Volume One, Chapter 10: The Eldest Prince Notices Something Amiss

Receiving no response from the person beside her for a long time, Yun Xi assumed she had annoyed him. For some reason, his cold indifference made her heart ache.

As she drifted into anxious thoughts, a rough hand suddenly seized her wrist. A heavy weight pressed down upon her, and the light, shallow breath brushing against her face made her heart flutter with a ticklish sensation.

"Oh? So, my lady wants me to help him out?"

Ever since Yun Shouzhen brought up the matter, he had known that "Yun Xiang" would beg him. It was just that he had been distracted by her teasing earlier, and having just finished their intimate encounter, it had slipped his mind.

She was not stupid; she hadn't brought it up during the day, or he likely would have kept the Yun family dangling for a while longer.

Perhaps it was the good mood following their intimacy, or perhaps it was the cautious, fawning tone in her voice, but he felt quite satisfied and was willing to agree to this troublesome request.

"Hu... Husband, is it not possible?" Yun Xi shrank her neck, then tremblingly reached out a hand to stroke the large palm that held her wrist.

Hearing her delicate, coy voice, Ji Yu raised an eyebrow.

There it was again—that familiar feeling. The sister-in-law he had encountered earlier today had also spoken with that same stuttering manner.

Something was wrong.

In the darkness, Yun Xi could not see his expression, only feeling his grip tighten on her chin, forcing her small face upward, while his hand continued to caress her tender skin.

Being controlled like this stirred a flicker of fear in Yun Xi’s heart. Just as she was about to struggle, the shadow above her leaned down, and a magnetic, gravelly voice whispered into her ear: "Of course it is possible."

She let out a sigh of relief, though the feeling in her heart was a mix of sweetness and bitterness.

"I ran into your younger sister today."

Ji Yu spoke casually, his hand still clasping her wrist, feeling the thrum of her pulse.

Yun Xi’s heart skipped a beat.

"She seems to have some history with your wet nurse."

Yun Xi felt her heart sink. She had assumed he would ask about the conflict between Yun Xiang and the "third sister."

No, his reaction was wrong. Normally, if a man discovered his bedfellow was keeping secrets from him, he shouldn't...

Now was not the time for such thoughts. Yun Xi brushed the doubt from her mind and spoke carefully, her voice laced with feigned guilt: "My third sister is of a somewhat difficult temperament; it is only natural that she and Nanny Li have had some friction. When I see her next, I will be sure to lecture her properly."

"Is that so?"

His tone was lazy, revealing nothing of his true thoughts.

***

Yun Xi felt her resolve weaken. She turned her head away; even though she knew he couldn't see her face in the dark, she felt panicked.

Ji Yu didn't press further. After playing with her hair for a while, he rolled off and walked into the washroom.

Water droplets slid down his chest, disappearing into the taut muscles of his abdomen. Ji Yu narrowed his eyes and curled his lips into a cold smirk.

"Yun Xiang" was hiding something from him.

He had realized this the moment he heard the conversation between that third girl and Nanny Li that morning. His question just now had merely been to test his theory.

However, as long as it did not interfere with his dealings with the Yun estate, he did not care to pursue it.

After all, he was not yet so attached to Yun Xiang that it mattered, even if they were intimate in bed.

Hearing the sound of water, Yun Xi quickly dressed, enduring the soreness as she climbed out of bed. Thankfully, her clothes hadn't been torn, or she wouldn't know how to return.

Once back in her small room, Yun Xi was interrogated by Nanny Li as usual. She turned the words over in her mind but chose not to mention what Ji Yu had asked her that night.

After washing up and lying in bed, sleep began to pull at her. As she drifted into unconsciousness, her final thought was: Next, I must find a way to get the "third girl" into the estate.

At the same time, Ji Yu emerged from the washroom in his sleeping robes and saw Yun Xiang sitting by the bed.

The night was dark, and he could only vaguely make out her silhouette.

He didn't speak, simply putting on his outer robe, preparing to go to the study.

Ji Yu was accustomed to sleeping alone. On their wedding night, he had only stayed to preserve the Yun family's face.

Seeing him make no move to join her, Yun Xiang felt anxious. She stood up and walked toward the man she longed for: "Husband, is there more official business to attend to?"

She knew her husband had agreed to save her second brother, but she couldn't bring herself to be happy. Her father had asked for his help and he hadn't agreed immediately, yet as soon as that slut Yun Xi begged, her husband had consented. How could she not feel aggrieved?

"Yes."

For once, even in a good mood, Ji Yu frowned. Although her voice was identical to the one moments ago, he felt an inexplicable impatience.

Their voices were indeed similar—not just because they were sisters, but because for a month before the wedding, the head wife had forced Yun Xi to mimic Yun Xiang's tone. It was only in the throes of passion, when her breathing became unsteady, that Yun Xi’s own voice would slip through.

He pushed the door open and left, leaving Yun Xiang alone to watch over the long, remaining night.

***

Seeing he had gone, Yun Xiang clenched her fists and grabbed a teacup from the table, smashing it against the floor. The sound of shattering porcelain was particularly sharp in the night, much like her heart, broken into pieces.

Several days passed, and the eldest son did not return to the main chamber.

Yun Xiang invited him several times, but the reply was always that he was occupied with official business. Because of this, she was lectured by her mother-in-law during the morning greeting, the general gist being: do not cling so tightly to your husband; go out and socialize with other ladies instead.

Yun Xiang was in a foul mood, and the atmosphere in the main chamber became stifling. Lately, she took her frustrations out on anyone within reach, and even Nanny Li was not spared. Among them, Yun Xi bore the brunt of the abuse.

Almost every time she entered the room, she was humiliated and ordered to do menial, dirty chores, all while enduring Nanny Li’s questioning: why hadn't she conceived a child yet?

To them, every day without a pregnancy added a risk of exposure. Besides, Ji Yu did not visit the main chamber often; if she were to conceive now, it might be possible to pull off the deception.

Unfortunately, Yun Xi’s period arrived right on time.

Fortunately, on the day of the Lantern Festival, Ji Yu did finally return. After all, she was his legitimate wife, and he could not ignore her forever.

Seeing him arrive at midday, Yun Xiang’s resentment melted into a pool of tenderness.

"He comes during the day, not just at night; it shows he isn't a man who only cares for bedroom affairs, wouldn't you agree, Nanny?"

Yun Xiang looked at her reflection in the mirror. Though she spoke to Nanny Li, her eyes glanced contemptuously at the small figure in the corner.

But she was quickly disappointed; with the veil covering Yun Xi’s face, she couldn't discern her expression.

When the two dined, Yun Xi stood behind them, watching them act like a harmonious, natural couple.

Oh, right. They were a couple, after all.

However... they didn't have to be.

Yun Xi lowered her eyelids, moving her fingers with subtle purpose.

Between bites, Yun Xiang served vegetables to Ji Yu. He frowned slightly but did not refuse. Yet, after the meal, the vegetables remained untouched at the bottom of his bowl.

"Does my husband not like them?" Yun Xiang asked, feeling sweet because Ji Yu’s attitude toward her had been decent, and he had even responded to her words a few times before the meal.