Chapter 116: A Bond Sealed (4)

While the Fu family estate was filled with treachery and filth, Fenghe Garden presented an entirely different scene.

In Huaijin Courtyard, the lights were bright, and the bathroom was filled with swirling white mist as Shen Xiling bathed alone.

Amidst the warm steam, she leaned against the wooden tub, lost in thought… still dazed.

… He had kissed her.

Just moments ago, he—Qi Yin—had kissed her.

The realization kept circling through her mind, so much so that she even forgot to blush. She simply sat there, stunned.

… Could it be real?

She… she had always loved him, but she never imagined they could share such intimacy. She hadn’t even considered seeing Qi Yin like that—both extraordinarily gentle and overwhelmingly dominant. He had been in complete control of her, her body, her breathing, even her thoughts, leaving her no room to escape his grasp.

And she… she seemed to hold the same power over him, becoming the sole cause of his actions at that moment.

The invisible barrier that had long stood between them seemed to have vanished. They both crossed boundaries, especially him—he had even kissed her wrist, her neck…

Finally, Shen Xiling remembered to blush.

She was so embarrassed that not only did her face turn red, but her neck flushed pink as well. She covered her face with her hands, her fingertips also turning crimson.

How could he… how could he do such things…

Shen Xiling sank deeper into the bathtub, blowing bubbles absentmindedly, feeling as though everything had happened too suddenly for her to process. In her daze, she heard footsteps approaching from outside the bathroom—it was him, instructing the servants to change the bedding.

Earlier, both of them had been soaked by the rain, wetting the blankets. He had let her bathe first while he arranged for the room to be tidied.

Though she couldn’t see him now, hearing his voice made her feel too shy to lift her head. Yet, as she listened to him handle mundane tasks, a sense of reality began to settle in. The delayed joy and sweetness suddenly bubbled up, overflowing from her heart.

It was as if… she had gotten what she wished for.

As if it were truly real.

She blew more bubbles, delighted in secret.

While Shen Xiling was quietly rejoicing, she heard footsteps drawing nearer. Startled, she quickly submerged herself underwater. The footsteps stopped outside the door, and his voice came through. “Wenwen?”

He was just on the other side of the door, yet she… was bathing in his room. The realization made her incredibly shy, and for a moment, she even forgot to respond.

Thinking something might be wrong inside, his tone grew slightly tense as he called out again. Only then did Shen Xiling snap out of her daze and reply. He seemed to relax, speaking through the door. “Don’t stay in there too long, or you might feel dizzy later.”

Shen Xiling mumbled an acknowledgment. Then she heard him ask, “Is the water still warm? Shall I call one of your maids to come in?”

The water was, of course, still warm.

When they had first returned, he had already arranged for hot water to be brought in. But after their lengthy conversation, the water had cooled slightly, prompting him to order fresh water. He had personally tested the temperature before allowing her to bathe.

He had always been meticulous in taking care of her.

The sweetness in Shen Xiling’s heart deepened, and she began to miss him intensely, yearning to see him again, to return to his embrace. Biting her lip, she spoke through the door. “It’s still warm… Master, there’s no need to call them. I’ll come out soon.”

As she spoke, she rose from the tub, completely unaware of how the sounds of water splashing inside might stir his imagination. She heard him cough softly, though she didn’t notice the slight awkwardness he tried to conceal in his voice. After a faint “Mm,” his footsteps receded.

Shen Xiling really missed him.

How long had they been apart? Not even the length of time it took to burn an incense stick, yet she already longed for him desperately, her heart pounding uncontrollably. She quickly changed into dry clothes but lacked the patience to thoroughly dry her still-wet hair. Unable to wait any longer, she cautiously pushed open the bathroom door and ran out.

The inner chamber was still brightly lit. His bed had been remade with fresh bedding, and the servants had all left. He was standing alone by a small desk, flipping through some letters.

Shen Xiling hurried toward him. At the sound of her footsteps, Qi Yin immediately set down what he was holding and turned around. Before he could react, the little girl threw herself into his arms.

He was still wearing the damp clothes from the rain, while she had just finished bathing, clean and fragrant. Fearing he might pass on the chill, Qi Yin refrained from embracing her. However, the little girl clung to him tightly, burrowing closer and wrapping her arms around his waist, snuggling against him softly.

Her actions melted his heart completely.

Qi Yin smiled, a hint of helplessness in his expression. Giving in, he gently wrapped his arms around her, murmuring softly, “I’m not clean right now. Can I hold you properly a little later?”

Hearing this, the little girl obediently nodded against his chest but showed no intention of letting go. After a while, she whispered timidly, “Just a little longer…”

Even Snowflake wasn’t as good at being adorable as she was.

If this had been any other night, no matter how much Shen Xiling pouted or coaxed, once Qi Yin made up his mind, it would have been nearly impossible to sway him. He would have put on his stern elder-brother demeanor and scolded her. But tonight’s kiss had subtly shifted the dynamics between them. He was no longer her elder brother, nor could he deceive himself into seeing her as a child anymore. Instead, he viewed her as a woman who needed his affection and indulgence. With this new perspective, he found it hard to reprimand her, leaving him momentarily at a loss.

Unaware of her newfound privileges, Shen Xiling assumed things remained unchanged. After clinging to him for a while, expecting him to scold her soon, she voluntarily loosened her grip, tugging lightly at his damp sleeve and murmuring softly, “Then hurry back…”

Qi Yin couldn’t resist her like this. Their relationship had just been sealed, and he didn’t want to be apart from her for even a moment. Besides, they still had so much to talk about.

Unable to hold back, he placed a kiss on her forehead, gently pinched her cheek, and said, “Alright, wait under the covers, dry your hair, and don’t catch a cold.”

His intimate gestures made Shen Xiling’s heart race and her face flush, as if she had come alive again. For a moment, she couldn’t form a coherent sentence, only nodding gently. Her endearing demeanor made Qi Yin steal several glances at her before finally mustering the resolve to step into the bathroom.

Once he left, Shen Xiling began to feel the chill and quickly grabbed a large towel from the rack to dry her hair. As she dried, she slipped into his bed.

This new set of bedding was freshly changed, soft and fluffy, carrying the comforting scent of sun-dried warmth. Though comfortable, Shen Xiling preferred the previous blanket—it carried his scent…

Biting her lip, she wrapped herself tightly in the new blanket, slowly drying her damp hair while carefully examining Qi Yin’s room.

She had lived in Fenghe Garden for three years, but this was her first time entering Qi Yin’s quarters.

Huaijin Courtyard and Woyu Courtyard were symmetrically designed, with similar structures. The difference lay in the interior furnishings.

Her own room was adorned with thick, soft carpets and various flowers and trinkets scattered across tables, exuding a refined feminine touch. His room, however, was much simpler. There were only a few essential pieces of furniture, and the desk held nothing but books and some letters—nothing else.

Even so, Shen Xiling found it refreshingly beautiful. As she looked around, her eyes fell upon a painting hanging behind a tall wardrobe in the inner chamber. Its position was somewhat concealed, which was why she hadn’t noticed it earlier. Now that she saw it, her current position prevented her from viewing the entire piece. Reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed, she leaned out to take a closer look.

Upon closer inspection, she realized it was the birthday gift she had given him several years ago—a genuine work by Scholar Baopu.

Though Baopu’s paintings were considered fine works, Qi Yin’s collection included many more valuable and skillful pieces, all of which he cherished. Yet, he had chosen to hang this particular one in his bedroom, inevitably leading Shen Xiling to draw conclusions. She believed he treated this painting with special care because of her.

Blushing at her own bold assumption, she felt an even stronger wave of sweetness wash over her. It was clear he had kept her gift carefully preserved.

Even though he hadn’t appeared particularly pleased at the time—even mildly scolding her—he had still taken care of it afterward.

Sighing inwardly, she felt she understood him a little better now.

Feeling lighter, Shen Xiling continued to explore the room. By the time she had mostly dried her hair, she heard movement from the bathroom, signaling Qi Yin’s return. Sure enough, his footsteps approached, and he entered the inner chamber.

The moment she saw him, she crawled out of bed and rushed to embrace him, nestling into his arms without emerging. He stroked her hair, holding her quietly for a while, seemingly savoring the moment as well.

For a time, neither spoke, silently basking in each other’s presence.

Eventually, Shen Xiling broke the silence—not entirely voluntarily. She felt a faint coolness on her cheek and, looking up, realized his hair was still damp. Worried he might catch a cold, she reluctantly released him, offering to help dry his hair.

This was indeed the first time Shen Xiling had seen Qi Yin with his hair loose. Usually, he wore it tied up under his formal cap, appearing dignified and reserved. With his hair down, he exuded a different charm—more relaxed, handsome, and reminiscent of the celebrated scholars of Jiangzuo.

She blushed again.

When Qi Yin heard her offer to dry his hair, he merely raised an eyebrow, neither accepting nor declining immediately. First, he checked her hair, ensuring it was dry before relaxing.

He smiled at her, taking the towel she had used and casually wrapping her in the blanket. “I’ll do it myself. You take care of yourself.”

With that, he began drying his hair while stepping outside. When he returned a short while later, he carried a small cup of warm water, which he handed to her.

Shen Xiling accepted the warm cup from him, feeling her heart grow warmer than the water within.

Qi Yin sat on the edge of the bed, watching as the little girl slowly drank the warm water. Once she finished, he took the empty teacup from her hands and placed it on the small table beside the bed. Before he could turn back, he felt a weight on his lap. Looking down, he saw Shen Xiling resting her head gently on his knee.

She seemed to particularly enjoy leaning on his knees. The last time, during the crab feast at Wangyuan, she had done the same, appearing very content. Now, even more so—wrapped in the blanket, curled up like a little cat fresh from a bath, utterly adorable.

The sight brought peace to his heart.

Qi Yin adjusted his posture slightly to make her more comfortable, gently stroking her silken hair with tenderness and affection.

Shen Xiling quietly allowed him to caress her for a while. Then, she began to playfully touch his hand, lightly tracing his fingertips, tapping softly on either side of his long fingers.

Neither spoke, yet love grew wildly in the silence, shaking both their hearts.

No one knew how it happened, but eventually, they found themselves kissing again. He lifted her into his arms, and she leaned softly against his chest, kissing him. Their kisses started restrained but soon grew passionate. Perhaps they had suppressed their feelings for too long, for at that moment, they both became lost in the moment—even Qi Yin, who was usually so adept at restraint, found it hard to hold back.