A sharp, distinct sting spread across his skin.
Wen Qingci instinctively reached out to push him away, but Xie Bufeng pinned his hand down.
He couldn’t bear to use any force, and even more so, couldn’t bear to let go of Wen Qingci just like that.
Xie Bufeng deliberately slowed his movements, gently nibbling with his canine teeth, blurring the line between bite and kiss.
Every ambiguous touch and prick of pain was etched clearly into Wen Qingci’s mind, leaving him no escape.
In the blink of an eye, Wen Qingci’s pale skin was dotted with marks like plum blossoms.
Suddenly, Xie Bufeng’s lips pressed against the artery on Wen Qingci’s neck.
He quieted, greedily inhaling the familiar bitter scent, patiently feeling the warmth beneath his lips and the strong pulse beating beneath.
…Wen Qingci was still alive.
He was still alive.
Driven by instinct, Wen Qingci struggled to escape from Xie Bufeng’s lips and teeth.
The next moment, a low voice sounded in his ear.
After a brief pause, Xie Bufeng finally released Wen Qingci’s vulnerable neck.
He pressed his lips to Wen Qingci’s ear and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice: “…What are you afraid of? I’m not going to eat you, my dear minister.”
Those shallow amber eyes were filled with suppressed desire.
Xie Bufeng wanted Wen Qingci to know exactly what kind of longing he had for him.
Yet he was also afraid of being overwhelmed by desire and truly hurting him.
Wen Qingci’s breathing had long since become a complete mess.
He was trapped beneath Xie Bufeng, unable to escape.
The tip of his nose was filled with the scent of dragon’s blood incense.
The thought of being pinned down and bitten all over by someone nearly six years younger than himself-who was also still poisoned-suddenly made Wen Qingci feel utterly embarrassed.
His voice cooled a few degrees. While struggling to steady his breath, Wen Qingci said, “Since Your Majesty… *cough*, insists that I am unreasonable, then from now on, I need not be reasonable with Your Majesty anymore.”
What did that mean?
Xie Bufeng’s movements instantly froze.
Even the hand pressing down on Wen Qingci slowly loosened.
For a split second, he actually seemed a little helpless.
Wen Qingci turned his head away, refusing to look at Xie Bufeng again.
He didn’t realize that his voice carried a hint of petulance: “The gift I prepared need not be given anymore, either.”
“…A gift?” Xie Bufeng’s gaze grew momentarily unfocused. “Beloved minister, what gift are you talking about?” His tone was cautious.
After saying this, Xie Bufeng finally sat up, belatedly realizing the situation.
The crimson sunset dyed Wen Qingci’s plain robe and bedding red.
A plum-blossom-shaped bite mark on his chin stood out sharply against his pale skin.
Xie Bufeng was momentarily dazed. At that moment, Wen Qingci in his eyes… looked as if he were dressed in wedding robes.
So dazzling it took his breath away.
Wen Qingci’s health was never good; after all this, his waist was weak, and he didn’t even have the strength to sit up straight.
He couldn’t be bothered to answer Xie Bufeng’s question.
But Xie Bufeng was relentless. “Where is my beloved minister’s gift?”
Wen Qingci pretended not to hear, bracing himself with his right hand as he tried to sit up.
“If you won’t say, I’ll look for it myself.” As he spoke, Xie Bufeng actually leaned over, clearly intent on searching his sleeves, determined not to give up until he found it.
Wen Qingci finally said coldly, “There isn’t one.” At the same time, he clutched his sleeve tightly.
“You prepared a gift but won’t give it-wouldn’t that be a pity?”
“What’s there to pity?” Wen Qingci’s voice, infected by Xie Bufeng’s, was now a bit hoarse. “I’ll just give it to someone else.”
“Someone else?” Xie Bufeng’s tone suddenly turned dangerous. “You still recognize anyone else?”
“I’ll give it to Senior Brother, then.” Wen Qingci said matter-of-factly.
Back when he roamed the martial world, he often prepared gifts for his master and senior brother.
As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell suddenly silent.
After who knows how long, Xie Bufeng finally lowered his voice, speaking carefully as if negotiating: “If you’re angry, beloved minister, how about you take it out on me? But could you not give my gift to Song Junran?”
Xie Bufeng’s tone was deliberately calm, but the words “my gift” sounded almost pitiful coming from him.
…Take it out on him?
Did that mean he should bite back?
Stop, don’t let your thoughts run wild!
Their posture was far too intimate.
Wen Qingci’s mind blared with alarm, urging him to end this.
At last, he relented:
“…It’s on the desk, in that jade box.”
Wen Qingci said softly.
Hearing this, Xie Bufeng immediately got up and went to the desk.
He carefully moved the books aside and found the jade box hidden beneath them.
Just moments before, he’d been frantic.
But now, holding the jade box in his hands, he hesitated for a long while, not daring to open it.
“Your Majesty isn’t going to look?”
“Of course I will.”
Xie Bufeng seemed to awaken from a dream.
He finally held his breath and slowly opened the box in his hands.
The next moment… a creamy white woolen bracelet appeared before his eyes.
It was exactly the same as the one in Xie Bufeng’s memory.
His heart suddenly felt empty for a moment.
Xie Bufeng had already taken it in his hand, and Wen Qingci, having regained his strength, stood up as well.
Seeing the other holding his breath and staring at the item in his hand, not moving for a long time, Wen Qingci couldn’t help but say, “It’s not an expensive gift…”
Before he could finish, Wen Qingci suddenly remembered that the first time he gave Xie Bufeng a gift, he seemed to have said the same thing.
The jade box that now held the bracelet had once been used to store medicine.
The woolen bracelet, two fingers wide, also carried a faint trace of bitter fragrance.
Xie Bufeng brought it to his nose and slowly inhaled.
A wave of joy surged through him.
His fingers gripping the bracelet began to tremble uncontrollably.
He slowly closed his eyes.
…Qingci really gave me a gift.
Over the years, Xie Bufeng didn’t know how many times he had traced that bracelet with his fingers and his eyes.
He remembered every knot, and even more so every tiny pattern.
Everything about the bracelet was already deeply engraved in Xie Bufeng’s mind.
So there was no way he could be mistaken-this was a bracelet exactly like the one from back then.
From the weaving method to the size and the pattern, there was no difference at all.
…Did this mean that Wen Qingci also cared about him, and had always remembered this gift?
Seeing Xie Bufeng standing there motionless with the bracelet, Wen Qingci couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.
“Your Majesty?” he called softly.
Xie Bufeng finally opened his eyes and looked at Wen Qingci.
The bedroom wasn’t large; with one step forward, Xie Bufeng was standing right beside Wen Qingci.
He gently placed the bracelet, still carrying its faint bitter scent, into Wen Qingci’s hand and, pushing his luck, said, “Help me put it on, will you?”
The woolen bracelet was so soft that it really was difficult to put on with one hand.
Wen Qingci paused, then nodded, and just like in the past, wrapped it around Xie Bufeng’s wrist.
“All done.”
After fastening it, Wen Qingci finally let out a slow breath.
But before he could lower his hand, Xie Bufeng looked into his eyes and softly said, “Qingci, you still owe me a ‘happy birthday.’”
…Happy birthday.
Wen Qingci suddenly remembered that, back when he was in the Valley of Divine Healers, he had also thought about Xie Bufeng’s birthday.
At the time, he had assumed that, since Xie Bufeng had become an emperor, his birthday would be lively and grand, with all the courtiers offering their congratulations.
It was only later that Wen Qingci gradually realized… that this year, Xie Bufeng had probably spent his birthday alone.
Gaining power hadn’t brought Xie Bufeng happiness.
On the contrary, he was lonelier than before.
And all of this was because Wen Qingci had left.
“…Happy birthday, Your Majesty.”
Wen Qingci’s clear and gentle voice reached Xie Bufeng’s ears with perfect clarity.
His voice was as tender as ever.
Like an icy spring in summer, or warm wine in the dead of winter.
Xie Bufeng slowly pulled Wen Qingci into his arms, burying his face in his shoulder.
This embrace carried no aggression, no possessiveness-at this moment, Xie Bufeng simply wanted to draw a bit of warmth from him…
Wen Qingci was momentarily stunned, then slowly raised his right hand and gently patted Xie Bufeng’s shoulder and back.
At this moment, he knew very well… the person embracing him was no longer that pitiable youth.
The evening glow gradually faded.
The room, still unlit, grew darker and darker.
The last rays of the setting sun streamed in through the window,
stretching the shadows of the two embracing figures endlessly long.
…
Even with a new bracelet, Xie Bufeng still carefully kept the old one.
He placed the worn-out woolen bracelet in the jade box, setting it on the table alongside the imperial seal.
Anyone who didn’t know better would think he’d acquired some priceless treasure.
*
The carriage rolled out of Taishu Palace, heading toward the outskirts of Yongdu.
Inside, the passenger suddenly sneezed several times.
“Achoo-” Song Junran sniffled and muttered softly, “Looks like autumn’s really here.” Then he lifted the curtain to look outside.
Summer in Yongdu had come to an abrupt end after several heavy rains.
At last, the air was no longer stifling and hot.
This was the best season of the year for outings.
Half the poison in Xie Bufeng’s body had been cleared, but Wen Qingci still didn’t dare let down his guard.
He remained in the Imperial Medical Bureau, not leaving even a single step.
Song Junran, on the other hand, was the complete opposite.
When he’d first come to Taishu Palace with his junior, Song Junran had fully prepared himself to be detained by Xie Bufeng as a hostage.
As the guards escorted him to his quarters, he even observed the garrisoned troops along the official roads, planning an escape route for himself and his junior.
But to his surprise, Xie Bufeng didn’t do any of that.
Aside from forbidding Song Junran from seeing Wen Qingci, he placed no restrictions on his freedom.
He even arranged for someone to drive him around the outskirts of Yongdu when Song Junran said he didn’t want to stay cooped up in Taishu Palace all day.
Song Junran was never one to sit still.
Seeing Xie Bufeng’s “generosity,” he stopped standing on ceremony.
He sampled all the delicacies of Yongdu and even toured the major imperial palaces of the Wei dynasty as if on a field trip.
But today’s outing was different from the others.
The carriage rolled out of Yongdu, heading for the city’s outskirts.
Sitting by the window, Song Junran couldn’t help but sigh.
I was wondering what happened to the valley master since his shidi and the emperor busy flirting in the palace and seems like he was just having fun on his own 😂