Before anything could be settled, this man had gotten worked up again—was he going to drag her back to the cabin?

  Huaduomei felt her feet leaving the ground, her entire weight held up by that iron arm, and the owner of that arm was striding straight toward the ladder.

  "Leisalang!" Lu Yun suddenly called out to him, speaking with ulterior motives, "You must know full well why I brought my ships here to block you, there's no need for me to spell it out—we both know what this is about. I just want to say, even if you brought that precious thing out of the Central Plains, it won't be easy for you to keep her forever if you insist on monopolizing her." By the end of his words, his tone had turned grim, ruthless intent plain to see.

  The atmosphere on the deck chilled sharply. The men standing around all widened their eyes and took a step forward.

  Luanyun Mountain came alone, and Leisalang would never stoop to bullying an outnumbered opponent. He immediately made a gesture to signal his men not to act rashly, and called out without even turning his head—

  "Head Lu, you may leave. I will not see you off."

  The order to evict the guest given, he stepped forward again, to carry off his woman.

  "You have some nerve! So you really do have a pirate whore that's your lover, Leisalang. You… you bastard!"

  As soon as they entered the cabin, Huaduomei lashed out at him straight away.

  Now that she had been dragged into the cabin, she no longer needed to hold back her anger, and let it burst out completely.

  "I didn't—wait, stop moving, damn it, just listen to me explain—" His lower lip was bitten hard right after. Leisalang furrowed his brow slightly, gave a muffled grunt of pain, then gripped her chin and kissed her hard in return.

  Of course she was supposed to listen to his explanation, but Huaduomei was burning with anger right now. She couldn't feel at ease until she burned away all the gloom clogging her chest first.

  The two of them were like fighting beasts, grappling with hands and feet, lips, teeth and tongue all put to use.

  Their tangled bodies fell back onto the bed together. Their movements were so rough and violent that the small square table and round stool by the bed were all knocked over, even the mosquito net hanging above the bed was torn down. Bangs and crashes rang out, this "close-quarters battle" grew more and more intense, completely out of control.

  ……

  "Mn…" His completely naked body lay sideways on the couch, his chest still heaving violently, but something felt wrong. The force that had been tormenting him and the titillating pressure disappeared suddenly. He felt adrift and unmoored, suddenly like a lone root drifting on the sea, so lonely, so anguished, so unbearably wretched.

  "Daxiang…" His call was so hoarse it was barely recognizable. His deep eyes no longer held their usual spirit, shrouded in a watery mist.

  He turned his flushed face slightly, blinked, and caught sight of the woman he'd been pining for standing right by the bed, holding a piece of fine jade clothing with her back to him, and she… she… was actually putting her clothes on?!

  "You… what are you doing?"

  "Getting dressed." Her clear voice answered coolly.

  His head spun.

  "We haven't finished yet!" The words burst out between his teeth, rough and fiery.

  "Two hands are all you need, Master Leisalang. You're so capable, you can definitely take care of it yourself. Or if you want, I can go call your lover to help you. Even though she was given an eviction order, Luanyun Mountain's ship shouldn't have gotten far yet, I can—waaah——" Before she finished speaking, she was dragged back by that wild iron arm.

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  Huaduomei fell back onto the bed again. This time the world turned upside down, the man forced her down under him.

  She hated him so much.

  Yet she couldn't really hate him.

  She had wanted to punish him, tease him, leave him itching with desire but unable to get what he wanted.

  However, deep down she knew perfectly well that she actually wanted him to fight back like this, to barbarically pin her under him, not let her escape.

  Her chest felt tight and sour. Her possessed body seemed to be tossing in fire. Pain and pleasure were separated by only a thin line, and she wandered back and forth between them. Tears welled in her eye sockets, so she just let herself cry. At a moment like this, she ought to cry until she's dazed, cry until her face is streaked with tears and pitiable, cry until she reaches the height of pleasure and the depth of grief all at once……

  When everything finally calmed down, the scent of lust still lingered in the cabin.

  The man and woman on the bed still had their limbs tangled, the man's arm wrapped around the woman's delicate body in an attitude of absolute possession.

  They nestled quietly together, each hearing the other's heartbeat. After a moment, Leisalang finally moved his lips, his voice slightly hoarse.

  "Between me and Luanyunyun…… things aren't what you think."

  "Hmph!" She turned over in his arm, pressing her black hair loosely against the back of his head to face away from him.

  "Daxiang……" Leisalang sighed, a headache coming on.

  Before he met her, his heart had been free and untethered. Women were just accessories to men in his eyes; besides his younger sister Qi'er, no woman had ever been able to make him care.

  And yet, this poisonous wild flower existed in the world. She was vicious, once you touch her there's no turning back. She poisoned him so thoroughly that every vein in his body roared "It has to be her, it can only be her"……

  "Daxiang……"

  "Hmph!" The woman continued to shut him out.

  Leisalang's breath grew thick. He simply turned the little person in his arms around, deliberately pressing his forearm down on that head of soft black hair, so she could no longer avoid him.

  "On the Jin Island that Luanyun Mountain occupies, they can grow rare exotic flowers and herbs that aren't found anywhere else. The incense and spices made from those plants can be sold for exorbitant prices. Like the 'Manluo root' you saw before, that came from Jin Island." He leaned down, his loose forehead hair brushing lightly against her, his gaze deep. "Between me and her, it's just mutually beneficial. She gives me rare goods, I pay her a lot of silver. That's all there is to it, nothing more."

  Huaduomei had originally intended to snort again to fully express her discontent, but after wrinkling her delicate nose, pursing her lips, and grinding her teeth, she couldn't help but ask: "What is this about talking by candlelight all night? And you two had such a pleasant conversation that you even left your own cape at her place! Knowing your ship passed by here, I hurried here just to meet you—aren't you... moved?" She poked his chest muscle, poking again and again, even when her delicate jade finger ached from the poking she wouldn't stop. "Speak!"

  "It was just a business discussion over that candlelit talk, something that benefits both sides, so of course the conversation went smoothly. I really did forget to bring that cape back with me. She hurried to meet our ship, but the person she wants to meet isn't necessarily me..." He grew annoyed, as if this question touched on a troublesome matter he didn't want to discuss much, and it was quicker to bluff it through in a fit of embarrassment.

  He nipped hard at her red lips once, breathing out heavily in resentment. "Do you trust her or do you trust me?"

  Her heart leaned toward him, that was an undeniable fact after all.

  But now that her rival had overstepped the line, she could hold back in front of others, but she definitely had to tease and pester him in private.

  "I trust myself!" she said proudly, her charming eyes soft as spring silk.

  She lifted her beautiful face, her fair lotus root-like arm hooked around the man's neck, and ravaged his mouth with even firmer force.

  The two of them once again tangled their lips and tongues heatedly.

  Amidst their lingering wet kiss, something suddenly flashed through Huaduomei's mind. Her red lips murmured softly: "Resarlong... She said... you brought a treasure out of the Central Plains, a living treasure... is that true? How did I not know about it... What is that living treasure exactly! Mmph..." All her words and questions were swallowed up by the man's hot kiss and caress.

  After that, Huaduomei only remembered one thing—

  When the big ship reaches our destination in Nanyang, I must definitely hire a craftsman to build and install a brand-new, incredibly sturdy wooden bed!

  It doesn't really matter that this old bed is a little narrower. Anyway, either she's on top of him, or he's leaning over her soft body, the small size isn't a problem. What she's really worried about is that the old bed seems... looks like... it's almost unable to bear the weight anymore, they're going to "rock" it apart!

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