Since Wenge had been imprisoned, three days had passed without incident. But the calmer things seemed, the heavier the mood in the cell became, as if their execution was just around the corner.
Human beings are not made of wood or stone. When first captured, they may still have the courage to bite down on hidden poison and end it all—but after prolonged confinement, the instinct to live always creeps back in. And when survival seems impossible, despair takes hold.
When Wenge had first arrived, the others would still ask him about the outside world. But gradually, even that stopped. They simply ate their three meals a day in numb silence, waiting to see which meal would be their last.
Yet in the midst of all that despair, Wenge often found his mind drifting. Every time they made it through a meal unharmed, he couldn’t stop thinking—
Am I still alive because they haven’t found Feng Lezhen yet?
And whenever he thought of her alone in that house, surviving on raw water and radishes, he’d toss and turn all night, unable to sleep.
The man Wenge called Brother Yu noticed something was off with him, and during a quiet night, he casually struck up a conversation.
“I know—you excel at everything, better than anyone else, that’s why you could take the position of leader. But things have come to this point… you don’t have to keep holding it together. You… can be afraid. No one will laugh at you.”
Wenge’s eyes flickered. He wanted to say he wasn’t afraid of death, but the words got stuck in his throat.
Admitting he feared death was still more respectable than admitting he was worried someone else might go hungry.
Seeing he didn’t respond, Brother Yu let out a slow sigh.
By the fifth day of their imprisonment, Wenge couldn’t hold it in anymore. He grabbed the collar of the person delivering their food and said, “Where’s that woman called Ah Ye? I have something to say to her.”
Everyone in the cell had already turned ashen, and upon hearing this, they all looked toward him. One person couldn’t help but remind him, “We can’t betray that person…”
The only reason they’d held on this long was because of their gratitude toward that person. If Wenge confessed everything, all their efforts would be for nothing.
“Shut it,” Brother Yu said impatiently. “Does Leader Wen look like that kind of person?”
That person shrank his neck and fell silent.
“I want to see Ah Ye.” Wenge’s gaze became even firmer.
The food delivery person looked at him, shook off his hand, and left.
A quarter of an hour later, Wenge was brought to a study.
“You’re looking for me for what?” Ah Ye asked coolly.
Wenge stared at her for a long moment before finally steeling himself. “She’s in Xihe Village.”
Ah Ye narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing. Just a reminder: if you don’t go find her soon, she’ll likely starve to death there.” Wenge said lightly.
Ah Ye didn’t respond. She didn’t move, either.
Her excessive calm made Wenge feel uneasy. “You… what do you mean…”
“I already took people there,” Ah Ye shattered his hope. “We found the residence you all stayed in before, but there was no sign of Her Highness.”
“Someone said she waited there in vain for several days before leaving. She didn’t take anything with her—just a shedding shuttlecock. My people searched along all possible routes. To this day, we don’t know whether she went to Yue City or back to Yingguan. Wenge, right? Tell me—how does a delicate woman manage to slip through layer upon layer of search patrols and vanish completely from this world?”
Wenge returned to the cell like a lost soul. His reddened eyes startled everyone. Brother Yu quickly came over and asked, “Leader, what’s wrong?”
Wenge’s mind was blank. After a long pause, he slowly looked at them, and upon seeing the worry in their eyes, he numbly said, “Sorry.”
“Don’t—don’t apologize. We know you tried to save us, but if you couldn’t, there’s nothing you could’ve done.” Someone offered softly, which was followed by many nods of agreement.
They all assumed he’d gone to negotiate for their sake. No one knew that he had done it for personal reasons—and that he had been willing to give up the last card in his hand. Ironically, even after he made that decision… it had all been for nothing.
She wasn’t there at all.
Where could she have gone?
She was delicate, troublesome, had no memory, and didn’t know how to soften herself when asking for help. If she ran into trouble, how would she handle it? That village was surrounded by wilderness in all directions—how could she possibly measure that endless road with just her two feet? The more Wenge thought about it, the more he fell apart. He wanted nothing more than to break out and find her himself.
But when he met the concerned gazes of his comrades, he gave up again—
If they didn’t resist, they could at least live another day. If they resisted, they would all die immediately.
He had already betrayed them once for personal feelings. He couldn’t do it a second time.
Wenge felt like a steel blade had split him in two—one half carrying his brotherhood and loyalty, the other half filled with her entire image. The pain was so great that even breathing trembled. Yet on his face, he kept his numb expression. It was as if if he didn’t force himself to suppress the pain, he would die of it on the spot.
By the eighth day of imprisonment, his eyes had lost all light. No matter who spoke, he wouldn’t respond. He just stared blankly outside the cell, as if convinced that if she returned, she would definitely come see him one last time.
If she could come back alive.
By the tenth day, he finally gave up all hope. That night, he had his first decent sleep since being locked up. When he woke the next day, he felt strangely alive again—calmly waiting for death.
The weather had warmed up. Even the cell had a bit of sunlight shining in, chasing away the cold that belonged to a prison.
On yet another uneventful afternoon, food was delivered. Wenge took a steamed bun and ate slowly. He had only eaten half when someone suddenly appeared at the entrance of the cell.
The moment that person appeared, they blocked out the sunlight, casting him into complete shadow.
Wenge sat cross-legged on the ground, head lowered. When an intricate and elegant hemline came into his view, his long-numb heart suddenly thudded violently. The blood rushing through his limbs felt like blades piercing through his bones.
His hand holding the bun began to tremble. He could only awkwardly rest it on his lap. Just as he had no idea what to do next, her voice drifted down from above:
“Aren’t you going to greet this princess?”
Hearing her refer to herself as this princess, Wenge closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he had returned to calm. “Your memory is back?”
Feng Lezhen, dressed in opulent royal attire, looked at him coolly and didn’t respond.
Wenge tugged the corners of his mouth into a smile. “The doctors at your manor must be better than those in remote villages. It’s natural that you’d recover. I’m here, so—congratulations, Your Highness.”
Feng Lezhen stared at him for a while, then left with only one sentence: “You really have a way of speaking that makes people uncomfortable.”
Wenge watched her retreating figure, then suddenly raised a hand to cover his eyes. A long moment later, he exhaled a deep breath.
She’s alive. That’s good.
The cell remained dead silent, as if she had never come. Wenge even thought for a moment that he had hallucinated her presence—but by evening, he would know everything had truly been real, because—
They were released.
“Her Highness the Eldest Princess is merciful, so she is sparing your lives. But if you ever dare commit treason again, you’ll be torn to pieces,” Ah Ye said coldly.
Though everyone had already stepped out of the prison and breathed in the fresh air outside, they still couldn’t believe it. Upon hearing her words, they looked at one another, not daring to leave on their own.
Ah Ye grew impatient: “What are you standing there for? Get lost!”
As if waking from a dream, they scattered quickly. Only Wenge remained, stepping in front of her. “She… why did she let us go?”
“Why did she let you go?” Ah Ye seemed to have heard a joke. She chuckled once, but her eyes grew colder. “You should ask yourself, Leader Wen—just what kind of spell did you put on our princess to make her so willingly release you?”
Wenge’s heart skipped a beat. “Can I see her?”
“See her? What for—so you can try to assassinate her again?” Ah Ye shot back.
“I’m not—”
“Just go. Her Highness isn’t feeling well and went to rest early,” Ah Ye interrupted.
Wenge froze, then frowned. “Why is she suddenly unwell? Is it serious? Has she seen a doctor? I can—”
“You can what?” Ah Ye asked flatly.
Meeting her gaze, Wenge suddenly realized—he no longer had the right to worry about Feng Lezhen.
The realization took his breath away, even his fingertips began to ache. Ah Ye gave him a deep look, then turned and left. He remained frozen in place until Brother Yu came back to drag him away.
They had been locked up for so long, thinking they were doomed. Now that they had escaped death, the group was both exhilarated and in disbelief. Not until they had completely left Yingguan City did they truly exhale in relief.
“We… we’re really alive?” someone asked softly.
Another immediately replied, “Yes, we’re alive.”
“We’re alive!”
“We’re alive!”
Everyone began venting their emotions like madmen—except Wenge, who trailed behind with downcast eyes like a lifeless puppet. Brother Yu glanced at him worriedly and suddenly said, “The emperor once had me infiltrate the Shilang of the Ministry of Revenue’s household to collect evidence of his bribery. I went in as a servant. Because I often moved around the backyard, I eventually met the second young miss of the house.”
Wenge had known about that mission, but this was the first time he heard about the second young miss.
“You know how it ended. The whole household was exiled to Lingnan, never to return to the capital,” Brother Yu gave a bitter laugh.
“Did the second young miss know it was you?” Wenge asked, his eyes flickering.
“She didn’t, but she probably guessed. The day she left, it was pouring. I was hiding in the shadows, watching her. She suddenly threw the jade pendant I had given her to the ground. I knew then—she did it for me to see,” Brother Yu said, his voice slightly hoarse. “That’s when I realized: when something begins wrong, it can never end well. You can’t force it. You just can’t.”
Wenge quickly looked away.
“Being alive is already a blessing. You…” Brother Yu sighed and was about to say more when he saw Wenge suddenly stop in his tracks, face flushing red.
“What’s wrong with you?” Brother Yu asked, concerned—
Before he could finish, Wenge dashed off. Everyone stared blankly, then looked in the direction he ran—just ahead, not far off, was a carriage. In front of the carriage stood a girl in a cotton dress.
Brother Yu was stunned for a moment, then said, “Why do I feel like…” That girl looked a little familiar.
He didn’t finish, but everyone nodded unconsciously.
Wenge ran like a madman. Maybe it was the wind burning his face, but by the time he reached her, his eyes were already red.
“You…” he met her gaze, still unable to believe it.
Feng Lezhen looked up and gave him a glance. “What about me?”
“You came out by yourself?!” Wenge suddenly burst out angrily. “How could you come out here alone? Don’t you know we’re assassins? Don’t you know we were sent to kill you?!”
“And you think that gives you the right to yell at me?” Feng Lezhen shot back.
Wenge immediately lost steam. “I… I just think it’s dangerous for you to come out on your own…”
“I already know the truth,” Feng Lezhen interrupted.
Wenge instantly went quiet.
After a long while, he spoke bitterly: “So what now? Did you let us go just to mess with us? To get revenge for being deceived?”
“Yes,” Feng Lezhen replied.
Wenge’s breath trembled. He glanced back at his hesitant comrades, then looked at Feng Lezhen with determination. “Can you kill just me?”
Her brows lifted slightly. “And why would I do that?”
“You… you can cripple their hands, make sure they can never wield a weapon again—just let them live. As for me, you can kill me however you want,” Wenge said, his voice hoarse. “I’m not afraid of dying,”
“You’re not afraid of death?” she asked.
“I am,” he forced a smile, “but it can’t be helped. Some things just can’t be helped.”
He said “can’t be helped” twice, and even his breathing turned shaky.
Feng Lezhen looked at him for a while and said, “Close your eyes.”
Wenge shut his eyes, quietly waiting for his fate.
After a long time, something soft landed on the corner of his lips. When he realized what it was, his eyes flew open in disbelief.
“Wenge,” she called him.
“I’m here,” he replied instinctively.
“I ran off again,” she said.
Wenge stared at her blankly for a long moment. “Ran off… what do you mean?”
“Just what it sounds like,” Feng Lezhen crossed her arms. “I haven’t recovered my memory. What I said to Ah Ye before was just to trick her into releasing you all. I told you already—not to come rescue people on your own. It’s too dangerous. The two of us could’ve coordinated from inside and out, but you just wouldn’t listen—and ended up locked up for so long…”
“You already know the truth, don’t you?” Wenge interrupted her.
Feng Lezhen shut her mouth. After a brief silence, she said, “I do. But so what?”
Wenge’s pupils dilated slightly. Though it was only April, he was trembling a little.
“I don’t want to be a princess. Will you take me away with you?” Feng Lezhen looked him in the eyes and asked solemnly.
Wenge’s mind went blank. He seemed to have said something—or maybe nothing at all—but when Feng Lezhen suddenly smiled, he was certain he must have said something.
His three souls and seven spirits returned to their places, and the heart that had long been numb began to beat again. Wenge let out a short laugh, and Feng Lezhen immediately glanced at him. “If you don’t feel like laughing, then don’t. That smile’s worse than crying.”
Wenge’s Adam’s apple moved, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.
Feng Lezhen chuckled softly, then looked past his shoulder.
Behind him, the onlookers had already gone through a complete cycle of emotions—from confusion to alertness, and back to shock again—and were still trapped in their stunned state.
Feng Lezhen patted one of them, who seemed particularly lost. “Take care of them, would you?”
Wenge paused, turned his head to look at the group, and immediately, everyone felt a chill down their spines.
Half an hour later, in the carriage, Wenge exhaled slowly. “Anyway, that’s how it is. There is no more Eldest Princess. Your mission is complete.”
“B-but…” someone still hadn’t wrapped their head around it and pointed at Feng Lezhen. “Isn’t the Eldest Princess right there?”
“She’s not,” Wenge said calmly.
“Then who is she?”
“My person,” Wenge replied.
Everyone stared in stunned silence.
In the quiet that followed, someone asked cautiously, “Leader, how are you so sure she’s lost her memory?”
“What else could it be? Why would a dignified princess pretend to have amnesia and follow a bunch like us around? Either she’s mad, or she trusts our Leader too much,” someone argued.
“But…”
“The physician confirmed it. She really has lost her memory,” Wenge said. He knew his position was awkward now and that his words alone might not be convincing, so he brought up the doctor who had treated Feng Lezhen.
Sure enough, that convinced most of them, though they still hesitated about whether to bring her along.
In the end, it was Brother Yu, who had seen plenty in his life, who stepped up to take charge. “Our mission was to make the Princess disappear. Now she’s with the Leader. That means the mission is done. And the Leader gets to be with the one he loves. It’s the best of both worlds. Any objections?”
“No, no objections…”
“None here…”
Though they all had a nagging feeling this might bring trouble down the road, firstly, they had to respect the Leader’s authority. Secondly, the Princess—even if amnesiac—had shown them mercy and saved their lives. It wouldn’t sit right to turn on her now. So after exchanging looks for a while, they reluctantly accepted the outcome.
Since everything was settled for now, the matter was put to rest. Feng Lezhen sat upright, lost in thought, when the person beside her suddenly poked her in the waist. She paused and turned her head.
“…If you’re tired, you can lean on me,” Wenge said in a low voice. When he saw her staring intently at him, he suddenly felt a bit awkward. “If you don’t want to, that’s fine—”
Before he could finish, Feng Lezhen had already leaned into his arms.
Feeling her full weight settle against him, Wenge’s heart was finally at ease. He instinctively lowered his head to her hair and took in a deep breath of her fragrant scent.
Ahem…
A deliberate cough echoed through the carriage. Brother Yu was the first to stand up. “I’ll go help drive.”
“I’ll go too!” another person quickly raised a hand.
The rest were eager to follow, but Brother Yu said, “Only three can sit up front.”
“No problem, I can ride on the roof.”
“I’ll go on top too.”
“I’ll hang off the side. I’m good at that.”
“Me too, me too…”
The group mumbled and shuffled out, and in the blink of an eye, only the two of them were left in the carriage.
“Aren’t they… cold?” Feng Lezhen asked uncertainly.
Wenge let out a soft laugh. “They’ll be fine.”
Feng Lezhen nodded and fell quiet again.
Wenge lowered his head, watching her long eyelashes, and after a while, cautiously asked, “Are you really willing to give up your identity as the Eldest Princess and spend the rest of your life with me, in hiding?”
“Why ask again? I thought I made myself clear just now.” Feng Lezhen lazily sat up. The moment she left his arms, a hollow feeling settled in Wenge’s chest.
Wenge stared at her for a long while and murmured, “It just doesn’t feel real.”
From the moment he’d been released, everything had felt like a dream. Even though she was right here, it all seemed somehow illusory.
Feng Lezhen gazed at the troubled young man for a long moment, then suddenly cupped his chin and kissed him.
Wenge was momentarily stunned. Once he recovered, he wrapped his arms around her waist and, with a swift tug, pulled her onto his lap.
Feng Lezhen straddled his thighs, holding his face from above. Wenge gripped her slender waist tightly, as if he could fuse her into his very bones.
It was just a kiss, yet it felt like a spark set to dry tinder, threatening to consume them both. Wenge’s eyes turned red as he instinctively leaned in for more. But Feng Lezhen suddenly pressed her hands against his chest.
“You’re jabbing me,” she said, her eyes glistening, her voice now slightly unsteady.
Wenge blinked, then at the sound of someone tumbling off the carriage roof, suddenly understood what she meant—his face instantly turned crimson.
A smile danced in Feng Lezhen’s eyes. “As much as I’d love to do more with Leader Wen, there are just too many people on this carriage.”
“D-don’t say things like that! They’re all listening…” Wenge was rarely this flustered. He tried to push her off his lap, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. In the end, he just hugged her tighter and tried to forcibly calm himself.
With warm softness in his arms, trying to suppress his desires and force calm was truly too harsh. After much effort, he finally calmed himself down.
The carriage journeyed all the way to Yue City. This time, Wenge didn’t sneak around—he went directly to stay at the official post station.
Because he wasn’t sure how many people in Yue City might recognize Feng Lezhen, Wenge waited until he confirmed no one was around before bringing her from the carriage into his own room.
“I’ll have someone buy two sets of men’s clothes. You can change into them later. And when you go out, apply some of this to your face.” Wenge said, handing her a small box.
Feng Lezhen opened it and saw some yellowish powder mixed with tiny black granules. She dabbed a bit onto the back of her hand. Her originally smooth and fair skin immediately turned yellowish, the black grains clinging like unsightly moles.
“Just bear with it for now.” Wenge knew what she was thinking and comforted her softly.
Feng Lezhen glanced at him. “It’s fine.”
Wenge smiled and couldn’t resist hugging her again.
Feng Lezhen let out a laugh. “You’ve become so clingy.”
“I thought… we’d never have a chance in this life.” He buried his face in her neck, his voice muffled.
Feng Lezhen’s gaze softened. “Why would you think that? As long as you’re willing, nothing stands in our way.”
Wenge gave a silent smile. When he looked at her again, his eyes were red.
“Such a crybaby puppy,” Feng Lezhen said helplessly.
Wenge also felt a bit embarrassed by his behavior. After hastily wiping his eyes, he changed the subject. “You get some rest. I’ve asked Brother Yu to keep watch outside. I need to head out for a bit.”
“Where are you going?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“To find the Prefect of Yue City, have him submit a memorial to the Emperor—tell him our mission is complete.”
“What mission? The one to kill me?” Feng Lezhen tilted her head.
Wenge looked slightly guilty. “Yes…”
“Prefect of Yue City sounds like a big official. Will he believe you? What if he doesn’t cooperate?” Feng Lezhen was puzzled.
Wenge was amused by her naive question. “We’re directly under the Emperor. Before we even arrived at Yingguan, there were already official documents sent to the prefect. He wouldn’t dare not cooperate.”
“I see.” Feng Lezhen nodded.
Wenge stared at her for a moment and couldn’t help but hug her again. “Once the memorial is sent, I’ll return to the capital to resign. Then we can go find somewhere peaceful, with beautiful mountains and clear waters…”
“Mhm, I know. You fetch the water and till the land, you weave the cloth and cook the meals,” Feng Lezhen casually continued the line from a play.
Wenge laughed. “Exactly. I’ll do everything. You just need to look beautiful and enjoy life.”
When he first took her away, he hadn’t thought he’d treated her poorly. But seeing her again in prison—dressed in rich clothing with delicate hair ornaments—he realized how much he had wronged her. Once they settled down, all those patchy cotton jackets would be thrown away. He was going to buy her plenty of beautiful clothes and jewelry—never letting her suffer like that again.
Feng Lezhen didn’t know what he was thinking—she simply patted his back quietly.
After a while of affectionate snuggling, Wenge got up to leave. Before going, he repeatedly reminded her not to go out, to find Brother Yu if anything came up. Though their comrades had openly accepted her, he still worried about unforeseen trouble and couldn’t leave with peace of mind.
Annoyed by his nagging, Feng Lezhen directly pushed him out the door—only to meet Brother Yu’s teasing gaze the next second. Feng Lezhen calmly closed the door, but Wenge’s face turned red.
“I’m leaving her in your hands, Brother Yu,” he said once more.
Brother Yu nodded. “Don’t worry.”
Wenge ruffled his hair and rode off on his horse.
As soon as he left, Feng Lezhen laid down. The past few days had been exhausting, and after sitting in the carriage for two or three days, her body and mind were worn out. Now that she could finally rest, she fell asleep almost as soon as she touched the bed.
When she awoke again, it was completely dark outside. A small lamp had been lit in the room, struggling to cast a warm glow.
“You’re awake?”
Wenge’s voice rang out suddenly. Feng Lezhen looked up at him. “When did you get back?”
“About half an hour ago. You were asleep, so I didn’t wake you,” Wenge said as he walked over.
Feng Lezhen looked at him calmly. “Did the prefect write the memorial for you?”
“Of course. That’s what I went there for,” Wenge smiled, then saw the weariness still in her eyes. “You must be exhausted. Are you hungry?”
“A little,” Feng Lezhen replied.
Wenge immediately turned and walked out. “Wait here.”
A moment later, he came back in juggling two trays like a circus act. Seeing Feng Lezhen, he didn’t forget to say, “Help me close the door.”
Feng Lezhen laughed helplessly and got up to shut it. “Why’d you bring so much?”
“It’s not that much, just seven or eight dishes,” Wenge said, laying everything out on the table. “Try them, see how they taste.”
Feng Lezhen responded and sat down. She had only just taken the first bite when Wenge said regretfully, “Not as good as mine, right? The inn’s cook isn’t great, and the ingredients aren’t very fresh. Just make do for tonight. I’ll go to the market tomorrow and buy something better…”
“I think it’s pretty good,” Feng Lezhen slowly cut him off, and even twisted the knife a little, “Better than what you cook.”
Wenge’s face froze, instinctively denying it. “That’s impossible! I cook better than—”
He didn’t finish. Seeing the teasing look in her eyes, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, you got me! You tricked me!”
“Have you eaten?” Feng Lezhen changed the subject.
“No,” Wenge admitted.
“Then eat with me. I won’t finish all of this anyway,” she offered.
Wenge hadn’t prepared for himself when he brought the food, so he’d only brought one set of utensils. When she said that, he immediately turned to go downstairs to get another set, but she reached out and stopped him.
“Just make do and eat.” Feng Lezhen said, picking up a slice of lotus root and bringing it to Wenge’s lips.
Wenge froze for a moment before hesitantly biting down.
“It’s really not that bad,” Feng Lezhen said a word in defense of the inn’s cook.
Wenge gave an awkward smile. “Mm… this lotus root’s not bad.”
“If you like it, have another.” Feng Lezhen offered him another bite.
Wenge immediately took it.
Watching him eat so seriously, Feng Lezhen gradually found some enjoyment in feeding him. So she gave him a bit of this, a bit of that, and soon had filled him up. Wenge, not to be outdone, tried every now and then to snatch the chopsticks to feed her in return.
Brother Yu had originally heard Wenge was back and came to discuss some matters, but upon entering, saw the two of them feeding each other and immediately left with a face full of discomfort.
The meal ended in a wonderfully warm atmosphere. After Wenge cleaned up the table, Feng Lezhen had already finished washing up. The two exchanged glances—and Wenge suddenly realized: tonight, they would once again be sharing a bed.
Last time they shared a bed, they had almost crossed a line. He had forced himself to stop, fearing that once she knew the truth, she would come to hate him. But now she knew—and clearly didn’t hate him…
Wenge swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling tense.
“Time to—time to sleep,” he said stiffly.
Feng Lezhen sat on the bed and looked up at him. “No rush. The night is long. Let’s do something else first.”
Her gaze made Wenge even more nervous. He cleared his throat and asked, “…What do you want to do?”
“Anything?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Wenge awkwardly approached with stiff limbs. “O-of course.”
“You’ll go along with anything I do?” she asked again.
Wenge’s face flushed so red he was practically glowing, but he still nodded with effort. “I… I will.”
Feng Lezhen nodded slightly, quietly watching him.
Wenge’s heart pounded like a drum. Step by step, he finally reached her. Unable to resist, he leaned down to find her lips.
Their breaths mingled, drawing closer, about to meet—when she suddenly turned her face away.
“Kneel.”
Wenge froze. “What?”
“Kneel,” Feng Lezhen repeated.
Wenge stared at her, dazed. After a long pause, his face turned even redder. “You… you want to do that kind of…”
He didn’t have much experience, but his work had long been in the shadows, and most of his missions involved spying on corrupt officials. He had seen many things—some of those officials were absolutely shameless when it came to lust. So he knew a lot, even if just from observation. Now, hearing Feng Lezhen speak like this, he suddenly thought he understood.
“I-I’m willing to go along… but there’s not much proper equipment here. Should I go buy some?” Wenge slowly knelt down, placing his hands on her knees as he asked awkwardly.
Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow. “What kind of equipment are you thinking of?”
“Candles… oh, we have candles in the room. But no whips or anything like that.” Wenge’s words confirmed he’d seen a lot.
Feng Lezhen laughed. “So much experience—have you tried it before?”
“Of course not. I’ve only seen…” Wenge’s mind was working fast now. Meeting her gaze, he gave a small cough. “I’ve never had anyone else. Only you.”
Feng Lezhen’s lips curved slightly. “Oh.”
Her calm response only made Wenge feel more awkward. He held back his embarrassment and asked, “…So, do you still want anything else? If you do, I can head into town right now, before curfew, and get it.”
“No need,” Feng Lezhen declined. “Given the relationship between us, torture and interrogation might be a little inappropriate. Whether you confess or not depends on your sincerity.”
“Torture…?” Wenge was confused. “What do you mean?”
Feng Lezhen’s face was expressionless. “Now that we are one, shouldn’t you come clean about the things you’ve been hiding from me?”
Wenge: “…”
