Chapter 918: Efficiency, waiting to raise the price
500 million? Long Feiye grew doubtful. Han Yunxi wouldn’t make jokes like that without reason. If Myriad Merchant Hall needed the property, they wouldn’t offer such high sums, either.
“What’s going on?” Long Feiye asked.
Seeing this, Han Yunxi was 100 percent certain that Uncle Cheng was the problem. If Long Feiye’s men had really offered 500 million for a selling price, they would have told him first. It was a huge sum of money. But since Long Feiye was completely clueless on the matter, then that meant Uncle Cheng must have lied about the price!
Why would he do that? Was he planning to line his own pockets with Myriad Merchant Hall’s money? Or did he just want to make things difficult on her end? Perhaps it was a combination of both?
What an Uncle Cheng! With Ning Cheng gone, he’s really gotten gutsy!
“Would you sell it for 500 million?” Han Yunxi’s smile grew even more meaningful.
“Would you buy it for 600 million?” Long Feiye asked back. Although he had no idea of the details, he was sure that Myriad Merchant Hall was the one offering the price.
“600 million means 300 million for each property,” Han Yunxi calculated carefully. “That’s a bit expensive, ah!”
“700 million, then! If you want it, set the price quickly! Otherwise, I won’t even sell it for one billion!” Long Feiye said seriously.
A single conversation had pushed the price up a few hundred millions. If the five elders heard of this, they might just spit up blood and die! What would Uncle Cheng think in turn? Even the best business of the auction halls wouldn’t make up for Long Feiye’s profiteering ways!
“I’ll buy it, I’ll buy it! 700 million then, not more and not less!” Han Yunxi couldn’t help but laugh at the end of her sentence. This shouldn’t count as her helping Long Feiye to screw Myriad Merchant Hall over, right? It only showed that Ning Cheng didn’t discipline his subordinates well enough and got screwed over by them instead.
30 million for each estate, now sold for 300 million? Long Feiye’s profits would then equal what many merchants after one to two years!
“Just what’s going on?” Long Feiye made a show of being in earnest. “If you won’t tell me, then prepare to hand over another hundred million.”
800 million?
Han Yunxi’s mouth twitched. That really was too high. The Council of Elders would vehemently reject the offer and the deal would be ruined. She immediately told Long Feiye everything that Uncle Cheng had reported that day. Long Feiye instantly understood what was going on. Instead of commenting on anything, his mouth drew into a cold smirk. “The person in charge of those two gardens is Merchant Dai. Tomorrow, I’ll send someone to pass on a message. You can deal with the rest yourself.”
So speaking, he leaned back against the bed and took out his stack of letters to read. Han Yunxi used her hands to work herself into a sitting position and grinned wordlessly at Long Feiye. He knew she was staring at him, so he simply finished the letter in his hand before asking, “What are you smiling about?”
Han Yunxi’s smile widened.
Long Feiye stroked her cheek. “What kind of fiendish idea do you have now? 700 million will all be yours. Remember, not a word to Myriad Merchant Hall!”
“I don’t want any of your money,” Han Yunxi rejected instantly.
Long Feiye finally looked up at her. “If money can’t buy you, then what about lust?”
Han Yunxi immediately shook her head, but Long Feiye was already pressing on before she could reply. “Then what are you smiling for?”
Han Yunxi wrapped her arms around his neck and said in an earnest tone, “I just thought that it was really great that I have you.”
Long Feiye slowly lowered his head and said gently, “You’re the only one I treat well.” Then he planted a kiss on her lips and moved her hands away before going back to his letters.
Han Yunxi’s heart skipped a beat, not expecting that. He would never move her hands once she wrapped them around his neck, especially in the past few nights. Once he was in her bed, he’d never leave her idle but torment her until she lost consciousness from exhaustion.
So what was with him tonight?
Han Yunxi’s heart was full of doubts. She hugged her pillow as she sat on one side, seeing Long Feiye reading his letters despite seeming uninterested. The longer she stared, the odder she felt about the whole thing. Was this still His Highness? The same wolf that always felt hungry no matter how much she fed him?
The letters must be very important, she decided as she waited obediently on the side. Once Long Feiye finished all of them, he lied down and said to her, “Come here already.”
Han Yunxi silently grinned to herself. As expected, she’d misread him. She docilely rolled into his arms, guessing what he’d do next. But after a while of waiting, Long Feiye only held her quietly before closing his eyes to sleep. Han Yunxi’s eyes were wide open as complex feelings ran through her heart. If she couldn’t sense something off about Long Feiye now, then she would have wasted all the years she spent with him.
After a long period of silence, she gently tugged at his hand, and he grasped her fingers in turn.
“You haven’t fallen asleep yet?” she asked in a low voice.
“Sleep,” Long Feiye pulled at her hand before encircling her waist and holding her tighter.
How could Han Yunxi sleep like that? After remaining still for awhile, she carefully broke free of Long Feiye’s grasp, only to have him pull her close again. “Be good,” he murmured, “Go to sleep.”
Han Yunxi grew quiet again, but soon enough her hand was moving once more. This time, Long Feiye didn’t stop her, but allowed her to do as she liked. She didn’t do much beyond stroking each and every one of his long, slender fingers. She seemed to be stuck in insomnia, or perhaps she was silently planning something instead. Long Feiye laid behind her, his eyes wide open. He was truly planning to just sleep, but her movements made that impossible now. As Han Yunxi played around with his fingers and got no reaction, she simply pulled his hand to her lips and began to kiss them softly.
Long Feiye’s mouth twitched slightly as he gave a soundless, helpless grin.
“Long Feiye…” Finally, Han Yunxi spoke.
Long Feiye didn’t move or answer, but his smile was full of doting helplessness. He finally realized this woman was just like him, ever thirsting for her other half.
“Long Feiye…” Han Yunxi crooned again.
He couldn’t bear to leave her to dry in the air for too long, so he pulled her hands under the covers and held them still. “Alright now, be good and go to sleep.”
Han Yunxi was now certain that Long Feiye was acting too out of character tonight. She turned around and knitted her brows at him. Although she didn’t ask any questions, they came to a tacit understanding
Long Feiye avoided her gaze and buried her head against his chest. “Be good and listen to me...go to sleep. I’ll hold you until you do.”
When Han Yunxi made to move again, Long Feiye finally trapped her in place and muttered, “Your body is more important. Listen to me.”
Han Yunxi suddenly understood everything! As it turned out, he had misgivings about her birth control methods. Her heart ached before she said, “Alright.” How could she begin to describe what a good man he was?
“Long Feiye, you’re so wonderful that I have nothing to pay you back with,” Han Yunxi said as she sat up. Long Feiye followed and prepared to coax her again when Han Yunxi wrapped her arms around his neck once more. Long Feiye stopped in the middle of removing her arms, feeling reluctant.
He lowered his head and muttered, “Yunxi, be good and sleep. I’m tired…”
She could tell he was holding back just by the tone of his voice and asked, “Long Feiye, if I can’t pay you back with anything, can I offer you my body instead?”
He creased his brows at her and prepared to push her away, but Han Yunxi suddenly pulled his head down and made him rest against her bosom.
“Don’t fool around!” Long Feiye grew anxious. But Han Yunxi simply moved to rest his hands over her chest. Of all the women in the world, she was the only one with the guts to force him! Finally, Long Feiye lost the last vestiges of his self control and shoved her hands aside. But instead of pushing her away, he gave her a vicious bite. Although it wasn’t very deep, it left a faint mark on her chest with a hint of pain. Once he released her, he cried hoarsely, “Han Yunxi, you asked for it!”
“I want to,” Han Yunxi threw caution to the words with her declaration. How could this man not want her? She gently stroked his chest and saw him knit his brows. Then she went even more ruthless and pounced on him, kissing the sensitive spots on his torso.
“Han Yunxi!” Long Feiye’s head whipped up as he cried out. “Han Yunxi, that’s enough!”
“It’s not enough!” Han Yunxi said mercilessly. She traced the well-defined contours of his skin all the way down…
Long Feiye raised his head, his eyes squeezed shut. His long eyelashes were trembling as two drops of sweat shone on the sides of his head. His expression was one of agony mixed with unbearable desire.
This had to be torture.
His whole body seemed wreathed in flames, as if his very soul was burning up. Han Yunxi was the only one who could quench the fire.
--
That night, Han Yunxi experienced firsthand what it meant to play with fire. All night long, they stopped and started, slept and woke, until day broke. When the servant girls came knocking on her door with breakfast, Long Feiye still didn’t want to let her go.
“I’m not feeling very well, so I’ll get up a little later. Tell them that no one’s to disturb me,” Han Yunxi said as she sprawled on the bed, doing her best not to sound too ragged.
Meanwhile, Long Feiye was bullying her from behind, viciously punishing her for last night’s provocation.
Once the servant girls left, Han Yunxi’s nerves finally relaxed as she allowed him to ride her…
“Long Feiye, I’m so tired,” Han Yunxi muttered. As she slipped into unconsciousness, she heard him speak.
“Silly, there won’t be a next time.”
She immediately woke up and glared at him. Her face was flushed, her eyes angry. Seeing this, Long Feiye laughed but warned her all the same. “Take care of your body. You owe this crown prince a whole brood of children!”
Han Yunxi wagged her finger and gestured for him to draw closer. Once he did, she quietly told him a secret. As a proficient practitioner of needles, she had ways to prevent pregnancy without hurting her body.
Hearing this, Long Feiye managed to smile with difficulty. “That’s good to know.”
The disappointment and helplessness in his eyes were obvious to see. His hands brushed lightly against the bite mark on her chest, as if lost in thought. After a while, he played with her hair and gave her a doting smile. “Sleep, then. Chu Tianyin will be coming over tonight, so I’ll come by a little later.”
Han Yunxi only felt miserable as she remained silent. Just like last night, Long Feiye didn’t say much beyond turning to leave. By the time his figure vanished out the window, Han Yunxi was still staring blankly in his direction. Finally, she managed to sit up. But unlike the other times, where she used acupuncture to prevent any pregnancy possibilities, she simply went to get dressed and called for the servant girl to take her to Ning Jing.
Just what was she planning?