Linyue grinned. "Of course, it's because of lotus seed pie. After all, it's Shulin's specialty."
Shu Mingye blinked. Hard.
This woman. She was in his bed. In his arms. Their legs were tangled together, their foreheads almost touching, and what came out of her mouth? Pie.
He had just poured his heart out with gentle caresses and soft sighs, and she was over here talking about pastries. He stared at her like she was the most beautiful and most baffling creature the heavens had ever dropped into his life. She was smiling like an innocent fox. And she was absolutely ruining his dramatic moment.
"…Pie," Shu Mingye said, his voice perfectly dry. "Do I really only worth that much? If someone else offered you the same thing, would you have gone with them instead?"
Linyue tilted her head, her expression serious, as if considering the economics of pastry-based proposals in her mind. Finally, she said, "The me from when I was young would have accepted it."
His brow furrowed. His heart skipped once, then again. "And now?"
"The me now," she said, meeting his gaze with a faint smile, "only accepts it because it's you."
Shu Mingye froze. Did she just—
"You… accept it?" he asked carefully. His voice came out softer than intended, his breath catching somewhere between fear and hope.
Linyue smiled. Sweet, calm, and infuriating. "The pie… of course I accept it."
Shu Mingye groaned and flopped onto his back, throwing one arm over his face. "The pie," he muttered into his sleeve. "Not me. Not the marriage. Of course."
Beside him, Linyue tried very hard not to laugh. She failed spectacularly. It started small, just a little puff of air through her nose. But then it grew. She laughed into her sleeve, then into the pillow, and then directly into Shu Mingye's face. Her shoulders shook with every breath. It wasn't even that funny, but somehow it was. Maybe it was the early morning. Maybe it was the bed. Maybe it was him.
Shu Mingye peeked at her through his arm. Her cheeks were pink. Her eyes crinkled. She was laughing like no one was watching. It was the first time he had ever seen her laugh freely like this. Something in his chest tightened, then softened. A quiet smile tugged at his lips. She was still here. She hadn't pushed him away. She hadn't rejected him.
He shifted his weight carefully, then moved. In the next blink, she was beneath him, his arms planted on either side of her shoulders, caging her in.
Linyue froze. The laughter died instantly. Her eyes locked on his, wide and alert.
Shu Mingye grinned down at her, slow and evil. Before she could say anything, he slid one arm beneath her back and pulled her up slightly, his other hand slipping behind her head. She gasped, lips parting—
Too late.
He tilted his head and kissed her. Right on the lips.
Linyue's eyes went wide. For a moment, she didn't move. Then her lashes fluttered shut. Her hands, which had been lying by her sides, shot up to clutch his shoulders.
His first kiss was soft. Hesitant, almost careful, like he was learning the shape of her lips. But the second was different. Harder. Hungry. Like he had been holding back too long. His lips moved with intent, pulling her under before she even realized it. Her fingers clutched at his robes, tightening without her permission. Her heart pounded so hard it felt louder than the quiet room. Warmth flooded her chest. Her mind turned hazy, filled with nothing but the sound of his breaths and the faint, clean scent of him.
And he didn't stop. Of course he didn't. He was Shu Mingye. When he wanted something, he took it thoroughly. Repeatedly. Relentlessly. Apparently, that also applied to kissing.
Shu Mingye had no idea how long he had been kissing her. Time didn't seem to exist anymore. Not when her lips were that soft, not when her scent curled around him and made it impossible to think. Every kiss left him wanting more. To hold her closer. To feel her skin under his fingers. To pin her down and make her stay right there. And the worst part? She fit in his arms so naturally it was almost insulting. Like the space in his chest had always been shaped for her, and now that she was there, he never wanted her to leave.
He was dangerously close to losing every shred of control he had left. Her scent wasn't helping either. It was soft, sweet, fresh, calming in a way that made him restless. Every breath he took pulled him in deeper and tangled him further. He forced himself to stop. Slowly, he pulled back. Their lips parted with a quiet sound that somehow made his chest tighten. He didn't move away completely. For a moment, he just hovered there, staring down at her.
Linyue lay perfectly still beneath him. Her eyes were closed. Her lips were slightly parted, soft from his kisses. Her chest rose and fell in uneven breaths. Her cheeks were flushed pink. Even the tips of her ears were red. It was unfair. Absolutely unfair how beautiful she looked when she was breathless and kissed silly.
Shu Mingye quickly looked away. He sucked in a deep breath, sharp and shaky. His fingers curled into the sheets for a brief, desperate moment before he pushed himself up. He sat on the edge of the bed with stiff, careful movements.
"I'll… ask the palace kitchen to prepare breakfast," he said. His voice came out lower than usual. Rough. Hoarse. Too raw for his liking. He didn't wait for her response. In one motion, he stood, straightened his rumpled robes, and fled the room.
It was, without a doubt, the most ungraceful retreat in the history of the King of Shulin.
Linyue slowly opened her eyes and blinked up at the ceiling. The bed felt too soft. Her heartbeat sounded too loud. And her lips… they still tingled. She sat up carefully, pressing a hand to her cheek. Hot. Her face was hot. Even her lips felt warm. That wasn't normal. She wasn't supposed to feel warm. She was supposed to be made of snow and quiet, not whatever this flustered, fuzzy, floating feeling that had crept into her bones. Her neat, orderly thoughts had turned into soft clouds.
Her eyes drifted to the door where Shu Mingye had… fled. He ran away. He, the terrifying Demon King of Shulin, kissed her like he was about to eat her soul, made her brain melt into soup, and then ran away. Just left her here, stunned, dazed, and overheating in his bed.
"Why was he the one who ran away?" she muttered.
She let out a long sigh and dragged herself out of bed. She couldn't stay in here forever. The others were probably waiting. He had said she wasn't allowed to leave his chamber last night, something about chaining her to the bed if she disobeyed. She had assumed it was a joke.
She stood in front of the door. "I'll just go quickly," she whispered to herself. "Quietly. Before he comes back."
Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her robe, and gently pulled the door open—
Shu Mingye was standing right there.
Linyue froze.
Shu Mingye blinked.
For one heartbeat, they just stared at each other.
Then slowly, his mouth curved into a smile. It was lazy, confident, and far too amused for her liking. "I told you not to take a step out, didn't I?"
Linyue slowly leaned back inside and closed the door halfway. "…I was just checking the weather," she said, her tone perfectly serious.
She wasn't sure why she felt guilty. It wasn't like she was a prisoner. She could walk through doors. Open them. Close them. Breathe fresh air. Make adult decisions.
…Okay, maybe she had committed a few minor crimes in her life. A touch of trespassing. A little impersonation. Borrowed things that technically didn't belong to her. But nothing that should get her chained to a bed. Probably.
"Um," she tried again, poking her head out just enough to see him. "I need to check on the others. What if they accidentally burn my bed while I'm gone? Or break the roof? Or knock down the wall? And—oh no—what if Sister Meiyu is cooking again?"