UCTOOT CH92

Chapter 92: Rubbing the Lips

Inside the silk canopied bed, Shi Shu lay facing the bedding. Ice blocks had been placed around the room, and resting against the cool, silky soft quilt, he had just managed to drift off after tuning out the stinging pain.

At first, Shi Shu had fallen into a deep sleep simply from sheer exhaustion. Upon waking, he was both sore and drowsy, enduring it for a long time before finally falling back asleep.

Shi Shu slept heavily, vaguely sensing another figure lying beside him. Without thinking much of it, when he opened his eyes after who knows how long, he caught the warmth of a body next to him.

Shi Shu: “Xie Wuchi, you’re here?”

Xie Wuchi opened his eyes, resting one hand against the edge of the bed. Dark circles shadowed his eyes; he seemed to have only caught a brief rest after staying up all night. He asked, “How are you feeling?”

Shi Shu said brightly, “Pretty good right now, it doesn’t hurt that much anymore.”

Xie Wuchi: “What are you smiling about?”

Shi Shu checked his smile: “Is it that obvious?”

Xie Wuchi stood up, reaching for the medicine sitting on the cabinet while having someone arrange lunch. Lying flat on the quilt, Shi Shu felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity. Long ago, when escaping the pursuers from the Mingfeng Bureau, he had also suffered a back injury, and Xie Wuchi had taken care of him every day while he lay in bed.

Shi Shu couldn’t suppress his excitement and burst out, “Xie Wuchi, didn’t I tell you I ran into Yuan He and Yuan Guan yesterday? Do you remember them? Those two brothers from Beilai Slave Street!”

Xie Wuchi walked over carrying a bowl of milk: “I remember.”

Shi Shu: “I was eavesdropping on their conversation behind a hillside when suddenly a guy on a horse appeared right across from me. I turned on my heels and ran instantly!”

Xie Wuchi sat down by the bedside: “And then?”

“And then, there was no way I could outrun a horse! Luckily there was a ditch by the side of the road, so I jumped right in—it was at least two or three meters deep—gulp…”

Xie Wuchi brought the bowl closer. Without looking closely, Shi Shu leaned over, took a sip, and kept pouring his heart out. “Then I kept running along that ditch. It was pitch black with so many thorny vines and weeds, but someone jumped ahead to block me—you get what I mean? Trapped from both sides, gulp—”

Xie Wuchi rested his fingers against the rim of the bowl. Shi Shu was so eager to talk that he didn’t even look at the milk, taking a gulp after every sentence.

“I thought to myself, this won’t do; in a two-on-one fight I’ll definitely die, so I turned back to fight—gulp. Turns out it was Yuan He! My goodness, you know how packed with muscle he is? Built like Superman!”

Xie Wuchi lowered his gaze. Seeing a faint trace of milk at the corner of Shi Shu’s lips, he wiped it away with the pad of his thumb.

Shi Shu had fresh, handsome features, and his smile was incredibly contagious. Looking up at Xie Wuchi, he continued: “Anyway, going head-to-head, there was no way I could beat him. Everyone has their strengths, after all. So he used his blade to slash my back, making it look all bloody, and told me to lie down and play dead.”

“It was terrifying! When that Min soldier said he was going to chop off my head, my blood literally ran cold. It was Yuan He who stopped him. Back then, when he escorted Xiaoshu, he traveled forty miles for her—yet it was merely forty miles!”

Shi Shu buried his head to take another sip of milk: “By the way, why is she already married? How old is she even? Is she even eighteen yet?”

Xie Wuchi tilted the bowl, patiently feeding Shi Shu the milk. Shi Shu didn’t take more than two sips before looking up again: “I just remembered—back then when I got home too late, you were angry, right? What about now? Who’s gonna scold me now?”

“Haters, speak up!”

“…”

Xie Wuchi pinched his chin gently: “Taking half an hour to finish a single bowl of milk. How did your parents raise you?”

Shi Shu held the bowl and gulped it all down in a few big swallows, declaring, “I’m just too capable!”

Xie Wuchi’s fingertip caressed the corner of his lips: “The day we confirmed our relationship, you weren’t even this happy.”

Shi Shu: “Confirmed what relationship?”

What relationship do the two of us have?

“…………”

It took Shi Shu a full second to remember that this was his boyfriend. Xie Wuchi’s hand lingered on his face for a long moment; realizing what was happening, Shi Shu bared his clean white teeth: “Xie Wuchi, stop touching me.”

Xie Wuchi pulled his hand back just as boiled eggs were brought into the room, which he took. Looking at Xie Wuchi’s formal attire, Shi Shu asked, “Are you leaving again in a bit?”

Xie Wuchi: “Things have been busy at the government office these past two days, so I need to go there often. Your clue is very important—not only do we need to recover the military provisions, but there’s an even more critical matter.”

Shi Shu let out an “oh.” Once the egg was peeled, Xie Wuchi sat beside him to feed him: “There’s a bowl of porridge too. After you eat, rest a bit more. I have to return to the council hall.”

Shi Shu took two bites of the egg fed to him before thinking: Don’t I have hands?!

“Ah!”

Shi Shu reached out to take it himself, but the moment he moved, pain made him bury his face straight into the pillow: “I still gotta say, Big Brother Yuan He really didn’t hold back at all. It hurts like hell!”

Instinctive reactions usually made sense, after all.

Shi Shu wasn’t wearing clothes, his back covered only by an extremely thin, soft quilt. Hearing him complain about the pain, Xie Wuchi used his other hand to pull back the quilt—crisscrossing wounds had formed blood-red scabs, stretching from his shoulder blades down to the small of his back, with fine, scattered cuts dotting his neck and buttocks.

Xie Wuchi’s gaze darkened, tracing down from Shi Shu’s slender neck to the pale base of his thighs, before pulling the light quilt back up over him.

“There are many wounds on your back,” he said.

Shi Shu: “I figured. Wounds are just wounds; as long as I survived, it’s fine. A real man’s body has to be tempered through a thousand trials—”

Right after finishing his sentence, Shi Shu saw the egg brought close again and took another bite.

Chewing away, Shi Shu only then remembered Xie Wuchi. Suddenly, a certain thought popped into his head, and he raised his head feeling a little awkward: “You don’t like it?”

Xie Wuchi: “I like it.”

“…………”

The moment he said that, Shi Shu’s heart trembled. He always treated Xie Wuchi like the good friend he was before they parted, only to be reminded in sudden moments that they were no longer in that kind of relationship.

Shi Shu also kept forgetting the idea of climbing into bed; only when he remembered that Xie Wuchi was his boyfriend did those words cross his mind again.

“…”

Shi Shu felt embarrassed, so he quietly ate his egg without saying another word.

Xie Wuchi said, “The new flesh growing on your skin looks like flower petals. It’s not ugly at all, so don’t mind it.”

Shi Shu: “I don’t mind.” God knows how much I love the bursting sex appeal of a tough guy whose back is covered in scars when he takes off his shirt. Later he realized he couldn’t become one himself, but Xie Wuchi could.

It could only be described as a twist of fate—a different kind of compensation.

After Shi Shu finished the egg, Xie Wuchi fed him porridge. Shi Shu was quiet for only a brief moment before chattering away again, analyzing his psychological state when facing danger. Whenever Xie Wuchi drifted off for even a second, Shi Shu would immediately call him back, letting Xie Wuchi listen to his exaggerated story while stuffing food into his mouth.

Shi Shu: “Wait, who even is Prince Yin Kun? He looks familiar yet unfamiliar.”

“Two more bites. Eat first before the food gets cold.”

“Do you have any impression of him, Xie Wuchi?”

Xie Wuchi: “One last bite of food. Open up, baby.”

Shi Shu opened his lips, biting down on the spoon and refusing to let go. Xie Wuchi rubbed his thumb against his lips to pull the spoon out, but Shi Shu stubbornly held on on purpose.

It wasn’t until his chin was pinched with increasing pressure that Shi Shu realized Xie Wuchi could easily dislocate his jaw if he wanted to, yet right now he seemed to be coaxing him all along. Shi Shu opened his teeth.

Shi Shu asked, “Are you heading to the office now?”

Xie Wuchi: “Mm. Regarding the ferry dock you mentioned, the scouts should be coming back soon. I need to hear the intel they gathered.”

Shi Shu buried his fluffy head straight into the quilt: “Xie Wuchi, I hate you. Don’t go.”

Xie Wuchi walked back to the bedside and scrutinized Shi Shu carefully for a moment. He realized Shi Shu might be acting this way because he was in pain and bored, craving company—lying flat while sick made time drag on endlessly.

Xie Wuchi: “I’ll come back early.”

Shi Shu: “I’m sleeping, zzz…”

Xie Wuchi generally didn’t handle official matters at home. He strictly adhered to his personal habits—for instance, never getting into bed except to sleep, and changing out of his sleepwear the moment he got up to look ready to step out at any moment. Reading belonged at the reading desk, martial arts practice at the training grounds, and work at the office; he disliked blurring those boundaries.

Therefore, even though Xie Wuchi had a high sex drive and his private nature was completely at odds with his icy, upright exterior, no one except Shi Shu had ever seen his other side.

Xie Wuchi lowered his eyes, saying after a moment, “Tidy up the front hall. Tell them I am feeling unwell these days, so they should all come to the side villa to discuss matters.”

Shi Shu first poked one eye out from the pillow, blinked, and then revealed both eyes. Xie Wuchi returned to the head of the bed, pulling the corner of the quilt for him: “Baby.”

Xie Wuchi’s voice was growing increasingly mature, carrying more and more of a sensual, magnetic depth. Sometimes hearing the tone in it, Shi Shu had to pause for a moment before realizing he was the one being called.

Being gay is so weird. Shi Shu was used to heterosexual dynamics and had always viewed men as equal brothers; the affection contained in Xie Wuchi’s voice often made him feel unaccustomed.

Shi Shu: Okay, now we really don’t feel like brothers anymore.

Shi Shu buried his head back into the pillow.

Throughout the afternoon, whenever people arrived, Xie Wuchi went to the front hall for meetings, returning whenever he had a spare moment—clearly even busier than previous days. Among the shifting figures coming and going, the topic of discussion still seemed to revolve around military provisions.

Shi Shu vaguely heard raised voices from the front hall. Not long after, as the strategists and generals departed, Xie Wuchi stepped through the door. A light layer of sweat clung to him from the heat, his brows carrying a thoughtful look.

Shi Shu asked, “Is it about the military provisions?”

Xie Wuchi approached, supporting his body: “Do you need to use the chamber pot?”

Shi Shu’s heart skipped a beat as Xie Wuchi pulled out a night urinal, straightening him up before placing it between his legs. Shi Shu had injuries on his knees too, leaving him with little strength as he leaned against Xie Wuchi’s arm, completely unclothed.

“Ah?”

Holding him against his chest, Xie Wuchi said, “Regarding Jia Wu smuggling and selling military provisions, we are discussing how to handle it.”

Shi Shu: “Can’t you just arrest him directly?”

Xie Wuchi: “We cannot.”

Shi Shu wanted nothing more than to find a crack in the ground to crawl into, but ultimately endured the humiliation of relieving himself into the night urinal. Once finished, Xie Wuchi pulled out a handkerchief to wipe him clean, then used a wet cloth to wipe his hands before speaking: “Jia Wu is the Empress’s cousin and the commander-in-chief defending against the Min forces in this battle. Arresting him is equivalent to rebellion. It requires a confidential memorial submitted to His Majesty first, awaiting his imperial command.”

Held in his arms, Shi Shu lay back down on the bed: “How long will that take?”

Xie Wuchi looked at the wounds on his back: “Even with an urgent message, a round trip will take seven days.”

“Seven days? Doesn’t that mean seven more days of delay?”

“A seven-day delay aside, His Majesty might very well leave him untouched. For one, moving against him gives no face to the Empress; for another, he cannot bear to move against him. During wartime, illicitly selling military supplies to profit off national disaster is something you couldn’t imagine, yet no one refrains from doing it. People are simply too selfish—the more one enjoys wealth and honor, the more one thinks almost exclusively of oneself.”

Shi Shu remained silent.

Xie Wuchi was arrogant, and the arrogant understood their own kind best.

“However, if we don’t move against him, the military funds cannot be recovered. I am considering what ought to be done.”

Shi Shu blinked, resting against the cool pillow.

On the surface, Jia Wu was an official dispatched from the central court; Xie Wuchi moving against him directly would be treason. Yet following official protocol didn’t guarantee holding him accountable—the more people involved, the more variables there were.

To ordinary people, trafficking military supplies sounded horrifyingly unheard of. Yet the deeper a crisis grew, the more people seized the chance to make a fortune. Like merchants hoarding grain during peach blossom floods to sell at exorbitant prices, or local offices hoarding seed grain during droughts to lend at high interest, or those who got wind of military production early to build supply lines and monopolize profits… as well as those who hoarded massive supplies, specifically waiting for people to starve or fall sick before selling at extortionate rates.

Lips full of high ideals, hearts full of cold business.

They profited off other people’s survival. Everyone wanted to live, and as long as they had a desperate obsession to survive, they would give up anything. These monsters seized upon that vulnerability to extort value in broad daylight.

Jia Wu was precisely here to make a fortune out of this war.

They cared only for their own enjoyment, oblivious to the deaths of others or the ruin of the nation.

The thought filled Shi Shu’s chest with a surge of fury, making him want to march into Jia Wu’s estate and throw a few punches at him.

“Ah!” Pain flared across his body, and Shi Shu flopped back down.

Xie Wuchi stroked his hair: “Don’t rush. I’ll find a way.”

In front of Shi Shu, Xie Wuchi appeared completely calm. Yet his eyes were those accustomed to slaughter; as his gaze darkened slightly, he brushed away the shadow a moment later, smoothing down Shi Shu’s hair.

Throughout the afternoon, the side villa remained busier than usual. As the summer day dragged on, lying down finally brought fatigue, and drowsiness crept in.

Lying face down put too much pressure on his chest, leading Shi Shu into a nightmare. There was nothing specific in the dream, yet he felt utterly panicked.

When he abruptly opened his eyes, dusk had settled outside, casting a dim blackness through the window. The unfamiliar anxiety inside Shi Shu expanded as he looked around: “Xie Wuchi…”

On a couch not far away, a figure was drawing and writing on paper. Xie Wuchi had changed into casual robes and was writing in his journal. The moment Shi Shu saw him, the fear in his heart vanished.

Ever since transmigrating to this world, waking up at dusk after a sleep always brought a sense of loneliness and unease. That was why he rarely took afternoon naps, sleeping only when he was thoroughly bored.

“Xie Wuchi.”

Xie Wuchi set down his brush and walked over: “Awake?”

Shi Shu: “I slept too long, my head hurts.”

Xie Wuchi placed his hand on Shi Shu’s face, caressing from the rim of his ear to his temple, his long fingers gently massaging the acupoints on his scalp. Shi Shu looked up at him, an odd question popping into his mind: Are you massaging me as a good friend, or as a boyfriend?

Shi Shu caught the edge of his robe; the tangible texture of the fabric slowed his racing heart. Xie Wuchi placed a small stool by the head of the bed, sitting down so his eyes were level with Shi Shu’s.

Shi Shu held onto his hem until Xie Wuchi stopped massaging his temples.

Then, Xie Wuchi leaned down, pressing a kiss against his eyelid and the bridge of his nose.

Shi Shu felt uncomfortable again: “No kissing.”

Xie Wuchi backed away, asking, “Hungry?”

Shi Shu didn’t answer, yet his grip on the clothes never loosened. After thinking for a moment, Xie Wuchi said, “Du Zihan sent you a letter. Do you want to take a look? I’ll read it to you.”

Shi Shu raised his head: “Ah?”

Xie Wuchi fetched the letter, set a candle on the bedside cabinet, and read sentence by sentence: “‘Little Schoolbag, what have you been up to lately? Didn’t we agree you’d write to me once you got there? Where is your letter? You didn’t reply to the ones I sent either.'”

Shi Shu felt embarrassed: “I was too busy. I treat everyone equally—I just don’t reply to anyone’s messages.”

Xie Wuchi glanced at him and continued reading: “‘Bai Family Village is so hot I want to jump into a river. What on earth is going on over there? It’s a battlefield! At least make a squeak, otherwise don’t die and rot without me knowing a single thing.'”

Shi Shu: “Hehehe, that idiot.”

Xie Wuchi read further: “‘How are things between you and your boyfriend?'”

Shi Shu: “Uh…”

Shi Shu started wanting to snatch the letter back.

Xie Wuchi: “‘Did you two figure things out? You didn’t get played like a fool by him, did you? I forgot to remind you last time, your boyfriend looks like a total scumbag. Men from wealthy families like that are very likely NPDs, super skilled at playing with people’s feelings…'”

Shi Shu’s hand at his side began to twitch: “This…”

Xie Wuchi: “I won’t play with your feelings.”

“…”

Having said that, Xie Wuchi flipped to the next page: “‘Also, guys with guys need to pay attention to hygiene. Getting a disease ruins your whole life. You can ask him indirectly if he has any STDs. Stay safe, keep this in mind.'”

Shi Shu: “…………”

Their eyes met. Xie Wuchi raised his gaze from the paper, seemingly gritting his teeth softly: “I’ve never had an STD. If we were in modern times, I could show you my annual medical reports; right now, you can inspect me anytime. My only medical history is psychological.”

Shi Shu: “…………”

Shi Shu wanted to pull his hair out. Du Zihan, what nonsense are you writing every day?! Enduring the pain, Shi Shu waved his hand and said, “Stop reading this letter, I’m afraid whatever comes next will be even more embarrassing.”

“There’s no more.” Xie Wuchi placed the letter in front of him. “There’s a drawing on the back page—it’s Bai Family Village drawn by him, with Lai Fu and Song Sinan in it.”

Shi Shu looked closely and saw it really was over, breathing a sigh of relief: “Who would reply to this kind of letter? I’m not replying—left on read.”

Xie Wuchi: “You can write ‘Seen’ and send it back; it’ll put his mind at ease.”

“…”

Shi Shu felt like Xie Wuchi was hinting at something. While he was confused, Xie Wuchi added, “Du Zihan’s words are rough, but the logic is sound. He really cares about you, even if he sounds a bit nagging.”

Shi Shu: “Fine, I’ll write a reply to him.”

Xie Wuchi went to fetch paper and pen. As Shi Shu struggled to write while lying down, Xie Wuchi whispered near his ear: “Shi Shu.”

“Mm?” Shi Shu wrote crookedly.

“I’ve never been intimate with anyone else, nor have I ever been in a relationship. I only like you.”

Shi Shu snapped his head up to look at him: “I didn’t disbelieve you; is this that important?”

Xie Wuchi: “I care about it, so I wanted to tell you.”

Shi Shu wrote only a single line: My hands and feet are uncomfortable; the following is dictated to my brother: then handed it over to Xie Wuchi: “Write it for me.”

Xie Wuchi placed a flat book beside his pillow, pressed the paper against it, and listened to Shi Shu recite: “I’m doing great, healthy and all the best—oh right, I did something super awesome…”

“…”

Xie Wuchi flicked his eyelids. Shi Shu rambled on endlessly, while Xie Wuchi replaced key information with English words, transforming Shi Shu’s narration into an adventure novel.

Leaning closer to inspect Xie Wuchi’s handwriting, Shi Shu realized his own writing looked like an elementary schooler’s, whereas Xie Wuchi’s penmanship was elegant, bold, and powerful—just looking at the calligraphy gave off the vibe of a total heartthrob.

Lying flat, Shi Shu recited for half an hour, and Xie Wuchi actually recorded it all, filling up several sheets of paper. Shi Shu’s eyes sparkled as he stared at the unfolded letter, pointing at a word: “What does this mean?”

Xie Wuchi: “Army provisions.”

When Xie Wuchi spoke English, his voice sounded exceptionally attractive.

Shi Shu: “This one?”

Xie Wuchi: “Alien races.”

Shi Shu: “What about this?”

“Jia Wu, JiaWu.”

“…”

“My bad, almost forgot our native language.” Shi Shu couldn’t help laughing: “Can Du Zihan understand this?”

Xie Wuchi: “He can. These words are very basic.”

Watching Xie Wuchi finish writing, Shi Shu took the pen and wrote his name at the sign-off: Little Schoolbag!

“It can be sent to him now! Let’s give him a surprise. I never reply with such long messages to anyone; I hope he memorizes this letter and recites it back to me when we meet~” Shi Shu said triumphantly.

Xie Wuchi placed the sheets into a fresh envelope and sealed it with wax. By now, the unease in Shi Shu’s heart had completely dissolved, and he said, “I’m hungry.”

“I’ll get you food.”

Lying against the cool silk pillow, Shi Shu watched Xie Wuchi stand up, his dark outer robe swaying in the breeze as he stepped outside to order dinner brought in.

Shi Shu stared at his receding back, feeling as though it were that night he first went to Xiangnan Temple to find him. Xie Wuchi had treated him just as well back then—except Shi Shu hadn’t known at the time that Xie Wuchi was merely keeping him around as an observation target he could kill at any moment.

Shi Shu lay still. A moment later, piping hot dishes were delivered, after which the servants were dismissed. A square stool was placed at the head of the bed with several dishes set upon it.

Shi Shu turned his head away, his pale ears peeking out from under his fluffy hair: “I’m angry.”

Xie Wuchi: “Baby.”

How does one fall in love with a wild beast whose sharp claws and fangs are stained with human blood?

Shi Shu lay flat, losing his appetite. Steam rose from the egg custard; everything on the table was easy to digest and highly nutritious. Xie Wuchi held a jade-blue porcelain bowl filled with rich, golden soup.

Neither spoke for a moment, yet no one broke the quiet.

As late night approached, a pale crescent moon hung outside the window, while the courtyard hummed with the sounds of cicadas and frogs. As Shi Shu lay there, he heard Xie Wuchi set down the bowl. A hand reached over to lift his chin, preventing him from suffocating in the quilt, the warmth of his fingers touching his face.

The pad of a thumb brushed against his lips before Xie Wuchi backed away. Shi Shu raised his head, only to see a stormy intensity in Xie Wuchi’s eyes.

Xie Wuchi was going mad with the urge to touch him.

Shi Shu didn’t actually mind Xie Wuchi touching him—he never really had. He tilted his head slightly, letting his lips be touched once more by the calloused fingertip.

Shi Shu’s features were fresh and fair, his bright peach-blossom eyes dark and moist. He smiled at everyone he met, his smile carrying a hint of youthful innocence. Xie Wuchi lowered his eyes, as if encouraged, gently stroking his chin.

Moving further up, he rubbed against Shi Shu’s lips.

The fingertip was both burning hot and rough, while the lips were incredibly soft and tender. As Xie Wuchi stroked him slowly, Shi Shu surprisingly didn’t turn his gaze away for once.

With a gentle press of the fingertip, he could part his teeth and slip inside.

Yet, Xie Wuchi lowered his eyes and withdrew his hand.

Shi Shu’s eyelashes fluttered, and in the very next second, Xie Wuchi leaned over to press a kiss upon him.