Chapter 227: Chapter 227: "I’m Not, I Genuinely Want to Help You.

Cui Lingyao furrowed her brow slightly and looked up at him.

She wanted to suggest they could have Xie Anning feign a slow recovery, so no one would notice anything was wrong.

But Xie Jinbai was already shaking his head.

"Don’t assume everyone else is an idiot. The major families in the Capital City all have their own eyes and ears, and Father’s men are exceptionally capable. Nothing is ever foolproof. No matter how carefully we try to conceal it, the news will leak out with the slightest slip-up..."

"Especially since Xie Anning is gravely ill. Several Imperial Physicians have been here to record her case."

"And some of them are the Emperor’s men."

"If we suddenly switch Imperial Physicians, it would be a dead giveaway."

"If Father gets wind that Xie Anning took a Hundred Diseases Pill and comes demanding one from me, what do you think will happen when I tell him I don’t have any more?"

’Who is Xie Anning, anyway?’

’He’d rather give such a treasure to a mere woman of the inner residence than think to offer it to his own father, the Emperor.’

How could the Emperor not be furious?

At this, Cui Lingyao was left speechless.

She couldn’t find a single word to refute him.

Xie Jinbai stroked her head and coaxed her, "Don’t even think about that elixir anymore. Just pretend I took the last one, and that the Hundred Diseases Pill no longer exists in this world. Okay?"

"..." Cui Lingyao’s neck was stiff as she slowly nodded. "I won’t mention it again."

’The consequences of revealing it are too severe, and the risks are too great.’

’In the face of the Emperor’s thunderous rage, he might not bear to punish the son he personally groomed, but Xie Anning, who would have taken the last Hundred Diseases Pill, and even the Cui Family...’

’...they would all likely suffer his wrath.’

Seeing that she finally understood, Xie Jinbai breathed a sigh of relief. The hand that had been stroking her head slid down to cup the back of her neck, tilting her head up.

He lowered his head and captured her lips.

’He hadn’t been able to kiss her properly for days.’

It was a meticulous kiss.

Their breaths mingled, their lips and teeth clinging to one another.

The air gradually grew thin.

Cui Lingyao was growing breathless, and she felt a stir of desire.

Her hand unconsciously slipped inside the collar of his robes.

Xie Jinbai didn’t stop her.

He liked it when she drew close to him.

Beneath his firm chest, his heart was pounding.

Strong and powerful.

Cui Lingyao buried her face against him.

She was kissing his scar again.

Her kisses were gentle, lingering.

Xie Jinbai’s Adam’s apple bobbed intensely.

He caressed the back of her neck, calling her name in a hoarse voice, "Yaoyao."

"Mm..."

"Does it break your heart that much?"

Cui Lingyao paused, lifting her head from his embrace.

Xie Jinbai looked at her. "Does it? Does it break your heart?"

"..." Cui Lingyao remembered how she’d felt when she saw him stab himself with that sword, and she slowly nodded.

’It was more than just heartache, even.’

’It was utter agony.’

Her heart had never been so terrified.

’In that instant, she hadn’t had time to think about anything else.’

’She hadn’t thought about whether his death would affect her resurrection.’

’She hadn’t thought about that damned mission, either.’

’Her mind was filled with a single thought: he might die.’

’Even back when she was just a soul, she had experienced the most extreme panic of her existence.’

Cui Lingyao sniffled softly. "Don’t you ever scare me like that again."

"The same goes for you."

’He had only truly frightened her this one time.’

’But her?’

’His anger was still hard to quell.’

Xie Jinbai tightened his arms around her, his voice fierce. "Don’t you ever make me worry like that again in this lifetime. And don’t you ever think of leaving me."

’He didn’t dare to ask if what she’d said before was all a lie.’

’He didn’t dare to ask if she still needed him to take a concubine.’

’If he didn’t take a concubine and have a child, would she die?’

It was a rare, peaceful moment, so Cui Lingyao certainly wasn’t going to bring it up.

For a moment, a tranquil silence fell within the bed curtains.

A gentle warmth spread through the air.

Suddenly, the small hand at his waist began to move.

Xie Jinbai’s body went rigid. His voice was dry and hoarse. "Yaoyao..."

"...Mm."

Cui Lingyao buried her head in the crook of his neck, nuzzling him gently. "Minmin said the Hundred Diseases Pill has an astounding effect," she said softly. "She was frail and on the verge of death, but the pill not only cured her, it left her feeling like she had so much energy she didn’t know what to do with it in just a short time. Your injury was less severe than hers, so I imagine the residual effects of the pill must be even more obvious for you."

’His wound has healed.’

’The leftover medicinal power all went to reinforcing his constitution and vital energy.’

’It’s probably even more potent than the Ten-Complete Great Replenishing Pills.’

’For a frail, sickly woman of the inner residence like Chen Minrou, it made her want to pounce on Zhao Shijie.’

’Let alone for a man like Xie Jinbai, in his twenties and brimming with vitality.’

’He must be miserable.’

’Yet he was still considerate of the fact that her menstrual period was due and she wasn’t feeling well, so he was enduring it all by himself.’

Thinking of this, a wave of tenderness washed over Cui Lingyao, and her movements became even more gentle.

Xie Jinbai: "..."

’When had he ever been treated like this?’

’She had helped him like this a few times before.’

’But that was always after he coaxed and cajoled her, and even then, she would only reluctantly acquiesce.’

’But now...’

’How could she be so wonderfully compliant?’

His Adam’s apple bobbed gently as his hand settled on her waist.

Cui Lingyao’s left shoulder was injured, so she was lying on her right side, which made it a bit awkward to help him.

After a moment’s thought, she simply sat up.

Outside, a cold wind raged, but with a charcoal brazier burning in the room, it was as warm as spring.

Still, emerging from the warm bedding in nothing but a thin nightgown was a bit chilly.

She wrapped the quilt around herself and then started pulling at the clothes of the man beside her.

Her movements were so bold that Xie Jinbai didn’t have time to react.

She pulled his night robe open.

His under-trousers were pushed down.

Cui Lingyao’s gaze fell.

’It was almost embarrassing to admit. They had been married for three years and had enjoyed the full extent of marital bliss.’

’But she had never taken a good look at his body...let alone *this* part.’

She made a small sound of surprise. "Why is it so ugly?" she remarked.

Xie Jinbai: "..."

He raised a hand to his forehead, covering eyes that were reddened with desire.

Cui Lingyao thought he was also ashamed of how it looked and couldn’t bear to face her, so she tried to comfort him. "Well, if it’s ugly, it’s ugly. I don’t mind."

Her tone was exceptionally sincere.

"..." Xie Jinbai was rendered speechless.

He gritted his teeth and said nothing.

Cui Lingyao stared for a while, and once she got used to the sight, it didn’t seem so intimidating anymore. "Just teach me," she said. "Tell me what to do. I said I’d help you, and I will."

’Such an honest girl, keeping her word.’

Xie Jinbai was so aroused the veins on his forehead were throbbing. He felt like he must be a living saint.

He took a deep breath and said in a raspy voice, "Just be gentle."

"Okay."

Cui Lingyao gave a crisp nod.

She obediently lightened her touch.

Making her already gentle movements even lighter.

It was hard to tell if she was ’helping’ or torturing him.

The veins on Xie Jinbai’s forehead throbbed. He gripped her waist with a large hand and said through gritted teeth, "You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you!"

"..." Cui Lingyao blinked, looking rather innocent. "I’m not. I sincerely want to help you."

Xie Jinbai stared at her without a word.

His eyes were as deep as ink, the corners tinged with red.

There was a hint of ferocity in them, born of embarrassment and anger.

Cui Lingyao immediately surrendered. "Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you."

’She had, in fact, been doing it a little on purpose.’

’Who could blame her? He’d looked so easy to bully just then.’

’I mean, who could understand?’

’This utterly domineering man, a God of Killing who would cut down gods and buddhas alike if they stood in his way, could actually be teased until the tips of his ears turned red.’

’Even now, they were still red.’

’With a contrast like that, it would have been a miracle if Cui Lingyao could have resisted.’

Still, she was afraid of truly pushing him too far.

She didn’t continue her mischievous teasing.

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