Wading into Spring - Chapter 3

He was the chancellor, with the court in his grip and immense power in his hands. If he chose to come after me, ten of me wouldn’t stand a chance.

Wasn’t I supposed to lower his darkness level? Fine. I would soothe him properly.

I gritted my teeth, caught the back of his head, and kissed him without the faintest idea what I was doing.

His breathing stopped. Even his tail grew burning hot.

He abandoned his usual gentlemanly composure, caught my right hand, and warned me in a low voice, his eyes red.

“Wen Yan. Since you know I’m a snake, do you also know we have a sensitive period?”

“I’m in mine right now.”

“So I suggest you leave. Otherwise, you won’t be able to handle what comes next.”

【Don’t leave, babe! He’s only putting on a brave front.】

【If you go, he’ll sink into self-pity again and decide you’ve abandoned him.】

【His darkness level is plummeting. Keep it up!】

I turned my hand in his and threaded our fingers together.

“I know. Why do you think I came to you?”

Something tightened around my waist. Water churned.

Wen Tan turned his head away, putting some distance between us, and said hoarsely:

“Wen Yan, stop. I’m not joking.”

【Oh, sure. His tail’s wrapped around her that tightly, and we’re supposed to believe he wants her to leave?】

【Quit dragging your feet, you yandere. Get on with it.】

When I stayed, his gaze gradually deepened and sharpened. Danger filled it as he leaned slowly toward my ear, his voice hoarse and cold.

“Yanyan. I gave you a chance. You chose not to leave.”

Before the words had faded, his kiss struck fiercely, brutally, until the tip of my tongue went numb with pain.

His ragged breath spilled against my neck. He held me from behind, his jade-white scales taking on a honeyed hue.

Even immersed in warm water, his body remained cool.

The bath was too hot, his body too cold. The shifting sensations made me tip my head back in discomfort and hook my arms tightly around his neck.

I had no attention left for the comments. I caught only the key words.

【Darkness level: 85.】

【Darkness level: 80.】

【Darkness level: 75.】

…

Just as I was secretly congratulating myself, something emerged from the opening scales of his lower abdomen.

When I realized what it was, my body went rigid. My hands slipped from his neck.

“Yanyan?”

He seemed to be calling my name. Still stunned, I could not answer. I only pushed at him instinctively, putting distance between us.

After a moment of stillness, I dropped abruptly as the arms holding me let go.

Water splashed. Wen Tan stepped out of the tub on long legs, his lips pressed tight.

I stared, bewildered. His face was grim. He did not spare me so much as a glance. Snatching a coat from the rack, he went out into the wind and snow, almost fleeing.

【I wondered why she’d suddenly started being nice. Turns out she found a new way to humiliate him.】

【Brutal. Pretend to want him, then show outright disgust just when he’s completely fallen for it. How’s our insecure, gloomy second male lead supposed to take that?】

【A sweet treat, then a slap. Still as vicious to him as ever.】

【His darkness level just shot up. It had fallen into the sixties. Now it’s 95.】

I slumped over the edge of the tub, wanting to cry.

I wasn’t disgusted. I simply hadn’t known snake anatomy differed so much from a human’s.

Even the number was different…

It was late. Wen Tan was probably furious and did not want to see me.

After thinking it over, I decided to explain everything tomorrow.

Early the next morning, I went to find him.

Unexpectedly, the emperor and Consort Chen had left the palace for an outing and happened to be staying at the chancellor’s residence for a few days.

Emperor Gu Yunchen and Consort Chen, Song Li, were this world’s hero and heroine.

The man I had once loved to distraction was Gu Yunchen.

He sat in the front hall. Seeing me, he nodded and smiled.

“Yanyan. It’s been a long time.”