Chapter 98 -
Wenzhe finally released her lips, stepping back just enough for her to catch her breath.
Yueqing immediately gasped for air, coughing violently from the lingering, fiery spice of the raw ginger juice. "Cough—cough! You absolute lunatic! Block of Wood! You did that on purpose! My tongue is burning!"
Still spewing a continuous stream of colorful curses, she scrambled straight toward the tea table, practically throwing herself at the ceramic pitcher. She poured a full cup of cold water and gulped it down in one desperate attempt to wash away the terrible taste. The second the cup hit the table with a loud clatter, she began fanning her open mouth wildly with her hands, her face flushed bright red.
"Aaargh, it still tastes awful!" she whined, stomping her foot on the rug.
Wenzhe stood a few feet away, watching her frantic, dramatic antics. His heart was hammering heavily against his ribs, and a strange, uncharacteristic heat surged through his veins. He honestly didn’t know what had suddenly gotten hold of him.
Before Yueqing could even finish fanning herself, Wenzhe closed the distance between them in two long strides.
He reached out, his large hand cupping the back of her head, his fingers tangling firmly into her soft hair to tilt her face up. His other arm swept low around her waist anchoring her firmly near her lower hip and butt area and pulled her body flush against his broad chest.
Before she could process what was happening, he leaned down and captured her lips again, kissing her far more intimately and passionately than before.
This time, there was no wine to force down and no ginger juice to transfer. It was deep, lingering, and completely overwhelming. His lips moved over hers with a quiet, commanding heat, holding her so securely that she couldn’t move even if she tried.
Yueqing choked on her breath, her light green eyes snapping wide open in absolute shock. Her hands froze mid-air, her entire body going completely rigid against his hard frame.
DING!
DING!
DING!
[System Announcement: +1 Villain Point!]
[System Announcement: +1 Villain Point!]
[System Announcement: +1 Villain Point!]
The point notifications kept popping off continuously in her mind, but for the very first time since the system bug started, Yueqing’s brain completely glitched. She wasn’t calculating her profits or gloating in her head anymore.
[W-W-What is happening?!] her inner voice squeaked, sounding thoroughly breathless and panicky inside Wenzhe’s head. [Why is General Tree kissing me like this?! Is this Block of Wood broken?! Why is he holding me so tight?! My face is so hot! Nine, help! My brain is short-circuiting!]
Hearing her inner thoughts go from arrogant and scheming to completely flustered and chaotic, Wenzhe’s grip softened just a fraction, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he deepened the kiss just a bit more, enjoying the rare sight of his fiery, trouble-making wife being completely struck silent in his arms.
Their lips remained locked, the intensity of the moment pulling them both off balance until they tumbled together onto the massive wooden bed, sinking deep into the soft, crimson silk mattress.
Wenzhe hovered directly above her, his heavy frame framing her small body, his strong hands pinning her wrists beside her head against the pillows.
Yueqing’s heart was pounding against her ribs so hard she could hear it in her ears. Breathless, she managed to turn her face slightly to break the kiss, staring up at him with wide, flustered eyes.
"What’s... what’s gotten into you, Wenzhe?!" she gasped, her voice trembling slightly.
Looking down at his face, Yueqing froze. The dark eyes staring back at her weren’t cold, stoic, or distant like they usually were. They were deep, burning with an intense, raw heat she had never seen from him before. It sent a sudden, unfamiliar shiver running straight down her spine.
Feeling an overwhelming sense of vulnerability, Yueqing squirmed beneath him, her hands twitching as she tried to push his broad chest away. "Release me! You’re making me uncomfortable—"
"Isn’t this what you wanted?" Wenzhe interrupted, his deep, husky voice rumbling right against her ear, dark and dangerously smooth. "You came at me so aggressively earlier... so I’m giving it to you."
Before Yueqing could even open her mouth to protest, Wenzhe leaned down and captured her lips once more.
This time, his kiss was fierce and unyielding. He leaned into the heat, his teeth catching her soft lower lip in a light, deliberate bite that made her gasp out loud only for him to deepen the kiss instantly, taking advantage of her parted lips.
DING!
DING!
DING!
[System Announcement: +1 Villain Point!]
[System Announcement: +1 Villain Point!]
[System Announcement: +1 Villain Point!]
The point notifications were flashing in her head like rapid gunfire, but Yueqing couldn’t care less about her villain points anymore.
[AHHH! NINE! NINE, HE BIT ME!] Yueqing’s inner thoughts screeched in total, chaotic panic straight into Wenzhe’s mind. [THIS IS NOT A DRILL! THE BLOCK OF WOOD HAS AWAKENED! HE’S REVENGE-KISSING ME! SOMEBODY SAVE ME FROM THIS CRAZY GENERAL!]
Wenzhe heard her frantic, screaming inner thoughts loud and clear. A subtle, dangerous glint flashed in his eyes beneath the shadowed canopy of the bed, and instead of letting her go, his grip on her wrists tightened just a fraction, keeping her completely trapped beneath him as he continued to consume her lips.
Lost in the heat of the moment, Wenzhe’s hand instinctively slipped beneath the soft layers of her hanfu, his warm, calloused fingers resting against the bare skin of her waist.
The delicate, burning contact sent a sudden jolt straight through his system like a splash of freezing water.
Wenzhe’s dark eyes snapped wide open. The haze of passion instantly cleared, replaced by a wave of cold shock as reality hit him like a physical blow.
What... what am I doing?!
He froze mid-kiss, his gaze dropping to Yueqing, who was beneath him—flustered, wide-eyed, her cheeks flushed bright red, and her soft lips swollen from his bites.
In a sheer panic, Wenzhe practically scrambled off the bed, stumbling backward until his knees hit the edge of the tea table. His heart was hammering wildly against his ribs, his chest heaving as he stared at his hands in utter disbelief. He had completely lost control over his own impulses and all because of her endless, chaotic teasing.
Yueqing lay on the silk mattress, her hair fan-spread over the pillows, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she stared up at the ceiling in complete, stunned silence.
Wenzhe swallowed hard, his throat dry. He couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes.
"...Sorry," he choked out in a low, breathless voice.
Without waiting for a single word of response and before she could process the apology, Wenzhe turned on his heel and bolted toward the heavy wooden doors. He yanked them open and vanished into the dim hallway as fast as lightning, slamming the doors shut behind him with a loud THUD.
The guest chamber fell dead quiet.
Yueqing sat up slowly on the bed, her hands touching her burning lips, her mind completely blank. The chaotic stream of thoughts that usually flooded her brain had completely vanished, leaving her entirely shocked and speechless.
[Host...] Nine’s robotic voice broke the silence softly, sounding surprisingly hesitantly. [Your... your heart rate is currently at 145 beats per minute. Should I deploy a cooling pack?]
[Shut up, Nine,] Yueqing whimpered mentally, clutching her chest as her face burned hotter than the ginger juice they had just drank. [Just... shut up.]