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Chapter 182: Chapter 182: She Slept in Mu Yan’s Bed Last Night!
Indeed, after Zhan Lan had a pot of liquor, she collapsed!
The slap in the face came too quickly!
Mu Yan watched her sleep soundly with her head on the table and did not have the heart to wake her up. Snow began to fall outside. Having just consumed alcohol, Zhan Lan might catch a cold and get sick.
Mu Yan lifted her horizontally into his arms. Zhan Lan patted his chest murmuring, "Tie Chui, have we reached home? I want... to sleep..."
"Tie Chui, your chest?" Zhan Lan groped Mu Yan’s solid pectorals, giggling foolishly, "Oh, this is your back..."
Tie Chui?
Your chest?
Mu Yan shook his head helplessly, realizing that Zhan Lan was mistaking him for one of those strange maids back at home.
"Don’t move..." Mu Yan grasped Zhan Lan’s restless hand and carried her toward his room.
Zhan Lan felt something soft beneath her, she snuggled into the bed and comfortably fell asleep.
Mu Yan sat on the edge of the bed, watching her sleep soundly like a child with a blissful expression. Occasionally, she would frown as if troubled by something.
Mu Yan imitated how his mother would pat him to sleep when he was young, gently patting Zhan Lan’s back.
This was a rare, tender moment he remembered of his mother.
Mu Yan withdrew his thoughts, noticing that Zhan Lan’s brow had relaxed, she was breathing steadily in her sleep.
Vermilion Bird stood outside the door, knowing that Miss Zhan was inside. He had been waiting for Master’s command to return the imperial edict to Miss Zhan.
Since there had been no movement for so long, Miss Zhan must not be leaving, right?
Vermilion Bird carefully stored the imperial edict on his back, looking up at the snow-filled sky.
It was snowing, and Madam had been drinking. Staying the night here was justified.
The cold snowflakes crept into Vermilion Bird’s embrace. He hastened to take the edict safely inside the house, to prevent it from getting wet.
Through the lingering snow, Miss Qingcheng approached with her entourage, carrying lanterns against the snowfall.
Vermilion Bird quickly stood in front of the door and bowed, "Miss Qingcheng."
"Vermilion Bird, it snowed today; I’ve brought frostbite ointment for Yan," said Qingcheng.
"Master has already gone to bed," Vermilion Bird hastily explained.
Qingcheng glanced at the illuminated room, suspicious, "But the light is on. I’ll go check on Yan."
"Miss, the Master really has gone to sleep..."
Ignoring Vermilion Bird’s objection, Qingcheng pushed open the door.
"Yan, are you asleep?" Her soft voice entered the room.
Mu Yan frowned, covered Zhan Lan’s ears, and lay down beside her, silently extinguishing the candle.
The bedroom instantly darkened.
Qingcheng looked at the two cups on the table. There was someone in Mu Yan’s room, probably a woman.
Vermilion Bird anxiously said, "Miss Qingcheng, the Master has gone to sleep."
"When Yan wakes up, give him the frostbite ointment," Qingcheng said, leaving the ointment on the table and walked out of Mu Yan’s room emotionlessly. 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
Walking in the chilly courtyard, the cold wind stung her cheeks. Was Mu Yan avoiding her, moving his courtyard here?
Then his absence, was it because that girl had captivated Mu Yan’s heart?
Vermilion Bird watched Miss Qingcheng’s slender figure confront the wind and snow, coming so far just for a box of ointment, it must have been tough on her.
But surely, there was a reason for the Master’s avoidance.
Vermilion Bird raised an eyebrow. Was this the kind of tragic love story from the books, where you love me, but I love someone else?
Miss Qingcheng should just give up.
As an onlooker, he thought she stood no chance.
Inside, Mu Yan released his hand from covering Zhan Lan’s ears. She slept deeply, feeling the warmth and snuggled closer to him.
Mu Yan lay there, daring not to move. Zhan Lan’s leg was draped over his abdomen, sleeping very heavily.
Perhaps, only when drunk could Zhan Lan sleep so securely without a care.
Their bodies close together, Zhan Lan’s pleasant scent seeped into his heart, and having drunk himself, he wasn’t a saint. Soon, his eyes glossed over with desire.
His face flushed, he gently pushed away Zhan Lan’s leg that was resting on his body.
Mu Yan, fearing she would fall off the bed, held the blanket against the bed’s edge, whereupon Zhan Lan’s leg rested on the blanket again.
Mu Yan stood up and went to the window to steady his breathing; after a short while, a slight smile played at the corners of his mouth as he watched the woman on the bed, her sleeping posture odd and charming.
He found it hard to trust others, but Zhan Lan was different.
Ever since Zhan Lan entered his world, his gaze seemed always to linger on her.
Suddenly, Mu Yan’s ears twitched; from the building across came Liu Xi’s voice, "Miss! Miss!"
Liu Xi anxiously called for Zhan Lan in a hushed tone; before going to bed, she had seen that it was snowing and came to check if Zhan Lan’s room needed more charcoal fire.
But she was nowhere to be found!
Mu Yan opened the window, and Liu Xi looked over, bowed respectfully, and said, "Lord Mu."
Mu Yan gestured towards the inside of the room and then made a shushing motion, promptly closing the window.
Liu Xi understood; her young lady was in Lord Mu’s room, probably asleep. Seeing Mu Yan was dressed properly and appeared not to have overstepped any boundaries, she felt relieved and went back downstairs.
Liu Xi could tell that Mu Yan treated her young lady very well.
Xiao Tao, waiting at the entrance, asked, "Liu Xi, is the miss asleep?"
Liu Xi nodded, "She’s asleep. You should rest as well!"
"Yeah!"
Together, they went into the room.
...
Zhan Lan lay on the bed, her head in a daze; last night’s wine was just too good.
In cold weather, her life was delivered by wine.
Moreover, the bed today felt especially soft and comfortable.
Zhan Lan snuggled into the blankets, a pleasant woody scent reaching her nose.
Such a familiar woody fragrance!
Zhan Lan suddenly sat up on the bed, rubbing her eyes until the blurry vision cleared.
The furnishings of the room were exquisite, the bed under her was large, and not far opposite her, a man who seemed like an exiled immortal lay sleeping on the couch.
Mu Yan!
She had slept on Mu Yan’s bed last night!
A maiden, sleeping in a man’s bed!
Zhan Lan’s cheeks flushed, instantly sobering up, thinking of last night when Tie Chui escorted her home—was it just an illusion?
Embarrassed by having taken over Mu Yan’s bed, she carefully put on her shoes from the floor, preparing to slip away.
Gently opening the window and lifting her garment’s hem, she was about to jump out when Mu Yan’s hoarse voice came through, "Actually, there’s a door next to the window."
Embarrassed, Zhan Lan lowered her leg, climbed down from the window, and pushed open the door next to it, waving to Mu Yan, "Thank you!"
Mu Yan rose from the couch, watching her awkward departure, an amused smile on his lips, he murmured: "Little miss, you’ve learned to be shy."
That’s a good sign!
Zhan Lan leapt into her own room and after closing the door behind her, hit her own head lightly, thankful that Mu Yan was a gentleman!
Otherwise, who knows what might have happened last night!
Zhan Lan suddenly recalled that night aboard the ship, when Mu Yan pinned her to the wooden wall and kissed her, he had said: he was not really a gentleman at all.
No!
That was not right!
This was not the suave and debonair Mu Yan she knew; the more she interacted with him, the less he seemed like it!
He had actually given up his bed for her, allowing his delicate self to sleep on the couch.
Zhan Lan washed her face with cold water, the droplets sliding down her cheeks, waking her up instantly, not wanting to dwell on last night’s events!
There were important things to do today!
