Lili panicked internally. 'Crap, he's too proactive! If I give him a name, he'll find out no such merchant exists, or worse, he'll find out I'm the Duke's daughter married to Zhang Zuo.'
"No!" she exclaimed, reaching out to cover his large hand with hers. "Please, Lu Wei. Don't. He is... connected to dangerous people. I don't want to bring trouble to you. Just... being here with you, knowing I have a protector... that is enough for me."
She squeezed his hand, looking at him with wide, pleading eyes. "Can we just... not talk about him? Can I just be 'Lili' today? Not a debtor, not a wife. Just yours?"
The air in the room shifted. The tension of the conversation melted into something heavier, hotter. Lu Wei turned his hand over, interlacing his fingers with hers. His calloused palm felt rough and warm against her soft skin.
"Just mine," he repeated, his voice dropping an octave.
He stood up, pulling her with him. This time, there was no frantic tearing of clothes, no desperation. He pulled her into his arms, one hand settling on the small of her back, pulling her flush against his solid chest.
"You look beautiful today," he murmured, his breath fanning across her forehead.
Lili melted. 'Okay, slow burn Lu Wei is deadly. My ovaries might explode.'
"Show me," she whispered, tiptoeing to brush her lips against his jaw.
Lu Wei didn't need to be told twice. He kissed her with a possessive intensity that made her knees weak. He lifted her up, not onto the table, but carrying her over to the daybed in the corner of the room.
He laid her down as if she were made of precious porcelain. He took his time undressing her, his eyes worshipping every inch of skin he revealed. It was intimate. It was tender. It was exactly the kind of "love-making" she needed to make him fall for her.
"Lili," he groaned as he finally entered her, the sensation so intense that he had to grit his teeth. "You are... undoing me."
Lili wrapped her legs around him, arching her back to meet his thrusts. "Then come undone, General. Be undone with me."
--
An hour later, they lay tangled in the sheets, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the room. Lili was tracing patterns on Lu Wei's chest with her finger, feeling the steady thrum of his heart.
"The Hunting Festival is coming up," Lu Wei said suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.
Lili froze. 'Danger zone.'
"Yes," she said carefully. "The whole capital is talking about it."
"Will you be there?" he asked. "Usually, merchants and commoners are not allowed near the royal grounds, but there are viewing areas for the public."
Lili's mind raced. If she said no, and he saw her there dressed as a Princess, she was dead. If she said yes, he would be looking for her.
"I... I might be there," she improvised. "My... husband... supplies goods for some of the noble families. He might bring me along to serve the wives."
Lu Wei frowned. "To serve? You should not be serving anyone."
"It is honest work," she said quickly. "But Lu Wei... if you see me there... please don't approach me. My husband is very jealous. If he sees a General talking to me, he will punish me later."
Lu Wei's expression darkened, a storm brewing in his eyes. "If he lays a hand on you..."
"Promise me," Lili interrupted, grabbing his face to make him look at her. "Promise me you won't acknowledge me unless I come to you first. Please. For my safety."
Lu Wei stared at her for a long moment, the conflict evident in his gaze. He wanted to claim her, to protect her, but he also didn't want to be the cause of her pain. Finally, he nodded stiffly. "I promise. But if I see you in distress... I will intervene. To hell with the consequences."
Lili let out a breath of relief and kissed him. "Thank you. You are my hero."
'Crisis averted. Mostly. Now I just have to make sure I'm never 'in distress' near him.'
She sat up and began to dress. "I have to go. He expects me back before sunset."
Lu Wei watched her, a strange heaviness in his chest. He hated letting her go back to that invisible, hateful man. "Next time," he said, sitting up. "Stay longer."
Lili smiled, a genuine, dazzling smile that hit Lu Wei like a physical blow. "I will try. Goodbye, my General."
She slipped out of the room, leaving Lu Wei staring at the closed door, his hand unconsciously touching the spot on the bed where she had lain. He wasn't sure what this feeling was—he was a military man, not a poet—but he knew one thing: he didn't like the idea of anyone else having her.
Lili returned to the Zhang Manor just as the sky was turning a bruised purple. She felt exhausted but accomplished. She had successfully manipulated the Prince and deepened her bond with the General.
Now, she had one last hurdle: The Husband.
She entered the manor and found the atmosphere strangely quiet. She went to the dining hall, expecting to eat alone as usual, but found Zhang Zuo already seated. The table was set for two.
He looked up as she entered, his expression unreadable.
"Husband?" Lili asked, surprised. "You're home early."
"I finished my work," Zhang Zuo said, his voice lacking its usual cold bite. He gestured to the chair opposite him. "Sit."
Lili sat down, wary. "Is something wrong?"
"No," Zhang Zuo said. He poured tea for her—a gesture so out of character that Lili checked to see if the sun had risen in the west. "I was thinking about... breakfast."
" Oh?" Lili smiled tentatively. "Did it give you a stomach ache?"
"No," Zhang Zuo looked down at his cup. "It reminded me of... my mother's cooking. Before she passed."
Lili blinked. 'Whoa. Backstory unlock.'
"I didn't know," she said softly. "I'm glad I could bring you some comfort."
Zhang Zuo looked at her then, really looked at her. "You have been different lately, Lili. Less... haughty. More... human."
"I told you," she said, reaching across the table to touch his hand. "I want to be a good wife. I want us to work."
Zhang Zuo didn't pull his hand away immediately. He let it stay there for a second, feeling the warmth of her skin, before gently retracting it. "The Hunting Festival," he said, changing the subject abruptly. "You will be accompanying me. As my wife."
"Of course," Lili said, her heart rate spiking again. "I wouldn't miss it."
"Good," Zhang Zuo nodded. "Wanruo... will be there too. She is returning from the temple."
The name hung in the air like a lead weight. Lili watched him closely. Was he excited? Nervous?
"I see," Lili said, keeping her voice neutral. "Are you happy?"
Zhang Zuo paused. A week ago, the answer would have been an immediate, resounding yes. But now... looking at the woman who had cooked him breakfast, who warmed his bed (albeit via trickery initially), who looked at him with such apparent devotion... he hesitated.
"She is an old friend," he said finally. "It will be good to see her safe."
'Liar,' Lili thought, but she saw the hesitation. 'He's wavering. The Wolf is wavering! Score one for the Villainess.'
"Well," Lili smiled brightly, masking her predatory glee. "I look forward to meeting my sister again. I'm sure it will be a memorable reunion."
Oh yes. With her juggling Zhang Zuo, Lu Wei, and Feng Jun all in one hunting ground, plus the return of the Female Lead and the looming threat of the Grand Duke... 'memorable' was going to be an understatement. It was going to be a disaster.
And Lili couldn't wait.
--