Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 746 - 367: The Empress Dowager Who Despises with Words but is Upright in Deed_2

Chapter 746: Chapter 367: The Empress Dowager Who Despises with Words but is Upright in Deed_2

Here is the translated text:

"Why should I sleep on the floor?"

On this matter, Jiang Shouzhong had no intention of compromising.

He directly and firmly lay on the bed, unmoved no matter how Xiao Lingqiu tried to shove him.

Upon seeing this, Xiao Lingqiu’s delicate face reddened with anger. She grabbed the blanket, gritting her teeth as she said, "Then I’ll sleep on the floor!"

"Suit yourself."

Jiang Shouzhong replied indifferently, even making a gesture of invitation.

His action undoubtedly provoked Xiao Lingqiu even further.

Furious, the woman threw herself back onto the bed and drew a line in the middle with her hand like a knife: "No crossing the line! Touch me even once, and I’ll castrate you!"

"Before, we..."

"What happened before is in the past." Xiao Lingqiu glared at the man. "Forget everything that happened before, and don’t you dare talk to Miaomiao about it."

"Alright, understood."

Jiang Shouzhong nodded with a smile.

Only then did Xiao Lingqiu’s expression soften. She turned her back on him.

However, with her lying on her side, it allowed Jiang Shouzhong quite a view.

Xiao Lingqiu’s figure was already voluptuous and tall, not only living in an opulent villa but also possessing an inherently fertile physique.

In her side-lying posture, the curves of her waist and hips were even more pronounced.

Such alluring charm naturally made it difficult to look away.

Jiang Shouzhong’s breathing quickened slightly. He hurriedly averted his gaze, staring at the ceiling instead, while recalling the Mental Tranquility Technique taught to him by Dugu Luoxue and silently reciting it in his heart.

Gradually, his thoughts calmed down.

As exhaustion swept over him, Jiang Shouzhong fell into a deep sleep.

When he opened his eyes again, the sky outside had already turned completely dark. It was clearly late into the night.

What surprised Jiang Shouzhong was the faint fragrance lingering in the air and the soft, warm figure nestled in his arms, her breathing clearly felt against his chest.

It turned out that, unknowingly, the two had naturally ended up embracing each other in sleep.

Perhaps they were accustomed to cuddling in the past.

Listening to the steady rhythm of the woman’s breathing, Jiang Shouzhong let out a helpless laugh, thinking to himself that when she woke up, she’d probably throw a fit again and accuse him of taking advantage.

Jiang Shouzhong tried to move cautiously to get out of bed.

However, just as he lifted his leg, the woman in his arms stirred slightly, showing signs of waking.

Jiang Shouzhong immediately shut his eyes, pretending to be asleep.

Xiao Lingqiu opened her sleepy eyes, rubbing her hair. Her usually cold beauty took on a touch of innocent charm in her drowsiness. As she became more awake, she was shocked to find herself in the man’s arms.

Startled, she instinctively tried to push him away.

But when her hands pressed against his chest, her fingertips came into contact with the bandages on his previously rewrapped wound, and she hesitated.

Xiao Lingqiu inhaled softly, catching traces of his scent, and her memories involuntarily drifted to the time she had spent with him.

Though she didn’t want to admit it, that period was undeniably the most unforgettable in her life.

Even while on the run, compared to her past, at least she could trustingly lean on someone and stop worrying about too many things... This feeling was something she had never experienced before.

Ever since becoming the Empress Dowager, especially after her father’s death, she had to constantly remain vigilant, maintaining her power through cutthroat political games.

The higher she climbed, the less restful her sleep became.

She had no friends, no one she could depend on—only herself.

In the eyes of others, she was a cold, ruthless, and powerful woman.

Yet, none knew of the loneliness and vulnerability within her.

During her time with Jiang Shouzhong, though circumstances didn’t permit her to act domineering, she found she didn’t mind showing her feminine gentleness in his presence.

Perhaps she had grown used to it.

Just as she had grown accustomed to his embrace; even though boundary lines were drawn, she had still willingly leaned into him.

"Are you awake?"

Xiao Lingqiu spoke softly upon hearing his slightly accelerated heartbeat.

Jiang Shouzhong said nothing.

But one of his hands gently rested on her shoulder, pulling her closer.

Xiao Lingqiu’s body stiffened briefly before slowly relaxing.

She pressed her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes.

Awake, the two lay quietly together like that.

If, during their escape, their closeness had been out of necessity, now it felt as though they truly were a married couple.

Xiao Lingqiu was a little lost.

What is love?

What counts as true affection?

Although a widow, Xiao Lingqiu had never experienced romantic feelings between a man and a woman. Pure as blank paper, her experiences seemed to have added shades of color to it.

But whom did these colors belong to? She didn’t know and didn’t want to dwell on it.

Because she didn’t believe she could ever form feelings for a man.

If she did, she certainly wouldn’t admit it.

Ultimately, one thought lingered in her mind: Jiang Mo was a good man, but not suitable.

Not suitable for whom?

Of course, not suitable for that girl Miaomiao. Surely not for her, the Empress Dowager?

After a long silence, Xiao Lingqiu, perhaps acting on an errant whim, suddenly said in a playful tone: "Jiang Mo, after taking such advantage of me... shouldn’t you marry me?"

"Sure."

Jiang Shouzhong replied with a laugh.

The woman’s beautiful eyes grew wide.

The moment the words left her lips, Xiao Lingqiu wished she could slap herself, maybe even split open her head with an axe to see what craziness had filled it.

Was such talk befitting of the Empress Dowager?

But she hadn’t expected at all that he would respond directly without hesitation.

And with such an unreserved answer at that.

His reply left Xiao Lingqiu dumbfounded.

Bathed in moonlight, her radiant, delicate beauty faced him in astonishment: "What did you say?"

Jiang Shouzhong chuckled: "I said, I would marry you."

Had it been before, Jiang Shouzhong would have endlessly agonized over such a decision.

But after the chaos at the wedding, Li Nanshuang’s reproach, the hardships of his training, and countless reflections, Jiang Shouzhong’s mindset had shifted significantly, leaving him far less troubled.

Since he had already earned the label of a scoundrel, why bother pretending to be virtuous?

Whether it was superiors or ex-wives, snakes or phoenixes, older or younger women, ugly ones... hmm, maybe not the ugly ones...

In short, he wanted them all!

He had the Taoist River Map anyway, so what’s there to fear in the bedroom?

Along the journey, he had also given thought to his intimacy with Jingjing—hugging, baring bodies, kissing... He’d practically ruined her reputation.

If the woman wanted him to take responsibility, he wouldn’t mind taking another wife.

Especially since this wife’s beauty and figure were stunning.

"No way!"

Xiao Lingqiu suddenly grew agitated and pushed him away, her tone turning icy: "Who do you think you are? You dare say something like that?"

Jiang Shouzhong froze momentarily, then adjusted: "Alright, then I don’t want to marry you."

"Not acceptable either!"

Xiao Lingqiu glared at him fiercely, even angrier.

Well, great—wanting to marry wasn’t okay, not wanting to marry wasn’t okay either. What exactly was he supposed to choose?

Jiang Shouzhong shook his head in frustration: "So should I marry you or not?"

Xiao Lingqiu hesitated, momentarily lost for words. She rolled herself up in the blanket, turned her back to him, and appeared unwilling to respond.

Her heartbeat, however, raced uncontrollably.

After a long pause, Xiao Lingqiu spoke coldly: "You must wish to marry me, but you don’t deserve to marry me."

"This..."

Jiang Shouzhong scratched his head, completely unable to decipher her thoughts.

Having no clue how to respond, he opted to lie back down: "Then maybe you should just marry me instead."

Originally meant as a joke, his words prompted Xiao Lingqiu to ponder.

Though nominally Empress Dowager, her true identity was as the Empress of Yanrong. Once the world was unified, she would officially ascend as Empress.

Since she was the Empress, taking a male consort wasn’t entirely out of the question.

Perhaps...

Bah!

Xiao Lingqiu, what kind of shameless nonsense are you even entertaining!

Her cheeks flushed as she berated herself, thinking she must be losing her mind to have started dwelling on a man.

What was so good about men anyway?

She was the Empress Dowager, devoid of emotion.

Her aim was to conquer the world.

Xiao Lingqiu tried her best to suppress her emotions. Wrapped tightly like a cocoon, she turned to face him with fierce determination:

"Anyway, don’t harbor any delusions about me. There is absolutely no possibility for us. And you’re utterly unfit to be my man. Jiang Mo, let me remind you—if you dare cross me again, I’ll kill you!"

With that, she drew another boundary with her hand like a knife.

"Don’t cross over!"

Jiang Shouzhong smiled wryly and nodded: "Understood, understood."

Soon, they both fell asleep again.

When Jiang Shouzhong woke up once more, there was another delicate figure in his arms.