The Obsessive Crown Prince Can't Let Me Go
Chapter 159 - 157 Scratching Lu Ying’s Neck with Nails

Chapter 159: Chapter 157 Scratching Lu Ying’s Neck with Nails

He pressed down on Shen Yinning’s lips harshly, gritting his teeth: "Shut up!"

Shen Yinning blinked, her long lashes still glistening with fragments of crystalline tears.

Beyond her pitiful demeanor, her clear and radiant eyes seemed to harbor a trace of mischief, as if mocking Lu Ying for being utterly helpless against her.

In the next instant, Lu Ying suddenly bit her lips.

Shen Yinning’s pupils widened, every word she wanted to say blocked in her throat.

"Mmph... You beast..."

She cursed under her breath, clawing at Lu Ying’s neck with sharp nails, leaving behind a few distinct, bloodied scratches.

Lu Ying winced from the pain, his brows furrowing deeply as he covered his neck with his hand.

Luckily, it was winter, and the high collar of his silk robe would conceal the marks, sparing him from embarrassment at court the following day.

He exhaled a little more heavily, grinding his teeth as he laughed, his voice low and teasing: "Shen Zhaozhao, you really have some nerve!"

Sharp-tongued, and even your claws are razor-sharp.

You’re no different from a cunning little fox spirit who has mastered its tricks!

What greeted Shen Yinning was a tempest without mercy.

A tingling pleasure traveled along her spine and surged to her fingertips, almost lifting her to the heavens.

Her entire body trembled, her toes curling tightly. Under the flickering candlelight, her skin was tinged with a deep rouge, as if painted with the lush hues of peonies. Even the corners of her eyes were flushed crimson and dewy, falling into Lu Ying’s gaze like a soft, creamy milk candy—deceptively sweet, yet utterly irresistible. It sparked a maddening urge in him to fuse her completely with himself.

With one final heavy thrust, it was as if a melody had reached its climax.

The candlelight flickered wildly, as though teetering on the brink of extinction.

Shen Yinning’s body tensed like a drawn bowstring, and the last sound from her throat resembled the plaintive cry of a small animal being conquered by a predator—a sound so delicate yet enthralling it tugged at the heartstrings.

Her Dan Feng eyes shimmered with moist bewilderment.

The candlelight alternated between brightness and shadow, like a precarious ray of light hanging in the sky.

Shen Yinning watched that sole light trace the path of a falling star, gradually sinking, as darkness finally devoured everything in her vision.

Lu Ying knelt with one leg bent on the soft couch, faint traces of sweat gleaming on his brow.

He looked at the girl who had fallen unconscious, stretching a hand to pull a thin blanket over her.

So fragile, yet constantly finding ways to provoke him.

He couldn’t fathom what she intended to accomplish.

He donned his undergarments, his thoughts drifting back to Gao Zheng’s words.

Deception, betrayal, manipulation...

He had no idea how to deal with Shen Yinning anymore.

The next morning.

Shen Yinning awoke on the bed.

The pillow beside her was cold, and Lu Ying was nowhere to be seen—likely gone to court.

After tidying herself up and changing into fresh clothes, she took a carriage back to the Gao Family, intent on settling scores with Gao Zheng.

Upon entering their gate, she found the entire courtyard in jagged ruins, strewn with debris everywhere. Everything that could be smashed had been, even the ancestral altar in the shrine had toppled over.

It was undoubtedly the handiwork of someone like Shen Xinglei.

The once-grand mansion was eerily silent, and the members of the Gao Family seemed to have vanished without a trace.

Haitang was baffled: "This is strange, where could Master Gao and the others have gone?"

"Even the maids, grannies, and errand boys in the residence are gone..." Wei Yu glanced around before suggesting cautiously, "Could they have moved out? But that can’t be, can it? They couldn’t possibly afford a mansion in the Capital either!"

Shen Yinning had no interest in Gao Zheng or his family for now and ordered, "Gather anything useful from my courtyard. Let’s head back to the villa on the outskirts of the city first."

The carriage rolled to the city’s outskirts, arriving at the Hot Spring Villa, only to find it bustling with noise and activity. The Gao Family’s maids and servants were all there, busy moving belongings into the various courtyards. Yin Shanshan was barking out orders, carrying herself like the mistress of the house.

Haitang gasped, "How did they end up here?!"

Shen Yinning’s expression was cold and aloof.

She had previously let it slip that this villa was her private residence as "Lady Shen." Considering that Gao Zheng and Yin Shanshan now knew her identity, it made sense for them to investigate her properties.

Yet, she hadn’t anticipated that Gao Zheng and Yin Shanshan would bring their entire household to set up camp here.

"Oh, you’ve arrived?" Yin Shanshan noticed her, her tone tinged with bitterness. "Thanks to you, yesterday Shen Xinglei led people to smash up our home, even demolishing the ancestral shrine! We had nowhere else to go, and Zheng Lang suddenly remembered you’d made quite a bit of money selling your calligraphy and even owned a villa on the outskirts. So, we brought the whole family here. Zheng Lang has gone to the Government Office, and I’m in charge of the household now. I’ve assigned courtyards to everyone—your quarters are in the East Wing. Off you go."

Shen Yinning’s gaze fell on the open space ahead.

Piled there in a chaotic mess were her belongings from the main residence of the villa, strewn about carelessly.

The Gao Family’s errand boys were still hauling out boxes, wardrobes, and other items. Ignorant of the value of the goods, they had unceremoniously tossed them around; the cloud brocade and eiderdown bedding worth its weight in gold now lay on the ground, sullied with muddy footprints.

Following her vision, Yin Shanshan glanced at the scene and smirked dismissively. "Zheng Lang and I discussed it. Since he is the head of the household, the main residence naturally belongs to him. So, we moved your things out. After all, ’a married woman follows her husband’s lead’; surely, you have no objections?"

Shen Yinning’s eyes grew colder. Something crossed her mind, and without responding to Yin Shanshan, she headed straight for the villa’s rear garden.

The rear garden was filled with exotic plants, remaining lush and vibrant even in winter.

Several steaming hot springs emitted swirls of mist, enclosed by rock gardens, greenery, and bamboo fences. Each spring offered unique properties—some for strengthening the body, others for nourishing women’s health, and some infused with fragrant floral essences, capable of washing away fatigue in a mere half hour’s soak.

From a distance, Shen Yinning could already hear bursts of laughter and chatter coming from the hot springs.

Wei Yu trailed behind her anxiously, her face darkening. "My Lady, I think I hear Madam Gao and the voices of young master Hong and Hui. Could they already be soaking in the hot springs?!"

Haitang tightly pressed her lips together, casting a worried glance at Shen Yinning.

Her mistress was a germaphobe and had always detested having outsiders in her hot springs. And given her long-held contempt for the Gao Family, it was clear this situation had pushed her fury to its peak.

Shen Yinning pushed open the bamboo gate.

What she saw made her blood boil.

In her favorite spring, Madam Gao and Gao Yun lazed comfortably, mother and daughter wearing smirks of entitlement, as though they had declared the space their own private dominion.

Young Master Hong crouched beside the pool, playing with rocks. A decorative jade she had spent a fortune acquiring now lay shattered into bits under his hand.

Young Master Hui was there too, urinating brazenly against a nearby plant.

Madam Gao noticed and, instead of stopping him, praised his aim and distance.

Wei Yu shouted sharply, "What on earth are you doing?!"

Her stern tone startled the two children into tears on the spot.

Madam Gao turned and saw Shen Yinning, her face twisting into a scowl. "You wretched woman, how dare you show your face here?! You’ve offended the Duke Mansion, caused such a scandal, and left us to suffer the fallout while you hide away and indulge yourself in ease!"

Gao Yun rolled her eyes dramatically and followed up, "Shen Yinning, you’ve been hoarding such a fine hot spring villa, keeping it from Mother and Big Brother while you selfishly enjoy it all to yourself. Marrying you was the worst mistake for our family! I’m deciding this now—this Hot Spring Villa belongs to the whole family!"