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The Xu family was a family of officials, while the Fang family was a scholarly family. The two families were well-matched, and the two individuals had also grown up together. Now that they were forming a marital alliance, it perfectly aligned with the divination results obtained when their Bazi[mfn]“八字” (bā zì), literally “eight characters,” refers to the Four Pillars of Destiny in Chinese astrology. It is a method used to predict a person’s fate based on the Chinese lunar calendar.[/mfn] were exchanged, which indicated a match made in heaven and a golden and jade union.
Xu Ying was overjoyed and talked about it endlessly in front of Mu Peixuan. Listening to him, Mu Peixuan’s heart stirred. He remembered that he and Duan Linzhou had also exchanged the Bazi, but the Mu family hadn’t considered it a good match, and Mu Peixuan had vehemently resisted at the time, so they hadn’t gone through the formal process of divining their compatibility. He was concerned about it but didn’t want to ask Duan Linzhou directly, so he indirectly inquired with Liu Guang. As Duan Linzhou’s personal attendant, Liu Guang knew Duan Linzhou’s affairs best.
Liu Guang said, “The Young Master did not seek anyone to divine the Bazi.”
Mu Peixuan was taken aback. Liu Guang explained, “I asked the Young Master about it at the time…”
He had intended to take the Bazi of Mu Peixuan sent by the Mu family and Duan Linzhou’s to find someone to divine the compatibility of Xiao Junwang and his young master’s Bazi. However, Duan Linzhou had put away Mu Peixuan’s Bazi, saying only, “There’s no need for divination. This marriage was something I insisted on. Even if we were a mismatched couple, I would still go through with this marriage.”
Hearing Liu Guang relay Duan Linzhou’s words, Mu Peixuan couldn’t help but feel a momentary daze. These were indeed words that Duan Linzhou would say.
Liu Guang carefully observed Mu Peixuan’s expression and said softly, “Your Highness… please don’t be upset. Our Young Master really wanted to marry you.”
Mu Peixuan looked at Liu Guang and said, “I know.”
Seeing that Mu Peixuan’s expression didn’t seem fake, Liu Guang finally felt relieved and couldn’t help but smile. He said, “Your Highness, don’t let our Young Master’s past reputation for romantic affairs fool you. He was always respectful with those people, never crossing the line, and never truly liked anyone.”
Listening to him speak up for Duan Linzhou, the expression on Mu Peixuan’s face softened. He said, “I know.”
Even now, he still found it hard to imagine what Duan Linzhou’s feelings were when he married him. If it was because of the power of Marquis Annan Mansion, the cautious Marquis Annan Mansion at that time wasn’t the most suitable choice for Duan Linzhou. Mu Peixuan didn’t believe that Duan Linzhou was acting purely out of self-interest. Initially, he might have thought so, but the longer he spent with him, the more he understood that Duan Linzhou might be a merchant, but he wasn’t just a pure merchant.
Duan Linzhou did like him, he liked him even earlier than Mu Peixuan had thought. Perhaps, without him knowing, Duan Linzhou had already fallen for him.
Maybe it was because Xu Ying kept talking about his wedding in front of Mu Peixuan every day, but he found himself repeatedly recalling the bits and pieces of his own wedding with Duan Linzhou, which were rather unremarkable. His wedding arrangements had all been handed over to his elder brother. It wasn’t until the wedding day itself that he changed into his festive attire and reluctantly went to welcome Duan Linzhou back to Marquis Annan Mansion. And at that time, Duan Linzhou must have been full of anticipation.
But how had he treated Duan Linzhou?
Coldly, resistantly, even with a hint of disgust and malice, he hadn’t even shared the nuptial cup with Duan Linzhou. The more Mu Peixuan thought about it, the more regret he felt. A thought almost arose in his heart, he wished time could flow backward so that he could seriously marry Duan Linzhou and bring him home.
Mu Peixuan didn’t express his regret to Duan Linzhou. Duan Linzhou only noticed that Mu Peixuan seemed a bit down. He asked a few questions, but before he could inquire further, Mu Peixuan had silenced him with a kiss. The boy’s kisses were fierce, no longer as inexperienced as they had been initially. He was clever and quick to learn, and his burning tongue easily stirred desire in Duan Linzhou’s mouth, forcing Duan Linzhou’s legs to weaken, leaving him no time to ask any more questions.
Old Physician Ji and Mu Ke gradually changed Duan Linzhou’s medication. Winter arrived, and although this year’s winter wasn’t as cold as the last, Duan Linzhou still felt the cold intensely. He was put on new medication, and during the adjustment period, he vomited blood and lay in a hazy state for several days due to his body’s adverse reaction to the medicine.
Mu Peixuan was frantic, staying by Duan Linzhou’s side every moment, even moving official documents to the bedside.
Old Physician Ji prescribed a medicinal bath formula for Duan Linzhou, instructing him to soak in it every two days.
The bathtub was large, and once the medicinal packets were steeped, the room filled with a dense herbal aroma carried by the rising steam. Mu Peixuan undressed Duan Linzhou. These past few days, he had been treating Duan Linzhou like a toddler learning to speak, doing everything himself with immense patience. Duan Linzhou wasn’t used to being served like this. When he was awake, he mostly did things himself. Mu Peixuan’s attentiveness, on the contrary, made Duan Linzhou feel a bit embarrassed.
Not to mention that he was almost ten years older than Mu Peixuan.
It was rare for Duan Linzhou to show such awkwardness. Mu Peixuan found it novel and also made his heart itch, but considering Duan Linzhou’s weak state, he could only rub his fingers and leave it at that. Duan Linzhou’s skin was fair, and his body was thin. After soaking in the medicinal bath, every inch of his skin flushed red. He lay on his stomach on the edge of the tub and said to Mu Peixuan, “This room is full of the smell of medicine, it’s stifling. Why don’t you go out for a bit?”
The smell of medicine was strong and definitely not pleasant. Mu Peixuan held a handful of his ink-black hair and said, “It doesn’t bother me.”
Duan Linzhou glanced at him and chuckled softly, “I wonder who it was who used to wrinkle their nose at the smell of medicine.”
Mu Peixuan said without changing his expression, “Why is Boss Duan bringing up old grievances?”
Duan Linzhou sighed softly and said, “The speaker may not have meant anything, but the listener took it to heart…”
Before he could finish speaking, Mu Peixuan had already lowered his head to kiss Duan Linzhou’s ear, whispering, “I was wrong. Please, Boss Duan, be magnanimous and forgive my youthful ignorance.”
Duan Linzhou’s heart was stirred by these words of apology, feeling like an electric current had run through him, leaving him weak and numb. He turned his head to look at Mu Peixuan, who leaned in again to kiss him. Their lips met, and Duan Linzhou’s voice was slightly hoarse as he asked, “You don’t dislike it now?”
“I never disliked it,” Mu Peixuan said. He knew that Duan Linzhou had been taking medicine for years, and it was unavoidable that his body would be permeated with the bitter scent of the concoction. He didn’t dislike the smell of medicine. Duan Linzhou was handsome, with a touch of illness between his eyes, making that faint, bitter medicinal scent seem even more fragile and harmless. Mu Peixuan had simply disliked Duan Linzhou at that time and had deliberately used those words to provoke him. Mu Peixuan said, “I was a scoundrel back then. I’m sorry.”
Duan Linzhou shook his head and said, “I was just teasing you. I was never angry.”
Mu Peixuan couldn’t resist biting his lip again, and Duan Linzhou responded by extending the tip of his tongue. The two shared a lingering kiss by the edge of the bathtub. Mu Peixuan held his hair with one hand while the other caressed his cheek, unable to stop himself from slowly moving down, tracing his neck and bare, slender shoulders. His palm was burning hot, and as someone who practiced martial arts, his calluses were rough, causing Duan Linzhou to shiver as they brushed against his delicate skin.
Both of them were becoming moved.
Duan Linzhou reached out to hook his arms around Mu Peixuan’s neck. In the next instant, he felt Mu Peixuan’s hand gripping his shoulder tighten, but it loosened again after a moment, caressing his shoulder with affection. Suddenly, Mu Peixuan’s hand touched the warm medicinal bath, and he abruptly sobered up. He forced himself to pull back slightly, looking at Duan Linzhou’s flushed cheeks and slightly damp eyes. His adam apple bobbed intensely, but he ultimately restrained himself. He was in his prime, and the person beside him was the one he loved. Once night fell and they were in bed, his bestial instincts would take over. Mu Peixuan had previously listened to the crude talk of bed matters from the soldiers in the barracks, a complete lecher, never expecting he would have such restraint. However, Duan Linzhou’s body was weak, so when Mu Peixuan engaged in such acts, he naturally had to hold back, afraid of shattering Duan Linzhou’s fragile bones.
The more he loved, the more he restrained himself. In these days, Duan Linzhou’s health had deteriorated further. When Mu Peixuan woke up, Duan Linzhou would be sleeping soundly in his arms, completely unaware. Mu Peixuan could only steal a kiss and leave a few marks on his body just to barely satisfy his longing.
Mu Peixuan’s eyes were burning with intense desire, making Duan Linzhou’s heart heat up. Seeing him pull away, Duan Linzhou couldn’t help but prop himself up to kiss his lips. Mu Peixuan let out a low gasp, “Duan Linzhou…”
Duan Linzhou responded with a muffled sound. He adored Mu Peixuan’s possessive gaze and admired his strong, well-built body. His own body was dripping wet and naked. When Mu Peixuan embraced him, he held Duan Linzhou’s slender waist. He was too thin, his waist so narrow it seemed a single hand could encircle it. His skin was soft and flushed red. Mu Peixuan’s teeth itched. He nuzzled Duan Linzhou’s forehead, his voice already hoarse, and said, “It’s time.”
These words were meant for himself. After saying them, Mu Peixuan lifted Duan Linzhou from the bathtub, his movements hurried and rough, splashing water everywhere.
Duan Linzhou hadn’t engaged in such intimacy with Mu Peixuan for quite some time already. He was instantly ignited with desire, his eyes fixed on Mu Peixuan, his cheeks flushed from the bath. Wrapped in a large blanket with his long hair spread across his back, he was truly alluring. A surge of wicked fire burned even hotter in Mu Peixuan’s heart. He raised his hand to cover Duan Linzhou’s eyes and said, “Don’t look at me like that.”
He picked up a clean cloth and carefully dried Duan Linzhou’s body, wiping his shoulders and neck. When the soft cloth touched his chest, he paused. Duan Linzhou arched upward slightly, making those two small peaks even more prominent, enticing someone to taste them. Mu Peixuan swallowed, watching the upward curve of Duan Linzhou’s lips revealed beneath his palm. He raised his hand and gently swatted him, saying, “Don’t seduce me.”
Duan Linzhou groaned softly in response to the light pain, a laugh in his voice, laced with a flirtatious air. His eyelashes fluttered against Mu Peixuan’s palm, like a butterfly’s wings beating against his rapidly pounding heart. Mu Peixuan finished drying his upper body. When he moved to his lower body, he saw Duan Linzhou’s half-roused desire.
Mu Peixuan’s gaze was too blatant and direct. No matter how thick-skinned Duan Linzhou was, being stared at so intently made the shame he had tried to escape return. But just as his pale legs curled up, they were held down by a hot, strong hand.
Mu Peixuan personally dried him thoroughly, not even missing between his toes, rubbing them until his ten white toes curled up as if trying to hide. Duan Linzhou was already lying limply on the bed, panting softly.
A sudden surge of pleasure rose in Mu Peixuan’s heart.
He inexplicably brought his fingers to his nose, as if the wet sensation still lingered. There was a faint hint of plum blossom fragrance mixed with the musky scent.
Recalling what had been wiped away by the cloth, Mu Peixuan’s throat felt dry, and he actually felt a sense of regret, he must have gone mad.
