As the meal arrived from the kitchen, Chang Yuncheng's courtyard was utterly silent, inside and out. Qiu Xiang, perched on the veranda amidst thick brocade cushions eating melon seeds, merely waved them off.

The servants understood, tiptoeing away.

"Has the young mistress been asleep since last night's exertion?" one of the managing women ventured, stepping forward with a soft laugh.

Qiu Xiang shelled a seed with her fingers, careful to avoid any audible cracking sound, and nodded in response.

"Then perhaps the Heir should eat something first?" the woman murmured quietly.

Qiu Xiang shook her head again.

"The Heir didn't sleep all night either," she whispered. "You may go down. I will have someone fetch food when they wake."

The women then softly agreed and retreated with graceful steps.

Silence settled back over the courtyard. Qiu Xiang accidentally cracked a seed—pa-chee—and perhaps the noise startled someone inside the room, for a soft female voice drifted out:

"...So annoying... When will it end... I'm dead tired..."

Qiu Xiang quickly set the seeds down, her face flushing crimson.

A Ru emerged from the room and looked at Qiu Xiang's expression with some confusion.

"What is it?" she asked.

Having also been busy all night, A Ru had rested as soon as Qi Yue did, and had only just woken up.

Qiu Xiang immediately made a shushing gesture.

A Ru understood, quickly making a similar gesture herself, and stepped lightly toward Qiu Xiang, who shifted slightly to let her sit.

"What are you doing?" A Ru asked, puzzled by Qiu Xiang's unusual demeanor.

Qiu Xiang blushed and pointed toward the inner room.

A Ru remained perplexed.

"What is it?" she chuckled.

"Sleeping," Qiu Xiang managed to say through gritted teeth, her face scarlet.

"Ah?" A Ru was confused. "Yes, they're sleeping."

"No, the Heir and the young mistress..." Qiu Xiang truly couldn't bring herself to say it, so she pressed her two thumbs together instead.

A Ru looked utterly astonished.

Qiu Xiang, her cheeks burning, leaned close and whispered a sentence in her ear.

A Ru’s face instantly flared red too.

"You wicked girl, what nonsense are you speaking?" She reached out and pinched Qiu Xiang’s arm, laughing softly. "That couldn't have happened."

"Why not? I... I heard it all," Qiu Xiang mumbled, her voice barely a breath.

"You... you must have misheard..." A Ru was also red-faced; the topic was simply too much. "The young mistress, her monthly cycle just started..."

Qiu Xiang gasped, freezing in surprise.

"Then... then I really did hear it..." she stammered. "Then they... they were... how..."

She couldn't continue, covering her face with her hands.

How embarrassing.

Chang Yuncheng roared out one last time in release, his body going limp. He let his hand fall from Qi Yue’s chest, snatching a sheet to hastily wipe at Qi Yue’s sleep-trousers, which were already a complete mess.

The blanket was thrown aside, revealing Qi Yue’s bare back, dotted with scattered lip prints, looking devastatingly sensual.

"Go away... go away." Sensing the chill, Qi Yue woke groggily and waved her hand irritably, pulling the blanket tightly around herself.

Chang Yuncheng reached out and hugged her for a moment before rising to wash up.

When Qi Yue woke again, the sky was already dark. The outer room lights were on, and for a moment, she couldn't recall the date or time.

Hearing movement from her side, A Ru in the outer room hurried in.

"Young mistress, you're awake?" she asked, entering as she spoke.

Qi Yue managed an 'Mm,' but a turn made her realize her entire body ached, especially her chest, which felt heavy and swollen. A Ru had lit the lamps, and Qi Yue looked down to see her bare upper body and the wreckage upon it.

A Ru looked too. Both let out a startled cry. Qi Yue quickly wrapped herself in the covers while A Ru turned away.

"I... I'll go prepare water, Young Mistress. You can clean up..." she scurried out in a panic.

Qi Yue, recovering her senses, felt a sense of wry amusement.

That brute...

That brute, refreshed and invigorated, stepped into the courtyard. Seeing the lamps dark in Qi Yue's section, he immediately looked displeased.

"Still not up? No matter how tired, you must get up to eat something... Tell the young mistress to rise." he commanded.

"She's up," Qiu Xiang called out with a smile. "The young mistress is having her meal."

Chang Yuncheng then saw the light burning in the dining hall next door, and heard the faint sounds of the maids chatting. He started to step toward it but suddenly felt a flicker of apprehension, almost hesitant to face the woman. He finally went inside, and by the time he had washed off the sweat from his exertions on the training grounds, Qi Yue was already seated at her usual table.

Their eyes—four in total—met, and both froze.

Seeing the man’s face instantly flush scarlet, the slightly flustered Qi Yue couldn't help but laugh.

Was this the awkward meeting between a man and woman after a night of... intimacy?

"Well," Qi Yue said with a smile. "It seems you had quite the fun time."

Chang Yuncheng didn't quite follow.

"What?" he said, walking over feigning composure.

Qi Yue watched him, pursing her lips into a smile, and pointed to her neck. She was wearing a high-collared jacket, but the red marks near her ears were still visible.

Qi Yue wasn't finished, smiling slyly at him.

"Hey, you had fun all by yourself, and I didn't even know while I was sleeping..." she teased.

Chang Yuncheng immediately understood what she meant, and his face grew even redder, sweat beading on his brow.

W-What is she saying... How can she speak of such things so openly...

She's utterly shameless...

What kind of woman is this...

Seeing his reaction, Qi Yue burst into laughter.

Chang Yuncheng snapped out of it, his face a mixture of shame and annoyance. He sat down and abruptly pulled the woman into his arms.

"Not fun. It's only fun when we play together," he said gruffly, his hand immediately seeking its way under her clothes without preamble.

Qi Yue, blushing, batted his hand away.

It was only then that the initial tension, awkwardness, and panic following their first intimate contact dissolved.

Chang Yuncheng held her close, finding her fragrant and soft, and couldn't help but kiss her repeatedly.

"I told you we should have done this sooner. You insisted on making trouble this way and that, and now look at the delay..." he mumbled into her skin.

Qi Yue went pliant under his kisses and ministrations.

"Stop messing around, I feel unwell," she patted him, protesting.

Stop messing around meant mess around...

Chang Yuncheng paid her no mind.

He finally understood the strange notions these women harbored.

Qi Yue promptly bopped him on the nose.

Chang Yuncheng clutched his nose and looked up.

"What are you doing, you crazy woman!" he grumbled.

"I feel unwell right now, do you understand?" Qi Yue said, rubbing her stomach gently as she explained seriously. "It aches here, I get cold easily, I lose my appetite, and I get irritable. Do you understand? This is a woman's 'cycle,' an inconvenient time."

A woman's cycle—how could he understand that? Chang Yuncheng’s face darkened, but he managed an 'oh,' sitting back slightly awkwardly.

"At a time like this, you, as the man, need to be perceptive and serve me well," Qi Yue said, grinning mischievously.

This wicked woman...

Chang Yuncheng’s face darkened again. He had no idea there was such a rule.

"Alright," he nodded, then hesitated before reaching out to gently rub Qi Yue's lower abdomen. "Shall I warm it for you?"

The man's large hand was wonderfully warm. Qi Yue murmured an affirmative, shifting slightly to lean against Chang Yuncheng.

Seeing her lean into him voluntarily, Chang Yuncheng's dark expression instantly melted into a smile, the thought of the previous 'wicked woman' instantly vanishing into the ether.

He drew his hands back, vigorously rubbing them together a few times, and then placed them on Qi Yue’s abdomen.

"Like this? Is it warmer now?" he asked.

Qi Yue squinted and hummed in agreement.

"Bring over the surgery blueprints," she requested.

"Since you're uncomfortable, don't look at them. Rest early," Chang Yuncheng advised.

"I've slept all day, I can't sleep anymore," Qi Yue murmured languidly.

Chang Yuncheng made an 'oh' sound, reached out a long arm, and retrieved a stack of papers from the table.

Qi Yue leaned in his embrace, slowly turning the pages.

"...What is this?" Chang Yuncheng watched along with her, occasionally asking questions as he held her.

He embraced the woman while she seriously examined the diagrams and calligraphy. He, in turn, seriously observed her. Under the candlelight, the room was peaceful and tranquil.

After an unknown amount of time, the woman in his arms occasionally shifted position, but he remained perfectly still until she let out a yawn.

"Enough, it’s time for bed," Chang Yuncheng said immediately.

This time, when Qi Yue started to protest, Chang Yuncheng unceremoniously snatched the papers and pressed them flat onto the desk.

"Sleep," he commanded, then raised his hand and extinguished the lamp, lifting Qi Yue into his arms.

Qi Yue quickly gripped his arm.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Going to sleep," Chang Yuncheng replied, striding toward the sleeping chamber and kicking the door shut with his foot.

A Ru and Qiu Xiang, who had stopped outside with bowls of late-night snacks, paused, exchanging a glance with flushed faces.

A cry of surprise erupted from inside, but it was quickly stifled, muffled into soft whines before vanishing into silence.

A Ru quickly retreated, and Qiu Xiang stepped back beside her.

"It seems they won't be needing this," she whispered.

Full enough...

The thought crossed both maids' minds simultaneously. When they realized what they had thought, they flushed deeply, spat out a small curse, and fled as if pursued.

The almost suffocating kiss inside the room finally ended. Qi Yue gasped, about to call out.

"I won't bother you," Chang Yuncheng reached out quickly to cover her mouth, whispering low. "I'll just sleep quietly."

Qi Yue glared and bit down gently on his palm.

Chang Yuncheng couldn't help but laugh, pulling the woman back into his embrace and nuzzling her head.

Qi Yue used her hands and feet to wriggle free and rolled to the far side of the bed.

"Don't mess with me, alright?" she warned.

"No messing, no messing," Chang Yuncheng chuckled, reaching out his hand.

Qi Yue tried to dodge, but Chang Yuncheng only caught her wrist. She struggled twice without success, and seeing that the man indeed made no further move, she let him hold her hand.

The night grew darker; faces were indistinguishable inside the canopy. Their breathing gradually evened out.

Qi Yue pursed her lips and closed her eyes.

"Hey," Chang Yuncheng suddenly spoke, gently squeezing her palm.

"What?" Qi Yue mumbled.

"Your... this thing... when will it be gone?" Chang Yuncheng asked.

This thing? Qi Yue didn't understand.

"When can we have some fun together?" Chang Yuncheng sat up slightly, looking at her and smiling softly.

Qi Yue understood, and scoffed.

Chang Yuncheng laughed heartily and leaned down. Qi Yue raised her hand to block him, but the man only pressed a firm kiss onto her forehead before lying back down.

"Sleep now," he said, smiling.

Qi Yue pinched him lightly, turned her body inward, and smiled silently before closing her eyes.