After Crossing Over, I Marked the Empress

Chapter 168 : A Whole New Experience

The sudden darkness descended like a canopy of night.

The loss of light instantly made Gu Junwan's heart tense.

With her vision deprived, she instinctively reached to remove whatever was covering her eyes.

Unexpectedly, before she could touch the soft silk above her eyelids, her slender hands were gently grasped by the Alpha.

Shen Han shifted position, using gentle force to press Gu Junwan's wrists above her head, pinning them to the pristine pillow.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."

Shen Han lowered her head slightly, kissing Gu Junwan's brows through the black silk.

Her voice was soft and thin, even carrying a hint of coaxing: "Sister, I want to please you."

Gu Junwan wasn't really comfortable with her eyes being covered, as it made her feel insecure.

But she had a particular weakness for Shen Han's persistent coaxing, as it brought her both mental and physical pleasure.

Before they completed their first marking, Gu Junwan didn't quite understand why her Alpha occasionally called her "sister."

She had even asked about it directly, receiving the answer that "sisters are caring."

But at this moment, she clearly felt how incredibly alluring it was to have that word whispered in her ear with such a soft tone.

It was like an invisible hook had caught the most sensitive spot in her heart.

While murmuring sweet nothings, Shen Han was also carefully observing her Omega's expression.

If the other truly resisted, she wouldn't use the little props she had prepared.

After all, this kind of thing was meant to be experienced together to unlock its pleasures.

If one person was enthusiastic while the other was forcing themselves to go along, it would be counterproductive.

Gu Junwan didn't speak.

As Shen Han's lips moved downward, she even tilted her head back slightly.

The other's tacit acceptance thrilled Shen Han immensely.

Her heart began to race, which Gu Junwan could clearly feel even through the blanket.

"Silly Alpha."

Gu Junwan's red lips curved slightly, her gentle voice like snow melting in the first rays of sun.

The snow water should have been cold, but to Shen Han's ears, it carried an indescribable heat.

Her fair ears were already flushed red, the blood temperature in her glands rising steadily, as if about to boil at any moment.

The words "silly Alpha" from Gu Junwan's lips weren't explicitly amorous.

But the hidden sensuality they contained made both their breathing unknowingly quicken.

The black silk over Gu Junwan's eyes wasn't fixed in place.

As they nuzzled each other, the silk slipped slightly.

A pair of golden eyes, misty with a thin layer of moisture, suddenly appeared.

The waves within them, with just the right touch of allure, melted Shen Han to her core.

She released her grip on the other's wrists.

While adjusting the black silk, she softly coaxed by her Omega's ear: "Wife, let me tie it for you."

"Mm."

Gu Junwan wrapped her arms around the Alpha's neck and made a soft sound.

The next instant, the world returned to darkness.

With her sight covered, Gu Junwan's other senses became much more sensitive than usual.

The changes in smell, taste, and touch all gave her a completely new experience.

On this night sunk in chaos, Gu Junwan 'saw' endless spring scenery.

......

A week's vacation passed in the blink of an eye.

Shen Han woke up early, showered quietly, then went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Following Gu Junwan's taste, breakfast for both was nutritious yet light.

She also prepared soft, smooth millet porridge to encourage her wife to drink more.

'Junwan's voice seemed a bit hoarse later on, she needs to replenish more fluids.'

'Oh right! I accidentally left some kiss marks on her neck. I must remember to remind her to cover them properly before going to the office building.'

Recalling last night's intimacy, a hint of reminiscence flashed in Shen Han's eyes.

She smacked her lips, then quickly shook her head: No, no, can't think about naughty things early in the morning!

"What are you grinning about?"

A languid yet melodious voice came from behind, startling Shen Han like a child caught doing something naughty.

She turned to look at Gu Junwan, who had just finished bathing, her eyes lit up, and she immediately ran over.

"Wife, have your breakfast quickly. I'll blow-dry your hair."

As she spoke, she had already carried Gu Junwan to the dining table.

After gently setting her on the chair, she ran to the bathroom to get the hair dryer.

Gu Junwan felt soft all over. She looked at the perfectly temperatured porridge before her, then raised her eyes to Shen Han who had just run from the doorway, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The Alpha's energy was truly remarkable, frolicking half the night yet still full of vitality.

Gu Junwan didn't stand on ceremony with her Alpha's attentive service.

She let the other dry her hair, then guided her to apply the special scent-masking perfume.

She usually never let others do these things for her, but today she truly lacked the energy, so she allowed a certain Alpha to fuss over her.

It actually felt quite nice.

Shen Han brushed aside Gu Junwan's hair at her temple, gently dabbing the special perfume behind her ear.

She rolled her eyes, scanning back and forth over a purple mark on the other's neck.

"Wife, I wasn't too careful last night. Your neck... might need a bit of covering up."

Hearing her mention this, Gu Junwan immediately turned her head and gave Shen Han a sidelong glance.

"Is it just 'might'? Is it just 'a bit'? Look at how obvious you've made it. I have a video conference with foreign heads of state this afternoon!"

When she had looked in the mirror after her shower while grooming, Gu Junwan had already discovered she'd been given a hickey.

She wanted to be angry but couldn't quite manage it.

Because by the end of last night, they had both lost some control.

She had also left an exaggerated bite mark on Shen Han's shoulder, so how could she now blame the other for not restraining her strength?

Gu Junwan didn't apply concealer or other makeup to her neck.

She chose a silk scarf that contrasted with her suit jacket and tied it around her neck, immediately creating a sense of depth through visual contrast.

This combination was both elegant and fashionable, perfectly complementing the Empress's aura.

Shen Han watched from the side, her clear black and white eyes sparkling.

She felt her wife could perfectly pull off any style of outfit, with even small changes bringing stunning effects.

Shen Han carried this dreamy mood to the guard squad's training room.

It wasn't until the stern-faced Instructor Liu informed everyone they would be intensively studying the Ksenrodean language that her mind crashed back to the present.

"Huh? Study Ksenrodean?"

"Isn't that a minor language used in very few regions? Why do we need to learn it?"

"Maybe the Empress will be making a state visit to Ksenrode, I guess."

"Tsk~ That doesn't make sense either. When the Empress visits other countries, there's a translation team accompanying her. We don't need to communicate with the Ksenrodeans, so learning their language seems pointless, doesn't it?"

Not just Shen Han, but the surrounding team members were also curious, even starting to whisper among themselves.

As the captain, Shen Han naturally wouldn't turn a blind eye to everyone's secret conferencing.

She coughed lightly, glaring around: "Everyone be quiet and listen carefully to Instructor Liu!"

Instructor Liu on the podium greatly appreciated Shen Han's attitude.

He had been slightly anxious before, as her military rank had long surpassed his own, and her status as the Empress's partner was even more transcendent. If she became less compliant, he could only turn a blind eye.

Excellent young people often have pride, which is actually quite normal.

If it really happened, there would be nothing incomprehensible about it.

Instructor Liu squinted at the young woman sitting in the front row, feeling twelve times satisfied.

Shen Han was still as he had first seen her: clean, gentle, neither arrogant nor impatient.

"In a few months, the Empress will visit Ksenrode. Each accompanying team will be assigned interpreters."

"Logistics personnel don't need to learn Ksenrodean, but you can't avoid it. The Empress will stay in that country for a short period, and as her personal guards, your responsibility is great."

"A few months of intensive study won't make you fluent in a minor language, but at least it won't leave you deaf and mute in unfamiliar territory. This is related to the Empress's safety, and I hope everyone will take it seriously!"

Hearing Instructor Liu's explanation, the guard squad members no longer dared to be distracted.

Shen Han was about to lead the applause when she saw Instructor Liu smiling at her.

"Captain Shen, you'll have to work extra hard during this time. While supervising the team members' studies, you'll need to put in double the effort to improve yourself."

Shen Han knew the importance of this matter even better than Instructor Liu.

She saluted him and said solemnly: "I guarantee to complete the mission."

The foreign language learning process was arranged quickly.

They were notified in the morning, and by afternoon, teachers had arrived to give classes to the guard squad.

When systematically exposed to Ksenrodean language and culture, Shen Han's morning confidence quickly turned to bewilderment.

The difficulty of entering this language far exceeded her understanding!

The Alphabet was tongue-twisting, the grammar complex.

After a full day of study, the guard squad members felt their brains had turned to mush and their tongues were about to tie in knots.

To help the guard squad members quickly get into the groove, Instructor Liu temporarily suspended their patrol duties.

The group was confined to a "little black room" every day to study Ksenrodean, with tests every few days. Several team members were nearly tearing their hair out.

That evening, the guard squad members sat in groups of twos and threes in the classroom, practicing oral language with each other.

Shen Han asked Ning Xi: "How is Jiang Xinyue's grandmother doing? She hasn't been here for several days. Is the old lady not feeling well?"

Ning Xi nodded: "At her grandmother's request, they've taken the old lady home. The doctor agreed, saying it would allow the elder to pass more peacefully in the end."

"I wanted to ask for leave to help, but she refused."

When talking about life and death matters, the three felt somewhat uncomfortable, yet unable to change anything.

After a brief silence, Ma Haoyu changed the subject to break the somber mood: "Little Jiang has missed so many training courses. How will she make them up?"

Shen Han took a deep breath and sighed: "You don't need to worry about that. Little Jiang speaks Ksenrodean better than the teacher."

"Do you remember when we caught the Ksenrodean princess's mole at the Alpaca Cafe? Before I made a move, it was Little Jiang communicating with them, completely fluent!"

Hearing this, Ma Haoyu immediately felt sour.

He said with a bitter face: "If only Little Jiang could give us mini-lessons. The current teacher's temper is even worse than Instructor Liu's. I don't dare ask her questions."

Ning Xi glanced at him sideways and snorted: "Mini-lessons? Dream on."

"I heard Ksenrodean is the hardest language to start learning. To quickly master pronunciation, you need a teacher to press your throat and correct where you exert force. Little Jiang wouldn't do that sort of thing."

As the three whispered among themselves, the patrolling teacher had already leisurely strolled over.

The teacher for the guard squad was an elderly lady who liked to walk with her hands behind her back and always stared into people's eyes when speaking, making them feel pressured.

"You three, have you finished practicing your oral skills?"

"You barely passed the test papers. Aren't you anxious?"

"Everyone else is studying, but you're chatting here. Is it because you're lazy? Or do you think you're something special?"

Faced with this interrogation-style questioning, the Iron Triangle immediately wilted.

Just as the three were about to hurriedly practice, the old lady raised her eyelids and stared at Shen Han: "After you finish oral practice, do another set of test questions. If you don't score 70 points, don't return to the dormitory tonight."

Shen Han was nearly in tears.

To accommodate the closed learning system, she had been living in the barracks dormitory for over half a month.

Just as she was looking forward to a day off tomorrow, she had to provoke the teacher's wrath tonight!

She was supposed to have dinner with her two mothers-in-law tomorrow!

If she really had to stay up all night, how could she face them with dark circles under her eyes the next day?