"Who's that?"
As Lian soaked in the warm bathwater, he continues hearing the soft rustle of silk fabrics. He opened his eyes to find a lady standing before him, her beauty and allure on full display. However, her attempts to be seductive only seemed to irritate Lian.
Princess Liangxi's eyes narrowed, her gaze cold and calculating. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice sharp.
Lian's eyes met hers, his gaze questioning and rude. "And what are you doing here, half-dressed?"
Princess Liangxi's face twisted in anger. "How dare you! I am Princess Liangxi, and I will not be spoken to in such a manner!"
But before she could continue, Lian let out a loud scream, covering his eyes with his hands. "Ahh! My eyes! They're burning!"
Princess Liangxi's expression turned from anger to confusion. "What's wrong with you?" she spat.
Lian continued to scream, his hands still covering his eyes. "I've been blinded by your...your...whore-like behavior"
The commotion was too much for Bai Ye to ignore. He rushed into the bathhouse from the connecting door, his face etched with concern. "Lian, what's wrong?"
Lian's screams ceased, and he slowly lowered his hands, his eyes still closed. "Bai Ye, I've been blinded by this...this...seductress!"
Princess Liangxi's face turned red with rage. "You dare to call me a seductress? I am the future Queen, and you will show me respect!"
Bai Ye's eyes darted between Lian and Princess Liangxi, a hint of amusement on his face. "Lian, what are you talking about?"
Lian opened one eye, peeking at Princess Liangxi before quickly closing it again. "I'm talking about the fact that she's trying to seduce me with her...her...ahh!"
Princess Liangxi's anger boiled over, and she took a step closer to Lian. "You insolent mortal! I'll have you punished for your impertinence!"
Bai Ye intervened, his voice firm. "Princess Liangxi, that's enough. Leave now, before things escalate further."
Princess Liangxi's eyes flashed with anger, but she knew better than to argue with the prince. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the bathhouse, leaving Lian and Bai Ye alone once more.
Bai Ye turned to Lian, a mixture of amusement and curiosity on his face. "Lian, what just happened?"
Lian slowly opened his eyes, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "I may have overreacted just a bit."
Bai Ye chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "You reacted just a little, are you sure that's just overreacting?"
Lian's face turned bright red as he spluttered, "Well, she was half-dressed, and I'm literally in this water fully naked! She's going to take advantage of a kid, come on! I'm not even twenty yet!"
Bai Ye laughed, his shoulders shaking with mirth. As Lian continued to rant, Bai Ye's gaze drifted to Lian's shoulder blades and nape, the parts not covered by the water. He swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on Lian's sleek, wet skin.
Lian, oblivious to Bai Ye's gaze, continued to talk, but Bai Ye's attention was focused on the way the water rippled over Lian's skin.
Finally, Bai Ye spoke up, his voice low and husky. "Come out," he said, his eyes still fixed on Lian.
Lian's eyes snapped up to meet Bai Ye's gaze. "Wait, you are telling me to come out," he said, his voice trembling slightly.
Bai Ye chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Yes, I telling you to come out."
Lian's face turned bright red as he scrambled out of the bath, his movements awkward and hurried. Bai Ye laughed, the sound echoing through the bathhouse.
After a few minutes, Lian emerged, clothed in a light, flowing garment, his hair still damp from the bath. Bai Ye sat on a nearby stool, his eyes fixed on Lian as he walked towards the bed.
Lian felt Bai Ye's gaze on him, and his face burned with embarrassment. As he reached the bed, he muttered under his breath, "Don't look at me, don't talk to me."
Bai Ye chuckled, the sound low and husky. "I'm not looking at you, I'm not talking to you," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Lian's face turned even redder as he dove under the covers, hiding from Bai Ye's teasing gaze. Bai Ye laughed, the sound echoing through the room, before he finally fell silent, a small smile still playing on his lips.
As Lian hid under the covers, his face still burning with embarrassment, he couldn't help but ask the question that had been lingering in his mind. He peeked out from under the covers, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Bai Ye, who sat at a nearby table, his expression serene.
"Bai Ye," Lian asked, his voice muffled by the covers, "was that the person you were supposed to marry?"
Bai Ye's expression changed in an instant, his eyes clouding over with a mixture of disappointment, tiredness, boredom, and anger. He let out a deep sigh, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his responsibilities.
"Yes, she's the one," he said, his voice laced with resignation.
Lian's eyes widened in surprise, and he pulled the covers down to his chin, his face still flushed with embarrassment. "Okay, she's beautiful. I'm sure you guys would have very beautiful children."
Bai Ye's face scrunched up in distaste, and he shook his head vigorously. "No, no, no. I think you're getting me wrong. I don't want to have children because there's too much responsibility involved. I'm not ready to take on that burden."
Lian laughed, the sound echoing through the room. "Whatever," he said, waving his hand dismissively.
Bai Ye's eyes narrowed, his expression stern. "You don't understand, Lian. Marriage and children are not something to be taken lightly. They're a serious commitment, one that I'm not ready to make."
Lian's grin faltered, and he looked at Bai Ye with a serious expression. "I understand, Bai Ye. But I think Princess Liangxi is actually waiting for you. Why don't you go see her?"
Bai Ye's face darkened, and he stood up, his movements abrupt. "I'll go see her," he said, his voice low and menacing. "But not because I want to. Because I have to."
With that, he turned and strode out of the room, leaving Lian to wonder what had just happened.
Here's the extended scene:
As Bai Ye departed, Lian felt a surge of anger course through his veins like a raging tempest. His fists clenched beneath the covers, and his jaw tightened, as if to prevent the fury from spilling out. The air around him seemed to thicken, heavy with the weight of his unspoken emotions.
But Lian remained silent, his lips pressed together in a thin line. He knew that if he spoke, his words would be laced with venom, and he didn't want to unleash that anger upon the world. Not yet.
So he lay there, his body tense, his mind racing with turbulent thoughts. The darkness outside seemed to press in on him, making his chest feel tight and constricted.
As the moments ticked by, Lian's eyelids began to droop, his exhaustion finally catching up with him. He felt his anger slowly seep away, replaced by a dull fatigue.
With a soft sigh, Lian let his eyes drift shut, allowing the silence of the night to envelop him. The last thing he remembered was the sound of his own heartbeat, pounding in his ears like a distant drum.