Pei Huaijin’s tolerance for alcohol had always been impressive, but today, after drinking from the Shen family’s banquet to the Lu family’s feast, even his strong constitution began to feel the effects of intoxication.
He knew that once a person was heavily drunk, their words and actions would spiral out of control.
That was why he never allowed himself to drink to that extent.
Yet Lu Daren persisted relentlessly in urging him to drink, his intention to win him over written all over his face.
Seeing that the other man was already slurring his words, Huaijin decided to pretend he was severely drunk as well.
Just then, Shen Yunshu returned, instructing someone to help him back onto the carriage while she hurriedly retreated to the backyard.
Earlier, it had been clear that she and Shen Youran had accompanied Madam Lu to the backyard together.
Why was she now returning alone?
Moreover, Seventh Young Master Pei had not come back since he left the table.
Huaijin rubbed his temples, feeling a splitting headache: those two really never let him have peace of mind…
About twenty minutes later, Qingjian came over and said, “The Missus has returned.”
He frowned inwardly and closed his eyes, still feigning drunkenness, intending to ignore the matter.
However, after Qingjian helped the Missus into the carriage, he pushed her directly into Huaijin’s arms.
“Langjun, the Missus’s foot is injured, and she seems quite drunk as well…”
A warm, soft weight suddenly pressed against him.
Huaijin opened his eyes and looked down to see her foot wrapped in a messy cloth bandage, her eyes glazed over, and her pale face flushed with a rosy glow.
She had been drinking fruit wine at the feast, and when she left the table, she did not seem intoxicated at all.
How was it that after going to the backyard, she came back looking like this?
Could it be that the fruit wine at Lu Manor was deceptively strong?
Huaijin was about to push her away and tell her to sit properly, but the person in his arms was limp and sticky, like dough that couldn’t be pulled away.
She clung to his neck, refusing to let go.
“I feel so awful, please hold me for a bit…”
This was the same person who had always avoided him when sober, now strangely clingy after drinking.
Well, since she was the one holding onto him, he couldn’t be accused of taking advantage.
Adjusting his posture, Huaijin slipped his hand under her knees and lifted her onto his lap.
One hand wrapped securely around her waist to steady her, while the other gently pressed her rubbing head against his shoulder.
“Behave yourself…”
But instead of calming down, she became even more mischievous—like a curious cat sniffing at his neck, her weak, boneless hands wandering across his chest, then slipping inside his clothes along the collar…
“Shen Youran,” he grabbed the hand that was misbehaving, intending to scold her.
Yet seeing how drunk she was, he knew it would be useless, so he could only restrain her and switch his irritated tone to one of helplessness.
“No more drinking from now on.”
Half of her body was immobilized in his embrace, with only her legs still able to move.
Unable to vent, she kicked in protest, but just then, her injured foot slammed against the carriage wall, causing her to whimper in pain.
“It hurts so much, Pei Huaian…”
Her mind was fuzzy; all she could remember was that this pain was caused by Huaian forcibly removing shards from her sole.
That’s why, in her agony, she called out his name without thinking.
Suddenly, a large hand gripped her jaw, forcing her face upward.
A low, chilling voice reached her ears.
“Who were you calling? Were you secretly meeting him again?”
She couldn’t quite understand what he was saying, but she felt his grip loosen slightly, freeing her burning body.
Driven by desire, she wrapped her arms around his neck and, in a daze, tried to kiss him.
A sharp pain at her waist stopped her before she could reach him.
He was holding her waist firmly.
“Answer me first—when you were with Seventh Young Master, was it also like this…” shameless?”
Youran forced her eyes open, tears welling up, looking at him with a mixture of grievance and helplessness.
“Why won’t you kiss me? Aren’t you my husband?”
She didn’t understand why she suddenly wanted to be close to him like this, but ever since she left that guest room, her mind had been filled with thoughts of him.
She recalled the night of their wedding chamber—how he had forcefully invaded her mouth with his tongue, their fingers entwined, and the distinct lines beneath his thin nightclothes…
They had shared the most intimate moments, and now, she wanted to relive them.
“Please let me kiss you, husband.”
The fire burning within her grew stronger, and she would say anything to get his consent.
The hand gripping her jaw tightened, his long lashes lowered as he looked sharply at the one quietly pleading.
She had never once called him “husband.”
Who exactly was she calling with that word now?
“Look carefully, do you know who I am?”
Tears spilled from her eyes, her voice breaking as she called out, “Husband…”
“Call me by my name.”
At that moment, the hand on her waist loosened, and the pressure on her jaw vanished.
She finally broke free and hurriedly threw herself onto him.
Her kisses were fierce and urgent, utterly unrestrained.
Her nimble tongue tangled wildly in his mouth.
She had originally been sitting sideways on his lap, but at some point, she straddled him.
As the carriage moved, her entire body pressed against his, the kisses growing deeper and more passionate…
Not enough, never enough…
A kiss alone could not quell the fire raging inside her.
Youran reached under his clothes again but was stopped.
Annoyed, she bit him.
Pain flared on Huaijin’s lips.
He let her bite for a moment, but when she showed no sign of stopping, he grabbed her cheeks and pulled his lips free from her small biting mouth.
Panting, he explained, “No more fooling around—we’re still in the carriage…”
At that moment, Huaijin sensed something was wrong.
There was barely any smell of alcohol on her breath, but her flushed face and heated body, combined with her disoriented state, did not resemble simple drunkenness.
It was more like…
His gaze darkened sharply.
“Seventh Young Master drugged you?”
Youran was too muddled to respond, her hazy eyes drifting toward the disheveled collar of her clothes.
Huaijin quickly covered her eyes and pulled her back into his embrace.
“Don’t look, don’t think. Calm down.”
How could she calm down?
The desire coursing through her limbs was overwhelming, but with her hands and feet bound and her eyes covered, she had no way to relieve herself.
After struggling for a while, she could only cry helplessly.
Hot tears soaked his palm.
Huaijin, inexperienced in such matters, could only comfort her as best he could.
“Hold on a little longer. Once we’re back at the manor, I’ll call the Langzhong…”
Youran’s sobs quieted, sweat poured down her face, neck, and the exposed skin at her collar.
Her cries became faint; her body no longer resisted but lay weakly in his arms, though her breathing grew more urgent.
Anxiously, the carriage slowed to a stop.
Qingjian told him, “Langjun, Seventh Missus has gone to buy a sobering medicine.”
Huaijin lifted the curtain and saw Shen Yunshu entering the pharmacy.
Since it was a pharmacy, there should be a cure for this poisoning.
Huaijin planned to get off after Shen Yunshu left to purchase the antidote.
Soon, Shen Yunshu returned with the medicine.
Qingjian handed over the bottle.
“Langjun, this is medicine to clear heat and detoxify…”
Clear heat and detoxify?
Not sobering medicine?
Could it be that Shen Yunshu knew her sister had been drugged, and was using the pretense of delivering sobering medicine to bring the antidote?
Huaijin accepted the bottle and pulled out the soft stopper. Inside were only two pills.
He poured out one pill and put it into Shen Youran’s mouth.
She frowned and immediately tilted her head to spit it out.
Huaijin was unfazed.
The black pill rolled onto the carriage floor and tumbled away.
“It’s so bitter…” she buried her face in his arm.
“It’s the antidote—you’ll feel better once you take it.”
He poured out the second pill, gently tilted her face up, and tried again.
“Be good. Take the medicine.”
She dodged and shut her mouth tight.
After much effort, he pried open her little mouth and slipped the pill in, only for her to push it out again with her tongue.
This time Huaijin was prepared.
He caught the pill with his hand and, turning it over, popped it into his own mouth.
Biting it gently, he lowered his head toward her.
You wanted to kiss me?
Now you can.
As he leaned in, she wrapped her arms around his neck again and trembled as she kissed him.
The small pill was pushed around their mouths but Huaijin was quicker, managing to force it deep enough that she swallowed.
He pulled away and poured her a glass of water to wash it down.
Not bothering with a new cup, he poured one for himself, lowering his gaze to her reddened, swollen lips—slightly parted and gasping for breath.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he fought the urge to kiss her again, turning his eyes away.
In another carriage, Shen Yunshu successfully got Pei Huaian to take the antidote.
He was surprisingly obedient when drugged; when she placed the pill in his mouth and told him to swallow, he did so without resistance.
But the antidote didn’t work immediately.
Once the medicine was taken, his desire to pounce surged again.
Yunshu pressed her hands to his chest.
“Please hold on a little longer. You’ll be sober soon…”
Having tasted her sweetness, Huaian found it harder to suppress his lust.
One hand grabbed both of her slender wrists, lifting them to trap her hands above her head.
His eyes lost their clarity, dark and shadowed as they fixated on her lips, a dangerous glint flowing from them.
“Sister, I can’t hold back anymore…”
He lowered his head and captured her lips, silencing her surprised cry.
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