Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Mu Yaoyao was speechless for a long time. She stared at Yan Shang with wide eyes, looking at him as if he were a fool.

For a person like Yan Shang, simply saying such words in her ear was already embarrassing enough; being stared at so intensely by Mu Yaoyao, half of his face turned a deep, burning red. He was both ashamed and annoyed, lowering his eyes. His hand, which was holding Mu Yaoyao's, had also become sweaty. He suddenly pulled back, his hand bracing against the edge of the bed.

He felt like a complete fool. How could he have said such things?

He rose to leave, but Mu Yaoyao reacted with lightning speed, grabbing his hand and pulling him back.

And this time, she didn't just pull him back; she got up, turned around, and pushed him on the shoulder with her fingers. Yan Shang was pushed back down into a sitting position. Just as Mu Yaoyao used to tease him in the past, she showed no sign of shyness and sat directly on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Mu Yaoyao felt his thigh muscles tense up instantly.

She suppressed a laugh in her heart.

Outwardly, she hugged him, pressing her face against his, her sharp, cold fingernails tracing across his cheek. With every point her fingertips touched, the skin beneath them obediently flushed red.

She squinted at him, seeing him turn his face away, likely on the verge of cooking himself alive.

Mu Yaoyao called out to him in a sweet, coquettish voice: "Brother Yan Er, don't be like this. Every time I get close to you, you seem so nervous. Why are you always so tense?"

Yan Shang's mind was a mess.

He lowered his head and gave a bitter smile. He hadn't wanted to say it, but since things had reached this point, he could only admit: "I have never encountered a situation like yours, so naturally, I would be nervous."

Mu Yaoyao's eyes rippled like spring water. She leaned against his face, arms still around his neck, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

She felt his body go taut; his waist even arched upward, as if he wanted to stand, but he suppressed the urge himself.

Mu Yaoyao found it curious: "I just kissed your cheek, and you can't even handle that?"

Yan Shang complained: "You are sitting on my lap, wrapping your arms around my neck, your face pressed against mine... and you claim you 'just kissed my cheek' and blame me."

Mu Yaoyao absolutely loved this reaction of his.

She threw him a sidelong glance: "Does that mean you want me to get off and let you sit there quietly by yourself?"

She made a move to get up, and Yan Shang, who had been tilting his head to dodge her, seemed to panic. He turned his head abruptly and reached out to press down on her shoulders to keep her from leaving. He had done this instinctively, pressing the young woman down, but when Mu Yaoyao looked at him with an amused, inscrutable expression, he realized he had likely made another futile gesture.

She was only teasing him; she wasn't going anywhere.

Yan Shang fell silent for a long time, feeling frustrated in his heart and thinking he had probably made a joke of himself again.

Watching him with his eyes cast down, Mu Yaoyao quickly comforted him: "Don't be like this. These are just little playful diversions between lovers; I'm not trying to bully you on purpose. It's just that seeing you like this... I can't help myself."

Seeing him so upright and serious outside, she just wanted to tease him like this in private. Seeing him so dignified and clean among the court officials, she just wanted to strip off his clothes in private, watch him gasp for air, and listen to him make sounds he would never let anyone hear in public.

Such is the inherent dark nature of humanity.

Mu Yaoyao hugged Yan Shang, kissing him again and again, feeling sweet and happy. Yan Shang’s face was incredibly red, but as she kissed him repeatedly, the stiffness in his face finally began to soften. He lifted his eyes little by little to look at her, right into her beautiful, shimmering eyes that were looking down to peek at him.

Their eyes met.

Mu Yaoyao whispered: "You don't seem so nervous anymore, have you noticed?"

Yan Shang's brain was now mush, and he mumbled vaguely: "Mm."

Mu Yaoyao’s fingers combed a lock of black hair from behind his ear, playing with it at her fingertips. She sat in his arms for a while, teasing him for a long time, before she leaned against his ear and whispered: "Are you truly unsatisfied?"

Yan Shang was stunned and asked: "What?"

After speaking, he realized that from the moment Mu Yaoyao sat on his lap, she had been testing his reactions, testing his earlier statement about being "unsatisfied."

Yan Shang could not help but give a bitter smile.

He complained slightly: "It is true. You... you only care about your own pleasure and ignore me entirely."

Mu Yaoyao opened her eyes wide: "That’s not true! Is it really that uncomfortable for you when I do this?"

She didn't believe him and reached her hand down toward his waist and abdomen. Yan Shang had already relaxed before, but her reaching startled him, and he grabbed her hand to stop her from touching him. But Mu Yaoyao’s fingers had already made contact, and he was already starting to feel it... Mu Yaoyao squinted at him, looking as if she suspected him of lying.

Yan Shang's lips trembled, his face turning even more rigid and flushed.

There were many things he didn't like to talk about, but Mu Yaoyao truly forced him to speak. Yan Shang struggled for a long time, ultimately deciding that since they were in private, Mu Yaoyao surely wouldn't go around gossiping about it.

He then said: "It is exactly because it is like this that I am... unsatisfied."

Mu Yaoyao: "Then do you feel good?"

Yan Shang did not speak.

Mu Yaoyao’s petal-like lips pressed against his cheek, her breath spraying onto his face: "Is it good when I do this to you?"

Yan Shang nodded slowly.

Mu Yaoyao immediately laughed until her eyes curved into crescents. She wrapped her arms around his neck, nearly unable to catch her breath from being amused by his cuteness: "Oh, so Yan Erlang is feeling both pleasure and pain.

"You truly are a genius. Feeling pain, you want to block out the pleasure and simply stay far away from me, not letting me touch you at all. That way, you won't be uncomfortable anymore, but your 'pleasure' will be gone too, won't it?"

The corners of Yan Shang’s eyes were flushed red from her provocation. He grabbed her wrist and whispered: "Stop talking!"

Mu Yaoyao buried her face in his neck, laughing, and poked him with her tongue. When he made a sound of "Mm" and dodged, he looked at her in shock, completely tongue-tied, evidently not expecting her to use her tongue to tease him while they were talking properly. This move caused his neck to turn completely red as well.

Mu Yaoyao lay lazily against his neck, only for Yan Shang to cover her mouth with his hand.

How could Mu Yaoyao mind such a thing?

He lowered his head and saw her small face tilted against his shoulder, her nose and mouth covered by his hand, leaving only a pair of cat-like, soft, and seductive eyes visible. He felt his body heat up under the gaze of those alluring eyes, and just as he was dazed, he felt her lick his palm.

He immediately withdrew his hand, no longer covering Mu Yaoyao’s mouth.

Even a peaceful person like Yan Shang was pushed to the point of being a bit annoyed: "Don't do that! You always tease me like this, making me feel... making me feel like you are bullying me."

Mu Yaoyao widened her eyes: "You only just realized I’m bullying you? I’ve been bullying you the whole time. I love seeing you like this."

Yan Shang frowned. Her scent was so fragrant. He was feeling a bit... a bit... uncomfortable again.

Unaware of Yan Shang’s wandering mind, Mu Yaoyao happily took his hand and kissed the back of it; he trembled lightly.

She lowered her head to look at the long, slender fingers of the young gentleman held in her hand and sighed: "Fingers so long, truly beautiful."

After a long pause, Yan Shang whispered: "You are kissing me again."

Mu Yaoyao looked up at him, watched him for a moment, and said slowly: "You can kiss me back, you know."

Yan Shang froze, then looked down at her strangely: "But didn't you say you don't like me taking the initiative?"

Mu Yaoyao: "..."

The two stared at each other in silence for a long time.

Yan Shang realized faintly: "...Actually, you don't dislike it that much, do you?"

Mu Yaoyao smiled slightly—not the teasing smile from before, but a sincere, gentle smile that showed she truly liked him.

She leaned dedicatedly against his shoulder, looking up at him, and suddenly understood the source of Yan Shang’s conflict. It wasn't that he disliked this kind of intimacy; on the contrary, he liked it very much. But because she didn't like him taking the lead, he rarely asked for it.

Sometimes, he would only take the initiative once, and she would pull away.

So Yan Shang thought she didn't like it.

Since she didn't like it, he gave it up.

That was why he said he couldn't be satisfied.

Mu Yaoyao whispered: "If I don't like it, you just give up taking the initiative?"

Yan Shang looked down at her and said: "I thought that would make you happy."

Mu Yaoyao smiled; she was indeed quite happy.

She reached out and brushed his chin lightly, feeling the very short stubble. He had grown up; he was already nineteen... and she was nearly twenty. She hadn't met this young man during her best years, but with his elegant brows and eyes and gentle temperament, how fortunate she was.

Mu Yaoyao stroked Yan Shang’s brows and eyes; Yan Shang’s gaze was fixed on the soft ripples in her eyes, and he did not shy away.

Mu Yaoyao suddenly said: "Yan Shang."

Yan Shang whispered: "Hm?"

Mu Yaoyao said coldly: "Actually, you don't like me as much as I like you."

Yan Shang looked at her in surprise. He felt the room was getting a bit hot.

A smile curled in Mu Yaoyao’s eyes as she whispered: "I had feelings for you a long time ago. Back when I was in Lingnan, I already felt a little... but I suppressed it. Later, at the humble cottage where you were staying at Yongshou Temple in Chang’an, I saw you again.

"It was raining heavily; Juyuan pushed open the wooden door, and I saw you stand up from under a mountain of books. You lifted your face, bit by bit—your long, elegant brows and eyes, the bridge of your straight nose, your pale red lips... At that moment, my heart started racing. Looking at you then, I felt as if something I had let go of had come back to find me.

"But you, at that time, didn't really have any feelings, did you?"

Yan Shang felt a bit dizzy, a sense of vexation rising in his heart that made him think the room was too hot. Could it be that the charcoal was burning too warmly?

He looked at Mu Yaoyao apologetically, signaling that he hadn't heard what she said clearly and asking if she could repeat it. But as he opened his mouth to speak, Mu Yaoyao covered his lips with her fingers, signaling him not to speak.

Her voice remained cool: "Actually, you never particularly liked me. Just as you said yourself, you are indifferent to emotions. Because so much of your emotion has been given to your family, friends, teachers, and colleagues. You have spread your emotions too thin, so regarding romantic love, you are quite indifferent.

"You treat me well because of many reasons. Of course, I believe one part of it must be because I am quite lovable. Otherwise, why wouldn't you be this good to other young women?"

Calling herself "lovable" under Yan Shang’s gaze, she finally broke her composure, her face turning slightly red.

Yan Shang was struggling with his own restlessness, trying hard to listen to what she was saying. He had to focus on her eyes so he wouldn't get distracted.

So he wouldn't let his mind wander, wouldn't think about how pretty her eyes were, wouldn't wonder if her soft-looking face felt just as soft to the touch, wouldn't notice that her lips were such a beautiful color and looked even better when they opened and closed...

Mu Yaoyao’s eyelashes trembled as she avoided his burning gaze from above.

She continued to speak her mind: "You don't like me as much as I like you. But once you convinced yourself to be with me, you started trying hard to get close to me, wanting to manage this relationship. Everything I say and do comes from the heart, while you plan on how to treat me well.

"I like you but don't put in the effort; you don't like me as much but put in excessive effort. The two of us are truly... too ridiculous.

"You are blushing now, your heart is beating fast... but that’s only because this is your first time talking about love with someone; it’s unavoidable."

Yan Shang whispered: "Saying it like that makes me feel... I am a failure. Are you blaming me for not loving you enough while still pretending to be good to you? But what is the best kind of love? I already like you. Are you, are you..."

He was too sad to continue.

Because the remaining words were about him breaking up with her.

As Mu Yaoyao spoke, Yan Shang felt a sense of heat in his body, which he was trying hard to suppress. Hearing her words, his heart felt lost; he didn't know why things were like this. Could emotions be compared back and forth like this? Was she going to break his heart over and over again...

Mu Yaoyao smiled slightly and explained slowly: "I mean, I feel I haven't been very good to you. It was clearly I who started having feelings first, yet I forced you to take the initiative to manage this relationship. I truly have some issues in this regard because of some things...

"Yan Shang, please be more tolerant with me. Don't let go of my hand easily, okay? I might be quite terrible... but I will try my best."

Yan Shang was stunned. He stared at her, forgetting the heat in his body, letting the heat swallow him, causing his face to turn even redder and his mind to feel hazy.

He murmured: "You are not going to break up with me?"

Mu Yaoyao: "..."

She sat straight up, widened her eyes, and fire seemed to spray from them: "When did I say I wanted to break up with you? Is that how you interpret someone else's good intentions?"

Yan Shang: "..."

Watching her eyes spraying fire, he knew she didn't want to break up with him. Once he set his mind at ease, he had time to think about other things. For example, looking at her eyes, he thought about how cute and charming her eyes were when she was angry, all round and wide... it made one want to kiss them.

Although he thought that, he dared not act on it. He felt it wasn't right to think about such things while she was seriously talking to him.

However, while Yan Shang was restraining himself, Mu Yaoyao was not. Seeing his slight smile, her heart fluttered. When she didn't suppress her own feelings, she could see just how much she liked Yan Shang.

She loved this gentle gentleman so much... and he was blushing like this right now, which was somewhat cute.

Mu Yaoyao leaned over and kissed his lips.

Yan Shang was being tormented by his own desire-filled thoughts, and he was repeatedly pondering Mu Yaoyao’s words, thinking about how to open his heart to her. Just as his mind was in chaos, she pressed her lips to his. He was startled and leaned back.

And in that leaning back, for some reason, Yan Shang couldn't control his balance and fell, ending up lying on the bed.

This turned into him being pressed down and kissed by Mu Yaoyao again.

Yan Shang’s face turned deep red instantly. As he tried to get up, a nimble tongue pressed against his lips, signaling him to open his mouth. He couldn't help but open his mouth, but she didn't come in. Yan Shang waited for a long time, never receiving the intoxicating touch he was accustomed to.

It left him feeling both uncomfortable and disappointed.

He opened his eyes and looked at Mu Yaoyao, who was lying in his arms, still wrapping her arms around his neck.

Mu Yaoyao pressed her hand against his neck, her lips touching his, and asked in surprise: "You’re sweating. Why are you getting nervous again?"

Yan Shang felt he was sweating, too. He didn't even dare to look her in the eyes. Lying in the warm bedding, he turned his face away in embarrassment: "I'm sorry..."

Mu Yaoyao was even more surprised: "You fool, why are you saying 'I'm sorry' for that? I’m not blaming you. You’re so easy to get nervous—how cute and fun that is."

Mu Yaoyao blushed, gazing at him with lingering affection again and again, then lowered her head to kiss his eyes and nose. She was incredibly passionate. Suddenly, Yan Shang reached out and covered her mouth. He hugged her back, holding her close, and turned on his side on the bed.

Holding Mu Yaoyao, they lay on their sides together, facing each other.

Mu Yaoyao was surprised that he had pulled her down, and her eyes curved.

Yan Shang whispered: "Your Highness, may I kiss you?"

Mu Yaoyao was dazed: "What does that mean? Am I not already kissing you?"

Yan Shang: "I want to kiss you, not you kiss me."

The bed curtains hadn't been drawn yet. Lying on the bed with her in the cramped space seemed to bring forth warmth and a lot of boldness.

Yan Shang was bold: "Can you let me take the initiative for once? Let me kiss you properly? Next time... next time I’ll let you do it again, okay?"

Mu Yaoyao hesitated.

She frowned, feeling conflicted. It wasn't that she disliked Yan Shang; she was afraid that she... would accidentally show an unpleasant expression and crush his confidence.

She was afraid his initiative would make her recall unpleasant things... She couldn't bear the thought of Yan Shang getting hurt for such a ridiculous reason.

Mu Yaoyao, feeling embarrassed, could only mumble vaguely: "Isn't it good when I take the initiative? Isn't it good that I prolong it this time to satisfy you?"

Yan Shang shook his head.

He said: "I want to take the initiative, too."

Mu Yaoyao: "It's not like you haven't done it before."

The first time they lay on the bed and were about to sleep, wasn't it he who kissed her? And that night on the city wall watching the snow, wasn't that also him taking the initiative?

Yan Shang’s face was incredibly red, but he said: "It's different... I didn't know back then."

He insisted stubbornly: "Let me do it once, okay?"

Sigh, he even had to negotiate such things with her in a soft, gentle voice... After a long while, Mu Yaoyao said, conflicted: "You aren't very good at kissing."

Yan Shang was actually a bit displeased.

He endured it and said: "That was before... I have already... done it so many times. I have learned. It won't be uncomfortable, Yaoyao. Let me do it once, just once."

He had even started blurting out calling her "Yaoyao" in his confusion.

Hearing his soft, low, mellow voice call her "Yaoyao," Mu Yaoyao’s heart softened, and she wanted to nod. She didn't know what was wrong with Yan Shang; he usually just called her "Your Highness," creating a vast distance between them in front of others.

Hearing him occasionally call her "Yaoyao" made Mu Yaoyao extremely happy.

Mu Yaoyao had actually decided to endure her own expressions, forcing herself to never think of the past and let Yan Shang enjoy it once. But she still couldn't resist teasing him: "If you call me 'Sister Yaoyao,' I'll let you do it."

Yan Shang’s voice was gentle and soft: "Sister Yaoyao."

Mu Yaoyao was stunned.

Her heart melted in an instant, and she couldn't believe it, not believing Yan Shang had succumbed so easily. He usually wouldn't do something like that...

However, this time it was not her turn to let her mind wander.

He braced his body, leaned over slightly, and bowed his head to kiss her. With him taking the lead, with him guiding—

Mu Yaoyao was very nervous.

Her hands gripped the bedding beneath her, fearing she would push him away against her will. Fearing she wouldn't feel the same passion as the previous two times and would hurt Yan Shang...

However, when his lips touched hers, it felt as if snow were gently falling upon her heart.

Mu Yaoyao froze.

The hand gripping the bedding beneath her slowly relaxed, bit by bit.

She closed her eyes, letting his kiss descend like spring water and dew.

She felt as though she were being embraced by the spring breeze and hugged by the clear snow. Her lips went numb, and her heart softened. The haze deep in her heart was dissipating; the iceberg was collapsing and sinking. The iceberg was melting bit by bit, and spring was getting closer and closer... she could feel it exceptionally clearly—

The hairpins and ornaments fell from Mu Yaoyao's hair, her long tresses spreading out and falling onto Yan Shang’s hands. In the young gentleman’s long, slender hands, a handful of her hair became a beautiful, thick, black waterfall.

Yan Shang whispered: "Is Your Highness crying? Am I no good?"

Mu Yaoyao shook her head. She kept her eyes closed, not knowing if her eyelashes were wet. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him hold her.

Yan Shang held her gently, seeing her eyes flushed red, her eyelashes tangled and wet with tears. This beauty, lying in his arms, was too seductive. A pink glow radiated from her snow-white skin; her lips were lightly bitten, the corners of her eyes hooked, revealing a hint of light. Her feathery eyelashes trembled, radiating a brilliant, stunning light.

With desire, she was like a poppy. Without desire, she was a pure, beautiful peony.

Like a peony, she had actually withered a bit, but he felt that if he kissed her, she would bloom again... could he truly make her bloom?

Just as Yan Shang was lost in thought while looking at her, Mu Yaoyao quietly opened one eye and looked at him. A playful expression appeared in her eyes, and without looking, she reached out her arm. Her clothes were a bit messy from their fooling around, and as she reached out, her sleeve slid down lightly, revealing a snow-white arm shining with soft light like jade.

Yan Shang thought she was reaching out to be held, so he leaned over to hug her. Who knew her hand would wrap behind his neck and give a light tug, pulling his hair ribbon off? His long hair slid down his shoulders, a few strands falling onto her face.

Mu Yaoyao buried her face in his arm and started laughing, playful as a little fox.

Yan Shang said hoarsely: "Naughty."

He paused, endured the discomfort, and said: "I have finished kissing; I can compensate you. What do you want?"

Mu Yaoyao looked at him strangely. Was he truly that much of a fool?

She said: "I just want to have you."

Yan Shang was stunned for a moment, then said sincerely: "Then I wish for you to be able to have me."

Mu Yaoyao: "..."

Yan Shang braced his body for a long time, his body swaying; he lay down and looked at her. He was a bit dazed, the corners of his eyes still holding a trace of desire, yet he whispered: "I... can I spend the night here?"

Mu Yaoyao remained silent.

She thought to herself, didn't I already tacitly agree, what is he asking for?

Mu Yaoyao did not answer, but Yan Shang clearly could not hold on anymore. He closed his eyes and mumbled vaguely: "I... I am feeling a bit uncomfortable."

Mu Yaoyao: "...Isn't it normal for you to be uncomfortable? You should... no, that's not right."

Seeing him with his eyes closed, his face so red, while he lay there unable to even brace himself like he did a moment ago... Mu Yaoyao scrambled up, knelt beside him, and patted his face: "Yan Shang, Yan Shang? What is wrong with you?"

She touched his face, and the temperature of his face shocked her.

Mu Yaoyao pushed him, but he couldn't even open his eyes, as if he had passed out.

Mu Yaoyao was stunned with fright. Now she was truly so panicked she wanted to cry: "Yan Shang, Yan Shang... what is going on? Why did you suddenly become like this? Is there some terminal illness you didn't tell me about?"—

In the middle of the night, the Princess Danyang's residence stealthily summoned an imperial physician.

The physician saw Princess Danyang looking listless, her face pale, as if she had even been crying.

Not daring to look too closely, the physician hurriedly went to diagnose the patient.

Mu Yaoyao stood anxiously behind the physician, feeling panicked and miserable. The physician turned back and gave Mu Yaoyao a strange look.

Mu Yaoyao felt a chill.

She held her hands tightly in anxiety, her face rigid and cold: "What is wrong with him? Tell me the truth. I can handle it."

She thought to herself, if Yan Shang really had some terminal illness... as a princess, couldn't she save him?

Even if she had to summon all the famous doctors in the world, she would cure him.

The physician said slowly, his tone somewhat strange: "The young master is... if I have not misdiagnosed, he is likely just drunk."

Mu Yaoyao: "...?"

She opened her mouth to deny it: "Nonsense, he didn't... ah."

She suddenly shut her mouth.

She remembered.

Yan Shang hadn't drunk any wine.

But Mu Yaoyao had drunk quite a bit. Throughout the night while Yan Shang was having dinner, Mu Yaoyao had been bored and kept drinking wine.

She had hugged him for a long time, and most importantly... she had kissed him at the end.

They had kissed for a long time.

Perhaps, the wine in her mouth had been transferred to his...

And he had just... collapsed.

Just that little bit of wine... really, it was only that little bit from her mouth—

Mu Yaoyao looked at the useless young man on the bed with disdain.

Having caused such a misunderstanding, Mu Yaoyao felt the maids standing in the room were all bowing their heads, but they were all suppressing their laughter.

With a cold face, she said angrily: "See the guest out!"

The maid Xia Rong whispered: "Should I boil some hangover soup?"

Mu Yaoyao was even more furious: "No need!"

Xia Rong said: "But since Young Master Er has to go to the government office tomorrow, if he doesn't wake up... what if the office sends someone to ask?"

Mu Yaoyao: ...Then it would be a shame for the whole world to know.

A trace of a wicked smile played on her lips, and she hummed: "Then let everyone witness the joke of our little Yan Er. I hear our little Yan Er has a lot of friends, is that so?”