NOVEL NEXT Chapter Thirty-Five: Awakening to Something Strange
Sigh.
In just one night, I couldn’t even go home.
How unlucky can one be?
Staring at the cold and bare prison walls, Young Master Sang let out a deep sigh.
Thank goodness I have a maid to keep me company, and two cats to play with.
Lighten up, Young Master Sang.
Contentment is the key to happiness, contentment is the key to happiness.
Saying this, he waved casually at the two cats, grabbing them tightly in his arms for some roughhousing.
Zhang Xiaoying went to prepare some hot water for washing up.
Though the company conditions were a bit tight, basic living necessities were still covered. Young Master Sang didn’t need to worry about hot water or towels.
Just a pity there wasn’t a wooden tub.
Naturally, no bath could be taken either.
Realistically, not being able to take a bath was somewhat of a loss for Young Master Sang.
After all, it was his only way to unwind after a long day at work.
Just thinking about having worked all day, feeling all tired and sweaty, and not being able to take a comfortable bath made him feel a bit regretful.
“Sigh, Little Ying, don’t complain about my stench tonight, okay? No bath, you know.”
At this remark, Zhang Xiaoying’s hand twitched as if electrocuted.
The master’s body odor…
Her beautiful eyes flashed a moment of rosy confusion.
“Little Ying?”
“Ah, it’s nothing, I… haven’t bathed either,” she suddenly felt her cheeks heat up and lowered her head nervously.
Young Master Sang shot her a suspicious look.
What was she daydreaming about just now?
By the time Young Master Sang had finished washing up, Zhang Xiaoying had already taken out her hairpin and had let her gentle locks fall over her nightgown.
Then, she carefully crawled under the covers, warming up the blankets.
“Master, it’s getting late. Let’s go to bed.”
Young Master Sang replied with an “oh,” slipping into bed in just his thin pajamas.
The prison suddenly became quiet.
Shi Qingyan, seeing the two of them lie down, squeezed desperately toward the edge of the curtain to peek at what was going on behind it.
In reality, there was no movement at all.
Once Young Master Sang lay down, he obediently closed his eyes.
Although it was the first time he shared a blanket with a girl, he had spent so much time with Zhang Xiaoying that it felt familiar.
He had no thoughts of anything in particular, and with someone eavesdropping behind the curtain, he couldn’t muster any interest at all.
Better just to go to sleep.
However, at that moment, Zhang Xiaoying’s heart was racing; her gaze cautiously darted toward Young Master Sang’s face before instantly shying away.
This was also her first time sleeping so close to Young Master Sang.
It felt as if she could just turn a bit and press her lips against his cheek.
Especially since he had just mentioned his body odor, she started paying extra attention to it.
The master’s body odor…
She couldn’t help but inch a little closer to Young Master Sang.
The blankets weren’t too big, but they weren’t tiny either. Just a slight shift, and there was almost no gap between Zhang Xiaoying and Young Master Sang.
A gentle touch of their hands would put them in contact.
In the dim candlelight of the prison, Zhang Xiaoying’s eyes softly studied Young Master Sang’s profile.
She turned her little head, trying to nuzzle a bit closer, her delicate nose moving slightly, seemingly savoring the scent of Young Master Sang.
But there wasn’t the strong smell of sweat he mentioned.
Instead, there was a somewhat unique aroma.
A distinctly masculine scent.
Just catching a whiff of it made her feel a bit intoxicated.
“Hmm…”
At that moment, Zhang Xiaoying couldn’t help but let out a suppressed moan.
Her whole body involuntarily curled up.
Just being able to smell Young Master Sang so closely filled her with immense happiness.
Suddenly, a low voice sounded beside her:
“What are you thinking about?”
“Hmm!”
Zhang Xiaoying jumped at the sight of Young Master Sang suddenly opening his eyes, her body trembling, her cheeks flushing intensely.
“I… um, uh…”
She stammered for quite a while, finally averting her gaze shyly.
Young Master Sang didn’t press further.
He turned to look at Zhang Xiaoying’s flustered, shy face, and the glimmer of spring in her sparkling eyes.
Seeing his maid so adorably flustered wasn’t too bad either.
“Little Ying, the way you’re stumbling over your words is pretty cute.”
Zhang Xiaoying’s head felt like it was on fire.
She opened her mouth, but completely forgot what to say, only managing to mumble incoherently.
Meanwhile, behind the curtain.
Shi Qingyan’s heart was racing, feeling her blood pressure spike.
Stumbling over words?!
Zhang Xiaoying! What are you doing?!
That sound you made was just sleep talking, right?
Tell me you’re already asleep and that you’re not doing anything weird, okay?
Promise me your mouth is only for eating and talking, alright?
She twisted and rolled behind the curtain like a maggot, wailing in agony as she helplessly watched her beloved woman curling up with her master on the other side.
She felt her heart breaking.
Zhang Xiaoying seemed to be somewhat dazed, confused by the closeness with Young Master Sang, just nervously keeping her head down, her heart racing like a drum.
Young Master Sang was actually feeling a bit antsy too.
Zhang Xiaoying was quite pretty.
Her delicate face was charming, giving off an air of gentle and sweet serenity.
Even in his previous life, Young Master Sang had no experience sharing a bed with a girl.
So the moment he had such a shy and nervous girl sleeping right next to him, who was also his little maid, it felt like some boundary could be crossed without much consequence.
Little Ying wouldn’t mind, right?
If all else fails, would it be just a gentle hug?
It shouldn’t be a problem to embrace her while sleeping, right?
Taking a light swallow, Young Master Sang tentatively reached out his hand toward Zhang Xiaoying.
Zhang Xiaoying’s body quivered like a little animal.
Her eyes seemed to swim with moisture.
But she didn’t resist his move; instead, she tensed up, waiting for Young Master Sang to touch her.
And then, the moment Young Master Sang’s arm gently wrapped around her slightly trembling body,
Zhang Xiaoying felt like she was floating.
“Ah…”
She let out a low gasp, a mix of excitement and shivers.
“I’m in…”
In the master’s embrace now.
Being held by the master felt so comfortable.
Even without trying to inhale deeply.
Every breath was filled with the master’s scent.
Young Master Sang was surprisingly a little nervous.
Zhang Xiaoying was so soft.
Holding her was like hugging a pillow, everything so soft, even when he lightly wrapped his arms around her slender waist, resting his chin on her forehead.
Just like that, simply holding each other brought about an indescribable sense of happiness and fulfillment.
…It felt like.
Not too bad, actually. Young Master Sang suddenly thought.
——
——
Young Master Sang was very happy. Zhang Xiaoying was also very happy.
But the joys and sorrows of people do not resonate with each other.
Behind the curtain, Shi Qingyan felt the world was collapsing when she heard Zhang Xiaoying’s seductive whisper and the almost ecstatic “I’m in” that followed.
She felt as if the countless scenarios she had conjured in her mind were happening right before her eyes.
In a daze and despair, she reached out her hand toward the curtain.
But nothing could be touched.
What caused her the most pain and despair was.
Hearing Zhang Xiaoying’s nearly joyful moan.
She… actually had, for a brief moment…
Very shamefully…
Felt a flicker of excitement.