The Prime Minister Knows How to Handle Her Wife (ABO, GL) - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

“Ning Qingge, you talk with me…”

The person lying down tightly grasped the fabric beneath her, her knuckles whitening with tension, the veins on her neck bulging from pain, her slender spine trembling under her robe, like a delicate flower stem that might snap with a gentle bend.

If that Madam Jin wasn’t still entangled with Ye Liuyun, she would surely drag her out, beat her soundly, and make her suffer thirty lashes like herself, forcing her to run until her wounds reopened, not allowing her to stop until they did.

Sheng Shiyue thought viciously, but in the next moment, when a fingertip coated with ointment touched her, she sharply inhaled a cold breath.

Tears welled up in her eyes again. If the physician hadn’t threatened her, saying that not applying the ointment would cause the wound to fester and require cutting away the rotten flesh bit by bit with a small knife, she wouldn’t obediently lie here enduring the pain.

“Hiss,” Sheng Shiyue cried out in pain, unable to help turning her head back, pleading pitifully, “Ning Qingge, you talk with me, I’m in so much pain.”

The person sitting on the wooden stool behind her furrowed her brows even tighter than Sheng Shiyue’s, looking as cautious as if facing a great enemy, each touch light and slow, fearing to cause Sheng Shiyue even the slightest extra pain.

If the court officials saw this, they might suspect something major had happened in the Liang Kingdom, perhaps even a matter of life and death, to make someone as composed as Ning Qingge show such a grave expression.

Hearing her words, Ning Qingge paused for a moment, then opened her mouth and asked, “Your Highness, what do you want to talk about?”

Sheng Shiyue’s ears rang from the pain, her mind blank, unable to find a suitable topic. After thinking hard, she could only force herself to bring up what happened earlier.

She asked, “Do you think Ye Liuyun and that Madam Jin will, will…”

She stumbled, unable to say it out loud for a moment.

Ning Qingge, on the other hand, remained calm, her attention focused on the person before her, saying casually, “The heat is hard to resist, especially for two people in such special periods, a Kunze and a Qianyuan.”

Sheng Shiyue nodded thoughtfully, then couldn’t help defending Ye Liuyun, saying reluctantly, “What if Ye Liuyun resists it?”

As soon as she said it, she began to doubt herself, muttering, “But that Madam Jin does have some charm, and she’s quite good at…”

“Hiss!”

Before she could finish, Sheng Shiyue arched back in pain, like a silver fish suddenly curling and leaping.

She didn’t know if Ning Qingge did it on purpose, but this application of ointment hurt much more than the last, making her legs weak and nearly bringing tears to her eyes.

“Ning, Ning Qingge,” she turned her head, seeking an answer.

But she saw the other still bending down, eyes lowered, diligently applying the ointment.

Could she have misunderstood? Perhaps that spot was just more severe.

Sheng Shiyue began to doubt herself.

The other person looked up, her eyes curving as she smiled and asked, “Is she very pretty? I only caught a fleeting glimpse earlier and didn’t see clearly.”

Her tone was too normal, as if she was genuinely trying to distract Sheng Shiyue, casually picking a topic.

The other, at this moment, was especially naive, continuing without reservation, “Quite pretty. Though she’s from a common background, she’s more gentle and charming than most noble ladies.”

“Oh?” Ning Qingge nodded slowly, then asked, “What did she do in the washroom that made Your Highness so flustered?”

At the mention of this, Sheng Shiyue perked up. Earlier, she was too worried about Ye Liuyun to discuss it with anyone. Now, finally having someone to confide in, she gestured with her hands, saying, “You don’t know how scary she was. I was wringing a cloth when she suddenly flung the window open.”

“I got such a fright, I quickly draped my outer robe over myself, thinking it was some assassin. But who would’ve thought it was a Kunze in her rain period, and her clothes were all disheveled…”

To describe it accurately, Sheng Shiyue even tugged at the robe on her body, exposing half her shoulder and neck, saying dramatically, “She was like this, like this, lunging at me.”

Her previous clothes had been taken off, and this white brocade outer robe was something Ning Qingge had found to keep her from catching a cold, temporarily draped over her.

Sheng Shiyue, already bare underneath, revealed even more as she pulled the robe down further. Her gracefully curved shoulder and neck shimmered with a layer of moisture, glowing like a white pearl.

Ning Qingge’s gaze landed there, her ink-dark eyes holding an obscure emotion, slightly somber under the dim yellow candlelight.

Sheng Shiyue’s expressive ability was indeed vivid; though Ning Qingge hadn’t experienced it herself, she could already picture the scene.

A disheveled Kunze, was it…

As her fingers applied more ointment, Sheng Shiyue let out a muffled groan, too pained to continue, hurriedly saying, “You don’t know how terrifying she was. She cornered me against the wall, just one step away, hiss!”

Sheng Shiyue cried out in pain, angrily scolding, “Ning Qingge!”

Why did it feel like it was getting more painful?

The person being called looked innocent, as if completely unaware, watching her.

Her demeanor was so convincing that the furious Sheng Shiyue began to doubt herself, saying weakly, “Be gentler, it hurts.”

Ning Qingge maintained her previous demeanor, even coaxing somewhat helplessly, “It’s almost done, just a little left.”

Was she really making a fuss for no reason?

Sheng Shiyue couldn’t tell, so she continued the previous topic, saying, “She’s not bad-looking, but I don’t know if Ye Liuyun likes her.”

Sheng Shiyue touched her chin, pondering, “I haven’t heard Ye Liuyun mention anything before, but she does seem to prefer older women with fuller figures and fair skin…”

“Ow, ow, ow!”

This time it really hurt. Sheng Shiyue nearly jumped up, even feeling like Ning Qingge pressed on the wound, making her vision blur with pain.

“Ning Qingge!” She immediately turned back, fuming, ready to settle the score.

But Ning Qingge raised the ointment jar, explaining considerately, “I saw Your Highness was focused on other thoughts, so I thought to finish it all at once.”

It was finally over?

Sheng Shiyue let out a sigh of relief. Indeed, a short pain was better than a long one. Though it hurt terribly just now, hearing it was done made her feel better.

She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and apologized to Ning Qingge. Ning Qingge was only trying to lessen her pain, yet she wrongly accused her of doing it on purpose, which wasn’t right.

The pain didn’t subside immediately. Sheng Shiyue completely forgot the earlier topic, her mind filled with pain, pain, pain. She lay on the wooden couch, eyes half-closed, not wanting to move an inch.

The person beside her stopped talking, silently putting away the ointment, then bringing a copper basin of hot water. A cloth dipped into the water, was wrung out, and the sound of dripping water pattered down.

Sheng Shiyue couldn’t smell the other’s scent, but she could clearly feel it.

Ever since the other ran out of the courtyard, she carried two strong scents that clung tightly to Sheng Shiyue. Even after being held in her arms for so long, those scents didn’t fade at all, making her mood irritable.

The robe draped over her was pulled off and casually tossed to the floor.

Sheng Shiyue glanced over, somewhat puzzled. She didn’t care about the clothes but found it strange, as Ning Qingge rarely handled things so roughly. In one night, she had already discarded two of her garments.

The other noticed her gaze and calmly explained, “That robe had some bloodstains; it had to be thrown out.”

Did it? She didn’t notice any bloodstains.

Sheng Shiyue didn’t think much of it. It was just a robe, after all. If the other wanted to discard it, so be it; she didn’t care.

A damp cloth touched her body, the pressure slightly heavier than usual and more thorough. If not for concern about her wounds, she might have been lifted into a bucket of water.

The faint fragrance of lotus filled the summer night, with a few stars in the sky, half-hidden by hazy gray mist.

Bianjing wasn’t lively today. Stalls closed early, and only a few pedestrians remained on the stone streets, giving an inexplicable sense of desolation.

In the room, shadows overlapped. A white cloth slid from her shoulder blades, water droplets falling into the curve of her spine, shimmering with a soft glow, reflecting the faint redness of her skin.

Sheng Shiyue let out a hum, unable to help complaining softly, “Ning Qingge, are you upset with me?”

“How could I be?” the other replied casually, tucking her loose hair behind her ear, revealing a refined profile.

Sheng Shiyue finally sensed something, muttering, “You clearly are. Your touch is so heavy today.”

The other, even when called out, remained unfazed, saying, “Your Highness picked up a lot of filth today; I have to use more force.”

Sheng Shiyue’s eyes widened, and she immediately said, “Are you saying I’m dirty?!”

Her voice was shocked and incredulous, looking at the other with the eyes of someone betrayed.

“Ning Qingge, you, you, you actually think I’m dirty!” she said again, her eyes, red from pain, now looking deeply aggrieved.

The person who always indulged Sheng Shiyue didn’t rush to comfort her this time, instead saying, “You smell bad.”

The fiery cat exploded instantly, flipping over to avoid Ning Qingge’s touch, kicking barefoot toward her chest, cursing, “Ning Qingge, say that again!”

She was furious. If it were anyone else, she wouldn’t care, but it was Ning Qingge, who always pampered and indulged her. Though this ancestor was spoiled, she had her own calculations. For instance, she didn’t care if the Empress disliked her, didn’t bother arguing, and accepted scolding or punishment without concern, as she didn’t care.

But with Qu Li or Ye Liuyun, a few words would make her lose her temper. And with Ning Qingge, ever since she learned of her feelings, Sheng Shiyue became even more delicate.

Seemingly untamed, Sheng Shiyue was actually like a highly guarded cat, only showing her belly to those she liked, enjoying their touch with half-closed eyes. But if the touch was too heavy, she’d snap with a warning bite. Though lying down, she maintained a lofty air, as if standing atop your head. The more someone liked her, the worse she acted, her bad temper fully unleashed, not allowing a single criticism.

Otherwise, like now, she’d bristle with anger, itching to bite the other in retaliation.

What kind of attitude was this for pursuing someone!

Sheng Shiyue narrowed her eyes, planning to toss Ning Qingge’s pillow to the floor once in bed. If she couldn’t kick her out of the room, couldn’t she make her sleep on the floor?

If it was uncomfortable, so be it. She wouldn’t hug her tonight!

Let’s see who outlasts who.

She was fuming, but the other calmly grabbed her ankle, holding it in her lap.

Though angry, Sheng Shiyue’s kick wasn’t hard—just a loud gesture with little force, barely tapping the knee, causing no pain.

Sheng Shiyue didn’t want her touch and tried pulling her leg back.

But the grip on her ankle tightened, refusing to let go.

Sheng Shiyue got angrier, raising her voice to scold, “Ning Qingge, let go of me!”

The other acted like a block of wood, her dark eyes unreadable, holding her without letting go.

The ankle under her grip soon turned red, like a specially crafted shackle.

Sheng Shiyue panicked with anger, seeing her gaze linger, and pulled a cloth to cover herself, refusing to let her look.

But it was just a white cloth, barely covering much, tangled with her long hair, half-hiding, half-revealing. Paired with her glistening eyes, it gave a stubborn fragility, as if she’d been bullied.

Ning Qingge stared at her, the irritation from others’ scents rising and falling, but ultimately suppressed. Unable to stay angry at this sight, she softened.

Her tight lips relaxed, and with a helpless sigh, she leaned down, lifted the other’s ankle, and placed a faint kiss, saying lightly, “Dirty.”

Her action was odd—not quite a kiss, more like a touch. Her soft lips pressed against the slender, fair ankle, unmoving, then spoke a word that didn’t sound like disdain but carried a faint indulgence.

The hair tucked behind her ear fell again, the flickering candlelight softening her features. Though not overtly gentle, she was somehow more… irritating than Madam Jin.

Sheng Shiyue tugged her leg again, still angry, refusing to let her continue.

But the other didn’t let go, instead moving up from the ankle, placing small kisses and saying, “Smelly.”

“Smelly thing.”

Sheng Shiyue froze, her hand gripping the cloth beside her, at a loss. She had no experience with this. Who scolds while doing this? Though the scolding wasn’t harsh, more like pampering.

Her lifted toes unintentionally brushed something too soft.

The person who was bold by day was brought back to reality by an even bolder act at night.

She couldn’t help wondering who was the playboy frequenting brothels and who was the scholar steeped in sage books.

Sheng Shiyue’s ears flushed red, her gaze darting, avoiding eye contact.

The other remained calm, as if unaware of her actions, her lowered lashes casting faint shadows, oddly reverent, as if not doing something intimate but with sincere devotion.

From ankle to calf, kisses left slight damp traces.

Sheng Shiyue curled her toes, wanting to shrink into a ball and hide in a corner, but unable to move, she stammered, “Ning, Qingge, let go of me.”

The cloth beneath her was crumpled into a mess, completely unwatchable.

The other ignored her, saying hoarsely, “Still not clean.”

“Smells bad.”

She continued upward, from waist to taut abdomen, kissing every inch, leaving no spot untouched.

The red candle beside them burned halfway, sparks crackling, as the wind outside grew louder.

The person once sitting on the chair now reclined on the wooden couch, casually hooking the other’s waist, not letting Sheng Shiyue move an inch.

Until reaching the slender neck, red lips touched the vulnerable gland behind it. Sheng Shiyue trembled, grabbing the other’s collar.

Only then did Ning Qingge speak, murmuring softly, “Not smelly anymore.”

“You’re the smelly one,” Sheng Shiyue retorted, glaring up at her.

Ning Qingge smiled, finally satisfied, her lips brushing the gland, saying hoarsely, “Don’t do this again. Stay away from others, don’t come back reeking.”

Sheng Shiyue finally understood, both angry and amused, cursing, “You know I can’t smell…”

Her voice paused, suddenly realizing something, her pupils widening.

Why could she occasionally smell Ning Qingge’s scent but not Madam Jin’s, despite her being in her rain period with a stronger scent, not to mention Ye Liuyun, triggered into her susceptible period…

In the other washroom.

In the darkness, only faint light from the window revealed the chaos inside—bedding thrown on the floor, water stains, a copper basin, torn clothes, all proclaiming the disorder that had occurred.

Yet the two who should have been entangled were apart. The barely conscious Madam Jin was bound with torn cloth strips, her disheveled hair framing a neck covered in red bite marks, but the crucial gland remained untouched, as if deliberately avoided.

Ye Liuyun slumped on the bedding on the other side, an empty bottle beside her, its Qingxu pills all swallowed.

Her eyes flickered with complex, conflicted emotions, alternating between clarity and desire…

It was almost unimaginable that a Qianyuan in her susceptible period and a Kunze in her rain period, sharing a room, could retain some clarity. Even Sheng Shiyue and others had given up struggling, only hoping Ye Liuyun wouldn’t easily form a bond, yet she had actually regained consciousness.

The Kunze across from her let out suppressed, strained gasps. Ye Liuyun grabbed a nearby torn cloth, tightly binding her own legs.