...
Xuan Hao looked at Qian Renxue, who had her back to him and seemed sullen and impossible to coax, and sighed helplessly.
He took off his shoes, tiptoed onto the bed, and stretched out his arms from behind to gently embrace Qian Renxue's warm body.
"Xue'er..."
Xuan Hao rested his chin on her shoulder and said softly, "I really don't mean you don't have feelings for me, it's just... this kind of thing really can't be done so hastily, it's too disrespectful to you."
"I'm a man, and I can easily cross the line on impulse.
But what about you?"
Xuan Hao tightened his grip on her arm.
"Deep down, you're an extremely proud person.
If I just let you entrust yourself to me so easily, what would that be after I calm down?
A ridiculous, impulsive act?"
"Give me some more time, and give yourself some time too.
Let's talk about this later."
Hearing the warm breath and solemn promise beside her ear, Qian Renxue's heart skipped a beat.
But she didn't turn around; instead, she kept her back to him, her tone carrying a hint of scrutiny and cold snort:
"Easier said than done. What about the others?"
"Are you so 'unmoved' by the young girls surrounding you?"
"Big sister, what are you thinking!"
Xuan Hao was speechless.
"I may talk a lot of nonsense and be a bit careless in my actions, but I still have my bottom line.
I wouldn't be so absurd as to do that, would I? How old are they?"
"You really didn't cross the line?"
Qian Renxue suddenly turned around, staring intently at Xuan Hao, her eyes filled with disbelief and suspicion:
"Do you really think I'm as easy to fool as a three-year-old? You really didn't do anything?"
Qian Renxue sneered, "I'm a woman, my eyes aren't blind!
The way Ning Rongrong and the others are looking at you now, and the way they're so uninhibitedly close to you, completely losing any sense of social distance... they must have had extremely intimate contact in private to behave like this!"
"Back in Tiandou City, Ning Rongrong liked to cling to you, but subconsciously she would still consciously maintain a certain distance.
But after returning from Soto City this time, that sense of distance is completely gone!"
"It's not just Ning Rongrong, even Na'er has become more clingy, and so has that Xiao Wu!
When you guys are together, even the atmosphere in the air is ambiguous!
The only one who seems at a loss is the newcomer Zhu Zhuqing.
Anyone with eyes can see that what she's doing isn't resistance at all, it's just girlish shyness!"
"Tell me! What exactly did you lead them in as a bastard in private?!"
Faced with Qian Renxue's series of well-reasoned questions, Xuan Hao's eyes immediately darted away.
He touched his nose and coughed twice:
"Ahem... well, we're all young and full of vigor, and we did... we did play some rather intimate little games sometimes.
But I swear, I absolutely held the line!"
"A mini-game?" Qian Renxue frowned, her eyes growing increasingly suspicious and dangerous.
"What kind of game could make them completely lower their guard against you?"
Xuan Hao felt uncomfortable under her gaze.
His eyes darted to the ceiling, and he muttered under his breath, his expression somewhat unnatural, "It's nothing... it's just that I used some other methods..."
Seeing Xuan Hao's stammering and hesitant manner, Qian Renxue was stunned for a moment, but then quickly realized what was going on.
She wasn't the kind of naive girl who was sheltered in the inner chambers and knew nothing.
Over the years, under the identity of Xue Qinghe, the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, she has witnessed too much of the dark side of human nature in order to win over powerful officials and build her own power.
She had long heard of the absurd and underhanded tactics used in aristocratic circles.
A tempting blush instantly spread across Qian Renxue's flawless cheeks.
She bit her lower lip, her eyes filled with disbelief, and gestured slightly, as if confirming some absurd possibility.
Seeing her expression, Xuan Hao felt even more guilty and could only nod very slightly, forcing himself to do so.
"Xuanhao, you..."
Upon receiving confirmation, Qian Renxue flew into a rage, slapped Xuan Hao on the chest, and cursed through gritted teeth, "You guys really know how to find unconventional methods!"
"Cough... How can you blame me for this!"
Xuan Hao looked embarrassed.
"It wasn't my idea!
They were the ones who kept bothering me.
They're just young girls, so naive and clueless, but I had to consider the bigger picture!"
"Besides, this indecisive mess is really torturing me! Do you know what that feels like?
They ignited my anger with their half-baked understanding, but in the end, I couldn't actually do anything about it.
I had to suppress it all by myself!
I was just used as a 'sharpening stone' by a few reckless young girls!"
Hearing Xuan Hao's accusations, which were filled with grief and indignation, and even somewhat tragic, Qian Renxue's anger suddenly subsided.
Seeing this usually arrogant jerk now looking so frustrated and helpless, Qian Renxue couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Serves you right!"
Qian Renxue mocked him mercilessly, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Isn't this what you got for messing around with women everywhere?
Who else can you blame?"
Seeing that Qian Renxue finally smiled, and the coldness in her eyes softened considerably, Xuan Hao finally breathed a long sigh of relief.
He tentatively leaned closer.
"It's good that you're smiling. So... you're not angry anymore, right?"
"Who said I'm not angry?"
Qian Renxue immediately suppressed her smile, straightened her face again, and looked down at him.
"The anger in my heart won't go away so easily."
She narrowed her long, narrow phoenix eyes slightly, her tone carrying a hint of danger:
"Unless you let me 'vent' properly today."
Xuan Hao's heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding washing over him.
He swallowed hard, instinctively shrinking back.
"Rant? How do you plan to vent?
You... you wouldn't be thinking of taking this opportunity to teach me a lesson, would you?"
Seeing his wary look, Qian Renxue's lips curled into an extremely alluring yet assertive smile.
Instead of throwing a punch, she extended her slender, pale fingers and gently lifted Xuan Hao's chin.
Her long, golden hair cascaded down Xuan Hao's chest.
Qian Renxue slowly lowered her body, bringing her breath close to his ear, her breath sweet as orchids:
"Since those few half-baked girls can make you feel so uncomfortable with those 'tricks'..."
Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow, her eyes burning with undisguised possessiveness:
"As the empress, I naturally have to experience it for myself.
Let's see... just how much I can subdue you."
Seeing Qian Renxue's eyes sparkling, as if she really intended to teach him a lesson in action, Xuan Hao panicked and quickly reached out to hug her tightly, pressing her firmly against his chest to prevent her from moving.
"No, no, no, Grandma, I'm begging you, please don't torture me today."
Xuan Hao pleaded with a bitter face, "I just got a severe beating from that old madman Tang Hao, my internal organs are still protesting, and my body hasn't fully recovered at all.
Even if you really want to 'vent,' at least wait until I've rested for a while and recovered from my injuries, okay?"
Feeling the strength of his embrace and hearing him mention his injuries, a pang of heartache flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes.
She pouted slightly, a hint of resentment in her voice, but ultimately decided not to press him any further.
She leaned against his chest and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, and the two of them quietly embraced each other.
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