Chapter 20: No Problem, Right?

Xuanyuan Juesi looked at the woman intently, noticing that her eyes were especially captivating.

However, given the current circumstances, he would certainly not voice this thought.

“Si Nuosang, if you want to quietly remain as my princess, you’d best not defy me. I have little patience for people who don’t obey.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate, because I happen to be someone who doesn’t listen to anyone. Ever since I was a child, I’ve never listened to anyone. What a disaster. What am I supposed to do now?”

Even as Xuanyuan Juesi pinned her down, her gaze remained unafraid, her expression unshaken. She straightened herself—how could she remain passive? Why should she be afraid? He wasn’t Wen Shu’an; there was no need to fear him.

Besides, even if it were Wen Shu’an, what was there left to fear? What was over was over; there was no need to dwell on it.

“Then you’ll have to learn to accept punishment. For instance, from now on you may not go out, may not keep your shop or earn money. You’ll be confined to this tiny space.”

“Don’t you think you’re going too far? You’ve already put me in this situation. What more do you want?” Si Nuosang looked at Xuanyuan Juesi, feeling wronged. All of this was her own fault; her carelessness and greed had led her into this trap.

“I only want your obedience,” he said, lifting her chin.

“Oh? And when have I not obeyed? Have I told anyone that I’m not Diwu Lingye? Have I told anyone that Diwu Lingye is dead? I haven’t, have I? I’ve said nothing at all. Isn’t that obedient enough? All I do now is run my small business, hiding both my identity and my gender, and I’m still exploited by you. How am I not obedient?”

Si Nuosang reached up and removed his hand from her chin. To be honest, his hand felt remarkably good—softer than any woman’s skin.

His complexion truly was exceptional—far better than her own. If one were to judge by fairness, this man was not only pale but smooth and delicate, with not a single visible pore. Yet, even so, he did not seem feminine. On the contrary, it made him seem all the more masculine, all the more dangerous.

“You know very well that the obedience I require is more than that. There is much more. I hope you will do it all.”

“Bah, I am not your possession. And I have no intention of wasting my life with you. I have my own affairs to attend to. Just tell me—how long must I keep up this pretense as your princess? This ruse will be exposed, sooner or later.”

She looked at Xuanyuan Juesi, a sense of foreboding creeping in. The danger from this man seemed to be drawing closer and closer, perhaps compounded by the emperor himself.

“Then we’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

“Are you joking with me? Have you fallen for me and want to spend your life with me? I saw how well you treated Miss Qin—you might as well have her play the part. I’m sure she’d be far more willing to cooperate than I am.”

Bringing up Miss Qin wasn’t intentional, but she was running out of things to say. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know what to say to this man at all.

“What’s your relationship with her? Are you jealous?”

“Oh, cut it out. I think you’re the one who’s fallen for me, that’s why you keep me here all the time. Hmph!”

“Me? Like you? You think too highly of yourself! I would never like you. Not even in my dreams. Frankly, Miss Qin is much better than you—she’s obedient, gentle, and far prettier and fairer than you.”

Xuanyuan Juesi looked her up and down. The two of them were about to quarrel, posturing like a pair of squabbling children.

“Why are you so biased toward fair-skinned people? Maybe, yes, in your eyes, fairness covers all flaws. Fine, I’m ugly. Just don’t look at me. If you’d let me go, none of this would be a problem. You insist on making things difficult for yourself by keeping me here. What am I supposed to do? Tell me—what am I supposed to do?”

She really was bringing suffering upon herself, and though being told she wasn’t beautiful stung, there was nothing to be done.

“That’s right. What can you do? I have no solution, either. I just have to face you.”

Xuanyuan Juesi seemed helpless now, the anger that had just flashed across his face entirely gone, leaving only a sense of calm.

“All right, can you stop pinning me down now? I can hardly breathe.” Could this man not pin her to the wall next time? The chill from the wall would only make her catch a fever and fall ill.

Xuanyuan Juesi glanced at her, then stepped back, releasing his hold.

“By the way, I suppose I’ll be sleeping on the bed tonight.” Si Nuosang walked to the bed, quickly climbed in, and burrowed to one side. If she didn’t get there first, she’d end up sleeping on the floor again—falling ill was truly unpleasant.

She had no desire to make her condition any worse.

“Since you’ve already taken the bed, what can I say? Sleep there, then. I have some matters to attend to; I’ll be back later.” Xuanyuan Juesi didn’t lie down with her but left the room instead. She had no idea where he went. He was gone so long that Si Nuosang fell asleep before he returned.

The next morning, when she woke, she found him lying beside her. For some reason, as she looked at that flawless face, she realized that fair skin really was quite attractive. But then she looked at her own—her skin was fine too! Why did he think she wasn’t good-looking?

She sighed, and her hand subconsciously reached out to touch his face, stroking it gently.

“What are you doing?” At that moment, Xuanyuan Juesi awoke.

Si Nuosang hastily withdrew her hand, embarrassed.

“I wasn’t doing anything.”

“Nothing? Was your hand nothing, or do you no longer want it?” He seized her hand, rolled over, and pinned her beneath him.

“Let’s have a proper talk,” he said, gazing at her.

Xuanyuan Juesi held her down with an air of dominance—she couldn’t push him off, he was far too heavy.

“Get off me, you’re too heavy—I can hardly breathe! Let me go!” She glared at Xuanyuan Juesi. Was this bastard trying to crush her?

“I won’t. Whatever you just did to me, I’m going to do to you.” With that, he reached out and stroked her face—once, twice, three times.

“Let go—you pervert!”

“If that makes me a pervert, then so are you! After all, you just did the same thing to me.”

“All right, I was wrong. But it’s your fault for being so fair, like a woman. I just wanted to see what fair skin felt like.”

Si Nuosang confessed honestly. Xuanyuan Juesi’s playful expression faded, and he looked at her intently, his eyes fixed on hers as if she were some rare treasure. The intensity of the gaze unsettled her.

“Are you all right?” she asked, blinking.