My Husband Became the Most Powerful Minister - Chapter 55

Helan Ci’s face did not show any expression of facing death with indifference; instead, she appeared very calm, or perhaps somewhat relieved.

But being looked at like that by a pair of eyes so clear and piercing, it would be impossible for anyone to remain composed.

Sensing the hoarseness in Lu Wuyou’s voice, Helan Ci slowly raised her hand and covered the back of his. Her palm was slightly damp from nerves, like the sticky humidity of a rainy night, thick and hard to dispel.

Her tone became sticky and muddled: “No one wants you to be a saint.”

Soft. Like a voice in a dream.

Lu Wuyou felt the soft warmth of her hand pressing against his. Beneath her palm, his long lashes blinked, stirred. Once cool and jade-like, his fingers now carried a faint, teasing heat.

Although Helan Ci’s expression was tense, she did not tremble or show any fear.

“Can’t I?” His voice was still hoarse, suppressing the urge to speak, “But… I really can’t always make myself stop.”

It was the kind of trouble one couldn’t explain to others.

Lu Wuyou naturally wanted to be close to her.

If they were still in the same relationship as before marriage, things might have been easier. Helan Ci would not have had so many concerns, her manner would have been more natural, all her reactions more genuine—he could have worked from there, found roundabout ways.

But now, things were different. They were shackled by this forced bond. For someone like Helan Ci, because of that relationship, and because he had acted dutifully and responsibly, everything he said and requested now unconsciously came across as pressure and compulsion, a kind of repayment for a favor—something he hadn’t anticipated before.

Even if she could accept his unconventional ways, her mindset remained, for now, rather traditional.

As Helan Ci pressed his hand, feeling the hesitation in him, a spark of frustration rose—so did a pang of inexplicable tenderness that she couldn’t quite describe.

This was really unbelievable.

She figured perhaps provocation would work better.

“Lu Daren, you didn’t seem so hesitant before. If you keep going on like this…” Helan Ci drawled, “I might really start to suspect you’ve got some… functional problem.”

Lu Wuyou: “…?”

He withdrew his hand and met her gaze directly.

Lu Wuyou spoke slowly, enunciating each word:
“Where did you learn the method of provoking people?”

Helan Ci replied, “As long as it works, what does it matter? So, is there… a problem?”

Lu Wuyou’s lips, unable to restrain themselves, pressed against hers.

But even this kiss carried a trace of restraint, of forbearance. It was a lingering kind of kiss—not too intense, but with a sense of reverence. Helan Ci sat upright, her knees bent, letting him kiss her slowly for a while.

After an unknown length of time, Lu Wuyou let go of her lips, pressing his hands to her shoulders, turning his face slightly away. His voice was raspier than ever as he said:
“Then maybe you should get to know me again. I just tend to worry more.”

Helan Ci’s cheeks were tinged pink from his kiss. She lowered her gaze slightly and said, “Then why do you keep saying you want to set me free when you yourself are not free?”

Lu Wuyou tilted his head, his tone oddly twisted:
“What’s that got to do with freedom? My freedom doesn’t depend on yours…”
He paused. “What do you think I’m troubled about?”

Helan Ci didn’t bother trying to reason with him anymore. She pronounced each word clearly:
“You overthink too much.”

Lu Wuyou stared at her intently.

At this moment, Helan Ci also raised her eyes and locked gazes with him, not backing down an inch.

The lonely moonlight outside the window spilled onto her fair and beautiful face.

She really was an astonishingly beautiful girl. Her beauty could suit any setting, but right now, with those bright, resilient eyes shining, she seemed almost soul-stirring—like a painted beauty on a scroll brought to life with a single dot of ink.

Lu Wuyou and she just stood like that, quietly facing off for a long moment.

He suddenly recalled those days in Qingzhou, when they would often, unnoticed by others, stare each other down just like this, full of provocation.

But back then, their relationship had truly been poor. Every glance was about trading barbs, never losing ground. His mind was clear then, unlike now, where his heart and mind are restless and beyond measure.

Like the raindrops outside, crackling and bouncing on the window ledge, the ground, the roof—loud and jarring, chaotic at first, then gradually blending into a single crashing crescendo.

All those self-imposed convictions began to waver.

For one fleeting moment, Lu Wuyou even wondered—what truly counts as respecting her will? They were born different, raised different. The best he tried to give—freedom, choice—might be, to her, just another burden.

He could never fully put himself in her shoes.

Helan Ci’s efforts and confusion were also seen by him, and it wasn’t that he didn’t feel it… He used to think she was being deliberate, but perhaps it was not Helan Ci who was the problem, but his own heart.

What he thought was suitable might not be right. In this, he really had no experience, only making decisions by feeling his way through. But maybe going with the flow was actually the best approach.

Lu Wuyou let out a quiet breath. His grip on her shoulders began to tighten.

His restraint had become almost painful.

And yet, in the end, Lu Wuyou still asked her once more, “If you don’t fulfill these for me, I won’t be angry. I won’t complain. I won’t hold it against you. You don’t have to see this as some duty. Are you sure—”

Before he could finish, Helan Ci tightened her grip on the cuff with her fingertips. Her face flushed: “…You asked me before if I still remembered how it felt then.”

Lu Wuyou fell silent.

He remembered too.

Helan Ci tried hard to overcome her shame with a calm tone, imitating Lu Wuyou’s calm demeanor, and said, “It’s… not that serious, you… just do it all.”

——That, however, was not the kind of thing one could remain calm after hearing.

Lu Wuyou’s Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously.

“Miss Helan,” he called her, almost unable to restrain himself, “I think it’s better if you don’t say things like that again.” His hands pressed down on her shoulders. “Forget about being a saint…” A long sigh escaped from the depths of his chest. “I don’t even want to be human anymore.”

“——You’re right, let’s not think about anything for now.”

Before his words had fully landed, Helan Ci was already caught in his kiss, caught off guard, her eyes wide in surprise.

She had thought she might be getting used to it—but clearly, she wasn’t.

Earlier, Lu Wuyou had merely been teasing her. But this time, the kiss felt completely different. Her breathing turned rapid in a matter of seconds. The rosy haze of steam misted her eyes, and the only sounds that escaped from between her lips were soft, fragmented whimpers.

Lu Wuyou kept kissing her, without pause, until Helan Ci was left dazed. Only then did he seem to remember something else, and asked, “You said I’d be more likable if I spoke less, were you serious?”

She stared at him in a stupor, his breath still lingering on her lips. She could not, for the life of her, understand how the topic had taken such a sudden turn.

“I was just saying it casually.”

Lu Wuyou smiled easily, kissing her twice more. “So you don’t think I talk too much?”

Helan Ci finally caught her breath and said, “It’s not that I don’t think so, just… if you talked less, it wouldn’t be like you…”

As she spoke, she suddenly recalled something very important.

All his restraint and self-control in recent days had made her forget just how blunt and unfiltered Lu Wuyou could be. Whenever he spoke to her, it was often without regard for timing, place, or decency, and he would ask some incredibly embarrassing questions.

Immediately, Helan Ci said sharply, “You’d better behave yourself. Don’t ask me those weird questions or those… inappropriate things anymore.”

Otherwise, she might just die of embarrassment.

And drag Lu Wuyou down with her.

Lu Wuyou chuckled softly, raising his brows. “So, if I don’t need permission… does that mean… anything goes…”

Whether she replied or not, it made no difference. It seemed Lu Wuyou had already gotten his answer.

Lu Wuyou’s voice became hoarse and restrained again. He said softly, “You won’t let me ask, but if there’s anything you want to tell me… just say it. No need to feel shy.”

Helan Ci wanted to say, “Right now…”

But she only bit down on the back of her own tense hand.

Seeing this, Lu Wuyou asked, “Why are you biting yourself now? I haven’t even done anything yet—just touched you a little.”

Really, he just prodded her with his finger.

Helan Ci couldn’t help but say, “I think what you just said wasn’t true at all…”

The night seemed to have grown even deeper. Only the endless patter of raindrops echoed, indistinguishable from day or night, disturbing dreams and bringing a crisp, cool breeze—but inside, the air was warm, perhaps even overly so.

Amid the muffled sound of the rain, there were some indistinct voices.

her turned cheek again. “This is just… reciprocation. It’s not like you haven’t done the same to me.”

Helan Ci had no choice but to let go of her hand and bite down on her lip instead. “How is this the same…”

Before she realized it, her face was completely flushed.

She even wanted to bite him.

But Lu Wuyou leaned close to her ear again and whispered seductively with low voice.

Helan Ci covered her eyes and said, “Don’t say anything else!”

But Lu Wuyou was still very slow and unhurried, as if he suddenly wasn’t in a hurry at this moment.

—But apart from using his finger, he hadn’t done anything else.

“You’re way too small…” Lu Wuyou murmured again in a low voice, “Or else…” His voice dropped even further, to the point that only Helan Ci could hear it.

Helan Ci hadn’t been thinking too much at first, but as soon as he said that, a thought flashed through her mind—she remembered the item Lu Wuyou’s aunt had given her, and then recalled everything she had seen and felt when helping him.

All of a sudden, a faint sense of doubt crept in—unsure, uncertain.

“Are you sure it’s like this…?”

Lu Wuyou’s breath hitched slightly as he said, “What else could it be?”

Helan Ci bit her lip and muttered, “I don’t think that’s really feasible…”

Lu Wuyou, as if trying to soothe her, kissed the hollow of her shoulder and said, “Didn’t we already…”

Helan Ci cut in, “But I didn’t remember anything back then!”

Lu Wuyou paused, then said, “I don’t remember clearly either, but it should be fine… Miss Helan, you have to trust yourself.”

Helan Ci was not the least bit encouraged. All she wanted to say was: “I think this is one of those things where no matter how hard I try, it won’t help…”

Lu Wuyou leaned in again and whispered something else in her ear.

Helan Ci’s earlobes went scalding hot.

In front of her, Lu Wuyou’s peach blossom eyes were half-lowered, long lashes casting shadows over his eyelids, concealing the deepening color in his gaze. That elegant face, usually like spring water, now bore a strange flush, even the corners of his eyes tinged with rouge. His brows were drawn slightly together, his whole body taut with tension.

“You’re quite proactive… .”

Helan Ci: “…?!”

***

Just as Helan Ci’s thoughts began to scatter wildly, the rain outside suddenly grew heavier. It blotted out the sky and the sun, pounding furiously against the rooftop with crackling pa-pa sounds, as if it refused to stop for even a moment, sending up splashes of large, blooming water flowers.

Even the roof tiles seemed unable to bear the impact, trembling lightly and letting out pitiful, rustling creaks as if they too were on the verge of collapse.

It felt dangerously unstable.

There was no curfew in Shangjing, but those still out and about were all anxiously scrambling for shelter, sighing at how heavy the rain was tonight. They muttered that they hadn’t seen such a downpour in months—as if the skies meant to pour out all the unshed rain at once and be done with it.

In a late-night teahouse by the street, passersby huddled inside, avoiding the rain.

“Talking nonsense! I say it’s been years since we had rain this heavy! Like the sky forgot how to rain altogether!”

“Now that’s an exaggeration! It’s definitely rained before—just maybe not this heavy. Lemme think…”

“Clothes hung out to dry probably won’t dry at all.”

“Forget that—what if this much rain floods the fields again? The dikes were just reinforced!”

“My few acres on the outskirts… I’ve no idea how they’re doing now…”

As for the Lu residence, perhaps the most unfortunate victims were the young saplings in the courtyard that had barely grown tall, and the newly blooming clusters of small yellow flowers. The saplings were trembling and swaying, tossed left and right by the fierce wind, their branches shaking chaotically, and even the trunks seemed a bit unstable.

The flowers in the courtyard, recently planted and just starting to bloom—some still in bud, some half-open—were now all beaten down like banana leaves in the storm, drooping from the rain.

Shuangzhi, fast asleep, was also roused by the thunderous roar of the rain.

Like Helan Ci, she harbored lingering fears toward rain of this magnitude. Her mind kept flashing back to the time the Helan household’s roof had leaked, the cold damp seeping indoors. Worried, she looked up at the ceiling, then peered through the window lattice at the trees and flowers in the yard. She even hesitated, wondering whether she should go out to try and cover or rescue them.

But in the end, sleepiness overwhelmed her… and the fact that the room she was in was warm and didn’t leak helped her make her decision—she chose to give up and go back to sleep.

Just before lying down, Shuangzhi muttered a wish that the flower wouldn’t be damaged by the rain.

***

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but Helan Ci felt unbearably sleepy—her eyes could hardly stay open.

“Don’t bite yourself anymore. Bite me instead…” As he spoke, the refreshed and energized Lu Wuyou even stretched out his arm, placing it near Helan Ci’s lips.

As if he were being all generous and magnanimous.

But clearly… Helan Ci felt that the truly generous one here was her.

Lu Wuyou had even tried to bargain with her earlier—wasn’t that unreasonable?!

She couldn’t help but complain inwardly.

Seeing her unresponsive, Lu Wuyou reached out and gently brushed aside the damp hair clinging to her forehead, his voice tender. But toward the end, the tone curled upward, seductive, laced with a faint breathlessness: “I promise, this is…”

Helan Ci lay flat and motionless, staring at the finger he held up before her. With great difficulty and very little strength, she lifted her hand and pressed down on his finger. Lowering her gaze, her voice was incredibly hoarse as she said, “…I’m sleepy. I want to sleep a bit.”

She suddenly realized, this was supposed to be her deep sleep time!

It’s not that she doesn’t exercise enough!

She was supposed to be tired at this hour!

Seeing this, Lu Wuyou didn’t push her further. He merely slowed his breathing, leaned back a bit, putting some distance between them. After a while, he picked up her soft, limp hand and lightly kissed the tip of her narrow, faintly pink finger, murmuring: “Alright then, sleep a bit…” He paused and added, “I really don’t have any functional problem.”

He had still wanted to do a little more, but he feels that at this stage, it’s better to maintain a moderate distance to avoid…

“……I know!”

Helan Ci finished speaking hoarsely, pulled the thin quilt over herself, and pressed his eyes with the other hand. Still, there was a hint… no, a lot of shyness. Her whole body curled into the quilt, bl00d rushing up from her ears to the side of her neck, rendering her utterly weak.

She stared blankly for a while.

But soon enough, she couldn’t help grabbing a nearby soft pillow, burying her face into it and taking long, steady breaths.

Then the next second, she remembered what that pillow had recently been used for—and instantly felt she couldn’t face it.

Nothing she did seemed right.

By her ears, faint sounds still echoed—she couldn’t tell whether it was the sound of the rain, or Lu Wuyou’s voice, lingering and tangled in her ears. His voice was nothing like its usual clear, smooth elegance. It matched the charm in his peach blossom eyes, laced with a husky, low laughter—elusive and dark, as if drawn from deep within his chest, brushing lightly with every shallow breath, tugging at the soul.

And he really couldn’t say anything proper. she didn’t want to hear him flatter her anymore—

Helan Ci shoved her head even deeper into the pillow.

She had barely been like that a moment when two long fingers reached over and tugged at her soft pillow: “Don’t suffocate yourself… I’ve calmed down now, let me take a look at you.”

“Look… at what?”

“What else?”

Helan Ci raised her head just a little and saw his slender fingers tugging at the pillow. She couldn’t see his eyes—perhaps she couldn’t see anything right now.

She just buried her head in the blanket again and softly said, “…Ino need, don’t bother.”

Lu Wuyou’s voice came through again, still tinged with a hint of laughter: “I’m a bit worried.”

Helan Ci couldn’t help but scoff: “You don’t have to pretend to be worried now, alright…”

lu wuyou coughed lightly. “i told you already, miss helan… i’m a person, not an object. since i’m a person, some things are within my control, and some aren’t. you should understand what i mean.”

before he’d even finished speaking, helan ci felt a light being lit.

the sky was still dim, the sun barely peeking through with a faint, hazy glow.

The moment the light was turned on, the room instantly brightened.

It had been fine in the darkness just now, but under the light, it felt as if everything about her was exposed. Lu Wuyou even started tugging at her thin blanket, tugging and pulling—completely out of line. Helan Ci tightly held onto the blanket and said, “No need! Turn off the light!”

Lu Wuyou casually said, ” It will be dawn soon anyway.”

Helan Ci said, “I know that—just stop looking at me!”

Her voice was hoarse, yet every word sounded like a squeal. Lu Wuyou couldn’t help but laugh. “But you can’t see it yourself… I’m worried about you.”

Helan Ci muttered, “There’s nothing to worry about! Even if there were something, I could handle it myself!” She lowered her voice, “What you gave me last time… I still have it.”

Lu Wuyou’s smile deepened. “Weren’t you bold at first? How are you suddenly shy now?”

Helan Ci mumbled, “That’s what I should be asking you—weren’t you trying to be a saint?” She flushed, then added, “What happened to your gentlemanly restraint and careful consideration… extinguish the lamp! Hurry up!”

Fearing he’d truly upset her, Lu Wuyou obediently turned off the light.

The surroundings sank back into darkness. Only two quiet silhouettes remained, cast faintly onto the curtain.

The torrential rain that had raged all night finally began to ease, turning into a gentle trickle. The damp, sticky air outside slowly lightened—but the air inside the room only seemed to grow thicker, more clinging.

There was a faint scent lingering in the air—hard to describe.

She couldn’t tell if it was pleasant or not, but it stirred the imagination. As if it came from her, and at the same time, as if it had always been part of the room.

In the silence, Lu Wuyou quietly stared out the window for a while. His long lashes fluttered softly before he slowly, gradually opened his mouth and said, “What is a saint? It’s better not to be one. I can’t eliminate human desires and uphold the laws of nature. There are so many people who want it… Haven’t I already told you that I’m not a saint? As long as you don’t regret it…”

Helan Ci had her back to him at first. Hearing his voice, she slowly pulled her head out from the pillow and turned around, quietly lifting her gaze to look at him.

The side of Lu Wuyou’s face was outlined by the dim morning light, tracing out a handsome silhouette along the bridge of his nose. But his gaze held a faint trace of…

Helan Ci interrupted him, feeling that he was overthinking: “I don’t regret it at all. it’s just…” She paused silently, “It’s too tiring.”