FBC – Chapter 55 Who’s Seducing Who?

Sweat poured down Gu Hua’s body more and more.

The water cup only had half a sip left—completely insufficient to quench her thirst.

She furrowed her brows and mumbled, “Water… Dong Hua, water…”

Mu Junyan didn’t want anyone else to see her in this state and naturally didn’t allow Dong Hua or the others to come in and serve her.

Helpless, he approached and poured her a cup of water.

Gu Hua took it with both hands and gulped it down in one go. Her arms trembled and her gaze wandered.

With a soft whimper, she said, “Not enough… more…”

Her clothes slipped down, and under the soaked inner garments, soft curves trembled faintly.

It was early autumn, and the weather was getting cooler.

Mu Junyan frowned, picked her up horizontally, and walked directly into the inner chamber.

He placed her on the bed and was about to go out to call Zhou Zhilan to fetch ice, but unexpectedly, his hand was held by a soft little hand.

Then a strange warmth and a slippery, snake-like softness crawled along his arm.

Mu Junyan’s body went stiff.

It turned out Gu Hua had grabbed his wrist, found it cool to the touch, and followed the sensation up into his sleeve. Discovering that his arm was also cool, she simply rubbed her small face back and forth against it to cool down.

The girl’s cloud-like hair was disheveled, her eyes dazed and charming, her beautiful face tinged with a peachy flush.

Squinting in pleasure at the coolness of his arm, the snow-white curves of her chest added even more stimulation to his senses.

The scene was overwhelmingly intense. Mu Junyan gritted his teeth to restrain himself, veins bulging on his arm.

He desperately wanted to pull her into his arms.

But she was clearly not in her right mind. If he touched her now, it would feel like taking advantage.

He tried to push away her troublesome little head, but the little woman seemed to have found another cool spot—hugging both of his arms, she climbed onto him, burying her head into his wide sleeve.

Mu Junyan endured the ticklish sensation and tried to withdraw his arm.

Gu Hua, feeling her “ice pop” slipping away, grew displeased. She forced her eyes open and in her blurred vision, vaguely saw… Mu Junyan.

His face… looked so dark.

A natural fear of him surged up, startling Gu Hua into letting go.

The contact that Mu Junyan had just been so disgusted by suddenly vanished, leaving him with a hollow, lost sensation.

He looked speechlessly at the little woman as she shook her head hard.

He swore he could hear the clang-clang of water sloshing inside her skull.

Gu Hua made herself even dizzier, and her vision blurred even more.

Was she in the study?

Right, she’d planned tonight… to seduce him.

But—seduce him for what?

Crap. She couldn’t remember.

So hot…

Then she might as well seduce him.

Gu Hua tried her best to fulfill her “duties,” climbing up to him and hugging his arm tightly. Her soft, peach-like lips pressed against it.

Feeling returned. Mu Junyan held still, enduring it.

He knew the girl was feverish and muddle-headed now.

But once desire is sparked, even someone like him, known for self-discipline and restraint, found it hard to control a blaze that burned the heart.

The more suppressed the desire, the more uncontrollable it became once unleashed.

Like a dam bursting, surging forward, unstoppable.

The last two times, Mu Junyan had thought it was just because he had gone too long without a woman, and no woman had dared throw herself at him so boldly—so his will had faltered.

But today, he suddenly realized, deep down—he wanted her.

No, she just happened to suit him. He had simply grown accustomed to her presence.

But as he looked again at the woman snuggling closer into his arms, her gaze gentle like autumn water, glimmering—just a glance could shake his heart.

Like a dodder vine, wanting to entwine with him completely.

Impossible to shake off, impossible to pull away.

Such a clingy little thing—he felt an urge to hide her away.

What cousin? What other men? He didn’t want anyone getting close to her.

Mu Junyan’s eyes darkened.

The possessiveness that belonged to a man suddenly grew wildly, like weeds in a barren field.

So what if she wasn’t in her right mind?

Wasn’t this what she wanted?

Mu Junyan took a deep breath.

Gu Hua looked up at him, unmoving like a towering mountain, and the coldness hit her again.

A sudden moment of clarity struck.

This was her Yayun Pavilion.

Why was Mu Junyan here?

And her body…

Something felt wrong.

Gu Hua realized it instantly and her heart sank.

In her past life, she had been drugged by Gu Wanyu for refusing to serve Mu An. Although not as intense, she remembered this same torturous feeling.

If she clung to Mu Junyan now, he would surely assume she was innately lascivious.

But he was not like ordinary men.

He had a strong will, open and upright—he wouldn’t like a woman who was too frivolous.

The only reason she’d succeeded the previous two times was because of his kindness.

If she were to tempt him again, she needed to show more genuine feeling—make him believe she truly liked him, not that she was using him.

With a sliver of reason still intact, she forced herself to move away. She dug her nails into her palm hard, letting the pain pull her back to clarity.

Gritting her teeth, she sat up with effort.

“Duke… please ask Dong Hua and the others to come in.”

“Whatever you need, just tell me.”

Mu Junyan, on the contrary, sat at the edge of the bed, staring at her steadily.

His rational side told him to leave and let the maids bring in the ice chest, and to wait for Sun Mansion’s physician and Shen Li to deliver the antidote.

Another voice told him to forget about morals—just protect her, help her.

Gu Hua felt her reason slipping fast and begged with a trembling voice, “You’re busy with official matters. You don’t need to trouble yourself. Please go back.”

“There’s not much tonight.”

Mu Junyan’s deep voice fell into Gu Hua’s ears like a death knell.

She felt he was doing it on purpose.

He must have known she was drugged.

But he was such an upright gentleman—how could he take advantage of her?

Seeing her struggle to restrain herself, a playful thought rose in Mu Junyan’s heart.

What if she really had a bit of true feeling?

Tonight would be the perfect test.

Mu Junyan reached out and gently brushed aside the loose strands at her temple, his fingers lightly gliding over her flushed cheek.

“It’s okay. You’ll feel better in a bit.”

The cool touch of his fingers made her instinctively want to get closer.

Even if Mu Junyan did nothing, just standing in front of her was enough. Driven by the drug, Gu Hua couldn’t help leaning in.

His hands, hardened with thick calluses from years of sword-wielding, his body exuded a crisp pine-like scent, and his arms were muscular and firm.

Every part of him seemed to call out to her.

She felt herself turning into a puddle of water, wishing she could melt into his embrace.

That handsome face leaned closer, his voice hoarse, “Are you alright?”

Gu Hua felt like she combusted instantly.

Seeing him was like a dying blade of grass suddenly being watered—but instead of cool relief, it was scalding hot water that burned, boiled, and melted her.

She was stuck in an impossible dilemma—wanting to quench her thirst with the man before her, yet not daring to act recklessly.

The torment overwhelmed her.

Unable to bear it, she hugged his arm and began to cry in soft, suppressed sobs.

Her chin was lifted by cool, firm fingers. “Uncomfortable? Want me to help?”

Mu Junyan’s voice was gentle and raspy, stirring her already boiling blood.

Gu Hua cried and fumed at the same time.

Angry at her own lack of discipline and weak willpower.

Angry at how wicked he was—clearly knowing she couldn’t take it anymore, yet purposely getting close without touching her.

Infuriated, she grabbed the hand lifting her chin and bit down hard.

The taste of blood filled her mouth. Shocked sober, Gu Hua quickly let go and looked at him timidly.

Mu Junyan gasped in pain, staring at the neat bite mark oozing blood on the base of his thumb—both angry and amused.

He held her head down with one hand and clamped her chin with the other.

“You want to keep biting… or are you trying to kiss me, hmm?”