After Becoming a Succubus, I Was Offered to My Mortal Enemy - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

After accompanying Ayuan for dinner, Sikong Xue still had a smile in her eyes as she gazed at her long-lost beloved. Ning Yuan felt a bit unnerved by her stare; remembering how she had been held tightly in Sikong Xue’s arms that morning, her face flushed instantly.

Ning Yuan lowered her head and said, “We’ve already finished eating. Aren’t you going back to your own room?”

With Sikong Xue acting like this, did she intend to sleep with her again?

But with no formal status between them, how could they sleep together?

Sikong Xue snapped out of it and said, “I… would you like to go to the night market? There’s a lantern festival these few days; it’s incredibly lively.”

Ayuan must have felt bored staying in the manor all these days and would surely want to go out.

Ning Yuan looked at Sikong Xue suspiciously.

Two months ago, Sikong Xue had told Sikong Zhi to take her out for a stroll. Sikong Zhi bought her a lantern, but Sikong Xue had confiscated it. Sikong Xue only knew how to bully her; how could she be so kind now?

Ning Yuan suddenly realized that her waist was sore and her legs were weak; she simply lacked the strength to wander around a lantern festival. For some reason, her lips were also slightly swollen; it would be truly improper if outsiders saw her. Being teased by Chunhe and Xiaqun was embarrassing enough—did Sikong Xue want her to parade through the city?

This Sikong Xue was truly provoking her on purpose. Knowing she couldn’t go out to see people right now, she still talked about taking her out.

Ning Yuan remained silent, merely glaring at Sikong Xue with a face full of resentment.

By the time Sikong Xue realized why Ayuan was unhappy, she had already been driven out.

“Liar.” Dropping those two words, Ning Yuan slammed the door shut, refusing to let Sikong Xue enter again.

Chunhe and Xiaqun had never seen their Master be so indulgent. They glanced at each other and couldn’t help but laugh again.

Sikong Xue wanted to knock on the door to explain, but feared the gesture would only make Ayuan angrier. Remembering the items Azhi had bought for Ayuan that she had confiscated earlier, Sikong Xue hurriedly sent someone to find them.

The items weren’t lost, but because Sikong Xue’s tone had been too cold back then, the subordinates thought the Master disliked these things and had tossed them aside carelessly. The plain silver hairpin was fine, but the sugar man had long since melted. As for the little rabbit lantern, it had been crushed out of shape by other junk.

Sikong Xue quickly said to Songyan, “Go at once and order people to buy more sugar men and sugar paintings. The lanterns must be the most beautiful ones.”

She had already sent plenty of rouge, powder, gold, and jade to the Yilan Pavilion, so she assumed Ning Yuan wasn’t lacking those.

“Oh, and white sugar cakes.”

Ayuan liked sweets; Sikong Xue always kept that in mind. Thinking back to when Ayuan was making white sugar cakes in the small kitchen and burned her arm, Sikong Xue felt a pang of heartache. If she had known sooner that Ayuan was making them for her, she would have eaten every single one how could she have said those things to her?

Sikong Xue also thought about how Ayuan had been playing the qin in the West Courtyard and she hadn’t recognized her, even snatching the instrument away. For a moment, she didn’t know whether to feel self-reproach or something else. Ayuan playing the qin in the courtyard was likely because she was too bored. It seemed she had to find a way to finish her court duties as soon as possible to accompany Ayuan on a stroll.

Sikong Xue wished she could take up a brush and list every single thing Ayuan usually liked to have the servants prepare them. But if she presented all of these to Ayuan at once, she feared Ayuan would realize she had already seen through her identity.

Sikong Xue instructed again: “If she wants to ask about anything, tell her the truth. There is no need to hide it.”

Ayuan must be worried about her family now. Previously, Sikong Xue feared Ayuan was a spy sent by the foreign tribes, so she had ordered the household not to tell her too much. Now that she knew it was Ayuan, there were many things Sikong Xue couldn’t find the right moment to say, so she had to speak through the mouths of the servants.

Songyan was puzzled: “This lady hasn’t asked about anything, though.”

Sikong Xue said, “Don’t ask questions. Just do as I’ve ordered.”

After Songyan left, Sikong Xue thought about how Ayuan, in her state of passion last night, had called only her name, and she couldn’t help but grin foolishly again. But then, thinking about how Ayuan had glared at her angrily for it, she couldn’t help but sigh.

How on earth was she going to coax Ayuan into staying by her side willingly?

In the Yilan Pavilion, Ning Yuan looked at the large pile of things Songyan had delivered. First her eyes lit up, then she pretended to be unhappy and said, “Sending so many sugar men and sugar paintings at this hour is she sincerely trying to give me a toothache?”

Sikong Xue must be intentionally trying to give her a toothache so she couldn’t bite her in the future.

Songyan said, “How could that be? The Master was worried the lady would be bored in the manor, so she specifically ordered me to buy these things to make the lady happy.”

Ning Yuan let out a light snort, yet in her heart, she felt as if honey were melting. These sugar men and paintings were truly beautiful; after Songyan left, Ning Yuan happily played with them alongside Chunhe and Xiaqun.

And the phoenix lantern that was sent over was crafted exquisitely.

Xiaqun said, “I’ve never seen such a beautiful lantern. I heard it takes a skilled hand several days to make one like this!”

Ning Yuan claimed, “It’s not even that beautiful,” yet she couldn’t bear to put the lantern down.

Xiaqun asked, “Lady, you clearly like these things, so why did you say that just now?”

Xiaqun was truly worried that if Sikong Xue’s “warm face kept hitting a cold bottom” (unrequited affection), she might go back to neglecting Ning Yuan like before.

Ning Yuan hadn’t realized that whenever she faced Sikong Xue, she habitually acted out with her petty temper. It seemed that from childhood to adulthood, no matter how she threw tantrums, Sikong Xue never truly got angry with her. It was likely because her grandmother had once saved Sikong Xue’s mother, so the two families were close; if Sikong Xue bullied her, the Grand Commandant would not let Sikong Xue off the hook.

But now she had nothing how could she still treat Sikong Xue as she did before?

Ning Yuan said gloomily, “Perhaps it’s the summer heat; my mood isn’t very good, so I spoke a bit sharply.”

Chunhe smiled, “Then why doesn’t the lady drink some iced plum soup to dispel the heat, and then go thank the Master.”

Ning Yuan blinked blankly. Why do I have to go say thank you?

Thinking about it later, it did make sense. Currently, she was living under another’s roof; since the “Master” had bestowed gifts, shouldn’t she go express her gratitude? To avoid being kicked out, Ning Yuan pondered for a while and said, “Then… I shall go express my gratitude.”

Though unwilling, she went to Sikong Xue’s study.

Sikong Xue was currently pondering what to buy tomorrow to make Ayuan happy. Seeing Ayuan arrive, she hurried to stand up and said, “If there’s anything you need, just have the subordinates send word. Why trouble yourself to come in person?”

As she spoke, Sikong Xue moved a soft chair over and took a cushion for Ayuan to lean on.

Ayuan stared blankly at Sikong Xue’s actions, feeling that something was not quite right.

Sikong Xue said, “Sit down first. What tea would you like? No, wait, it’s not suitable to drink tea at this hour. I’ll have someone brew some red bean sweet soup and send it over.”

Ning Yuan realized she had come to “thank her for the favor”—how could she let the “Master” look after her like this? Rarely seeing Sikong Xue so considerate, Ning Yuan’s tongue felt a bit tied; for a moment, she didn’t know what to say.

After hesitating for a long time, she said, “I like the gifts the Master gave me very much. I came to thank you for the favor.”

Sikong Xue, who was just about to bring some cakes to Ning Yuan, froze with her hand in mid-air. Although Ayuan was being obedient right now, she didn’t want to see her in such a submissive state. Even if Ayuan bossed her around, she couldn’t possibly ignore her. But Ayuan acting like this made Sikong Xue sad. She must be acting so cautiously for fear that she might be kicked out one day.

Sikong Xue sighed and said, “You don’t need to treat me as your Master, nor do you need to be like this… Don’t worry, I will treat you well. You don’t need to do anything.”

As long as Ayuan was safe before her eyes, she was willing to be good to her. If Ayuan could smile at her from the bottom of her heart, Sikong Xue would be even happier.

Ning Yuan looked at Sikong Xue with some confusion. She never knew Sikong Xue had such a good temper before. The old Sikong Xue would go against her at the slightest disagreement and would never speak so gently. Could it be because of what happened last night—did Sikong Xue have a guilty conscience?

No, how could Sikong Xue be like that. It was likely that after their intimate encounter last night, Sikong Xue had gained some benefit, so she was willing to treat her this way.

Ning Yuan suddenly felt a bit sad. They were childhood friends, yet in Sikong Xue’s eyes, she couldn’t even compare to a night of passion with a foreign woman.

Ning Yuan said gloomily, “Then what should I call you?”

Although Sikong Xue had officially taken her as a sworn sister, they hadn’t actually performed the ceremony. Furthermore, how could sworn sisters do that kind of thing? Having done such a thing, how could they still be considered sworn sisters…

Sikong Xue said, “My courtesy name is Linfeng. You can just call me A-Lin.”

Ning Yuan looked at Sikong Xue in surprise. Hadn’t Sikong Xue said she didn’t have a courtesy name? Could it be that now that she was in the imperial court, she used this name to get closer to her colleagues? Or was she just trying to be refined?

Ning Yuan tried tentatively: “A-Lin?”

She had called Sikong Xue that for many years; calling it again now, for some reason, Ning Yuan felt it was a bit strange.

“Mhm,” Sikong Xue answered softly.

She pretended to turn around to fetch something, but the corners of her mouth were already curling up uncontrollably. Her Ayuan had called her A-Lin again.

Sikong Xue casually tidied some ancient books on the shelf, then turned back and said, “Living in the manor these days, do you feel bored?”

Ning Yuan pouted; of course she was bored to death. But she could only say, “The Prime Minister’s manor is so large, and I have Chunhe and Xiaqun to accompany me. How could I feel bored?”

Sikong Xue saw through her insincerity and said, “In a couple of days, I’ll take you out for a stroll. If you find the capital city uninteresting, I’ll take you somewhere else. Is there anywhere you want to go?”

Sikong Xue remembered that in the past, Ayuan always wanted to go horse-riding outside the city. However, Lord Ning feared she would get hurt, and since Ayuan didn’t know how to ride, he didn’t allow her to go out. Ning Yuan had always been confined within the capital and surely wanted to see the outside world. If she took Ayuan to the outskirts and taught her to ride, wouldn’t that bring them closer?

“Can we go somewhere else?” Ning Yuan suddenly thought of her family far away in Lingnan. Suppressing the bitterness in her eyes, she said, “Sister A-Lin, I’ve heard the scenery in Lingnan is quite good and there’s lots of delicious food. Can the Master accompany me to Lingnan?”

Sikong Xue: “…”

Sikong Xue looked at Ayuan’s face and saw her eyes were full of expectation, biting her lower lip incessantly due to nervousness. Acting like this, Ayuan must have learned that the Ning family was currently in Lingnan and was desperate to go. Sikong Xue also wanted Ning Yuan to reunite with her family soon, but the Eldest Princess was watching closely. Being able to clear the Ning family’s criminal record was already difficult enough; if she took Ayuan to Lingnan now, trouble would surely arise.

Sikong Xue didn’t dare look into Ayuan’s bright eyes and only said, “Lingnan is a long journey. Right now, I can’t spare that much time…” Additionally, the climate in Lingnan was hot, and Ayuan’s constitution was weak; how could she endure the fatigue of travel to such a place? However, she didn’t dare say these words to Ayuan, fearing she would be sad.

Hearing this, Ning Yuan was instantly dejected. Still unwilling to give up, she said, “I just heard the lychees in Lingnan are delicious. If you can’t spare the time, could you have someone else send me there?”

Sikong Xue sighed. She stepped forward, rubbed Ayuan’s head, and said, “Wait a while longer, all right?”

She didn’t know how long she would have to wait, but she truly couldn’t bear to see Ayuan sad.

Ning Yuan knew what kind of place Lingnan was. It had been five years since the Ning family was convicted, and she was truly worried about her grandmother’s health. Lingnan was so hot; she didn’t know if her grandmother and mother could endure it.

The kitchen had already brewed the sweet soup. Just as Ning Yuan was about to leave in disappointment, Sikong Xue said, “Finish the sweet soup before you go back.”

Ning Yuan watched as Sikong Xue blew on the soup for her, giving it to her only when it wasn’t scalding.

“I heard you like iced plum soup, but it’s almost time to rest. Don’t eat things that are too cold.”

Ning Yuan took the porcelain bowl, swallowing without tasting. She had no appetite at all, but since the “Master” wanted her to drink it, she could only do so.

Thinking of how considerate Sikong Xue was today, she lifted her head and asked, “Sister A-Lin, do you like me?”

Ning Yuan didn’t dare hope that Sikong Xue would like her as much as she liked that “beloved whom she couldn’t have,” but after what they did last night, Sikong Xue was likely willing to like her body. Before Sikong Xue grew tired of her, she wondered if it was too late to start pleasing her now.

Sikong Xue was stunned and said, “Of course… of course I like you.” Her feelings for Ayuan were far more than what the word “like” could encompass.

Hearing Sikong Xue’s answer, Ning Yuan set down the porcelain bowl, approached Sikong Xue, and proactively unfastened her gauze garment. She said, “As long as the Master is willing to promise me, I will serve the Master with all my heart and soul.”

Her thin shoulders were exposed, the marks from last night still very clear. Ning Yuan’s eyes were moist; she didn’t want to be like this, but right now, Sikong Xue was the only thing she could grasp.

Sikong Xue looked at her in disbelief. She caught Ning Yuan’s hand as she tried to continue undressing, stopping her movement and frowning: “What did you say?”

“I…” Ning Yuan truly didn’t want to say those words again. But thinking of her family in Lingnan, she could only say, “I am willing to serve the Master, seeking no status. As long as the Master finds me worthy, I…”

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