Chapter 254 -

Chapter 254: Chapter

After finalizing their strategic plan for the rebellion, Xiao Chen decided it was time to leave the cold, windy valley for the night. He brought Wenzhe, Yueqing, Nine, Lu Yue, and Dong Li along with him to stay at his private mansion located near the edge of the city.

After a smooth ride through the mountain path, the group arrived at a massive estate with grand crimson doors and high stone walls.

Wenzhe stepped off his black horse, his dark, sharp eyes scanning the polished marble paths, painted roofs, and tall wooden pillars. He let out a low, unimpressed scoff, folding his arms across his broad chest as his lips curled into a cold frown.

"So this is where Yueqing spent a whole month when we first came to the north?" Wenzhe remarked, his voice dropping with clear disdain. "It looks small. The layout isn’t even as good as my private courtyard back at the Xi estate."

Xiao Chen rolled his eyes hard at Wenzhe’s words, letting out a heavy sigh of exasperation. "General Xi, this is one of the finest estates in the entire northern territory. Try showing a little bit of gratitude instead of comparing everything to your giant palace."

Ignoring Wenzhe’s glare, Xiao Chen turned to Yueqing, his face instantly softening into a warm, charming smile.

"Yueqing, the maids have already cleaned up your old room," Xiao Chen said softly, gesturing toward a quiet, beautifully decorated pavilion near the inner garden. "Everything is set up just the way you like it. You can rest there comfortably tonight. As for everyone else, the servants will show you to your own separate guest rooms."

"Thank you, Xiao Chen," Yueqing said with a gentle nod.

Wenzhe immediately stepped beside her, his large, warm hand slipping into hers as he gave Xiao Chen a warning look. "I will be staying in my wife’s room, of course."

Xiao Chen just smirked, waving his hand as Dong Li stepped forward to lead the guests to their respective quarters. "Do as you wish, General."

Late that night, the mansion fell completely quiet. A chilly night wind blew through the bamboo trees outside, and a soft, silvery moonlight bathed the courtyard in dim light.

Inside her quiet guest room, Lu Yue had already changed out of her thick guard uniform. Dressed in a thin, simple white night garment, she sat on the edge of her soft bed, untying her long hair. The room was warm, lit only by a tiny oil lamp flickering softly in the corner.

Knock. Knock.

Lu Yue froze. Her hand went straight for the dagger resting on her nightstand.

"Who is it?" she called out in a low, sharp whisper, her posture going completely tense.

No one answered, but the paper window frame lightly rattled. Before she could stand up to draw her weapon, the wooden latch on her window clicked open. A tall, slender figure smoothly slid inside the room like a shadow, closing the window silently behind him.

Lu Yue’s eyes went wide as teacups.

It was Nine!

He wasn’t wearing his heavy winter coat anymore, just a simple dark robe that made his broad shoulders and handsome face look dangerously striking in the dim lantern light. A cheeky, confident smirk played on his lips.

"You!" Lu Yue gasped in a hushed, panicky whisper, clutching her thin robe tight against her chest. Her heart instantly started pounding like a wild drum. "What are you doing in my room?! How dare you sneak in through my window like a thief!"

"Quiet, Guard Lu," Nine whispered smoothly, taking slow, deliberate steps toward her bed. "If you yell, the guards outside will think I’m an assassin, and then your scary General will come chop my head off."

"I will chop your head off myself!" Lu Yue hissed, her face exploding into a fiery red blush as he got closer. "Get out right now before I stab you!"

Nine didn’t stop. He stopped right at the edge of her bed, looking down at her flushed, furious face with sparkling eyes.

"I couldn’t sleep," Nine murmured, his voice dropping into a low, playful tone as he leaned down, resting his hands on the mattress on either side of her hips, trapping her cleanly against the wooden bed frame. "The guest room was too cold. And besides... I missed my favorite guard."

Lu Yue’s breath hitched completely. His warm, clean scent filled her nose, and her lips began to tingle all over again as memories of last night’s kiss came rushing back to her mind like a hot wave.

"Y-You shameless glutton!" Lu Yue stammered, her hands pressing against his firm chest to push him away, but her fingers lacked any real force. "We are in the Third Prince’s mansion! If anyone sees you in here—"

"No one will see," Nine interrupted softly, his dark eyes locking onto her swollen, trembling lips. "Unless you make too much noise."

Before she could form another sentence to scold him, Nine leaned in and captured her mouth with his own.

Lu Yue let out a tiny, breathless gasp against his lips, her body going soft instantly under his warm touch. Nine’s hand slid up to cup her hot cheek, his thumb gently tracing her jawline as he kissed her deeper, taking his time to taste her sweetness until Lu Yue completely forgot how to breathe.

By the time he slowly pulled back just an inch, Lu Yue was leaning against his chest, her eyes half-closed and her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.

"See?" Nine whispered near her hot ear, a playful grin spreading across his face. "You didn’t stab me."

Lu Yue hid her glowing face against his shoulder, punching his chest weakly. "You are an absolute jerk, Nine..."

Nine chuckled softly in the quiet night, wrapping his arm securely around her waist as he pulled her closer onto the bed.

Nine’s low, playful laugh echoed softly in her ear as his arm tightened around her waist, pulling her even closer against his warm chest. He tilted his head down, his lips lightly brushing the shell of her ear, sending a sharp shiver down Lu Yue’s spine.

"So, Guard Lu..." Nine whispered, his voice smooth and full of cheekiness. "Should I stop or continue? It’s your choice."

Lu Yue’s heart pounded so hard she was convinced he could hear it. Her whole body felt entirely warm and heavy, resting completely against him. She wanted to be stern, to act like a broad-shouldered guard, and tell him to get out through the window right this second.

Instead, her fingers just tightly clutched the fabric of his dark robe. Her lips parted, but not a single stern word came out.

"I... I..." Lu Yue stammered, her voice tiny and breathless. Her cheeks burned hotter than a blazing stove as she buried her red face straight into the crook of his neck. "You are so shameless..."

Nine let out another soft chuckle, thoroughly enjoying how utterly flustered she was. "That’s not an answer, Lu Yue," he murmured, his fingers gently stroking her waist under her robe. "If you don’t say ’stop’, I’m going to take that as a ’continue’."

Lu Yue squeezed her eyes shut, unable to meet his sparkling, mischievous gaze. "If... if anyone catches us..." she whimpered softly, her voice muffled against his neck.

"Nobody is going to catch us," Nine promised softly, his grin softening as he reached up to gently tuck a loose strand of black hair behind her ear.

He leaned down and pressed another slow, sweet kiss onto her tingling lips, completely stealing away whatever small bit of sense she had left. Lu Yue let out a tiny, soft sigh, her arms finally wrapping around his neck as she gave up fighting him for the night.

Lu Yue gasped softly as Nine’s warm hands slid down to untie her thin inner robe. His fingers moved gently, pushing the simple cloth down off her shoulders.

The cold night air hit her bare skin, making her body shiver, but Nine’s warm hands quickly wrapped around her to keep her warm.

"Nine... wait..." Lu Yue whispered faintly, her hands resting weakly against his chest. Her whole face was bright red, and her heart was beating as fast as a running horse.

Nine paused, his dark eyes looking down at her flushed, beautiful face in the dim light. He leaned down and pressed a slow, warm kiss straight onto her soft neck, making a tiny, breathless gasp escape her throat.

"Don’t be scared," Nine whispered softly against her skin, his low voice making her body go completely weak. "I’ve got you."

His hands gently stroked her waist, pulling her closer as he slipped her robe all the way off her body. Lu Yue tried to cover herself with her hands because she felt so shy, but Nine gently caught her wrists and held them softly above her head on the soft pillow.

Nine leaned down and kissed her neck again, trailing his soft lips down to her collarbone. At the same time, his warm, smooth hand slid lower, gently touching and playing with her soft chest.

A hot, sweet feeling rushed straight through Lu Yue’s body. She squeezed her eyes shut, her back arching off the bed as a quiet, breathless moan slipped right out of her mouth.

"See?" Nine whispered near her ear, a handsome, gentle smile on his lips as his hand kept teasing her chest softly. "You like this."