My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 68 - 53: The Hairpin is for You

After leaving the royal palace, Chen Yi made his way home with familiarity.

Yin Tingxue had mostly recovered, no longer looking frail and sickly. After dinner, Chen Yi called her over to prepare tea. Her technique was simple but practiced, and while her tea was not remarkable, it wasn’t bad either.

Watching Yin Tingxue obediently serve him tea, Chen Yi couldn’t help but feel a ripple in his heart.

"Come here."

Chen Yi said directly.

Yin Tingxue turned around upon hearing this, tiptoeing nervously to his side.

Chen Yi took the tea from her hands and sipped lightly.

Although the daughter of the Prince of Xiang wasn’t skilled in serving others, she knew how to brew tea. The tea’s flavor was average but not lacking.

"Is it good?"

"It’s okay."

Chen Yi said, putting down the teacup and kissing her forehead.

Over the past days, Yin Tingxue had become accustomed to his slightly forward actions. Initially reluctant, after being harshly treated a few times, she no longer resisted. It was just futile struggle, after all, and she had resigned herself to accepting these daily minor humiliations.

Chen Yi stared at her without speaking for a while.

Raising her head, Yin Tingxue asked:

"What’s wrong? Can I... go back now?"

Chen Yi remembered his intention to make amends to her. Perhaps buy her some favorite snacks or jewelry. Would she then think kindly of him?

"What do you want?"

Chen Yi asked gently.

Yin Tingxue hesitated, then hearing his gentle tone, realized it was an opportunity not to be missed. She lifted her face and said softly:

"I want to go back to Yintai Temple... during the winter, just for a visit."

Chen Yi glanced at her.

Misunderstanding, Yin Tingxue quickly said:

"I’m not thinking of escaping, I won’t anymore. I just want to go back and take a look, chant some scriptures, pray to the Bodhisattva, I can also pray for your blessings...right? And with you watching over me, I can’t escape."

I can’t escape...

Hearing these words, Chen Yi felt a complexity in his heart. He ruffled her hair and said:

"Alright."

Yin Tingxue felt some relief at his straightforward agreement. She was always tense when around him.

"Not only will I take you during the winter, but also on the Great Chill. We’ll make some dumplings, cook them at the temple, and after you’re done chanting, you can eat them. During the Lantern Festival, I’ll take you back again to watch fireworks from a high place. You can show me around the Prince Mansion." Chen Yi said softly.

After the property seizure, the Xiang Prince Mansion was temporarily abandoned. It would likely be rewarded to a meritorious minister by the Empress Dowager in the future. During this time, he could take this little fox back a few more times; she missed Yintai Temple dearly.

"Is it really that good..."

Yin Tingxue was surprised, not expecting Chen Yi to be so kind to her. She couldn’t help but smile, feeling particularly content as she obediently leaned closer.

"Yes, I know you miss home."

Chen Yi held her, deep in thought. Previously, he wanted to give her a harsh lesson, but now his state of mind was different. Min Ning’s words "conscience not yet dead" left a mark on him. He didn’t want to frighten her, so it was better to give her some mental preparation.

Even if this preparation was extremely cruel for such a young girl...

That night, as they washed up, Yin Tingxue bathed first. Perhaps in a better mood, she finished quickly and lay on the bed. Chen Yi soon followed, coming out quickly, climbing into bed, and holding Yin Tingxue from behind.

Yin Tingxue settled closer to him.

Such obedience had become a habit Chen Yi ingrained in her.

"Little fox..." Chen Yi hesitated before speaking.

"Hmm?" Yin Tingxue was puzzled.

"...The hairpin is for you."

As the words fell, Chen Yi felt Yin Tingxue first pause, then noticeably tremble.

"...Why did you buy me a hairpin... I’m not even twenty yet..."

Her voice shook a little, feigning ignorance.

"Don’t play dumb, I know... you’re very smart."

Chen Yi kissed the back of her head, teasingly saying: freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

"I have to satisfy myself somehow."

Yin Tingxue stiffened, and although she had her back to him, Chen Yi could guess her face was drained of blood.

"You... you could go to a brothel,"

With anxiety in her heart, the daughter of the Prince of Xiang said softly:

"Master... go to a brothel, won’t you? I won’t tell on you."

Chen Yi laughed and asked:

"Why would I find other women when I have a concubine at home?"

"Then you..." she asked cautiously,

"Would you take more concubines?"

Chen Yi rested his chin on the back of her head, squinting his eyes, and said:

"But they wouldn’t be royal family members, it seems there’s no point."

The girl who always nestled inward while sleeping shuddered, her heart missing a few beats.

Chen Yi lightly patted her behind rhythmically, as if tapping and caressing simultaneously.

Yin Tingxue got goosebumps, recalling the scenes with Min Ning and slowly regained some composure, but still felt apprehensive.

"You will sleep with me eventually."

Chen Yi prepared her mentally.

"Won’t you? Don’t you... not like women? Sleeping with me would just disgust you."

Then she remembered something and said softly:

"I won’t run away, there’s no need to torment me like this."

Chen Yi understood her thoughts, laughing as he asked:

"Who said I don’t like women?"

Yin Tingxue was stunned.

"...Min Ning is actually a woman."

Chen Yi said plainly, the brief sentence like her obituary.

Yin Tingxue was thunderstruck, her face displaying sheer terror.

Chen Yi saw her delicate back begin to tremble,

his thoughts were momentarily complex.

He had coerced her into becoming a concubine, and seeing her mistakenly believe he loved men, being full of hope. He wanted to give her a harsh wake-up call: the more resolute she was, the more he wanted to force her, and similarly... the softer she was, the more he wanted to cherish her. Speaking of which, perhaps he should have disregarded the Resentment Yin-Yang Technique and taken her early on. There was one chance at the Xiang Prince Mansion, and another after she escaped. But on neither occasion did he take her. If he had taken her then, he wouldn’t be thinking so much now.

Chen Yi held Yin Tingxue, listening to her panicked breathing, understanding her despair.

She was very frightened, what would she do? Previously she ran away; would she do it again this time? Instead of fearing she would escape, he hoped she would flee once more, or perhaps stab him with a needle or knife. That way, he would have a reason to claim her.

While thinking this, Chen Yi ran his fingers through her hair, coolly saying:

"It’s a matter of time, understand?"

Yin Tingxue’s face went ashen at once, held tightly in Chen Yi’s embrace, unable to resist, trembling slightly, breathing rapidly, emitting faint sobbing.

Yet she neither pushed him away nor cursed him for his shamelessness, nor did she reach for a needle to stab him...

She turned around instead, coming close and kissing the corner of his mouth,

"Don’t be like this, okay?"

She said softly with grievance, looking at him pitiably.

Chen Yi’s heart tightened momentarily, not answering her. After a long pause, he said warmly, "Go to sleep."