Chapter 276: Moving Around While Sleeping
Of her five Beast Husbands, Shi Lan believed Ye Ming was the most sensitive.
Mu Tangfeng was a little like that too, but he was different. When Mu Tangfeng was unhappy, he’d make his displeasure obvious, so at least his mood was clear. Ye Ming, on the other hand, often seemed to process things silently, his changes in expression far more subtle.
That’s why Shi Lan sometimes found him a little hard to read.
Now, seeing him suddenly fall silent again, his expression dimming slightly, Shi Lan knew he was probably overthinking things.
She squeezed his hand in return and coaxed gently, "Ye Ming, what are you thinking? Can you tell me?"
Thankfully, Shi Lan was glad that Ye Ming wasn’t the type to bottle things up forever. As long as she asked, he would tell her.
Ye Ming pressed his lips together. "I was just thinking that I’ve kept Lanlan from her sleep. We could have done the painting tomorrow, but I insisted on tonight. Was that too demanding of me? Do you think I’m not being considerate at all, Lanlan?"
Shi Lan hugged him directly, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "Ye Ming, aren’t you the Eldest Prince? Think again. Am I that kind of person?"
Ye Ming said seriously, "I may be the Eldest Prince, but status doesn’t matter when it comes to relationships. I’ve been the Eldest Prince for a long time, but this is my first time having a partner. It’s inevitable that I’ll make mistakes."
"Exactly. You said it yourself—it’s your first time having a partner, so mistakes are inevitable. That’s why I won’t blame you."
"Besides, I’m already very comfortable with you all. If I were really tired and wanted to sleep, I would have told you. I wouldn’t force myself."
Shi Lan’s tone remained light as she tried to help him relax. "Don’t overthink it. I don’t think you were being demanding at all. For it to be demanding, one person has to be unwilling to go along, but I’m doing this of my own free will. And I think you’re very thoughtful. You got the bathwater and my pajamas ready for me. The pajamas are so comfortable, by the way."
Shi Lan’s words easily dispelled Ye Ming’s gloom. He hugged her back, his affectionate eyes practically melting as he sighed, "Lanlan, you’re always so good at comforting people."
Shi Lan simply beamed at him without another word, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Sleepy."
"Okay."
Ye Ming complied, scooping her up princess-style and carrying her back to the master bedroom.
Shi Lan’s eyes quickly scanned the room. There were no robots here.
Her body sank into the soft bed. When she saw Ye Ming walk away, she almost thought he was going to sleep in a separate room like Mu Tangfeng. But thankfully, he had only gone downstairs to bring back a cup of warm milk. "Drink this before you sleep."
Shi Lan obediently sat up and drank it all. He then poured her a cup of warm water and gave her a cleaning candy to rinse her mouth.
Ye Ming was always saying he wasn’t thoughtful, but she truly felt that he and He Hanshi were both the ’male mother’ type—meticulous, patient, and gentle down to the smallest detail.
Shi Lan rarely used cleaning candies, but after chewing this one for a moment, she found it was actually quite pleasant. Her mouth filled with a fresh, clean orange scent.
She spit it out into the trash can Ye Ming had prepared, rinsed her mouth with warm water, and then lay back down.
After quickly washing up himself, Ye Ming lay down beside her.
He was clearly very tense and reserved, leaving enough space for a whole other person between them. However, his bed was self-adjusting, and before she knew it, Shi Lan found herself nestled against his side.
Ye Ming’s hand trembled nervously for a second before he pulled his arm back, folding it self-consciously over his chest.
"Go to sleep."
The room lights dimmed to a faint nightlight. Ye Ming’s slightly ragged breathing and his low, husky, magnetic voice were clearly audible.
’That’s it? We’re just going to sleep? No other... nighttime activities?’
But perhaps her internal clock had already run out, or maybe the milk before bed was taking effect. Even though it was her first time sleeping in the palace, the moment she settled into the comfortable bed, drowsiness washed over her. Her mind grew hazy, and she didn’t think about it any further.
The palace was so large that the air conditioning sometimes made it a little chilly. Ye Ming, being a male, naturally ran hot, so in the middle of the night, Shi Lan unconsciously kept snuggling closer to him for warmth.
Also, she was probably used to sleeping without a bra, because she groggily fumbled with it in her sleep and took it off.
Her silk pajamas were soft and comfortable. As she tossed and turned a few times in her sleep, the top unconsciously rode up.
Ye Ming hadn’t been sleeping soundly to begin with. He was surrounded by Shi Lan’s scent, and her image had been drifting through his dreams.
Her movements easily woke him. The moment he was conscious, his body went rigid, and he didn’t dare to move a muscle.
He wasn’t sure what was pressing against his arm...
In any case, it was soft. Unbelievably soft. Like silken tofu.
Several possibilities flashed through Ye Ming’s mind, and every single one of them made his body temperature skyrocket. It felt as if the air conditioner were blasting hot air, sending waves of heat through him. His face and neck flushed completely red.
The arm closest to Shi Lan was frozen in place, and he didn’t dare move his body for fear of waking her. He could only take his other hand—the one farther away—out from under the comforter and carefully slide it over the fabric, hoping to absorb some of the room’s coolness and lower his temperature.
However, his hand brushed against an unfamiliar object on the comforter, interrupting his efforts. His fingers twitched, and he brought it up to his eyes.
Even without any light, Ye Ming would have been able to see clearly what it was, to say nothing of the fact that a nightlight was still on. He recognized the cream-colored, lace-trimmed item in his hand at a single glance.
This time, he grew so hot he felt like steam was about to pour from his head. In his panic, he almost threw the object away.
But he didn’t dare. It was Lanlan’s, after all. If he threw it on the floor, it would get dirty, and she might need to wear it tomorrow.
With that thought, Ye Ming endured the explosive heat and carefully placed the small article of clothing behind Shi Lan’s pillow. Now, at least, he wouldn’t accidentally touch it again.
But even though he remained still, the person in his arms was not so peaceful. Something kept rubbing and pressing against his arm.
For the first time, Ye Ming felt the full power of having a partner. It was far more overwhelming than the heat surges of his susceptible period.
’If this goes on,’ he thought, ’I’m definitely going to lose control and wake Lanlan.’
Ye Ming forced himself to stay lucid and calm, carefully inching his body to the side.
But the bed was far too good at conforming to the body’s curves. The moment he moved, it adjusted with him. And because the mattress was soft and Shi Lan was light, she involuntarily rolled toward him, her body touching his once more.
Ye Ming could clearly feel the mattress under his abdomen adjusting more frequently. His own body was clearly reacting. The bed adjusted back and forth without pause, and its movements inevitably jostled Shi Lan’s side of the bed.
His initial intention was to get away from her, but his efforts had backfired, only bringing them closer together.
His arm was no longer touching that warmth and softness, but his rigid torso was now pressed against her instead.
"Ngh..."
Ye Ming let out a muffled groan, his breathing once again growing ragged and heavy. He couldn’t withstand the temptation any longer. He scrambled out of bed and fled to the bathroom.