Chapter 90
(32.2)
Zhao Zhi liked the way she looked when she was quietly listening to him speaking. She looked obedient and gentle, soft as a little ball. He landed a soft kiss behind her ear and then, with his teeth, nibbled on the woman’s soft earlobe.
Ming Zhu’s body felt numb, her ears were already a deep red, her breath was burning hot as she said, “Don’t always bite me.”
Zhao Zhi rubbed her head, the moonlight was shining on her face, which was bright like the moon. He gently said to her, “Sorry.”
When his feelings were difficult to control, he couldn’t help but to want to put his mark on her body, and carve her, from the inside out, with his scent.
He often ended up wounding her and did feel very guilty about it.
But paradoxically, seeing a fine cut on her lips, one which came from his bite, and licking the beads of blood that flowed down from the wound, made him feel excited. However, each time, he was able to hide his morbid excitement well beneath his calm and tranquil surface.
Ming Zhu gently pushed him away and found an excuse, “I need to go wash my face.”
Zhao Zhi ordered someone to bring in hot water, then squeezed out the water out of the handkerchief before wiping her face.
Ming Zhu was sitting in front of him, feeling a little uncomfortable. She held out her hand, “I’ll wash myself.”
Zhao Zhi said in a low voice, “Don’t move.”
For Ming Zhu, it felt like she was sitting on needles, it was very uncomfortable. In the past, Zhao Zhi also liked to manipulate and dress her up.
In the beginning, when Ming Zhu’s request for help to the Ming family failed, back then, when she was silly, and when her heart also still couldn’t forget about Wei Chiyu, thinking about their wedding that was soon to be held, she couldn’t stop herself from wanting to cry, thus no matter whether Zhao Zhi was talking nicely to her, threatening her or tempting her with advantages, she refused to give in no matter what. She even, unaware of her own status, talked nonsense loudly, saying that she would go to the government office to report him.
Zhao Zhi, calm and gentle, cupped her little face, the look in his eyes was indifferent as he stared into her eyes and said: “Go make a report to the officials, I won’t stop you.”
Ming Zhu pushed him away and ran outside, Zhao Zhi raised his hand, and the people keeping watch on her at the door really didn’t stop her.
She stumbled all the way to the magistrate’s office of the prefecture and beat the drums to voice out her grievances.
The magistrate of the capital invited her into the office, but once he heard her say that she wanted to report the crown prince for snatching by force a free woman, he shook his head and advised her to go back.
Ming Zhu refused to, and insisted that Zhao Zhi was involved in the shady business of cheating men and violenting women.
The magistrate of the capital wrote down her testimony, but soon after, the Ming family hastily ran over in a panic. Her father was going to smack her right in the face, but she was agile enough and managed to avoid it by moving her face away.
Her father angrily scolded her, “Don’t make us lose face by making a spectacle of yourself out there! Hurry and go back!”
Ming Zhu’s eyes were red, the water droplets inside her eyes stubbornly refused to fall, she lamented, and screamed, and said that she didn’t want to.
Her father raised his hand to hit her, but others stopped him before he could.
The magistrate of the capital didn’t dare to take on this case involving the crown prince, and slapped the board right there, “Miss, making a false report is punishable by prison, you would do better to go back with your father.”
Ming Zhu was dragged out of the office by her father, both of her hands were tied up with a hemp rope, she was thrown into a carriage and sent back to the other residence on the outskirts of the capital.
After entering the room, when Zhao Zhi saw her tied up hands, his mouth curled up and he lightly smiled. He sighed, very regretful and distressed for her, “How did you get yourself into this state after just a trip outside?”
Ming Zhu sniffled, but didn’t cry in front of him.
She was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, grimacing and clenching her teeth, she lunged at him, and managed to bump him on the corner of his forehead.
Even though he got a wound, Zhao Zhi didn’t do anything to her, but by the next day, he seemed determined to make her learn obedience. He did everything himself, and even dressing her and feeding her all had to go through his own hands.
Ming Zhu was reluctant to remember that time, and she repeated, “I’ll do it myself.”
Zhao Zhi had already wiped her face clean, “Okay.”
Ming Zhu had run around a lot today, she had sweated a lot and her body felt sticky and uncomfortable, “I want to take a bath.”
“I’ll order the servants to bring in hot water.”
Ming Zhu clenched her hands tightly, “I’ll wash myself.”
Zhao Zhi laughed, “I got it.”
The maids brought in the hot water, the surface of the water was covered with a layer of fresh flower petals. Ming Zhu sat inside the bathtub, stretched her limbs and closed her eyes to rest.
The water was steaming hot, blurring her little face.
On the screen, a new dress was hanging, one that she had not worn nor ever seen before. After taking her bath, Ming Zhu put on the new dress and finally realized that something was wrong.