Chapter 196
Chapter 196
Ji Hanyi followed close behind Shen Si.
Shen Si’s tall frame blocked her view entirely. All she could see were his luxurious black robes, lending him a faintly oppressive air.
He stopped before a deserted rockery, then turned and silently watched Ji Hanyi approach.
She looked soft and delicate in her pale yellow dress tinged with pink. Amid the languid warmth of spring, she carried a subtle fragrance and the sweetness he had longed for day and night. Before she could even reach him, he impatiently swept her into his arms.
His long arms locked around her, holding her tight. He lowered his head and inhaled her scent deeply. Then, under Ji Hanyi’s startled gaze, he tilted her chin up, pinned her against the rockery, and kissed her fiercely.
He would not be able to see her for two days.
In two days, she would be his.
He had forced her into this, so he was destined never to let her go for the rest of his life.
His emotions surged wildly, leaving him unwilling to restrain himself for even another moment. All he wanted was to hold her there and kiss her hard.
Ji Hanyi was not used to kisses like this, so forceful and invasive. She had no control at all and was completely at Shen Si’s mercy.
Even less was she accustomed to sharing such intimacy with Shen Si, especially out in the open.
She pushed hard against his chest. Her lips ached, and his tongue entangled hers, not even allowing her to retreat. With her mouth forced open, she could only endure his invasion in humiliation.
Ji Hanyi whimpered and shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. Her soft fingers pressed ever harder against Shen Si’s chest.
Shen Si felt as though a fire were burning through him. He could clearly feel her trying to push him away, yet his hand remained firmly clasped around her waist, showing no intention of stopping. His dark, narrow eyes fixed on the tearful corners of hers, and his entire body grew taut. Lowering his head again, he bit the earlobe he had yearned for day and night.
A tingling numbness swept through Ji Hanyi’s entire body. Her rigid frame went helplessly soft, sagging against him. Her fingers clutched impolitely at his lapels as a shudder ran through her, leaving her ashamed and distressed.
Shen Si took in every one of her reactions. Supporting her slender waist, he bent down and pressed damp kisses along her fair, delicate neck.
The intoxicating fragrance clinging to Ji Hanyi was a temptation Shen Si could not resist. He lightly bit the soft flesh beside her neck, feeling the woman in his arms soften inch by inch and tremble. A low groan escaped his throat.
That tide of desire nearly drowned him, stripping away his reason.
He did not even dare imagine how thoroughly he would lose control when they truly became one.
His grip on Ji Hanyi’s waist tightened, but then a timid, aggrieved voice came to him, soft and hoarse. “Lord Shen, please don’t…”
Shen Si’s movements faltered.
He drew another deep breath and released her. Leaning back against the rockery, he let Ji Hanyi rest in his arms and lowered his gaze to her.
Her lips were flushed scarlet from his kisses, glistening enticingly. Her eyes were rimmed red and brimming with mist, making her look achingly delicate and vulnerable. His throat tightened again. He raised a hand to caress Ji Hanyi’s fair cheek and asked hoarsely, “Did I frighten you?”
Ji Hanyi did not shy away. She looked up at Shen Si and nodded anxiously. “I don’t want to do this…”
Ji Hanyi had been raised as a sheltered young lady and was proper to her very bones. Though she had been married before, she had never experienced anything like this out in the open. She was terrified someone might see them, and she was far too modest to bear it.
Besides, she had been the one who agreed to marry him in the first place – but this was not what Shen Si had told her back then.
What he had just done made her feel as though he had deceived her, forcing her to accept something she had never had the chance to prepare herself for.
Over the past few days, she had sensed that Shen Si seemed to have feelings for her. But what kind of feelings were they, and how long would they last?
She did not even know how long she would be able to remain at Shen Residence. Even if they managed to evade the imperially decreed marriage, what would they face in the future?
Shen Si’s fingertip came to rest at the damp corner of Ji Hanyi’s eye. The resistance and fear in her gaze were unmistakable, as was her confusion.
He suddenly realized that he had let himself get carried away and rushed things.
In Ji Hanyi’s heart, they were husband and wife in name only.
He was supposed to take things slowly. He should not have done this.
Shen Si drew a deep breath and forced down all the heat coursing through him. Letting Ji Hanyi rest against his shoulder, he gently patted her back and said hoarsely, “If anything happens at Cheng’an Marquis’s Residence, remember to send word to me.”
Ji Hanyi lowered her head. After a brief pause, she obediently nodded, then tried to rise from his arms.
They were in the rear courtyard of Cheng’an Marquis’s Residence, after all. If a maid happened by and saw her leaning so improperly in Shen Si’s embrace, it would hardly be appropriate.
Yet Shen Si’s palm remained pressed firmly against her back. His dark gaze fell on the faint bite mark on her neck, then shifted to her slightly panicked eyes.
He spoke again, his voice still hoarse. “You haven’t seen me for two days. Is there nothing else you want to say to me?”
Ji Hanyi’s mind went blank for a moment. Then she honestly shook her head. “Nothing.”
Shen Si arched a brow. She refused to offer even a single sweet word. She was almost too honest.
Seeing the lingering tear tracks around her eyes, he slowly wiped them away with his fingertips, though his gaze remained fixed on her full lips.
They truly were sweet. He wanted to kiss her again.
Then his gaze swept over the furtive figure not far away. That was undoubtedly Qin Che spying on them.
Using his body to shield Ji Hanyi from view, Shen Si loosened his hold on her and straightened her clothes before allowing her to return to the flower hall.
Ji Hanyi could not wait to leave. The instant Shen Si released her, she turned and hurried toward the flower hall.
Shen Si watched her retreating figure, her small steps quick and hurried, and could not help feeling a little frustrated.
Only after Ji Hanyi disappeared into the distance did he turn down the path in the other direction.
When Qin Che saw Shen Si approaching, he knew he had been discovered. Although he had not caught so much as a glimpse of Ji Hanyi in Shen Si’s arms, he had seen Shen Si’s brazen actions perfectly clearly.
He had been so impatient that he had pinned her against the rockery and kissed her. Tsk, tsk. Qin Che had not meant to watch, but he simply had to stay and see it through. It was the first time he had ever witnessed something like this, after all.
By the time Ji Hanyi returned to the flower hall, her heart was still pounding. She pressed her handkerchief to her lips again and again, then dabbed at her eyes. Her heart raced wildly, and although she appeared composed, she could not stop worrying that someone might notice something amiss.
Perhaps this was simply how it felt to have a guilty conscience. She could not shake the feeling that someone was watching her.
Fortunately, no one seemed to notice anything wrong. They gathered around Ji Hanyi one after another and drew her into conversation.
Her elder brother spoke kindly and was very easy to get along with.
After they had chatted for a while in the flower hall, Madam Su led Ji Hanyi to the quarters where she would be staying for the next two days.
Ji Hanyi followed Madam Su, finally managing to extricate herself from the crowd. At last, her ears were granted a little peace and quiet.