Male Lead Is Always That Heartless

Chapter 21

The moon jumped to the branches, and its faint light followed the clouds. Gu Yi looked up at the Emperor, who was reading the dossier in front of his desk, and saw that he had his head buried, still concentrating. She then looked at Eunuch Gao, who was standing on the steps in the Xuanyu Pavilion, and Eunuch Gao sensed her gaze.

Gu Yi reached out and pointed to herself, who was so bored she was writing calligraphy. Eunuch Gao understood and gave a fake cough, “Your Majesty, it’s already past the hour.”

Xiao Yan raised his eyes and glanced at Gu Yi, who lifted her cup and pretended to drink tea.

Xiao Yan: “Prepare to wash up.”

Eunuch Gao Gui saw that the atmosphere was just right and took the opportunity to propose, “Why don’t Your Majesty try that hot spring pool tonight?”

Gu Yi’s heart was startled; could it be that the plot point was tonight?

Xiao Yan’s gaze flickered to the moonlight outside the window. He nodded, “Since Noble Lady Gu likes that pool, let’s go bathe there?”

He spoke while looking at Gu Yi.

Gu Yi swallowed her tea and feigned calm. No way! If the female lead was in the pool, would she stand there in place and spectate them saucing and brewing?

Is that really good?
It was too hard for her —

Xiao Yan watched Gu Yi stay dumbfounded, so without replying; he said, “Then, let’s go to the hot spring pool.”

Gu Yi decided to struggle a bit, “I’d rather take a hot water bath in the pavilion. After nightfall, the mountain wind outside the pavilion is harsh and cold. I’m worried ……”

Eunuch Gao Gui did not understand and interrupted her, “Noble Lady, need not worry; there are palace staff to take care of it. The mountain wind can’t blow you.”

Fine! Gu Yi: “Then allow me to ask the palace staff to go to the Xunxie Pavilion to fetch my clothes?”

The servants took the order and returned quickly.

Gu Yi changed into her ‘swimsuit,’ put on her cloak, and sat in the soft sedan chair that Eunuch Gao had prepared.

Initially, Gu Yi thought of it as going to the pool with Xiao Yan to swim for a while and felt relaxed. However, after getting into the soft sedan chair, she saw a physical manual next to the handrail, with detailed pictures and a background set in the water.

Gu Yi was on pins and needles, her face burning. At the thought of it, the female lead should show up, too. She felt that right now– right here and now, it wouldn’t be so hard to accept to bring her back to June 15th.

Come on, right now!
Unfortunately, the familiar white light did not appear.

However, to her relief, the palace staff carried the soft sedan chair and retreated away after she alighted. Xiao Yan’s black hair and crown had already entered the pool. With the white mist wrapping around her, the only thing she could see was his face, and his eyes were looking at her with unblinking eyes.

Gu Yi was so nervous that her heart beat faster and faster, thumping and thumping, ringing in her ears. She looked around and didn’t see the female lead’s silhouette. With her eyes closed and teeth clenched, she removed her cloak and slipped into the hot spring in her swimsuit. She did her best to soak her body in the pool, only showing a head above the water. She sat at this end of the pool while Xiao Yan sat at the other.

Gu Yi stayed still. Xiao Yan suddenly came over. The water sounded first; the white mist was hazy, and as he got closer, Gu Yi could see his wet chest and angular collarbone.

She tried to fake a smile, “His …… Majesty, the temperature of this water is warm, refreshing, relieving fatigue, and energizing. Ha ……”

Gu Yi was so nervous that she closed her eyes when he reached before her. Xiao Yan looked at her shivering, under a few orange lamps reflecting; her cheeks were pink, and her ears red. He could not help but reach out and touch the tips of her reddened ears.

Gu Yi shivered again, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, her eyes tightly closed, but the tip of her nose wrinkled because of the excessive force. Seeing this, Xiao Yan laughed aloud, “I am not touching you here. Put away your crooked thoughts!”

Gu Yi heard this and opened her eyes tremblingly, swallowing, “Your Majesty is true to his word?”

Could it be that I’m dark inside myself and thinking about sex?

Xiao Yan looked at her like a quail, almost burying her head in the water, and said in amusement, “Of course.”

Gu Yi suddenly let out a long breath, her shoulders relaxing. The night was silent and dreary, with a gentle breeze. The two of them soaked in the hot springs for a while in silence.

Gu Yi looked toward the Luoxia Pavilion, wondering if the female lead would come. If she came, she probably wouldn’t be able to come close.

Then, in that case, this night will not be a plot point–

This hot spring pool was the place Zhao Wan first favored in the book, and because of this Wu Shan summer trip, she became Beauty Wan when she returned to the palace. It was a huge plot point.

Gu Yi did not doubt that if Zhao Wan hadn’t become this Beauty Wan, she would have had to die on the spot and start over. Xiao Yan watched Gu Yi staring at the water, and his gaze couldn’t help but fall on the silk belt tied around her neck. The thin, cissy-colored silk belt reflected her neck’s flawless whiteness.

Xiao Yan averted his gaze and said in a deep voice, “Let’s go.”

He clapped his hands. Immediately, palace staff were walking briskly with clothes.

Xiao Yan leaped out of the pool sharply. It turned out that he was also wearing green underpants. Gu Yi was fished out by several palace maids and instantly wrapped in a thick cloak. She felt that making such a big show but only soaking for a short while was not as good as soaking in the pavilion! The palace servants sent her back to the Xuanyu Pavilion chamber.

The drums pounded at the third watch. Gu Yi woke up in a daze. She opened her eyes and saw Xiao Yan’s sleeping face close at hand. Just as she wanted to roll over, she felt a sore back and leg cramps.

I’ll Doggy Xiao!

She reached out, rubbed her waist, and heard Xiao Yan in front of her give a “hmmm” in his sleep, his brows slightly furrowed.

Is he about to wake up?

Gu Yi stopped moving, not daring to move again. Xiao Yan did not wake up. His brows furrowed deeper, and his eyelashes fluttered. Is he dreaming?

Between a pair of sword brows, the character ‘川 ‘was faintly visible. This dream was like a nightmare. Gu Yi saw his body trembling, and he raised his right arm. She quickly held his wrist, saying, “Your Majesty, wake up!”

Xiao Yan’s complexion did not change. His brows knit tightly, his lips clenched, and a bead of blood gushed out from his thin lips.

Gu Yi moved closer and shouted, “Your Majesty!”

But he still didn’t open his eyes, and a thin layer of sweat unexpectedly broke out on his forehead.

Gu Yi gripped his wrist hard, “Xiao Yan!”

Xiao Yan’s eyes were ablaze with fire, and in his ears, he only heard the sound of horses neighing and swords clashing. A sound of air came, and a white-feathered silver arrow narrowly grazed his cheek. In the monstrous fire, the woman’s crazy laughter came. The male voice was ruthless and determined, and his words were still ringing in his ears, “Ta Zhu!”

Xiao Yan felt the pain in his chest first, then sadness, fear, and anger, along with the rolling hatred that had been deposited over the years.

“Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan!”

But someone was calling him. Gu Yi watched as his teeth became more clenched, beads of blood rolling off his lips in a line, and she reached out to rub his cheeks, wanting to loosen his teeth.

“Xiao Yan!”

Wake up!

Xiao Yan was still in a nightmare. The person in front of him had a bloody face and a pair of dark brown eyes covered in blood. She opened her mouth and spat out blood, and a drop fell onto his sleeve. When he looked down, he saw a blade sticking out of her chest, with only the silver handle exposed outside of her robe. He scrambled to catch her falling body. The male voice behind him grew more frantic, “Ta Zhu!”

The woman heard this, and her eyes widened as if she had lost her mind, pulling out the blade from her chest and stabbing at him. Xiao Yan knew he was dreaming but couldn’t seem to wake up.

What a nightmare. Is there someone who can save him?

Gu Yi patted Xiao Yan’s face, but still no response. She couldn’t wait any longer, so she exerted force and fiercely gripped his cheek.

Xiao Yan finally opened his eyes and glanced into Gu Yi’s glaring almond eyes. His panicked look was on her pupils.

Gu Yi exclaimed, “Is Your Majesty having a nightmare? You bit your lips!”

She wiped it for him with her plain white sleeve, which suddenly stained red. “Your Majesty, would you like some water?”

Xiao Yan woke up from his dream and released a “hmm.”

Gu Yi wore the cloak that had fallen on the floor and went to the table to pour a cup for him, handing it to him. “Your Majesty, do you want to call someone in? This tea is already cold.”

Xiao Yan took the cup and drank a mouthful, “No need …… What time is it now?”

Gu Yi: “The drums of the third watch have just been beaten.”

Seeing that he had drunk water, Gu Yi returned the empty cup to the wooden table and returned to the bed. Xiao Yan’s eyes were red, his lips were white, and a red mark from her pinch remained on his cheek.

Gu Yi sheepishly watched him brush his fingers over his lips and then touch the red mark on his cheek. His brows furrowed.

“Your Majesty!” she immediately said, “Your Majesty! If you can’t sleep, I will tell Your Majesty a story. Maybe after listening to it, Your Majesty can sleep peacefully!”

Xiao Yan saw her come up to him, revealing a pleasing smile. Her dark pupils seemed bright, and her eyelashes blinked like small fans.

“Speak.”

Gu Yi faked a cough: “Once upon a time, there was a lion king, and one day, he had a son called Simba ……”

Xiao Yan raised his eyebrows. What kind of story is this? Is she coaxing a child?

Gu Yi faced his scrutinizing gaze and continued to talk about the Lion King, saying, “Simba also had an uncle named Black Scar ……”

As she spoke, she became engrossed, and her voice was melodious but oblivious. “Unexpectedly, Black Scar had a treasonous heart, seized the lion dynasty, and drove the young and helpless Simba out of his home.”

Halfway through, she got off the bed to pour a cup of tea for herself. She saw Xiao Yan propped up his chin with one hand, indifferently watching her, and seemed not sleepy.

“In the end, Simba and its good friends overthrew Black Scar’s rule and returned to their beautiful, rich home.”

Gu Yi gulped down a mouthful of tea, “Your Majesty, I have finished speaking.”

Xiao Yan listened, but his expression remained impassive. He only reached out and nudged her forehead, saying, “I don’t know what to say.”

Gu Yi tilted her head obediently at his nudge and thought: Isn’t this the animal world of Prince’s Revenge? Doggy Xiao, doesn’t Simba look like you? Can’t you see that I hold a sincere heart to encourage you? Comfort you?

She didn’t hold back and rolled her eyes. Her overly blunt expression amused Xiao Yan, “Gu Yi, you have lost your manners before the Emperor …….”

Gu Yi flexed and looked squarely at Xiao Yan’s gaze, respectfully saying, “Your Majesty, forgive me, I wouldn’t dare.”

Xiao Yan sighed and suddenly reached out to gather Gu Yi into his arms. “You are too noisy. Sleep.”

Her hair fell on his cheeks, slightly itchy. But Gu Yi, in his arms, was like a fireplace nest, ironing his chest, and it seemed he felt less lonely.

Gu Yi stiffened momentarily, “Your Majesty, when you had a nightmare just now, you even raised your hand. Now that Your Majesty is holding me, can you guarantee you won’t do that later?”

Xiao Yan: ……