Chapter 9: He Lian—Bait One, Hook One

South Court of the Old Mansion.

The torrential downpour showed no signs of slowing down. Thick clouds obscured the moon, and as the edge of the black umbrella was raised slightly, the man’s narrow, elongated phoenix eyes remained fixed on the second floor of the wooden building. A subtle, imperceptible anger flickered deep within his pupils.

The window had not been nailed shut again, and there was no sign of anyone on the drainpipe.

A dim yellow light flickered inside the room, proving that Jiang Yu had not yet fallen asleep.

He Lian’s brows pressed down to the extreme.

So…. Why hasn’t she come to find him?

He Lian instinctively made to step forward, but caught himself just in time. The umbrella tilted, letting a small section of his shoulder get soaked. The expression on his face shifted several times until he let out a self-deprecating laugh out of sheer frustration.

Because the little fool didn’t come to lay a finger on him, he actually felt a tinge of disappointment???

Damn it, He Lian!

What on earth are you thinking!

There are so many women in Jinzhou eager to get into your bed, yet you’ve actually taken an interest in a fool!

He Lian turned on his heel to leave.

This was self-humiliation!

Inside the room, Jiang Yu was curled up beside the short cabinet, throwing a paintbrush at the old hanging lamp above her head, making the lamp cord sway back and forth.

The yellow light oscillated across her face, illuminating those icy-cold eyes.

Only three months left.

If she couldn’t leave this old mansion, she would die.

With the window unsealed, she should have gone to find He Lian tonight, but the man seemed even easier to take the bait than imagined, so she wanted to gamble once more.

To bet that the crown prince would crave this shell of a body and deliver himself to her doorstep.

A pity. It was already this late, and He Lian still hadn’t come.

Just as Jiang Yu was about to get up, she suddenly heard light, soft footsteps on the staircase.

He Lian pushed open the door with extreme caution, poking his head inside like a thief. Out of nowhere, he bumped directly into Jiang Yu’s bewildered gaze, and his arm instantly froze.

She really hadn’t slept.

He Lian had thought it through carefully just now: even if she had initiated that surprise attack the other night, this little fool was technically half his woman now. As an indomitable, seven-foot-tall man, it was only right for him to drop by and see if she was sleeping well.

Yes, this reasoning was flawless.

He Lian pushed the door open and stepped inside, sweeping the rainwater off his shoulders with his broad palm as he surveyed the room.

The Song family had likely picked up on his attitude toward Jiang Yu and had tidied up the place. Jiang Yu’s clothes had also been changed to clean pajamas, though this time they were a size too large—presumably hand-me-downs from someone else.

He Lian looked down at her and suddenly rasped sternly, “Why aren’t you sleeping at this late hour?!”

Jiang Yu shuddered in fright.

This guy has such a loud voice!

Raising her head, panic surfaced within her hollow eyes.

Jiang Yu’s instinctive sense of grievance made He Lian feel like a total bastard. Clearly, it was he who had wandered into her room instead of sleeping, so why on earth had he yelled at the girl?

“Ahem…” He Lian cleared his throat, leaning down and softening his voice into a high-pitched coax, “Why aren’t you sleeping, huh?”

Only then did Jiang Yu timidly walk over to the short cabinet, kneeling on the floor to rummage inside.

The cabinet now contained quite a few old clothes and shoes.

They were all ordinary brands, likely collected from the servants.

Watching the girl’s slender legs, including the soft curve formed as she leaned over, He Lian’s Adam’s apple rolled slightly. He picked her up directly, selected a pair of jeans, and knelt on one knee before her.

Using his long fingers to stretch the waistband, he guided Jiang Yu to put her legs in.

Honestly, she should still wear pants.

He Lian pulled the waistband upward, his hands searching through the bunched-up nightgown. Realizing there was too much fabric, he had no choice but to pull out a shoelace to use as a belt, binding it tightly as his fingers stiffened.

Yet the nightgown kept slipping downward. He Lian’s brows knitted tightly: “Gather up the nightgown.”

Jiang Yu gripped the hem of her clothes, her eyes dimming, and hitched it up high in one swift motion!

He Lian caught a quick glimpse and abruptly snapped his head down.

His ears burned red as if they were dripping blood.

“…”

She really is so natural and clueless.

Finally getting the pants tied, He Lian’s veins bulged on his hands as he grasped her hands resting on his shoulders and yanked them down ill-temperedly. Sweat beaded across his neck as he struggled to raise his flushed face.

Jiang Yu curiously sized up the pants, trying to move around. The overly long pant legs covered her fair, tender toes, and she suddenly tripped over herself, startling He Lian into hurriedly catching her.

“Do you really not possess a single brain cell?”

He Lian’s voice cracked in near tooth-grinding frustration. He gathered her into his arms to sit properly, resting his chin on the crown of Jiang Yu’s head as he leaned over to help her roll up the excess pant legs.

He then grabbed her under her arms and lifted her up—a perfect fit.

With her back to him, Jiang Yu’s lips twitched slightly, her eyelids drooping slightly.

Almost there.

Feels like he’s ready to be reeled in.

He Lian sure loves to fuss over things.

He possessed an aloof, untouchable appearance, but deep down, he was dead innocent when it came to matters between men and women.

Bait one, hook one.

“Paint.”

He Lian suddenly heard her utter a word, only to see Jiang Yu pick up the paintbrush on the floor, her vacant gaze searching for something on the ground. His mind went blank, and he absentmindedly followed her gaze.

Catching sight of the paint tin behind the easel, he stretched his arm and grabbed it over: “This one?”

Jiang Yu nodded sluggishly, walked over to the window to catch some rainwater, and then held the paintbrush, stirring it inside.

He Lian sat on the wooden floor with one leg straight and the other bent up, resting his arm on his knee. Watching her clumsy, slow movements, he surprisingly showed no impatience.

Watching a fool do things so seriously was actually quite entertaining.

Jiang Yu’s hair reached down to her waist and was barely combed, falling over her body like seaweed. Her slender arms trembled a few times, and using the wrong force, the paint tin tilted straight over!

He Lian clicked his tongue, but suddenly caught a very familiar scent.

This was…

His entire body went rigid. Staring at the spreading blue liquid, he dipped a fingertip into it and brought it to his nose. His pupils dilated in shock!

It was this scent!

The scent from that night!

He Lian picked up the paint tin, and upon confirming it, squeezed the iron tin until it clattered loudly.

Damn it, he actually stumbled upon it by accident!

He glanced at Jiang Yu, who reached out her hands: “Give it back to me.”

He Lian scrutinized her every expression, unable to believe a fool could do this. He suddenly remembered that the painting was brought over by Song Xueyan’s people.

That person had also said that Jiang Yu liked to pick up used things!

His eyes darkened, a surging maniacal edge rising beneath his surface as he asked with a half-smile, “A-Yu, who gave this thing to you?”

Jiang Yu crawled over using both hands and feet, throwing her whole body into his arms and reaching out to snatch it back.

“Sister… Sister gave it to me.”

He Lian’s smile turned somewhat grim, his breathing suppressed.

Fantastic.

No wonder that woman started acting like she was in heat the moment she saw him—turns out she had planned this all along!

Who knows what Song Xueyan had mixed into the paint to actually make him fall for it!

“…Give it to me.”

Jiang Yu’s soft voice brushed against his face. He Lian looked down, seeing her eyes turning red from anxiety, and forcibly suppressed his rage: “Be good, A-Yu. This isn’t anything good, we don’t want it, okay?”

Yet Jiang Yu insisted on reaching out, mumbling: “I want…”

Buzz—

Looking into her hazy pupils, the nerves in He Lian’s brain snapped for a second. A overwhelming wave of reaction surged through him, burning his mouth dry and making his entire body tighten.

This scent took effect so fast.

No, ridiculously fast!

“…Give it to me.”

The girl was still voicing her aggrieved plea.

He Lian’s breathing grew hurried. He pulled Jiang Yu up to sit kneeling in front of him, pushing aside her hem to untie the shoelace around her waist.

Yet because he had tied it so tightly earlier, he had set up a obstacle for himself!

Undoing it made even his fingertips throb with pain.

Sweat condensed on the man’s forehead, soaking his pitch-black, messy bangs. Jiang Yu stared at his anxious and helpless hands, her thick eyelashes slowly drooping, revealing a quiet sense of helplessness.

Hurry it up.

My knees are going completely numb.