Chapter 75

Chapter 75: Why Not?

“Why not?” Sheng Zhi Wan said with a faint smile. “Don’t forget how Meng Yang entered the manor.”

Sheng Zhi Wan had kept Huan Zhu for this day.

Once something happened once, it happened twice. Once a line was crossed, countless people would squeeze upward the same way.

Since Meng Yang, a mere farm girl, could become a mistress of Duke Qi Manor because of one accident with Qi Shu Xian, then why couldn’t Huan Zhu do the same?

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at herself in the bronze mirror.

In the end, fighting between two people was too lonely. Adding one more person would at least keep Qi Shu Xian from turning his attention back to Sheng Zhi Wan.

And Sheng Zhi Wan also wanted to see it clearly. Qi Shu Xian had sworn so seriously, but if the same thing happened again, could Qi Shu Xian truly hold back?

Huan Zhu moved fast.

The next night, as soon as darkness fell, Huan Zhu waited on the path from Xiao Lan Courtyard to Wei Yang Courtyard. In Huan Zhu’s hands was a container of soup kept at just the right warmth.

Huan Zhu timed it carefully and met Qi Shu Xian head-on as Qi Shu Xian left Xiao Lan Courtyard.

Qi Shu Xian stopped when he saw her. “Why are you here?”

Just yesterday, Qi Shu Xian had been humiliated at Sheng Zhi Wan’s place. Now, today, Sheng Zhi Wan’s maid appeared outside his courtyard.

Qi Shu Xian’s gaze dropped to the food box in Huan Zhu’s hands. “Did the Heir’s Wife send you?”

“N-no,” Huan Zhu said, lowering her eyes. “This servant made it herself for the Heir Apparent.”

Because of that, Qi Shu Xian became even more certain that Sheng Zhi Wan had sent it.

Sheng Zhi Wan always did this. Sheng Zhi Wan argued with him, yet refused to lower her pride. Then Sheng Zhi Wan had a maid bring something over as a peace offering.

Qi Shu Xian had not planned to bother with it. But thinking of the smooth skin and soft waist from last night, Qi Shu Xian’s heart stirred restlessly.

Fine. If Qi Shu Xian accepted her things, it would be like giving Sheng Zhi Wan a step down. Tonight, Qi Shu Xian could go to Ping Lan Residence.

With that thought, Qi Shu Xian turned back into Xiao Lan Courtyard and had Huan Zhu open the food box.

Inside was a plate of small, delicate hawthorn cakes, and a bowl of warm fermented rice wine.

Sheng Zhi Wan had made these things for Qi Shu Xian before. The taste could not compare to a restaurant, but the sincerity had been there.

Thinking of that, Qi Shu Xian naturally let Huan Zhu serve him a small bowl.

Huan Zhu said again, “Heir Apparent, these really were made by this servant.”

Qi Shu Xian did not care. Qi Shu Xian only nodded.

Women were really hard to soothe and strange. They clearly wanted to soften and please, yet they insisted on using a maid’s mouth to do it.

Qi Shu Xian had only just finished half the bowl of wine when Qi Shu Xian sensed something was wrong.

But by then, the medicine had already taken effect.

Heat rose in waves from Qi Shu Xian’s lower abdomen, beyond his control. Qi Shu Xian’s breathing grew heavy. Qi Shu Xian looked at the woman in front of him and felt as if the scent on her body carried a powerful temptation.

Even though Qi Shu Xian knew Huan Zhu was only a maid, Qi Shu Xian could not stop the desire that surged through him. Reason and instinct tore at him at the same time.

“Heir Apparent?” Huan Zhu called.

Huan Zhu had not expected the medicine to work this well. In only a short time, Huan Zhu could see the heat in the Heir Apparent’s eyes.

Hope and hunger flooded Huan Zhu’s chest. Huan Zhu tested the waters and stepped forward half a step. “Heir Apparent, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Huan Zhu’s heart pounded wildly.

The man in front of her was handsome beyond compare, skilled in both letters and martial arts. He was the Duke’s Heir Apparent, a man Huan Zhu had never dared to dream of. Yet now, he looked at her with naked desire.

That gaze, so unhidden, made Huan Zhu tremble with excitement.

“Heir Apparent…” Huan Zhu reached out again, testing.

In the next instant, a large hand clamped around Huan Zhu’s slender throat.

Huan Zhu’s eyes widened in terror.

Qi Shu Xian was drugged, but the drug did not strip away all his reason. Qi Shu Xian’s fingers tightened slightly, lifting Huan Zhu by the neck.

“You dared drug me?” Qi Shu Xian said, voice hoarse.

“Kh… kh…” Huan Zhu fought desperately, but no sound came out.

Yet Huan Zhu’s struggling only fed the medicine’s fire in Qi Shu Xian’s body.

Qi Shu Xian suddenly flung Huan Zhu aside and staggered toward the door.

Qi Shu Xian had to go find Sheng Zhi Wan. He was drugged, and Sheng Zhi Wan was his wife. Sheng Zhi Wan should cure him. It was only right.

But the moment Qi Shu Xian moved, the blaze in his lower abdomen nearly burned him alive.

Behind him, the woman’s soft sobbing sounded like a spell, clinging to his mind and refusing to let go.

Qi Shu Xian whipped around and dragged Huan Zhu up from the floor.

Huan Zhu stared at Qi Shu Xian, eyes wide. Beneath the fear, there was a trace of allure and seduction. Sure enough… the Heir Apparent could not completely fail to see Huan Zhu.

Even a farm girl like Meng Yang had managed a night with the Heir Apparent, and even gotten pregnant with the Heir Apparent’s child.

So why couldn’t Huan Zhu become the second one?

Huan Zhu’s thin arms slid up around the man’s back.

Qi Shu Xian squeezed his eyes shut hard. The fire of desire burned higher and higher, almost tearing him apart. Without release, pain pulsed from deep inside him, sharp and hard to name.

Qi Shu Xian clenched his jaw, then flipped over and pinned Huan Zhu beneath him…