Chapter 24: Putting On the Bridal Gown
Qin Junyue's heart was pounding fiercely.
Twisted thoughts grew like seeds, spreading wildly in the darkness of the night.
The person she loved was right beside her, right beside her…
She stared at Song Ning's profile, her mind flashing through image after image of the past.
Her feelings for him had shifted—from gratitude at first, to admiration, to attachment, to something she could not name or describe.
He was the legitimate son of the Song Family, already bound by a marriage arrangement.
What was she? The daughter of a declining military family, one who could not even keep her own home.
She was not worthy of him. She knew that.
Tonight, at this very moment, she stood before him—just 3 steps away.
Qi Chuyao was dead drunk, and there were only the three of them in the room.
This might be her only chance, the only time she could get close to him, the only time she could touch him, the only time she could do the things she could only dream of.
Her heart beat so fast it felt like a war drum.
Qin Junyue struggled to suppress her breathing, feeling as though she could hear the thud-thud pounding in her ears, terrified that Song Ning would hear it.
She gathered her Inner Energy and swiftly pressed several acupuncture points on Qi Chuyao's body with her fingers.
Qi Chuyao's breathing immediately grew faint, gradually weakening until it was barely audible.
And as Qi Chuyao's breathing faded, Qin Junyue's own breathing gradually deepened, filling the space Qi Chuyao's had left behind.
To Song Ning's ears, there was always only one person breathing in the room.
She lowered her head and glanced at Qi Chuyao. That face was resting sideways on the table, brows gently furrowed, lips slightly parted, deep in sleep.
The collar of the Bridal Gown was slightly open, revealing the Moon-white Inner Robe beneath and a short stretch of pale neck. The full curves of her figure were perfectly outlined by the Bridal Gown.
"Qi Chuyao?!" Song Ning called out again.
Qin Junyue's pupils contracted sharply.
Her throat moved. She channeled her Inner Energy into her voice, frantically recalling the sound of Qi Chuyao's voice in her mind. What was it like? Slurred and muddled, with a hint of impatience, tinged with drunkenness.
She opened her mouth and let out a single word:
"Hmm?"
Her voice was slightly hoarse, slightly muffled.
She was not sure if it sounded right, but she had no other choice.
Song Ning suspected nothing.
"Alright, come to bed." He patted the bedding, his tone full of resignation. "Whatever the case, we've come this far—we both need to rest, don't we? I'm not a Martial Artist; I don't have as much energy as you. "
Sometimes he genuinely envied Martial Artists. Nothing else aside, after training their energy grew considerably and their bodies became much stronger.
Unlike him—he had gone hungry all day and now didn't even want to move.
Qin Junyue said nothing.
She stood where she was, her gaze shifting back and forth between Song Ning and Qi Chuyao, then clenched her jaw.
She couldn't worry about all that now.
She first removed her Night-stalking Outfit.
Her movements were quick. With one tug of the sash, the outer garment slid off, revealing the form-fitting clothes beneath. Her figure was slender yet full—her shoulder line smooth, her waist slim, her hips round and lifted, somewhat fuller than Qi Chuyao's. That was the part of herself she was most satisfied with.
Her skin glowed with a pale luster in the candlelight, the faint lines of her muscles visible beneath—the firm definition unique to someone who had trained in martial arts their entire life.
She crouched down and began stripping the Bridal Gown off Qi Chuyao.
When her fingers touched the scarlet silk, her movements paused for just a moment.
This was Qi Chuyao's Bridal Gown—the gown she had worn to marry Song Ning today.
Qin Junyue drew a deep breath and continued what her hands were doing.
The sash came undone, the outer garment slipped away.
Qi Chuyao's body was limp and soft as cotton, letting her do as she pleased.
She only removed the outer layer, leaving the inner garments.
She shook out the scarlet Bridal Gown and draped it over her own body.
The silk felt cold and smooth against her skin, raising a patch of goosebumps all along her flesh.
Since she had already decided to go through with this—she would go all the way!
‘Should've brought my own Wedding Robes,’ Qin Junyue grumbled inwardly, though her hands never stopped moving.
She put on the Bridal Gown, tied the sash, and smoothed out the collar.
The scarlet color made her skin appear even more pale and radiant. Her high Ponytail loosened and tumbled down over her shoulders, giving her an unexpectedly alluring look.
She propped Qi Chuyao up against the table and let her continue sleeping.
Today was clearly Qi Chuyao's wedding—yet the one who had put on the Bridal Gown was her, Qin Junyue.
Everything had been done by Qi Chuyao: the betrothal, the Auspicious Letter, the wedding ceremony, the banquet.
The only step left—the Bridal Chamber itself—would be taken by her, Qin Junyue.
Her heart beat a little faster again.
Song Ning heard the soft rustle of clothing and understood that the other person was undressing to prepare for sleep.
He slipped off his shoes and began undoing his own sash.
There was no point in thinking about food—he would eat when he woke up tomorrow. He was so hungry he had almost passed the point of feeling it.
Seeing this, Qin Junyue's hands moved faster.
No, no—she couldn't let him take off his Wedding Robes.
She just loved seeing Song Ning in those scarlet Wedding Robes!
She swept her hand outward, releasing a burst of Inner Energy. Pff pff pff—more than half the candles in the room snuffed out at once, leaving only the 2 nearest. Their flames swayed, casting a hazy, intimate shadow on the wall.
Qin Junyue drew a deep breath, her expression unreadable, and walked forward, grabbing Song Ning's hand just as he was about to remove his garment.
"What are you doing? Time to sleep." Song Ning swatted her hand, bewildered.
A wave of wine-breath washed over him. Qin Junyue had also drunk quite a bit tonight and still carried the scent of wine—identical to the scent that had been on Qi Chuyao.
"What are you doing?" Song Ning suddenly grew alert. "Weren't you undressing to sleep? Why are you still in your clothes?"
Something was off. He had clearly heard the sound of undressing just now—so why did this fabric feel like the Bridal Gown? Was Qi Chuyao still wearing the Bridal Gown?
Qin Junyue said nothing.
She pressed her entire body forward.
Her slender frame pressed against his chest—soft and warm.
She seized his hand and guided it.
First to the collar—his fingers touched the scarlet silk, the fabric of the Bridal Gown.
But continuing further…
Song Ning's fingers stiffened.
"Qi Chuyao, I didn't think you were this type of person." His tone carried a hint of surprise, mixed with an amused helplessness.
So she was simply wearing the Bridal Gown and nothing else beneath. He had not expected her to know such tricks.
He had thought tonight would pass peacefully with the two of them simply sleeping—yet here Qi Chuyao was, still in the mood for something like this?
And she really knew how to play.
Qin Junyue fixed her gaze on the face that was now just inches from her own.
Those pale eyes were looking directly at her—unfocused, yet seeming to see her.
She could feel his breath brushing against her face. Warm. Carrying a faint Soap Bean fragrance.
Her hand was guided by his.
Her heart pounded thump thump thump, as though it might leap out of her chest.
This was the closest she had ever been to him in her entire life. Right now, at this very moment—and possibly even closer still, close enough to become one, close enough to reduce the distance to nothing.
She turned her head uneasily and stole a glance toward the table. In the dimly lit room, the candlelight flickered. Qi Chuyao was slumped over the table, her breathing so faint it was barely audible, her face turned toward this side, her eyes closed—seeing nothing at all.