Chapter 417: Chapter 415: Has He Touched These Places?
Shadows of the candle flickered crimson.
The once spacious and opulent canopy bed now seemed stiflingly narrow.
An overwhelming pressure surged from Lu Ying, suffocating Shen Yinning to the point where she could barely breathe.
Clearly, she had the upper hand...
Clearly, in her game with him, she had always held the upper hand. Yet at this moment, she was like a prisoner trapped in a cruel dilemma, unable even to resist!
The man seized both her wrists and lifted them above her head. His other hand gripped the back of her head, pressing forward to claim her lips in a savage kiss!
Shen Yinning fell against the bed, her curses muffled in her throat. Her frantic struggles were nothing more than the futile throes of prey, serving only to fuel the predator’s relentless interest.
Teardrops rolled from the corners of her eyes onto the brocade quilt.
Her phoenix-shaped eyes brimmed with malice, and she suddenly sunk her teeth into Lu Ying’s thin lips!
Lu Ying, who had shared the same bed with her for so long, how could he not know her tricks?
He loosened his grip just in time, catching her cheeks in his hand and forcing her mouth open.
The girl’s cheeks were smooth and tender, like the finest silk to the touch.
Lu Ying’s narrow eyes still glowed faintly with a chilling crimson. His gaze fell upon Shen Yinning’s belly, growing darker and more unreadable.
Shen Yinning keenly felt his stare, turning her head to break free from his hold. Her breathing quickened with anxiety: "What are you trying to do?!"
Lu Ying reached out, gently brushing against her pregnant belly.
"Lu Ying, you mustn’t do anything drastic!"
Lu Ying’s brows furrowed slightly; his tone was mocking: "What’s this? Can’t bear parting with Cui Ji’s seed? Afraid I’ll force you to abort it? Rest assured, I wouldn’t stoop that low."
He only wanted... to look at her belly.
Ignoring her resistance, he took a shawl to bind her hands and methodically began unbuttoning her garments.
Shen Yinning curled up in the corner of the bed, tightly clenching her legs together. She shut her eyes in shame, her cheeks blazing red.
Lu Ying’s gaze, sharp as a dagger, seemed to dissect her inch by inch.
And yet, she was utterly defenseless within this deep palace...
Lu Ying’s eyes, dark and bottomless, mirrored the girl before him.
The pregnancy had plumped her figure, making her soft and lush like a trembling lotus flower. Her skin and bones were delicate as tofu; a mere pinch would yield water.
His throat grew dry, and he restrained himself forcefully, suppressing his surging desires. He simply drew her tightly into his arms.
The girl was warm and soft.
This was the posture he had dreamed of every night for the past few months.
He gently stroked, his voice hoarse: "Have all these places been touched by him?"
"Lu Ying, you madman—"
The woman’s mouth, it seemed, only knew how to utter words displeasing to him.
Lu Ying kissed her lips roughly.
And the more he kissed, the more urgent he grew, forcing her into the corner of the bed.
In the end, he leaned over her entirely, his cold and noble face alight with scorching passion. Yet mindful of her pregnancy, he refrained from advancing further, instead grabbing her hand and grinding against it, never loosening his lips from hers.
Shen Yinning’s pupils contracted violently.
Pure as snow on high mountains, bright as the moon within the clouds?
Severe yet upright, self-disciplined and restrained?
Whoever had such words to describe Lu Ying?!
The candlelight flickered erratically.
It was unclear how much time had passed before Lu Ying finally released her.
Shen Yinning nearly broke down, screaming as she furiously wiped her hands on the brocade quilt.
Lu Ying pulled her closer, his broad and slender hand covering her pregnant belly.
It was the seed of another man...
Inside her, was the flesh and blood of another man.
In the past, he had begged her endlessly to bear his child, but she had refused. Not only refused but turned around and conceived Cui Ji’s child instead.
Lu Ying’s eyes turned blood-red, and though he controlled himself, his other hand clenched into a fist, veins bulging.
He took a deep breath.
The past was something he could not dwell on.
If he had resolved to start over with her, then all those bygone matters ought to be cast aside.
Moments later, he picked up her clothes and draped them over Shen Yinning, covering her pale and bare body.
He smoothed out the stray hair falling along her forehead, his gaze landing on her coiffure.
She favored ornate and costly hairpins, yet now, alongside the gold hibiscus flower pin, there sat a simple wooden hairpin.
Hand-carved and gifted to her by Cui Ji.
Lu Ying found it exceedingly displeasing.
He plucked the wooden hairpin and snapped it in half.
As Shen Yinning’s stunned gaze bore into him, he said indifferently, "These shabby things—don’t wear them again. Going forward, all expenses for Furong Palace will come from my private funds."
After a pause, he added, "I had intended to continue sending you golden bird’s nest soup, but I consulted Doctor Xiao Chen today. He mentioned that overeating during pregnancy could potentially lead to a larger fetus, increasing the risks of difficult labor. Whether Cui Ji’s seed survives or not doesn’t matter; it’s you I care about. I know you’ve thought about appealing to Empress Dowager Li to ensure a safe delivery, but now that I’ve personally taken over, there’s no need for you to negotiate with her further."
He decided everything for her without pause.
Shen Yinning clutched her clothes tightly to cover herself and suddenly slapped Lu Ying.
The sharp edge of her fingernail left a crimson scar on the man’s cheek.
Lu Ying lowered his lashes, their fine shadow casting over his face.
After a long moment, he looked at her with a faint smile: "Upset because I broke the token of love between you and Cui Ji?"
Shen Yinning rasped, "Madman!"
Lu Ying didn’t care about her insults.
Madman or lunatic—it mattered little.
Anything was better than losing her altogether—better than watching her revel in happiness with Cui Ji.
He stood, gently ruffling the girl’s head: "I need to attend to state affairs. I’ll see you again tomorrow."
Before Shen Yinning could strike him once more, he turned and left Furong Palace.
Behind him, the sounds of smashing objects erupted.
The girl had a hot temper; after being treated this way tonight, she was surely throwing a fit.
Lu Ying stepped out into the palace’s snowstorm.
Gui Quan and others held lanterns, bowing their heads in greeting.
In the warm orange glow of the lantern light, the man’s dark purple fox-fur cloak swayed amidst the falling snowflakes. His thin lips curved into an arc as he brushed his finger over the scratch on his cheek, his crimson eyes filled with satisfaction and disdain.
The Imperial Study.
When Lu Ying returned, Lu Shiyan was already there.
Lu Shiyan sat in his wheelchair, slowly fiddling with a string of sandalwood Buddha beads.
Hearing the eunuchs lift the felt curtain, he turned his head to look at Lu Ying.
Under the bright candlelight, Lu Shiyan clearly noticed the scar on Lu Ying’s cheek—
Evidently scratched by a woman’s fingernail.
He spoke with a hint of schadenfreude in his tone: "Was that Zhaozhao? Lu Ying, you deserved it."
Lu Ying straightened his robes, taking a seat: "If only you could be scratched, but alas, you can’t even see her."
Lu Shiyan’s face darkened instantly, his hand clutching the Buddha beads tighter.
He had returned to the capital specifically to take Zhaozhao away.
But Lu Ying refused to let her go!
He couldn’t even meet Zhaozhao in person!
Determined, he said sternly, "True love should be mutual. Forcing her like this—how can that be considered love?"
"Mutual?" Lu Ying sneered. "She and Cui Ji are mutual. So what, royal brother, would you prefer watching them grow old happily together, surrounded by children and grandchildren?"