The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night-Chapter 35: Every Time in a Dream...

At his words, Zhi Wan’s eyes subconsciously drifted toward the man’s body.

But before she could get a clear look, the man suddenly pinned her against the wall of the pool.

"You want to look?" The man’s cool, thin lips brushed against the skin by Zhi Wan’s ear.

Zhi Wan shivered as a strange, tingling numbness instantly spread through her entire body.

She blinked her damp eyelashes, and a sudden declaration escaped her rosy lips. "I don’t just want to look. I want to touch, too!"

The man narrowed his eyes, looking at her dangerously. "Are you sure?"

"Are you going to let me or not?" Zhi Wan shot back.

The man looked down at her and suddenly chuckled. "Which noble family are you from?"

"What, are you asking about me because you want to marry me? You can forget about it. I have no intention of marrying. And you? Which family’s silk-panted fop are you?" Zhi Wan scrutinized him in return.

"How audacious!" the man snapped.

Zhi Wan pouted and tried to push him away.

However, when her hands touched his chest, she couldn’t resist copping a feel.

His skin was firm. He felt good to the touch.

Gradually, she grew dissatisfied with just his chest. Her slender, smooth fingers trailed downward and squeezed his firm abdomen, drawing a low grunt from the man.

Unsurprisingly, Zhi Wan’s hands were once again restrained.

The man’s jet-black eyes were like pools of ink, dark and bottomless.

He stared deeply at Zhi Wan.

Completely unaware of the danger, Zhi Wan pouted her red lips slightly. "Stingy!"

She struggled, trying to pull her hands back, but the man was too strong. She couldn’t break free at all.

"Let go!" she demanded petulantly.

The man said nothing. With one hand, he lifted both of hers above her head, then pressed his body against her tender frame and lowered his head to capture her rosy lips in a kiss.

Zhi Wan’s face instantly flushed a burning red.

Not until she was breathless did the man release her. His thin lips brushed against the shell of her ear as he asked in a husky voice, "Did you feel it?"

Zhi Wan was speechless.

She swallowed hard, her face so red it looked like it might start bleeding.

Thinking of what she had just felt, she was both shocked and intimidated.

Her slender fingers twitched, but in the end, she didn’t dare to touch him again.

"I... I have to go," she stammered.

"Mm," the man grunted in response. His long, calloused fingers, whether intentionally or not, brushed past the top of her thigh.

Though there was fabric between them, Zhi Wan’s dress was already soaked through, clinging to her body so tightly it was no different from being naked.

So, when the man’s fingertips grazed her leg, she could still feel it clearly.

Her legs suddenly felt weak. Just as she was about to fall back into the water, the man’s strong arm wrapped around her waist in the nick of time.

Her slender waist was held tight, and Zhi Wan let out an involuntary whimper.

The sound was so alluringly sweet that it even startled her.

The man’s heart skipped a beat. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he once again leaned down and captured her lips.

Ripples spread through Zhi Wan’s own heart as she lost herself in the man’s kiss, right until she felt his fingers lift the hem of her dress and venture underneath...

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

The sound of knocking instantly jolted Zhi Wan awake.

Opening her eyes, she realized she had fallen asleep at her desk. The outer room was silent.

She touched her burning-hot face and realized she had been dreaming again.

Recalling the heart-pounding passion of the dream, she couldn’t help but feel a little wistful.

’If it weren’t for that sudden knocking, maybe that man and I would have...’

AHEM! AHEM! AHEM!

Zhi Wan was shocked by her own scandalous thoughts. She quickly poured a cup of cold tea and drank it down to quell the heat rising within her.

’But that knocking clearly wasn’t on my end. It was the door to that man’s room in the dream that was being knocked on.’

A sudden curiosity struck her. ’Could it be that the man from the dream wasn’t just a figment of my imagination, but a real person?’

But she quickly shook her head, dismissing the idea.

’That’s too absurd. It’s completely impossible.’

’It was just a dream. That man was just someone I imagined!’

Thinking of the scene from her dream, she roused herself, spread out a fresh sheet of paper, and after a moment of contemplation, began to draw what she had dreamt.

「Meanwhile.」

In the bathing chamber of Lu Zhan’s Qingyun Residence.

Several knocks sounded at the door, followed by Chen Jiu’s voice. "Princely Heir, you have been soaking for a long time. Please be careful not to catch a chill."

"I know. You may leave," Lu Zhan’s voice was hoarse.

Only after Chen Jiu’s footsteps faded away did Lu Zhan look down into the water, his expression dark.

’My condition seems to be getting worse.’

’Every time, in my dreams, I just...’

For the past six months, he had been having these dreams frequently.

And it always happened after he fell asleep from exhaustion.

Tonight was no exception.

Earlier in the evening, he, Ouyang Lei, and Duan Ling had drunk quite a bit.

He had returned late, and he’d actually fallen asleep while bathing. Then, that girl appeared.

Thinking of the girl from the dream, his fingers couldn’t help but touch his own lips.

The soft touch and sweet fragrance seemed to linger there still.

Lu Zhan lowered his hand, but his fingertips couldn’t resist rubbing together gently.

’Why did that girl’s warmth and softness feel so real?’

’It was as if I had truly touched her.’

In that instant, an absurd idea formed in Lu Zhan’s mind.

’Perhaps that girl isn’t someone I imagined in a dream, but a real person.’

Lu Zhan was lost in thought.

Only after his body had calmed down did he rise and step out of the pool.

「The next day.」

Because she had stayed up late painting, Zhi Wan didn’t rest well and woke up late.

She had just finished washing up when Ouyang Zhenzhu arrived.

Seeing her eating breakfast so late, Ouyang Zhenzhu couldn’t help but click her tongue. "You’re only just now getting up?"

Zhi Wan was a little embarrassed. "Yes!"

"Are you not feeling well?" Ouyang Zhenzhu immediately reached out to feel her forehead.

"No, I’m fine." Zhi Wan pulled her hand down. "Do you want some?"

"No thanks. And you can stop eating, too. We’re going to eat out." Ouyang Zhenzhu snatched the chopsticks from her hand, set them on the table, and then grabbed her hand to pull her outside.

"What for?" Zhi Wan asked anxiously.

"I’m taking you to meet someone," Ouyang Zhenzhu said mysteriously.

"Who?"

"You’ll know when we get there."

Zhi Wan was speechless.

「In front of the Hundred Flavors Building.」

After the carriage stopped, Zhi Wan put on her veiled hat and followed Ouyang Zhenzhu out.

It was already approaching noon, and the building was bustling with customers coming and going.

Just then, Ouyang Zhenzhu waved to a young man standing by the entrance. "Brother!"

The young man turned around, a look of displeasure on his face. "What took you so long? I’ve been waiting forever."

Zhi Wan could now see clearly that the young man was Ouyang Lei.

She finally understood who Ouyang Zhenzhu had brought her to meet.

Remembering what Ouyang Zhenzhu had said before about having her brother marry her, she suddenly felt awkward and uncomfortable.

Afraid something embarrassing was about to happen, she quickly tugged on Ouyang Zhenzhu’s sleeve and whispered, "Zhenzhu, my aunt is already planning for me to take a husband who will marry into my family."

She had said this hoping Ouyang Zhenzhu would give up the idea of setting her up with Ouyang Lei. Unexpectedly, Ouyang Zhenzhu misunderstood and cried out, "What? You’re going to take a live-in husband? No way! My brother can’t marry into your family!"

She hadn’t controlled her volume, and her voice was so loud that everyone nearby heard. All eyes turned to look at the two of them.

Zhi Wan was grateful for the veiled hat on her head; even though she was mortified, no one knew who she was.

As she was comforting herself with this thought, she suddenly heard an exaggerated laugh from nearby. "PFFT... HAHA! Old Lu, isn’t that your cousin? She actually wants to make Leizi her live-in husband."