Zi Mo was taken aback: "Perhaps there are too many things to deal with at the Prince's residence, and the Princess hasn't finished yet!" The Prince Ai stood still, waiting for Princess Li Xue.
Dongfang Heng's sharp gaze sharpened: "Go to the War King's Mansion. If Li Xue is handling matters, remind her to rest early. If she has fallen asleep, then quietly return!"
"Yes!" Zi Mo replied and turned to leave.
Dongfang Heng stared intently at the window again. A slender pink figure walked into the courtyard. Her beautiful face looked somewhat haggard, and her hair was a little messy. The butterfly on her hairpin swayed gently as she walked, as if it were about to take flight. The dim light cast a long shadow of her.
“Li Xue!” A faint smile appeared on Dongfang Heng’s lips.
"Why aren't you resting yet!" Shen Lixue also saw Dongfang Heng, smiled gently, and with a light step, her slender figure instantly arrived at the window, grabbed his arm, and jumped into the room.
"Can't sleep." Dongfang Heng gently put his arm around Shen Lixue's small waist. Her soft, delicate body was so supple and boneless that it felt incredibly comfortable to hold her in his arms. A refreshing fragrance mixed with the faint scent of hot water lingered in his nostrils. He raised an eyebrow: "Did you just take a bath?"
"I was very tired from handling things, so I took a hot bath to relieve my fatigue!" Shen Lixue nodded, thinking to herself that it was fortunate that she had gone back to the Zhanwang Mansion to bathe first, otherwise, if Dongfang Heng had smelled the blood on her, he would definitely have questioned her.
"Have you had dinner yet?" Dongfang Heng gently stroked Shen Lixue's soft, dark hair, as smooth as silk, a wonderful touch that was unforgettable.
"I ate something simple. Is there any supper?" Shen Lixue straightened up and looked up at Dongfang Heng. She hadn't had a drop of water since returning to the Zhanwang Mansion and was starving.
"Zimo!" Dongfang Heng turned and called out to the outside.
"Yes!" Shen Lixue returned to Fengsong Courtyard. Zi Mo did not go to the Holy King's Mansion again, but waited outside. Upon hearing the call, he flew into the small kitchen to bring out the food.
Dongfang Heng didn't have dinner either; all the delicious dishes were kept warm in the kitchen, just in time for a late-night snack.
Shen Lixue was hungry and ate her food quickly and elegantly. Dongfang Heng barely touched his chopsticks and put the food he picked up into Shen Lixue's bowl.
"Dongfang Heng, why aren't you eating?" Shen Lixue noticed that something was wrong with Dongfang Heng. Even if he had eaten his dinner, several hours had passed, and he should be able to eat something.
Dongfang Heng smiled and said, "I don't like eating before bed!"
He wasn't eating, and Shen Lixue also lost her appetite. She put down her chopsticks and ordered the guards to leave.
"Li Xue, I have something to show you!" Dongfang Heng pulled out a scroll from somewhere and mysteriously stuffed it into Shen Li Xue's hand.
"What is this?" Shen Lixue curiously opened it. On the white paper was a drawing of a magnolia tree, and a beautiful woman in a long dress with wisteria blossoms stood beneath it, calmly watching the pink magnolia petals drift down. Shen Lixue had looked at the woman's features many times in the drawing, and they were extremely familiar to her.
"Why did you bring the portrait of my mother painted by the War King here?!"
Dongfang Heng's face instantly darkened: "Take another look. Is that woman your mother?"
"Uh," Dongfang Heng's voice held a hint of anger. Shen Lixue carefully examined the painting. The woman's clothes, hairstyle, hairpins, and earrings were not Lin Qingzhu's dignified and elegant style, but rather the fresh and natural style that Shen Lixue preferred. Also, the woman seemed to be holding something in her hand.
Approaching the scroll closely, upon closer inspection, it revealed a long, cyan whip. The whip hung limply, only a small portion of which was visible, but it was painted with remarkable realism. Shen Lixue was certain that this was the cyan whip in her hand. The ink on the painting was very vibrant, indicating that it had been painted recently. Looking at the signature below, it read "Dongfang Heng," and the date was "today!"
Shen Lixue looked up at Dongfang Heng, her eyes sparkling: "You drew me?"
"Doesn't it look like it?" Dongfang Heng raised an eyebrow at Shen Lixue.
"Exquisitely lifelike! Seeing the painting is like seeing the real person!" Shen Lixue looked down at the painting. Lin Qingzhu in Zhan Wang's painting was like a celestial being, ethereal and otherworldly. Shen Lixue in Dongfang Heng's painting was fresh and natural, especially her eyes, which were lively and vivid, like a cunning little fox.
"I never imagined you could paint so well!" Every stroke is even, and the pressure of the ink is steady, with heavy strokes where they should be heavy and light strokes where they should be light.
"If you like, I can draw one for you every day!" Dongfang Heng picked up Shen Lixue and strode towards the bedside.
Chen Lixue nestled in Dongfang Heng's arms, her cool gaze flickering: "You have to draw based on your own imagination. I want all the clothes, jewelry, and scenery to be completely different!"
Dongfang Heng took on this arduous task and painted every day, so he probably wouldn't have time to care about what she was doing anymore.
"No problem!" Dongfang Heng agreed without hesitation, then looked down at Shen Lixue, a glint of light flashing in his dark eyes: "I spent half an afternoon painting this picture, shouldn't you reward me?"
“Indeed, he should be rewarded!” Shen Lixue’s eyes darted around, and her soft, cherry-like lips quickly kissed Dongfang Heng’s thin lips.
He had intended to give him a light, fleeting kiss to encourage him to work harder on his paintings, but the moment their lips touched, Dongfang Heng captured them tightly, a hint of mockery flashing in his deep eyes, as if to say, "You were the one who initiated this!"
His thin lips tightly enveloped Shen Lixue's cherry lips, the kiss was fierce, like a storm, full of infatuation and tenderness, almost unbearable.
Shen Lixue felt her reason collapse, her thoughts drifted, her heart pounded wildly, and her breath was completely taken away by Dongfang Heng, leaving her breathless. Her slender body trembled slightly.
The scent of Dongfang Heng pine resin enveloped Shen Lixue tightly, carrying a soul-stirring and intoxicating fragrance that devoured every inch of her lips from the inside out, leaving no corner untouched.
Shen Lixue's head began to spin, and the strength in her body quickly disappeared. She could no longer muster any strength, and her body became weaker and weaker. She opened her eyes and stared at Dongfang Heng's handsome face, which was so close to hers. This reward was too special, and she couldn't bear it at all. She must change the reward tomorrow.
Unbeknownst to him, Dongfang Heng removed Shen Lixue's outer garment, his jade-like fingers lightly touching her delicate skin, while his strong arms embraced her tightly.
Amidst the burning passion, a sharp, stabbing pain suddenly shot through Dongfang Heng's chest, instantly waking him from his dazed state and causing him to abruptly open his eyes.
Shen Lixue lay on the bed with hazy eyes, her cheeks flushed, long eyelashes, delicate nose, and slightly swollen cherry-red lips, all of which made Dongfang Heng's heart flutter. He longed to make her his wife, but the occasional surge of pain in his chest reminded him that his days were numbered and he could not spend the rest of his life with her.
Dongfang Heng skillfully concealed the discomfort in his chest, his jade-like fingers gently caressing Shen Lixue's beautiful cheek. He lowered his head and placed a light kiss between her brows, then pulled the thin blanket beside him over them both: "It's late, let's rest!"
"Mmm!" Shen Lixue agreed, snuggling into Dongfang Heng's arms and closing her eyes peacefully. To this day, she has come to like the faint scent of pine resin.
"Li Xue, in the entire Qingyan Capital, which young man do you think is the most outstanding?" Dongfang Heng was wide awake, his obsidian-like eyes unfathomable, his jade-like fingers gently stroking Shen Li Xue's jet-black hair.
"Of course it's you!" Shen Lixue replied sullenly. The title of Azure Flame War God represented the most outstanding man in Azure Flame.
"Besides me?" Dongfang Heng continued to ask.
Shen Lixue paused for a moment: "Your eldest brother, Nangong Xiao, and cousin Yan are also very outstanding..."
"If you were any other woman, which of them would you choose as your husband?" Dongfang Heng paused, looked down at Shen Lixue, and awaited her answer.
Shen Lixue frowned with her eyes closed: "It's hard to say. The three of them have three different personalities. When choosing a husband, we should first see what type of man the woman likes!"
"If... I mean if Qingyan didn't have me, which one would you choose?" Dongfang Heng's voice was low and muffled.
"I won't choose any of them. Their personalities and temperaments are not my type!" Shen Lixue answered decisively without the slightest hesitation.