When the Female Lead Becomes Obsessive – Chapter 116

Volume Five: Those Years When I Was the Prime Minister

Marriage

【Blackening value decreased, the female lead’s current blackening value is 0.5!】 the system, having just been unblocked, said to Wen Nuan as it looked at the latest data change.

Wen Nuan pinched her aching brow bone, looked at Sheng Tingwan still sleeping soundly in her arms, and replied in a low voice, “En.”

The system glanced at the sky outside, which was still dark and heavy, and sighed, 【One day and one night, I was blocked for one day and one night.】

Wen Nuan smiled. “You can’t blame me. She drugged me and was so proactive, I definitely couldn’t control myself.”

【That’s not right! You’re immune to a hundred poisons, so how could you be poisoned?】 the system realized.

Wen Nuan smiled. “The little girl likes to play, shouldn’t you play along with her?”

The drug Sheng Tingwan used didn’t really have any medicinal effect on her. The reason she reacted to Sheng Tingwan was because she herself already had strong desires for her; her every move was arousing and stimulating her.

So what controlled her was not the drug, but her feelings for her.

The system snorted in contempt, “You beast!”

Wen Nuan accepted this compliment with composure.

It was the Yuan Ri¹ festival, a time for joint celebration, and all officials had a three-day leave from attending the morning court session².

Therefore, Wen Nuan didn’t control herself either, using the drug’s effects as a pretext to thoroughly torment Sheng Tingwan several times. After a day and a night, the two of them looked as if they had been fished out of water.

Wen Nuan lowered her head and kissed her forehead, then slowly got up, picked up her outer robe from the floor and put it on. She walked out of the room and said to the servant waiting outside, “Go prepare a bathtub and hot water.”

The servant replied, “Nuo³.”

It had been snowing for the past few days, and a thick layer had already piled up outside. A cold wind blew, and Wen Nuan shivered and ducked back into the room.

Wen Nuan looked at Sheng Tingwan, who was now awake. She was lying on the bed, seemingly in a daze, her eyes unfocused.

She walked over, sat beside her, and lowered her head to kiss her lips. “What’s wrong?”

Sheng Tingwan’s eyes shifted to look at Wen Nuan. “No… nothing.”

It’s just that my whole body is sore, and I feel like I’m about to fall apart.

“Uncomfortable?” Wen Nuan smiled helplessly and sighed. “It is a bit… swollen.”

Sheng Tingwan bit her swollen red lips and said embarrassedly, “…It’s fine, just a little numb.”

She had to endure the consequences of her own actions.

She didn’t want Wen Nuan to think she was weak.

“It’s alright, I’ve had someone prepare hot water. We’ll take a bath in a moment, and I’ll apply some medicine for you,” Wen Nuan said with concern. “Does anywhere else feel uncomfortable?”

Sheng Tingwan sat up and wrapped her arms around Wen Nuan’s waist, smiling with satisfaction. She sighed, “This is so nice.”

“What’s nice?” Wen Nuan kneaded her waist. “You’ve been tormented by me like this, what’s so nice about it?”

“It is still nice,” Sheng Tingwan said, looking up at Wen Nuan with the corners of her lips curving up. “To be able to be this intimate with you, it’s good no matter what.”

She was very satisfied.

Wen Nuan was somewhat moved. The hand that was kneading her waist gradually shifted its battlefield.

Her eyes blinked, and her fingertips trembled slightly. “Are you sure?”

She had noticed earlier that Sheng Tingwan was clearly an arrow at the end of its flight, yet she still dared to be stubborn now.

This little girl is quite obstinate.

Sheng Tingwan’s body instantly tensed up. She sucked in a sharp breath, and the madness of the past day and night flashed through her mind.

She tightened her arms around Wen Nuan and panted, “I can.”

Her words were firm, but her tone revealed her weakness.

Wen Nuan smiled faintly and got up. “Be good, next time.”

She could still tell the difference between one full meal and being full every time.

Sheng Tingwan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. “En.”

“My lady, the hot water is ready,” the servant called from outside the room.

“Come in.” Wen Nuan covered Sheng Tingwan with the quilt.

Servants walked in carrying a large bathtub, poured in the hot water, and retreated after getting everything ready, not daring to lift their heads the entire time.

Wen Nuan picked up Sheng Tingwan, and the two of them sat in the bathtub. Wen Nuan held her, helping her wash her body.

“Do you have to return to the palace tomorrow?”

The morning court would resume the day after tomorrow, so Sheng Tingwan was supposed to return to the palace.

Sheng Tingwan leaned back against Wen Nuan’s chest, letting Wen Nuan wash her inside and out. “I don’t want to go back.”

She wanted to stay with Wen Nuan, even if they didn’t do that kind of thing. Just being by her side quietly was enough.

“Relax your legs,” Wen Nuan said, pulling her hand out. “You are Her Majesty the Empress Regnant of Tianyang Kingdom; sooner or later, you must return to the imperial palace.”

Sheng Tingwan pouted. “But if I go back to the palace, I won’t be able to see you.”

“I won’t be leaving the capital city, and I attend the morning court session every day, so why would you not see me?”

“That’s different,” Sheng Tingwan turned around and kissed the corner of Wen Nuan’s mouth. “I want to see you every moment of every day. I want to be by your side every minute and every second.”

Wen Nuan hooked her chin. “So clingy?”

“Not clingy, just clingy to you.” Sheng Tingwan blinked her eyes and pleaded, “Wen Nuan, let me go back to the palace the day after tomorrow. I’ll go back early; I won’t miss the morning court session.”

“That won’t do. You’ll be too tired.”

Sheng Tingwan shook her head. “I won’t be tired. In the past, when I reviewed memorials⁴, I would stay up all night and still be energetic enough for the morning court session the next day. I won’t be tired.”

Wen Nuan’s brow furrowed slightly. “You actually… review memorials all night?”

Sheng Tingwan: “…I was wrong.”

Wen Nuan had taught her before that no matter how urgent or difficult matters of state were, she must prioritize her own body. She must not stay up all night correcting memorials, for if the current empress regnant’s precious body were to be worn out, the very foundation of the country would be shaken.

Wen Nuan raised her hand and tapped the space between her eyebrows. “How many times have you done this?”

Just as Sheng Tingwan was about to fudge the answer, she heard Wen Nuan’s threat: “Don’t even think about lying to me. I raised you, after all.”

“…” Sheng Tingwan said silently, “I do it often.”

Wen Nuan sighed. “You…”

Sheng Tingwan quickly said, “I know I was wrong, I will definitely change. I won’t stay up all night to review memorials again. Even if the country is about to fall tomorrow, I will obediently listen to you and sleep well.”

Wen Nuan: “…”

There’s no need to be that irresponsible.

The system lamented: 【I can clearly see the rise of a fatuous ruler.】

Wen Nuan: “…”

“That’s not what I mean,” Wen Nuan explained. “You are the empress regnant; handling state affairs and reviewing memorials is to be expected. But you must first prioritize your own body. A country cannot be without its ruler for a single day⁵. If you were to collapse, what would the citizens of Tianyang Kingdom do?”

Sheng Tingwan nodded. “En en, I’ll listen to whatever you say.”

The system sighed with emotion: 【Tsk tsk, beauty is the ruin of a nation!】

Wen Nuan: “…”

“After we bathe and eat, I’ll take you back to the palace.” Wen Nuan felt that the two of them couldn’t continue to be so depraved.

Sheng Tingwan lowered her head and said aggrievedly, “We’re going back tonight?”

Her eyes shifted, and she kissed Wen Nuan, panting anxiously, “Wen Nuan, I don’t want to go, I want you…”

“Be good, don’t be wanton.” Wen Nuan held Sheng Tingwan down and smiled with ill intent. “Tonight, even if I wear you out completely, I will still carry you back to the palace.”

Sheng Tingwan: “…”

After the two finished washing up and had dinner, Wen Nuan dragged the reluctant Sheng Tingwan back to the imperial palace.

The horse-drawn carriage arrived at the South Palace Gate, but Sheng Tingwan clung to Wen Nuan’s waist, simply refusing to let go and get out of the carriage.

“Wen Nuan, I don’t want to go back to the palace. There’s still one more day of leave tomorrow. It’s too early for me to go back now.”

“Take your hand out of my clothes.” Seeing that Sheng Tingwan wouldn’t listen, Wen Nuan simply picked her up and carried her out of the carriage.

Sheng Tingwan hurriedly wrapped her arms around Wen Nuan’s neck. Seeing that Wen Nuan was about to send her through the palace gate, aggrieved tears started to flow. “Are you tired of me?”

Seeing this, Wen Nuan put her down. “What are you crying for?”

Sheng Tingwan held her hand and sobbed, “Do you think I’m too clingy, that you’re tired of me, is that it?”

“How could that be?” Wen Nuan sighed. “Does my asking you to return to the palace mean I’m tired of you and annoyed by you?”

“There’s still one day of leave. Why won’t you let me stay at the Prime Minister’s Manor?”

Wen Nuan wiped away her tears. “Must you stay in the Prime Minister’s Manor? Can’t I come to the palace to accompany you instead?”

Sheng Tingwan hiccupped from crying and stared at her blankly. “Wh-what?”

“I said I’ll stay in the palace to accompany you, okay?”

“…Okay.” Sheng Tingwan said, pleasantly surprised. “Okay, okay, okay.”

Wen Nuan took her hand and said indulgently, “Let’s go then, little crybaby.⁶”

---

Wen Nuan had planned to stay in Huining Hall, but Sheng Tingwan’s lips drooped, her eyes grew moist, and she aggrievedly pulled Wen Nuan to Qianyang Hall.

It could be said that Sheng Tingwan had found her weakness. Whenever Wen Nuan was a bit firm, she would just pretend to be pitiful and wronged, and Wen Nuan’s heart would soften. Except in bed, since even when Wen Nuan had her crying her eyes out, Sheng Tingwan would never beg for mercy, insisting on intertwining with Wen Nuan to the death.

Sometimes Wen Nuan would see her crying so hard she was about to start convulsing and would think maybe she should just stop. But then Sheng Tingwan, as if unafraid of death, would provoke her again. Once Wen Nuan’s temper flared, how could she endure it? She would directly discipline Sheng Tingwan until she was completely obedient.

The next day at the morning court session, Sheng Tingwan dragged her exhausted body out of bed to attend, while Wen Nuan lay on the bed and, with a sated expression, asked Her Majesty the Empress Regnant for a leave of absence.

“Not permitted.” Sheng Tingwan allowed Lü Yan to help her into her court robes⁷, looking at Wen Nuan lying lazily on the bed. “The Prime Minister’s request for leave, Zhen does not permit.”

Wen Nuan rested her chin in her palm, frowning. “But this insignificant subject⁸ is ill and feeling unwell.”

Sheng Tingwan’s heart tightened, and she walked over. “Where are you uncomfortable? I’ll go call the imperial physician to take a look at you.”

Just as she was about to tell Lü Yan to call for the imperial physician, Wen Nuan grabbed her wrist and shook her head at Lü Yan.

She got up and leaned close to Sheng Tingwan’s ear, her voice low and deep. “This insignificant subject’s fingers are just sore. I suppose it’s from being overworked last night. Today, my fingers are both sore and sticky.”

Sheng Tingwan’s face flushed red in an instant. “…”

“Zhen… Zhen permits it.” She stood up in shame and anger. Hearing Wen Nuan’s playful laughter from behind her, she hurriedly flicked her sleeves and left.

The system said helplessly: 【Blackening value decreased, the female lead’s current blackening value is 0.3!】

Wen Nuan’s laughter grew even more cheerful. “Truly adorable.”

【There’s still 0.3 left, how do you plan to handle it?】 the system asked. 【Are you still planning to take it slow?】

Wen Nuan got dressed, walked out of Qianyang Hall, and headed towards Jinlan Hall. “I’ll take it one step at a time.”

【Where are you going?】

“To have a chat with the male lead.”

I always feel like the female lead and male lead are hiding something from me.

---

Jinlan Hall

Shen Zhijin was lying on his stomach on the bed out of sheer boredom, reading the newly published 《Dream of the Ancient Lotus》⁹. He was completely engrossed, occasionally letting out a clear laugh that held a hint of debauchery.

“Hehehe…” Shen Zhijin was mesmerized.

“Is it good?”

Shen Zhijin replied casually, “Especially good, hehe.”

“Let me see.”

“No, if you want to read it go…” Shen Zhijin came back to his senses. Who in Jinlan Hall would dare speak to him like that?

He abruptly put down the book and looked in terror at Wen Nuan, who had appeared before him. With a whoosh, he jumped up. “Prime Minister… Prime Minister Ling!?”

Where are my palace attendants? Why didn’t they announce her?!

Wen Nuan took the novel from his hand and flipped through it casually. “Noble Consort Shen seems to be quite happy?”

Shen Zhijin knelt on the bed and said with a placating smile, “Not at all, not at all. Isn’t this just passing the time since I have nothing to do?”

In this palace, I’m like a useless person. What else can I do besides read novels?

I want to engage in some palace intrigue¹⁰, but there’s no one to do it with.

Wen Nuan tossed the book back to him and sat down on a nearby chair. “It has been several days since I last saw Noble Consort Shen. this insignificant subject has missed you.”

Shen Zhijin’s body trembled. “Missed… me?”

“En,” Wen Nuan narrowed her eyes, her smile very gentle. “Does Noble Consort Shen not believe me?”

Her smile made Shen Zhijin’s burly body tremble¹¹. He nodded hastily, “I believe… I believe…”

He was puzzled, not knowing what Ling Wen Nuan’s purpose was.

Wen Nuan poured a cup of tea and took a sip. “You and Her Majesty…”

Shen Zhijin’s internal alarms went off. He raised three fingers and said earnestly, “Her Majesty and I do not share a shred of romantic love. The relationship between us is as pure as the white snow outside. Moreover…” He pulled back his sleeve to reveal a red mole¹². “I am still of pure body. Her Majesty and I are not in love with each other at all. Every time we meet, we either fight or argue. It is absolutely not the kind of sweet, mutually affectionate, and loving intimacy that the Prime Minister imagines. Prime Minister, you must see this clearly…”

Wen Nuan: “…”

The system: 【His survival instinct is at max value.】

She rubbed her forehead, exasperated. “I am naturally aware that you and Her Majesty are completely innocent. Did you think I came to dispatch an army to punish a crime?¹³”

Shen Zhijin paused. “…I didn’t?”

Wen Nuan glared at him. “Are you looking to die?”

Shen Zhijin shook his head frantically. “No.”

Tired of his nonsense, Wen Nuan brought the topic back on track. “Haven’t you always wanted to leave the palace to roam the jianghu? Do you know why Her Majesty has been delaying letting you go?”

Shen Zhijin hadn’t expected her to ask about this. He pondered for a moment and said, “I don’t know. She only told me that she would let me go, but that she still has a use for me.”

Wen Nuan had the system pull up the world’s main plotline. Suddenly, she saw a particular plot point, her eyes lit up, and she laughed out loud.

Seeing Wen Nuan suddenly laugh, Shen Zhijin felt his blood run cold. He said with a trembling voice, “Prime Minister, what’s wrong with you?”

Wen Nuan stood up and looked at Shen Zhijin. “You do indeed still have some use. But? I don’t want to use it.”

Then she left, leaving behind a mysterious back view.

Shen Zhijin: “…”

He really didn’t want to stay in this imperial palace for another day!!!!

Wen Nuan walked back to Qianyang Hall. Just as she stepped through the doors, she was tackled by Sheng Tingwan in a full embrace.

“Where did you go?”

Sheng Tingwan had rushed back to Qianyang Hall as soon as the morning court session ended, only to find Wen Nuan gone. She was so anxious she was about to send people to look for her when she saw Wen Nuan’s figure appear at the entrance of the hall.

Wen Nuan hugged her back. “I went to find Shen Zhijin.”

Sheng Tingwan looked up. “Find him? Was it about something important?”

“Shen Zhijin wants to leave the palace and roam the jianghu. Why won’t Your Majesty let him go?” Wen Nuan said deliberately. “Could it be that Your Majesty still likes Shen Zhijin and plans to enjoy the bliss of having two partners?”

Sheng Tingwan waved her hands frantically. “No, I don’t have that thought.”

“Then why are you delaying letting Shen Zhijin go? What exactly are you planning?”

Sheng Tingwan was extremely nervous. She stammered, “I… I thought for a long time before I finally understood the true meaning of the words you said to me back in Xizhou.”

“What words?”

“I wanted you to return to the capital city to continue being my Prime Minister, but you no longer wanted to be the Prime Minister; you wanted a position higher than the Prime Minister.” Countless emotions surged in Sheng Tingwan’s eyes. “I always thought you wanted to be the empress regnant. Later, after we fell in love, I finally realized…”

She looked at Wen Nuan nervously, her hands clasped tightly. “Wen Nuan, so… can you be my Phoenix Consort?”

Sheng Tingwan had kept Shen Zhijin only because she wanted to use his identity to marry¹⁴ Wen Nuan. But at that time, she thought Wen Nuan didn’t like her, so she was already prepared to take her by force.

Later, after she and Wen Nuan confessed their feelings for each other, her heart and eyes were completely filled with Wen Nuan, and she had forgotten her original plan for keeping Shen Zhijin.

Now that Wen Nuan had brought it up, Sheng Tingwan was deeply ashamed.

“Do you plan to have me assume Shen Zhijin’s identity to become your Phoenix Consort?”

Sheng Tingwan shook her head. “I did think about having you marry me in Shen Zhijin’s place at the beginning, but later I felt it would be very aggrieving and humiliating for you.”

She also felt how despicable and sordid she had been.

But now—

Sheng Tingwan looked at Wen Nuan, her eyes filled with sincerity, and said hesitantly, “Actually, I hope even more to marry Ling Wen Nuan, not Shen Zhijin.”

It was true three years ago, and it is true three years later. Her dream has always been to marry Ling Wen Nuan.

---

---