Caiyu eyed his proud and reserved jawline and understood his implication. Pouting, she said,
"Your Highness, if you want me to feed you, just say so! It's really naughty of you to beat around the bush and scare people."
Despite her complaints, she picked up a pastry and walked around in front of Song Yinghuai, holding it up to his lips.
Song Yinghuai glanced at the pastry under his nose and turned his head away, his words tinged with annoyance.
"Is this how you serve me?"
It was the first time Caiyu had seen a man act so childishly. She found it both novel and endearing, as if he had unexpectedly found her weak spot.
Perhaps it was the bold lyrics from downstairs that were getting to her. Biting her lip and smiling faintly, Caiyu murmured in a voice as soft as a cat's purr, "My husband, please have some pastry."
Although her voice was so soft, it sounded like a thunderclap in Song Yinghuai's heart.
He suddenly looked up at Caiyu, reaching out to hold her fingertips. "What did you just call me?"
It wasn't the first time Song Yinghuai had heard Caiyu call him "husband," but the last time she had been half - asleep. This time, she was wide awake.
Caiyu was startled when the pastry in her hand was crushed into powder by the man and fell rustling to the ground as he held her fingertips.
"I've overstepped my bounds," Caiyu thought Song Yinghuai's strong reaction was a sign of anger. Feeling heart - broken, she quickly wiped the playful look off her face, her eyes turning red.
She tried to pull her fingers back, but couldn't.
With red - rimmed eyes, Caiyu mumbled, "Your Highness, this servant..." Before she could finish, Song Yinghuai pulled her into his arms.
Caiyu's legs went weak, and she fell onto his lap. He kissed her fingertips.
What overstepping?
She must have no idea how long he had been waiting for Caiyu to call him "husband" again.
"You haven't overstepped," Song Yinghuai said, his heart fluttering. He wrapped his arms around her waist and settled her on his lap, his eyes fixed on her beautiful face. In a low voice, he said, "Feed your husband."
As his teeth gently bit down and his lips brushed against her fingertips, it was like an electric current passing through, causing a slight shiver.
His breath was hot.
The crushed pastry fell even more vigorously.
Afraid of making a mess, Caiyu held her palm under to catch the crumbs, watching with teary eyes as he ate all the pastry from her hand.
Her heart was pounding.
What did Song Yinghuai mean when he said she hadn't overstepped?
Did he just admit that he was her husband?
Where did he place her exactly?
She didn't have time to figure it out before Song Yinghuai finished the small pastry.
The man sat casually in the chair, his spine relaxed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the two young men on the third floor poking their heads out of the window, staring eagerly at his private room across the way.
Song Yinghuai let out a soft snort and flicked the window of his room open wider so that the two young men could see clearly.
Then, he smiled at Caiyu, his eyes bright. He gave a clearer order, "There seems to be something on my lips."
Caiyu was completely oblivious to what he had done.
She only knew that this man was being cutely proud today, so she was willing to obey.
She wrapped her arms around Song Yinghuai's neck and leaned towards his lips.
Her lips were like a gentle caress on his heart, causing a tingling, itchy sensation.
Song Yinghuai curled his fingers on the armrest and naturally responded.
He kissed her lips, then her lip beads.
The kiss was gentle, solemn, and full of passion.
Song Yongzhen was stunned. Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he said, "N - Nine... Is that our Fourth Brother?"
From their position, they could just see a section of the woman's wrist on Song Yinghuai's neck. Against the blue sleeve, it was as bright as the moon and as beautiful as jade.
Fourth Brother was kissing her back. Although they couldn't see his face clearly from afar, they could sense the intense desire radiating from him.
Under the hazy and gentle palace lanterns, the two of them sat in the private room.
They embraced intimately, oblivious to the world around them.
Song Boming's face turned as red as blood. He quickly lowered his head after just one glance.
Alas... Fourth Brother did it on purpose, didn't he?
Song Yongzhen still wanted to watch, but Han Fen grabbed the back of his collar from behind and pulled him back. Han Fen then slammed the window shut with a "bang."
Han Fen said with a straight face, "Your Highness the Twelfth, you've seen it. Miss Caiyu likes our Highness. She won't like you."
Song Yongzhen was still in shock. He just stammered, "It's impossible... If she likes Fourth Brother, why did she agree to be redeemed for two hundred thousand taels of silver?"
"Oh, she just needs the money," Han Fen spared no effort in discouraging Song Yongzhen. "But our Highness gave his private seal to Miss Caiyu yesterday. That's worth far more than two hundred thousand taels! So, Your Highness the Twelfth, you can't compete with him."
Song Yongzhen gasped, "Our Fourth Brother gave away his private seal?"
Song Boming also exclaimed in surprise, "Giving away the private seal! Is Fourth Brother going to marry her as the main mistress?"
The two of them looked at each other.
Suddenly, Song Yongzhen pouted, "Brother Nine! I don't stand a chance! I'm not as rich as Fourth Brother!"
Song Boming hugged him tightly and patted him on the back. "Forget it, forget it. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Why fixate on just one flower?"
"Look, Miss Caiyu doesn't seem to like you. None of the tricks you came up with impressed her."
Song Yongzhen sniffled a few times, wiping his nose in mourning. "It's a pity about my two hundred thousand taels of silver... I even advanced four months' worth of my allowance. Brother Nine, I'll have to go to your mansion for meals from now on..."
Downstairs, amidst Song Yongzhen's sobs and the passionate songs on the stage, the window had somehow closed.
When the opera reached its climax, the soft sobbing in the private room was drowned out.
It wasn't until Baiyun Tower was about to close that Song Yongzhen and Song Boming watched as the door of the second - floor private room opened again. They stepped forward.
Caiyu was being carried in Song Yinghuai's arms.
A bit of her side face peeked out from the man's shoulder.
Song Yongzhen saw the fine sweat on her face, the ambiguous fragrance on her body, and her skin, which was as smooth as spilled milk. She was burrowing deeper into Song Yinghuai's arms.
"Fourth Brother..." Song Yongzhen stammered, "So, so..."
Song Yinghuai looked calm. "Twelfth, Ninth, aren't you going back yet?"
Song Yongzhen looked at the woman in his arms. Song Yinghuai didn't even spare him a glance. Sighing, he left dejectedly.
It was almost the Xu hour (7 - 9 p.m.). The capital city was ablaze with lights.
Lan Jinqin had just left the bank after sending away a banknote worth two hundred thousand taels. She was sitting in a carriage passing by the West Market.
Up ahead, Baiyun Tower had just let out its patrons, and all the carriages were stuck at the intersection. Lan Jinqin's carriage was also blocked for the time being.
Bored, she lifted the curtain and looked at the chaotic scene in front of her.
Suddenly, two figures caught her eye.
Lan Jinqin watched as Song Yinghuai helped a woman onto a horse.
Her breath caught in her throat.
That woman...
She looked like her third younger sister, Jinshu!
How could it be Jinshu?
Wasn't she dead?
Lan Jinqin was so shocked that her eyes widened. She trembled as she knocked on the carriage pole and said to the coachman,
"Lao Meng, find a way to follow that white horse up ahead with a man and a woman on it!"
Lao Meng poked his head out and said helplessly, "Madam, that's a horse, and ours is a carriage... We can't keep up."
"Keep up even if you can't!" Lan Jinqin suddenly raised her voice, her words filled with anger.
Lao Meng and Liuli, who was sitting in the carriage, were both startled.
Seeing that Song Yinghuai had already ridden off on his horse, Lao Meng had no choice but to grit his teeth and drive the carriage forward to follow.
However, as Lao Meng had said, the carriage simply couldn't keep up with the horse.
Not to mention that Song Yinghuai's horse was a top - grade warhorse, just the bustling streets made it impossible for their carriage to get through in a hurry.
Lan Jinqin clenched her fists and poked her head out of the carriage curtain, looking around.
Suddenly.
The figure of Xiao Rencheng riding through the West Market caught her eye...