of making him angry.
“Itās okay…” the man coaxed softly, continuing his previous actions.
Leaving a mark in this positionāisn’t it meant to show authority to anyone who enters?
Then, he accepts this declaration of war.
…
Hong Que touched his lips, humming a tune as he returned to the Imperial Husband Tower. Just as he opened the door to his room, he met a pair of glowing golden eyesālike two candle flames suddenly lit in the dark night. It scared him into jumping back.
“Holy crap! Mo Yin! Do you want to scare me to death!”
Mo Yin looked at him gloomily. “Brother, eating alone again.”
“How can you call it that?” Hong Que turned on the light and said righteously, “You clearly felt the resonance as well; wasn’t that eating together with me!”
“Not the same…” the young man in black said in a muffled voice.
He had never kissed her like that.
Nor… had he ever been kissed by her like that.
Why give it to Brother but not to him? Does she like Brother more?
Don’t… Mo Yin felt a bit sad in his heart. He hung his head dejectedly. “Brother, hate you.”
Hong Queās body froze slightly.
This was the first time Mo Yin had said he hated him.
When he was locked in the Black Prison to suffer torture in his place, he didn’t say he hated him. When he made a deal with His Majesty to allow Mo Yin to escape the prison as Xie Qiangās guard, only to be tortured by Xie Qiang, he didn’t say he hated him.
Because he secretly went to find Xie Qiang, he was hated.
Mo Yin seemed to like Xie Qiang even more than he had thought.
Realizing this fact, Hong Que felt an indescribable sensation in his heart. He scratched his hair in frustration before asking, “Since you felt the resonance just now, why didn’t you go find her?”
He hadn’t stopped him; it was clearly his own choice not to go.
Mo Yinās lashes trembled slightly. After a moment, the young man in black looked up slightly, a flush appearing on his cheeks. He looked away with a trace of embarrassment. “Feels good… forgot.”
Hong Que: …
Hong Que: ???
Hong Que put on a forced smile and shouted at the door, “Mo Yin! Get back to your room!”
He clearly took advantage of the resonance yet still came to denounce him, making him feel that damnable guilt just now!
Pushed out of the room, Mo Yin watched the closed door and blinked his wolf-like eyes.
Brother, so stingy.
In the future, no more playing matchmaker.
Turning toward his own room, the young man in black couldn’t help but reach out and touch his still-burning lips as he walked.
Next time, must hold back.
Otherwise, Brother eats alone again.
Couldn’t eat anymore!
She had to be celibate!
The morning light poured in. Xie Qiang lay flat on the bed with her hands crossed over her chest, as exhausted as a salted fish that could no longer flip over.
On the other hand, the man beside her was radiantāeven every strand of hair was incredibly dazzling. He lightly kissed the girlās face. Seeing her glaring at him, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “What do you want to eat? Iāll go to the kitchen and get it for you.”
“Warm milk. Sliced fish congee.”
Xie Qiang said in a husky voice, “And some manual massage.”
The man let out a light laugh. “Mhm. Iāll go get the medicine.”
After Sen Ji left, Xie Qiang lay paralyzed for a while before getting up and pulling back the blanket.
She remembered that during the first time, the man only dared to leave marks on her back. The second time, although he dared to “commit the crime” where she could see, he was still quite restrained, with only scattered spots being repeatedly covered and overlapped. But the third time…
Clearly, there was no restraint at all. It was as if he were deliberately showing off to someone; the marks were everywhere, too many to count…
Translator’s Note: Sen Ji’s “declaration of war” (ę°ęø) is the highlight hereāheās reclaiming “his” territory! “Eating alone” (åēØé£) is a common way to say someone is keeping all the good stuff for themselves. Poor Mo Yin, enjoying the “resonance” but still feeling left out! Also, “Salted fish” (åøé) is a classic term for someone who just wants to lie down and do nothing.
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