After Accidentally Marking the Cold and Elegant Eldest Princess - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Massaging the Gland

Jinsi had never seen the Eldest Princess in such a state. Not daring to look further, she handed all five hot water bottles to Yan Yunti. “Does Lady He have any other instructions?”

Yan Yunti struggled to free one hand, stuffed all five bottles into the quilt, and shook her head. “None for now. You may step out.”

She suspected Yuan Jingxue wouldn’t want anyone else to see her like this.

Jinsi complied and hurried away.

Yan Yunti placed two water bottles at Yuan Jingxue’s feet and one at the small of her back, while holding the remaining two against the woman’s back to warm her up.

She warmed her for a long while, yet it had little effect. The cold seemed to radiate from Yuan Jingxue’s very bones; external objects couldn’t alleviate it. The headache likely persisted, as suppressed moans occasionally escaped from the hollow of Yan Yunti’s neck.

Yan Yunti grew worried. She hadn’t studied medicine and had no idea how to handle this. If the cold came from within, she needed the woman’s own body to generate heat.

As she brainstormed, a thought flashed through her mind.

“No, no…” she muttered, yet her gaze drifted toward the back of Yuan Jingxue’s neck. The book she had read today taught how to soothe a Kunze’s gland; such massage could make the body heat up, especially during a Kunze’s “Rain and Dew” (heat) period—it was highly effective in relieving distress.

Yan Yunti had studied it so earnestly because she was mindful of what Xu Su had said: Yuan Jingxue’s heat would be harder to endure than most. She had planned to wait until then to try it, hoping to make things easier for her.

Who would have thought such a situation would arise today?

Yan Yunti hesitated, then asked softly, “Your Highness, how about I try massaging your gland? I don’t know if it will work, but would you like to try?”

If Yuan Jingxue were conscious, she would likely have refused. But currently, the woman was blurred by pain, simply clinging to her for warmth. It was unclear if she even heard the words, but a muffled “Mm” vibrated from her throat.

Yan Yunti took a deep breath, set down the two water bottles, and focused on the Kunze’s gland. With Yuan Jingxue leaning into her neck, the angle was perfect for a clear view.

Yan Yunti tentatively extended a finger, touching the center of the gland. Its temperature was lower than usual. As if sensing the warmth of her fingertip, the back of Yuan Jingxue’s neck leaned back slightly—a silent compliance.

Yan Yunti’s breathing deepened. Forcing herself to stay rational, she used two fingers to apply rhythmic pressure—two light, one heavy—to the center of the gland. She didn’t forget to say, “If Your Highness feels uncomfortable, tell me immediately, and I will stop.”

Another soft “Mm” followed, though it was hard to tell if she truly understood.

With her left hand holding a water bottle against the woman’s back and her right following the book’s instructions step-by-step, Yan Yunti began to meticulously massage the gland. Lacking experience, her pressure was initially inconsistent; once, she pressed a bit too hard, causing the woman to shrink her neck forward in discomfort.

Yan Yunti’s fingers followed, pressing against the edge this time. “Was that too heavy? I’ll be gentler. Is this better, Your Highness?”

Gland massage followed a specific pattern: from the inside out, then back in. The sensations at the center and the edges were quite different—the center was more sensitive, while the outer rim was slightly less so.

Sure enough, Yuan Jingxue didn’t hide this time. It didn’t matter that she didn’t speak; her body reacted for her.

“The gland is heating up.” Yan Yunti felt more confident; as long as it worked, it was good. Her fingers circled back to the center with lighter pressure. She set down the water bottle and pressed her palm against Yuan Jingxue’s back. “The body seems warmer too. Does your head still hurt?”

There was no sound from the hollow of her neck, only hot breaths fanning across her skin. It was incredibly itchy, yet she couldn’t scratch it. Yan Yunti dutifully continued the massage, enduring the physical stirrings of her own body. To have “indecent” thoughts now would make her a total scoundrel.

The Qianyuan tried her best not to overthink, but she couldn’t see the Kunze’s face. The woman’s pale complexion had unknowingly turned a shallow red, which was now deepening. Her teeth bit her lower lip, her breath grew scorching, and her eyes were a misty blur. Tears soon dampened Yan Yunti’s inner robes.

A Kunze’s gland is a vital, sensitive spot; how could she tolerate such a massage? Yet, it was undeniably working.

Yuan Jingxue had slowly regained clarity during the second round of massage. She felt a surge of heat from within, pushing out the bone-deep chill bit by bit. Even her headache was fading as the gland’s temperature rose.

Waking up now presented a dilemma: to stop or not? If she stopped, she might sink back into that freezing void. If she didn’t, how could she face the Qianyuan?

Better to just keep going. As long as the Qianyuan couldn’t see her face, she could pretend she knew nothing.

The moans of pain ceased. There was only the sound of rapid, hot breathing against Yan Yunti’s neck. Yan Yunti had lost track of how many rounds she had performed. She tried to focus on the woman’s body temperature, but as the heat rose, her focus began to drift dangerously.

Her gaze remained fixed on the gland, while her palm on the woman’s back shifted slightly. Even through the inner robes, she could feel the delicate, smooth skin, and she couldn’t help but start to stroke it gently.

Her tongue pressed against her canines. Reason warned her not to bite, yet her head lowered inch by inch until her lips were nearly touching the gland.

I won’t bite. I definitely won’t bite. Just looking closer is fine.

With that thought, her lips were almost brushed against the gland while her right fingers continued the massage. Her breath—hotter than her fingertips—fanned across the area, moving from the center to the edge as if considering where the best place to bite would be.

Yuan Jingxue did not trust the Qianyuan’s self-restraint. Her body had completely warmed up—in fact, the gland was becoming excessively hot. As Yan Yunti’s lips brushed her skin, a single word was squeezed from her throat: “Pain.”

Yan Yunti snapped back to her senses. Her canines had been a hair’s breadth away from the gland. Suppressing a surge of regret, she quickly looked up and continued the massage with renewed focus. “Is it the headache again? I’ll try releasing my scent again.”

Seeing that the scent had been useless earlier, she had retracted it. Now, hearing that the pain had returned, she released it slowly once more.

Yuan Jingxue squeezed her eyes shut, her lashes soaked with tears. How could she bear to smell the Qianyuan’s scent at a time like this?

I shouldn’t have pretended.

She was caught in a trap of her own making. She had just feigned pain and discomfort; she couldn’t suddenly “wake up” now.

But… the cedar-scented pheromones slowly enveloped her, seeping from the gland into her body, intensifying certain unspeakable cravings.

And yet, the other person had become entirely serious. Aside from the massage, all extra movements had ceased—even the stroking of her back had stopped.

Yuan Jingxue thought hazily: Wasn’t I supposed to be unconscious? Then anything I do is ‘accidental.’

The soft body in Yan Yunti’s arms suddenly pressed closer. Softness crushed against softness, a nose brushed against her neck, and lips occasionally grazed her skin, tending to drift toward her collarbone.

Yan Yunti’s heart hammered against her ribs. She suddenly remembered what was written in the book: This kind of massage not only makes the Kunze feel comfortable but also, to a certain extent… arouses their desire.