The Night Before the Divorce, She Was Reborn to Before Her Marriage - Chapter 74

Murong pressed down lightly against her, his demeanor calm and collected.

Ning Fu gazed at the patterns on his mask—a sharp, coiled python that seemed to wind its way down, merging seamlessly with the contours of his face. It lent him an air of lethal danger. When the distance between a man and a woman becomes too small, internal defenses naturally rise; Ning Fu placed her hands against his chest to hold him back.

“We are both men,” Murong said tonelessly. “What is there to fear?”

“I am simply not used to it,” Ning Fu replied, her brow furrowing. “Unless… do you not like men?”

Murong glanced at her lips—full and lustrous—before raising his eyes to meet hers. “I do not,” he said flatly.

So, she thought, he truly is as I suspected—selling himself and falling into decadence for the sake of money.

“Well, I do like men,” Ning Fu said, her hand reaching up to wind around his neck. “If you do not wish to be taken advantage of for nothing, do not provoke me. Though I find you somewhat captivating, I have no desire to force someone against their will.”

Murong did not move.

Ning Fu tightened her grip on his neck slightly, offering a smile that carried a veiled threat. “Does the patron backing you possess status comparable to the Sixth Prince?”

When a beauty smiles, even her malice fails to provoke anger; instead, it sparks an urge in the observer to seize control.

“He does.” Murong’s Adam’s apple rolled slightly. As it moved against her palm, it created a faint, lingering itch.

“If he finds out I’ve snuck out of the manor, I’ll have a difficult time explaining myself,” Ning Fu invented a plausible excuse. “As you know, when a man comes out to dally, he does so behind his wife’s back. My wife holds a high position; if she finds out, she will surely deal with me, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to spend any more silver on you.”

Beneath the mask, Murong arched an eyebrow, his voice meaningful. “I understand.”

“If the Sixth Prince pushes that door open…”

“I shall ‘inadvertently’ reveal my patron’s identity,” Murong said composedly. “He will naturally show some professional courtesy.”

Ning Fu knew he was clever. No one capable of enchanting high-ranking nobles could be simple. She calculated the time it would take for Zong Si to arrive; from the Xuan Prince’s Manor to this location, it would take at least half an hour. She wondered what he would think if he found her in bed with Murong—but then, she realized it didn’t matter. With interests at stake, who cared about such scandals?

As she mused, she felt Murong reach out to brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead. His fingers traced a path downward—past her eyes, her lips, and her chin. Though not lewd, there was an ill-timed tenderness in the gesture.

Ning Fu tightened her grip on his throat once more.

Perhaps feeling the pain, Murong let out a muffled groan.

“Stop using the tricks you use on women on me,” Ning Fu hissed.

After a moment of recovery, Murong asked, “Then how should I act?”

Ning Fu considered this for a moment. She looped her arms around his neck and flipped their positions, pinning him beneath her. “It is I who should treat you thus.”

Murong was not one to be subservient, especially not to be treated like a common male courtesan. His eyes narrowed as he moved to rise, but Ning Fu pushed him back down.

She heard Murong let out a sigh, seemingly resigned to his fate.

Outside, the sound of footsteps grew louder. Just as Ning Fu was about to speak, he pulled her into his arms, pressing her body against his.

Zong Si had not expected that this simple contact would cause an uncontrollable surge of desire. As he held her tightly, he trembled with a sudden, sharp excitement. Particularly when Ning Fu tried to pull away, his competitive instinct and masculine urge for conquest were set ablaze. Who is she trying to stay away for? His hands clamped firmly onto her waist. Though he could not kiss her through the mask, he rubbed his face against the crook of her neck. The sensation was more taboo than a real kiss. Their bodies, one still and one moving, became entangled, creating the perfect illusion of a passionate tryst.

Ning Fu could feel his body was far from calm; he looked as though he wanted to devour her whole.

A moment later, the door was pushed open.

Watching the two figures on the bed, Meng Ze felt a heat stir in his own lower abdomen. His desire to find Ning Fu intensified. Just as he was about to order his men forward to see who was bold enough to act this way, he remembered something. A smile spread across his face.

“Is that Master Murong?” Meng Ze asked.

“It is,” the man on the bed replied. He released her, his breathing ragged, his voice tinged with the displeasure of being interrupted. He reached out to stroke Ning Fu’s lips with feigned affection.

Ning Fu, playing the part of a woman who had lost her strength, leaned against his chest and gasped for air with her eyes closed. She knew better than to move, though her hand was still forcefully pinching his arm. His chest bore several fresh scratch marks.

“I encountered a criminal at the Linglong Pavilion today. Might I search the room?” Meng Ze requested.

“Search then, Your Highness,” Murong said indifferently.

Meng Ze chuckled. Since when was Zong Si ever this polite? He wondered who was on that bed; it was his first time seeing the man so abandoned to his desires.

The guards searched every corner of the room. When one reached out to pull back the bed curtains, Meng Ze snapped, “Would a thief really hide in Master Murong’s bed?”

The guard withdrew his hand immediately.

“My thanks to Your Highness for the courtesy,” Murong said. He drew back the curtain and stepped out of bed. He was already dressed properly, though the scratches on his neck were clearly visible.

A little spitfire, then, Meng Ze thought, smiling knowingly. He tried to catch a glimpse of the bed from the corner of his eye, curious to see what kind of beauty could make the usually business-minded Zong Si lose his composure.

However, Zong Si blocked his line of sight, his expression darkening with displeasure.

He won’t even let me look. Truly a prized treasure.

The two men walked out of the room.

“I thought I saw the fourth daughter of the Ning household here in the pavilion today, dressed as a man,” Meng Ze said as they descended the stairs.

“Weren’t you here to catch a criminal?” Zong Si glanced at him.

“That criminal won’t be easy to catch; Meng Che will do everything to save him. I didn’t plan on capturing him today anyway. I’d rather find the fourth Miss Ning and have some fun. It’s a rare chance to catch her here; perhaps I can take her as a concubine.”

“A lady of the Duke of Ning’s manor would not visit such a place,” Zong Si replied.

“Perhaps, perhaps not. I am familiar with her face,” Meng Ze laughed. “As long as you aren’t hiding her, I will find her. Though, I suppose you wouldn’t have the patience for such things.”

Zong Si said, “If you don’t want the Fourth Prince to report you for this, don’t cause a scene.”

Meng Ze’s smile faded into a cold smirk. “He certainly wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.”

Zong Si said no more.

When he returned to the room, Ning Fu was still lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

“It seems Master Murong has quite an interest in men after all,” Ning Fu said, trying to break the awkward silence with a casual tone.

Murong remained silent for a long while. Just as she thought he wouldn’t respond, he spoke softly.

“I, too, am surprised I was so passionate today. On second thought… perhaps it is because I have missed you.”