Bi Lian seemed to be getting addicted, becoming less and less restrained. Xiao Die rarely saw Shen Yue anymore. She always woke up very late and seldom left her sleeping quarters. Xiao Die found it increasingly difficult to see Shen Yue.
One time, Xiao Die held a book. Such items were considered treasures outside. She had gone to great lengths to obtain it, thinking Shen Yue would surely enjoy reading it.
By then, it was already dark. When Xiao Die reached the entrance, she didn't push the door open. The white gauze within the palace drifted, the incense was rich and intoxicating, and wisps of smoke curled upwards. She could smell the faint fragrance from outside.
Xiao Die couldn't hear any sounds from inside, but she felt as though she had guessed the answer. The words were stuck in her throat, impossible to utter.
She held the book in her hand as the lamps outside were lit one by one. She stood at the door without moving. The night was cold, and the chill seeped into her bones. It was a subtle, pervasive cold. The wind howled, blowing the branches of the trees askew. Delicate flower petals fell like rain, carpeting the ground, forming a sea of blossoms.
She stood there from dusk until dawn.
The lights were extinguished, yet she remained in her spot.
A maidservant saw her and hurried over, her eyes warning.
"What are you doing standing at the door?"
Xiao Die's legs were so numb from standing all night that she could barely feel them. Her face was as pale as paper, her eyes as placid as a lake with no ripples. Her eyelashes were long, and she quietly gazed at the maidservant without speaking.
The maidservant was unnerved by Xiao Die's gaze, her speech becoming hesitant. Her voice was kept very low, as if she were afraid of disturbing the person inside, even though the person inside couldn't hear.
"Didn't Your Excellency say no one was to be attended to at night? What are you still doing standing here foolishly?"
She glanced at the dew on Xiao Die's hair and her pale complexion, showing a look of disbelief. "You... you didn't stand here all night, did you?"
Xiao Die lowered her head, remaining silent, appearing dull and gloomy.
The maidservant, clearly accustomed to her inability to express anything, didn't want to say more. She pulled Xiao Die away. After all, if anyone in the sleeping quarters found out, everyone would suffer.
Xiao Die forcefully pulled her hand back. Under the maidservant's bewildered gaze, she placed the books in a corner by the door. She stood there for a while longer, watching, before silently departing.
***
Bi Lian emerged from within, his face radiant, exuding an aura of satisfaction. He was like a satiated lion, exuding an aura of contentment.
But when his gaze accidentally fell on a corner by the door, his expression turned cold. He walked over, picked up the books placed there, and flipped through them casually.
The characters on the pages were raised, making them very suitable for the blind to read.
Bi Lian remembered Shen Yue having a few books in her room, which she always held with great fondness. His brows furrowed in a dark expression, and in the next second, the book in his hand suddenly burst into flames, turning into ashes.
His fingertips remained clean, unstained by even a speck of dust.
***
Shen Yue knew Bi Lian was very busy, busy conquering the cultivation world. Since ancient times, good and evil were irreconcilable. The conditions Bi Lian had mentioned to her earlier were just lies, mere words. Shen Yue had never taken them seriously. After all, Bi Lian was the great villain. Although the plot with the heroine had deviated slightly, he had ultimately become a towering, earth-shattering villain.
As a great villain, how could he not cause trouble?
But no matter how busy he was, Bi Lian still made time to see Shen Yue.
Shen Yue's mood: "..."
Honestly, it wasn't necessary. Wouldn't it be better to focus on his career?
Just like now, Bi Lian had returned after finishing his business. He hadn't seen Shen Yue for two days and walked towards the palace almost impatiently. He still carried a strong, pungent smell of blood. He knew that if he went in like this, Shen Yue would definitely be suspicious, so he specifically bathed, washing himself thoroughly, removing all traces of blood, and even put on incense.
There were still many matters to resolve in the study, and he missed her dearly. So, he sent for Shen Yue to be brought to him.
Bi Lian sat at his desk, dealing with matters. Important, confidential documents were casually spread out on the desk. If Shen Yue could see, he certainly wouldn't dare to be so open. Unfortunately, Shen Yue could not see.
Shen Yue sat by the window, a book in her hand. It was a gift from Bi Lian, a register, with raised characters that made it easy for her to understand.
Bi Lian, who was diligently handling the various urgent matters, suddenly stopped. He held a brush in his hand and inadvertently let a drop of ink smudge across it, but he paid no mind. His gaze was uncontrollably drawn to the person by the window.
The white figure by the window was completely absorbed in the book, completely unaware.
Outside, the sky was clear and vast, but the sun always seemed to be veiled by a layer of snow mist. The sky was perpetually a fiery red, both gorgeous and eerie.
The person's beautiful profile was bathed in a soft light. The curve of her jaw was distinctly beautiful, her brows and eyes serene and cold. Her long robes were like snow, as if she were a fairy about to ascend.
Looking down again at the dry text on the desk, he found himself distracted. Bi Lian couldn't help but look up again. This time, he gazed for a long time, wanting to attract the attention of the person by the window. He said, "Yueyue, come here."
Shen Yue took a moment to react. She looked up from the book, put it down, and walked towards the sound.
Bi Lian pushed the exquisite pastries on the desk towards her. "Try this one."
Shen Yue tasted one. It was sweet but not cloying, with an endless aftertaste. It was delicious.
Seeing Shen Yue pick up another one, Bi Lian knew she liked it. He couldn't help but pinch her slightly bulging, soft cheek and ask with a serious tone, "Is it sweet?"
Shen Yue swallowed, her mouth filled with sweetness. She answered honestly, "Sweet."
A cool sensation, tinged with a faint sweetness. The pastry must have been very sweet.
Bi Lian's eyes darkened. He pulled Shen Yue towards him and kissed her, not releasing her until the sweetness was too faint to taste.
Shen Yue's lips were swollen, and the corners of her eyes were also red. She instinctively tried to press her lips tightly together, but her lips were too swollen, and even the slightest touch caused pain.
She was a little angry, standing silently.
Bi Lian pulled Shen Yue closer, making her sit on his lap. His strong arms easily circled her waist, and he whispered soothingly, "I just missed you so much, I lost control for a moment. Does it hurt?"
His tone was full of tenderness, but his actions were the opposite.
Shen Yue's lips ached, and she didn't want to speak. She turned her head slightly, but in the next moment, her chin was cupped by a pair of hot, large fingers and turned back.
The man's voice was hoarse, his breath hot and dangerous.
"Don't you miss me?"
Shen Yue endured it. Although her expression was cold, she finally spoke, "It's daytime now."
Bi Lian raised an eyebrow, finding Shen Yue's primness rather endearing. He smiled silently. "So what if it's daytime? I am your husband. We should be this intimate."
Shen Yue's voice was low, "But I don't remember..."
Bi Lian's heart pounded. His tone became displeased, as if Shen Yue were a faithless lover.
"So you don't remember? And you won't let me be intimate with you? Yueyue, that's unfair to me. You said you would be good to me. Have you forgotten your own words?"
Her delicate, beautiful face was quite convincing when she put on a pitiful expression. Shen Yue couldn't see, but she could guess his pitiful look from his voice.
This made Shen Yue feel a bit uncomfortable. Her frosty white, thick eyelashes fluttered. Her clear, pleasant voice seemed to carry a hint of nervousness.
"That's not what I meant."
"It's just... you can't kiss for so long next time."
Nor kiss so hard.
Shen Yue didn't dare to say the latter part, her ear tips already flushed crimson.
Bi Lian saw her red ear tips hidden beneath her silver hair. She looked so shy and adorable, it made his heart itch as if an invisible feather were tickling him.
So, she found the kiss too long?
How pampered.
Bi Lian thought this, but said,
"I just missed you terribly. A day apart feels like three years. I really missed you, and I'm so happy to see you."
Bi Lian had always been unrestrained and direct when speaking sweet nothings. Shen Yue had grown accustomed to it. After the initial shame, she no longer felt much else.
Shen Yue sat for a while and felt uncomfortable. She wanted to get off him, but Bi Lian grabbed her waist.
"What are you doing sitting down?"
Shen Yue said helplessly, "I'm reading."
As soon as the book was mentioned, Bi Lian thought of the books left in the corner by the door. His face darkened, and his tone became somewhat moody.
"Has anyone brought you books these past few days?"
Shen Yue paused. "No."
Bi Lian keenly noticed Shen Yue's momentary pause. His eyes darkened, and his voice became even softer.
"Are you sure? Perhaps you should think carefully. You might have overlooked it."
Shen Yue's tone was even firmer than before.
"No."
She was lying.
The text in the books left in the corner was clearly for the blind. The paper and the titles were genuine, and it was obvious that a great deal of effort had been put into them.
If Shen Yue had honestly admitted and explained, he would have just given the person a light reprimand. After all, he hated those who acted on their own accord the most.
But now that Shen Yue was lying, it meant she was intentionally or unintentionally protecting the person who sent the books.
This made Bi Lian very displeased.
Bi Lian began to feel that he had been too lenient with Shen Yue. His gaze sharpened, and his thin lips parted. "The person I hate most in this life is someone who lies to me."
Shen Yue's expression remained unchanged. Her pale red eyes still looked beautiful yet vacant, her demeanor calm. She met his gaze directly.
Bi Lian couldn't discern anything else from her face, but his intuition told him that Shen Yue was definitely lying.
Bi Lian lowered his head and nuzzled Shen Yue's neck intimately. He asked as if inadvertently,
"Yueyue, you wouldn't lie to me, would you?"
Shen Yue didn't answer.
Bi Lian's conviction that Shen Yue was deceiving him grew stronger. Veins bulged on his forehead, but his voice remained perfectly normal, even growing gentler.
"Answer me."
There was still the same rote silence.
Bi Lian waited for a while, his patience seemingly running out. He slowly raised his head, his eyes dark as he looked at Shen Yue. "Yueyue, answer me."
Shen Yue seemed to know how difficult the man before her was. She closed her eyes, then slowly opened them again. Amidst the increasingly tense and suffocating atmosphere, she finally spoke.
"I'm not lying to you."
Bi Lian received the answer he wanted. He thought he would feel happier, but instead, the nameless anger in his heart burned even brighter.
Because Shen Yue had lied to him again.
She said she wasn't lying to him.
But she had already lied to him earlier.
Shen Yue seemed unaffected by the suffocating atmosphere. Her expression was placid, like a carefully polished gem. "I need to get up."
Now she wanted to escape.
Bi Lian's anger surged, but he remained outwardly calm. "Why are you in such a hurry? Don't you want to be close to me? Do you just want to avoid me so badly?"
Shen Yue didn't mean it that way. She had always been slow to understand social cues. Hearing Bi Lian's sarcastic tone, she realized he might be angry.
But she didn't understand why he was angry.
After a moment of hesitation, she still didn't say anything, only softening her voice.
"No, it's fine if you want to hold me."
Bi Lian wasn't easily appeased. He let out a cold laugh. "Then tell me, who gave you the books in the palace?"
Shen Yue paused. She didn't know why Bi Lian was asking this, but she also knew that Xiao Die was just an ordinary maidservant. If she knew the two of them were close, Bi Lian might not be happy.
Since it wasn't something that would bring joy, there was no need to speak of it.
As Shen Yue remained silent, Bi Lian's expression grew darker. The seed of suspicion planted in his heart had sprouted due to Shen Yue's repeated attempts to conceal things.
Various thoughts flashed through his mind, and the aura emanating from him became increasingly turbulent.
Shen Yue was still very weak. Subjected to such immense pressure, her face turned progressively paler, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Yet, she refused to bow her head or utter a sound.
Bi Lian saw this and felt inexplicably irritable. He withdrew his aura, so angry he wanted to smash something.
He didn't even know why he was so angry, so furious. Initially, his intention was to toy with her. After all, wasn't there something exciting about suppressing a high and mighty immortal venerable beneath you?
And she had even done so willingly.
Naïve and confused.
But the thought of Shen Yue having overly intimate interactions with someone else in a place he didn't know filled Bi Lian with rage.
His face was cold, devoid of any tenderness in his features, carrying a cruel indifference.
"Yueyue, you need to be obedient."
At that moment, it felt as if something had been broken, as if something had been torn apart.