Chapter 118: The Curious Ning Yaxin

In the dead of night, well past midnight.

Ling’er had already drifted into a peaceful slumber, but Ning Yaxin lay awake in bed, unable to fall asleep.

Images of Xu Mo kept flashing involuntarily through her mind.

At one moment, she saw him deftly evading Zhang Zhishen; the next, she recalled him fiercely beating Zhang Zhishen. Then her thoughts would drift to the moment she accidentally bumped into Xu Mo and he wrapped his arm around her waist.

Every time she recalled their close contact, Ning Yaxin’s heart raced and her cheeks flushed crimson.

Fortunately, Ling’er was sound asleep and wouldn’t see this, or else Ning Yaxin would have to explain herself all over again.

Suddenly, Ning Yaxin felt the urge to visit the outhouse. She quietly slipped out of bed.

Normally, she would have called Ling’er to accompany her, but Ling’er seemed to be sleeping deeply.

So Ning Yaxin dressed silently and went alone.

Having stayed here for several days, she was familiar with her surroundings and easily found her way to the outhouse, quickly finishing her business.

Stepping out, she felt no drowsiness. Looking up, she saw the moon was full and the moonlight pale, inspiring a sudden desire for a short walk before returning to bed.

After a few steps, she noticed the light was still on in Xu Mo and Chen Miaoyi’s room.

She wondered to herself: It’s so late—why aren’t they asleep?

Just then, she heard voices from Xu Mo’s room. Though the distance muffled the words, she could tell Xu Mo and Chen Miaoyi were talking.

Originally, she planned to leave, but after a few steps, she stopped abruptly.

For reasons she couldn’t explain, Ning Yaxin turned back and quietly approached the window of Xu Mo’s room.

Inside, Chen Miaoyi’s shy voice came through: “Husband, please don’t do this. Miss Ning and Ling’er are still in the next room. They might hear us...”

Xu Mo’s voice followed, calm and reassuring: “They won’t, Miaoyi. They sleep very soundly; sometimes they even snore. They won’t hear a thing!”

Ning Yaxin frowned sharply outside the window, thinking: Nonsense—I never snore!

Suddenly, anxiety gripped her: How does he know that Ling’er and I snore? Has he been eavesdropping?

Shaking her head vigorously, she dismissed the thought: Impossible. Young Master Xu isn’t that type. He’s just teasing his wife.

Then Chen Miaoyi replied, “Husband, don’t say such nonsense. Miss Ning is from a noble family—there’s no way she snores. Stop making things up.”

Xu Mo chuckled: “So what if I’m making things up? She can’t hear anyway. Besides, who says ladies from noble families don’t snore? Maybe she snores louder than some rough men!”

Hearing this, Chen Miaoyi laughed.

Outside, Ning Yaxin’s brows knitted in irritation. She thought: Really? You two, hiding here in the dead of night, talking about me behind my back!

Just as she was about to leave, Xu Mo spoke again.

“My dear wife, I’ve held back for days, but tonight I can’t resist anymore. Please don’t torment me... come to me, my love!”

His tone was pitiful, but the last words, “come to me, my love,” carried a mischievous undertone.

Immediately, Chen Miaoyi let out a soft murmur: “Husband, don’t take off my pants...”

Ning Yaxin’s face and neck flushed a deep red, her heart pounding wildly.

Even a fool could guess what Xu Mo and Chen Miaoyi were doing.

Then came Chen Miaoyi’s coquettish, shy, half-resisting voice.

Ning Yaxin heard it all, her heart racing and her body burning with heat.

To her own astonishment, she felt a thrilling excitement stirring within her.

Though she could have left at once, Ning Yaxin chose to stay.

Though she understood some basics about intimate matters, many details eluded her. Driven by overwhelming curiosity, she lingered.

She knew eavesdropping was improper, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. She promised herself she would listen only a little longer before leaving quickly.

To avoid making any noise, Ning Yaxin covered her mouth with both hands, barely daring to breathe, her nerves stretched taut.

After a while, the sound of the bed shifting came from inside.

At first, it was slow and steady, a gentle rhythm.

But gradually, the pace quickened...

Along with the rhythm, Ning Yaxin heard Chen Miaoyi’s soft, restrained breaths.

It was clear Chen Miaoyi was trying hard to keep her voice down.

As the bed’s movement grew faster, Chen Miaoyi’s suppressed breathing grew louder.

Finally, Ning Yaxin lost her nerve and swiftly turned away.

Her face flushed crimson from head to toe, her body burning hot, her breath ragged, and her heart pounding beyond description.

Even after distancing herself from Xu Mo’s room, Ning Yaxin still seemed to hear the bed creaking and Chen Miaoyi’s breathy sighs.

Those sounds lingered in her mind, refusing to fade.

She dared not return to her room, fearing her footsteps or the noise of opening and closing the door might alert Xu Mo, leading to unbearable embarrassment.

So she walked farther away and found a spot to sit down, hoping to wait until Xu Mo and Chen Miaoyi fell asleep before sneaking back.

She also needed time to calm herself.

Time passed slowly...

After an unknown length of time, drowsiness overtook her. She thought Xu Mo and Chen Miaoyi must be asleep by now.

Rising, she headed back to her room, but stopped at the courtyard gate.

Then, surprisingly, she turned around again and tiptoed back to the window of Xu Mo’s room.

It wasn’t that Ning Yaxin had become addicted to eavesdropping; she merely wanted to confirm that Xu Mo and Chen Miaoyi were truly asleep.

That way, she could enter her room without worry.

But to Ning Yaxin’s shock, just as she leaned in to listen, a voice spoke behind her: “Hey, what are you doing?”

Ning Yaxin nearly jumped out of her skin, leaping up and about to shout.

Xu Mo reacted instantly. Before she could make a sound, his large hand covered her mouth.

Fear overwhelmed Ning Yaxin. She closed her eyes without thinking and flailed her hands wildly.

“Don’t struggle, it’s me!” came a low but familiar voice.

Realizing who it was, Ning Yaxin stopped, opened her eyes, and saw it was indeed Xu Mo holding her mouth.

In that moment, she felt an unprecedented wave of embarrassment. She wished she had the power to vanish from his sight instantly.