The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night

Zhi Wan stared at him in surprise. ’What did I do to give him these ideas?’

’He must have me and no one else?’

A complex mix of emotions washed over Zhi Wan.

But after calming down, she eyed the man suspiciously. "You don’t even know who I am. How can you say you must have me? Don’t try to sweet-talk me like a child."

"It wouldn’t be difficult to find out your identity," the man said lightly.

Zhi Wan’s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. ’He’s not thinking of investigating me, is he?’

The thought that he was likely a high-ranking Court official sent a jolt of panic through her.

If he was a high-ranking official, it would indeed be easy for him to investigate her.

If he found out, it would be difficult for her to get away.

So, she couldn’t afford to completely burn her bridges with him just yet.

She had to make him back off on his own, to make him disgusted with her.

’But how do I make him disgusted with me?’

Zhi Wan racked her brain for a long time before an idea suddenly struck her.

She stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around the man’s neck, and said in a cloyingly sweet voice, "You don’t know me. I’m not actually a good girl."

Her sudden initiative took the man by surprise.

The soft, warm, and fragrant woman in his arms made his Adam’s apple bob. He suppressed the urge to wrap his arms around her slender waist and watched her impassively. "How are you not a good girl?"

"Do you know why I insist on recruiting a live-in husband?" Zhi Wan said mysteriously.

"Why?" The man raised an eyebrow.

"That’s because... because... I’m not from a respectable family. I really came from a Brothel. I was in *that* line of work, you know?" Zhi Wan buried her face in the crook of his neck and mumbled.

A flicker of a smile passed through the man’s eyes. "I don’t care."

"What?" Zhi Wan snapped her head up, staring at him in disbelief. "You don’t care about my background?"

"I don’t care." The man shook his head.

Zhi Wan: "..."

She gritted her teeth and said loudly, "But I have a foul disease! It’s contagious! Are you sure you want to marry a woman like me?"

"A foul disease?" A vein throbbed on the man’s temple. He suddenly swept her up into his arms, his tone serious. "I’ve studied some medicine. Let me examine you."

Zhi Wan was completely stunned.

It wasn’t until the man placed her on the soft bed that she snapped back to her senses. She quickly grabbed his hands as he tried to pull down her pants, shaking her head frantically like a pellet drum. "No, no, no! Don’t look! You’ll be frightened..."

"I’m not afraid," the man said slowly, brushing her hands away.

Zhi Wan desperately held onto her pants and scooted further onto the bed. "But I’m afraid of you looking..."

’My heavens, why is this man not reacting the way I thought he would?’

’I’ve already said all this, yet he’s still not disgusted with me.’

’With his status, what kind of woman couldn’t he have?’

’Why does it have to be me?’

"You need to think this through. With your status, you’ll surely be ridiculed if you’re with someone from my kind of background. Aren’t you afraid of that?"

"I’m not afraid," the man said unhurriedly.

Zhi Wan: "..."

"What will it take for you to let me go?" she finally asked directly. "We agreed back then! It was just a fleeting affair. You can’t force me!"

"I won’t force you," the man said in a low voice. He suddenly reached out, pulled her over, and pinned her against the bedding. He reached up to stroke her face, then lowered his head and gently kissed her lips. "Give me a chance, hmm?"

The man’s low, bewitching voice was still echoing in her mind when Zhi Wan’s eyes snapped open. She realized she had been dreaming again.

She got out of bed and poured herself a cup of cold tea, gulping it down. Only then did she gradually calm down, but her heart remained troubled.

She couldn’t control her dreams. Even though she wanted to cut ties with that man, she couldn’t.

Besides, that man was so domineering, insisting on becoming her live-in husband. If she didn’t agree, she was afraid he would do something she couldn’t handle.

But she didn’t want to have anything more to do with him.

Zhi Wan ran her hands through her hair in frustration.

’If I had known this would happen, I should have controlled myself in my dreams and not been bewitched by that man’s good looks. Now look, he has something to hold over me, and I’m completely on the back foot.’

Because of this, Zhi Wan couldn’t get back to sleep. She was no longer looking forward to going to the Qingyin Pavilion to watch the opera tomorrow.

「The next day.」

On the way to the Qingyin Pavilion, Lady Wei held Zhi Wan’s hand and asked with concern, "Why are there dark circles under your eyes? Didn’t you sleep well last night?"

Zhi Wan yawned, leaned against her, and nodded. "I had a nightmare last night."

"Why would you suddenly have a nightmare?" Lady Wei frowned.

Zhi Wan shook her head. "I don’t know either." Inwardly, she was grinding her teeth in anger at that man.

’He has no class at all, threatening me like that.’

"What did you dream about?" Lady Wei inquired.

"I don’t remember the details, but I was very scared," Zhi Wan said.

Lady Wei sighed and stroked her head. "It was only a dream. Don’t be afraid."

"Mm." Zhi Wan nodded obediently.

They arrived at the Qingyin Pavilion.

Just as they stepped out of the carriage, they saw Shen Longjin and Bai Yi already waiting outside the entrance.

"Madam Lu, Miss Lu." The two men stepped forward and bowed.

Lady Wei smiled. "There’s no need for such formality. Have we kept you waiting long?"

"We just arrived as well," Shen Longjin said, shaking his head.

"Then let’s go inside," Lady Wei said.

Just as they were about to enter, a carriage pulled up.

"Miss, I think Princess Chang Le has arrived," Chen Jiu said hurriedly when he saw it.

Hearing this, Zhi Wan turned around. Sure enough, a palace attendant jumped down from the carriage—it was Eunuch Yuanbao, who served Princess Chang Le.

Seeing this, she said a word to Lady Wei and then approached the carriage.

"Eunuch Yuanbao, is Her Highness inside?"

Yuanbao nodded at her. "Miss Zhi, it is indeed our Princess."

As he spoke, the carriage door opened, and Princess Chang Le stepped out.

Seeing Zhi Wan standing by the carriage, the corner of her lip curled up. "Zhi Wan, we meet again."

"Greetings, Your Highness." Zhi Wan curtsied hurriedly.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Lady Wei and the others also paid their respects.

"Rise." Princess Chang Le had a pleasant expression as she took Yuanbao’s hand and alighted from the carriage.

Spotting Shen Longjin standing behind Lady Wei, she asked with a look of great interest, "Madam Lu, this is..."

"Your Highness, his name is Shen Longjin. He is a soldier under my husband’s command," Lady Wei replied.

"Not bad." Princess Chang Le looked Shen Longjin up and down, then nodded.

Hearing the praise in her tone, Lady Wei’s eyelid twitched.

’Don’t tell me Princess Chang Le has taken a fancy to Shen Longjin?’

’This won’t do. He’s a candidate for a live-in husband that I went to great lengths to find for Wan’er. How can I let Princess Chang Le snatch him away?’

She subtly moved to block Princess Chang Le’s view of Shen Longjin and forced a smile. "The opera is about to start. Your Highness, please, go in first."

Princess Chang Le nodded and took Zhi Wan’s hand. "Zhi Wan, you can sit with me."

Zhi Wan had also noticed the Princess’s unusual gaze toward Shen Longjin, and a strange feeling stirred within her.

’Is it just a coincidence that Princess Chang Le also came to the Qingyin Pavilion to watch the opera today? Could she have come for Shen Longjin?’

She couldn’t help but glance at Shen Longjin.

’He may not be from a high-status family, but he is certainly handsome. If the Princess has also taken a fancy to him, then I’ll just have to give up.’