Zhou Lihua stood in her ingredient room. It was a large room within her compound that had shelf upon shelf of alchemy ingredients. All the ingredients were divided by tier, then further divided by name.

She had started with the tier 1 ingredients, then moved on to tier 2, 3, and 4. There were even tier 5 ingredients within this room, but she could not refine tier 5 pills yet, so she didn’t bother. After storing everything she thought she might need into her storage ring, she left the room and made her way outside.

“Young Miss,” Zhou Wen appeared before her in the hall, hands clasped before her, hair tied in buns that made her look like a panda. “Do you have everything you need for your trip?”

Zhou Lihua nodded. “I believe so.”

“I regret that I cannot come with you, but Lord Chaoxiang has requested that I stay here,” continued the woman.

“It’s fine. I have a very capable bodyguard accompanying me.”

“… Do you mean Jian Wu?”

“Who else would I mean?”

They began walking down the hall, toward the entrance. The sound of their footsteps accompanied their conversation.

“He is quite strong, but please take care in how you interact with him. It would not do for a lady of the Zhou Clan to appear frivolous before others,” cautioned Zhou Wen.

Zhou Lihua merely nodded. She didn’t want to say anything because she was afraid of what she would say. The last thing she wanted to do was give this woman a reason to be wary of Wu Jian. That said, she didn’t like how Zhou Wen treated her lover.

What I wouldn’t give to be able to freely proclaim that Wu Jian is mine. Will I ever be able to do that? I envy Jingshu.

Hou Jingshu had already practically announced that she and Wu Jian were together. Zhou Lihua wanted to do that, but she couldn’t because of her clan. The clan had very strict laws regarding relationships. She would only be allowed to marry a man chosen by the Zhou Clan, and it had to be someone within the Zhou Clan. Only branch members were allowed to marry outside the clan.

Zhou Lihua was no longer a branch member. Her talents in alchemy had caused Zhou Chaoxiang to make her an official member of the main household.

After stepping out of the compound and making her way to the entrance, she found Zhou Chao directing several members of the Zhou Clan’s branch family. He and all the others were dressed in profound spirit armor. It was the lowest grade--low earth grade--but that was still far better than what most bodyguards would have.

“Make sure you have everything you need! This is going to be a long journey and we don’t know what to expect,” Zhou Chao was saying before he noticed her appearance. “Young Miss, welcome. We’re just about ready to leave.”

Zhou Lihua nodded and smiled. “Thank you for your hard work.”

“You’re too kind.”

The preparations to leave were completed quickly, but Zhou Lihua had them remain there. She was waiting on her new “bodyguard” to arrive.

She tried hard to hide her smile. This would be the first time she and Wu Jian traveled anywhere alone. When they were younger, he would always have Wu Meiying by his side, and when he returned, he was always with Hou Jingshu. It wasn’t fair. Not fair at all. Didn’t they realize how left out she felt? She was the only one who never got to spend time alone with him. Well, now it was her turn, and she would not let this opportunity go to waste.

“Where is he?” muttered Zhou Lihua after the twenty minute mark had passed.

“Young Miss… maybe we should get going. We still have to pick up Master Jiu,” said Zhou Chao.

“No. We will wait just a little longer,” said Zhou Lihua.

“But--”

“Look. There he is.”

Zhou Chao turned to look at where Zhou Lihua was pointing and found a masked man running toward them. Everyone knew his face… um, mask by this point. No one would fail to recognize the winner of the Shang Kingdom National Tournament.

“You’re late,” Zhou Lihua said immediately after Wu Jian stopped before her.

“I’m sorry. I got… held up,” admitted Wu Jian.

Perhaps it was because he was going as her bodyguard, but he was dressed in very fancy clothing. The red and black imperial hanfu had shoulders that extended from the sides and gave him a more imposing aura. The shoulders, forearm guards, and ends had golden scale patterns. This was obviously something Hou Jingshu had lent him. He caught her staring and tightened up the outfit.

Zhou Lihua narrowed her eyes at him and tried to look stern, but she couldn’t. She just couldn’t continue glaring. This was her chance to be alone with him. It didn’t matter that he was late. How could she not be happy about how they would be spending time alone together? The journey to Kěnéng, capital of the Zhou Kingdom, would take at least three weeks since they were not going by airship.

“Well, you’re here now, and that’s what matters. You can just make this up to me,” she said eventually.

“I’ll certainly do my best,” replied Wu Jian.

“By the way, where is your companion?” ske ashed, referring to Yōuměi.

“She’s with Jingshu,” he said.

“Ah.”

The guards and Zhou Chao were looking suspiciously at Wu Jian, so Zhou Lihua hurried them all along. She said goodbye to Zhou Wen and stepped into the carriage with Wu Jian. She had prepared two. Of course, two carriages were not needed… but Zhou Lihua had decided her master should have a carriage for himself. Surely, he would much rather have his own carriage than share one with her and Wu Jian. She was doing this for his sake.

“Please be safe, Young Miss,” Zhou Wen said with a bow.

“Don’t worry. I will,” replied Zhou Lihua seconds before shutting the door.

She and Wu Jian sat still for a moment and listened to Zhou Chao giving orders outside, though they soon felt the rumble underneath their bums as the carriages began moving. Zhou Lihua tilted her head and listened a moment longer before deciding it was safe.

“Why don’t you take off that mask now?” asked Zhou Lihua.

“Mmm. Okay.”

Wu Jian removed the mask and stored it in his storage ring. Zhou Lihua took a moment to gaze upon his face, which had become much more handsome since they were children. His face still held traces of youth and likely would for many years to come since his cultivation was so high. She liked that. He would always be pleasing to her eyes now.

However…

“What are you hiding from me?” she asked.

“What makes you think I’m hiding something?” asked Wu Jian. His voice was calm, but his face betrayed him.

“You’re no longer used to showing your face, so you’re not very good at hiding your emotions.” Her eyes narrowed further. “And you’re hiding your neck.”

“Urk…”

“Show me.”

“Uh… why don’t I not…”

“Show me.”

Zhou Lihua did not give Wu Jian a chance to refuse. She lunged forward and quickly grabbed his hanfu, pulling it open. She stared at the dark mark on his neck. How long did it take Hou Jingshu to create a hickey so dark? The princess must have been sucking on his neck for sometime. Was this her way of marking him? Was that what this was? She was marking him as hers?

“Is this why you were late?” asked Zhou Lihua.

“S-sorta… I’m actually late because I had to, um, take a bath,” Wu Jian said with a blush.

Reading between the lines, Zhou Lihua realized what this meant. Hou Jingshu had kept Wu Jian up all night, having sex with him, and he only managed to leave for a shower maybe one or two hours before he had to meet with her.

She pursed her lips. This wasn’t unexpected. Had their positions been reversed, Zhou Lihua would have done the same thing as Hou Jingshu, but it still displeased her. She felt like her friend was declaring war on her.

“Hold still,” she commanded.

“Huh? What are you--oh…”

Wu Jian stopped talking when Zhou Lihua climbed on top of him, straddling his waist with her legs. She leaned in close until they were pressed together, then lowered her head to the other side of his neck, free of any blemish, and clamped down.

“Lili… this is…”

She grabbed the skin of his neck with her teeth and began sucking. Wu Jian’s breathing grew ragged and she could feel his arousal pressed against her. Should she rub herself against him? That sounded nice, but she didn’t know if she’d be able to stop, and they were going to meet with her master. No. No. She should save that for later. For now, she needed to make sure she left a mark on him. She wouldn’t be satisfied until he had her mark too.

“Mmmm?!”

Zhou Lihua became surprised when Wu Jian grabbed two handfuls of her butt. She shuddered as he kneaded her rear like an expert baker. Was her butt dough to him? She tried hard not to moan. This carriage wasn’t sound proof, but Wu Jian was making this difficult.

Even though she acted quite flirtatious around him, Zhou Lihua had never been with a man before. She was, in fact, the least experienced of the three women in Wu Jian’s little harem. Hou Jingshu was oddly the most experienced now. She didn’t think he and Wu Meiying had sex yet. That was the only reason his actions left her so warm and gooey. There was no other reason. Once she gained more experience, she was going to make him putty in her hands.

“Haaaah… mmm… slurp… ooooh…”

Zhou Lihua did not stop sucking on Wu Jian’s neck, nor did he remove his hands from her posterior. She wanted more. Her head was starting to feel hazy. Maybe she should just strip him naked right now? She was sure they could have some fun if they were fast about it? She once heard some maidservants talk about giving their master a “quickie.” Yes, they could have a quickie! Oh, but wouldn’t the guards outside hear them if they got too rambunctious? What if she started screaming in ecstasy? Zhou Lihua had no confidence that she could keep her voice down now that she felt Wu Jian’s masterful hands for the first time.

Matters were taken out of her hands when the carriage stopped. Zhou Lihua reluctantly climbed off Wu Jian and sat back down as someone knocked on the door.

“Young Miss, we have arrived at the Alchemist Association,” said Zhou Chao.

“Um… thank you. Give me a moment,” called Zhou Lihua.

“Are you okay? You sound out of breath.”

“I’m fine.”

Zhou Lihua did her best to make herself presentable again. She was sweating. It was a good thing she didn’t wear makeup, or it would have already gotten messed up. She had to fan herself a little to cool down.

Wu Jian had already placed his mask over his face, and she could not help but sigh in disappoint, but she was also rather envious. He could hide his flustered expression just by putting that thing on. Maybe she should get a mask too. They could get matching masks.

Once she felt sufficiently calm, Zhou Lihua left the carriage. Wu Jian preceded her, and he held out his hand to help her down. She kept her face carefully passive. They could not let anyone know what was going on. Hmmm. It probably hadn’t been a good idea to act like she had, now that she was thinking about it, but what else was she to do when she saw that massive hickey on his neck? She could not ignore that.

Master Wong Jiu was already present. He took one look at her, then raised his eyebrow in question.

“Are you fairing well, Li’er?” he asked.

Zhou Lihua gave her alchemist teacher a martial bow. “Of course, Master Wong Jiu. And you? I trust you have been in good health?”

“I’m fine, but really, are you sure you’re feeling well? Your cheeks look flushed.”

“It’s just your imagination,” Zhou Lihua said with a beaming smile.

“But…”

“Your imagination.”

Master Wong Jiu kept his gaze on Zhou Lihua but glanced at Wu Jian. Barely a second passed before he nodded to himself.

“Right. You are right. I must be imagining things. Anyway, shall we get this show on the road?”

“Of course. Please, Master, take this carriage. It has been prepared especially for you.” Zhou Lihua gestured toward the second carriage.

Wong Jiu raised an eyebrow at this since it was unusual for masters to not share a carriage with their apprentices, but he ultimately decided not to concern himself. Shrugging, he agreed to get in the second carriage. Zhou Lihua could scarcely contain her sigh of relief. She would not let anyone inhabit her and Wu Jian’s love nest.