The Rise of Phoenixes Novel Translation #55

Zhi Wei suddenly feels something hot on her side. It was the soaking wet Ning Yi who has tiredly rested his chin on her shoulder, his breath scorches her ear as he mutters “Zhi Wei…now that we are off the mountain, everything has to return to the way they were? If so, then allow me to misbehave again…after tonight, you will be the Wei Zhi who earnestly climbs (the political ladder) and I will continue on the path of never-ending battles…. Fifth (prince) escaped, our journey here is destined to be paved with blood… Zhi Wei, Zhi Wei…to keep walking on this path, neither of us knows if that path will bring us closer or push us further and further away…. Tonight…can you…can you…can you not…come close to me…for once.”

Can you not come to me completely for once?

Zhi Wei has never thought someone as cold and firm as Ning Yi would one day plead with such words. Is it because the poison has temporarily weakened him or is he saying this because he can foresee what lies ahead? Her body is rigid as she stands in the cooling water yet her body temperature is rising. His body is so close, only separated from hers by a thin cloth. His fragrance is everywhere, slowly and stealthy submerging themselves into her skin. His every little move sends shivers up her spine as if the lighting in the cloud that foreshadows the violent storm that is to come. His chin resting on her shoulder, both of them could feel the silky soft water caressing the equally silky skin…their breathing mingling as if they are one…making them imagine all the tantalizing possibilities…

Unsettled, she turns her head to the side but it only allowed his lips the opportunity to graze past her cheek, the burning sensation spreading through her. Outwardly she is calm but inside, she is shaken to the core. Unable to control a small tremble, she wants to say something but her whole body feels weak without an ounce of strength.

The body that is pressed up to her seems to have addled her brain so that the only sound that came out of her ended up being a small trembling sigh, making her even more shy and afraid to say anything more especially since his lips are waiting right there. His lips first made feathery light contact then promptly turns into a stormy invasion, the force of it seems to show a determination on conquering all. Her skin colored by a tinge of pink. There was an instant that her fast-beating heart made her dizzy and lose the ability to speak. Not that he ever intended to seek a reply from her. His words were simply a declaration, actions are what a man does. Under the water, his seeking hand wrapped itself around her wispy waist. Pausing there for a second, his fingertips seem to be worshiping the evidence this woman was favored by the creator. His hand slowly moves down as his body shifted. Zhi Wei abruptly could feel something hard, instantly making the fog in her brain evaporate. With a low grunt, Ning Yi wraps his arm around her and is about to step out of the tub when he suddenly feels something hard against his waist. 

“Your Highness.” Her breath a bit shaky at first, then slowly recovers until the coldness he hates the most comes back “Don’t you want to hear my answer?” 

Both of them standing in the tub facing each other with the black sword in between them. Droplets of water drip from Ning Yi’s bare chest as the candlelight shines on his porcelain skin. Lower her eyes, Zhi Wei only dares to stare at her own sword. 

“Your answer is just this.” Ning Yi has also recovered his composure. Ignoring the sword, Ning Yi takes a step closer. (“Your answer is just this” is not quite the right translation but I really couldn’t think of a succinct way of translating the correct meaning. What Ning Yi means here is that he knows what Zhi Wei’s answer would be and the sword is the representation of her answer but he doesn’t care if being hurt or even death is what it takes to have her…as indicated by him stepping forward instead of back.) 

As expected, Zhi Wei pulls the sword back a bit. 

“You see.” Ning Yi says with a confident smile “You can’t bear to hurt me.” Ning Yi reaches out a hand to caress Zhi Wei’s face as he says with affection “You are perpetually hiding yourself, controlling yourself, forcing yourself…you were obviously moved just now why do you refuse to let yourself go for once?” (Moved as in aroused but not really in the physical sense, more like he was able to get into her heart.) 

“I just can’t afford to hurt you. That’s it.” After a moment of silence, Zhi Wei averts her eyes again and says with a causal smile “And, Your Highness. According to what people say, when inexperienced women get in close contact with men they don’t dislike they tend to lose control easily. So, I don’t think you are an exception.” 

(To put all this bluntly, what Ning Yi is saying is that since Zhi Wei was aroused why wouldn’t she just following her passion and sleep with him. Hidden in Ning Yi’s words is the suggestion that Zhi Wei obviously cares for him or else she would not be aroused by what just happened. Our heroine’s reply is that rumor has it virgins are easily aroused when they are with men who they don’t dislike. Translation: Ning Yi, you think too much of yourself. My reaction was just pure lust and could’ve happened with any man who I don’t dislike.)

“Your eyes are not functioning correctly right now so I think you must not have noticed…” Zhi Wei smiles “The sharp end of this blade is not towards your direction…but towards myself.” 

Ning Yi finally lost some of his calm composure. 

“If you step forward, it (the sword) will certainly back up, but it will only back the blade into me.” Zhi Wei says placidly “I don’t know what your intentions are but I feel like my body and heart can’t be given away right now. So my apologies Your Highness for letting me threaten you.” 

Silence enveloped the room with only the sounds of water dripping like the grains of sand in a timer. Ning Yi “looked” towards Zhi Wei’s direction. His blurry vision is filled with nothing but white and grey shapes, yet he can still imagine what she must look like right now- all the red flush on her skin completely gone, her eyes cold like steel…just like last winter when he first met her, the expression she had while she kicked that woman into the pond. (That’s our heroine’s uncle’s concubine.) Cool, fierce with a hint of disregard. In truth, he knows some things cannot be forced but he still tried. Even he can’t understand why he acted the way he did. It seems from the moment he met her and started to get to know her, some things…some thoughts have lost control. On that rainy night in the old temple, she was in his arms, soft and yielding. The closeness between them that night has etched itself into his memory, he couldn’t even erase them even if he had wanted to. Yet, now they are off the mountain she has promptly reverted back to her usual respectful but distant manner, making him want to do something, anything to hold onto the her that had been in his arms. He didn’t necessarily want to possess her at this very moment but he wanted her to face her real self. He wanted her, the one who is so used to wearing masks that one can no longer tell which is the real her and which one is fake to face her own heart just this once. Ning Yi slowly raises a hand to touch his own face- indeed, she is still her hateful ruthless self but somehow…he is not quite himself anymore. The sword remains between them, as cold as the water in the tub.

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