“Speak.” “…I was wrong.” “Wrong about what?” “I shouldn’t have acted rashly—good sir, it’s so cold.” I shivered, attempting a seductive smile, but it probably looked distorted, as he made a disgusted expression. “Stop it.”
Embarrassed, I looked down. “An Jin! You’re going too far! Is this how you treat your wife?”
“Aren’t you my subordinate Bai Yuan Xiang?” He scratched me hard, making me scream and beg, “No—Umm—It hurts so much…”
“You’re going too far!” Once I calmed down a bit, I argued again. “Is this how you treat a subordinate?”
An Jin’s expression was malicious, and with another scratch, I screamed repeatedly, twisting my body in frustration.
“Aren’t you my wife, Xiao Yao?”
I blushed, glaring at him through teary eyes. “You bully—Dad! Mom! Big brother!—Yuan Xiang—” I called out pitifully.
He covered my mouth. “One more sound and I’ll seal your mute acupoint!” Yuan Xiang seemed to hear my call, responding excitedly, probably thinking I wanted to play.
I nodded desperately, and he finally let go.
I sighed deeply, dejected: “I was truly terribly wrong.”
I shouldn’t have rashly sought out Yan Or or devised a plan to avenge the Fifth Princess, thinking my cleverness could contribute to the country… As I spoke, I glanced at him, and he looked half-amused.
“Are you repenting? Or criticizing me?” His hand gripped my foot, fingers rubbing my sole.
“Repenting, definitely repenting,” I said, playing pitiful. “How dare I criticize the Secret Master?”
“Don’t dare?” An Jin raised an eyebrow, laughing lightly. “You once followed me and sold my portrait, set a dog on the Seventh Princess’s horse, even fought with her, and now you’re using a ‘beauty stratagem’! Is there anything you don’t dare to do?”
I felt aggrieved: “This isn’t a beauty stratagem; at most, it’s an old acquaintance stratagem.”
He gave me a cold glance, and I fell silent, sneezing.
His anger seemed to soften slightly. I knew that with an angry An Jin, I couldn’t be tough or soft, but needed to self-deprecate. So I cried dramatically: “I deserve punishment. This isn’t enough. I should be whipped with a thorny whip, beaten until my skin splits and flesh flies.”
An Jin’s brow furrowed as he probably imagined the scene.
