UCTOOT CH82

Shi Shu woke up, his vision swaying, splitting into two or three overlapping images before merging into one.

Shi Shu asked: “Why is it you?”

Xie Wuchi: “It has always been me.”

Moonlight shone through the forest. Shi Shu lay on Xie Wuchi’s back in the early summer’s deep blue moonlight, remembering that night in the forest of Qian’an Prefecture last year when Xie Wuchi pressed down on him, placing Shi Shu’s hands on his body to touch inch by inch.

Shi Shu suddenly turned his head: “Where are the others?”

Xie Wuchi: “The women and children are very weak. They’ve been taken down for treatment and food.”

Shi Shu: “That’s good.”

Shi Shu turned to see Song Sinan and Du Zihan. Song Sinan’s face brimmed with surprise. After the little girl finished explaining the whole story, his expression turned to respect: “Shi Shu, you’re incredible! From what she said, you were near the Min dogs’ garrison area. You actually ran back?”

Shi Shu understood from their eyes that returning meant not only saving the mother and daughters but also saving them. A smile appeared on his fair face: “Not bad, just a small effort.”

Song Sinan: “So impressive. Next time I’ll—”

Without needing to say, they treated this as a brave adventure. Song Sinan only then remembered military orders and quickly shut up.

Walking back to the colony, Du Zihan stepped forward: “Shi Shu, coming back?”

Shi Shu was severely dehydrated, lightheaded, his strength exhausted after the long raid, covered in mud and sweat. His voice was soft: “I temporarily can’t take care of myself. Let Xie Wuchi take care of me…”

If someone had to help him bathe and wash his hair, Xie Wuchi was better. He’d seen everything already, so he was convenient. The crowd parted ways. Shi Shu’s head rested on his shoulder, smelling the fragrance of his hair between breaths.

What was it? Why did Xie Wuchi smell so good?

—Brother, you smell so good.

Shi Shu, smelling his scent, recalled events from a few days ago. Before he could react, he was brought to a room. His clothes stuck to his skin, his whole body smelling of grass and leaves. After catching his breath, Shi Shu began pulling grass leaves off himself until hot water arrived. He turned his back to Xie Wuchi to undress.

Shi Shu hesitated for a moment, then stripped all his clothes off cleanly. His shoulders and body were slender, his fair skin seeming to glow with a faint luster. As he undressed, Xie Wuchi was mixing light salt water for him. When he turned back, he saw his naked body.

Memories surfaced again.

Shi Shu coughed and sank into the water. Instantly, warm water soaked through his skin. He approached with a bowl: “Drink first, correct the electrolyte imbalance.”

“Gulp gulp gulp…” Shi Shu leaned in to drink, water droplets flowing down his jaw. He drank a few mouthfuls, stopped to catch his breath, then drank more. Xie Wuchi fed him the water, then scooped up cream to wash his hair, fingers massaging his scalp. After washing, he dried it with silk.

Shi Shu’s fingers were too tired to straighten. The water level in the tub wasn’t high, avoiding pressure on his heart and chest, reaching about his waist and abdomen. His upper body felt a bit cool. He didn’t know if Xie Wuchi was watching him, feeling inexplicably like covering his chest. But what’s wrong with letting a handsome guy see his beautiful body? Could Xie Wuchi actually lick him?

Shi Shu leaned against the wooden tub, recalling tonight’s events, drowsy with sleepiness. After a while, he felt a coolness on his body as warm water flowed down his shoulders. Shi Shu barely opened his eyes to look, then closed them again. Roosters crowed outside. It was already bright daylight, the rooster’s crow announcing dawn to the world.

A wet cloth moved from his face to neck, then to chest and below the collarbone. After being washed clean, Shi Shu was dried with a dry cloth, then handed dry replacement clothes.

Shi Shu lay down on Xie Wuchi’s bed to sleep. Both had been up all night. For once, Xie Wuchi didn’t rise early but rested beside him. The two hadn’t yet discussed what happened across the frontier river in Northern Min. Shi Shu was too tired to even lift a finger.

Xie Wuchi had planned to sit and sleep in a chair, but Shi Shu seemed to have objections, so he came to the bed. Shi Shu didn’t sleep well. Part of the reason Xie Wuchi used to hold him while sleeping was because Shi Shu kicked people.

Shi Shu smelled the scent on Xie Wuchi’s body. This scent seemed to always be there, a faint sandalwood, but he only recently noticed it and liked it. In his drowsiness, Shi Shu inched closer to the source of the fragrance until his head bumped into Xie Wuchi’s shoulder.

Xie Wuchi turned his head to look for a while, placing a hand on Shi Shu’s shoulder to let him lean more comfortably. The entire morning, Lin Yan reported several times outside, all saying Xie Wuchi hadn’t gotten up. This made people mutter: “In over a year, the lord finally slept in? Truly rare, truly rare!”

Shi Shu slept soundly, waking up several times mid-way saying he was thirsty. Xie Wuchi happened to hand him warmed salt water. Perhaps because his sleeping posture was so varied, at one moment he actually buried his head in Xie Wuchi’s chest.

Xie Wuchi leaned up: “Little Shu…”

But his voice paused. He held Shi Shu’s waist with one arm, adjusting his sleeping position by supporting his bottom to make him more comfortable, as if holding a mischievous cat in his arms. But after holding him for a moment, Shi Shu rolled to the other side of the bed.

Shi Shu slept freely and soundly until waking naturally. He didn’t know what time it was. Sunlight fell in the courtyard outside the window. Shi Shu rubbed his eyes and realized he was leaning against Xie Wuchi’s chest, who still had his eyes closed.

Shi Shu couldn’t help but examine him carefully. Xie Wuchi wore plain inner robes, his brows sharp and distant. When his eyes were closed, shadows stained beneath his lashes. Looking closely, his nose bridge was arrogant, lips pursed. It seemed even his sleeping posture had been trained to be extremely proper since childhood, very appropriate.

A year ago, Shi Shu had seen this many times but never looked carefully. Now he looked closely and thought—how had he not noticed before that he was so handsome?

□*□

In the past, Shi Shu would awkwardly turn away, but now he slowly turned his gaze back, looking at his lower body, then up at Xie Wuchi’s face.

The parts he could control were decent. The parts he couldn’t control couldn’t be decent.

To be precise, Xie Wuchi was someone from the same world as him. And the same gender. But it seemed only sleeping beside him could give him peace.

Shi Shu looked at him for a while. Xie Wuchi didn’t wake up. He thought: “Didn’t we go to bed together this morning? How come I’m awake and he’s not?”

Shi Shu’s whole body was too sore and tired to move. He also guessed that moving now would definitely make his whole body ache, so he just lay there naturally. But his gaze drifted down again.

□*□

Shi Shu looked for a while. Xie Wuchi breathed lightly. For some reason, the slight rolling in his throat made him recall that morning when Xie Wuchi’s brow furrowed from panting.

Shi Shu closed his eyes.

No way.

Am I an S?

“………………”

□*□

It really looks quite good. I’ve been disillusioned about men’s parts. I can only say it’s not that terrifying.

Shi Shu frowned as he thought. I’m like I’m sick.

But looking down, he couldn’t help but notice his little abnormality. Shi Shu looked carefully for a while before thinking of an answer: Damn, do I want to touch him?

Shi Shu took a deep breath. Even now, thinking about gay men still gave him a powerless feeling of darkness before his eyes.

Shi Shu looked for so long his head hurt. He could only comfort himself that this was a good thing. At least if there were cold-hearted plans in the future, psychologically he wouldn’t struggle too much.

Shi Shu stared at him. Xie Wuchi’s underpants were at his waist, lying on his side, revealing part of his wheat-colored abs, the outline seeming extremely hard and strong. Shi Shu scratched his head watching. Who sleeps so seductively? Male model brother.

Shi Shu couldn’t watch anymore. He reached out to pull down his lifted hem, but when his fingertips touched the sash beside his narrow waist, Shi Shu couldn’t help but purse his lips. He realized he really wanted to pull down Xie Wuchi’s pants.

Shi Shu sighed, covered his waist for him, and continued lying there.

Xie Wuchi wouldn’t be angry if he pulled them down. He’d enjoy being held. A win-win situation, but it didn’t feel quite right.

Shi Shu counted the roof tiles. Before long, Xie Wuchi’s breathing seemed to become more even. He was probably about to wake up. Shi Shu quickly closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.

Xie Wuchi’s breathing indeed changed, but he didn’t get out of bed. Shi Shu then realized Xie Wuchi was also watching him. In an instant, Shi Shu’s heart fluttered, becoming a bit nervous.

But Xie Wuchi didn’t expose him. He just got out of bed to pour water, having someone bring in food.

Shi Shu felt a bit bored and simply opened his eyes.

His body ached. Xie Wuchi helped him sit up, limping to a small stool. Xie Wuchi came over to pour him water. The food outside the door was just delivered.

They were all local seasonal vegetables—bitter melon and pork rib soup, stir-fried gourd, a plate of cured meat with salted bamboo shoots, and a stewed fat chicken. Shi Shu saw the bitter melon at a glance and quickly put it in Xie Wuchi’s bowl: “Eat quickly.”

Xie Wuchi served Shi Shu a bowl of heat-clearing soup. The two ate together. It was about afternoon. Shi Shu thought of that small courtyard in the Eastern Capital, also remembered Liushui Nunnery.

He and Xie Wuchi used to live such a peaceful life. Shi Shu turned to look at him carefully. Xie Wuchi ate elegantly, eating the food Shi Shu put in his bowl. While chewing, his dark eyes met Shi Shu’s gaze.

Shi Shu quickly averted his eyes, biting into a gourd that had a chili pepper. For some reason, it made his face feel hot.

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