Chapter 475: Caught in Bed

Yi Nuo froze.

It was a single room, so of course, there was only one bed.

As Jiang Qingli spoke, she patted the empty space beside her. The tips of Yi Nuo’s ears instantly turned beet red.

But then, Zhou Yanli’s parting words echoed in his mind.

’I’m the Miss’s housekeeper. My duty is to ensure she rests well. How could I let my imagination run wild?’

Suppressing his racing heart, Yi Nuo said solemnly, "Miss, I can sleep on the sofa, or on the floor... even by the door."

Jiang Qingli was speechless.

She glanced at the sofa.

The City Lord Mansion was grand, but to maintain an image of integrity, the rooms were kept modest, even a bit spartan.

Never mind that the wooden sofa was decades old; it could barely seat three people side by side. How could Yi Nuo, at nearly six-foot-three, possibly sleep on it?

’Besides... wasn’t my hint obvious enough?’

While Jiang Qingli was lost in thought, Yi Nuo straightened his suit and started walking toward it.

Just as he was about to lie down, Jiang Qingli said, "Stop."

Yi Nuo stopped and turned, his gaze respectfully lowered. "Miss, what are your instructions?"

"Come here," Jiang Qingli beckoned.

The young man nodded and took a few steps in her direction.

He was still too far away.

Jiang Qingli beckoned again. "Closer."

Though Yi Nuo didn’t know what she wanted, obeying her was instinct. He took a few more steps.

When he stopped, about a meter separated them.

The young man’s long lashes were cast downward, his expression as calm as always. But beneath his gray hair, his entire ear was flushed red.

’I can’t get any closer.’

A wolf’s sense of smell was far too keen. Even from a meter away, he could clearly make out Jiang Qingli’s scent.

Sweet, soft, with a hint of faint mist...

For once, Yi Nuo felt helpless against his own keen senses, yet he didn’t want to hold his breath.

He had to admit he was addicted to her scent. Secretly, he wanted to smell more.

After a few seconds of silence, Jiang Qingli suddenly said, "Hey, your ears are out."

Startled, Yi Nuo quickly raised his hands to cover them.

He looked up into Jiang Qingli’s smiling, crescent eyes, and his heart gave a jolt. A few seconds passed before he belatedly realized his head was bare.

His ears hadn’t appeared at all.

Jiang Qingli was teasing him.

The young man was a little dumbfounded, a complete contrast to his usual stern demeanor.

Jiang Qingli couldn’t hold it in any longer. She dissolved into laughter, rolling on the bed with her shoulders shaking.

Yi Nuo knew she could be childish at times. He wasn’t offended; in fact, he felt a faint sense of joy—

When he first joined the Jiang Family, Jiang Qingli had liked to tease him, but it was born of curiosity. She only spoke with real affection when she was with Baili Jing and Xie Youchen.

This joke, however, was clearly far more intimate.

Yi Nuo liked it very much.

The corners of his lips curved up as his gaze fixed on her. After a moment, he noticed the strap of her nightgown had slipped off her shoulder, revealing her collarbone, and he quickly averted his eyes.

He reacted quickly, but the image of that snowy-white skin was deeply seared into his mind.

Yi Nuo glanced down at his abdomen, his hands, hanging at his sides, tightening.

When Jiang Qingli finished laughing, she looked up.

The young man stood with his head properly bowed, but at some point, his wolf ears had appeared. They twitched in her direction.

Behind him, his wolf tail was wagging unconsciously.

Every movement spoke of his delight.

Jiang Qingli stopped laughing. She propped up her pillow, leaned back against it, and beckoned to him. "I’m done teasing. What I really meant was, come sleep here with me."

Yi Nuo was shocked. "Miss, I can’t—"

"Why not?" Jiang Qingli countered. "You can’t possibly sleep on that sofa, and the floor is too hard."

"I can sleep sitting up," Yi Nuo said, the words coming out with some difficulty.

Jiang Qingli crossed her arms, staring at him as she asked, word by word, "Do you really like me?"

"Of course!" Without a second thought, Yi Nuo rushed to the bedside and knelt, his gaze full of devotion. "My feelings for you, Miss, have always... Please, do not doubt that."

Jiang Qingli asked, "Then why are you reacting like this when the person you like asks you to sleep with her?"

Yi Nuo’s face grew even redder.

He bowed his head, his fingers clasped so tightly the knuckles went white. After a long moment, he whispered, "I... I’m not ready... I don’t know if I can satisfy you, Miss..."

’I know many males study... that sort of thing... and learn techniques to give the female the best experience.’

’Of course, I want to as well.’

’It’s just that back in the Lower District, there was no way to learn. I was planning to study it systematically after returning to the First District.’

’But if Miss insists that I serve her here, I will do my best...’

After saying this, Yi Nuo felt as if he’d been thrown into a furnace, about to be burned to a crisp.

A low chuckle sounded by his ear, followed by a burst of louder laughter.

The girl collapsed onto his shoulder, laughing until she was completely limp.

Yi Nuo didn’t know what he’d said wrong, so he clamped his mouth shut.

After a long moment, Jiang Qingli finished laughing. Resting on his shoulder, she said, "Housekeeper Yin, you’re much more eager than I thought... Actually, I just noticed you seemed to have used up a lot of spiritual power today. I wanted to give you a healing treatment."

Yi Nuo’s eyes flew open in shock.

’A healing treatment?’

’And I... I said all that...’

Yi Nuo was practically consumed by embarrassment, wishing the ground would swallow him whole. His voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. "There’s no need, Miss. You... you’re already exhausted. I’ve taken Mr. Xie’s supplement. I’ll be fine after some sleep..."

Jiang Qingli asked, "What did you just call me?"

Yi Nuo was confused. "Miss."

Jiang Qingli seemed to sigh. "I mean, you’re already thinking about climbing into my bed. Are you going to keep calling me ’Miss’ under the covers? Are you going to bow before you kiss me, too?"

Yi Nuo was taken aback.

’Those words... I feel like I’ve heard something similar just now.’

’But I can’t remember where.’

The girl’s breath, warm and soft against his ear, was enough to turn the usually meticulous housekeeper’s mind to mush.

It wasn’t until Jiang Qingli patted his cheek and said, "Hey, don’t space out on me," that Yi Nuo blinked, came to his senses, and quietly apologized.

Jiang Qingli asked, "What do you want to call me?"

Yi Nuo pressed his lips together, lost in thought.

He’d been calling her "Miss" for a very long time. Jiang Qingli had tried to get him to call her "Qingli" before, but he was just too set in his ways and could never make the switch.

Jiang Qingli figured this couldn’t be rushed, so she patted his head. "Never mind. Take your time. Just tell me when you’ve figured it out."

Yi Nuo nodded.

Jiang Qingli watched his wagging tail and smiled. "Now, go get another blanket and sleep here beside me."

At this, Yi Nuo visibly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief.

For some reason, this made Jiang Qingli a little annoyed.

’Hey, what is wrong with this guy!’

’He’s actually happy we’re not sleeping *together*!’

She had no idea that a certain housekeeper was already using all his strength just to restrain himself.

He was terrified that getting any closer would frighten her.

There was a spare thin quilt in the guest room. Yi Nuo retrieved it and spread it on the bed next to Jiang Qingli.

Just as he was about to get into bed, he whipped his head around to face a certain direction and barked, "Who’s there!"

Jiang Qingli was in the middle of replying to a message from Baili Jing. The shout made her finger twitch, sending the half-typed message. Thinking an intruder had arrived, she quickly looked up.

Only to meet a pair of cold, golden, slitted pupils.

Ye Linyuan emerged from the shadows, his razor-sharp gaze sweeping over the two of them. His thin lips curled into a cold smirk—

"It seems I’ve come at an inopportune time."