282: Zixuan took the initiative!

The long kiss finally ended, and the two slowly separated.

Zixuan's delicate body was soft, and she could barely stand, relying almost entirely on Li Shengyuan's firm embrace.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes like water, and the coldness and distance she had deliberately maintained earlier had long vanished.

In its place was a hazy tenderness and a deeply hidden affection.

She shyly buried her burning cheeks in Li Shengyuan's shoulder, not daring to look him in the eye.

She only felt her cold, hard heart melting... Li Shengyuan held her slender waist steadily with one hand, feeling the docility and dependence of the beautiful woman in his arms, and his love and pity grew stronger.

He lowered his head and whispered softly into her reddened ear, speaking sweet nothings between lovers, recalling the interesting events of their journeys to the Northern Territory and Jiangnan.

Zixuan just buried her head in his arms, occasionally responding with an almost inaudible 'hmm'.

She would also twist her delicate body slightly, searching for a more comfortable place to lean.

The two stood embraced in this secluded Archives, their heads close, enjoying this rare, stolen moment of tranquility and warmth.

The air was filled with the old scent of books, which only enhanced the intimacy and charm of their closeness.

After a long while, Li Shengyuan seemed to remember something, and he leaned into Zixuan's ear, his voice gentle but with a hint of seriousness: "Zixuan, there's something I need to tell you."

"Hmm..." Zixuan murmured softly.

"Just now at Senior Sister's place, the Empress Dowager arrived... and mentioned marriage. It seems I will soon be formally engaged to Senior Sister, and also to Princess Pingyang."

As his words fell, he distinctly felt the delicate body in his arms stiffen sharply.

Zixuan suddenly looked up, her previously hazy eyes instantly filled with shock, a hint of unconcealed disappointment, and deep panic.

She finally understood why the atmosphere between the Emperor and him had felt so different in the sleeping quarters earlier; it turned out... things were settled.

The huge impact left her speechless for a moment, her heart a mix of emotions, and the sweetness that had just blossomed felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over it.

She was silent, her gaze dimmed, struggling to break free from Li Shengyuan's embrace.

She thought that his confession at this moment was to draw a line between them, to end this relationship that should not exist.

However, as soon as she moved, Li Shengyuan's arm around her waist suddenly tightened with such force that she couldn't break free at all.

"What do you want to do?" Li Shengyuan looked down at her, his eyes holding a playful yet determined smile.

"Want to leave? You've entered my door, and you still want to leave? No way!"

Zixuan was startled by his sudden assertiveness and words.

She looked up at him with tear-filled, bewildered eyes, not understanding what he meant.

Li Shengyuan reined in his smile, gazing at her with burning eyes, his tone firm and resolute, leaving no room for doubt:

"Listen, Zixuan."

"My engagement to Senior Sister and Princess Pingyang is inevitable."

"But I, Li Shengyuan, will never let go of any of you because of this! I'm telling you this only because I don't want to hide it from you, so you know in advance and can be prepared."

He reached out and gently stroked her tear-stained cheek, his voice softening but remaining firm:

"You, Shen Xinrong, Yue Xiyan, Yue Qingmeng... I will never let go of any of you!"

"Sooner or later, I will find the right time to confess everything to Senior Sister myself. You don't need to bear these worries; you just need to stay by my side in peace."

This domineering yet sincere declaration exploded in Zixuan's heart like a thunderclap.

She stared blankly at Li Shengyuan, looking at the unquestionable possessiveness and deep promise in his eyes... for a moment, she lost herself, and the cold disappointment in her heart was replaced by a more surging, hotter current.

Just as Li Shengyuan thought she still needed time to process, Zixuan suddenly made a move that caught him off guard.

She abruptly stood on her tiptoes and actively kissed his lips, a kiss filled with resolute passion and desperate courage.

Before Li Shengyuan could react, she pushed him back with force, and Li Shengyuan, caught unawares, found his back against the cold edge of the Archives table.

Zixuan then pressed him onto the table, a burst of energy sweeping all the scrolls to the floor, and she looked down at him from above.

Her once gentle eyes now burned with a strange light, mixed with shyness, boldness, and a hint of vengeful pleasure.

"You... what do you want to do?"

Li Shengyuan was somewhat bewildered by her taking the initiative.

Zixuan interrupted him, a triumphant smile mixed with shyness and haughtiness appearing on her face.

Her voice was slightly breathless but incredibly clear: "What do I want to do? Tonight... I'm going to take you down here, on my own initiative!"

She leaned down, her breath caressing Li Shengyuan's face, and continued to speak shockingly:

"You don't need to think about telling the Emperor about us... I don't need that!"

"Why?" Li Shengyuan was even more confused.

Zixuan's smile grew more enchanting, with a hidden excitement: "Why? Because..."

"What I want is this secret identity! What I want is for the Emperor not to know; that's what makes it exciting!"

Her fingers lightly traced Li Shengyuan's lapels, her voice dropping even lower, but full of provocation.

"In the palace, to take down the Emperor's man, the current second-rank powerhouse, the famous Marquis Li..."

"Isn't that a very fulfilling thing to do?"

After speaking, without waiting for Li Shengyuan's response, a desperate glint flashed in Zixuan's eyes, and she threw herself upon him, declaring her 'ambition' with action!

Li Shengyuan watched her gentle yet rough movements with some surprise, but he did not resist.

Finally, he showed a relieved smile... he never thought that one day he, too, would suffer such retribution, that there would be a time when he would be 'reversed'.