Chapter 122: How could it... not be possible?

Yan Zhirong entered holding a tray.

Xiao Mingyu sat on the edge of the bed, his heart filled with trepidation.

Especially when Yan Zhirong glanced sideways in the direction Hua Lianying had just walked, Xiao Mingyu's heart pounded wildly, as if it were about to leap out of his throat.

"... Zhirong, why have you come over so late?"

Xiao Mingyu suppressed his inner panic and spoke with feigned naturalness.

Yan Zhirong did not notice anything unusual; she withdrew her gaze and said, "I saw you drink quite a bit of wine during dinner today, and after thinking it over, I was still worried that your body wouldn't be able to handle it."

Xiao Mingyu chuckled softly: "My body, Zhirong, you know it well; it has always been very good."

Yan Zhirong caught the flirtatious and ambiguous tone in his words, and two blushes climbed onto her cheeks involuntarily; she whispered, "How would I know that?"

She had already walked up close, and Xiao Mingyu looked at the white jade bowl on the tray in her hands.

"This is hangover soup," Yan Zhirong said.

"Did you make it yourself, Zhirong?"

Yan Zhirong smiled: "I watched the servants boil it myself."

Xiao Mingyu curled his lips slightly: "Then that was also hard work for you, Zhirong."

Yan Zhirong knew that his mouth was accustomed to coaxing people into happiness; she gave a light huff and pushed the tray forward a little, "Then drink it."

Xiao Mingyu smiled and picked up the soup bowl, taking a large gulp.

The hangover soup was lukewarm, and naturally, it did not taste good.

The moment he drank it, Xiao Mingyu inexplicably thought of Nan Xueyin.

Ever since he was enfeoffed as Prince, he had often drunk alcohol for the sake of socializing, but he was far away from his mother, the Consort, and had no confidante by his side; every time he was drunk, there was no hangover soup, and he would simply sleep for the night and wait for the alcohol to wear off naturally the next day.

It wasn't until later that he picked up Nan Xueyin.

When he drank, she would look at him with concerned and worried eyes.

It was as if she were wondering why a Prince often had to drink, or perhaps it was sympathy—having drunk so much, he must be uncomfortable, right?

Xiao Mingyu would receive those looks, and a strange feeling would always cross his heart; it was very pleasant, and he enjoyed it very much.

And when he was drunk and returned to his room, a bowl of hangover soup would be placed on the table.

Nan Xueyin never admitted that she had cooked it, but apart from her, no one would do such a thing.

Once, in front of Nan Xueyin, Xiao Mingyu pretended to be nonchalant and said: "The hangover soup is a bit bitter."

The next time, a small dish of candied fruit appeared next to his hangover soup.

"It's not bitter, is it? You drank so much in one breath." Yan Zhirong's voice pulled Xiao Mingyu back from his memories to reality.

Xiao Mingyu only then realized that he had actually drunk the hangover soup until only the dregs remained in one go.

He forced a smile and placed the white jade bowl back on the tray, "Since Zhirong cooked it specially, how could it be bitter? Naturally, I had to drink it all in one breath."

Yan Zhirong was in a pleasant mood and was in no hurry to leave; she placed the tray and the soup bowl on the table, then turned back and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Xiao Mingyu took her hand with a natural movement.

"Has any other woman ever cooked hangover soup for you?" Yan Zhirong asked suddenly.

"No." Xiao Mingyu blurted out almost without hesitation.

"That Hua Lianying, she hasn't either?"

"No." This was the truth; apart from Yan Zhirong, only Nan Xueyin had ever cooked hangover soup for him with her own hands.

Yan Zhirong stared into Xiao Mingyu's eyes for a good while and found no signs of lying; only then did she smile slightly again, gripped his hand back, and took the initiative to lean in and kiss his lips, "Good answer, here is your reward."

Xiao Mingyu accepted her kiss.

One kiss was not enough; Yan Zhirong wrapped her arms around his neck and held his lips, demanding more.

While kissing, she climbed onto the bed and slowly sat on Xiao Mingyu's lap.

This sort of thing had been done many times between Xiao Mingyu and Yan Zhirong in the past; her movements could almost be called practiced.

The long, lingering kiss ended, and Yan Zhirong panted while holding Xiao Mingyu's neck.

Xiao Mingyu half-closed his eyes and coaxed her in a soft voice: "Alright, it's very late, you should go back."

Yan Zhirong, however, had no intention of leaving; her waist was supple in his embrace, and her tone was delicate and soft, "But I don't want to leave your side."

As she spoke, she moved her body, blushing, and said: "Prince, tonight we..."

Xiao Mingyu had been with so many women that he naturally understood what Yan Zhirong meant at this moment.

He stroked her lower back and persuaded her: "The Yan Family is so strict with their discipline; if they knew that you and I had done such a thing before marriage, they would certainly vent their anger on you. I don't want you to be in a difficult position. Besides, in three days, you and I will be betrothed, and hasn't the date for the grand wedding already been chosen? It is not far off, it will be here soon, why be in such a hurry?"

Yan Zhirong was in high spirits and couldn't help but pout at these words, "You still say that! Wasn't it you who told me back then that you would marry no one but me in this life, coaxing me several times to go to the pleasure boat with you for intimate things? Why weren't you worried about being discovered by my family then?"

Xiao Mingyu choked, unable to speak for a long while.

Back then... back then, in order to get what he wanted as quickly as possible, he had used sweet talk to deceive Yan Zhirong and had done many intimate things, stopping only at the final step.

If he hadn't done those things, Yan Zhirong probably wouldn't have fallen for him so quickly, nor would she have agreed to the marriage contract so soon.

"The Prince has not given that Hua Lianying a status, and has not even married her into the household, yet you were able to have intimate relations with her and even got her pregnant with the Prince's child, but with me, it just won't do," Yan Zhirong sighed, "It seems that my weight in the Prince's heart cannot compare to... ah!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Xiao Mingyu exerted force from his waist and abdomen, pinning Yan Zhirong beneath him.

He lowered his eyes to look at her, his tone still gentle, "How could other women compare to you? My affairs with them were merely fleeting encounters, but I truly like you and cherish you, which is why I have always treasured you. As for the pleasure boat back then, I was just unable to restrain myself."

He caressed her, his voice dropping lower, "It's just that tonight, since Zhirong is so proactive, it is hard for me not to be unable to restrain myself."

Xiao Mingyu had seen many women and was most skilled at these matters.

Yan Zhirong, a young lady from a sheltered boudoir, how could she withstand such fondling from him? Before long, her cheeks were flushed red, and she was panting softly.

"The first time will be a bit painful, Zhirong, you must bear with it."

Xiao Mingyu reminded her considerately.

Yan Zhirong gave a soft "Mm."

Because they were about to be married, her family had specifically invited a tutor Momo for her, so Yan Zhirong had a general understanding of matters between husband and wife.

It is said that during the first consummation, a woman will always have "fallen red."

Since it is bleeding, pain is a certainty.

However, Yan Zhirong's cousin who had been married once secretly told her in private that the business in bed was not that scary, and after one or two times, one would be able to perceive the pleasure in it.

Therefore, Zhirong was feeling vaguely expectant at this moment.

But she waited for a long time, and nothing happened.

Zhirong looked up in confusion, "What is wrong?"

Xiao Mingyu was kneeling there, looking down at himself, also wearing a look of confusion on his face.

How could it... not work?

The two words "not working" were simply impossible for a veteran of the love scene like Xiao Mingyu, yet it had indeed happened right now, which was no different from a bolt from the blue.

Especially since this was in front of Zhirong.

Xiao Mingyu felt unbearable shame and anger in his heart, not daring to look at Zhirong's expression.

After a good while, Zhirong sighed.

Xiao Mingyu gritted his teeth, "I... have been too tired lately."

Zhirong: "I know."

Actually, her voice was quite gentle, and there was no intention of complaint, but falling into Xiao Mingyu's ears, it was more uncomfortable than killing him.