As A Punishment, I Became The Favored Wife

Xiao Yue did not consider herself to be a saint. She did not always do the right thing. She stole food, she picked on her brother and played pranks all the time. One time she even blamed a cousin for breaking Uncle Ma's favorite flower pot. Xiao Yue knew very well that she was not perfect.

But she could never, she would never, murder someone on her own accord. The shaman was a well-respected figure in her tribe. She must have her reasons. Uncle Ma trusted her. Uncle Ma was a reasonable, wise leader. He would not have agreed to a sinister plot without questioning it. All Xiao Yue had to do was... believe. In her people.

It's not like Long Zhao Feng demanded anything from her.

After splashing water around playfully and scrubbing herself clean, Xiao Yue went out of the bathtub dressed in nothing but an inner robe, and called for Yu Fen. She called a few times, but Yu Fen did not answer. Maybe she got distracted by something else and went away. Since Yu Fen did not come, Xiao Yue went into her bed-chamber in that state. Her long hair was dripping wet from the bath just like how she liked it, and her inner robe hung loosely at her body, slightly open to show part of her cleavage. Xiao Yue opened the door and the first thing she saw was Long Zhao Feng with the creepy silver mask, sitting on the divan with an arm on the tea table, supporting his head.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHH....!!!!!"

"..."

Yu Fen came into the bed-chamber not long after with a stack of freshly laundered bedsheets in her hands. Behind her, a group of maids followed with trays of snacks and tea. Yu Fen immediately dropped the bedsheets when seeing Xiao Yue in a more than less presentable state.

"Young Lady!!!" she chastised.

Yu Fen quickly grabbed Xiao Yue and dragged her back into the bathing chamber. The other maids thus busied themselves with changing the bedsheets and serving the master.

"Really, Young Lady how could you show up in front of your husband like that? How very unladylike!"

Yu Fen could not stop scolding Xiao Yue, and Xiao Yue had no energy to rebuke her. It was not like she planned to meet Long Zhao Feng in a half-naked state! She had not lost her mind! How shameful! Xiao Yue would very much like to bury herself underground, please.

Xiao Yue had no idea that while she was drowning in the sea of shame, her manor was extremely excited to receive General Long. The maids were very proud of the Third Madam. They did not have high expectations of her at once because she spent her day farming and practicing sword, but look at how she grabbed victory in one cool swoop like an eagle grabbing prey from the ground!

Of course, after the first step, all that was left was to keep General Long hooked to the Third Madam. Men were known to fancy the newer wife at least during the honeymoon phase. The Third Madam's honeymoon phase came late, but it finally came! Second spring had come to the Third Madam's manor!

Xiao Yue, the ignorant Third Wife was thus clothed in provocatingly thin attire and led to her bed-chamber, where she was left alone with her husband.

"..."

"..."

Long Zhao Feng was still wearing the silver mask, his expression not visible to Xiao Yue, when he asked, "Are you planning to sleep with me tonight?"

Xiao Yue immediately answered, "No! Of course not!"

Heavens! Just the thought of it gave her goosebumps!

"Why are you here?"

"To sleep of course. What else."

"..."

'You have three manors to sleep in and you just have to sleep in mine tonight? After being scandalized this morning, I really do not have the face to put up with you!'

Of course, she would not say all that. Instead, she mocked him, "Are you not afraid that I will kill you while you are sleeping?"

Long Zhao Feng roared in laughter at this question. He extinguished the lamps in the bed-chamber before taking off his mask.

"I'd see you try," he said.

"..."

Infuriating little...

"There is only one bed," Xiao Yue stated, while she approached the bed. Early bird gets the worm. "How are we going to sleep?"

Her esteemed husband took off his dark cloak and hung it on the partition. He then leisurely took off his outer robe while Xiao Yue shrieked and covered her eyes.

"I plan to sleep on the bed. What about you?"

...

"W-w-what?? Are you expecting me to sleep on the floor? I am the woman here! And this is my bed-chamber!"

Ignoring Xiao Yue who was standing by the bed, the man hopped into the bed and grinned at her.

"I never told you to sleep on the floor. Come, we have enough space on the bed."

"..."

'This brat has lost his mind.'

"What makes you think that I will want to sleep with you on the same bed... AHHH...!!!"

Long Zhao Feng pulled at her arm and Xiao Yue inadvertently crashed against his chest.

"Play along," he whispered into her ear. "Everyone thinks that we just consummated yesterday night. Won't they think that it's weird if I do not favor you for a while? Unless... you don't have that much charm to keep a husband interested?"

Xiao Yue pushed against Long Zhao Feng angrily. Her furious face prompted him to laugh.

"Just kidding. Come, I won't do anything to you. If I wanted to, I could have last night."

Xiao Yue thus lay down clumsily next to Long Zhao Feng.

"Sleep," he said, closing his eyes.

Xiao Yue closed her eyes but she could not fall asleep even after waiting for a long time. Infuriated, she opened her eyes and grumbled in her heart. Long Zhao Feng had his eyes closed, a light snore came from him. Great. The annoying person was asleep already while she could not even get a wink of sleep.

Xiao Yue propped her head on an arm and stared at Long Zhao Feng. This brat... was actually quite good-looking. When he was awake, he always had that mocking expression on, as if he was better than everyone else. When he's sleeping, he actually looked innocent and gentle.

If Chun Ya didn't die, she thought to herself, things would be different. Long Zhao Feng would still lose his brother but at least he would still have a wife. He and Chun Ya... they loved each other, didn't they? They had to. Long Zhao Feng did not explicitly say it this morning, but his description of Chun Ya said it all.

Xiao Yue felt extremely uncomfortable. She just had to steal the body of the dead wife. Could she not be reborn as a maid in the Long household? Why must she be the Third Madam???

Xiao Yue sighed.

>>Long Zhao Feng, how long are you planning to take the place of your deceased brother?<<

Although Long Zhao Feng had fallen asleep, he still could not fall into a deep sleep because he sensed a pair of eyes staring at him. Annoyed, he opened his eyes and frowned at Xiao Yue, who gasped and closed her eyes tightly.

"..."

Long Zhao Feng sighed and pulled Xiao Yue's head to his chest.

"W-w-what are you doing!!"

"I'll release you when you finally fall asleep."

She kept pushing at him, but the man's grip was too strong. Exhausted, Xiao Yue gave up and fell asleep in Long Zhao Feng's warm embrace.