“You were so focused, I thought I should surprise you,” Su Kang said in a low voice. He pressed a warm kiss to her cheek. She turned in his arms.

A soft sigh escaped her. She hugged him, settling against his chest while he held her close. Su Kang kissed the sensitive skin on the side of her neck, his hands tracing the elegant lines of her back before his lips trailed higher to brush against her cheek. He kissed her pale forehead. His breath was warm. “My wife has reached the eighth stage of Qi Refining,” he whispered, his tone filled with a pride he couldn't hide. “Soon you will reach the Foundation Building realm.”

“I think I can do it within two months.” She nodded. A big smile touched her lips. He cupped her face in his hands, admiring the twinkling, undeniable joy that lit her shining emerald eyes from within.

“Do you want your mother to witness it?” he asked softly. “Or do you want to surprise her?”

She wore a thoughtful expression for a moment. Her pink lips parted. “I want to surprise Mother. If we tell her beforehand, she might worry for no reason.” Her gaze grew distant, a flicker of longing in her eyes as she imagined it. “Let's visit her in the early spring, after my breakthrough.”

“As you wish.” Su Kang nodded. His expression softened. “Xi’er, with your breakthrough so close, it is time to think about introducing you to other family members. Are you ready for that? Or do you want more time?”

Her smile faltered. His words hit her. She was silent for a moment. A deep breath steadied her nerves. Her hands, which had been resting on his chest, moved up to his shoulders, her grip firming with a quiet, powerful resolve. “I’m prepared to meet them.”

He had shared many details of the family with her. While she hadn't met any of his cousins yet, she knew she couldn't avoid them forever if she wanted to truly belong here.

He looked at her, seeing the determination burning in her eyes. “Good. Everything will be fine.” He smiled. His gaze was tender. “Now then, how should we celebrate this breakthrough?” His voice dropped to a low, intimate whisper as his lips brushed her ear. “A week of punishment is over. You won’t chase me away now, will you?”

Her cheeks went red. A lovely crimson blush spread across her skin. But she didn’t push him away but waited for him. His lips descended, pressing soft, searching kisses along the delicate slope of her neck. His hands began to roam her back, igniting small fires wherever they touched.

He raised his face to look at her again. She met his gaze. She lifted her own mouth to meet his.

Their lips met calmly at first, a gentle press of soft reunion. But the kiss soon deepened. A quiet hunger began to build between them. Her lips were soft like rose petals, parting to allow him to gently suck her lower lip while her hands moved from his shoulders, wrapping tightly around his back and pulling him closer still.

His hands slowly moved upwards from her waist. His fingers traced the curve of her side before finally cupping her breast gently. He squeezed, his hands trying to move under her robes as his tongue entered her mouth. A soft moan echoed in the chamber as she drew him in.

His hands, moving with urgency, untied the sash of her outer robe. He removed it slowly from her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. Su Kang’s hands went to her back, cupping her buttocks and feeling her soft, pliant muscle before he slowly lifted her from the ground. He moved towards a different, empty table nearby and lowered her there. Breaking the kiss, he looked into her emerald eyes. They were dark with desire.

"Xi'er," he breathed, cupping her face. Her lips were wet, her cheeks holding a lovely shade of pinkish red. Her green eyes, shimmering with love and a mirrored need, reflected his own intense image back at him.

He kissed her pink cheeks, one after another, then moved to her ear. She felt his hot breath as he kissed her earlobe. A shiver ran down her spine. Each kiss on her neck, each gentle squeeze of her breast made her body ache with anticipation. Her fingers clenched his robe as her breathing grew faster with his touch.

“Wife, I missed you so much,” he whispered in her ear before his lips went back to kissing her cheeks. He looked at her again.

“Husband…” she whispered, looking at him.

They stared into each other's eyes. Their breathing mingled. Their mouths met and kissed again, this time more deeply. His tongue moved inside her mouth in a thorough exploration that mapped tastes and textures, while hers met his in a tentative dance, twining together in the shared heat.

His hands started to undress her remaining clothes. She mirrored his actions, her fingers fumbling slightly with the ties of his own robe. Soon, her inner robe was gone. His hands roamed her shoulders, feeling the smooth, warm skin of her bare back and the delicate curve of her spine before he untied the silk ribbon of her bellyband.

Later, they broke the kiss. They were both breathing heavily. He saw her milky-white breasts, crowned with cherry-pink nipples that were already beaded and tight from his attention. No matter how many times he saw her like this, the sight always made him excited, his member hardening with an immediate, undeniable need. His hands moved to touch them. They seemed drawn by a will of their own. He cupped their soft weight, his thumbs gently pinching the sensitive peaks.

“Dear, have they gotten bigger, or is that just my illusion?” he whispered, his voice a low rumble.

“What? No… they are the same as before…” Bai Yunxi’s voice trailed off. A deep crimson blush flooded her cheeks. This shameless guy! How can he ask this? Her mind went blank, unable to form a coherent response.

Her gaze darted around the room. She saw the scrolls on the desk, the quiet study chamber. “Husband, let's go back to our room. I don't want to do it here…” she whispered, her voice a fragile plea. For her, making love was a private matter, an act reserved for the sanctity of the bedroom. She was not comfortable outside.

Su Kang let out a soft sigh, which was accompanied by a warm, indulgent smile. He chuckled, the sound a low rumble of pure affection. “My wife is still so shy.” Looking at her face tenderly, he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Okay. We will go to the bedroom.”

He scooped her up into his arms. Her bare skin was warm against his own exposed chest.

“My robes…” Panic entered her voice. She tried to grab the clothes that had fallen to the floor. Her upper body was completely naked.

“Xi'er, don't worry.” His voice was a reassuring murmur against her hair. “There is no one here but us. I sent the maids away before I came in. No one will see us.”

She still covered her chest with her hands, burying her face against his as they moved down the quiet hallway, a single, intertwined figure in the soft lantern light.

“Wife,” he called out softly.

“Hmm?” she answered, shifting her face to gaze up at him.

“You have spent months in hiding here, but I think that should be over now,” he said, his gaze serious. “There is no need to lock yourself inside this courtyard anymore. You can do whatever you want, whether it is visiting me at the training ground or going to the city market for shopping.”

“But… that will raise questions about my identity,” she said, a frown creasing her brow.

“It's alright, dear. You can answer those questions however you feel is right,” he told her. “You can be the woman Su Kang is courting, or his lover, or even his wife. You can just pretend to be my friend and guest for now, if you want. See what you are comfortable with.”

Even if they did not act as lovers now, people in the manor would soon guess their relationship, so as long as she had a good relationship with others, no one would treat her differently if her real identity was one day known.

Listening to his words, a deep frown of thought appeared on her face.

“Wife, I promised you a happy life,” he said gently, pausing to kiss her forehead again. “I cannot allow you to live holed up as you were in the Li family manor for decades. This is your home now, not a cage. You should slowly start to interact with others.”

She looked into his eyes. She saw the tender look there. She raised her right hand, caressing his cheek. “Alright, Husband.” A soft but determined smile touched her lips. “From now on, I will do it.”

---

Author Note: Get full chapters from n0velfire.net

I’m a bit lazy with writing spicy scenes. If anyone wants to help edit those chapters, feel free to contact me on Discord.

As long as the edits don’t go out of character, you can make the spicy scenes however you like—even extending the chapters if you want. Anyone who helps will be credited for their work.

If someone’s interested, that’s great! If not, that’s fine too.

Discord: kkm14147