Chapter 11. It’s Him

Xin Jiao Zhou slept very comfortably, but when she woke up, her lower back felt a bit sore and numb.

Now, her body was very excited.

— Was it because of that cup of tea from before?

It still had an effect after a night, was the drug’s potency so long-lasting?

The gentle breathing of the person in her arms touched her face, calling back Xin Jiao Zhou’s consciousness.

“!”

How could there be a man in her arms?

Xin Jiao Zhou propped up half of her body with one arm, the intertwined black hair on her shoulders gently slid and scattered. The man’s hand, originally inserted in her hair, caressed her scalp, following her nape and spine, all the way down to the soft pillow. The tingling sensation from his fingertips and palm caressing her scalp spread throughout her body, stirring up ripples in her heart, numbing half of her body.

The person beside her left, and the person below slowly opened their eyes. There was still some mist in their eyes from just waking up, with a head of shiny black long hair scattered on thin shoulders, clothes loosened and half-fallen, revealing clearly beautiful collarbones.

The other person blinked twice in confusion, turning their head to look at her.

Somewhat cute.

Xin Jiao Zhou was unconsciously attracted.

Why did it seem somewhat familiar?

Xin Jiao Zhou sat up, only now realizing that they were both only wearing a thin inner garment. It was a bit too candid of an encounter.

The beauty beside her smiled gently, a pair of watery eyes reflecting only her figure, softly saying: “Wife-master, you’re awake?”

Xin Jiao Zhou couldn’t help but feel dazed.

They really looked just like a wife and husband in their daily morning routine.

If others saw this, they might really think she was his wife-master.

She had been called “Sect Leader”, “Junior Sister”, “Demon”, “Monster”… but this was the first time she had been called “wife-master”.

Although there were only the two of them in the room now, she still asked: “Are you calling me?”

“Yes, my wife-master.” He smiled at her gently.

He really was calling her!

Xin Jiao Zhou was stunned.

How long had she been asleep?

What happened during this time? Why did she wake up to find a little husband calling her “wife-master”?

Or, had she lost her memory?

Xin Jiao Zhou frowned tightly, trying to recall carefully.

A flash of jade white passed through her mind. She tried to recall again and again, but couldn’t capture any more memories.

After a long while, Xin Jiao Zhou raised her head and asked: “Have we… met somewhere before?”

Bai Li Chuan raised his hand to cover his mouth, chuckling softly, and said: “Is this how wife-master tries to strike up a conversation with men?”

Asking like this did indeed sound like she was looking for an excuse to chat him up.

Xin Jiao Zhou rarely felt her face heat up, turning her head to shift her gaze, avoiding the other’s eyes.

Then, she realized they were too close.

Her eyes were full of his figure, with nowhere to avoid.

For a moment, Xin Jiao Zhou’s eyes had nowhere to rest, and her body unconsciously retreated twice.

As a result, an unexpected thing happened.

When she moved, her calf was pressing on his clothes, and retreating twice pulled down his clothes in one go.

The lonely garment slid onto the bed, covering its owner’s hand.

Xin Jiao Zhou was stunned.

When she came to her senses, she guiltily glanced at the other person, but unexpectedly met his eyes directly.

All around was silent, so quiet that they could hear each other’s heartbeats.

The air became hot.

Xin Jiao Zhou’s lips moved slightly, slowly turning her head, wanting to pretend nothing had happened, but something soft stepped on her chest.

A beautiful jade foot extended from under the soft blanket.

A gentle yet firm pressure was transmitted from her chest, not heavy or painful. She extended her hand in time, encircling that foot, preventing herself from being kicked off the bed.

Delicate and smooth, truly like warm jade, flawless and white, it felt extremely good to touch.

Xin Jiao Zhou inexplicably felt in a good mood, instantly forgetting about being stepped on.

The feeling in her hand was too good, and she didn’t let go for a moment.

One of Bai Li Chuan’s feet was encircled by the other’s hand, and a strange numbness arose where his ankle contacted the other’s hand. A tingling electric current ran from his ankle straight up to his tailbone.

Bai Li Chuan’s scalp tingled, and his body couldn’t help but tremble.

It was too torturous so early in the morning.

Bai Li Chuan lowered his eyelids, hiding the surging emotions in his eyes.

“It’s so hot.” The person opposite had a flushed face, naturally pulling her hand to place on their own cheek, with clear and pure eyes seeming unaware of what had just happened: “Wife-master, what’s wrong with me?”

The white clothes were creased unevenly, but their owner seemed confused, not knowing what had happened.

Xin Jiao Zhou was stunned, her ears turning red.

When she came to her senses, she couldn’t help but hold her forehead.

In the past, if someone had said that anything or anyone could distract her, not only would others not believe it, but she herself wouldn’t believe it either.

But now, in just this short while, the person in front of her had already distracted her several times, even making her forget the distance between them.

One hand was pulled, and her body suddenly lost balance. Xin Jiao Zhou reached out with her other hand to support herself, her palm suddenly touching the cold bed rail. Her brain jolted, and she suddenly came to her senses.

Xin Jiao Zhou immediately withdrew her hand.

Not good, extremely not good!

She had never realized before that she had the potential to be a muddleheaded ruler.

Xin Jiao Zhou silently pulled away until she touched the edge of the bed.

She got up to leave the bed.

Suddenly it darkened before her eyes, and a warm embrace fixed her in place.

Not wanting her to leave, a voice in Bai Li Chuan’s heart told him so.

By the time he came to his senses, he was already pressing down on top of her, blocking her way.

Seeing no reaction from her, he, who was usually calm, suddenly felt anxious.

Would she dislike him for being so forceful?

The image of her despising him in his mind was like a knife stabbing straight into his heart, stirring Bai Li Chuan’s heart.

Hmph.

The man rested his chin on the woman’s shoulder, his scattered hair covering his pitch-black eyes.

What did it matter if she disliked him? As long as he could keep her by his side, what did the methods matter?

Xin Jiao Zhou was tightly embraced by the other, unable to move.

She turned her head in surprise, but could only see the back of his glossy black head.

Suddenly, the other’s body trembled, letting out a soft “woo”.

The body’s restraint loosened a lot, but Xin Jiao Zhou couldn’t help but frown: “What’s wrong?” Her tone carried concern that she herself hadn’t noticed.

The voice by her ear was low and hoarse, as if restraining something, the sound faint, almost pleading: “Wife-master, I feel unwell.”

Xin Jiao Zhou unconsciously frowned, tightly pursing her lips, not moving.

She clearly felt the other’s arms gradually tightening.

Although the person in her arms sounded fragile, their body still forcefully restrained her, showing no intention of letting go.

Both sides were at a standstill.

“Master, are you up?” someone called from outside the door, “When Miss A Yu woke up and couldn’t find Master Wu, she ordered this servant to come and report.”

Bai Li Chuan pursed his lips, instantly releasing the strength in his arms.

“Take her to wait in the back hall.”

“Yes.”

The footsteps outside the door faded away.

He lay softly on top of her, his breath touching her neck, moistening a patch of skin.

The skin Xin Jiao Zhou’s breath touched turned slightly red.

“Li Chuan will help wife-master change clothes.”

The other’s voice vibrated lightly, the moist area tingling. A current of electricity arose from the base of Xin Jiao Zhou’s tailbone and traveled upwards, flowing through the area near her tailbone, instinctive interest easily aroused. Her scalp tingled.

She really shouldn’t have drunk that cup of tea yesterday!

“It seems you’re fine now.” Xin Jiao Zhou forced herself to prop up on the bed, forcibly using her consciousness to drive her body to retreat a bit, “Then get up, I can do it myself.” Although she didn’t know the reason for the other’s inexplicable behavior just now.

But the person on top of her didn’t move, still lying on her.

He wasn’t fine at all! Ending so quickly, not lingering at all!

Bai Li Chuan buried his face in the crook of the other’s neck, sulking.

Xin Jiao Zhou reached out to push the person clinging to her body, but unexpectedly, the other suddenly let go lightly.

Xin Jiao Zhou felt empty inside.

Dazed for a brief moment, she got up from the bed, found the clothes and belt hanging on the clothes rack, and put them on neatly.

Bai Li Chuan felt sour and suffocated inside.

They had just been intimate, how could she discard him so decisively in the blink of an eye.

Was his appearance not good-looking enough to attract her; or was his body not alluring enough to be worth her lingering?

Bai Li Chuan touched his face, then squeezed his arm, dazed for a while, and finally got out of bed to dress.

Xin Jiao Zhou sat on the round stool in front of the screen, waiting for the person inside.

The person behind the screen, dressed in red, walked out gracefully, their face just out of bed and not yet made up, revealing their originally clean and delicate jade-white complexion, ink-black eyebrows and vermilion lips, bright eyes and white teeth.

Such a familiar feeling.

Where exactly had she seen him before…

Xin Jiao Zhou frowned, trying to recall.

Bai Li Chuan carefully groomed himself at the dressing table, revealing his original appearance.

He knew that with this appearance, even men would be captivated, let alone women.

He didn’t believe that with such looks, he still couldn’t attract her gaze!

The person who had carefully prepared raised his head shyly to look at the person in front of him, but saw that the other was slightly frowning, and his heart sank.

She didn’t like his appearance?

Recalling the previous “indifference”, plus this “frowning”, he had suffered consecutive defeats with her. Bai Li Chuan frowned in shame and annoyance, his hand secretly clenching in his sleeve.

“Am I not good-looking?” he asked her directly.

But the other said without hesitation: “You are good-looking.”

Bai Li Chuan was puzzled: “Then why was wife-master frowning just now?”

Xin Jiao Zhou didn’t answer but said: “Before that, answer me a question first.”

Bai Li Chuan patiently said: “Please speak, wife-master.”

Xin Jiao Zhou asked: “What’s your name?”

Bai Li Chuan had no intention of concealing: “This servant’s surname is Bai, given name Zhou, courtesy name Li Chuan.”

The scene before her eyes overlapped with that day in the forest—

The red-clothed beauty bowed and straightened up with a charming smile.

“Thank you, miss, for saving me.”

“This servant’s surname is Bai, given name Zhou, courtesy name Li Chuan. Miss can call this servant Li Chuan.”

“It’s been so long, and this servant still doesn’t know how to address miss?”

…

Memories surged over her like ocean waves.

“You’re that man from the forest that day?” Xin Jiao Zhou’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Bai Li Chuan nodded: “It is indeed Li Chuan.”

He smiled faintly: “Has wife-master only just recognized this servant?”

Then his expression darkened: “Yesterday this servant only applied face makeup, did wife-master not recognize this servant?”

The other’s expression was extremely aggrieved, eyes slightly red, tears about to fall, sparkling with broken light.

Speaking of the previous face makeup… Xin Jiao Zhou recalled—

The previous layer of white powder was dazzlingly white. She had originally felt somewhat familiar seeing that red outfit, but later was dazed by that white face and red cheeks.

The other’s eyes were red, and Xin Jiao Zhou’s heart softened involuntarily.

“Don’t cry.”

She unconsciously reached out, wanting to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes.

She, who was not good with words, comforted someone for the first time, her words extremely awkward: “It’s my fault. I remembered some things earlier, but then forgot again.”

The corner of the crying person’s lips curled slightly.

The person opposite stopped crying, a clear tear sliding down their cheek. He looked at her candidly: “If wife-master wants to know about that night, this servant can tell wife-master everything.”

Xin Jiao Zhou’s gaze closely followed that teardrop, as it lightly brushed across his face like a feather.

After a brief pause, she shook her head: “That’s your private matter, I have no right to interfere.”

Although the other person had been calling her “wife-master” all along, she didn’t take it seriously, just treating it as a common form of address like “miss”.

She had only met him three times, and although she didn’t know what kind of reason existed, for an unmarried man to call a woman “wife-master” was ultimately not good for him.

“My name is Xin Jiao Zhou.”

“From now on, you can call me by my name,” Xin Jiao Zhou said to Bai Li Chuan.

“You can call this name however you like, just don’t call me ‘wife-master’ anymore.”

She was drawing a clear line between them.

Tears fell, their owner concealing the darkness in his eyes. When he looked up again, his eyes were bright with a smile: “Alright.”

He smiled lightly at her, calling her softly: “Official Xin.”

“Mm.” Xin Jiao Zhou responded.

“Young Master Bai,” she replied to him.

That “Official Xin” actually had an element of gamble in it, but unexpectedly, she agreed so quickly, not leaving him even a glimmer of hope.