Chapter 211 - 209: Lu Ying thought he was about to be driven mad by Shen Yinning

Words : 1327 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

Lu Ying said nothing more and led her to the end of the alley. This was one of his private residences, where he rarely visited, leaving only two old maids to clean. At this hour, those two maids were still outside drinking and watching lanterns. Bringing Shen Yinning into the inner chamber, he blew out the candle and reignited it anew. He retrieved a brand-new set of clothing from the wardrobe. "Go bathe and change." Shen Yinning took it and looked into his eyes. "Does a condemned prisoner still need to bathe and change clothes?" This night, she had committed such a grave act. Not only had she attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince, Prince Wu, and Duke Shen, but she had also set fire to the Golden Hall and Lamp Sea Bodhisattva. No matter who came to interrogate her, the outcome would inevitably be death. Lu Ying said nothing. Shen Yinning tugged at the corner of her lips and smiled faintly before taking the clothing behind the screen. Lu Ying sat quietly on the bamboo couch. He listened to the splashing sounds of water coming from the adjacent room, lost in thought. His long, slender fingers, with their distinct joints, tapped slowly against his knee. His long lashes cast shadows over his obsidian eyes, which only reflected a glimmer of cold frost whenever the candlelight flickered. Half an hour passed before Shen Yinning finally came out. She tossed her undergarments onto the wooden rack, wringing out her hair as she remarked, "Your clothes are too big." She wore only an ivory-white inner garment, which was so oversized that its hem nearly reached her knees. Her tender, snow-white legs were exposed, shapely and straight, even her faintly defined ankles appeared as delicately sculpted as ice. Her small feet, painted with a vibrant red lacquer, pressed onto the dark red bamboo floor, her every inch was a testimony to refined and pampered luxury. Drying her hair, she stood by the screen, looking at Lu Ying with a casual smile. "Why aren’t you saying anything?" Lu Ying raised his gaze, locking eyes with her. He couldn’t comprehend how Shen Yinning could still seem unfazed. She had committed such a heinous act—how could she still smile? He stated, "You now have two choices: first, surrender yourself; second, hide here, never stepping outside, never again using your name or identity." Shen Yinning slowly tilted her head. Her dark hair cascaded over her cheeks, her eyes carrying an innocent naivety, like an untamed little fox untouched by the world. She wryly, almost sweetly, reminded him, "Lu Ying, tonight, I intended to take your life." She intended to kill him. Yet he gave her choices other than surrendering. The deliberate erasure of facts now resurfaced, and the bloodthirsty intensity in Lu Ying’s narrow eyes deepened. Shen Yinning looked at him. After a long pause, her bare feet stepped across the floor, and she leisurely walked up to him. She nestled naturally into his embrace, one arm wrapping around his broad shoulder while her hand reached to caress his face. Lowering her voice with a touch of seductive charm, she asked him once again, "Lu Ying, why did you save me?" A woman fresh from her bath, her soft and supple frame exuded a sweet, intoxicating fragrance, mesmerizing Lu Ying at his core with every faint trace of her scent. Grasping her wandering hand, he created a slight distance between them. "What answer do you want to hear?" "You know the answer I want..." Shen Yinning pressed closer to his chest, her lips brushing faintly against his ear. "Lu Ying, you know exactly the answer I want to hear..." She was like a fox waving its nine tails, seducing him with an irresistible allure that could captivate anyone with just a glance, leaving one in awe of such extraordinary beauty in the world. "Lu Ying..." "Lu Ying..." She called his name softly, wrapping her arms around his neck, straddling his waist, and tenderly kissing his thin lips and the nape of his neck. Lu Ying remained unmoved, half of his face immersed in the shadow cast by the bed curtains. Shen Yinning kissed him for a long while but saw no reaction, so she intentionally loosened his belt, kneeling before him to remove his boots and silk socks. She had learned how to serve him well. "Shen Yinning, which path will you choose?" The girl murmured, "Which path?" The first path: surrender. Her actions tonight were too ruthless. She had offended too many people, and surrendering would lead to nothing but torture so severe that death would seem a relief before public execution. The second path: hide here. Hide in this private house of Lu Ying, never again seeing the light of day, never again meeting old close friends. Abandon her name and lineage, sentenced to solitude in this small dwelling. When Lu Ying visited on his whims, she would have to serve and obey him, becoming a truly caged forbidden fruit reliant entirely on his mercy for survival. Shen Yinning gripped his broad shoulders tightly, her eyes blank and tearful. Teardrops welled up, and she shut her eyes. She didn’t want to choose either path. The shadows in the canopy were dim. She suddenly looked at Lu Ying with reddened eyes, her phoenix-shaped eyes betraying a certain fragility, her voice cracking into fragments. "Lu Ying, you... you still haven’t told me... why you saved me..." Lu Ying paused in silence, his actions coming to a halt. "Lu Ying..." Shen Yinning sobbed, kissing his brow and eyes. "Lu Ying... I want to know the answer... Tell me, please..." Her voice was delicate and soft, tinged with a hint of submission. Lu Ying’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he looked down at the tears streaming down her face. He knew what Shen Yinning wanted to hear. She wanted to hear him confess that he liked her, that he loved her. She wanted proof that his heart had never held Shen Yunxi, that he still belonged to her. But Lu Ying couldn’t answer. During the three years she wasn’t in the Capital, he had actually lived quite well. No need to waste thoughts on anyone, no need to be consumed by anyone. But since her return to the Capital, everything had unraveled. He had to clean up her messes, monitor her constantly, know what she was doing and eating each day, discover whether she was scheming against someone, seducing men, or rekindling her ties with Lu Shiyan. He feared being betrayed by her once again. Many times, he couldn’t even sleep peacefully. He even thought that perhaps, at the very beginning, when Lu Jiazhe had sent her to the Eastern Palace, he shouldn’t have become entangled with this woman. If so, none of these troubles would exist. She was driving him to the brink of madness. Faced with the expectant gaze of the young woman, he steeled himself and ultimately chose silence as his answer. A stormy and violent invasion ensued. Shen Yinning’s entire body trembled. She understood clearly that Lu Ying didn’t want to see her face. What did he take her for? Tears soaked the pillow. She tried to resist, but the man’s overpowering grip from behind held her wrists tightly against his waist. She couldn’t even struggle! She could only submit to his will! No one knew how much time passed before Lu Ying finally released her. He dressed piece by piece, his profile cold as ice. "I’ve already answered you. Now, which path will you choose?" Shen Yinning curled up, wrapping herself tightly, her dark hair veiling half her small face. Her slender, snow-pale shoulders still trembled uncontrollably. Through blurred vision, she looked at Lu Ying. He had used this method to silently answer her question. He did not like her, much less love her. The girl he harbored in his heart was not her. He was merely obsessed with her body...

Chapter 211 - 209: Lu Ying thought he was about to be driven mad by Shen Yinning

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