Linyue froze. Her whole face went red. Her fingers twitched uselessly against the blanket as her brain promptly stopped working. Was she supposed to push him? Run? Roll off the bed? Or maybe just pull the blanket over her head and never come out again?
Deep down, she knew he was right. She did owe him something. Not just that night he was teasing her about. She owed him so much more than that. Things she could never fully repay. Not in this life or in the next. She didn't even know how long he had stayed by her side when she was unconscious. Maybe weeks. Maybe longer. She only knew that he never left. Even when her spirit was unstable. Even when her life was slipping, he was always there. And then, he even married her. While she was dying. He could have waited. Could have chosen someone else. But he didn't.
Song Meiyu had told her everything. How he swore to take care of her no matter what happened. How he promised he would never take another wife. Only her.
Her heart tightened in her chest. She looked up at him. Not as the King of Shulin. Not as the fearful Demon King everyone feared. But as the man who had done everything for her. Quietly. Without asking anything in return. She reached up with both hands and gently held his face. Their eyes met. She didn't look away this time.
"You're right," she said softly. "I owe you more than that."
Shu Mingye blinked. His smirk faltered. The teasing glint in his eyes faded into something softer. His breath caught like he hadn't expected her to say it. And then, just to ruin the moment, he muttered, "Don't worry. I accept payment in kisses."
Linyue grinned. She didn't blush this time. She didn't turn away or throw a pillow at his face. She looked at him steadily and asked, "What if I don't want only kisses? What if I want something… more?"
Shu Mingye froze. His entire body stiffened. His eyes went wide. His lips parted slightly, stuck somewhere between a smug grin and pure shock. She wasn't teasing. Her eyes were calm, her voice soft but firm.
Linyue truly missed him. She missed his touch, his warmth, his scent. The man who had stayed beside her without fail. And now, seeing his dumbfounded expression? Completely worth it. Her small smile widened a little as she lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. Gently, she pulled him down until their foreheads touched. Then she kissed him. Just once. Soft and quick. Enough to leave him stunned and entirely hers.
When she pulled back, her lips brushed his as she whispered, "You still haven't answered my question."
Shu Mingye was still stunned. Not just by her boldness. Not just by the question or the kiss. But by something far more shocking.
She was warm. Not the usual cold, not faint, not flickering between life and death cold. Just warm. Alive. Human. His heart thudded hard against his ribs as he stared at her. Almost in disbelief, he lifted both hands and cupped her cheeks. His thumbs brushed her cheeks carefully, as if trying to check again and again that it was real.
"Pie," he whispered, his voice rough and low. "You're… you're warm."
Linyue tilted her head, puzzled. "Warm?"
She lowered her hand and touched her cheek. Without thinking, she reached out and rested her fingers against his jaw. "Right," she said softly. "It is warm."
Shu Mingye kept staring at her. Then he let out a low laugh, almost breathless. Relief mixed with wonder in his eyes, though mischief quickly joined in. "You're really fine now," he murmured. And then his voice dropped, his grin turning wicked. "I can make you warmer."
He closed the small space between them and kissed her. The taste of her was everything he remembered. Everything he missed. Sweet. Addicting. And the faint scent of gardenia clung to her skin, soft and refreshing. Shu Mingye's heart pounded hard, so loud it felt like it was echoing in his ears. He kissed her desperately, like he was trying to catch up on all the time they had lost. All the long days, the quiet aches, the worries he never spoke out loud. They melted away the moment she kissed him back.
Linyue didn't hesitate. Her fingers slid beneath his robes, warm and bold, tracing his skin in a way that made his whole body tense. His outer robe slipped off his shoulders with her careful tug. He shivered slightly when her fingertips brushed his chest. A low sound escaped him before he could stop it. His self-control, usually sharp as a blade, was slipping fast. His hands moved on their own, loosening the knots of her robes. The fabric fell away easily, as if it knew better than to get in his way. His lips pressed harder against hers, rough and desperate.
She was here. She was warm. She was alive.
He caught her wrists and pinned them beside her head. Not to hold her down but because he was afraid his own hands would tremble if they stayed free. His kiss deepened, slower now, like he wanted to memorize every breath she gave him. Every soft sound she made only pulled him deeper into madness. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Only her. Only them.
Linyue was completely lost. Drowned in his overwhelming love, his touch, his warmth. She lay there, limp on the bed, utterly at his mercy as he molded her to his will. He moved with purpose, with skill, with terrifying precision that could only come from studying.
It must be those books. Those scrolls. The ones left behind by Soup Man's perverted father. The fully illustrated ones.
She hadn't even known the human body could bend like this. Or feel like this. Her thoughts shattered as he demonstrated yet another technique. Every time she thought she had a moment to breathe, he proved her wrong. He lifted her with ease, his hands confident, his pace merciless. And she… her pride, her logic, her dignity had all long since surrendered. All she could do was cling to him and let him vent to his heart's content. Again and again.
By the time she found her voice, it came out cracked and breathless. "C-can we… take a break?"
Shu Mingye paused only long enough to smirk. His hair was a mess, his eyes dark and sharp, and that grin… that grin was dangerous.
"No," he said smoothly.
And then he proved exactly why those scrolls and books had been worth every single illustrated page.
Linyue closed her eyes. She surrendered to his touch, to the warmth of his skin, to the way he moved like he knew every corner of her heart and body. Time had lost all meaning. Had it been minutes? Hours? A whole lifetime? She couldn't tell anymore.
When he finally stopped, she didn't even try to move. Her arms lay limply at her sides. Her mind floated somewhere above the clouds, light and hazy, too far gone to bother returning. Even opening her eyes felt like too much effort.
Shu Mingye stayed close. He leaned over her, his shadow falling across her flushed face. His eyes softened, filled with so much affection it almost hurt to look at him. Almost. Because there was also pride there. Way too much pride.
His lovely Pie. She looked completely undone. Lashes fluttering weakly. Cheeks bright red. Lips slightly parted as if she wanted to speak but had forgotten how words worked. He reached out, his hand gentle against her cheek. He brushed his thumb lazily over the corner of her mouth, watching her lips twitch faintly.
"Pie," he murmured, his voice low and far too smug, "which one do you like the most?"
Her eyes flew open instantly, the question shocking her out of the haze.
Shu Mingye chuckled. His grin stretched wider as he took in her stunned look.
She stared at him, dazed and still trying to process the question. Finally, she muttered in a faint, hoarse voice, "I don't know."
His grin turned sharper, playful and dangerous at once. "You don't know?" he echoed, his tone full of dangerous amusement. "Then maybe we should try again. So you can pick properly this time."
"No!" Linyue's voice shot out faster than lightning. She shook her head, her hair sticking slightly to her flushed cheeks. "There's no need."
He leaned in anyway, his lips brushing her ear, his breath hot enough to make her shiver. "Really?" he murmured.
Her throat tightened. When she finally spoke, her voice cracked. "I like everything. As long as it's you."