TL: Hua
Chapter 81: Like – “Like.”
If Pei Xiting’s heart and soul were once captivated by Zong Suiyang’s smile, this time he was scared out of his wits. He instinctively gripped the corner of the quilt as a weapon, composed himself slightly, and surprisingly, his first words were a reprimand: “You said within two days, so why are you here tonight? You’re breaking your word.”
Zong Suiyang didn’t bother with idle chatter with this troublesome creature. He strode abruptly to the bedside, bent down, and picked up Pei Xiting, who was scrambling to turn away.
Pei Xiting, dizzy and disoriented, still kicked his legs and protested loudly, “I’m not going with you!”
Zong Suiyang tightened his grip on Pei Xiting’s legs and waist, lowering his eyes to him, his gaze turning cold. Pei Xiting, fueled by anger, stubbornly glared back, his eyes burning even fiercer than Zong Suiyang’s, crackling with fury, as if wanting to ignite him.
Zong Suiyang frowned, confronting Pei Xiting for a moment, then finally, without a word, he carried Pei Xiting out of the secret room.
This time, Pei Xiting didn’t flail his limbs and cause a ruckus, because Zong Suiyang had given Haozi a look as he left.
The carriage stopped outside the shop. Zong Suiyang carried Pei Xiting inside. After sitting down, he didn’t release him, still holding him in his arms. Without raising his head, he simply said, “Return.”
Yu Shaoyun responded, stepped forward, closed the carriage door, and drove away.
Haozi slowly poked his head out, watched the steadily moving carriage, then abruptly reached out and closed the shop door, muttering, “Amitabha, Benefactor Pei, you must hold on! I’m still waiting for you to save my life!”
—
Inside the carriage, soothing incense was burning. Pei Xiting inhaled a scent. Just then, a hand suddenly touched his face.
Zong Suiyang’s fingertips slid from Pei Xiting’s cheek, gripping his chin and lifting it slightly. Their eyes met. Zong Suiyang said, “Where did you get that plaster?”
“None of your business,” Pei Xiting averted his gaze, refusing to communicate.
Zong Suiyang didn’t force an answer. He reached out and pressed Pei Xiting’s forehead, then moved his hand down to his neck. He frowned and said nothing more.
Silence fell in the carriage. Pei Xiting’s heart pounded faster. The less Zong Suiyang spoke, the more dangerous he felt. The carriage wheels rumbled, and the night wind howled outside the window. Pei Xiting curled up. Zong Suiyang then took a blanket, wrapped him in it, and held him even tighter.
Pei Xiting paused, saying nothing. There wasn’t a single comfortable spot on his body, yet nestled in Zong Suiyang’s embrace, the man’s scent made him feel safe. Combined with the medicine perhaps taking effect, he wearily slumped onto Zong Suiyang’s shoulder. His eyelids struggled for a bit, then he quickly fell asleep.
Zong Suiyang raised a hand to press the blanket around Pei Xiting’s neck, then circled him with his arm. He lowered his head to examine the face that could shed powder with a puff, shaking his head slightly.
Pei Xiting had no idea that his painstakingly crafted “sickly look” had been dismissed by yet another person. He slept soundly.
—
The carriage arrived at the inn entrance. Yu Shaoyun got out and lowered the footrest. Zong Suiyang carried Pei Xiting out of the carriage and steadily entered the main door.
There were no outsiders in the inn. Guards stood watch both upstairs and downstairs. As they walked towards the private room, Zong Suiyang placed Pei Xiting on the bed, covered him with the quilt, and quietly ordered water to be brought in.
Su Chongyan had been waiting in the corridor. He now stepped in softly, walked to the bedside, took Pei Xiting’s pulse, and fed him a pill.
The medicine melted instantly in his mouth, but it was a bit bitter. Even in his sleep, Pei Xiting suddenly frowned intensely. Then, a hint of plum juice sweetened his lips. Someone was patting his back, gently soothing him.
Pei Xiting knew who it was. He leaned his head against the pillow and fell back asleep peacefully.
Su Chongyan stood up from the bedside and softly said, “Pei-wenshu has injuries on his body that your humble servant is not suitable to examine. Fortunately, Your Highness can discern injuries. Please trouble Your Highness to examine him personally and apply the medicine; only then can the inflammation and pain be alleviated.”
Zong Suiyang nodded and said, “Will the medicine hurt when applied? I don’t want to wake him up.”
“It won’t hurt. Your Highness just needs to be gentle. But if you’re worried about waking him, you could light a stick of incense to let Pei-wenshu fall into a deeper sleep; it won’t harm him,” Su Chongyan said.
Zong Suiyang nodded. Su Chongyan then walked to the table and lit an incense stick, placing the small lotus incense burner by the bedside cabinet, saying, “Small amount with a light scent.”
With that, he quietly exited the room and closed the door.
Zong Suiyang lowered the bed curtains, sat sideways on the edge of the bed, and reached out to untie Pei Xiting’s belt, pushing aside his outer robe and undergarments. The exposed body was beautiful yet wretched. The fair skin was covered in marks, bite marks, and pinch marks, red and blue intertwined, a truly unbearable sight.
Zong Suiyang’s brows were tightly furrowed. Vague images appeared in his mind, all evidence of how he had created these wounds. For example, the pinch marks on his waist were from his tight grip on that slender waist, pressing him against the headboard during fierce thrusts. The blood marks on his chest were from pinning Pei Xiting in his arms and on his leg, grinding and biting him… At that time, the little fox’s cries were miserable yet alluring, pitifully calling him Suiyang, Fuchuan, Teacher—all sorts of endearing, intimate names. In his most dazed moments, he even called him “husband.”
As forceful as he was during the act, he had to be equally careful when applying the medicine now. Zong Suiyang dug out lumps of ointment with his fingertips and applied them to Pei Xiting’s wounds. Pei Xiting, having inhaled the incense, was deeply drowsy and undisturbed.
After applying medicine all over his body, emptying three jars, Zong Suiyang put Pei Xiting’s undergarments back on, covered him with the quilt, and said, “Water.”
Yu Shaoyun quietly entered with hot water, soaked a cloth, and handed it to Zong Suiyang. Zong Suiyang gently “removed” Pei Xiting’s makeup. After he finished, he glanced at the stained cloth and handed it to Yu Shaoyun.
Yu Shaoyun replaced the cloth and handed it back. Zong Suiyang wiped Pei Xiting clean. His face was flushed and very pale.
Zong Suiyang’s expression was grim. He waved for Yu Shaoyun to leave, then took off his shoes and sat on the edge of the bed, embracing Pei Xiting. It was the third watch[mfn]12am-3am[/mfn]. As the fever gradually receded from the body in his arms, he finally closed his eyes and fell asleep as well.
A night of peaceful slumber.
The next day, when Pei Xiting woke up, he felt bound all over. In his grogginess, he thought surnamed Zong, the ruthless flower destroyer, had locked him in a dark room and tied him up like a zongzi[mfn]picture[/mfn]. Dazed, he opened his eyes, only to meet a pair of deep, dark eyes.
It turned out that Zong Suiyang was holding him, embracing his waist and locking his legs, as if they were fused into one.
Pei Xiting pursed his lips. With a slight movement, he felt a coolness in his chest and between his thighs, and it no longer hurt as much as yesterday. Zong Suiyang must have applied medicine for him.
Zong Suiyang saw the uncomfortable look on Pei Xiting’s face and knew what he was thinking. The little fox dared to strip him, but he was ultimately inexperienced. He didn’t mock him, merely reached out and patted Pei Xiting’s waist, saying, “I applied medicine once before you slept last night and changed it again this morning. Is it much better?”
Pei Xiting gave a muffled “hmm,” lowering his eyes and saying, “If you want to punish me, just punish me. Why bother with false kindness?”
“False kindness” was even brought up. Zong Suiyang chuckled slightly, his hand rubbing Pei Xiting’s waist. Pei Xiting was ticklish and instinctively squirmed. Zong Suiyang slapped him lightly, neither too hard nor too soft. Once Pei Xiting settled down, he continued to massage him, saying, “I’m not in a hurry to punish you. In your current state, I wouldn’t know where to start.”
“Then I should thank Your Royal Highness for being merciful?” Pei Xiting spat, reaching out and grabbing Zong Suiyang’s collar, looking up at him, and just said two words, “Yuan Fang.”
Zong Suiyang had been looking at him. Upon hearing this, he showed a hint of a smile, but it was not friendly. Pei Xiting bit his lip but accidentally bit his lip wound, groaning in pain.
Zong Suiyang pinched Pei Xiting’s chin, lifting his drooping head. Seeing that the lip wound wasn’t bleeding, he said, “Knowing you have an injury, don’t bite randomly. If you can’t control those sharp teeth, I’ll find something to block them for you.”
He used his fingertips to rub the uninjured areas. As he spoke, he parted Pei Xiting’s pale lips, warningly tapping his teeth. When he was bitten, Zong Suiyang didn’t pull back. Instead of getting angry, he chuckled, “Little fox.”
His voice was deep, and whether he was intentionally seducing him or not, Pei Xiting, nestled in Zong Suiyang’s arms, felt his ears tingling. He secretly cursed his own lack of backbone, loosened his provocative bite, and awkwardly rubbed Zong Suiyang’s face, saying, “I seem to have offended Corridor Master Fu. Will he take it out on Yuan Fang?”
He recounted his threat to Fu Wei last night.
Zong Suiyang enjoyed the little fox’s reluctant flattery and said, “Your concern is unreasonable. They are a family; how can you take your anger out on your family because of outsiders?”
“I know, but Corridor Master Fu was already angry when he took Yuan Fang away; who knows how he’ll torment him?” Pei Xiting tugged at Zong Suiyang’s collar, complaining, “Your damn family rules are terrifying; you always talk about crippling people half to death.”
“Without rules, there’s no order,” Zong Suiyang said displeasedly. “Yuan Fang himself doesn’t care, yet you’re anxious and worried.”
Pei Xiting retorted, “He doesn’t care because he’s been used to such a life since childhood. But what’s wrong with me worrying about my friend and feeling bad for him?”
Zong Suiyang frowned slightly, then heard Pei Xiting say, “Just like you, you’re not afraid of pain or death, but that doesn’t stop me from not wanting to see you injured or bleeding. You don’t even understand this basic principle. Are you deliberately tormenting me, not wanting to grant my request?”
Zong Suiyang’s furrowed brow relaxed, appeased by this sentence.
“I know, you and Corridor Master Fu are friends, and you don’t usually consider status. Your interference with the Immortal Corridor’s rules is inappropriate; it puts you at a disadvantage emotionally. So I won’t ask you to tell him not to punish Yuan Fang. Just don’t kick him while he’s down.” Pei Xiting paused, then whispered, “If you’re willing to help me intercede for Yuan Fang, to lessen his punishment, I’ll forgive you a little more.”
The little fox was here to make a deal. Zong Suiyang chuckled and said, “Then tell me, what grave sin have I committed?”
Pei Xiting said, “You’ve done this to me; shouldn’t you compensate me?”
“You brought it upon yourself.” Zong Suiyang’s voice turned colder.
“Yes, I initiated it; I brought it upon myself, but what about you holding me and not letting me get out of bed afterward?” Pei Xiting looked up at Zong Suiyang, arguing strenuously, “I deliberately seduced you, but you also have to bear the responsibility for losing control and indulging.”
“You’re quite clever,” Zong Suiyang said. “But wasn’t my loss of control and indulgence precisely what you desired? How is it that now that you’ve achieved your wish, you’re blaming me instead?”
“Because I regret it,” Pei Xiting reached out and covered his bottom, gritting his teeth and saying, “Your technique was terrible! I don’t want it!”
“It was my first time. Why be so harsh?” Zong Suiyang said lightly, “It will get better in the future.”
The words floated lightly, as if it was a given, as if their relationship was set, and they would do this often in the future. Pei Xiting paused, then retorted, “Who has a future with you? Certainly not me.”
Zong Suiyang looked at Pei Xiting, frowning slightly, and said, “I have no wives or concubines in my palace, no personal maids to serve me, not even a nanny to teach me about intimacy. I don’t know much about such matters, so it’s understandable that my skills in the bedroom are not up to par. You were so lenient and easygoing when teaching Zong Lu, so why are you so strict with me alone?”
“…”
Pei Xiting was stunned by the Crown Prince’s serious explanation and complaints. He stammered, “I’m not sleeping with Zong Lu.”
As soon as the words fell, Zong Suiyang narrowed his eyes. Pei Xiting had a bad feeling and didn’t have time to escape before his waist was grabbed and he was flipped over, forced to lie prone on Zong Suiyang, and his butt was slapped.
“Ouch!” That area was already red and swollen, covered in palm prints. Pei Xiting’s eyes welled up with tears as he protested, “It’s true! Zong Lu’s relationship with me is not the same as your relationship with me. Different standards are perfectly normal. You bastard surnamed Zong, you’re being unreasonable!”
Zong Suiyang slapped him and then massaged the spot. Pei Xiting shivered all over, both in pain and comfort, and couldn’t help but bite Zong Suiyang’s neck, grumbling resentfully: “Shameless Zong Suiyang, you bastard, you deserve a beating, bah, I’ll bite you to death!” The little fox was indignant, his hair practically standing on end. Zong Suiyang squeezed the plumpness in his hand and suddenly said, “As for Yuan Fang, I’ll write a letter to intercede for you.”
Pei Xiting immediately released the neck flesh from his mouth and looked up, saying, “Really?”
Zong Suiyang looked at those starry eyes, nodded slightly, and said, “But that’s all I can do. After all, Xianlang is Yuan Fang’s home. He ran away from home, not betrayed. You naturally understand the reason.”
“I understand.” Pei Xiting finally breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing completely. He immediately tried to get off Zong Suiyang. “I need to sleep more. If I fall into your hands someday, I won’t be able to sleep.”
Zong Suiyang waited for the person to slowly crawl off, then suddenly reached out and pulled him back, saying, “Drink your medicine and eat your meal before sleeping.”
Pei Xiting kicked his legs and said, “I won’t drink medicine, but I can eat.”
“You can eat, but you must also drink your medicine.” Zong Suiyang held Pei Xiting’s waist with his arm and ordered someone to bring the medicine.
Yu Shaoyun quickly came in with a tray and said, “Chongyan said Pei-wenshu is weak, has a hoarse voice, and just had a fever, so it’s best for you to eat something light and soft these two days.”
Zong Suiyang took the porridge bowl. Pei Xiting saw it was lily and white fungus porridge and said nothing, just tilted his head slightly and hummed.
Zong Suiyang picked up a spoon, scooped a spoonful to his lips to test the temperature, then fed it to Pei Xiting’s mouth. He didn’t speak, nor did Pei Xiting, who just turned his gaze back to him, buried his head, and ate the spoonful of porridge.
Zong Suiyang unhurriedly fed Pei Xiting porridge. A moment later, seeing Pei Xiting glance at the tray, he had Yu Shaoyun bring him some yam cakes. Pei Xiting took a bite, then tilted his head back to drink the porridge, his expression gradually becoming satisfied. He even made a request: “I want meat.”
“You just woke up; no greasy food right now. I’ll give you meat for dinner.” Zong Suiyang appeased the little fox. After feeding him a bowl of porridge, he saw Pei Xiting shake his head, so he placed the bowl back on the tray.
Yu Shaoyun took the tray out. Zong Suiyang took a handkerchief to wipe the cake crumbs from Pei Xiting’s mouth and said, “Why did you only eat so little? Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”
Pei Xiting seized the opportunity to act pitiful, saying, “I have to drink medicine later; I’m afraid eating too much will make me nauseous and throw up on you.”
Zong Suiyang heard this and said, “Even if you throw up on me, you still have to drink the medicine.”
Pei Xiting collapsed as if life wasn’t worth living.
Zong Suiyang covered him with the quilt. Pei Xiting rubbed his eyes and said, “You go eat.”
“I’m not hungry.” Zong Suiyang tilted his head to look at him. “Sleep for a bit. I’ll call you later.”
Pei Xiting felt that being woken up after half an hour of sleep was cruel. He didn’t close his eyes, rolling around under the covers, occasionally humming, as if he couldn’t get comfortable no matter how he lay. Suddenly, he felt lighter as Zong Suiyang picked him up and held him. Zong Suiyang wrapped him in the quilt, patted his back, and said, “Lie down for a bit.”
Pei Xiting lay in Zong Suiyang’s arms, pursed his lips, and suddenly felt a bit deflated. He wanted a sweet word, which Zong Suiyang wouldn’t say, but Zong Suiyang would act, and his actions were always more reassuring than words, so why should he insist?
“Xiting,” Zong Suiyang suddenly touched his face and asked softly, “Are you feeling wronged?”
Pei Xiting’s eyes warmed, and he felt inexplicably sour but stubbornly said, “No.”
Zong Suiyang’s lips curved slightly. He patted Pei Xiting’s back, coaxing him like a child, and said, “I don’t want to blame you for anything, but I’m just scared after seeing all your injuries. How could you be comfortable?”
“But I couldn’t help it.” Pei Xiting was quite good at comforting himself. “Anyway, I got to eat meat, so I didn’t lose out.”
Zong Suiyang sighed and scolded, “Your temperament is just one that gets taken advantage of.”
Pei Xiting whispered, “I only like you, not anyone else. Wouldn’t it be fine if you just didn’t let me suffer a loss?”
The little fox was always so honest, almost naive. Zong Suiyang suddenly felt a bit afraid. If Pei Xiting hadn’t met him, but some other man or woman… He didn’t dare to think deeply. Hearing Pei Xiting softly call out in pain, he belatedly eased the strength in his arm and said, “How dare I take advantage of you? With your sharp tongue, you could easily bite me to death.”
“You tormented me so much last night, and I didn’t bite you to death.” Pei Xiting grumbled, lifting his head and opening his mouth for Zong Suiyang to see, “It’s all chafed.”
He sensed that Zong Suiyang was soft-hearted at the moment and decided to act cute to gloss over the “running away from home while sick” offense. Zong Suiyang’s heart was as clear as a mirror, and he seemed not to notice. He reached out and pinched his chin, took a closer look, and said, “What happened?”
Pei Xiting was stunned for a moment and said, “You’re asking when you already know!”
“I was drugged; my head was muddled. How could I remember clearly?” Zong Suiyang was quite innocent. He weighed the person in his arms and said, “Aren’t you going to condemn me? You should explain things more clearly so that the evidence is sufficient.”
Shameless bastard, Pei Xiting cursed inwardly. Fortunately, his own thick skin was no less impressive, perhaps even more astonishingly thick. He said, “Your thing was too big; I couldn’t fit it in my mouth, and yet you charged in recklessly, making me suffer.”
Zong Suiyang paused at this, saw the little fox looking triumphant, and then suddenly understood, saying, “No wonder I woke up feeling pain there. So you bit me.”
Pei Xiting couldn’t feel triumphant anymore. He cursed, “You bastard, you are blaming me for what I did. Why didn’t I just bite you off!”
Zong Suiyang said, “Perhaps you couldn’t bear to.”
“…” Pei Xiting realized that the Crown Prince’s skin had thickened, and he was somewhat outmatched. He then buried his face in Zong Suiyang’s arms, temporarily calling a truce.
Zong Suiyang held him, saying nothing more.
After a while longer, Yu Shaoyun knocked and entered. Seeing His Highness still holding Pei Xiting so intimately, he quickly lowered his eyes, placed the tray on the bedside table, and offered the medicine bowl to Zong Suiyang.
Zong Suiyang didn’t use a spoon. He took a sip from the bowl, looked down, and saw that Pei Xiting was sound asleep. He nudged him and said, “Drink your medicine.”
Pei Xiting didn’t react.
“You can’t avoid drinking this medicine, so drink it early,” Zong Suiyang said.
Pei Xiting still didn’t react.
This time, Zong Suiyang didn’t try to persuade him again. Pei Xiting was secretly wondering, thinking that surnamed Zong was using stillness to counter stillness and retreating to advance, just waiting for him to stop pretending and open his eyes. Suddenly, his lips felt soft, and the familiar scent of cool bamboo wafted over him. He opened his eyes in astonishment, plunging into a dark abyss, his lips gently pried open.
The bitter taste of medicine spread in his mouth. Pei Xiting scrunched his face but didn’t struggle, just quietly looking at Zong Suiyang’s eyes. Zong Suiyang wouldn’t say sweet words, but his mouth was soft, his tongue was warm, his kiss was sweet, and the look in his eyes was the most special in the world, which no one else had.
That was enough.
There was no need to rush.
Pei Xiting closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, he felt completely refreshed. He obediently swallowed the medicine and then licked the tongue that was about to withdraw. Zong Suiyang stiffened all over, his gaze deepening. He said, “Your mouth doesn’t hurt anymore?”
Pei Xiting said, “You should restrain yourself a bit.”
There was no need for restraint or indulgence towards the little fox who was asking for trouble. Zong Suiyang took another sip of medicine, leaned down, and again passed it from his lips, hooking and sucking that unruly tongue until he exited, gently biting the tip of the tongue. The little fox frowned and moaned softly, begging for mercy with watery eyes.
Zong Suiyang’s thin lips curved slightly. When feeding the third mouthful of medicine, he kissed Pei Xiting, whether as a reward or comfort. This time, he was truly gentle, like licking a sugar figure until the sugar figure melted into a puddle of water, warmed in his embrace, his face and neck completely red.
Yu Shaoyun stood by the bed, head bowed, eyes lowered. He saw nothing, yet the smacking and watery sounds of lips and teeth meeting didn’t spare him. The young man was mortified. Zong Suiyang called him twice before he snapped out of it, hastily handing over a plum candy.
Pei Xiting bit into the plum candy Zong Suiyang offered, his gaze falling on Zong Suiyang’s moist, thin lips, with a hint of something left unsaid.
Zong Suiyang lowered his eyes to look at him. He didn’t shy away but instead revealed the candy between his teeth. Zong Suiyang’s gaze deepened, and he smiled, then rolled his tongue to re-envelop the candy. This time, Zong Suiyang finally leaned in, kissing his lips and biting his tongue. The plum candy made cracking sounds as it was entirely consumed.
After the kiss, Pei Xiting was breathless, his cheeks flushed, as if a large part of his soul had been stolen. He buried his face in Zong Suiyang’s neck, feeling Zong Suiyang’s warmth and letting Zong Suiyang feel his warmth, his heartbeat, and his blatant, undisguised affection.
“Do you like me?” His previous self-consolation felt like nothing. Pei Xiting, now emotional, couldn’t help but express it and ask for it.
Zong Suiyang looked down at Pei Xiting’s flushed profile but couldn’t see those eyes full of tenderness. No, Pei Xiting was deliberately avoiding his eyes, only wanting his most naked, sincere feelings.
Pei Xiting hugged Zong Suiyang tightly and asked again, “Do you like me?”
The answer to this question didn’t require thought from Zong Suiyang, but he pondered for a long time, considering it seriously for a long time to make it seem solemn and not trivial. Then he said, “I like you.”
YAYYYYYYYYYY HE FINALLYY SAID ITTTTT
And it only took 81 chapters 😭😭❤️