Chapter 11: The Empress Dowager and Her Substitute Little Lover

"My Lady." Qingli handed the letter in her hand to Hua Yue.

Hua Yue lowered her eyes to unfold it. After taking in the contents, she rolled her eyes and tossed it into the nearby brazier, where it instantly turned to ash.

"Understood. From now on, there is no need to report his affairs to me immediately as you did before."

It was a message from Wei He, instructing her to prepare certain things within the palace. The original owner had ordered that anything concerning Wei He must be reported to her at once. As for now?

He could go to hell.

Qingli’s eyes brightened. "Understood, My Lady!"

...

...

Hua Yue returned shortly after, followed by Qingli. A flash of disappointment crossed Wei Yan’s eyes.

Hua Yue: "..."

What exactly was he disappointed about?

"Two days should be enough time for you to handle your own affairs, right?"

Qingli was confused; she didn't know what had transpired between the two in such a short time, and she found their conversation incomprehensible. Her eyes were filled with bewilderment.

Wei Yan chuckled. "It won't take two days. Today will suffice."

In truth, he was curious. Where did she intend to place him?

Hua Yue glanced at him and sneered, "I cannot."

"..."

"But I have nowhere to stay. I've been sleeping in the trees these past few days," Wei Yan said, raising an eyebrow with an air of extreme sincerity, tinged with a hint of grievance.

Hua Yue would have to be possessed by a ghost to believe his lies.

"...Qingli, give him the key to Qingya Pavilion."

Qingli’s eyes widened. "Huh?"

Qingya Pavilion was her mistress's private residence. To give the key to a private residence to an outside man? And one who looked as bewitching as a fox spirit?

She was in a daze. Could her mistress be planning to...

*Hiss—*

Qingli didn't dare to dwell on it further and only managed a dazed, "Yes, My Lady."

"You may go now."

Having accomplished a major task, Hua Yue felt she needed some rest.

Wei Yan: "..."

Just like that?

"I still have something to say."

Hua Yue raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is it?"

Wei Yan blinked and gestured toward Qingli.

Qingli stared: "?"

What was this fox spirit up to now?

"Qingli, you go out first."

"Yes."

Qingli left, feeling aggrieved. Hua Yue turned her gaze to Wei Yan. Wei Yan smiled and patted the space beside him.

Hua Yue: "...You are a troublesome one."

Despite the remark, she sat down. Their skirts overlapped, tangled together so that one could not tell whose was whose.

No sooner had she sat down than Wei Yan leaned toward her with practiced ease. He wrapped his arm around her waist and sighed, "Why is my lady in such a hurry to send me away?"

Hua Yue stiffened imperceptibly for a moment, but upon realizing she didn't feel as much resistance as she expected, she relaxed.

A faint, mysterious fragrance drifted through the air. Hua Yue disliked the scent of incense; she frowned at Wei Yan and said, "Do not use incense in my presence from now on. And what else is it you wanted to say?"

Wei Yan answered first, then smiled brilliantly. "My lady, do I now count as your... lover?"

Hua Yue gave him a light, airy look. "Mm."

"Then, may I have a kiss?"

As he spoke, the boat lurched violently, and Wei Yan fell forward, caught off guard.

*Hiss—*

As fate would have it, his lips collided with Hua Yue’s forehead.

Where Hua Yue could not see, a flash of triumph crossed the man’s eyes.

A faint scent of blood reached her. Hua Yue blinked. This taste...

She stared intently at the man’s lips. They were neither thin nor thick, perfectly shaped, and now, a single drop of fresh blood hung from the corner of his mouth, making him look incredibly seductive.

Even more alluring.

Seeing Hua Yue staring at the corner of his mouth, Wei Yan felt a slight prick of guilt.

"Wh-what is it?"

"You—"

Hua Yue raised her gaze. Her eyes, usually calm and unruffled, were now startlingly bright. She tilted her head, her burning gaze seemingly capable of boring a hole through Wei Yan.

Wei Yan’s heart trembled.

"My la—"

Before he could finish, Hua Yue suddenly reached out to stroke his cheek. Her hand slid slowly down his face, a gesture so ambiguously tender it made his heart race.

Before Wei Yan could react, the charming face before him suddenly loomed closer.

Lips met.

Wei Yan: "...!!!"

What, what, what was she doing? She was kissing him?

Hua Yue’s lips covered the spot where the man had just been injured. She tilted her head slightly, slowly grinding and pressing against him. Lips and teeth interlocked, and an ambiguous tension grew.

Wei Yan quickly recovered and began to respond. The sound of their lips entwining, accompanied by the gentle lapping of water, stirred up ripples of intimacy.

The cloying scent of incense had vanished. Hua Yue frowned, a flicker of dissatisfaction in her eyes, and she bit down on the wound on his lip once more.

Satisfied, she tasted that flavor again.

The man chuckled. "My lady, you are a bit fierce, aren't you?"

Hua Yue ignored him, focusing entirely on her 'kissing.' Wei Yan soon caught on, responding eagerly, his long, slender fingers wrapping around her waist, pulling her in with a hint of force.

His lips felt both painful and itchy.

A quarter of an hour later, the two pulled apart, thin silver threads of saliva connecting their lips, thick with ambiguity.

Wei Yan’s lips were stained with Hua Yue’s lip rouge, appearing exceptionally vivid. He licked his lips, feeling them go numb. Lowering his gaze, he saw Hua Yue still staring at his mouth.

At that single glance, Wei Yan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He leaned forward, head bowed, intending to press down again, but was pushed away.

Wei Yan: "..."

"Are we not kissing anymore?" He sighed, feeling unfinished.

Hua Yue’s own lips were stained with a trace of blood. Under Wei Yan’s predatory gaze, she pursed her lips and licked away the bloodstain with the tip of her tongue.

Wei Yan’s eyes grew even redder.

"You may go now."

Wei Yan was stunned. "Huh?"

The woman’s eye corners were flushed red. Whether it was his imagination or not, he felt she looked even more... radiant than before.

He sniffed.

"You smell so good."

When he first entered, there had only been the scent of incense in the boat house. Now... there was a faint, elusive fragrance. It was neither heavy nor light, but exceptionally pleasant. It must have been coming from Hua Yue herself.

He bowed his head, wanting to get closer to take a better sniff.

"What do you smell?"

"Fragrance."

"What kind of fragrance?"

Wei Yan blinked, inexplicably becoming shy. "Is it my lady’s natural scent?"

Hua Yue narrowed her eyes.

Wei Yan immediately admitted his fault. "I was wrong."

"..."

Hua Yue said speechlessly, "Alright, you may go."

Wei Yan remained silent. Hua Yue raised her hand and, under the man’s expectant gaze, slowly stroked the corner of his mouth and pressed it lightly.

*Hiss—*

"It hurts," Wei Yan said pitifully.

The wound began to ooze blood again. Hua Yue’s gaze darkened slightly. She lifted her chin and kissed the wound lightly, then tilted her head slightly. "We shall meet again when your wounds have healed. Be good, little brother."

Wei Yan’s pupils constricted as Hua Yue patted his head, much like one would pet a puppy.

Hua Yue pushed him away, and what she saw was his stunned expression. She lifted her chin slightly. "Go."

"Oh."

...

...

"You—"

"She—"

"You two—"

Qin Ziyan pointed at Wei Yan’s swollen lips and the look of utter intoxication on the man’s face; he simply couldn't bear to look.

"But... what on earth did you two talk about?"