Chapter 95:
The carriage rumbled along.
Jiang Juan and Xue Fangli sat on one side.
The interior of the carriage was spacious, and the two sat side by side with plenty of room. Jiang Juan hadn’t had a chance to sit alone in a carriage for a long time. Every time he got in, he had to serve as a human pillow. This time, he finally didn’t have to be pulled into someone’s arms and touched.
Bai Xuechao took a sip of tea, looked at Jiang Juan, and kindly asked, “Dear grandson, are you cramped?”
Jiang Juan shook his head and replied, “Not cramped.”
Bai Xuechao insisted, “How can you say it’s not cramped? You’re practically pressed against the window.”
Jiang Juan: “?”
He was just leaning out of the window to look outside, not because he felt cramped.
Seeing Jiang Juan’s puzzled expression, Bai Xuechao slowly said, “It’s so cramped. Come, come sit over here with your grandfather.”
Jiang Juan: “……”
He understood now.
There’s a kind of cramped feeling that only your grandfather perceives.
Seeing the old man looking at him expectantly, Jiang Juan, although he wasn’t actually cramped, nodded and moved to sit beside him. Suddenly, his waist was pulled back, and Xue Fangli said calmly, “Grandfather is tired from the journey. Why make him sit so cramped?”
“Let him rest properly.”
Jiang Juan: “…… Oh.”
He remembered that if he didn’t move, the old man could stretch out and lie down for a bit. After all, traveling such a long distance to the capital was indeed exhausting.
Jiang Juan said, “Grandfather, I won’t sit so close to you. You should rest for a while.”
Bai Xuechao: “……”
He shot a glare at Xue Fangli in secret.
He had always disliked this so-called Crown Prince. Just look at how he was preventing his beloved grandson from spending time with him!
Soon, they arrived at Prince Li Residence. Bai Xuechao asked, “Why are you still staying at Prince Li Residence?”
Jiang Juan thought for a moment and guessed it was because the Crown Prince hadn’t moved to the East Palace after his appointment, but Jiang Juan didn’t elaborate. He only vaguely said, “His Highness is very busy and hasn’t had the chance.”
Jiang Juan expected Bai Xuechao to ask more questions, but instead, the old man’s eyes lit up as he grasped the main point, “Busy? My dear grandson, doesn’t that mean you don’t have anyone to keep you company?”
Bai Xuechao reassured him, “Don’t worry, since your grandfather is here, I’ll make sure to spend more time with you.”
Jiang Juan: “…… Okay.”
This development was not what Jiang Juan had anticipated.
After all, as an elderly man, no matter how much Bai Xuechao wanted to spend time with Jiang Juan, after traveling for so many days, he was still a bit weary, and it showed on his face.
Xue Fangli said, “Grandfather, you should go and rest.”
Bai Xuechao immediately glared at Xue Fangli.
Rest? Nonsense.
This damn Crown Prince just wanted to steal his dear grandson away!
His dear grandson hadn’t been close to him for a long time and even acted cute with him. Rest? No way.
Bai Xuechao cursed inwardly but maintained a high and aloof demeanor on the surface. He waved his hand and was about to refuse when he heard Jiang Juan say, “Grandfather, you haven’t rested on the carriage. You should go get some sleep.”
“Tomorrow, when the Crown Prince isn’t around, don’t you still want to keep me company? Don’t you want to spend time with me?”
Bai Xuechao quickly said, “Of course I want to.”
Jiang Juan asked him, “If you don’t rest well, how will you have the energy to play with me tomorrow?”
Bai Xuechao immediately realized he had to rest properly and waved his hand, “I’ll go rest now, and I’ll spend the whole day playing with you tomorrow!”
Jiang Juan’s eyes curved into a smile, “Okay, Grandfather, remember, don’t forget to sleep.”
Such an important task as spending time with his dear grandson, Bai Xuechao surely wouldn’t forget. He cheerfully replied, “I won’t forget, I won’t forget.”
Thus, Bai Xuechao was coaxed into resting by Jiang Juan. Jiang Juan turned to Xue Fangli and said, “My grandfather seems like an old child.”
He needed to be pampered, but it was quite endearing.
Xue Fangli glanced at him, choosing not to comment, and instead asked Jiang Juan, “The husband you picked up?”
Jiang Juan wasn’t the least bit guilty, “Isn’t that so? Originally, it should have been my brother marrying you, but since it was changed to me, isn’t that considered picking up?”
Xue Fangli’s expression was a mix of amusement and skepticism as he reached out to pinch Jiang Juan’s cheek. Jiang Juan pushed his hand away while curiously asking, “Your Highness, have you ever thought about what would happen if it had been my brother who married you?”
“I haven’t thought about it,” annoyed by the question, Xue Fangli picked up Jiang Juan by the waist, “If you keep talking, I’ll kiss you.”
Jiang Juan: “……”
His eyelashes fluttered as he responded, “Oh, okay.”
Xue Fangli walked towards the Liangfeng Courtyard. Jiang Juan waited for a while, and once they were inside, he couldn’t hold back any longer. Jiang Juan quietly complained, “You’re not keeping your word. I spoke, and yet you haven’t kissed me.”
Xue Fangli finally set him down on the soft couch, still holding his waist. At Jiang Juan’s words, he paused. Jiang Juan reached up to clasp around Xue Fangli’s neck and slowly leaned in. Since Xue Fangli wasn’t kissing him, he decided to make the move himself.
No matter how many times it happened, Jiang Juan always approached with a hesitant touch, just rubbing his face close and lightly licking with his tongue. It was more playful than passionate, lacking any real intensity.
But soon, it was beyond his control.
Xue Fangli’s firm grip tightened around his slender waist, stopping the timid licks. As Jiang Juan’s mouth opened, Xue Fangli’s lips and tongue entered, eagerly seeking satisfaction.
Their breaths intertwined, the atmosphere grew sticky. Jiang Juan, initially sitting on the soft couch, was gradually pushed down, his hairpins removed, and his silky black hair fell messily. His clothing also became disheveled, hanging loosely from his shoulders.
“Your Highness…”
Jiang Juan’s voice was soft and delicate, almost like a cat’s meow. He clingily said, “Please, don’t, don’t rub my waist.”
The hot palms were pressing against his waist, so intensely that Jiang Juan felt like he was melting. His hands were growing weak from the kissing, and despite pushing away several times, he couldn’t get Xue Fangli to stop. The hand kept pressing and rubbing his waist, making Jiang Juan feel both pain and itchiness. “Can you rub somewhere else?”
It was truly uncomfortable to have the focus on just one place. Jiang Juan didn’t refuse to be touched, but Xue Fangli looked down at him with a wicked smile, “Then let’s change.”
The next moment, a hand moved to pinch his thigh. Even though Xue Fangli knew this wasn’t what Jiang Juan meant, he continued to tease, asking with a low laugh, “Here instead?”
Jiang Juan shook his head, his fingers weakly trying to hold back the disruptive hand. “Your Highness, no, Imperial Physician Sun said it’s not allowed.”
It was always like this.
He’d come close for affection, and then afterward be told it wasn’t allowed.
It was extremely frustrating.
Xue Fangli brushed Jiang Juan’s hand away, his expression a mix of amusement and mockery. “As long as we don’t go all the way, it’s not considered consummation.”
Jiang Juan: “?”
It seemed somewhat reasonable.
He gazed at Xue Fangli with damp eyes. Xue Fangli leaned closer to Jiang Juan’s ear, his voice sultry, “Tonight… how about I teach you some new things?”
Jiang Juan wasn’t interested in learning anything new. He shook his head repeatedly. Xue Fangli looked at him, his red lips slightly curling into a regretful smile as he asked, “Not interested?”
Jiang Juan didn’t speak. He reached out, his pale fingers tracing Xue Fangli’s lips. The man’s lips were already red, and now they looked even more vibrant. Watching them, Jiang Juan gently licked his own lips.
“Your Highness, I still want to kiss.”
“But I don’t want to kiss you.”
Xue Fangli smiled slightly, “Unless…”
He lowered his head as if to kiss Jiang Juan, but stopped just before the kiss, letting his fingers continue their mischief.
Jiang Juan’s eyelashes fluttered. He was about to push Xue Fangli away but also wanted the kiss. Torn for a moment, Jiang Juan eventually let his hand drop, lightly gripping the cushion and anxiously watching him, tacitly consenting to this exploration.
Seeing this, Xue Fangli smiled softly and finally kissed Jiang Juan, the level of mischief only increasing.
…
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Juan lay on the bed, clutching the cushion with fingers so tightly that they turned white, tears clinging to his eyelashes, until everything finally came to an end.
Xue Fangli pulled him into his embrace, but Jiang Juan resisted, saying, “It’s so dirty, don’t hold me. Wash your hands first.”
Xue Fangli chuckled lightly, “Do you even disdain yourself?”
Jiang Juan, frustrated, replied, “It’s just… not right.”
He regretted his momentary lapse in judgment for wanting affection, which led him to lose his senses. What was supposed to be new lessons had turned into a repeat of previous ones, leaving the cushion soaked.
— He had been crying.
Jiang Juan refused to let Xue Fangli hold him, but Xue Fangli cleaned his hands and finally pulled him into his embrace. Xue Fangli’s chin rested on Jiang Juan’s shoulder as he said, “Recover soon. I’m still waiting for you to fulfill your duties as the Crown Prince Consort.”
Hiding in his embrace, Jiang Juan knew what Xue Fangli implied. Even without going all the way, Xue Fangli had already made him cry for a long time. Jiang Juan, still shaken, said, “It’s not possible…”
“Even if I recover, my heart condition might still relapse. Also… Your Highness, didn’t you say the previous marriage was too rushed and that we should remarry? So the last one doesn’t count.”
Jiang Juan firmly rejected any pre-marital actions, insisting that he should delay for as long as possible. “My family’s teachings are strict; we can’t do anything before marriage.”
Xue Fangli sneered, “You only remember your strict upbringing when it suits you?”
Jiang Juan: “…”
Xue Fangli continued, “And who was it who kept calling me ‘husband,’ begging me—” Jiang Juan immediately covered his mouth, “Don’t say that.”
After a brief pause, Jiang Juan grumbled, “So you’re just good at talking, huh?”
He grabbed a thin blanket, wrapped himself up, and started to play dead. Xue Fangli glanced at him and, holding both him and the blanket, pulled him into his arms. Jiang Juan struggled, trying to avoid being held, but instead of succeeding, he was pressed down on the cushion and kissed again.
The night stretched late into the hours.
Jiang Juan vaguely felt like he had forgotten something, but he was so overwhelmed by the kisses that he could barely think. In an instant of hesitation, he became faint and disoriented once more.
Early the next morning, Lan Ting woke Jiang Juan up.
“Young Master, wake up. Young Master, you need to wake up quickly.”
Jiang Juan, who had barely fallen asleep after a long night, was jolted awake by Lan Ting. He covered his eyes and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Young Master, it’s time to get up.”
Jiang Juan, still groggy, sat up and asked, “Is it time for lunch already?”
Lan Ting shook her head. “No, it’s still the hour of the hare.”
The hour of the hare was around five or six in the morning. Jiang Juan, hearing this, lay back down on the bed. “It’s so early. Why are you waking me up now? Call me again when it’s time for lunch.”
Jiang Juan was about to fall asleep again when Lan Ting found it amusing and shook him awake once more. “Have you forgotten? Master is here.”
“Master said that since you told him to rest well yesterday, he’s come to spend time with you today.”
Lan Ting covered her mouth and smiled. “He’s already here. Young Master, hurry up and go spend time with him.”
Jiang Juan: “……”
Jiang Juan: “…………”
No wonder he felt like he had forgotten something.
He had forgotten that he needed to entertain his grandfather today.
Lan Ting, unable to contain her laughter, said, “Master said he got up especially early today because he wanted to spend more time with you.”
Jiang Juan: “……”
He shouldn’t have been fooling around with the prince last night!
It was all the prince’s fault!
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