A Teasing Proposal

“Second… Second Miss?”

Peering at Bai Muya, whose eyes sparkled above her, Yu Lian swallowed hard. How—how could this be so sudden? What was she planning?

Yu Lian had no idea. She felt as though the Second Miss had become a different person, a dangerous glint dancing in her eyes, as if she intended to devour her whole.

Instinctively, she pressed her legs together, trapping Bai Muya’s knee between her thighs, preventing any further advance.

Bai Muya braced her hands on the bed beside Yu Lian’s head, pressing down on her hair. She lowered her head, leaning closer and closer, almost touching Yu Lian’s nose. Their breaths intertwined, indistinguishable, yet each drawing from the other.

“I heard…”

“You weren’t very well-behaved after I left, were you?”

Because Bai Muya’s back was facing upwards, her long hair cascaded down, obscuring the light from her face. This made her expression appear terribly dark and foreboding.

Yu Lian’s shoulders twitched, startled. ‘Is she truly angry, or is my perspective making me misinterpret things?’

Regardless, admitting to being ill-behaved was certainly not a good idea. Besides, she had been very docile; not a trace of mischief or trouble-making could be found on her. She wanted to escape, but she hadn’t actually acted on it, nor had she had the chance. It was merely an inner restlessness.

Therefore…

Yu Lian answered firmly, “I’ve been very well-behaved.”

Under Bai Muya’s gaze, her eyes remained unwavering. She even lifted her pale chin proudly, much like an arrogant white swan.

“Is that so?”

“Why did Lingyi tell me you weren’t being good?”

Outside the door, Lingyi nearly lost her footing. ‘No, Second Miss, I’m listening! Is it really okay for you to slander me like this?’

“Lingyi said I wasn’t being good?”

Yu Lian was struck speechless, her mouth agape.

Could Lingyi, who had always been so kind to her, have reported this to the Second Miss? Was it possible? This couldn’t be right!

Yu Lian wanted to lash out in anger, but seeing the playful glint in the Second Miss’s eyes, her mind instantly cleared. ‘Oh dear, the Second Miss is deliberately fabricating a lie to make me angry, then use it to play with me and tease me?’

“Second Miss, I’m very well-behaved. Why don’t you let Lingyi come in, and we can confront each other?”

Yu Lian’s peripheral vision had already caught sight of Lingyi’s partial foot. Perhaps Lingyi was currently anxious about the good impression she had left on Yu Lian being shattered.

‘Didn’t fall for it? You’re quite resilient, aren’t you?’

Bai Muya’s admiration for Yu Lian intensified, her eyes gleaming. ‘Truly worthy of being the concubine I chose. This level of forbearance and composure, not losing her head even when pressed with a lie, is excellent.’

“There’s no need. I believe you. Perhaps Lingyi misspoke in her report. As my chosen concubine, it wouldn’t make sense for me to distrust you and instead believe a servant.”

‘If you believe me, then don’t imprison me!’

Yu Lian felt utterly aggrieved. Her range of activity was confined solely to this room and the bathroom, and even then, she could only go to the bathroom under the watchful eyes of a maid or Lingyi.

‘Is this even personal freedom?’

Bai Muya, unaware of the tumultuous waves in Yu Lian’s heart, continued to lower her head. Her moist lips seemed poised to press against Yu Lian’s small mouth, as if to complete a perfect seal.

Yu Lian grew incredibly nervous. ‘Is she going to kiss me? And on the lips? Should I dodge? It seems impossible from this angle. Even if I did, she’d surely get angry and forcefully hold my face to kiss me anyway, wouldn’t she? Oh, I wanted my first kiss to be with Lingyi!’

Yu Lian felt unwilling, but she could only slowly close her eyes, awaiting the kiss to descend. She wouldn’t struggle; she would simply accept her fate. ‘Lingyi will surely understand; I was forced by the Second Miss.’

However, the soft, fragrant touch she expected did not arrive as promised. Yu Lian waited patiently, for a long time, but no tempestuous storm ensued. Opening her eyes in confusion, she saw a beautiful face, so close, filled with teasing playfulness.

“My concubine, why do you look so eager for something like this to happen? Do you really want this, want to kiss me at zero distance? Oh my, you truly are exceptionally interesting. You look so adorable waiting to be deeply kissed~ Oh, you’re making me melt.”

Bai Muya covered her face, her words flowing endlessly. Her words were like arrows, piercing Yu Lian’s chest, both painful and powerless.

‘I want to be kissed by you? What are you talking about? If it weren’t for you… Oh, you just want to see me make a fool of myself.’

Yu Lian felt utterly mortified; she knew her face was crimson without needing a mirror, her ears burning hot.

Bai Muya lowered her hands, her eyes filled with laughter. She had indeed intended to kiss Yu Lian earlier, but she had stopped herself at the last moment, simply not going through with it.

She touched the other’s burning cheek, her fingers tracing over her flushed earlobes, then gliding towards her alluring small lips, moving back and forth.

“Are you angry?”

“Shy?”

“Or perhaps your heart is fluttering?”

“Or is it all of the above?”

Bai Muya had never found teasing a woman so amusing. Her breathing quickened, a slight warmth rising within her—a sensation she had never experienced when alone with Yixiya or Lingyi before.

“I don’t want to talk to you anymore. Move.”

Yu Lian was genuinely angry. She tried to push away Bai Muya, who was pressing down on her, only to find she couldn’t budge her. Her strength was minuscule compared to the other’s.

‘Uh… how embarrassing. Maybe I should just get angry for a moment and pretend it never happened?’

Bai Muya hooked her finger under Yu Lian’s chin, gently lifting it, and tilted her head. “What if I don’t move? What do you intend to do to me?”

Yu Lian desperately wanted to say, with confidence, “If you don’t move, I’ll beat you up!” But alas, she was clearly no match for the Second Miss in terms of martial prowess. Speaking out would likely only bring more trouble upon herself.

“Ahem, then don’t move. We’ll just stay in this position. It’s great. You don’t move, I don’t move. Let’s see who can hold out longer.”

‘The advantage is mine!’

Yu Lian was lying down, while Bai Muya was kneeling with her hands braced, facing her. If this continued, Yu Lian would definitely win; there was no way she could lose.

“Why should I compete with you?”

Yu Lian’s meticulously planned scheme shattered instantly under Bai Muya’s lack of cooperation, scattering to the floor. ‘Why aren’t you playing by the rules!?’

Yu Lian clenched her small hands.

Bai Muya leaned down and breathed a puff of air onto Yu Lian’s flushed earlobe, saying, “Such childish games are for children. You’re a little adult now, why do you still want to play such childish games? Or perhaps your childlike innocence remains?”

Yu Lian’s body suddenly went limp.

It wasn’t that the other person had hit the mark with her words; it was that after speaking, she had bitten Yu Lian’s ear, making her feel as if she had been struck by lightning, draining her of all strength.

“Such an adorable reaction~”

“I truly am growing to like you more and more.”

Bai Muya placed her hand on Yu Lian’s chest, feeling its fullness and the strong heartbeat. She didn’t overstep further, remaining still.

Yu Lian let out a soft sound, her face completely crimson. ‘She touched me, she touched me, boohoo.’

Bai Muya’s actions were merely a whim, and she quickly released her hand. She pulled Yu Lian up and produced a red veil from somewhere.

“Don’t you want to formally become my concubine?”

“Come, let us be wed right now.”

She placed the red veil over Yu Lian’s head.