I woke up as the Villainous Empress

"Come here. I won't eat you," Zheng Liang teased Yang Ning, his eyes dancing with mischief as he patted the empty space next to him on the bed.

Yang Ning hesitated, her lips parting slightly. "Why do I feel like this isn't just about reading a book to you?" she questioned, a suspicious glint in her eyes.

Despite her reluctance, she went to his side and got on the bed. She sat with her back resting against the headboard, trying to appear casual and composed, while Zheng Liang lay on his side next to her, his eyes fixed on her. The warmth of his gaze made her feel both nervousness and an inexplicable excitement.

Zheng Liang quickly covered her legs with a warm, thick blanket to warm her icy-cold feet. Before she could get comfortable or protest, he shifted closer, playfully resting his head on her lap, his eyes gleaming with teasing mischief.

Yang Ning was surprised by Zheng Liang's sudden movement and asked in confusion, "What... What are you doing? Why aren't you lying on the pillow but on my lap?"

Zheng Liang closed his eyes and a pleased smile on his lips before replying, "It's more comfortable this way. The pillow was cold." He snuggled his face into her stomach and wrapped his hands around her waist, eyes still closed.

A flush crept into Yang Ning's cheeks, and she could feel her body temperature rising due to his warm and intimate gestures. Her heart pounded, both with the thrill of the moment and nervous anticipation in the air.

Although they had been sharing the bed for quite some time, they had always kept a decent distance between them while sleeping. Somehow, it still felt as if a wall was standing between them, making them feel awkward around each other.

The hesitance in their relationship was more because of her than him. She seemed to be more awkward around him, a sensation that gnawed at her whenever they grew closer. When they came close, she always remembered that she didn't belong to this world and needed to return to her own.

That was why she avoided getting close to him, worried that it might only hurt her heart.

However, after returning from their trip to Xinling City, she noticed that Zheng Liang had become more expressive and bold. They had intimate moments before that were always interrupted before they could reach another level, but he hadn't been this flirtatious and natural in the past.

The natural intimacy of this moment, his head resting so casually on her lap, seemed to break through the barrier between them, creating a new and exhilarating tension.

Something between them seemed to have changed, and Yang Ning found herself unable to identify the precise moment or reason. Despite her fears, she didn't dislike this change. Instead, she felt excited and thrilled about this new closeness, this unexpected intimacy that was blossoming between them.

Yang Ning bit her lower lip, feeling his hands caressing her back gently, his hot breath against her stomach through her clothing. Her heart fluttered, and her cheeks turned scarlet.

With his eyes closed, Zheng Liang smirked, sensing her stiffness. "Stop spacing out and read me the book. Start from the beginning."

Yang Ning woke up from her daze and glared at him upon hearing his words, "From the beginning? Haven't you been reading this book for a while now? Didn't you read anything at that time?" she asked suspiciously.

Zheng Liang hugged her tighter and said nonchalantly, "I forgot where I left off. So start from the beginning."

Frowning at him and feeling constrained by his embrace, Yang Ning picked up the book and began reading. 'Alright, there's no harm in reading him a book.'

'Ugh! It's so boring,' she thought, becoming sleepy while reading the contents of the book to him. No doubt his eyes were hurting from reading it.

Even her head was aching.

She had assumed he was reading a fictional novel or something interesting. Instead, he was reading a journal by a historical scholar about politics, palace workings, and the management of the royal treasury.

He sure has a unique taste, she sighed, trying to maintain her composure as she read to him.

As Yang Ning read through the first few pages, her drooping eyes suddenly widened. Zheng Liang's casual touch on her back grew more sensual, gradually shifting toward her bottom.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she felt his hand slide lower. "Zheng Liang!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and intrigue. "Why did you stop reading?" he asked innocently, his tone dripping with mischief.

"You! How can I read if you keep doing that?" She glared at him.

"What am I doing?" he asked, opening his eyes to look at her with an air of nonchalance as if he had been doing nothing more than resting with his eyes closed.

Yang Ning's face turned a vivid shade of crimson at Zheng Liang's brazen behavior. Rather than retracting his hands, he looked into her eyes with a mischievous, inviting gleam. His hands, which had been tenderly caressing her back, now moved to her face, tracing the contours before lingering on her lips.

"Tell me, what was I doing?" he asked again, his voice low and flirtatious.

She hesitated, her eyes flickering to the book in her hands. But Zheng Liang's charm was magnetic, and she found herself reluctantly drawn in. Sensing her distraction, he took the book from her hands and tossed it aside with a playful grin.

"You know exactly what you were doing," she whispered, her voice trembling.

He chuckled softly, his breath warm against her skin. "Then let's not stop."

With those words, he sat up on the bed and turned to face her, his eyes alight with desire. He gently cupped her face between his hands and sealed her lips with his, indulging in a passionate kiss that took her breath away.

Yang Ning was caught off guard by his sudden advance, and her eyes widened in surprise. Her mind raced with confusion, and a pang of worry struck her as she noticed his potentially uncomfortable position, which might strain his bandaged waist.

"But you're injured," she whispered against their sealed lips, concern lacing her voice.

"Who is injured? Because I am not," he shamelessly denied, his voice filled with conviction. He kissed her again, more passionately this time, his thumbs tenderly stroking her cheeks as he explored her mouth, each movement deliberate and filled with reverence.

Yang Ning's resistance melted away as she gave in to the sensations he was eliciting within her. Her hands found their way to his shoulders, pulling him closer, as the world around them seemed to blur and fade.

After a passionate kiss that seemed to last an eternity, they finally broke apart, both panting and flushed. A fire was burning in Zheng Liang's eyes as he gazed at Yang Ning's crimson face, a fire that spoke of an insatiable desire to break all barriers between them and become one.

He was about to lean in again, drawn to her like a magnet, when a sudden knock on the chamber door startled them apart, breaking the spell.

Knock, Knock!