Chapter 257: Let Me Control Myself First
He Hanshi’s arm around her waist tightened, pulling her body flush against his, as if he wanted to completely melt her into his very being.
’My Lanlan... How could she be so wonderful?’
’Even when my spiritual power collapse was acting up, she wasn’t afraid to come near me.’
But he still said, "Don’t do that again, Lanlan. Your safety comes first, understand? I can’t guarantee I won’t hurt you every time I’m not in my right mind."
"I know."
Shi Lan had only dared to do so last night because she was sure his condition was relatively stable. Otherwise, she would have turned into a mushroom to prevent him from hurting himself.
’Still, why did his spiritual power collapse value suddenly increase last night? And so quickly, too.’
She voiced this question, then asked He Hanshi to check his current collapse value.
He Hanshi had a habit of constantly checking his spiritual power collapse value. Perhaps because Shi Lan had healed him so much last night, he had woken up after only two or three hours of deep sleep. Upon seeing the wounds on his face in the mirror, he had first gone to a Treatment Pod for healing before returning to Shi Lan’s side.
He had checked his collapse value then as well.
He said, "Fifty percent."
"Huh? That’s still on the edge of the high-risk zone..."
Shi Lan was a little disappointed, but then she figured they could continue the treatment later.
"That’s already amazing. You’re the most amazing in the entire interstellar space!"
He Hanshi praised her generously. Gazing at her small face, which was gradually regaining its color, he gently kissed her cheek. The thought of last night’s missed proposal brought another pang of regret.
’Why did my spiritual power collapse value suddenly spike and trigger an episode this time?’
He didn’t understand it either.
After some thought, the most likely culprit was the last member of the Insect Clan from last night. Before that, the types and number of Insect Clan members he and Ye Ming’s group had killed were similar; it didn’t make sense that only his collapse value would increase so abnormally.
The only exception was that ordinary insect that exploded when Ye Ming and the others weren’t nearby.
That was why He Hanshi had snuck out in the middle of the night. He went to the site of the explosion to investigate, but unfortunately, the palace troops had already cleaned up all the Insect Clan remains, so he found nothing.
Besides, that particular insect had exploded so completely that its shredded flesh had long since mixed with the other Insect Clan corpses.
Still, he had asked Ye Ming this morning to help examine the Insect Clan remains from last night. As a Prince, Ye Ming had more authority over the palace guards.
He Hanshi pulled himself from his thoughts and briefly explained the battle against the Insect Clan to Shi Lan.
Shi Lan gazed at his face, recalling the scratches she had seen on the video call yesterday. She was still relieved. "Thank goodness you weren’t seriously injured."
"By the way, your face... when did it heal?"
While he was unconscious in the Treatment Pod, He Hanshi hadn’t known that Shi Lan had seen his face. Now that she asked, his heart skipped a beat, and he knew he couldn’t hide it any longer.
He lowered his head, his eyes filled with apprehension, and continued to apologize. "I’m sorry, Lanlan. Please don’t be angry. I’ll definitely protect my face next time. I won’t get hurt again, and I won’t get disfigured."
"You can touch it and see. It’s the same as before. Please don’t think I’m ugly."
As he spoke, he took her hand and placed it on his face. Shi Lan was a little speechless and gently patted his cheek twice. "Am I that shallow of a person?"
’*Ahem*... Though his face is definitely important, that’s only for a first impression. Now that we know each other, it’s his character that I care about more.’
’Still, the fact that He Hanshi thinks this way must have something to do with me. I must not have given him enough security, letting him think I only care about his looks.’
She seized the opportunity to say earnestly, "He Hanshi, you have to understand. I like you not because of your looks, but because of you as a person—your character, your personality. You know?"
"More than what happens to your face, I care about you not getting hurt. Your life is what’s most important."
He Hanshi’s gentle, sapphire-blue eyes gazed at her, moved and full of affection. Shi Lan’s soft, bright almond eyes were also fixed on him. Their gazes met, and the atmosphere unknowingly grew intimate and tender.
He uncontrollably lowered his head, and just as he was about to kiss Shi Lan’s lips, she suddenly pulled out of his embrace. "What’s that smell?"
He Hanshi froze. "My breakfast."
With that, he hurried into the kitchen.
The lovely atmosphere was ruined by the sudden smell of something burning. However, He Hanshi had a knack for turning disaster into triumph. After dealing with the burnt parts, they were still able to have breakfast.
A full stomach inspires other desires. After finishing breakfast, Shi Lan remembered the important matter at hand. From her dining chair, she held out her hands to him. "He Hanshi, carry me."
She wasn’t wearing shoes. He Hanshi willingly obliged, scooping her into his arms and letting her sit on one of his forearms.
Shi Lan wrapped her arms around his neck, her cheeks flushing slightly, and whispered, her voice barely audible, "Your collapse value still isn’t normal. Why don’t we... continue the treatment? Let’s be thorough this time. Let’s try... Deep Healing..."
Deep Healing was a form of treatment that could only occur between a married couple.
Shi Lan had always been more reserved and shy. For her to say such a thing had already taken an immense amount of courage.
He Hanshi’s eyelids lifted, his lashes trembling. The single arm holding her transformed into a two-handed, tighter embrace.
His voice grew inexplicably hoarse, his Adam’s apple bobbing. "Okay."
And so, right after breakfast, the two found their way back to the bedroom.
The master bedroom still had dirty prints left by the White Lion last night, so He Hanshi took her to the guest bedroom he usually slept in.
He was in the habit of drawing the curtains, so the room was dark. Soon, however, the smart-controlled lights began to slowly brighten.
Shi Lan buried her face in He Hanshi’s chest. The bright light made her feel a little shy, so she had the lights turned off, leaving only a thin sliver of light from a gap in the curtains to faintly illuminate the room.
He Hanshi gently laid her down on the bed. He moved closer, and they looked at each other, neither making the next move for a long moment.
Shi Lan asked uncertainly, "He Hanshi, you know how, right...?"
She didn’t really know how and needed someone to guide her, especially when it came to the spiritual power aspect of Deep Healing.
He Hanshi didn’t find her question strange at all. He simply grasped her wrist, his breathing deepening. After a while, he said in a hoarse voice, "I... I need to get myself under control first. I’m afraid I’ll hurt you later."
Simply put, he was desensitizing himself beforehand to prevent himself from getting too excited and accidentally being too rough.
’After all, this should be Lanlan’s first time.’
’I’ve heard that a female’s first time requires gentle reassurance and touch.’
"Oh."
Shi Lan had nothing more to say. She had never experienced this before either and was naturally afraid of the pain.
Another few minutes passed before He Hanshi finally moved. He undressed unhurriedly, his movements elegant and beautiful, revealing his perfect physique.
In the dim room, the sliver of light from the gap in the curtains fell precisely upon his body, carving out sophisticated shadows and highlights. The lines of his figure were sharp and alluring: a prominent, sexy Adam’s apple; pectoral muscles that gradually tensed and bulged; and V-shaped hip lines that disappeared into the darkness...
Shi Lan was both bold and timid, stealing several glances. One moment she would look away, startled, the next she would marvel in disbelief that such a thing could exist...