Chapter 152
Chapter 152
The room was silent save for the wind and rain lashing against the windows.
For once, Shen Si was the first to speak. He glanced at Ji Hanyi. Bathed in the warm glow, she seemed wrapped in a fine haze of candlelight, exuding an air of tender intimacy. Her graceful figure and faint fragrance filled his senses, while her downcast eyes remained calm and serene.
His gaze swept over her full lips.
He truly wanted to kiss her.
He wanted to kiss her every day and every night.
Uncontrollable fantasies had long since taken root in his heart. Yet he braced his hands against the arms of the chair and rose, looking down at Ji Hanyi. “I should go.”
Ji Hanyi looked up at Shen Si in surprise. “Won’t you change your clothes first, Lord Shen?”
Shen Si’s dark eyes remained fixed on her. “I got soaked riding here. There’s no point changing now.”
Ji Hanyi did not know what to feel upon hearing that.
She had assumed Shen Si had come by carriage. It turned out he had ridden here on horseback. No wonder he was drenched from head to toe.
Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked, “The rain is so heavy. Why didn’t you come by carriage, Lord Shen?”
Shen Si glanced at Ji Hanyi. “I was afraid you’d leave.”
Ji Hanyi froze. Looking into his solemn eyes, she realized he seemed to mean every word.
Her fingers curled tightly as she asked, “It’s pouring outside, and the temple should still have vacant guest rooms. Why don’t you stay the night before leaving, Lord Shen?”
Shen Si pursed his lips. “I came in the middle of the night. It wouldn’t be right to disturb the peace.”
He looked quietly at Ji Hanyi. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
Ji Hanyi was still concerned. The rain was torrential, and traveling on horseback at night would surely be dangerous. She asked, “Did you come alone, Lord Shen?”
Shen Si’s eyes flickered in the firelight. Seeing the concern in Ji Hanyi’s gaze, he murmured, “Yes.”
After a moment’s thought, Ji Hanyi said, “Then why don’t you stay in my room, Lord Shen? I’ll share the guest room next door with Rongchun.”
Shen Si lowered his eyes to meet her upturned gaze, and his throat worked. After only a moment’s pause, he replied hoarsely, “All right.”
Seeing that Shen Si had agreed, Ji Hanyi glanced at his wet clothes and said softly, “I’ll see if I can borrow a change of clothes for you.”
Shen Si stopped her. “There’s no need. You’re a woman; it would be improper for you to go borrowing a man’s clothes. I’ll stay the night and have someone find me a change of clothes tomorrow morning.”
Ji Hanyi thought his words made sense. It was so late that it truly would be inappropriate for her to borrow men’s clothing. She nodded gently and prepared to leave.
Just as she was about to step away, Shen Si called after her. “Could you bring me another dry towel?”
There was only one dry towel in the room. Since Shen Si was soaked from head to toe, Ji Hanyi nodded and went to fetch another from Rongchun’s room.
Shen Si’s unfathomable gaze followed Ji Hanyi as she left. He glanced down at the crude candle and its feeble, flickering flame, pursed his lips, and removed his outer robe.
When Ji Hanyi returned, she found Shen Si sitting at the edge of the bed in black trousers and a white inner robe, his long hair hanging loose.
He was drying his hair with the towel in his hand, but those deep eyes that seemed capable of seeing through everything were now focused entirely on her.
His lips were pressed tightly together, his long brows swept toward his temples, and strands of hair fell over his forehead. Ji Hanyi had never seen Shen Si like this before. She froze at the threshold, uncertain whether she should enter.
Seeing her standing motionless in the doorway, Shen Si said in a low, husky voice, “Don’t let the wind in.”
Only then did Ji Hanyi remember that Shen Si was soaked through. If the wind blew inside, he had to be freezing.
She hurried inside and shut the door, then handed Shen Si the dry towel in her hand.
All the towels in the side chamber were made of coarse cloth. Ji Hanyi lowered her gaze, staring dazedly as Shen Si’s long, fair fingers took the towel from her. For a moment, the sight felt almost unreal.
A man like Shen Si always used only the finest and most precious things. She had thought he would disdain it.
The old Ji Hanyi would have disdained it too, but she had long since learned to make the best of whatever circumstances she found herself in.
Shen Si took the towel and glanced up. Ji Hanyi stood there with her eyes lowered, lost in thought without even looking at him. Even her absentminded expression was remarkably alluring.
At least, it was extraordinarily tempting in Shen Si’s eyes at that moment.
He was sitting on the daybed where she had once slept, surrounded by the soft fragrance she had left behind. Fierce wind and driving rain raged outside, while inside, the two of them were alone beneath a tiny, flickering candle flame.
His breathing tightened. Countless visions of pulling the woman before him into his arms flashed through his mind.
He wanted to do to her what he had done in his dreams.
Shen Si lowered his eyes slightly and set the dry towel aside. His slender fingers loosened the ties of his inner robe, exposing the bare skin beneath to Ji Hanyi.
He had some confidence in his physique. At the very least, he believed he was better built than Xie Yuheng. Perhaps Ji Hanyi would like what she saw.
By the time Ji Hanyi returned to her senses, Shen Si’s bare upper body was fully exposed before her.
Heat rushed to her cheeks. Shen Si raised his eyes to her, something turbulent churning within them that she could not understand. She instinctively stepped back until her lower back struck the table behind her.
The silver candlestick on the table teetered from the impact. Ji Hanyi noticed and hurriedly turned to steady it, but Shen Si moved toward her at the same moment. She could clearly feel the warmth of his body pressing against her back. Her hand trembled, and she failed to catch the candlestick. After several muffled clatters, it fell to the floor, plunging the room into darkness so complete that she could not see her hand before her face.
Shen Si’s hoarse voice came from behind her. “I was coming over to help you steady the candlestick.”
Ji Hanyi gave a flustered response. The table blocked her path in front, while Shen Si’s body pressed close behind her. She turned around, intending to ask him to step back so she could go out and fetch a candlestick to relight the room, but then his hoarse voice sounded again.
“Hanyi, I’m drunk.”
Ji Hanyi did not react at first, but with Shen Si this close, she could indeed smell the heavy scent of alcohol on him.
She could not help thinking that he did not look drunk in the slightest. And what about the things he had said to her earlier? Had those been drunken words, or something else?
While she was still wondering, the warm body before her abruptly pulled her into an embrace. A broad palm settled against her back, and in the darkness, she felt his scorching breath fall against her neck. His raspy voice followed.
“Hanyi, I can’t hold out much longer.”
“Let me lean on you for a while.”
Ji Hanyi’s entire body went rigid. Shen Si had looked so composed and dignified only moments ago. Could he have been forcing himself to keep up appearances all along?
She stood frozen in place, not daring to move. It felt as if her whole body had been locked into Shen Si’s embrace.
The smell of alcohol filled her nose, mingling with the heat radiating from Shen Si. The thought that his upper body was still bare left her too nervous to move even a fingertip. Her mind went blank, and even her voice trembled.
“Should I… should I help you over to the daybed so you can sleep, Lord Shen…?”
Shen Si’s dark eyes remained fixed on Ji Hanyi’s face. Hearing the tremor in her voice, the corners of his lips curved upward. He pressed the tip of his nose against the fair, tender skin of her neck and gave a husky, indistinct hum, as if he were thoroughly intoxicated.
He had poured wine over himself precisely for this moment.