Hearing this, the Family Head Yu Lu’s eyes filled with suspicion. She wondered if this little rascal was just pretending to be drunk. Still, she half-heartedly sat on the edge of the bed, her small hand still gripped in his.
“What do you want to say?”
Yan Zhen sat up alongside her and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Is the Family Head unwilling to wear that bracelet?”
The Family Head Yu Lu turned her face away. “I’m not used to wearing too much jewelry. It gets in the way when I’m working.”
“Fair enough. Next time, I’ll give you something that won’t hinder you.”
“No need. Save your little schemes for Xuan’er and Bailan.”
Yan Zhen chuckled easily. “I want you all. Gotta keep things fair.”
The Family Head Yu Lu furrowed her brows and glared at him. “No amount of attention on me will change anything. If you won’t listen, do as you please!”
“The Family Head looks beautiful even when she’s frowning~”
“. . .”
Yan Zhen reached out to touch her face, but she deftly dodged. “Don’t get fresh, or I’ll leave right now.”
Yan Zhen blinked innocently. “But the Family Head touched my face earlier.”
She froze, at a loss for words, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She let his palm rest against one side of her face, and soon his other hand joined it, cupping her entire face gently.
Sensing trouble, the Family Head Yu Lu struggled at once. “Wait—”
Before she could finish, Yan Zhen leaned in and lightly captured her lips with his teeth.
She squeezed her eyes shut as if fleeing, her lips pressed tightly together to bar his entry.
Yan Zhen wasn’t in a rush. He kissed her tenderly, probing patiently until he coaxed her defenses open, then surged forward in one smooth motion!
All she could manage were muffled whimpers, her hands pushing weakly against his chest—like a virtuous young wife enduring unwanted advances. It stirred both pity and a fierce urge to tease her even more!
When their lips finally parted, the Family Head Yu Lu shoved Yan Zhen back onto the bed at once, huffing indignantly. “Y-You! You did it again! I’m really angry now!”
She rose to leave, but he caught her wrist and yanked her back, making her tumble onto his lap and straight into the circle of his arms.
“L-Let go! I need to go back!”
The Family Head Yu Lu struggled for show, but her efforts were even feebler than a little girl’s—like Yun Xiu back then. Her words said no, but as a Mystic Ancestor expert, she seemed to have forgotten her own strength, offering no real resistance.
Yan Zhen found the Family Head utterly adorable like this. Unable to resist, he kissed her again, only releasing her after a long, lingering moment.
After two such assaults, her face was flushed crimson, her breaths coming in short gasps. Irritation lingered in her brows, but it was overshadowed by unmistakable desire.
She opened her mouth to speak, only for Yan Zhen to cut her off. “Is the Family Head about to call me a ‘bastard’ and slap me?”
Her expression faltered. Then she tried to look even fiercer. “Don’t talk about just one slap. Keep this up, and I’ll beat you until even Xuan’er won’t recognize you!”
“No problem. My skin’s thick. Hit me however you like, as long as it makes the Family Head happy.”
“Fine words won’t come from a dog’s mouth.”
“But I can kiss the Family Head.”
With that, Yan Zhen planted another smacking kiss on her fair, silky cheek, then grinned at her with exaggerated cuteness.
And damn if it didn’t work. Her face turned beet red, and for a long moment, she didn’t lay a hand on him.
Seeing this, boundless tenderness welled up in Yan Zhen’s heart. His tone softened even further. “I’m heading back to the Holy Land tomorrow.”
The Family Head Yu Lu replied coolly, “Best to leave at dawn. Spare everyone the annoyance.”
Yan Zhen put on his most innocent, pleading face. “Then will the Family Head sleep with me tonight?”
Her eyes bulged. “What did you say? Absolutely not!”
“I can’t sleep alone. If I stay up all night, I’ll have to nap tomorrow and won’t be able to leave early.”
“Spare me. You’re a Mystic Ancestor expert. You could go a whole month without sleep and be fine.”
“I’m different. I’m fragile. I can’t sleep without someone beside me.”
“Then get one of the maids. I’m sure they’d love to share a bed with Your Highness the Holy Son!”
Ah, this… Why was she getting jealous of her own suggestion? Yan Zhen was baffled. He quickly composed himself, shedding his impulsive act for the guise of a suave young charmer.
“No thanks. I don’t sleep with strangers. The Family Head is the only one suitable.”
The Family Head Yu Lu shot him a sidelong glance. “Smooth talker. Meaningless drivel.”
Even so, her expression had clearly softened.
Seizing the moment, Yan Zhen hooked his free arm under her knees and scooped the icy beauty from his lap onto the bed, positioning her against the wall so she had nowhere to run.
In a blink, she found herself on the bed. As Yan Zhen rolled over her, she pressed her hands against his chest.
“Don’t try anything, or I-I—”
“Won’t hold back, right?” Yan Zhen smiled faintly, straddling her legs with his elbows braced on either side of her. “I know. I won’t.”
—I came prepared~
He took a moment to admire the mature beauty beneath him.
She wore a water-blue family gown in a dhoti-style skirt, blending traditional flair with a modern touch that reminded Yan Zhen of styles from his old world. The sleeves were slender with wide cuffs—likely purchased from the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce.
The real draw was how loose and lightweight the fabric was, offering tantalizing glimpses of the skin beneath: there, but not quite, a teasing veil that set the heart racing.
Even more enticing was her ripe, voluptuous figure. Lying there, her chest still swelled prominently, demanding attention; her hips curved in a full, rounded line—not quite as exaggerated as Cousin Ruyu’s, but she’d borne children, and it lost little by comparison. Between bosom and hips, her waist was slim yet plush with soft flesh—a trait of the Yu Lu Family women that he’d verified firsthand with several.
In stark contrast to her alluring body was her face: coldly aloof and strikingly beautiful, indifferent to all, passionless and untouchable.
Or so she seemed usually. Right now, she glared at Yan Zhen with shy yet stubborn eyes, like a cat poised to strike. One wrong move, and she’d claw his face, teaching him a lesson!
Yet Yan Zhen was brazenly honest. “One more kiss? A goodnight kiss.”
“No.” The Family Head Yu Lu wouldn’t indulge him. “If you’re sleeping, then sleep.”
Yan Zhen blinked twice. “How about… a nibble?”
Her eyes narrowed. Both hands mashed onto his face, squishing his features out of shape.
“Go away.”
With a light shove, she rolled him aside. Unfazed, he wriggled right back, arm snaking around her slender waist. This time, no asking—he planted a kiss on her cheek.
“Goodnight, Family Head.”
The Family Head Yu Lu let out a soft hum but said nothing more.
Yan Zhen closed his eyes and drifted off peacefully.
It took her a good while to process it. Seeing his even breathing, she realized he’d truly fallen asleep. Relief washed over her first, followed by an inexplicable flicker of disappointment.
After Yan Zhen’s teasing all evening, with her emotions tossed about, the Family Head Yu Lu felt weary too. Soon enough, she curled against him and slipped into dreams alongside.
