Chapter 79: Tooth Marks

In the clean room, water vapor lingered, and the flickering lights cast a light golden veil on the clear and warm jade. Lips not free, Ning Yin held Yu Lingxi’s hand, letting her fingertips replace kisses to caress the scars on his chest.

Yu Lingxi had seen this body many times in her past life, but never before had a touch caused her heart to tremble so much, emotions overflowing like a disaster. Pressed against Ning Yin’s chest, she couldn’t help but think of the injured hunting hound in her past life, whose neck bones were crushed by Ning Yin’s hands.

In his subconscious mind, rather than seeing the hound lingering in agony, he preferred to give it a swift end. Just like the time in the ruined temple when he stabbed his tormented mother.

Yu Lingxi didn’t know what to say, so she could only use kisses to conceal the choked feeling in her throat, until her breath was seized, and consciousness sank. Even in such moments, Ning Yin remained relaxed, leaning back slightly and supporting the back of her head.

Yu Lingxi backed away slightly, her breathing unstable. “Ning Yin, you still owe me something.”

Ning Yin raised an eyebrow slightly.

It wasn’t until Yu Lingxi boldly grasped the collar of his black robe, and with her fingertips lightly teased, that Ning Yin understood what she meant by “something” – the purity that she hadn’t taken on their wedding day.

“Do you want to love more deeply?” he asked.

Yu Lingxi stared at him seriously, apricot eyes filled with watery radiance, a mix of gentleness and determination. Ning Yin suddenly chuckled, his dark eyes carrying a hint of allure, as if capable of engulfing everything.

Breath was suddenly captured, and the handsome lover answered with actions.

In the midst of winter, the clean room felt warm, like spring.

The candlesticks burned to the end, extinguishing several in a row, and Ning Yin’s profound handsome face became blurry.

Yu Lingxi lay on Ning Yin’s shoulder, calming her breath. Her long hair spread over her slender shoulders, forming a pool of soft black on Ning Yin’s arm.

Ning Yin savored the dampness at the corner of her eyes, rose with their intertwined posture, and carried her towards the hot tub.

With uneven steps, Yu Lingxi tightened, subconsciously biting her lip.

Water mist dispersed with the ripples, then gently converged again. As the hot water gradually enveloped their bodies, Yu Lingxi felt a slight tingling and couldn’t help but frown.

“Bastard,” Yu Lingxi said weakly, even cursing in a hoarse voice.

Ning Yin sat in the water, allowing Yu Lingxi to sit on his lap, leisurely cleaning her. “It was Sui Sui who said it herself, wanting to love more deeply.”

Yu Lingxi glared and angrily bit into his shoulder.

The man’s muscles were firm and cold, not even wrinkling his forehead.

“What are you doing?” Ning Yin’s clearly visible veins bulged on his arm resting on the edge of the pool, his gentle voice carrying indulgence.

“Also giving you a mark,” Yu Lingxi replied.

Yu Lingxi nestled on his shoulder and ground her teeth, muttering unclearly.

Ning Yin chuckled, his low voice carrying elegance and madness. “Not painful enough, use more force.”

Yu Lingxi finally relaxed her strength, whispering softly, “Don’t want to.”

She loosened her teeth, kissed the delicate and faint tooth mark, and leaned against Ning Yin’s chest, encircling his neck. She was too tired, and soon fell into a drowsy sleep.

At some point, it seemed that Ning Yin had taken her out of the hot tub, wiped her body, and applied some cool ointment to the bruise on her waist.

“When I was young, the emperor would occasionally visit that woman.”

Ning Yin’s low and hoarse voice reached her ears, dispersing like the light fragrance of incense on a table.

“Every time that woman cried miserably, I was locked in a small room next door, curled up in a dark corner, desperately covering my ears.”

At first, it was just fear and confusion, but as he grew older, he felt dirty and disgusting. Enemies and that woman were like lowly beasts.

Yu Lingxi leaned in his arms, her eyelashes fluttering.

She understood where Ning Yin’s madness and indifference towards this matter in his past life originated.

“But Sui Sui is different. Why does your voice sound so pleasant?”

Ning Yin’s fingers, still applying ointment, didn’t stop for a moment. He hooked her and forcefully pulled Yu Lingxi back from the chaos. “If I carve a seal for you, do you prefer the name ‘Sui Sui’ or ‘Lingxi’?”

With heavy eyelids, Yu Lingxi hummed tiredly, lacking the strength even to raise her hand. Following that breath, she sealed her lips. 

The arm around her waist tightened, and the world finally fell silent.

Yu Lingxi woke up when the sun was high. She lay on Ning Yin’s wide bed, her skin against soft bed, and the sound of flipping paper came to her ears. Yu Lingxi struggled to move her body and turned her head. As expected, she saw Ning Yin leaning against the headboard with his robe loosely draped.

In the dead of winter, he only wore a thin inner robe, and beneath the loose garment, two faint red scratches could be vaguely seen…

The events of last night flashed in her mind, and Yu Lingxi couldn’t help but blush.

Ning Yin lifted his gaze from the book, glanced over. “Awake?”

Using the book to support his chin, one hand reached inside the quilt, gently massaging the sore waist of Yu Lingxi.

She shivered all over, her voice carrying a soft nasal tone after waking up. “Where are my clothes?”

“Need to apply medicine.” Ning Yin half-closed his eyes, took out a jar of ointment.

While massaging and pressing, he spoke slowly, “Last night, I suddenly understood something.”

His words were without a beginning or end, and Yu Lingxi blinked in confusion.

Ning Yin leaned down, his ink-black hair hanging down behind his ears, and whispered, “The texture of white jade is indeed much softer and finer than black jade.”

Yu Lingxi was stunned, then angrily pushed Ning Yin away.

Ning Yin’s cheek was pushed to the side, but he didn’t retreat. Instead, he held her even tighter, a soft laughter trapped in his throat, causing a slight tremor in his chest.

“You are mine.” He said very softly.

Unable to breathe due to the constriction, Yu Lingxi had no choice but to relax her body. Her slender arms wrapped around his waist, and she raised the corners of her mouth. “You are mine too.”

After a moment, Yu Lingxi remembered something.

“Oh no.”

She suddenly lifted her head from Ning Yin’s embrace, panicking, “I didn’t return home all night. My parents must be worried sick.”

Although last night was the Lantern Festival, according to the tradition of this dynasty, there was no curfew for young men and women on this night. Young people could enjoy the lanterns and play all night. However, with the significant incident at the lantern festival last night, it was essential to reassure her family.

Ning Yin pinched Yu Lingxi’s neck and said, “Yu Huanchen has already come.”

“Brother has come?” Yu Lingxi exclaimed, “When?”

“At dawn,” Ning Yin said leisurely, “At that time, Sui Sui was exhausted and sleeping deeply. I couldn’t bear to wake her up, so I personally went to talk to him.”

Yu Lingxi had a bad premonition and asked, “How did you talk to him?”

Ning Yin looked at the loose robe on his body and the red marks on his chest, saying, “Just like this.”

Just like this…

Yu Lingxi’s breath caught.

Outside the palace door came two light knocks.

The attendant reported, “Your Highness, we have traced Cui An’s whereabouts.”

It was only then that Yu Lingxi snapped out of her embarrassment and whispered, “Go deal with official matters quickly.”

Ning Yin picked up her earlobe and pinched it before getting up and putting on his clothes. When he pushed open the palace door, the gentle smile in his eyes turned into a cold chill.

After Ning Yin left, maidservants entered one after another to attend to Yu Lingxi. They didn’t glance sideways, and their words were minimal, saving Yu Lingxi from much embarrassment.

A maidservant sweeping outside the palace passed by, and Yu Lingxi keenly noticed that they were holding a pile of familiar light lilac-colored dresses.

She remembered that last night Ning Yin casually used her inner garment to wipe…

Her cheeks flushed, and she hurriedly stood up. “Wait!”

She took the dresses from the maidservant’s hands, hid behind a screen, and flipped through them, feeling puzzled.

After searching, she still couldn’t find the inner garment that got dirty.

“Are all the clothes here?” Yu Lingxi asked.

“Miss, they are all here,” the maidservant said cautiously, “But did this servant miss something?”

“Nothing,” Yu Lingxi pretended to be nonchalant and returned the dresses.

Strange, where did the inner garment go?

After tidying up and having an extremely exquisite and sumptuous brunch, Yu Lingxi left a letter for Ning Yin, informing him that she was going to the Yu Mansion first.

She didn’t want to keep anything related to Ning Yin from her family.

To her surprise, as soon as she stepped out of the Prince’s Mansion gate, she saw the Yu Mansion’s carriage already parked in front of the steps.

This time, her father personally came to pick her up.

General Yu looked at his daughter, who clearly stayed overnight and changed her clothes. A complex expression appeared on his resolute face, and after a while, he said in a deep voice, “Get on the carriage first.”

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