Chapter 90: Jade Pinned in Black Tresses
Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Jade Pinned in Black Tresses
If Lu Xiu wanted women, there would be many. It certainly wouldn’t come to this... Liang Wan fell silent for a moment before hesitantly stepping forward.
He stood tall and straight before the low bed, looking at her coldly.
"Weren’t you going to prove your loyalty?"
Liang Wan felt as if her entire body had been coated in wax. She froze on the spot, unable to move, only able to raise her eyes to look at him as her mind buzzed.
Lu Xiu lowered his eyelashes, unhesitatingly severing their intersecting gazes. His voice was as cold as water. "Didn’t you say both your body and mind were available?"
Liang Wan moved her lips but couldn’t make a sound. The fear breeding from the bottom of her heart was like a thorny vine, growing wildly. It wrapped around her layer by layer, binding her body and choking her throat, its sharp thorns piercing her until she bled. Those memories of humiliation were the very thorns on that vine.
Lu Xiu raised his eyes to look at her quietly, a sneer on his lips. "Is it not?"
"Why?" Liang Wan’s voice trembled slightly, truly unable to understand.
Lu Xiu curled his lips coldly. "Why do you think?"
Liang Wan understood. In their eyes, she was nothing more than a plaything. Whether or not to touch her wasn’t something worth agonizing over. Since she had been given to him, he could do whatever he wanted with her. Her blood ran completely cold.
"Besides, he already knows that the person behind the rocks was you," Lu Xiu added.
She knew he was right. If it had been a real illicit affair, so be it, but once Gao Qian found out she was still a virgin, he would know that their actions behind the rocks were just an act, further confirming that they were the ones outside the window. Liang Wan felt a profound sense of powerlessness. No matter how much she schemed, what did it matter? Against supreme power, all of that was just a petty, childish game. Furthermore, just as Zhou Yun had said, there was no guarantee that Gao Qian wouldn’t give her to someone else next time. Her innocence would be lost sooner or later anyway, so she might as well give it up now.
Liang Wan nodded, feeling a sense of twisted relief. She bypassed him, walked straight to the low bed, and began to undress. She was already wearing very little, so it didn’t take much effort. Soon, all her clothes were shed, leaving her completely bare. Obediently, she climbed onto the bed and lay down.
In the past, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t endured such painful experiences. Now, she didn’t care if there was one more. Liang Wan tightly closed her eyes. She had promised herself to carve out the heart in her chest, so she would let the process begin tonight. She didn’t know if it was the chill of the night or the coldness in her heart, but she trembled from the cold. Yet, even in such cold, the tears that flowed down her cheeks were scalding hot.
The bedding sank slightly. Someone lay down beside her, a warm hand slipping around her waist, caressing her smooth back and shoulders, and with a gentle pull, drew her close into his embrace. His hand was so warm, yet she still felt cold.
Lu Xiu lowered his eyes to look at the person in his arms. She was like an ice-cold bow, her entire body pulled taut, exuding resistance and fear from every pore. That night, when she fled Tongle Hall, she had been wearing only an outer robe and had even ruthlessly killed Zhang Shi. In Yulin Garden, she had rolled up her sleeve to tell Feng Qingyue that she had already lost her innocence to him, and even claimed she had a way to bluff her way through...
Lu Xiu pulled the silk quilt over to wrap up the shivering woman, holding her in his arms, his tone light. "Do you plan on making us sleep in a cold, damp bed all night?"
Liang Wan opened her eyes and tried to lift her head, only to find the top of her head pressed against his chin. She pulled her hand out and carefully wiped her face. It was indeed damp and cold. He probably found her hypocritical display a killjoy. She didn’t know if she was tired from crying or truly exhausted, but with her mind in a chaotic mess, she surprisingly drifted off to sleep in a daze.
When she woke up again, the sun was high in the sky.
There seemed to be a nest of Yans under the eaves. CHIRP, CHIRP, CHIRP. Liang Wan was awakened by their calls. She opened her eyes. The top of her head was resting against Lu Xiu’s neck. Her body was a bit numb, but she didn’t dare to move because he didn’t seem to be awake yet. Liang Wan stared at Lu Xiu’s chest in a daze. To think they had actually slept together like this for a whole night—she thought about it and found it utterly bizarre. But then again, considering there were many days ahead and this was only the beginning, perhaps it wasn’t all that strange, she reasoned.
She wondered if she really had to wait until she left the Master’s Mansion to have a chance to kill Gao Qian. She knew that a tiny error could lead to a massive blunder. Liang Wan let out a barely audible sigh.
"You’re awake?"
The person above her gently pulled her a little away and looked down at her. He spoke suddenly, his voice sounding somewhat husky. The atmosphere was inexplicably strange. Liang Wan didn’t dare to look at him and only gave a low hum of response. Lu Xiu helped her sit up.
Clutching the quilt, Liang Wan lifted her eyes to look at him in confusion. Perhaps because she was still half-asleep, his gentle and approachable appearance at this moment was truly far removed from the cold-blooded and callous man in her memory. Lu Xiu looked at her, clearly having something to say, but after waiting for a long time, he still didn’t open his mouth.
Liang Wan spoke up first. "My Lord?"
Lu Xiu glanced at her exposed arm. "You won’t need that there anymore."
Liang Wan blanked for a second. She lowered her head, her gaze landing on that striking mark, and she understood. Ever since the incident behind the rocks yesterday, it indeed shouldn’t appear anymore. She nodded.
Lu Xiu didn’t say anything more. He threw on his clothes, got out of bed, and left. Liang Wan stared at the mark, deciding to cover it up for today.
After washing up and changing her clothes, Liang Wan looked in the mirror. Things were different now; she had to be extra cautious, especially in this Master’s Mansion, which didn’t exactly welcome her.
"My Lady," Qiuxi said, furrowing her brows, hesitating to speak.
Liang Wan knew she wanted to talk about Lu Xiu staying the night. Even if nothing had happened last night, it would inevitably happen in the coming days.
She carefully examined the person in the mirror. "From now on, change how you address me." The Third Lady of the Liang Mansion was already dead. She was currently Liang Ji, a gift from the Emperor to the Grand Commandant, and who she would be in the future was still uncertain.
After breakfast, a maid came to report that Lu Xiu was going to take her to see the Grandmaster. Logically and reasonably, they should have gone last night. Liang Wan quickly tidied herself up and followed the maid out the door.
Lu Xiu was waiting for her at the other end of the pontoon bridge over the lotus pond. She couldn’t tell if he was admiring the lotuses or basking in the sun. It wasn’t until she drew near that he turned to look at her. The cold, disdainful look had returned to his eyes. The gentle and affectionate man from this morning had been entirely a figment of her imagination. Liang Wan raised her hands and bowed to him. In a place where there were eyes everywhere, she couldn’t afford a breach of etiquette.
To her surprise, when she looked up, he reached his hand out to her.
"Stand closer."
Liang Wan took two steps closer to him. She felt a sudden lightness in her hair as he removed the golden hairpin from her head. His dark eyes were as deep as a well. "You won’t need this anymore, either."
With that, he raised his hand and tossed the golden hairpin into the lotus pond. PLOP. It sank and disappeared without a trace.
Liang Wan lowered her eyes. Having a murder weapon worn on her head every day—she figured anyone would find it unsettling to look at. Besides, she truly wouldn’t use that method to kill anyone again now.
Just as Liang Wan was about to turn around, he stopped her. "Don’t move. Let me put a new one in for you."
Lu Xiu was standing very close. She didn’t even need to look up to see his Adam’s apple. Such proximity was truly uncomfortable. Liang Wan’s heart pounded wildly, THUMP, THUMP. His doing this with a cold face gave off a sense of oppression, making her so nervous that she even held her breath slightly. Before Liang Wan could clearly see what it looked like, he slipped the new hairpin into her hair.
"Let’s go," Lu Xiu said, taking a half-step back, his gaze lingering on the top of her head for only a fleeting moment.
Liang Wan’s head felt a bit dizzy. She took two steps before suddenly feeling a tightness around her wrist. It was Lu Xiu grabbing her.
She looked over in surprise. "My Lord?"
Lu Xiu wrapped her hand in his palm, his face expressionless. "From now on, you will change how you address me. Call me Husband."