I Died the Day His Love Value Maxed Out

On a winter night, the cold was sharp.

Cui Lingyao was in no hurry to return to her chambers, slowly working through two account books.

Only when Xia Zhi came in to report that the hot water was ready did she put down her bamboo brush, rise slowly, and enter the washroom.

Throughout this series of actions, she was like a wandering spirit, moving purely on muscle memory.

It wasn’t until she came out of the washroom, entered the inner chamber, and saw the man on the bed that she suddenly snapped back to her senses.

Xie Jinbai had removed his hair crown. Dressed in sleepwear, he was half-propped against the headboard, a book in hand that he was flipping through casually.

He was turned sideways to her, half his face obscured by the candlelight. Though she couldn’t see his features clearly, she could still tell he was exceptionally handsome.

Truly striking and dashing.

He had clearly heard her movements but didn’t so much as turn his head to glance at her.

Cui Lingyao’s steps faltered slightly. She slowly sat down at the vanity.

Dongzhi and Xia Zhi could vaguely sense that the atmosphere was off.

…It seemed their master and mistress were at odds again.

They were somewhat intimidated by Xie Jinbai; if it were just Cui Lingyao, they would have dared to ask a few concerned questions.

But right now, they didn’t dare say a word.

With nimble hands, they used a cloth to dry their mistress’s hair, attended to her meticulously, and then curtsied in unison before withdrawing.

Soon, the sound of the door closing echoed through the room.

Cui Lingyao glanced at her reflection in the copper mirror, then slowly stood and walked toward the bed.

Over there, Xie Jinbai had already set down his book and finally lifted his gaze to look at her.

As she drew near, he suddenly shot out an arm, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into his embrace.

The world spun. By the time Cui Lingyao realized what was happening, she was already pinned beneath him.

A storm of hot, lingering kisses followed immediately.

Starting from her forehead, they trailed down bit by bit, finally settling on her lips in a passionate tangle.

He said in a hoarse voice, “I was a bit rough that night. Have you recovered?”

‘A bit rough was an understatement.’

‘He had worked her over so much she couldn’t get out of bed for a whole day!’

‘But then he himself disappeared for days on end, leaving her with no one to vent her anger on.’

‘He finally came home early today, but before the two of them could even exchange a few intimate words, he opened his mouth only to order her to pick an auspicious date to welcome the six concubines he had chosen into the household.’

‘And now, he was kissing her so obsessively.’

Cui Lingyao felt a suffocating tightness in her chest, a ball of stifled anger lodged within. But she had no reason to let it out.

Because she had brought all of this upon herself.

She had even been the one to force him to take concubines.

She had no right to resent him.

“Focus!”

A tingling pain suddenly bloomed over her heart. Cui Lingyao glanced down, her brow knitting tightly.

She reached out to push him away, but her wrists were already pinned.

As long as he didn’t let go, she could never break free.

Just like now, she could only let him do as he pleased.

A spark of anger flared in Cui Lingyao. She raised a leg to kick him, but in the next instant, he caught her behind the knee and hooked her leg over his waist. She completely exploded. “Is this all you ever think about?”

“Yes!”

Xie Jinbai felt no shame, his reply firm and decisive. “This is exactly what I think about. The past few days, you were already asleep when I got back, so I couldn’t make a move. Today, I specifically dropped everything to come back early… for you.”

As he spoke, his hand was already traveling up from the back of her knee.

“How many days has it been? You won’t let me touch you? …Hm?”

Her body, having been abstinent for so many days, couldn’t quite withstand his teasing.

Amidst their physical entanglement, certain changes became obvious.

Xie Jinbai leaned down to kiss her, coaxing in a hoarse voice, “I’ve already listened to you about everything. You have to give me a little something sweet too, Yaoyao…”

“…”

Cui Lingyao’s body stiffened. She felt like she was going to lose her mind.

‘Her husband was taking concubines, yet here he was, asking her, his primary wife, for a “sweet reward.”‘

‘There was probably nothing more absurd under the heavens.’

But she couldn’t even utter a single word of rebuttal!

‘After all, she was the one who had orchestrated this whole absurd affair…’

In her daze, her movements of resistance ceased.

The man on top of her raised a hand to cup her jaw, lowered his head, and met her gaze.

Inch by inch, he pressed in.

Cui Lingyao’s brow furrowed slightly.

Her beautiful almond eyes were veiled in a thin mist, the corners tinged with red…

She… seemed incredibly wronged.

Xie Jinbai couldn’t stand that look in her eyes. The destructive desire filling his chest nearly reached its peak, viciously roaring for him to pounce.

Countless ways to torment her played out in his mind, only to be restrained at the last moment by his crumbling sanity.

“Be good…”

He sighed softly, leaning down to kiss the space between her brows, and coaxed in a husky voice, “Don’t look at me like that…”

“Yaoyao…”

“Yaoyao…”

His soft, sweet words whispered into her ear.

Cui Lingyao only felt vexed.

She would rather he be wantonly savage than… this.

It felt like being tortured by a slow knife.

She raised a hand to cover her eyes, practically gritting her teeth as she endured it.

Xie Jinbai pulled her hand away, pressing their palms together and interlacing their fingers.

“Don’t bite your lip…”

Cui Lingyao ignored him, turning her face away and forcefully suppressing a muffled groan.

“If you bite it again, I’ll find another place to bite,” Xie Jinbai said, gripping her jaw and leaning closer. “Or would you like to try it?”

Cui Lingyao was so angry she wanted to cry. “Xie Jinbai!”

“…It’s me,”

Xie Jinbai’s voice softened. He lowered his head to kiss her slightly unfocused eyes. “Who else but me would dare treat you like this?”

‘Who would dare?’

‘Cui Lingyao didn’t know what he was so proud of.’

But to her, it was torture.

She had clearly intended to resist, but in the end, she somehow found herself meeting his advances.

Her arms wound themselves around his neck of their own accord.

She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder.

As if making a sacrifice… she endured everything he gave her…

…

A long, long time passed…

Finally, the storm subsided.

Cui Lingyao was exhausted, her head turned to the side as she struggled to steady her breathing.

She was drenched in sweat, her long hair in disarray, looking both delicate and alluring.

Xie Jinbai held her in his arms, expertly massaging her lower back.

“Well?”

He chuckled and asked, “Did that feel good?”

“…”

Cui Lingyao kept her eyes slightly closed. As her scattered wits returned, she had no desire to respond to his shameless words.

Until the hand on her back began to slide slowly downward…

“Xie Jinbai!” She grabbed his wrist, saying angrily, “If you try anything else, I’m not playing along!”

“How is this ‘trying anything’? You’re my lawfully wedded wife. If I don’t ‘try anything’ with you, who should I do it with?”

Xie Jinbai gave a faint smile. “Don’t forget, those concubines haven’t entered the household yet.”

“…” Cui Lingyao was suddenly speechless.

When the girl in his arms remained silent for a long time, Xie Jinbai paused. He reached out to lift her head, and when he looked down at her, his body stiffened. “What’s wrong?”

She ignored him.

Xie Jinbai’s brow furrowed. “I didn’t hurt you, and I wasn’t deliberately tormenting you…”

“Shut up,” Cui Lingyao couldn’t listen anymore. “Stop with the vulgar talk!”

“…” Xie Jinbai was silent for a moment, but he couldn’t resist saying, “That’s not what you said when you were holding onto me just now.”

‘Her body had clung to him, she had said she wanted him…’

Reminded by him, certain memories came flooding back. Cui Lingyao’s temples throbbed, and she opened her mouth to retort sharply.

Xie Jinbai quickly covered her mouth. “Alright, let’s both just drop it.”

Having been wounded by her words too many times, he had learned from experience. Just by looking at her expression, he knew she was likely about to say something utterly heart-stabbing.