The rough breathing was still floating in the darkness.
The bedsheet was soaked with sweat and heavily creased.
Probably from someone clutching it tightly.
Whew-.
Edric exhaled heavily as he got off her. As Melly gathered the blanket up to her chin, Edric pulled her into his arms.
He raised his hand to brush back Melly’s hair.
So as not to hide her pretty face flushed pink.
“That’s too much.”
After her rapidly beating heart had calmed, Melly honestly spoke her mind.
“Too many times and too long.”
The number of times. And the duration.
“I think once a day is enough.”
“You might as well tell me to die.”
Edric replied.
Melly asked with an astonished expression.
“Is it… such a difficult thing?”
“More than difficult, it’s impossible.”
“Is it the same for other men?”
“Probably.”
Melly tilted her head.
‘Is that so?’
Having never experienced other men, Melly couldn’t judge the truth. Her standard was Edric, both then and now, and she believed without doubt whatever Edric said was right.
“I see… I’ll try harder.”
Melly said in an uncertain voice as she fidgeted with the blanket.
Edric chuckled and lightly flicked her forehead.
“What do you need to try harder at?”
“…”
“You just need to follow my lead.”
He said, pulling her even closer as if trying to tuck her into his chest.
Feeling the warmth of their smooth, moist skin pressed together, Melly melted into a sense of comfort.
She had been living a life so satisfying lately that she wondered if it was alright.
Edric was doing his best not only for Melly but also for Jade, as if trying to make up for lost time.
Now he played well with the child whether Melly was watching or not. And not just playing, he often included lessons in the play so the child could naturally learn something.
For example, teaching number patterns through number games.
Or having her understand the exchange value of goods through trading games.
Jade enjoyed and accepted his teachings without resistance.
Though she thought he only knew how to rule over others, Edric was also an excellent teacher.
Melly decided to make a suggestion.
“Why don’t you teach Jade some letters too? She’s been showing interest in books lately.”
“I’d rather not do that.”
Melly’s eyes widened at the unexpected response, different from her assumption that he would readily agree.
“I want her to learn letters as late as possible.”
“Why?”
“I’m afraid her eyesight might worsen early like mine.”
“…”
At Edric’s words, Melly finally understood why he taught everything else with great enthusiasm and sincerity, yet hadn’t even attempted to teach letters.
He hoped Jade wouldn’t follow in his footsteps of weakening his eyesight from learning letters early and immersing himself in reading.
“It’s quite tiring to have to strain your eyes every time to see things clearly.”
As Edric suddenly honestly expressed his discomfort, something he had never mentioned before about his poor eyesight, Melly felt sympathy.
She moved away from his embrace. And placed her hand on his eyes.
Though it had improved a lot over the past couple of months, he still had to bring things close to his eyes or wear glasses to see. Every time Melly saw his deep, beautiful eyes covered by thick lenses, her heart ached.
Though she knew it wasn’t, it still felt as if it had happened because she left without a word.
“I’ll try harder.”
Even now she was brewing tea with herbs good for the eyes morning and evening, and giving him warm compresses on his eyelids every night. But she wanted to do more. Just as he did for her.
“Why do you keep saying you’ll try harder? You’re doing enough already.”
Edric said. But midway through, as if remembering something, he narrowed his eyes and changed his words.
“If you really want to do something for me, do that.”
“That? What’s that?”
“You know, that thing.”
“…”
Melly felt a strange feeling at the sudden change in conversation direction.
It was as if the sensations in her body that had been calmly settled were starting to raise their heads.
‘Did I misunderstand something? Otherwise, why would such indecent thoughts keep coming to mind?’
Melly carefully confirmed what she had guessed.
“By that, do you mean…”
“Yes. That.”
His gaze gradually became languid, and desire deepened in his fingertips as he stroked her hair.
“Can you do it?”
Melly asked again, feeling each hair stand on end like a hedgehog’s quills.
“…Now?”
“Yes, now.”
“Here?”
“Where else would we do it?”
Edric responded to all of Melly’s questions as if they were obvious.
His entire attitude added certainty to Melly’s guess.
‘Oh… What should I do?’
Melly nibbled on her lips as she pondered. In fact, there was no need to ponder – if she didn’t want to, she could just say no. But the problem was… she didn’t dislike it that much.
How could she dislike something that might further heighten their love already full of fulfillment?
Moreover, Edric held back and endured and considered her, suppressing his desires that tried to run wild at every moment. The veins bulging on his forearms and his lower lip, red and swollen from how much he had bitten it, were proof of that.
Melly wanted to repay his efforts.
“Ah… Alright.”
Melly gathered her courage.
She started to wriggle her body. Her head gradually slid down from the pillow. Just as she was about to disappear under the blanket.
“What are you doing?”
Edric said.
Melly peeked up at him from above the blanket and asked back.
“You said you wanted that, didn’t you?”
“What’s that?”
Edric asked, narrowing one eye.
“What do you mean, what’s that… You know…”
Melly thought even that was Edric playing a mischievous trick to heighten this subtle mood.
She boldly opened her mouth, borrowing the power of darkness.
“Just as you did for me, I too, for you…”
“Melly.”
Edric cut off Melly’s words.
“I asked you to speak casually to me.”
“…What?”
Melly became confused. Edric continued.
“You agreed to speak casually to me sometimes. Like when you were Miss Enwood.”
Suddenly, Edric’s eyes curved seductively.
“But what were you thinking?”
Only then did Melly grasp the situation, and her earlobes turned bright red, visible even in the darkness.
“What… what do you mean, what was I thinking? I thought the same thing.”
Melly quickly returned her head to the pillow and laughed ha-ha.
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
Edric considered whether to tease her more, but soon gave up and laughed, tousling her hair.
“Then you should do what you promised now, Melly?”
“…”
He urged with eyes full of expectation.
Would ‘that’ have been better after all?
Melly found it hard to speak when suddenly asked to use casual language.
‘I love you too, Edric.’
Edric seemed to have liked the confession Melly had impulsively whispered at their wedding a month ago. He often requested it. Saying it made him feel closer to her.
But Melly hadn’t been able to speak casually like that day since then.
How had she spent the past eight years to make her unable to even think of using the casual speech she had used for over a decade?
“Can’t you do it?”
“…”
“I want to hear it.”
Edric asked, gently caressing Melly’s chin.
His eyes traced her nose bridge and brushed her lips. Then he stroked her throat that swallowed saliva and pressed his lips there.
He was too seductive, now as before. Enough to make the impossible possible.
“No.”
Melly said.
“I can do it.”
“…”
“Edric Pelton!”
Edric’s lips twitched with a smile at Melly’s somewhat forceful casual speech.
But soon he lowered his face to Melly with serious, deep eyes.
“May I?”
He asked at a distance where their lips almost touched. Since when did he ask such things?
When Melly said nothing at the sudden question, he spoke again.
“If you say no, I won’t.”
“…”
Melly’s eyes narrowed at the sudden sense of déjà vu.
He was reminding her of something from long ago. That day when he took Melly to a hotel and made her his woman.
Melly laughed shortly and said.
“I don’t dislike it.”
She said with firm eyes.
“I want to do it too.”
And she chose.
To return to a few minutes ago when they repeatedly rose and fell precariously, crossing the peak of sensation together. To entrust her body to him who led her to that ecstatic world.
But she also had to take responsibility for her choice.
A few hours later in the morning, she set out for work completely exhausted.
[This is the timeline separator]“Ma’am, go into the lounge and get some rest.”
Mia said, pointing to the small room as Melly yawned repeatedly. The place where Melly once stayed had now become a space where the two of them took turns resting.
“It’s fine.”
Melly shook her head and declined.
But at that moment, she had to cover her mouth with her hand as another yawn erupted. Watching this silently, a subtle smile spread across Mia’s face.
“You two must have a very good marriage. I’m envious.”
“Ah… no, it’s not like that.”
Melly said, hurriedly turning her unconsciously flushing face away. Mia waved her hand as if to say there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
“Having a good marriage is a good thing. Everyone else is desperate because they can’t.”
“…”
“I wouldn’t be surprised to hear news of a second child soon.”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
