Chapter 51: Warmth in the Tent
Is this affection?
Xuan Rui chuckled mockingly and continued eating his soy-braised beef. Occasionally glancing at the little princess’s elegant dining manners, he found it such a delightful sight that he ended up eating two extra bowls of rice.
Li Youqing was accustomed to eating only until seventy percent full. Though tonight’s dishes suited her palate perfectly, she still only finished slightly over half a bowl.
After the meal, she drank a full cup of fresh milk.
Having heard that drinking milk could help with height growth, she had persisted in drinking it daily since childhood. Unfortunately, it hadn’t yielded any noticeable results.
Back in the capital it was manageable, but now in the northwest, everyone around her seemed to grow tall and sturdy.
Especially Xuan Rui – who knew what he ate to grow so tall? When standing, he resembled a giant.
Noticing how quickly she set down her chopsticks, Xuan Rui frowned. He pulled her back and settled her on his lap, saying, “You’re still at the age for growth, you need to eat more.”
Hearing this, Li Youqing’s face darkened.
She was well aware of her petite stature, but back in the palace, no one dared to mention this shortcoming.
She sneered coldly, brushing away his hand. “At my age, I won’t grow any taller. If General Xuan finds me too short, there are plenty of tall women in the northwest—”
Catching the teasing glint in his eyes, she stopped speaking, somewhat annoyed as she averted her gaze.
“I meant physical development, where did your mind wander?” Xuan Rui pinched her waist, his large hand moving upward with deliberate seriousness. “This part is sufficient, but your waist needs more flesh.”
Li Youqing’s face flushed crimson. She knew he wouldn’t say anything proper. Then she heard him whisper by her ear, “Otherwise you’re too delicate – it wouldn’t be satisfying when handling matters.”
“You—” Li Youqing choked back her frustration. She stood up, walked around the screen, and sat sulking on the bed for a long while.
Xuan Rui smiled faintly and picked up his chopsticks to continue his meal.
When he went out to wash up, Liu Shi came as usual to assist Li Youqing with her bath.
After each spent nearly half an hour freshening up, Xuan Rui returned to the tent to find Li Youqing sitting at the table reading, her expression serious as she occasionally annotated with a brush.
Not wanting to disturb her, he went to bed first.
On her side, Li Youqing breathed a sigh of relief and continued sitting upright with feigned dignity.
Though her book remained unread, she remained acutely aware of any movement beyond the screen.
Seeing that he seemed genuinely asleep, she finally settled down to read properly.
Having drunk too much last night and lacking proper rest during the day, after several consecutive yawns, she unconsciously slumped over the table.
In her drowsy state, she was startled awake by approaching footsteps.
Simultaneously, the lamp in the tent suddenly went out.
The familiar scenario made Li Youqing shiver involuntarily.
After prolonged silence, she stood up and asked uneasily, “General, was it you who extinguished the lamp?”
The surroundings were too dark for her to discern his position, and even his breathing was nearly inaudible.
Suddenly, she was lifted and turned around to sit on the writing desk.
The man’s tall figure loomed over her as a faint scent of licorice wafted into her nostrils. Warm fingertips traced her face, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ears.
Xuan Rui, not wanting to frighten her like last time, merely asked with slight impatience, “After reading for so long, aren’t you tired?”
The hard desktop pressed uncomfortably against her hips, but knowing what might follow, she could only endure it.
Shaking her head against her true feelings, she said, “I’m not tired.”
“Really not sleepy?” He leaned in closer, his voice already somewhat hoarse.
“Were you already asleep? Did I wake you with the sound of turning pages?” Li Youqing pressed both hands against his chest, startled to find it burning like hot iron, every contour of his muscles distinctly perceptible.
How could he be like this—even his upper garment was removed—
A flame suddenly ignited in Xuan Rui’s chest. He lowered his gaze to those delicate hands, swallowing slowly before speaking in a deep voice: “This General hasn’t received his payment yet. Tell me, how could I possibly sleep?”
Li Youqing instinctively shrank her neck, pleading in her tone: “Can we skip it today? I—”
Before she could finish, her ear was caught between his teeth.
He seemed already displeased, his bite rough and impatient.
Li Youqing trembled like a lamb spotted by a wolf, her skin breaking out in shivers as she arched her back trying to sink lower. But he lifted her chin and captured her lips in a heavy kiss.
Surrounded by complete darkness, it felt like breaking through daytime restraints, unleashing their innate roughness to the extreme.
The sound of wet kisses echoed conspicuously in the night, making her heart tremble. Her arms weakly braced against the desktop on either side.
Her slender waist arched backward as if it might snap at any moment.
Xuan Rui ran his hand over it and commented disapprovingly: “Eat more to gain some weight from now on. Otherwise, I’m always holding back, afraid of breaking you—no fun at all.”
With that, his hand slid toward more fleshy areas.
Li Youqing went limp, relying entirely on his support, when he suddenly pressed: “Do you like country bumpkins?”
She froze as his lips slid to her ear, his desire-soaked voice pouring into it: “Say it—”
Li Youqing bit her lip hard to suppress a scream.
In the darkness, he shed that outer layer of restraint, no longer hiding anything. An overwhelming pressure made her instinctively want to submit.
Even sitting on the desk, she remained half a head shorter than him, forced to look up and meet his gaze.
The man’s sharp eyes gleamed brightly, fixed intently on her with added scrutiny.
As long as the prey remained silent, he could play with her endlessly, his energy seemingly boundless.
Li Youqing stayed quiet, thinking this would buy time, but severely underestimated his ruthlessness.
His rough thumb pressed against her lips, paused for a moment, then pushed directly inside.
Only then did she panic. Trying to speak, her tongue inevitably brushed against his knuckle.
In further fluster, she ended up biting down.
With her jaw gripped by his other hand, she couldn’t muster real force—the feeble pressure felt more like a teasing caress.
A sigh echoed by her ear. He seemed displeased and withdrew his finger.
The moment he released her, Li Youqing jumped off the desk, but was caught again after just a few steps.
His powerful arms locked firmly around her, rendering her immobile. His voice carried a chill: “No matter. This General will keep you company.”
Li Youqing recalled him using this same opening line during interrogations at Qing He Dance House, sending a chill through her heart.
Realizing she wouldn’t get any peace tonight without giving him an answer, she finally murmured softly: “I suppose… I like them.”
“Hmm?” Dissatisfied, he stroked her head: “Don’t play games with this General, Qingqing. You should know—nothing good in this world comes for free.”
Merchants rise not without profit; for every task undertaken, corresponding benefits must be obtained.
She was no great philanthropist herself.
Li Youqing had been surrounded by admirers since childhood, showered with everything she desired. People eagerly offered gifts without expecting repayment, fearing only that she might disdain their offerings.
No one had ever been like this voracious wolf before her, utterly unwilling to suffer the slightest loss.
“If the General wishes to become a consort, he ought to maintain some restraint. This princess will summon you when the time is right,” Li Youqing insisted, struggling to preserve her dignity with rigidly measured words.
Though she couldn’t discern his expression, a low chuckle reached her ears.
“Very well.” Xuan Rui swept her into his arms horizontally, as if finally losing patience.
Li Youqing’s face changed color. She hammered his shoulder with her fist and scolded, “Xuan Rui! How can we do such things daily? Even with someone I favor, this princess would never permit it!”
Xuan Rui, who had been poised like an arrow on the bowstring, felt fireworks explode in his mind at the words “someone I favor.” In several large strides, he carried her to the bedside and gently laid her down.
His mood improved, restoring some of his patience.
“Not daily,” he softened his tone, brushing his thumb over the corner of her eye.
No tears—that meant they could continue—
His large hand pinned her slender wrists, first showering delicate kisses on her lips until she fully relaxed, then allowing his tongue to delve inside.
“Mmph, mmph—” Li Youqing had already been kissed into weakness at the desk earlier; now she stood completely defenseless.
The hand restraining her wrists slid upward, interlacing fingers with hers. Strands of hair tangled between their joined fingers, the slight tugging driving him wilder with desire.
Li Youqing’s small mouth soon grew sore and swollen.
Unable to endure it, she bent her knee, attempting to push him away.
Unexpectedly, he was prepared. He knelt with one leg, pressing down both her knees as he leaned over her.
Xuan Rui’s lips lingered at the tip of her tongue, murmuring indistinctly, “I’ve been meaning to say—stop kicking me down there.”
Li Youqing flushed, denying, “I haven’t! It’s you who always bullies me.”
“Where have I bullied you?” His voice grew husky, almost hypnotic, as he nuzzled her earlobe with his chin and drawled, “Where—”
He elongated the two syllables.
Li Youqing widened her eyes, accusing him, “Xuan Rui, you’re inhuman!”
“Mmm, let’s test that.” He genuinely wanted to try, but merely entertained the thought.
With that, he rolled over, pulling her to face him sideways.
They had experimented repeatedly that night—this position was least likely to cause trouble.
Li Youqing’s eyes reddened as she glared at him venomously. “Could General Xuan preserve some dignity tonight?”
“With you, preserving dignity would suffocate me.” Half-kneeling, he reached up and drew the bed curtains closed.
The bed space darkened considerably. Disliking the obscurity—he preferred her to see clearly—he climbed down to light a candle.
When he pulled back the curtains and returned, Li Youqing stared in astonishment.
In the dim golden light, the man’s cold, murderous aura faded, replaced by a hazy sensuality. His face appeared flawlessly handsome, without a single blemish.
His black hair was tied back with a jade clasp, cascading beside his sharply defined jaw as he reclined. With a mere glance, one could see the slightly parted collar revealing two golden-jade collarbones.
“What are you looking at?” Noticing Li Youqing’s dazed gaze, Xuan Rui chuckled, his eyes brimming with unabashed shamelessness.
“I wasn’t looking at you.” Li Youqing stubbornly turned her head away, refusing to meet his gaze.
Xuan Rui gently grasped her delicate chin, turning her face back toward him as he coaxed softly, “Just relax.”
Having experienced this once before, Li Youqing dared not trust him this time, pleading with him in soft, gentle words.
Unfortunately, the man’s heart was as hard as the part below his waist at this moment.
Not only did Xuan Rui refuse to comply, he even frightened her further: “Don’t squirm like last time, or if you really get hurt, this General won’t take responsibility.”
“Xuan Rui, I’ll kill you.” Li Youqing’s face paled, tears welling up in her eyes.
Then, she saw him lower his head.
Uncertain what he intended to do and recalling his earlier words, she grew so tense she didn’t dare move a muscle.
As the tent curtains swayed gently, she turned her face and saw a shadow cast to one side.
A massive figure crouched like a beast poised to attack.
Yet this ferocious beast was now adopting an unprecedented posture of humility, desperately trying to please the delicate prey beneath him.
Li Youqing’s body stiffened abruptly, then gradually, an unnatural flush spread across her cheeks.
She felt as if she were burning with fever, her mind growing hazy, heat rising from head to toe.
A wave of warmth surged through her blood. She took a deep breath, holding it several times.
Closing her eyes, she felt like a flickering candle flame on the table—half broken, half warm.
In her dazed state, a pillow was slipped beneath her, startling a cry from her lips.
Gradually, her cries turned into whimpers, soft as a kitten’s.
The bedsheet grew crumpled under her clawing nails. Before she could regain her composure, her lips were sealed again.
This time, she tasted something salty.
Realizing what it was, she frowned and struggled briefly before losing strength and yielding.
“Feeling good now?” Xuan Rui’s voice was hoarse as he held her, comforting her for a while.
“What nonsense.” The person in his arms murmured like a kitten, her tone languid and coquettish.
Xuan Rui could wait no longer, unfastening the buttons at her collar with one hand.
Still lost in the sensations of moments before, Li Youqing buried her face in the crook of his neck, pressing forward willingly and nuzzling against him.
In that instant, his mind exploded again.
All reason vanished in that moment as the buried ferocity within him surged forth.
He didn’t even care if he might accidentally kill the little prey he had worked so hard to capture.
When Li Youqing was sixteen or seventeen, she had imagined what her future husband would be like.
Everyone around her, including her Imperial Brother, believed she favored Jin Cheng.
Even she herself thought her consort should be like Jin Cheng—a refined, elegant young gentleman as graceful as orchids and jade trees.
Therefore, from the very beginning, she had felt aversion toward men like Xuan Rui.
He was brutal and crude, cold and merciless, utterly lacking in gentlemanly demeanor.
Yet this very man had willingly detoxified her, risked his life to rescue her and her Imperial Brother from Zhenbei Wang.
Li Youqing had always been a light sleeper since childhood, but beside him, she could always sleep deeply.
These days, it seemed that as long as this person was present, even the greatest difficulties could be overcome.
She trusted him and didn’t resist being close to him.
Was this feeling love?
But even if it was love, she couldn’t allow anyone to dominate her.
She was a princess—she should be the one on top—
Driven by her competitive spirit, she actively kissed his lips, then flipped over and climbed atop him.
This was the first time she had taken the initiative to kiss him. Xuan Rui felt his heart melt, gently embracing her as he gradually allowed her to have her way.
Li Youqing’s movements were urgent and utterly chaotic.
“Don’t you—” Xuan Rui’s mind was on the verge of exploding. He felt a throb at his forehead before she flipped him over, ending up on top.
The only shred of reason left allowed him to remain still, but he couldn’t bring himself to push her away.
Unable to endure it, she was like a reckless youth.
Before long, a pained cry echoed through the air as the flower-like youth tumbled heavily from above.
“You little troublemaker, you’re something else,” Xuan Rui said, rubbing his forehead, the veins at his temples bulging.
After half a moment, he finally managed to sit up and catch his breath.
This little one really knew how to stir up trouble—
He glanced down and saw her lying beside him, her face deathly pale and silent for a long while. He couldn’t help but shake his head.
Suddenly recalling the life-threatening sensation from moments before, Xuan Rui quickly got out of bed to light a lamp, then leaned in close to examine her carefully.
The sheets were damp, bearing a faint reddish stain, though not very noticeable.
His heart tightened. Wrapping her in the quilt, he held her close and said with aching tenderness, “Was any of this worth playing around with?”
Li Youqing was so weak she could barely breathe, lacking even the strength to cry. She murmured dazedly, “Don’t worry, I won’t hold you responsible.”
“What foolish talk is that?” Xuan Rui kissed her cheek and said gently, “From now on, you can only be mine. No one will take you away.”
Li Youqing had also noticed the faint red stain earlier, and a wave of bitterness surged in her heart.
She had only been imitating what he had done before, merely switching their positions—how could such an accident happen?
“Don’t think about it anymore. From now on, I’ll listen to you in everything,” Xuan Rui said, a trace of guilt in his heart, though overshadowed by greater tenderness. He soothed her, “We’ll wait until after we’re married.”
“Don’t even think about it. I never want to do it again,” she said resentfully, curling up tightly and wrapping herself in the quilt like a wounded little animal.
If it hurt this much from just an accidental touch, what would it be like if—
Xuan Rui chuckled and said bluntly, “That’s not up to you.”
“You—” Li Youqing fumed, glaring at him. “Who said I’d marry you? You’re just a big clumsy bear.”
The shadows of the bed curtains swayed as he got up and called out a few instructions. Soon, two sturdy maids carried in a bathtub and left without so much as a glance.
Li Youqing kept her legs tightly together, not daring to move a muscle.
In the end, Xuan Rui stripped her, carried her into the bathtub, and washed her himself.
After soaking in the hot bath, she finally began to feel somewhat better.
Lying in bed, Xuan Rui comforted her with a few more words, repeatedly promising not to touch her again for some time.
The cold night was silent, but inside the bed curtains, it was as warm as spring. After confessing their feelings to each other, they fell asleep in each other’s embrace.