The Family Head Yu Lu felt as though she’d expended every ounce of anger she could muster in her lifetime. Hearing him speak to her in that childish coaxing tone only fueled her rage further.
How could she have imagined that “rubbing” meant something like that? Her thighs were still numb!
She yanked her hand back and hurriedly inspected her body, paying special attention to her pale belly, terrified that some traces might remain unwashed. Once satisfied, she soaked her disheveled side locks in the water, meticulously cleaning each strand.
She hadn’t even finished when she felt that thing pressing against her again. Startled, she scolded him hastily.
“If you dare come any closer, I won’t hold back!”
Yan Zhen held the cold and glamorous beauty’s slender waist with one arm, giving the soft flesh there a light pinch as he chuckled.
“It won’t happen. I said it was just rubbing, remember?”
Fuming with embarrassment, the Family Head Yu Lu shoved the scoundrel away. She clutched her ample chest and rose from the water, stepping onto the shore. After evaporating the moisture from her skin, she summoned a bath towel with a casual gesture, wrapped it around her fair and voluptuous figure, and departed the bathroom like a gust of wind. She returned to her room and slammed the door shut with a bang.
Seeing that Yan Zhen showed no sign of pursuing her, she was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she recalled how he’d previously used the Fire Refining Starry Sky to slip into the bathroom. She immediately dispersed her mystic power, sealing every window in the room tight without leaving so much as a crack for him.
The Family Head Yu Lu gripped the bath towel tightly around her body as those absurd scenes from moments ago replayed endlessly in her mind.
Just rubbing? What was the difference between that and full intimacy?
It was utterly outrageous!
No, she couldn’t let him lead her around by the nose any longer.
The Family Head Yu Lu let out a long breath, forcing herself to calm down. She walked to the wardrobe and opened the doors, reaching first for her night robe. But then she remembered she still had to appear later to entertain that rascal, lest the clan members grow suspicious. So she redirected her hand toward a simple, everyday dress instead.
Yet she hesitated again. Wasn’t it precisely because she’d dressed too casually before that the little devil had gotten the upper hand so easily? After a moment’s indecision, she opted for something more formal and dignified.
But she wavered once more. If she dressed too deliberately, wouldn’t that give him the wrong idea?
What if he grew even more brazen? What then?
For a moment, this decisive and formidable matriarch found herself utterly conflicted.
Unbeknownst to her, Yan Zhen—who was still soaking in the bath—was equally conflicted.
He had originally planned to press his advantage and claim full victory, but in the end, he hadn’t pushed the Family Head too far. He was afraid it would hurt her feelings.
Truth be told, Yan Zhen had never intended to go all the way. But he hadn’t expected the Family Head’s stance to be so unyielding. Even after he’d brought three Mystic Venerable-level lotus root people as gifts on behalf of his Saint Lord master, she still wouldn’t budge. Left with no choice, he’d resorted to such underhanded tactics.
Exploiting his control over her body, leveraging his knowledge of her weaknesses, transforming into the ultimate seducer of women—step by step eroding her resolve… Yet the Family Head’s reactions were beyond his expectations.
Her words were filled with refusal, but her fiercest resistance amounted to those two feeble slaps. She’d been on the verge of complete surrender.
The implication was obvious.
A surge of guilt and moral unease welled up within him. Yan Zhen irritably scratched his head before letting out a long sigh.
Some time later, he finally rose from the bath, changed his clothes, left the bathroom, and arrived at the Family Head Yu Lu’s bedroom. Putting away his dejected expression, he flashed a smug, self-satisfied smile and knocked on the door.
“Family Head, I’m all cleaned up. Shall we head to the banquet hall together for the meal?”
There was no response.
But Yan Zhen could sense her presence, so he threatened, “If you don’t come out, I’ll come in.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than footsteps approached, and the door slowly creaked open.
The Family Head Yu Lu emerged wearing a loose, water-blue lounging dress. Her stunning face bore a frosty hue, her raven-black hair elegantly pinned up like a cascade of clouds. She exuded dignified poise while radiating a subtle allure unique to a mature woman.
Yan Zhen’s eyes lit up. It was the first time he’d seen the Family Head dressed this way—so much younger than her usual cold, glamorous mature beauty. She now resembled a cool, elegant young wife, almost like Mentor Yu Xuan’s older sister.
Standing side by side like this, they actually made quite the pair.
“You look stunning in that outfit, Family Head~”
The Family Head Yu Lu remained unmoved, at least on the surface. “Let’s go. The banquet hall should be ready by now.”
Yan Zhen grinned and stepped forward to take her jade-like arm. Her lovely face flushed slightly as she nudged him lightly with her elbow.
“Let go.”
He ignored her. After a couple of token struggles, she gave up, though she warned him, “Don’t you dare cause any trouble at the banquet later, or I won’t hold back!”
As if she’d ever truly follow through on that.
Yan Zhen grumbled inwardly but nodded obediently.
Satisfied, the Family Head Yu Lu allowed him to escort her as they left the great courtyard for the banquet hall.
At the table, she behaved impeccably, chatting idly now and then and occasionally serving Yan Zhen some food. The Yu Family elders fawned over him relentlessly, addressing him as “Your Highness the Holy Son” at every turn. When Yan Zhen suggested they drop the formality, they switched to “Your Highness Yan Zhen” and plied him with drink after drink until he was thoroughly tipsy. He hadn’t even finished eating before he slumped against the Family Head Yu Lu beside him and dozed off.
Knowing Yan Zhen’s poor tolerance for alcohol, she ended the dinner early and had attendants escort him to her daughter’s courtyard to rest.
But Yan Zhen clung to her, refusing to release her arm. With no other choice, the beautiful matriarch accompanied him, ensuring he was settled in properly.
Though thoroughly drunk, Yan Zhen had obeyed her every word throughout, which eased the Family Head Yu Lu’s worries. Seeing him lying quietly on the bed with such an endearing sleeping face, she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
If only he were always this well-behaved. Why did he have to learn how to bully people?
She left two maids on duty and returned to the Family Head’s Great Courtyard. Passing by the tea room, she paused inexplicably, then wandered inside. She sat down, dismissed the maids, and stared blankly at the tea set on the table.
Memories of the day’s events flooded her mind. She knew her heart was in turmoil.
…
After the time it took to burn a single incense stick, the Family Head Yu Lu returned to her daughter’s courtyard.
She dismissed the two maids on duty and approached Yan Zhen’s bedside, gazing quietly at him.
Just watching him like this soothed the restlessness in her heart, allowing her entire body to relax.
Unable to resist, she reached out her slender hand to caress his cheek, murmuring resentfully, “What exactly do you want from me, you insatiable little rascal?”
The memory of his feigned innocence and wide-eyed look only made her angrier.
As she tried to withdraw her hand, she found it caught in his grasp.
Yan Zhen had opened his eyes at some point and was smiling up at her.
The Family Head Yu Lu’s heart skipped a beat. “W-When did you wake up?”
“Just now,” Yan Zhen lied, of course he wouldn’t admit he’d been pretending to be drunk. “Can’t sleep, Family Head? Why don’t you come to bed? We can chat a bit.”
“No need! I was just worried because you were so drunk. Since you’re fine, I’ll be going now.”
Seeing her urgently trying to pull away and leave, Yan Zhen blinked innocently before letting out a dramatic wail of agony, startling her.
“What’s wrong?”
“My head… my head is spinning~ The alcohol’s gone to my brain!”
“Then lie back down. I’ll have someone brew some sobering soup for you.”
“No need. Just sit down and keep me company with some talk, Family Head.”
