So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

Ning Yu realized that the Miss Xiao in front of her was not as harmless as she seemed on the surface, but was better at hiding her emotions than Princess Huayang.

Whether she was showing off or testing, Ning Yu found it all boring. She had no intention of competing with them for a man; a man like Xie Xun wasn't someone you could snatch away.

"Miss Xiao, please go ahead and attend to your business. I have other matters to attend to, so I won't disturb you any longer."

Just as Ning Yu withdrew her hand, the person beside her suddenly exclaimed, "Sister Ning, isn't that His Majesty?"

In a warm pavilion in the Imperial Garden, steaming hot tea was brewing on a stove, and two people were playing chess on heated stools.

The man sitting upright wore a black cloak embroidered with gold, his demeanor refined and noble, dignified and serene. Those surrounding him were likely his close associates. There was no oppressive or somber atmosphere like that of an emperor, and Xiao Zhiliu's hearty laughter could be heard.

Ning Yu glanced at the crowd a few times, and seeing so many people, she lost the desire to go over and turned to leave.

Xiao Yunnuan pulled her back, "His Majesty is here. We can see him, but to go and pay our respects would be to show disrespect to the emperor."

They didn't even notice the two of them; they were still quite a distance apart.

"Greetings, Madam."

The sound of palace servants bowing as they passed by drew the attention of everyone in the warm pavilion. Upon seeing the two, the group of people brewing tea around the stove all stood up and bowed. Wei Rongxuan, who was playing chess with Xie Xun, also stood up and cupped his hands in greeting to Ning Yu.

Xie Xun didn't even glance at her from beginning to end, holding a black chess piece and watching the battle on the board with his narrow phoenix eyes.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Xie Xun didn't immediately call out. Instead, he placed a piece on the table and picked up the teacup.

Ning Yu could easily guess that this dog emperor was doing it on purpose and had probably seen them long ago. She maintained her bowing posture, her long eyelashes trembling, her beautiful face lowered, refusing to look at him.

Xiao Zhiliu glanced at the two of them, her eyes crinkling with a smile, "The Empress's investiture ceremony is set for April. Congratulations to Your Majesty on this double celebration."

A soft laugh broke the eerie silence. Xie Xun put down his teacup. "Come here."

Ning Yu didn't know who the voice was calling, so she straightened up and rubbed her aching back.

"Are Your Majesty and Third Brother playing chess?" Xiao Yunnuan stood up, smiled, and went up the stone steps to stand next to Xie Xun, looking at the chessboard.

Wei Rongxuan lifted his robe and sat down again. "Your brother hates playing chess the most."

"Exactly, only a cunning old fox like him would think ten steps ahead before taking a single step."

Xiao Yunnuan chuckled and teased a few times, then took the scalding hot teapot from the stove and poured Xie Xun a cup of tea, her body almost touching his clothes.

Ning Yu glanced at the intimacy between the two, quietly moved a little further away, and turned to leave.

"Didn't you say you missed me?"

Yonghe's voice startled everyone, and their gazes, seemingly casual, all turned to look at her. Ning Yu immediately felt a prickling sensation on her back. When she turned around, she met a sidelong glance from him, filled with the indifference of an emperor.

Wei Rongxuan glanced at Xiao Zhiliu, who still wanted to watch the show, and pulled him down the stone steps. The servants around them immediately retreated a little.

"We take our leave."

As the laughter faded into the distance, Xiao Yunnuan suppressed her emotions. Seeing that her third brother was looking at her with a warning, she clenched her fists and retreated.

Soon only the two of them remained around the warm pavilion. The palace servants who had been serving them were gone. A cold wind blew, and Xie Xun saw that her clothes and hair were billowing in the wind.

Wearing so little, aren't you afraid of freezing to death?

Seeing that everyone had gone far away, Ning Yu lifted her skirt and went up the stone steps.

As they drew closer, she reached out her icy hand to tug at his sleeve. "Your Majesty~"

Xie Xun ignored her, slowly picked up the teapot and poured a steaming cup of tea, seemingly waiting for her to continue.

Ning Yu wanted to turn around and leave when she saw his arrogant and condescending attitude, but remembering her purpose, she tried her best to hold back, her voice soft and coquettish, "Are you still angry?"

"Didn't you say your stomach was killing you?"

"Even if I'm in excruciating pain, Your Majesty won't care about me, will he?" She seemed to be freezing cold, and she leaned straight into his arms, her icy, slender hands slipping into his warm clothes.

The moment she leaned closer, Xie Xun raised his chin, and her body nestled into his arms.

Xie Xun looked at the woman sitting on his lap, his pent-up anger finally rising. He nuzzled his chin against her soft hair and said, "You've suddenly changed your tune. Have you come up with some way to deal with me?"

"I spoke without thinking that day, which angered His Majesty, but His Majesty hasn't visited me for a long time."

Ning Yu felt that he was falling for this act, and time was running out, so she directly used the same method to coax him as before, wrapping her slender white hands around his waist and speaking without hesitation.

"I don't want to be locked up anymore, so I have no choice but to beg Your Majesty."

Xie Xun knew that this statement was somewhat sincere, but when he thought of her saying that she had never wanted to be with him or have their child, he couldn't suppress his anger.

"I'm freezing! Your Majesty, please hold me."

He was used to seeing her in bed, sometimes scolding, sometimes sulking, looking alluring and seductive. He rarely saw her like this, and subconsciously raised his hand to pull her closer.

She could hear his heartbeat in her ear, and Ning Yu felt her body warming up. Their breaths mingled together, and she lowered her eyes.

"If you don't want to be locked up, try to coax me with sweet words. Ning Yu, do you think I'm that easy to talk to?"

"I'm pregnant with His Majesty's child. I can't be locked up in the bedchamber all day. I'll get suffocated."

Xie Xun looked down at her. "Didn't you say you didn't want to give birth to the unborn child in your belly?"

The overwhelming pressure made Ning Yu pause for a moment, but in that instant his expression darkened, and he released her to leave. In a moment of impulse, she propped herself up and kissed his lips.

The surroundings seemed to stand still, and the two were very close to each other.

Xie Xun looked into her beautiful fox-like eyes, which were like peach blossoms in full bloom, staring straight at him. The desire he had been suppressing was aroused and he couldn't help but want to press her down and kiss her deeply.

He didn't move, looking into her eyes, which seemed both deep and shallow. Ning Yu could only imitate what he used to do, using her tongue to pry open his teeth and probe inside to kiss him passionately.

Xie Xun immediately took the initiative, grabbing her head, tucking it into her hair, and kissing her fiercely.

His kisses had a hint of sucking and biting, like a wolf that had been starving for a long time. Ning Yu couldn't resist, and her moans came out intermittently.

She felt that Xie Xun wanted to kill her.

Later, Ning Yu's eyes welled up with tears, and she murmured his name, "Xie Xun."

Xie Xun hummed in response. She took the opportunity to create some distance between them, lowered her head, and leaned against him, panting softly.

"Is this all the sincerity you've shown?"

Listening to his rapid, pounding heartbeat, Ning Yu's hands, nestled in his arms, slowly climbed up, hooking around his neck. Her alluring eyes beckoned him, "Then what else does Your Majesty desire?"