UCTOOT CH119

Feeling hungry, Shi Shu brought a platter of fruit and arrived a bit late by the hot spring pool. Mist curled in thick ribbons across the shimmering water. Behind the folding screen, shadows of trees danced faintly. Bare-chested, Xie Wuchi sat submerged against the stone rim of the bath, his eyes closed.

Ripples drifted outward from his frame as Shi Shu set the fruit platter down softly. Propping his temple against one hand, Xie Wuchi seemed to be dozing, the thermal water washing away the exhaustion of the road after an afternoon packed with back-to-back military councils.

Shi Shu’s heart quieted in an instant: Xie Wuchi must be thoroughly worn out from this journey, right? At least I could lie down and take a nap this afternoon, but the moment he rushed back from the Min region, he had to plow through half a month of backlogged paperwork, deal with bureaucratic socializing and court etiquette, and then escort me back to the city.

…We’re finally home. It’s good that he can rest.

Shi Shu slipped into the water carefully, trying his best not to disturb him.

Even so, Xie Wuchi opened his eyes: “Sit over here.”

Shi Shu moved to his side. Xie Wuchi’s dark hair was soaked through, faint shadows of fatigue lingering beneath his eyes.

“You’ve worked hard, Teacher Xie! Hustling day in and day out isn’t easy!” Shi Shu smiled, gently brushing the wet, dark strands away from his ear.

The movement revealed the sharp, chiseled contours of his jaw and earlobe. Sensing the tenderness in the touch, Xie Wuchi lowered his gaze.

Xie Wuchi’s lips were naturally aloof and aristocratic. As Shi Shu met his gaze, the water parted. When Xie Wuchi looked up again, his thighs drifted open beneath the undulating water, exposing the tattoo and shadowy lines below. He said: “Want to play with me?”

“…………”

Blood rushed straight to Shi Shu’s head: “Xie Wuchi, you—!…”

A zero-frame startup—how is anyone supposed to dodge that?!

Shameless slut!

Could he not spring it so out of nowhere?!

Shi Shu’s brief moment of pity instantly dissolved into a swirl of complicated feelings. His hand reached down and took hold through the rippling water.

Amusement flickered deep in Xie Wuchi’s eyes as he rested his chin in his hand: “Do you remember this hot spring pool?”

With his knees braced against the stone wall, Shi Shu said, “Of course I remember. Didn’t we make our relationship official right in this pool? That was when we agreed to be boyfriends. So strange to think I got together with you on such a casual whim.”

Xie Wuchi: “Back then, ‘friends with benefits’ was more accurate. You liked my body, but did not believe you loved me.”

“…” Shi Shu mumbled, “Well, before… back then…”

“You desired me, yet your heart was as hard as iron,” Xie Wuchi murmured against his ear. “Now that you’ve tasted me, does sleeping with me feel good?”

“…………”

Here he goes again.

Shi Shu caught on: “Xie Wuchi, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” He tightened his grip in the water. “You know… you know…”

Shi Shu’s face flushed scarlet. Xie Wuchi’s Adam’s apple bobbed, letting out a rough gasp, his eyes fixed on him: “Know what?”

“You’re doing it on purpose. You know I like you like this…”

[**]

Biting his lip, Shi Shu wanted to bare his teeth at him, yet obeyed his bidding all the same. Xie Wuchi lowered his eyes, his dripping chest and abdominal muscles rising and falling: “Objectively speaking, the pleasure of sleeping with me is an honor for anyone.”

“…” Shi Shu scoffed, “Are you really that narcissistic? Completely unhinged.”

Looking downward, Shi Shu huffed: “Hmph, I know you’re doing it on purpose, deliberately talking like this…”

Shi Shu’s thoughts turned hazy, his senses muddled, gently steered down memory lane: “That night in the hot spring, how did you touch me? Just like that. I liked it very much.”

Dizzy, Shi Shu repeated the motions. Droplets rolled down the bridge of Xie Wuchi’s straight nose, moisture clinging to his dark brows as he looked levelly at Shi Shu: “Do you still remember how callously you used to wound me?”

Biting his lip, Shi Shu curved his spine, leaning forward into his embrace. Xie Wuchi’s raspy voice drew close: “So many times before, I wanted to be intimate with you, to take things further, yet you refused me every time, humiliating my pride and leaving me miserable. In Qian’an Prefecture, I craved making love to you until it drove me out of my mind. I wanted you to touch me, to caress my body and soothe my affliction, yet you left me for three months without hesitation just to visit the ailing Pei Wenqing.”

Shi Shu’s heart contracted into a tiny, aching knot, words failing him.

“…When we met again after being apart for a year and a half, I treasured you like a precious jewel, desperate to cherish and protect you. Yet you hated me so bitterly, despised me so deeply. Even while loathing me, you touched my body without restraint, unlike anything before—controlling my pleasure, governing my joy, using sex to punish and humiliate me.”

Shi Shu kissed his lips, unable to speak.

“You knew I could never resist anything you imposed upon me, whether good or bad.”

Shi Shu only wanted to kiss him. The water stirred with rhythmic ripples.

[**]

Shi Shu murmured with a tremor: “Baobao.”

Dark hair floated across the water, pushed outward by the waves. Shi Shu’s hands grew increasingly adept, caressing Xie Wuchi’s tattoo and his most vulnerable places. Xie Wuchi was so formidable, so powerful, his abdominal muscles flexing like the taut spine of a merman. Yet in this moment, everything was entirely within Shi Shu’s control.

Panting, Xie Wuchi swept back his wet hair, revealing dark, striking features veiled in steam, the deep scars on his wrist from self-harming for Shi Shu never fading. Back resting against the stone rim, ripples spread out wave after wave.

Shi Shu’s other hand stroked his jaw, then brushed softly over his lips.

“Baobao,” Shi Shu whispered, his chest aching.

Xie Wuchi met his gaze, taking the hand that touched him to nuzzle it against his cheek: “Do you love me?”

Shi Shu: “I do.”

“Tell me completely.”

“I love you,” Shi Shu said.

Holding Shi Shu’s fair hand, Xie Wuchi kissed it softly. His breathing grew increasingly ragged, struck by the raw emotion in those words, until Shi Shu watched his abdominal muscles tighten fiercely, reaching the absolute peak. Slick warmth dispersed into the water. Shi Shu cupped his face and kissed him with thick, tender devotion, his palm resting over that dark, serpentine tattoo.

Soft and lingering, prolonging Xie Wuchi’s pleasure.

“Back then… your heart was unyielding. I possessed countless methods, yet before you I was entirely helpless, to the point where I didn’t even know how to speak. I had never lost my sense of worth like that, wallowing in self-pity and losing all self-identity, watching my supposedly unbreakable ego crumble continuously.”

Xie Wuchi’s distinct knuckles pressed over Shi Shu’s slender fingers, staring into his eyes: “…Do not let go. I like you touching me here. When you touch me, I feel that you love me.”

Shi Shu understood: Xie Wuchi’s hypersexuality, his abnormal cravings in intimacy, and his uninhibited sexual outlook.

Shi Shu’s mind was in total disarray, not knowing what to say. Listening to Xie Wuchi’s words, he grasped the agony the man had endured.

Shi Shu didn’t pull his hand away, remembering their first encounter: “Back then, when I first came to your headquarters looking for you, I had to pass through layers of gatekeepers just to see you. The hierarchy was so rigid. You were high and mighty, and so cold to me.”

Xie Wuchi: “There were times I hated you too.”

Shi Shu’s breathing quickened. Xie Wuchi shifted the topic, murmuring: “…I am still in the mood. Play a bit rougher.”

A quiet plea.

Gritting his teeth, Shi Shu applied more pressure with his hand. Xie Wuchi said, “That blizzard night in Dasheng Prefecture, how bitterly I hated you. If the guards hadn’t burst in and saved me, my wrist would have been severed. Back then, I threw everything away to tell you I loved you, yet you trampled it beneath your feet, not caring in the slightest.”

[**]

Shi Shu asked softly, “How long did it take for the wound to heal?”

“Half a month. But the scar on the flesh never faded. Whenever I saw it, that night replayed in my mind. Later, when the wound stopped hurting, the ache in my heart only grew heavier. I couldn’t sleep night after night, so I could only redirect the pain.”

Shi Shu unconsciously curled his fingers tighter.

Pleasure struck abruptly. Xie Wuchi’s gaze lost focus for a second before snapping back, speaking in his seductive, stirring voice: “Do you like seeing me like this? You can control me with your hand. I will show you any side of myself—you only need to use your hand.”

Shi Shu stroked his cheek: “Xie Wuchi.”

He couldn’t tell whether it was heartache or something else.

Xie Wuchi had his pathological sides, and because of those flaws, had been hurt even deeper by him. For that, Shi Shu’s heart ached for him.

Kissing each other, breaths tangling, Shi Shu climbed onto his lap, wrapping one arm around his shoulder blades—broad and conditioned like a wolf’s back—while his other hand stroked and soothed him. As they kissed, Xie Wuchi’s breathing turned ragged. An intimacy and passionate desire Shi Shu had never imagined filled every breath of air around them.

Gradually.

“Ah…”

[**]

Stroking his cheek, Xie Wuchi’s all-seeing eyes met his: “Does having sex with me feel good?”

Shi Shu: “Mm…”

Xie Wuchi smiled: “Every day and every night of your future will feel just as good as right now.”

“…” Shi Shu’s handsome brows knitted. Resting against his chest, his jawline sharp: “Xie Wuchi…”

“Enjoy me,” came the raspy murmur brushing against his ear.

[**]

[**]

Xie Wuchi… you… how could someone like this exist in the world? How could someone feel this good… Pure desire, practically the incarnation of lust itself.

Shi Shu’s face was flushed crimson and drenched in sweat: “It’s like you’ve had eight hundred ex-boyfriends… having sex every single day…”

Xie Wuchi: “I treasure everything about myself. I don’t engage in crude, chaotic intercourse with just anyone.”

“Mm…” Shi Shu kissed him deeply, their tongues tangling.

Shi Shu felt as if he were dreaming, where everything in the dream had become reality. Fantastic, bizarre shadows reflected in his eyes. He had never imagined plunging into such unfamiliar, intoxicating passion alongside Xie Wuchi.

They were in love, and in this aspect, they were finding their rhythm, growing more in sync by the day. Shi Shu had thought about romance before, but it had always been pure, innocent love—walking, riding bicycles, traveling together, laughing under the sun, watching the scenery under streetlights. He had never envisioned this dimension of love.

[**]

Shi Shu didn’t know how to process this intensity—panicked, flustered, needing Xie Wuchi to kiss him, coax him, and soothe him before he could adapt.

A fervent, fierce coupling.

Steam drifted across the water, mist veiling the beauty within the hot spring.

The mute servant tending outside heard the commotion in the bath and instinctively stepped forward to check, but seeing the scene, beat a retreat with utmost discretion.

The mute servant had once served in the Eastern Capital’s imperial palace, living in the eunuchs’ quarters, attending imperial consorts. He had lost his voice back then. Retiring from the palace and recruited here, he had seen everything and understood everything. With a handsome monthly stipend, what was there to be dissatisfied about?

Tree shadows veiled the moon, which broke through the clouds once more to spill light into the bedchamber.

Inside the bedchamber, the mosquito netting was hooked up. Clad in pristine white inner robes, damp dark hair draped over his shoulders, Xie Wuchi leaned against the bedpost flipping through a book, while Shi Shu rested lazily against his chest.

Drowsy, Shi Shu asked, “Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

“Once you fall asleep, I need to draft the memorial regarding our trip to the Min region to turn King Zhouchi, sending it via eight-hundred-li express to His Majesty. Though the Northern Army holds authority, military campaigns still require imperial sanction.”

Shi Shu: “You’re writing a letter now? How long will it take? Aren’t you tired?”

“Perhaps all night. This missive is urgent; state affairs must not be delayed.” Lying in bed, Xie Wuchi had clearly stayed purely to keep him company until he fell asleep. “You said you were tired. Sleep first.”

Hugging him, Shi Shu asked curiously, “If you pull an all-nighter, do you get to rest tomorrow?”

“I will visit the yamen tomorrow morning, then return to the main camp to oversee military affairs.”

Shi Shu: “Huh? Then what time will you be back tomorrow night?”

“Dusk.”

“Make sure to catch naps whenever you can, don’t run yourself ragged. I’ll have Lin Yan keep an eye on your rest.” Shi Shu closed his pale eyelids. “Dusk? Then tomorrow I’ll go to Bai Family Settlement to pick up Zihan, Laifu, and Song Sinan. And I need to deliver the seeds too.”

Shi Shu was in high spirits right now. He had decided: he was going to love this world properly, love Xie Wuchi, and love life.

Closing the book, perhaps mollified by the repeated confessions of love by the pool, Xie Wuchi’s hostility toward Du Zihan had temporarily subsided. Sitting a moment longer, he rose quietly and headed to the study.

Sensing his departure, Shi Shu woke once in the middle of the night and padded to the threshold. Outside in the deep night, the glass lantern cast a gentle glow. Xie Wuchi sat deep in thought, brush in hand, writing his missive beside stacks of rolled scrolls, facing the window beneath the moon.

Shi Shu circled around him twice, then returned to bed. Staying beside him would only distract Xie Wuchi; separated by a single wall, it was better to let him focus on his work.

Shi Shu slept on. Nearing early morning, movement stirred beside him again. Xie Wuchi had rested for barely an hour when Shi Shu woke to an unfamiliar fullness.

Holding him, Xie Wuchi entered the softness readied the night before, making love once in the early dawn, before rising to dress in his crimson-purple robes and departing surrounded by his retinue.

“…………”

Shi Shu was thoroughly awed. He pushed himself up slowly. His body indeed felt somewhat tender, but traveling to Bai Family Settlement by carriage, cushioned by soft bolsters, made it bearable.

The wind ruffled his hair along the road as Shi Shu thought about the previous night—the words Xie Wuchi had spoken, and the man himself.

I can’t treat him poorly anymore. I need to be better to him.

After a swaying journey, Bai Family Settlement came into view—a verdant village with tall watchtowers and crisscrossing paths between the fields. Before even spotting anyone, Shi Shu broke into a bright grin, quickening his pace and shouting as he walked: “Laifu! Laifu! Where’s my Laifu?!”

Woof, woof, woof! A joyful burst of barking erupted.

“Laifu! Laifu! Laifu! Come here, quick, quick, quick!”

Across a paddy field, standing beneath a plum tree, Laifu was wagging his tail furiously—the propeller spinning so fast it looked ready to take flight—barking in wild, ecstatic delight: Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof! Woof, woof, woof!

Xiao Shu! Xiao Shu! Xiao Shu!

Where have you been these past three months?! Why are you only coming to find me now?!

Leaping across the field ridge, Laifu charged forward like a golden streak of lightning, hurtling straight toward Shi Shu.

Shi Shu: “Holy crap, watch out!”

Shi Shu reflexively looked for something to cushion the blow, but thinking that would be too cruel to Laifu, he dropped into a low horse stance, bracing his core, and took a deep breath.

Oomph! The moment Laifu slammed into his chest, Shi Shu gasped out a “Holy shit,” his entire arm going numb as he was knocked into a backflip, boy and dog tumbling straight into the luffa vines.

Did I even provoke you?!

Amid a constellation of aches and bruises, Shi Shu hugged Laifu tightly: “Laifu! Good boy! Laifu!”

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!

Hurts like hell, hurts like hell!

Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof! Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof!

Xiao Shu! Xiao Shu, Xiao Shu!

Shi Shu: “Laifu, Laifu, Laifu!”

Holding Laifu, Shi Shu struggled to his feet, spotting two sun-darkened farmers approaching: “Who’s this?”

Taking off his straw hat, Du Zihan grunted, “Shi Shu, what is wrong with your eyes?”

Shi Shu: “Holy crap, it’s you, Zihan! The change was so drastic I didn’t recognize you, my bad.”

Du Zihan: “Try harvesting corn in the fields for two days and see how you look!”

Shi Shu burst into uncontrollable laughter. Tossing his straw hat to the ground, Du Zihan marched over and tugged at his clothes: “Where the hell have you been for three months? You didn’t reply to a single letter I sent, and when you finally sent one back, it had English in it, spinning a tale about you almost heroically martyring yourself! Let me see!”

“Oh, right, right, right!” Shi Shu had never stripped his clothes this fast even in bed with Xie Wuchi: “Check out my back—a man’s badge of honor, battle scars.”

Pulling his shirt halfway down: “Wait, hold on.”

Shi Shu yanked his hem back down, playing dumb: “I’ll show you in a couple of days; not very convenient right now.”

Du Zihan: “I already saw.”

Shi Shu: “…………”

Shi Shu greeted Song Sinan nearby. Du Zihan gave him a look full of unspoken words: “I say, young man, show a little composure, will you?”

Shi Shu: “…”

Shi Shu: “Anyway, the situation is just as you saw.”

They bantered for a while. Shi Shu unloaded the seeds for them to plant, and stopped by to visit the mother and daughter he had rescued previously.

The little girl carried a melon out from beneath the green leaves, not knowing what kind it was, and shoved it into Shi Shu’s arms. The family was overjoyed to see Shi Shu, filling baskets with fruits and vegetables—all grown from the seeds Shi Shu had carried back on his back that stormy night.

Shi Shu took out the new seeds: “Are you comfortable living here?”

The woman walked with a limp: “Comfortable. Lord Xie treats refugees from the south well.”

Only by treating them well would hearts yearn for home, prompting others to submit.

Shi Shu: “As long as you’re comfortable. Plant these seeds; maybe they’ll bring a fresh harvest.”

After bidding everyone farewell and sharing lunch, they set out for Yanzhou. Song Sinan was thrilled, spurring his horse into a wild gallop: “Finally heading back to the Qiu Army camp! Farming here for three months in this godforsaken place was torture; I still prefer commanding troops on the battlefield.”

Crouched on the front board of the carriage, a blade of grass dangling from his lips, Shi Shu felt in wonderful spirits. Everything was moving in a great direction. He urged the horses faster, jarring Du Zihan until his stomach turned: “Hey, what’s the rush?!”

Shi Shu: “What do you think? Heading back to eat dinner with Xie Wuchi tonight. He’s been swamped lately; eating early means resting early.”

Du Zihan: “…A world of three is way too crowded. Tell me, how was the journey to Yunzhou?”

Scenes flashed through Shi Shu’s mind: kissing in the summer night with Xie Wuchi, handling corpses outside the fortress in the medical shed, Jia Wu’s decadent music, courtesans scattering petals, the night he walked toward the moon after escaping death, being carried on Xie Wuchi’s back, spoon-fed bite by bite, meeting Xiaoshu, venturing together deep into the Min mountains…

Shi Shu’s features were strikingly handsome, brimming with youthful charm when he smiled: “Pretty good.”

“…” Du Zihan eyed his smile. “Honeymoon phase, huh?”

Only now did it truly feel like the honeymoon phase.

He could never let Zihan know the intimate details of his relationship with Xie Wuchi; no one would ever understand the complex love and history between them!

The carriage finally rolled into Yanzhou City. It happened to be market day, bustling with lively crowds.

Song Sinan returned to the Qiu Army barracks, while Shi Shu guided Du Zihan and Laifu back toward the manor. Du Zihan clutched his stomach: “Aiyo, just thinking about seeing Brother Xie makes my stomach ache from nerves.”

“Don’t be scared, Zihan. You’re not lesser than Xie Wuchi.”

Du Zihan: “……………”

Not far from the governor’s grand estate stood a tea stall. The two sat chatting about the past three months: Du Zihan had dedicated himself to teaching that little girl mathematics, but she refused to study, loving only farming and martial arts. Shi Shu recounted their adventures in the Min region with vivid flair. Around five or six in the afternoon, several fine steeds galloped along the dedicated avenue nearby, hooves clattering in rhythmic waves, cloaks billowing in the wind. Riders dismounted instantly to take the reins of the lead horse.

Tossing his whip aside, Xie Wuchi cut a tall, imposing figure clad in the formal robes of a martial commander. Shi Shu mused, “How come I never noticed before that Xie Wuchi is so handsome?”

Du Zihan: “You never noticed before??? How many times have you said he was handsome?!”

Shi Shu: “…”

The two exchanged a baffling conversation. Shi Shu stepped forward to meet him, and Xie Wuchi’s gaze settled firmly upon Shi Shu.

The moment he saw him, memories of the previous night by the hot spring flooded back: droplets of water rolling down his tan neck and skin, the supple texture of his youthful physique, the heat between his hands, the gaze locking through the steam, the mingled breaths—all rushing back into his head.

Approaching, Xie Wuchi looked down at Shi Shu: “Back to the manor.”

Shi Shu turned back: “Zihan, let’s go.”

What on earth was this feeling?

Just seeing Xie Wuchi sent an electric tingle through him.

Shi Shu stole another glance at him. Xie Wuchi’s straight nose carried an aloof cool. Turning his profile to look at him, in that split second, he seemed to recall the memories of last night and early morning as well.

Shi Shu’s face flushed bright crimson, scratching his hair in embarrassment.

Xie Wuchi lowered his eyes.