I woke up as the Villainous Empress

Yang Ning gritted her teeth and observed the man luxuriating in the comfortably warm water, his lower body partially covered by a white cloth while the rest remained exposed. She couldn\'t understand why he specifically asked for her help when there were plenty of maids available for such tasks.

Feeling frustrated by the whole situation, she intensified her scrubbing, pressing the cloth harder against his back and shoulders until it turned crimson, almost venting her vexation through the act.

Zheng Liang lay there, his eyes closed, relishing the soothing bath. A playful smile graced his lips as he noticed the added pressure of Yang Ning\'s scrubbing. In a low, raspy voice, he teasingly remarked, "If you\'re aiming to leave my back all scratched and bloody, there are far more enjoyable ways to achieve that. Much better than scrubbing me so vigorously."

Turning to look at her meaningfully, Zheng Liang\'s flirtatious demeanor caught Yang Ning off guard, making her realize the underlying implications behind his words. She was taken aback that the god-like, virtuous male lead from her favorite novel was now flirting with her so explicitly, and she couldn\'t deny finding his daring advances intriguing.

Damn! She has to admit that it was hooligan-like but sexy.

Attempting to regain her composure, she withdrew her hand, feigning innocence while covering her chest with both hands. "What do you mean? I was simply following your instructions and scrubbing your back."

Zheng Liang couldn\'t help but smirk at her response, finding her attempt to hide her flustered state rather endearing. He chuckled and added, "Don\'t read too much into it. I was just joking about a sword try-out between us. You\'re overthinking things."

Rolling her eyes, Yang Ning remained unconvinced by his excuse. She thought his attempt at deflection was quite weak. Did he truly believe she was an innocent fairy, completely unaware of the dynamics between a man and a woman? He had underestimated her wit and perception.

Zheng Liang glanced at Yang Ning and noticed that her upper robe was wet and clinging to her skin, revealing her glistening complexion underneath. Nervously swallowing, he could feel his temperature rising at an alarming pace.

Gritting his teeth and cursing inwardly, he quickly turned around and said, "Stop scrubbing my back. You can leave now," his voice noticeably huskier than before.

Yang Ning raised an eyebrow, a hint of playfulness in her tone as she replied, "But I haven\'t scrubbed your lower back yet. Don\'t you need my help with it? Your hand can\'t reach back there."

His emotions roiled inside him at her remark, and he clenched his fists, trying to regain composure. With a slight tremor in his voice, he managed to say, "Are you sure you want to do that? Scrubbing my back might not be enough... after that." He blurted out the words reflexively.

Confused, Yang Ning blinked and stared at him in wonder, but before she could ask anything, he hastily said, "Nothing! Just leave."

She noticed his scarlet red ears and saw him rubbing his forehead in distress. Deciding not to press further, she quickly gathered her skirt and left the bathhouse, closing the door behind her.

Once outside, she heaved a sigh, trying to calm her racing heart. "That was dangerous!" She took a deep breath and patted her chest.

It wasn\'t as if she didn\'t understand the true meaning behind his words. How could she not? His eyes had spoken volumes.

However, running away seemed like the best option for now.

___

After his bath, Zheng Liang returned to the chamber and chuckled at the sight of the woman soundly asleep on the bed. She had unknowingly caused him to add more cold water after she left to cool himself down, while she lay there, sleeping peacefully without a care in the world.

Observing her sleeping form, he noticed she hadn\'t even bothered to cover herself with the blanket and was hugging the pillow close to her chest.

With a faint smile, he approached and carefully tucked her inside the blanket, feeling both affectionate and exasperated. "How can she sleep so peacefully after keeping me up?" he sighed softly to himself, appreciating her obliviousness to the chaos she had caused in his heart.

He had intended to teach her a lesson upon his return, but seeing her exhausted face reminded him of how she had been running around all day. "I\'ll let you off this time, but there won\'t be a next time," he whispered, gently caressing her face with tenderness.

Although he didn\'t voice it, Zheng Liang couldn\'t help but worry. Running away from the royal residence without any guards was undoubtedly risky. What if someone had discovered her true identity and tried to harm her during her secret excursion?

The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

Even in the past, there had been cases where the members of the royal family had been attacked when they went out without any protection from the royal guards, even in disguise. As a woman, how can she take such a dangerous step?

__

After staring at her sleeping face for a while, he decided to join her in bed and removed his upper robe, and slipped in on the other side. He gently placed her head on his arm, turning her to face him.

Yang Ning stirred in her sleep, surprising him with an even tighter hug around his waist. "Hmm! So warm," she murmured, snuggling closer and resting her legs on his.

Zheng Liang couldn\'t help but chuckle at her endearing behavior. As their bodies pressed together, he couldn\'t help but feel a surge of warmth and emotion.

She certainly knew how to stir his emotions, even in her slumber. Shaking his head with a mix of amusement and affection, he embraced her, willing to endure the discomfort caused by the blazing emotions inside him.

Deciding that being close to her was worth any inconvenience, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, content to sleep next to her throughout the night.