"What are you waiting for? I'm getting cold. Let's get into the bathtub," Ying Lili asserted. She helped him in removing the overcoat.
"Get into the tub first, I will join you," Sheng Li asserted as he opened the sash, and then removed the knee-length tunic from his upper body. Ying Lili removed the hairpin and Bu Yao from her hair and opened the bun as well. She turned and went towards the table to put them.
Ying Lili quickly removed the upper jacket, followed by the high waist skirt. She did not remove the 'Xinyi' and the underpants and got into the bathtub. The sound of splashing was heard by Sheng Li, so he turned and looked at her.
"It is warm here. Come quickly, else you will catch a cold," Ying Lili pronounced. Sheng Li had removed the other clothing but did not remove the underpants. He removed the pin from the hair bun, took off the crown and his long, shiny hair spread till the shoulder.
He came to the bathtub and got into it, sitting at the other edge, facing Ying Lili. The dim candlelight was making their faces visible. "I told you not to do that. Why don't you listen to me?" Sheng Li suddenly burst out his anger at her.
Ying Lili lowered her eyes. "It was fun scaring you," she lifted her eyes and continued, "You were the one who suddenly drew me towards you, and then it happened. If you had not had done that then this would not have happened," Ying Lili proclaimed.
Sheng Li averted his gaze from her. "I will never take you to such places. What if something would have happened?" Sheng Li muttered.
"But you were there then how could something have happened," Ying Lili opined.
Sheng Li got irked hearing her response. "Don't reply," Sheng Li stated, looking at her. Ying Lili huffed and brought her both hands out of the hot water and joined them, to form a cup. The water-filled in between her hands then she brought near her collarbones and let it go. She washed there. The tiny smile on her lips was not fading.
Sheng Li was getting tempted to see this. He gulped seeing Ying Lili's acts. He washed his face and looked away to distract himself but it was of no use. "Stop doing that," Ying Lili heard Sheng Li. Her hands were still joined as she peered into his eyes.
"What happened? Why are you angry?" Ying Lili questioned and again started doing that. Sheng Li knitted his brows as Ying Lili did not hear from him.
"Do not blame me later. You started this," Sheng Li stated while Ying Lili confusedly looked at him who was now in front of her. His eyes scanned Ying Lili's face for the tenth time and without any further delay, captured her lips. Though it was hard to control himself, he did not go rough on Ying Lili and thus kept the kiss gentle.
Pulling away, he looked at Ying Lili and said, "You started this. Now, I will end this." His intense gaze was enough for racing her heart. A hue of red had formed on her cheeks as their lips again met. Sheng Li pulled her closer to him by placing his hand on her nape.
Sheng Li left her lips and planted kisses on her cheeks, then her eyes and forehead. "I will love you a little more today," Sheng Li whispered against her lips, and then wiped the water droplets from them using his thumb. His other hand was roaming on her bare arm which is under the water.
Unbeknownst, Ying Lili tilted her head, showing she was ready to take a step forward. Sheng Li nuzzled her neck first, kissed her at the area where the neck connected the shoulder. He opened his mouth and sucked that area softly. Ying Lili moaned as she felt Sheng Li's tongue was touching her there. Her hands moved up from his bare arms to his shoulders and soon they were wrapped around his neck.
Sheng Li was slow and gentle while giving wet kisses to Ying Lili. He bit her there which resulted in another moan from Ying Lili's mouth. He moved back on her bare neck, leaving the sloppy and wet kisses there. He lifted his head in between to look at her.
Sheng Li moved to the front of her neck and kissed her there. It blew up her mind. Her heart was pounding hard with each passing moment. Sheng Li continued his torture on Ying Lili's neck for a while and then lifted his head. They kissed again and gradually opened their eyes. "You did this to me. It's hard to control myself but then I want to wait till the consummation," Sheng Li huskily said.
Ying Lili hummed as her eyes kept fluttering. "I liked the surprise you planned for me. I was a little stressed today but I am feeling good now," Ying Lili said.
"You still did not tell me the truth behind your worries. I might ask the Astrologer myself if you will not tell me," Sheng Li pronounced as he tucked the hair strands behind her ear.
"Try lying to me and I will punish you," Sheng Li stated.
"The Astrologer said that in your life a dark time might come because of which you might lose everything. I am scared and worried because of that," Ying Lili finally told the prediction by Mengyao to Sheng Li.
"I do not believe in the prediction. He cannot see the future of anyone so it is meaningless. Earlier I used to be alone but now you are with me so nothing will happen," Sheng Li explained to Ying Lili, as he kissed her knuckles and then kissed the top of her head. "I will be in the room outside this bathhouse. You can take your time," Sheng Li asserted. He came out of the bathtub, wore the satin bathrobe, and walked out of the bathhouse, leaving Ying Lili behind.