Ye Luan didn't want to engage with him. The more she ignored him, the more he persisted. It was better to not respond.
Xiao Chi Zhan hooked his lips and stopped teasing her. He stood quietly, letting her attend to him.
Under the lamplight, his broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, his physique well-proportioned, his muscles clearly defined, exuding great aesthetic appeal.
Ye Luan slowly wiped him down. Initially, it was fine, but soon a sensual atmosphere quickly pervaded the surroundings. His hands began to move restlessly against her.
She gritted her teeth, "Don't mess around."
Xiao Chi Zhan's voice was hoarse. He hugged her waist and murmured, "Luan Luan, I feel so uncomfortable."
Ye Luan stiffened her neck and dodged him, "You're going to touch the wound."
He said nothing, just held her, burying his face in her neck like a hungry wolf, inhaling her scent deeply.
"If you don't get up soon, I'll get angry."
Xiao Chi Zhan's eyes darkened, and he slowly let go of her.
"You only know how to threaten me now."
His voice, tinged with a hint of grievance, sounded in her ear.
Ye Luan: "---"
She shyly tucked her hair behind her ear, said nothing, quickly finished wiping him, and started to leave.
"You're not going to wipe here?"
He grabbed her hand and looked at her innocently.
Seeing his expression, Ye Luan immediately put on a cold face, "Get dressed and come out to apply medicine. If you dawdle any longer, I won't bother with you."
Threatening him again!
But Xiao Chi Zhan didn't want to anger her. Seeing her genuinely cold expression, he immediately changed his demeanor and obediently went to put on his clothes.
This scoundrel changes his expression so quickly.
Ye Luan felt like laughing inside.
After coming out, she took the medicine box and re-applied the medicine for him. Looking at the scar on his chest, Ye Luan felt a pang of sadness.
"Luan Luan, didn't you want to see the Starry Sky Hall? Come, I'll take you."
It was something he had spent a fortune on to win a smile from his beloved, and he had to show it to her.
Ye Luan hadn't even reacted before he grabbed her and pulled her outside as she put down the medicine box.
"Slowly, don't pull on the wound."
This crazy man, he didn't care about his own injuries at all.
"It's fine."
The two left their residence, skirted around the Divine Emperor's Corridor, and walked directly west.
As Ye Luan walked along the corridor, she looked down at the scenery of Beigong below and was somewhat stunned.
The Cloud Palace was built incredibly high, with glazed pillars serving as the base, supporting the entire palace.
Moreover, the entire Cloud Palace was vast. She wondered how much money it must have cost to build such a residence.
Just as she was about to speak, Xiao Chi Zhan suddenly stopped and embraced her waist.
"It's right here. Let's go in."
Ye Luan blinked and slowly extended her hand.
As she pushed open the door, she was astonished.
A wondrous world of stars greeted her.
All four walls were like misty silver, with bright, tiny snow crystals embedded in the constructed sky, dazzling and radiant.
She walked in with amazement, looking around.
"Oh my heavens."
She felt as if she were immersed in a starry galaxy, as real as it was ethereal.
Seeing her enjoyment, Xiao Chi Zhan walked to an ice moon on the right and casually twisted a mechanism.
The previously bright world instantly darkened, and darkness enveloped the surroundings.
Only the snow crystals cast a faint glow, illuminating this area.
"Wow, how did you do this? It's so beautiful."
Ye Luan joyfully hugged Xiao Chi Zhan's arm and looked up at him with bright eyes.
Seeing her delight, Xiao Chi Zhan stroked her hair and asked, "Do you like it?"
"Of course! It's like standing in the Milky Way, so dreamlike and enchanting."
The surroundings were filled with a splendid, shimmering starry sky, as if she were in the heavens, reaching out to touch the galaxy.
"There's a master craftsman in the Western Regions who is skilled at creating illusions. When building the Cloud Palace, I sought him out and he personally made this. I'm glad you like it."
Ye Luan couldn't help but let go of him and reached out to touch the silvery snow crystals.
"With so many snow crystals, how much did this cost?"
She swallowed and continued to wander around. Seeing the ice moon swing set under the starry sky, she was even more surprised.
It was a ride shaped like a full moon, crafted from ice glaze and secured with gilded copper wire inlay. Sitting on it and swinging felt like sitting on the moon itself.
Xiao Chi Zhan curved his lips, walked over, and embraced her from behind, "Luan Luan."
Ye Luan trembled slightly as he held her from behind.
"Be careful not to touch your wound."
She gently pushed him away.
Seeing this, Xiao Chi Zhan let go, gently took her hand, and began to knead it.
Ye Luan ignored him, happily gazing at the wondrous starry sky around them. It was too beautiful.
A man-made starry sky!
What a grand undertaking.
She couldn't help but look around. After a moment, she suddenly turned back and asked.
"How much money did you spend on this?"
Despite the surprise, she was also worried about the cost. Although it was beautiful, it was such a waste of money.
"What's wrong, do you want to save money for me?"
He smiled and squeezed her palm.
Ye Luan petulantly shook his hand off and spoke seriously.
"Although I really like it, it's too wasteful of money. If you used this money to build charity halls or for disaster relief, it would be better than spending it here."
Xiao Chi Zhan said with dissatisfaction, "That's money the Ministry of War should be spending. I built this with my own private funds."
Seeing his self-righteous demeanor, Ye Luan pouted.
"You obviously must have embezzled a lot."
So extravagant.
"I embezzled?!" Xiao Chi Zhan squeezed her cheeks and hooked his lips, "If you want to be empress, I can overthrow this world and present the empire to you."
"The national treasury will also be yours."
Upon hearing this, Ye Luan's heart trembled slightly, and her eyelashes fluttered.
She had forgotten that he held almost absolute power in court, even supporting a puppet emperor. The current emperor was practically sidelined.
"In the future, don't talk nonsense."
Xiao Chi Zhan chuckled and said nothing more.
Ye Luan loved the place so much that she couldn't help but wander around, her fingers itching to fiddle with the snow crystals, wanting to see what was behind them.
There must have been thousands, tens of thousands of snow crystals, like a galaxy poured down, beautifully striking.
Xiao Chi Zhan stood not far away, his deep red eyes quietly watching her silhouette, a faint curve on his lips.
"Xiao Chi Zhan, come here."
Hearing her call, he slowly walked over, saying, "Can you stop calling me Xiao Chi Zhan every day?"
"I like calling you by your name."
Ye Luan stood on tiptoe and hugged his neck, her eyes curving with a smile.
Xiao Chi Zhan chuckled and pinched her nose, "Mischievous."
She pouted in dissatisfaction and flung his hand away.
"It hurts."
"I haven't even used any force, why do you hurt?"
Xiao Chi Zhan laughed, hugged her waist, and pulled her tightly into his embrace.
Ye Luan quickly straightened her neck and retreated.
"Don't use any force, what if you tear the wound?"
"I want to hug you."
He lowered his head discontentedly, wanting to kiss her, his hands also caressing her legs and trying to wrap around her waist.
Ye Luan, afraid of disturbing the wound, quickly pushed him gently.
"Luan Luan, kiss me."
His voice was incredibly pleasant, deliberately deepened, making her ears tingle.
Ye Luan's back tingled, and she looked at his enchanting face, gently stroking it.
"You are truly everything I could desire."