"Hmph, then why... why are you helping him?"
"Do you really want me to be with someone else?"
Juzi pouted in dissatisfaction, her frustration evident. Qianran had promised her he would help her let go of her hatred and even take her away from the Sun Moon Empire. Now, why was he...
"Relax. How could I ever bear to let anyone else touch you? You're my woman. I'd never allow that." Qianran leaned close, whispering his true plan into Juzi's ear.
The moment she understood, her expression shifted.
So Qianran wasn't trying to cure Xu Tianran completely—he was simply dangling hope in front of him, using it to make the prince comply with his whims.
Juzi couldn't help but blush. Qianran readily admitted his preferences were… unconventional, to say the least.
Xu Tianran wasn't just the crown prince; he was also a near-absolute ruler of the Sun Moon Empire. The joy and amusement Qianran could extract from manipulating someone of his stature far surpassed the fleeting satisfaction he got from toying with minor figures like Fan Yu or Dai Hao.
Juzi's face turned crimson. "You're awful, truly awful."
"I can't help it. I like it," Qianran murmured, trailing kisses along her earlobe. Juzi's chest heaved with her quickening breaths.
Although Juzi had never been particularly intimate with Qianran, she had occasionally caught glimpses of Ke Ke and Nana sharing subtle, flirtatious moments with him.
"Stop… stop teasing me. I should go back," Juzi stammered, her words lacking conviction as she made no real effort to break away.
"How about staying the night here instead?"
"No! The prince would be furious with you," Juzi answered instantly. Xu Tianran wasn't a forgiving man. Knowing his secrets was dangerous enough, but letting his treasured confidante openly dally with Qianran under his nose? Unthinkable.
Juzi had long regarded Xu Tianran as a ruthless and calculating individual. If his fury boiled over, both she and Qianran could face dire consequences.
She understood Qianran likely had his own confidence, but surely he should exercise some restraint while in Xu Tianran's domain.
What Juzi didn't know was that being on Xu Tianran's turf only made Qianran more exhilarated.
After all, Qianran wasn't truly alone. With absolute powerhouses like the Ice Empress and Snow Empress shadowing him, his confidence was unshakable. Even his lust-driven antics had a safety net.
He recalled how, in the original story, Xu Tianran had once captured a royal relative and locked him away to father a child with Juzi, only to kill the man once she became pregnant. Xu Tianran's pride was everything to him.
"Fine. But before you leave, at least indulge me a little," Qianran said, letting his hand trace its way from Juzi's slender waist up to her chest.
Juzi's body was soft and supple, her figure graceful and enchanting. The qipao she wore hugged her tightly, accentuating her curves. But the presence of undergarments beneath the silk dulled the sensation for Qianran.
"Next time, don't wear anything under the qipao," Qianran suggested with a mischievous grin. "This silk is so soft and smooth; adding extra layers just ruins it."
"You… Fine," Juzi replied hesitantly, her cheeks red. Surprisingly, she didn't object. She had worn the qipao specifically to please him, after all. While his request was odd, she decided to comply. The tightly wrapped dress already covered her modestly, and avoiding extra layers might even save her the hassle of finding the perfect undergarments to avoid visible lines.
"There's my good girl. Juzi, you're adorable."
Qianran's hands continued to roam, cupping her round hips through the silk fabric.
Juzi's figure was unique—her rear wasn't large, but it was perfectly shaped and perked up just right. The qipao accentuated her front and back, tracing her curvaceous silhouette with precision.
Compared to Juzi, Ke Ke's frame was slimmer, with less pronounced curves. Nana, on the other hand, had an impressive physique, but her tall, athletic build stretched her proportions in a way that didn't achieve the same visual impact as Juzi's compact yet curvaceous frame. Moreover, Nana's more toned body contrasted with Juzi's soft and pliable form.
Each woman had her own charm.
Meanwhile, Xu Tianran, having awakened from his earlier treatment, couldn't contain his excitement. Though his fleeting recovery had been brief, it filled him with hope.
He had new admiration for Qianran.
For a moment, he even regretted that Qianran's talent and healing ability made him too dangerous to recruit as a loyal subordinate. Were Qianran less dazzling, Xu Tianran might have kept him close and cultivated him as a confidant.
But Qianran's brilliance shone too brightly, making him uncontrollable.
When Xu Tianran reached Qianran's residence, his mood darkened upon hearing Juzi's voice.
The tone she used… Xu Tianran had never heard Juzi sound so delicate, so intoxicatingly sweet.
"Wait outside. I'll go in alone," Xu Tianran said, instructing his servants to remain behind.
As he rolled his wheelchair closer, he peeked through the ajar door.
Inside, Qianran sat leisurely at the table, snacking on fruit. Juzi was perched on his lap, and Qianran's hand shamelessly caressed her stocking-clad thigh, fingers occasionally brushing against her smooth skin.
From there, his hand trailed upward to her firm, rounded hips, earning a delighted laugh from him. "So perky! I love it," Qianran said with a grin.
"Stop it! You're awful," Juzi protested shyly, her cheeks flushed as she lightly slapped his shoulder. Her embarrassed reaction only deepened Qianran's amusement.
"Alright, alright. I won't say it anymore. But Juzi, you're even more beautiful when you blush. It makes me love you even more."
"Scoundrel…" Juzi muttered, though she made no effort to pull away.
Watching this scene, Xu Tianran's emotions churned.
Juzi looked breathtaking in her red qipao, a vision of elegance and allure. Xu Tianran realized he had never seen her like this.
He had met Juzi after losing his manhood in the palace coup, and his ambition had left him no time to indulge in such pleasures. Now, seeing her beauty so vividly displayed, he felt a pang of regret.
Then another realization struck him.
"Wait… I actually felt something?"
Xu Tianran was astonished. If it had been the past, he wouldn't have felt such a visceral reaction. The sight of Juzi with Qianran wouldn't have incited jealousy—only self-pity.
Could it be...
(Chapter End)