UCTOOT CH84

The moment Shi Shu finished speaking, blood rushed to his head. In an instant, his fair brows and eyes turned scarlet under the moonlight.

Maybe if I bash my head against a pillar, my mind would clear up.

What am I saying!!!

But the words were already out. Shi Shu looked at Xie Wuchi before him, the night cold as water. Xie Wuchi averted his gaze.

Shi Shu’s mind heated up, and he took a step forward.

Driven by some motive, by the time he reacted, he was sitting on decaying wooden boards. Xie Wuchi leaned against a wall covered in cobwebs and dust, his bony, slender wrist gripping Shi Shu’s hand, silent.

When Shi Shu held his hand, Xie Wuchi seemed unaccustomed to intimacy and stopped him: “You can’t.”

Shi Shu’s face instantly flushed red, his hair standing up like a dandelion. Ignoring Xie Wuchi’s protest, he held his hand and turned his head to look at the filthy floor. After a while, Xie Wuchi breathed unnaturally.

“Xie Wuchi… are you okay…”

Shi Shu stammered.

Xie Wuchi himself was extremely proper and clean, his clothes worn with dignified elegance. The collar was pulled open by one of Shi Shu’s hands, revealing skin and a body like a handy yet dangerous sword hilt—the switch that controlled Xie Wuchi himself. Shi Shu’s handsome face had turned into a mask. Holding his hand, he looked up at Xie Wuchi’s face.

Xie Wuchi’s chest rose and fell, his Adam’s apple rolling up and down. The moment their eyes met, his dark pupils looked away. Shi Shu gritted his teeth; the skin his fingertips touched was warm and delicate. Xie Wuchi had thought—would anyone in this lifetime touch him?

At least Shi Shu had never thought that sometimes, in this dark watchtower, he would be with someone like a married couple. Xie Wuchi should be very comfortable…

Shi Shu’s ears were scarlet, his breathing quickening, his vision even slightly blurring.

Xie Wuchi also looked away, his brows and eyes dark, his nose bridge straight, his gaze half-lowered to suppress intimidation. But now, when Shi Shu leaned in to kiss his cheek, Xie Wuchi turned his head and breathed lightly, his whole person completely unlike the cold, hard, strong appearance he showed on the surface.

…The moonlight was faint, the wind rustled outside the watchtower. Through the gaps in the eaves, one could see the area where the Min army was located. Not long ago, 白家屯 (Baijia Colony) was a desolate place. Under Xie Wuchi’s orders, within a year or two, towers sprang up and new life flourished.

Xie Wuchi had made no movements all along. Shi Shu kissed him, cold sweat breaking out on his handsome, straight nose bridge. The original arrogance only remained as a sense of being at a loss. The commander of the newly built colony stretching for ten thousand miles now stood here, watching the scenery outside the tower with Shi Shu.

Shi Shu thought—this feeling is truly wonderful.

The military farming colony could not only supply the army’s survival but also settle homeless refugees. It could cultivate both body and mind, and was also beneficial for population exchange and reproduction. Xie Wuchi leaned against the wall, his clothes at his waist pushed up to reveal hard blocks of abdominal muscles.

Shi Shu stood in the watchtower looking ahead. Xie Wuchi didn’t try to block him, looking at the streamside with him. 白家屯 (Baijia Colony) had beautiful scenery. It was said that these mountains and rivers were once barren lands, later cultivated because war displaced people with nowhere to settle. This continued until it was shattered by war again.

The abandoned farming colony, under Xie Wuchi’s arrangements, was rebuilt and renewed, giving countless common people a way to live.

Sweat secreted, breath tainted with night cold. Shi Shu’s lips and tongue entangled with his, Xie Wuchi’s breathing quickened, the wind drifting to the quiet stream forest deep in the night, dissipating in the wind.

“Shi… Shu…”

All of this was Xie Wuchi’s merit. The power of life and death is authority; fierce fighting with people is a means; but giving common people a way to live is another kind of power—that was hundreds of thousands of people, settling their homes. Xie Wuchi’s face was in uncertain shadows, pulling his lapels open. Under the disheveled clothes, wolf-leopard-like collarbones and muscles were revealed, extremely strong.

A man’s body was tall and strong to begin with. When clothes were disheveled, the强势 bones and contours became even clearer. Clearly, it was all very masculine features… This was completely different from his appearance when fighting battles. This was the secret Xie Wuchi that belonged only to Shi Shu. Shi Shu’s other hand stroked Xie Wuchi’s tattoo, the pattern colorful under his fingers, the wounds touching his fingertips in return. Xie Wuchi’s eyes were dark, seeming accustomed to harsh treatment.

Xie Wuchi’s hand had been at his side. He didn’t know when the white gauze had been rubbed off. He seemed to want to reach out, but his hand withdrew. The snow-white gauze floated in the wind.

Hearing Xie Wuchi’s breath, Shi Shu’s mind went dizzy, also thinking of his willingness to change for Yunzhou. He leaned in to deepen the kiss.

A warm current flowed down from his nasal cavity. Shi Shu suddenly threw his head back, retreating and hitting the bell behind him: “Wait, no, not… I, I have a nosebleed…”

Huh?

Huh?

Huh?

What! A nosebleed?

Shi Shu reached to cover his nose bridge, but his hand had just touched Xie Wuchi’s skin, and he froze in place, at a loss. Xie Wuchi stepped forward, made Shi Shu tilt his head back, tore the gauze into fine strips, and stuffed them into Shi Shu’s nasal cavity.

Shi Shu: “Ah… why?”

Why! Heaven, am I overheated! Shi Shu barked wildly like a dog, the scene a mess. Xie Wuchi had long finished wrapping the gauze, taking out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from Shi Shu’s hands.

Shi Shu was mortified, wishing he could jump to the sky and run around the entire watchtower. Xie Wuchi’s eyelashes held a thin layer of mist, as if returning from viewing the scenery. After roughly cleaning Shi Shu’s hands, he said: “Go down? Wash clean by the water.”

Shi Shu’s mood was on the verge of collapse. He never expected that kissing Xie Wuchi’s lips would stimulate a nosebleed. They walked down together to the riverbank. Xie Wuchi washed the handkerchief clean and wiped Shi Shu’s face. The nosebleed hadn’t stopped.

Shi Shu covered his face, not wanting to speak, sitting on a stone questioning life. After a moment, Xie Wuchi said: “Going back? I’ll carry you.”

Shi Shu climbed onto his shoulders, on the verge of tears, burying his head fiercely in his neck. He couldn’t help but bite his shoulder. Xie Wuchi seemed to feel pain but said nothing. When they returned to their lodging and put Shi Shu down, the nosebleed finally stopped.

Shi Shu quickly ate several peanuts, washed up, then lay on the bed, grabbing the blanket and contemplating life. Too embarrassing. Having a nosebleed in front of Xie Wuchi was too embarrassing, right? How could he just look at his face and get so overheated that blood rushed to his head and he got a nosebleed directly?

Shi Shu was too agitated, afraid of another nosebleed. Xie Wuchi came to the bedside, squatted down to be level with Shi Shu’s eyes. The youth’s face was fair and handsome, with affectionate peach blossom eyes. When he smiled, his eyes were bright as stars, very infectious. At this moment, his expression was very disheveled.

Xie Wuchi seemed to want to touch Shi Shu’s face but stopped: “Is there anywhere uncomfortable?”

Shi Shu: “No, I’m fine.”

Xie Wuchi said calmly: “Just now, perhaps due to emotional excitement. Do you like going out alone with me?”

Shi Shu gritted his teeth, turned his face away, wrapped himself into a ball with the cotton quilt, refusing to communicate. On the surface, it looked like a quilt, but actually Shi Shu was inside the quilt barking wildly “woof woof woof woof woof woof!”

He couldn’t calm down at all. Finally, after Shi Shu’s red fever ended, he suddenly lifted the stuffy quilt. Xie Wuchi stood behind a screen, having unbuttoned his clothes, using a cloth to wipe the sweat from his body on the summer night, seemingly preparing to rest.

Shi Shu’s nose was heating up again. He quickly turned away, covering it for a long time before realizing—fortunately, no nosebleed.

He wrapped himself into a ball again. But this time not very tightly. After a moment, Shi Shu’s hand was taken up, a damp warm cloth wiping his hand paws. After a while, wiping the fluffy young cheek that poked out from the quilt pile.

Shi Shu’s heart moved. Since when did Xie Wuchi become so well-behaved and gentle? What’s that word—husbandly feeling.

It shouldn’t be that he’s naturally very gentle. What influenced him?

In Shi Shu’s impression, Xie Wuchi was a golden-branch-jade-leaf young master, his nature demanding to be served, to have people revolve around him. Although he appeared aloof and indifferent, he actually had quite a temper. Now he seemed excessively gentle.

Shi Shu said: “Thank you.”

Xie Wuchi: “I’m going to write a few letters. Rest first if you’re tired.”

□*□

Shi Shu casually flipped through a book placed by the bedside. It turned out to be about military strategy, depicting many city maps, patterns and names of equipment, each with its own countermeasures and wonderful uses. Xie Wuchi still read before sleep, never procrastinating, finishing today’s tasks today, having received excellent education since childhood.

Shi Shu read the book carefully until drowsiness came, then fell asleep with the book covering his face.

Having delayed a day at 白家屯 (Baijia Colony), they were to set off the next morning to inspect the next military farming colony. Song Sinan made a mistake and stayed to farm. Du Zihan planned to stay. Shi Shu decided to go with Xie Wuchi after thinking.

Laifu stayed with Zihan. Shi Shu mounted his horse: “Let’s go! I’ll come find you two after passing.”

The cavalry team set out. Shi Shu hadn’t traveled with Xie Wuchi for a long time. This trip could be considered a long time coming. However, this entourage had many more people than a year ago. The agricultural supervisor accompanied the inspection of the military farming colony. Shi Shu had his own column of guards, accompanying him forward.

Every morning, Shi Shu got up first to go to the archery range with Xie Wuchi. The soldiers in the army trained in a special martial art. Daily, Xie Wuchi would draw his bow and shoot arrows, practicing martial arts and weapon methods with the soldiers.

Then, they would inspect everywhere. Generally, many people accompanied them. If the military farming colony was thriving, they would reward; if livelihood was depressed, they would punish.

On the return trip, at noon mealtime, Lin Yan would come up to report received urgent military dispatches, many requiring Xie Wuchi’s immediate decision. After deciding on important military affairs, he would also receive some capable scholars and examine them simply.

Then go down, set off to new places, until resting nearby in the evening. Exhausted beyond measure, after bathing, have dinner, then write letters and diary, finally relax to read books, then sleep again.

Shi Shu and the guards generally waited for Xie Wuchi to finish official business, then followed along. After one day, he discovered Xie Wuchi worked at this intensity every day.

Shi Shu observed for several days and truly admired him. Even Lin Yan and Xin Bin occasionally came down in the evening to drink and chat about family matters in the courtyard. Only Xie Wuchi was almost always in his room, either handling official business or reading books.

The ones serving him were two mute servants, said to have been servants in the palace before, very perceptive. Daily they brought meals and such, removed them, delivered water, washed clothes, and left after finishing work. Their presence was almost undetectable, and they likewise had nothing to say to Xie Wuchi.

Xie Wuchi never missed his family, had friends he associated with, but all were indifferent. If he wanted to pretend, he could become a talkative, cheerful part of the crowd, and sometimes did so. But when free, he generally stayed by himself.

Shi Shu observed for several days. At least a year ago, he seemed to have revealed his conflicted inner self to him, and vaguely had an arrogance, feeling no one could compare to him, very narcissistic. But now, he didn’t know if Xie Wuchi’s personality still existed, but he didn’t display it before him.

Shi Shu stood in a melon shed by the field ridge, picked a crisp cucumber, washed it, and bit into it. Xie Wuchi was talking with the colony’s agricultural supervisor, probably praising that the rice here was greener and sturdier, asking the reason, so that they could emulate each other among agricultural supervisors.

The agricultural supervisor said excitedly: “My lord, this humble one started several years ago to deliberately pay attention to rice with full seeds and sturdy stalks every year when planting rice, then replant their rice, repeatedly selecting, so I grew these rice!”

Xie Wuchi praised: “Very good, your thinking is correct.”

“Also, also, my soil fertilizer also has its method. I use rotted vegetable leaves and grass leaves to make compost—”

Several people were talking when suddenly, Shi Shu didn’t pay much attention, and three to five men in short clothes surrounded them. At first, he thought they were commoners, then these people suddenly drew knives and slashed around—

“Hey!” Shi Shu ran forward fiercely.

Those men slashed randomly with knives. Guards stepped forward to subdue them, but one man still rushed forward. Xie Wuchi could have dodged, but this agricultural supervisor held his head, looking panicked and stunned. Xie Wuchi reached out to pull him away, avoiding the knife cutting his neck, but the next second, the blade slashed his arm.

Everything happened quickly.

The arm injury was also within Xie Wuchi’s expectations. Blood quickly soaked the sleeve. That man was subdued by guards, still cursing in his mouth: “Kill you dog official! Xie Wuchi, killing you is the target!”

As soon as he finished, Xin Bin fiercely reached to dig in his mouth. The man had already bitten and swallowed poison. After a moment, his intestines rotted and he died.

Shi Shu ran to Xie Wuchi, looking at his injured arm. Xie Wuchi said: “Won’t die. These are probably assassins.”

Xin Bin knelt: “This subordinate is incompetent!”

“Commoners suddenly darting out between fields, who would think they are assassins? It’s not your fault. Now they’ve committed suicide by poison, the mastermind behind them is hidden. There are more and more people who hate me.”

The agricultural supervisor knew Xie Wuchi saved his life and quickly knelt with tears: “Thank you, my lord, thank you! This humble one doesn’t know how to repay—”

“Farm well well, provide grain for the common people and soldiers. That is your mission.”

Xie Wuchi turned around, walking back calmly. Shi Shu pulled open his sleeve and discovered the blade had cut a finger-length wound, blood beads gushing out. He quickly applied medicine to the wound, then tightly wrapped the arm with cloth to stop the bleeding urgently.

Shi Shu asked anxiously: “Are these assassins?”

Xie Wuchi: “Don’t worry. It’s not the first time. I’ve been assassinated several times, occasionally injured. Once an arrow grazed past my throat. The higher up you go, the more people hate you.”

Shi Shu: “Does it hurt?”

Xie Wuchi: “Whether it hurts or not, saying it is useless. When it hurts, saying it can’t stop it. Not hurting, how is that possible.”

Shi Shu looked at Xie Wuchi. Xie Wuchi wrapped the gauze himself, his expression very calm. At least he never lost composure before his subordinates. He mounted a horse with the group and headed toward Yanzhou city.

After inspecting outside for six or seven days, Xie Wuchi finally returned to the grand residence in Yanzhou city. A doctor had already been notified. When Shi Shu entered, the doctor was also there, quickly re-bandaging the wound.

Shi Shu stood aside to watch. The arm was wrapped so tightly it turned pale. When new medicine was poured, Xie Wuchi pursed his lips, his face paling a bit.

It felt like Shi Shu’s heart was pricked.

Xie Wuchi was truly strong-willed, with high self-esteem. Perhaps because he never spoke of his pain, people always overlooked his injuries.

The doctor said: “My lord must not eat spicy, cold, greasy foods these days, nor overexert yourself, but rest and recuperate. This official will come to change medicine daily. My lord must follow medical advice.”

Xie Wuchi pulled down his sleeve, agreed, and lowered his eyes.

Shi Shu looked at Xie Wuchi and suddenly remembered that night when the refugee volunteer army surrendered, Xie Wuchi said “I love you” a second time, but Shi Shu didn’t give any verbal feedback, neither rejecting nor accepting.

At least as two modern people, dating should start from a lover relationship before kissing daily, even developing a sexual relationship.

Why did Shi Shu almost not remember? Thinking carefully, Xie Wuchi’s boomerang seemed to have returned to himself.

So, what was his relationship with Xie Wuchi now? A friendship, but Shi Shu touched his thigh root and his tattoo. Xie Wuchi didn’t seem to know how to refuse him.

Do you want to control me? Spiritual control—love is shackles.

Shi Shu remembered this important matter. He and Xie Wuchi were friends. He approached to check Xie Wuchi’s injury. Xie Wuchi went to the study to write letters and read military affairs. Shi Shu stood for a while, couldn’t stand anymore, and went to the study again to see Xie Wuchi.

That calico kitten came, but it didn’t dare jump on the desk, only dared to circle around Xie Wuchi’s feet, meowing. Xie Wuchi ignored it. When it became annoying, he let the calico rub against the back of his hand.

He didn’t even like small animals, only a feeding relationship with Laifu.

Xie Wuchi was truly a lonely person.

Shi Shu thought of Xie Wuchi’s “I love you.” Coming from his mouth, it was like an avalanche he himself hadn’t anticipated.

When Shi Shu arrived, the city was preparing for the Dragon Boat Festival, very lively. He originally planned to go out alone in the afternoon, but Xie Wuchi kept handling official business. Shi Shu didn’t go out either, occasionally chasing the kitten in the courtyard, catching butterflies, still learning to read and write, maintaining a wall’s distance from Xie Wuchi.

Busy until evening, the weather cooled down, and dinner was brought into the room.

Shi Shu entered. Among the dishes brought were steamed fish and boiled shrimp. He peeled the shells and put the shrimp meat in Xie Wuchi’s dish.

__

Author’s note:

Shi Shu: Enough! My heart aches for him!

Later Xiao Shubao: Wahhhhhh! Tricked by a gay man!

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