Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 353 - 338: Second Update

Chapter 353: Chapter 338: Second Update

Nian Xia served up pastries and hot floral tea while Zheng Nianru dozed off, warmed by the gentle breeze.

Cang Er slipped quietly into the pavilion and whispered something into Zheng Haoyuan’s ear. Zheng Haoyuan rolled his eyes in response, showing no interest in leaving.

Nowhere was as comfortable as being beside his cousin.

Cang Er grew somewhat anxious, for people from the palace were waiting outside.

"Your Highness, the Prince has returned. Should he see the people outside, it could be troublesome," Cang Er murmured, careful not to awaken the Commandery Princess, ensuring only he and the Fourth Prince could hear him.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Haoyuan reluctantly got up. Noticing Zheng Nianru was almost asleep, he gave a cold glance at the youth still gently massaging and sneered inwardly, You’re lucky.

As Zheng Haoyuan left, he specifically visited the study, cleverly waiting inside.

"Fu Gong, this Prince acknowledges your feelings. Seeing you and her cousin get along so well pleases me. Now that the danger has passed, there’s no need for self-blame," Zheng Boding said, glancing at the inkstone Zheng Haoyuan had brought in, his anger seemingly lessening with each look.

"Imperial Uncle, I only did what I should," replied Zheng Haoyuan obediently.

Prince Duan impatiently said a few words. Preoccupied, he let Zheng Haoyuan leave. Zheng Haoyuan breathed a sigh of relief; this was the first time the Prince had seen him playing with his cousin and hadn’t been so angry, which naturally pleased him greatly.

"What is the Commandery Princess doing?" Zheng Boding still felt uneasy.

"My lord, the Commandery Princess must have fallen asleep. She was restless all last night, naturally, she’s exhausted," Housekeeper He said with a smile.

"Hmph—" How could she sleep with a man present? But before he could voice his scoff, it was stifled. Perhaps Zheng Haoyuan should visit less often now, even though he is still young, he has reached the age to avoid suspicion.

...

Zheng Nianru had slept for a while, half-dreaming of a past life’s events unlike any before—without Ju Nanyi’s overwhelming presence nor the heart-wrenching sorrow but reviving a nearly absurd memory. Especially when Zheng Nianru opened her eyes to a finely-featured, almost enchanting face fluttering through the thin veil, she thought she had returned to the past for a moment.

In a dazed, half-asleep, half-awake state, Zheng Nianru saw the youth come close enough to seem within reach, making her think for a moment that this was someone sent by Zheng Congyuan or Ju Nanyi.

Zheng Nianru reached out to grasp the youth’s clothing, her actions light-hearted and extravagant, as if her gaze didn’t see a person but an object, an item intriguing enough to hold her attention.

The youth, unaccustomed to such scenes, hesitated momentarily, then leaned forward, guided by Zheng Nianru’s slight, powerless fingers.

Zheng Nianru’s fingers slid under the clothing, revealing not the typically ornate dress designed to turn him into a piece of art but a simple, black silk garment. Plain and devoid of any distinct style, it accentuated the youth’s skin, pale and smooth like fine porcelain.

The section Zheng Nianru’s fingers had slightly opened revealed a chest not frail but notably robust, the firm chest muscles beating powerfully beneath the thin fabric.

Zheng Nianru was quite satisfied with what she found, her fingers wandering further, touching the firm skin as her expression turned languid and a smile spread across her face, blooming like a brilliant, luxuriant flower. The boy, momentarily forgetting his nervousness and panic, simply stared transfixed at her face.

"Who sent you here?" Zheng Nianru asked, her voice dripping with languor, hoarse as she toyed with the youth’s garment, making the scene even more vivid, although the answer hardly mattered to her; her eyes were fixed on the alluring skin before her.

Yin He wanted to respond, but realized he couldn’t even begin to answer her question. As he prepared to speak again, suddenly, the young woman’s fingertips caressed the front of his chest, not cold but burning hot, tingling like an electric current surging through his body.

The youth’s mind went blank, and he dared not move or think.

"What are you afraid of?" Zheng Nianru was in a good mood; this time was interesting, even if his expression was feigned, it felt genuine. Her arms encircled the youth’s neck, and leveraging his body, she prepared to get up. Her nose caught the fresh scent of the man, and instinctively, she drew her face close; the youth’s bright red lips were right before her eyes.

Young man...

Zheng Nianru didn’t care about the young man’s feelings at all, her lips had already covered his, moist yet dry with thirst searching for a source of water, sweet and slippery. Her hand had already moved down from his neck, guiding him towards an unexplored new world.

The young man felt as if his body wasn’t his own, his mind had plunged into a swamp in an instant, as if it would drown him directly.

At that moment, the young man suddenly panicked, he... he didn’t know what would happen next, damn it, he didn’t know what to do...

Zheng Nianru’s temper wasn’t something he could control; one wrong step, and she would turn on him.

Suddenly, the young man’s lips were freed, and his body instinctively shrank back, he... he... suddenly wanted to escape.

And the next moment, the young man really did run away, frantically, his clothes disheveled as he clumsily fled from the pavilion, nearly crashing into a pillar.

Fu Dong and Nian Xia hurried in and, seeing the perfectly fine Commandery Princess seated on the wooden couch, they finally breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at each other suspiciously.

What had just happened?

Zheng Nianru also looked dazed, shook her head a little, somewhat unable to recognize reality.

"Commandery Princess, are you awake?" Fu Dong carefully approached, squatted down, and delicately adjusted Zheng Nianru’s clothes.

Nian Xia was at a loss, also squatting down to help Zheng Nianru put on her shoes.

"Commandery Princess, the kitchen has made a new batch of sweet soup; I’ll have Xue Liu bring it over..."

"No need," Zheng Nianru shook her head clear, it was different, the Prince Duan’s Mansion from her previous life had differences from now, not this lavish, her taste wasn’t as refined then as it was now.

"Is the Commandery Princess looking for Yin He?" Nian Xia couldn’t hide her concern and blurted out the question.

Zheng Nianru turned her head, right, called Yin He, that young man was also not from her previous life.

Zheng Nianru didn’t respond, nor did she care, living this life anew, she was not here to flaunt herself as some paragon of chastity; a spur of the moment was very much her style.

"Let’s go back to the room, I haven’t finished reading that book, I want to continue."

...

Elder Can got a fright when Yin He suddenly burst in, almost striking out at him.

"Young Master, Young Master, who bullied you?" Elder Can’s first thought upon seeing his Young Master’s disheveled appearance was that he had been in a fight?

Yin He gave Elder Can a cold glance. So, the woman’s actions earlier were bullying him?

Yin He was somewhat displeased. Why did she have to bully him?

But, why was this bullying... also not so unbearable?