After Becoming a Succubus, I Was Offered to My Mortal Enemy - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

“Don’t be afraid. I will not let Yuchi Jin take you to Lanyue Pavilion.”

Though her tone was still bossy and fierce, Ning Yuan inexplicably felt at ease. It seemed that within the Prime Minister’s manor, no one except Sikong Xue would be allowed to bully her.

Her feet were still treading on the loose gravel of the rockery. She hadn’t noticed it earlier due to extreme tension, but now that she relaxed, her foot slipped. Losing her balance, she lunged straight into Sikong Xue’s embrace.

Terrified, she squeezed her eyes shut as she fell against Sikong Xue.

For some reason, Ning Yuan felt that Sikong Xue’s heartbeat was even faster than her own. The kite in her hand fell to the ground, and her hands somehow ended up circling Sikong Xue’s waist.

Perhaps due to years of martial arts practice, she could feel through the fabric that there wasn’t a trace of extra fat on that waist.

“Let go.” As soon as Sikong Xue spoke, she sounded even fiercer than before.

Unable to bring herself to push away this woman who looked exactly like Ning Yuan, she could only use verbal intimidation.

Aggrieved, Ning Yuan released her grip and complained in a small voice, “In a grand Prime Minister’s manor, outsiders can just barge in so easily. You don’t blame the guards, but instead, you’re mean to me.”

It was strange. Sikong Xue used to cross her at every turn, and Yuchi Jin had led the raid on the Ning family; since both of them disliked her, they should have been on good terms.

What did Yuchi Jin mean by “substitute”?

Could it be that Sikong Xue actually hated her to the bone, refusing to let even someone with a similar face go, insisting on torturing her personally?!

Before she could guess Sikong Xue’s intent, she saw Sikong Xue turn and leave. Her silk shoes stepped over the kite, leaving a footprint behind.

Ning Yuan felt a pang of regret. Such a beautiful kite, ruined just like that.

Chun He and Xia Xun supported the frightened Ning Yuan back to her room. Chun He comforted her, “Miss, please don’t be sad. The Master was angry at the County Princess today; she definitely wasn’t targeting you.”

Xia Xun added, “That’s right, Miss. The Master was even worried that you wouldn’t be used to the local food, so she specifically invited a chef from the Western Regions. The chef is already in the manor. From now on, whatever you want to eat, just instruct her to make it.”

A chef from the Western Regions?

Ning Yuan had heard that Western Region cuisine wasn’t very tasty. However, since her current identity was a tribute sent by the foreign tribes, saying she wasn’t used to the food there would arouse suspicion. She could only say against her heart, “The Master is truly good to me.”

The invited chef was settled in the West Court. The small kitchen, which had been empty, was now piled high with various ingredients. Judging by the scale, it seemed they really intended to produce some rare delicacies.

After the fright she had during the day, now that she was back in her room, she truly felt a bit hungry. Ning Yuan propped up her head, waiting expectantly.

When it was time for dinner, several plates of things that looked like slop were brought up. Ning Yuan’s eyes widened as she stared at the items on the table.

She had to eat this tonight?

The colors were strange, and the smell was very odd. Was this a chef Sikong Xue specifically invited, or an assassin she specially recruited?

Seeing Ning Yuan’s expression, Xia Xun thought she was overcome with homesickness upon seeing the food of her homeland and was thus incredibly moved. Xia Xun smiled and said, “Miss, try it quickly to see if it suits your taste.”

Ning Yuan: …

There was no need to taste it; one look was enough to know it didn’t suit her!

Did Sikong Xue suspect her identity and deliberately find such a person to make these things to test her? Or were these “foods” merely ugly to look at but perhaps decent in taste?

Ning Yuan picked up her jade chopsticks, took a small piece of something that looked like a carrot, brought it to her nose, and sniffed it warily. What a strange smell. Or maybe it just smelled bad but would be delicious in the mouth?

Ning Yuan closed her eyes and put the small piece of “food” into her mouth. Before she even chewed, she spat it out. The pungent, spicy taste choked her until tears came to her eyes.

Chun He hurriedly used a handkerchief to wipe away Ning Yuan’s tears, comforting her, “The Miss must be homesick to cry so sadly. Don’t be sad; this chef will serve in the West Court from now on, specifically cooking for you. Although you are here, you can eat the delicacies of your home every day.”

Ning Yuan: ???

Ning Yuan looked at Chun He and Xia Xun with teary eyes. These two little maids spoke very sincerely; they didn’t seem like they were helping Sikong Xue torture her. But being forced to eat this every day—she’d rather be beaten.

Fortunately, aside from these strange-smelling soups and liquids, there was a small bowl of rice. To avoid starving to death, Ning Yuan managed a couple of bites of rice.

Xia Xun asked, “Miss, won’t you eat some of the dishes?”

Although Chun He and Xia Xun also thought the dishes looked extremely strange, they understood that foreign tastes differed from those of the Central Plains.

Ning Yuan took a large gulp of tea, forced herself to swallow the tasteless rice, and then said, “My appetite isn’t great today. Please take these dishes away.”

Ning Yuan was afraid that if she looked at the food any longer, she would throw up the rice she had finally managed to swallow. Was she really stuck eating this from now on?

By nighttime, Ning Yuan lay in bed, tossing and turning from hunger, unable to sleep. She finally threw on a robe and, while Chun He and Xia Xun were asleep, sneaked into the courtyard’s small kitchen.

Looking at the strange ingredients in the kitchen, Ning Yuan sighed helplessly. Why wasn’t there even a single pastry?

Lightly patting her growling little stomach, Ning Yuan slipped out of the West Court, intending to find the main kitchen of the manor for something to eat. However, she wasn’t familiar with the manor and didn’t know where the kitchen was. She had to dodge the guards and search slowly.

Her small body hid in the shadows; if one didn’t look closely, she truly couldn’t be detected.

Unknowingly, she reached the back garden. Ning Yuan sniffed; she seemed to smell the scent of food. Seeing a building behind the garden, she assumed it was the kitchen.

Just as she was about to slip into the building along the garden path, she suddenly saw a figure in the garden, seemingly practicing swordplay. Hiding in the shadow of a tree, Ning Yuan poked her head out. Under the moonlight, Sikong Xue was dressed in sleek, silver-white martial attire, wielding her sword with even more majesty than in their childhood.

Sikong Xue wore no jade or flowers, nor was she hampered by fine silks; every move and stance radiated murderous intent.

Ning Yuan watched in a daze for a while. Sikong Xue’s sword was the work of a famous master, but the tassel on the sword was somewhat shabby. Because it was dark, Ning Yuan couldn’t see clearly. She only vaguely remembered that this tassel seemed to be one she had braided for Sikong Xue. However, back then they were young, and Sikong Xue wasn’t using this particular sword.

Ning Yuan sighed and thought: I must have seen wrongly. Why would Sikong Xue keep that tassel? It’s not like it’s anything valuable.

“Who is there?” Sikong Xue’s sword suddenly pointed toward the tree where Ning Yuan was hiding.

Seeing she had been discovered, Ning Yuan had to step out and say, “Don’t kill me, I didn’t mean to intrude.”

After clearly seeing the person hiding behind the tree, Sikong Xue retracted her long sword, frowned, and said, “It’s so late. What are you doing here?”

Was she truly a spy sent by the foreign tribes, trying to scout for information under the cover of night?

“I… I’m a bit hungry.” Stating her reason, Ning Yuan felt rather embarrassed.

Hungry?

Sikong Xue obviously didn’t believe this reason. Worried that the foreign woman wouldn’t be used to Central Plains cuisine, she had specifically invited a chef from her homeland to cook for her. Sikong Xue had already instructed Song Yan to purchase whatever ingredients the chef needed. With such generous treatment, how could this woman not be full?

Just as she was about to expose her, Sikong Xue suddenly thought of something. She had just read in the ancient texts that Succubi “fed” on that kind of act…

This foreign woman said she was hungry—could it be that her “heat of passion” had risen again? No wonder her tone just now held a trace of bashfulness…

Sikong Xue cleared her throat and asked, “Why didn’t you take the medicine?”

Hadn’t she already given her the medicine to suppress the heat? Why did she still feel “hungry”?

Ning Yuan blinked, feeling very dissatisfied, yet she didn’t dare argue with Sikong Xue as she had in childhood. She could only say piteously, “How can medicine help with this kind of thing?”

She was just hungry, not sick. Why should she take medicine?

Sikong Xue: …

Sikong Xue’s heart immediately sank. She had thought those pills could last a while longer; how could the medication fail to suppress it after only a few days? Could it be that this foreign woman was deliberately trying to entice her?

Seeing Ning Yuan wearing only a thin nightgown with a robe casually thrown over it, her face looking soft and beautiful in the moonlight, Sikong Xue’s ears began to burn. She involuntarily turned her head away, not daring to look at Ning Yuan, and simply said, “Are you truly ‘hungry’? Do you know the consequences of lying?”

Ning Yuan said angrily, “Why would I lie about something like this? I’m so hungry I can’t sleep, that’s why I came out… how was I supposed to know I’d run into you?”

She just wanted to go to the kitchen to find something to eat. Did Sikong Xue have to interrogate her like a criminal?

Hearing Ning Yuan’s words, a spark of nameless anger rose in Sikong Xue’s heart. What do you mean “how was I supposed to know I’d run into you”? If she hadn’t run into her, was she going to ask someone else to help her?

Thinking of the situation when this foreign woman first arrived and had her first heat of passion, Sikong Xue said, “Can’t you handle it yourself?” Back then, to relieve the heat, this woman had intended to…

Ning Yuan thought Sikong Xue wanted her to go to the small kitchen in her courtyard and make something herself. But she had never even touched “spring onion water” in the past; how could she cook for herself?

Ning Yuan said, “If I knew how to do it myself, I wouldn’t have come out in the middle of the night.” She just wanted to go to the kitchen for a couple of pastries, yet Sikong Xue acted as if she were about to drag her to the Ministry of Justice for trial. This Sikong Xue was just as wicked as ever!

“Can you really… not endure it?” Sikong Xue asked again. Did she really have to find a way to help this woman relieve the heat? If she didn’t help, would she just watch her be scorched to death by it? The girl was innocent, after all; how could she be so cruel?

Ning Yuan was so angry she was no longer hungry. She said, “Fine, fine! I’ll just endure it. Once I starve to death, you won’t have to be so guarded against me anymore.”

“Wait.” Seeing Ning Yuan about to leave, Sikong Xue called out to her and said somewhat awkwardly, “Follow me.”

Ning Yuan’s eyes lit up. It seemed Sikong Xue had found her conscience and intended to take her to the kitchen to find food.

Following Sikong Xue, they moved further and further away from the kitchen Ning Yuan had found earlier. Had she been looking in the wrong place? In that case, it was a good thing she ran into Sikong Xue, otherwise she would have stayed hungry for a while.

Sikong Xue pushed open a door and stepped aside to let Ning Yuan enter first. Ning Yuan thought pastries were waiting for her, but once she stepped inside, she was stunned.

“Why did you bring me to your bedroom?”

Support After Becoming a Succubus, I Was Offered to My Mortal Enemy