Suddenly, The Queen let out a soft gasp. William Carter stopped his daydreaming and looked at her with concern. He saw her pretty face flush red, and the tips of her ears were even more brilliantly crimson and translucent. When William Carter looked over, she nervously and hurriedly hid the book she was reading behind her back, looking adorably guilty, as if she’d been caught doing something wrong.

……

Chapter 11: A Lover of Poetry

……

Seeing her so bashful and shy, even with just a little guesswork, it was obvious what kind of book a girl shouldn’t be reading. His curiosity piqued, he stepped forward, reached out to snatch it, and grinned mischievously: “The Queen, let me see what treasure you’ve got there!”

“It’s nothing, really. Just a collection of ancient poems I like.” The Queen’s cheeks were rosy, her eyes filled with surprise and embarrassment, stammering as she explained.

“Ancient poems, huh…” William Carter wore a lecherous grin and teased in a strange tone, “Heh, I’m a man of letters too. I don’t have many hobbies, but I do love ancient poetry. Grace, you can’t keep good things all to yourself.”

When The Queen saw William Carter pressing closer, not letting go of the topic of ancient poetry, she became even more flustered and embarrassed, nearly fainting on the spot. She secretly blamed herself for picking up that book in the first place, and not only picking it up, but actually reading it. And not just reading it, but getting completely absorbed! Now, if he found out she was reading such a licentious book, who knows what he’d think of her? Would he see her as a wanton woman? Or blame her for lacking proper upbringing?

While The Queen was caught between shame and panic, lost in wild thoughts, William Carter suddenly lunged forward and deftly snatched the book from behind her back. Before she could even react in shock, William Carter had already quickly opened the old-looking book, and just as he suspected, page after page was filled with illustrations of men and women in intimate embraces. Perhaps the artist was truly skilled—just a few strokes brought the couples vividly to life, their expressions both enchanting and indecent. Not a single crucial detail was omitted. Even William Carter, a man used to all kinds of adult videos at home, couldn’t help but feel his blood rush. He couldn’t resist flipping through several more pages.

The Queen was mortified, anxiously stomping her feet as she rushed forward to snatch it back, her delicate voice trembling with reproach: “Your Majesty, how could you do this?”

But William Carter wouldn’t let her succeed, dodging and laughing as he flipped through the book: “The Queen, such a beautiful ‘poetry collection’—are you planning to keep it for yourself and savor it in your Kunning Palace? Oh my, look at this pose, tsk tsk.”

The Queen kept trying to grab it, but as a woman, she couldn’t overpower William Carter. His teasing words made her dizzy and weak, nearly collapsing. She bit her lip, her face pale, and tears began to roll down her cheeks: “Your Majesty, it’s my fault for being so shameless, I’ve let you down. I… I’m not worthy to be the The Queen of the realm. Your Majesty, please take care of yourself and govern the country well…” With that, she looked around, preparing to dash herself against a marble pillar.

“Hey, hey.” William Carter was nearly scared out of his wits by her reaction—he was only joking with her. He quickly wrapped his arms around her slender waist: “The Queen, what are you saying? I was just teasing you.” He suddenly remembered stories about ancient women, especially those in the Biographies of Virtuous Women, who would hang themselves out of shame after being teased. Although he hadn’t known The Queen for long, he already understood that she was intelligent and virtuous, noble and beautiful, but also extremely upright and strong-willed. The reason she acted this way was because she thought he’d see her as a wanton woman for enjoying that kind of book, and she felt deeply ashamed.

“Your Majesty… I can’t face you anymore, nor can I face the teachings of my parents and sages.” The Queen sobbed uncontrollably, struggling with all her might.

William Carter quickly held her even tighter, and as they struggled, both of them fell to the ground together. Not wanting The Queen to get hurt, William Carter turned his body to cushion her fall. With a thud, William Carter landed first, holding The Queen, and she ended up with her back against his chest, lying in his arms.

Although William Carter’s back hurt a bit, he refused to let her go. He leaned close to her ear and gently comforted her: “Grace, what nonsense are you saying? I actually like you just the way you are.”

The Queen was about to keep struggling, but when she heard this, her delicate body stiffened. Gradually, she stopped moving, though she still sobbed softly. Seeing that his words were working, William Carter continued to comfort her in a gentle voice: “My sweet little Grace, the way you looked just now made my heart race for you. I’m delighted with you, how could I ever dislike you? We’re husband and wife—if we’re too serious with each other, wouldn’t life be boring?”

Thanks to Qidian for having an author named Ao Wuchang, whose book “My Wife Fell in Love with Me” is filled with sweet words to coax his wife, flowing endlessly like the Yangtze River. When I read it before, I was truly impressed and it left a deep impression. Now, I casually imitate a few lines. Sure enough, The Queen’s stiff body gradually relaxed in William Carter’s arms. Her breathing quickened slightly, and the fine, downy hair at the base of her ears turned a delicate, translucent red—utterly enchanting.