503. Sneaky Affair

At the inn's entrance, within the Evil God's Heart:

Ling Yuan clung to Qian Renjue's arm, following him closely, her voice soft as she asked:
"Your Highness, where should we go next?"

"Ling Yuan, there's no need to ask what you already know."

Qian Renjue stopped, wrapped his arm around her slender waist, and turned to reply in a muffled tone:
"Of course, we're heading to Heaven Dou City."

As he spoke, Qian Renjue reached out and playfully pinched Ling Yuan's delicate nose.


If Bibi Dong had found out about this, it was undoubtedly because Ling Yuan had tattled again.

"Your Highness~"

Ling Yuan parted her lips slightly, her face full of charm.

She didn't dislike such teasing, even if it carried a hint of punishment.

Her beautiful eyes swept around and noticed passersby.

A mischievous idea sparked within Ling Yuan. Her expression grew sly.

With a faint flush on her cheeks, she threw her arms around Qian Renjue and purred:
"Your Highness, are you planning to punish this little tattling mouth of mine?"

"What?"

Qian Renjue raised an eyebrow, confused. He released her cheek and asked:
"What do you mean by that?"

"Your Highness~"

Ling Yuan's cheeks flushed deeper as her slender fingers brushed against Qian Renjue's firm chest.
Her gaze, tender and enchanting, brimmed with affection and seduction.

Seeing this, a warmth stirred in Qian Renjue's lower abdomen.
He quickly realized what Ling Yuan was suggesting—she was craving some "warm breakfast."

Before he could sternly refuse, Ling Yuan tilted her delicate face upward and continued shyly:
"Your Highness~ No one outside can see us, right?"

"What?!"

Qian Renjue's purple eyes widened in shock.

Ling Yuan's playful suggestion left him momentarily stunned.

"Ling Yuan, stop this nonsense!"

He forced a laugh, grasping her shoulders to push her away.

Glancing around, he saw that although it was early morning, the small town was bustling with life.

Even if the people outside couldn’t see inside the Evil God's Heart, Qian Renjue couldn’t simply ignore it.

"Your Highness, I'm not joking."

Ling Yuan shook her head lightly, her tone earnest.

"Please, Your Highness, punish me thoroughly so that I can’t speak a word."

As she spoke, she made a move to kneel at his feet, tugging at the hem of his pants.

"Ling Yuan!"

Qian Renzhe swiftly caught her arms, frowning.

"If you keep this up, I’m going to get angry!"

Despite his warning, Ling Yuan’s eyes remained shy yet resolute.

"Your Highness~ Can’t I be punished? Did I not deserve it?"

"Not here!"

Qian Renjue furrowed his brows, his tone firm in rejection.

Ling Yuan pressed further, her voice still soft:
"Then what about my punishment?"

"I never said I’d punish you!"

Looking at her relentless expression, Qian Renjue sighed helplessly:
"If I really must punish you, it’ll have to wait until we settle down somewhere first."

Ling Yuan’s flushed face blossomed into a smile, her eyes sparkling with triumph.

She hadn’t expected the Holy Son to give in so easily.

Whether he refused or agreed, there was no escaping this "warm breakfast."

After all, it was their rare time alone.

How could she not "serve" him a little?

Raising her chin, Ling Yuan spoke with a soft, lingering tone:
"So, in the room later, Your Highness will punish me, won’t you?"

"..."

Hearing this, Qian Renjue's expression froze.
Is this woman ever going to stop?

Frustrated, Qian Renjue let go of her entirely, leaving Ling Yuan to fall to the ground.

"Ah!"

Ling Yuan let out a soft cry, making no effort to steady herself.

Instead, she collapsed onto the ground like a helpless damsel, making Qian Renjue's temple twitch.

Taking a deep breath, Qian Renjue crouched down and landed a firm slap on Ling Yuan’s plump, ripe buttocks.


Slap—

A resounding echo filled the air.

"Ah!"

Ling Yuan's face turned bright red. She looked at Qian Renzhe's stern expression, feeling uneasy and wondering if she had gone too far.

Sensing the warmth of his hand still resting on her buttocks, she was about to admit defeat.

However, Qian Renjue gave her a couple of firm squeezes, making her body tremble.

"Ah~"

"Alright, Ling Yuan, get up now."

Qian Renjue finally released her, his face slightly flushed.

"Does that mean Your Highness agrees?"

Ling Yuan looked at him shyly, a mix of embarrassment and excitement in her eyes.

"Kind of," Qian Renjue replied awkwardly.

He reached out, grabbed her arm, and urged:
"Come on, get up. Let's find a place to settle down first."

"Understood, Your Highness!"

Ling Yuan bit her lip, then wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him lift her up entirely.

With her arms around him, she rested against his chest. Gazing at his expressionless yet handsome face, she whispered:
"Your Highness, were you really angry earlier?"

"A little," Qian Renjue nodded slightly, brushing the dust off her clothes with gentle pats.

Ling Yuan's eyes filled with guilt.
"I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"It's fine," Qian Renjue suddenly said as he tightened his arm around her waist. His gaze flickered, and he spoke softly:
"Actually, I was at fault too."

"Your Highness?"

Ling Yuan stared at him in surprise.

Without answering, Qian Renjue leaned in and lightly kissed her soft, rosy lips.

Caught in the moment, Ling Yuan's body grew limp and delicate.

Stopping before things escalated, Qian Renjue gently stroked her flushed face and said tenderly:
"From now on, I'll try to accept it."

"Mm~"

A radiant smile spread across Ling Yuan's lips.

She had only been preparing him for the inevitable, breaking his defenses bit by bit.
After all, Qian Renjue always avoided deeper intimacy.

Now, it seemed her efforts were paying off—and might even benefit the other sisters.

"Don't worry, I won't take too much."

Cough, cough!

Qian Renjue cleared his throat, pushing her away.
"Alright, enough of that. Let's get moving."

"Mm~"

Ling Yuan nodded obediently, falling into step beside him, her smile lingering.

Qian Renjue took a deep breath, his thoughts tangled.


He admitted his own reluctance had been part of the problem.

Still, he could only hope Ling Yuan and the others wouldn’t overstep boundaries.
He was willing to open up, but there had to be limits.

Public spaces like the street were absolutely off-limits, no matter what.

As for why he thought of "the others," Ling Yuan's actions left him certain that after celebrating Ning Rongrong's birthday, a wave of chaotic situations would surely come his way.

Ling Yuan leaned against his shoulder, wrapping her arm around his. She asked softly:
"Your Highness, you haven’t had breakfast yet, have you? Shall I buy some fried dough sticks and soy milk?"

"I'm not hungry. If you want some, go ahead."

"I'm not hungry either," Ling Yuan said, shaking her head with a glimmer in her eyes. Then, almost absentmindedly, she added:
"But Your Highness has some."

"...?!"

Qian Renjue's expression stiffened. He glanced at the nearby food stall where steam rose from freshly fried dough sticks and warm soy milk, his lips twitching in disbelief.

Ling Yuan realized her slip but didn’t care.

She only acted this way in front of him, after all.

As another thought crossed her mind, she asked again:
"Your Highness, what do you plan to do about Zhuqing?"

"I don’t know," Qian Renzhe said with a helpless shake of his head.

After a moment of silence, he added:
"Ling Yuan, do you think I’ve corrupted Zhuqing?"

"..."