UCTOOT CH66

Shi Shu returned to the courtyard and took off his shoes. He was very happy to have run into Song Sinan’s group here. He had originally thought the bitterness and cold of the border army would be too chilling, but this was just right. In the days that followed, Shi Shu’s life fell into this routine.

On this day, Shi Shu had just finished a long day of work and taken off his shoes. As he sat down to rest, Xie Wuchi brought over a basin of hot water, preparing to wash his feet for him.

“…”

Shi Shu quietly glanced at Du Zihan next to him, then stared at the person approaching him, an odd feeling rising within him. He took the basin. “Alright, alright, that’s enough. I’ll do it myself.”

Xie Wuchi said, “You’ve been working outside recently. I was worried you’d be tired.”

Shi Shu replied, “I’ll still do it myself. I don’t have a penchant for others who are overly servile.”

Shi Shu took the wooden basin and asked, “And Xie Wuchi, why have you become like this?” Can you go back to looking at me like I’m a dog? This is really killing the cool vibe.

Xie Wuchi smiled slowly, staring at him. “What version of me do you like?”

I don’t know, but this gentle and considerate side is just too unfamiliar. The thought made Shi Shu feel a bit awkward. He knew Xie Wuchi liked him. Didn’t you say before that you would absolutely never change yourself?

Xie Wuchi said, “I don’t seem to be a very aggressive person.”

Shi Shu stopped talking to him, afraid of getting drawn into his logic. “That has nothing to do with me. I’m going to soak my feet first.”

Just as Shi Shu started soaking his feet, Xie Wuchi poured him a cup of hot tea. Shi Shu thanked him and observed him secretly. After busying himself, Xie Wuchi sat down beside him.

After a moment of silence, Shi Shu realized, “Xie Wuchi, what are you looking at?”

Xie Wuchi said, “Your feet are very beautiful.”

“…” Shi Shu rarely paid attention to his own feet. Hearing Xie Wuchi say this, he said, “Don’t be like that. It feels a bit like sexual harassment. I’m not used to it.”

Xie Wuchi let out a soft laugh.

“…………”

No, this is weird. Shi Shu pressed his lips together. He tended to be at a loss for words when nervous. After a while, the water for his feet grew cooler. Just as Shi Shu was about to get up, he asked, “Where are my shoes?”

Before his voice had faded, a hand slipped under the bend of his knees, and he was suddenly swept into a princess carry. Shi Shu let out an “Ai!” and clung tightly to his shoulders, then was placed on a fur blanket by the stove, enveloped in warmth.

Shi Shu thought, Well folks, I guess I’ve become a man’s wife now.

Shi Shu said, “No, bro. Why are you like this?”

Shi Shu felt like he had more to say. Du Zihan pretended to be dead the whole time, shoveling rice into his mouth as fast as he could, trying to finish quickly and escape the scene.

Just as Shi Shu opened his mouth, Xie Wuchi leaned down, held his face with both hands, and without any regard for Du Zihan, tilted his head and kissed him.

Shi Shu asked, “?”

Shi Shu flailed his arms and legs. Du Zihan, holding his rice bowl, happened to look back and showed a “the-sky-is-falling” expression before fleeing the main room in large strides.

Shi Shu’s fingers grasped at empty air. He was about to say, “Hey! What are you doing!” when Xie Wuchi nipped the tip of his lip. He tried to turn his face away, but a large hand clamped his jaw and turned it back.

Xie Wuchi’s dark pupils looked at him, his thumb gently caressing his face as he said, “I don’t know how to do these things. If there’s something you want, you can tell me.”

Shi Shu exclaimed, “Huh?!”

Honestly, Shi Shu knew that Xie Wuchi liked him, but he still couldn’t figure him out. Is he changing himself to accommodate me? Or? What does that sentence even mean?

Shi Shu’s lips were being kissed by him. To be honest, he had gotten used to it over time and didn’t find it particularly hard to accept, but this was in the courtyard with the gate wide open at dusk. Shi Shu grabbed his wrists with both hands, trying to pull them down. “Don’t…”

Xie Wuchi’s wrists were large-boned and lean, incredibly strong. As Shi Shu gripped him, Xie Wuchi held his face and bit at his lips and tongue. The tip of his tongue swept fiercely, licking the inside of his mouth.

Shi Shu twisted his fingers, but it was useless. His face was held tightly by a large hand, which caressed him from the tip of his chin to behind his earlobe. This scene was very much like something from a dusk or afternoon, with passionate lovers.

Shi Shu stared at Xie Wuchi’s half-closed eyes. His eyelashes were damp with moisture, lightly brushing against his own. Even at a moment like this, Shi Shu could silently think, This feels like an arranged marriage from a TV drama. I just decided Xie Wuchi was a suitable person and got together with him.

He was kissed until he was out of breath. Shi Shu pressed his lips together and asked, “Can’t we live together as friends?”

Xie Wuchi said, “I don’t want to.”

As soon as Shi Shu finished speaking, Xie Wuchi pulled him into his arms, holding his waist and back. Shi Shu blinked, a little confused, but he guessed that accompanying him for three thousand li of exile had caused a qualitative change in their relationship. However, if he had a friend accompany him, it wouldn’t necessarily turn into love.

Shi Shu coughed and said, “If it were Du Zihan—”

The moment he said it, Xie Wuchi bit his jaw. A sharp pain. This was the first time Shi Shu had felt Xie Wuchi’s undisguised, burning jealousy. His voice was low and hoarse. “Don’t say it.”

Shi Shu fell silent for a moment. Forget it… It’s not like I’m looking for a partner anyway. Xie Wuchi happens to like him, so they might as well make do.

The fire from the stove made Shi Shu’s hands and feet scorching hot. He said, “I don’t want to warm myself by the fire anymore.”

As soon as he said it, Xie Wuchi was about to pick him up. Shi Shu quickly stopped him. “Xie Wuchi, this is a very bad habit. I don’t like so much physical contact. I’m not a baby, I can walk myself!”

Xie Wuchi stopped in his tracks. After a moment, he nodded. “I may have gotten a bit carried away. My apologies.”

Shi Shu scratched his hair and went to the dining table to eat. Suddenly remembering something, he shot out the door. “Zihan!”

Du Zihan was holding his bowl, a look of world-weariness on his face. “No, bro… did you two just skip the whole ambiguous phase…”

Ambiguous? What a foreign word. Shi Shu held back for a moment, not knowing what to say. He could only say, “Come in quickly, time to eat.”

The meal was eaten with a wandering mind. Shi Shu’s bowl was filled with many dishes, all served by Xie Wuchi. But isn’t Xie Wuchi a germaphobe? Don’t they eat from separate plates in foreign countries? What does he mean by putting food in my bowl? Is he expressing intimacy and care?

Shi Shu turned his face. Xie Wuchi was eating quietly. This was probably the most peaceful and leisurely time he had had since transmigrating. The sense of strangeness at Xiangnan Temple, the busyness at the Heir’s Mansion, the murderous, noble, and sharp aura during the new policy reforms, and the rushed, sickly state during exile were all gone. The current Xie Wuchi, in a clean white robe, was too leisurely, almost to the point where his aggressiveness and high-and-mighty feeling had vanished. Except for his devastatingly handsome face, his self-discipline and studiousness, and his noble young master-like demeanor, perhaps his temper had improved a lot towards him.

When Shi Shu glanced at him, Xie Wuchi didn’t look up but asked, “What’s wrong?”

Shi Shu found a topic. “There’s always snow in the courtyard. In a little while, when the snow melts, can we plant vegetables?”

Xie Wuchi asked, “Yes. What do you want to plant?”

“Melons and beans. And bitter melon for you to eat.”

Xie Wuchi replied, “Okay.”

They didn’t talk for long before the meal ended. After bathing, Shi Shu stood in the room drying his hair. His collar was pulled open, revealing his fair collarbone. Footsteps sounded from behind, and when he was embraced from the back, a tingling numbness of alarm shot up Shi Shu’s spine, but he tried hard to suppress it. Xie Wuchi kissed his earlobe, then his cheek.

Shi Shu let him kiss him, his mind pondering whether it was necessary to go through another process: the process of being in a relationship. A moment later, Shi Shu rejected the idea himself. Forget it. No matter how we date, I’ll never like men. There’s no need to go through this process.

Shi Shu said, “Time to sleep. I’ve been on duty for a few days. It’s tiring but fulfilling. Tomorrow, I’ll see what the officers call for, and I’ll go do some more work. It’s actually quite fun—Ah!”

Shi Shu was lifted up. He cursed loudly, “Xie Wuchi! You’re a dog! Worse than a dog!”

Shi Shu’s legs were parted as he was forcefully carried to the bed. Xie Wuchi’s hand seemed to brush past the inside of his thigh but moved away, returning to Shi Shu’s jaw, lightly pinching his neck. As expected, this person looks calm on the surface, but his inherent sex addiction will never change!

Shi Shu fell onto the bed, his back sinking into the bedding. He gripped the headboard tightly as Xie Wuchi leaned over him, peppering kisses on his face and lips. The world spun in his vision, and Shi Shu immediately felt the heat of the other’s body. Xie Wuchi’s body temperature was very high. He straddled him, stripping off all his clothes and, while he was at it, stripping off all of Shi Shu’s as well.

Scorching hands, surging desire, dim vision, and the heat and friction within the confines of the bed.

Shi Shu lay on his side. The youth’s fair, healthy, and slender body was held in Xie Wuchi’s arms, his hot hands roaming from his hair to his toes. It was extremely intimate, their legs tangled together. Shi Shu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he breathed in and out. Grinding his back teeth, he let out a soft curse of “Fuck,” then his entire body gave up resisting.

In the darkness, Xie Wuchi could sense Shi Shu’s softened attitude. He propped himself up and gently kissed his shoulder. Shi Shu relaxed his arms. Xie Wuchi’s hand came up from his ribs, stroking over the smooth skin. When he forcefully fondled his chest, his palm roughly brushed past the soft pearl. Shi Shu gasped sharply and turned to grab Xie Wuchi’s hair, but unexpectedly, this made him even more excited. He panted, burying himself into Shi Shu.

Shi Shu’s back was pressed tightly against Xie Wuchi’s chest. The hot muscles made him clench his jaw. For some reason, he started to struggle with Xie Wuchi, pushing and pulling at his shoulders and arms, but he didn’t make a sound. He fought until his strength was exhausted, collapsing into the pillows, his wrists pinned by him.

“Xie Wuchi, you have endless energy all day long!”

The snowstorm was raging, another snowy night. Shi Shu and Xie Wuchi were crammed onto the narrow bed, kissing fiercely. Shi Shu’s mind flashed with images of everything from meeting him at Xiangnan Temple to the present. Finally, Xie Wuchi’s leg pushed between his. Shi Shu couldn’t help but say, “Isn’t this leap a bit too big? I’m not mentally prepared.”

Xie Wuchi half-cupped his face with one hand and kissed him until his whole body went limp, his ears turning fatally red. When he gritted his teeth and looked down at him irritably, Xie Wuchi pried his fingers open one by one, completely exposing him. Shi Shu closed his eyes in resignation.

It was at that exact moment that a frantic knocking sounded at the door. “Knock knock knock! Knock knock knock! Knock knock knock!” The sound pierced the wind and snow, accompanied by a gruff voice: “Censor Xie? Is Lord Xie there? Our General Zhao requests your presence!”

Shi Shu sobered up instantly. The bed was filled with an ambiguous heat, making him purse his lips slightly. The daze in Xie Wuchi’s eyes cleared quickly. It seemed to be something important. He reached out, hooked his clothes from the headboard, and covered his formidable waist and shoulders. “I’ll be right back. You sleep first.”

“…”

Shi Shu sat up straight, looking at the mess on the bed, recalling the madness with Xie Wuchi just now. They had been on the verge of crossing the line. He put on his clothes piece by piece. In any case, with Xie Wuchi’s workaholic ambition, he’ll leave immediately if something comes up.

As Shi Shu lowered his head to get dressed, he didn’t notice a shadow falling over him again. Xie Wuchi had turned back on his way to the door. He caressed his face, “Baby.”

The Xie Wuchi before him had dark, handsome brows and eyes, his expression already restored to clarity. He had said that word in a state of complete rationality. Weird, weird, so weird… Shi Shu scratched his fluffy hair. “Uh, well…”

Outside, the knocking and urging continued unabated. The voice shouted loudly, “Lord Xie! Lord Xie! Our General Zhao requests your presence!” It even startled Du Zihan, who pushed open his door to look around.

Xie Wuchi smiled. “I suddenly don’t feel like leaving.”

Shi Shu’s heart skipped a beat, alarm bells ringing loudly. He looked down; the youth’s face was fair and handsome.

In the end, Xie Wuchi turned and went out the door. The wind and snow were raging at night. To call someone out of their warm bed was probably as wicked as murder. Xie Wuchi put on his snow clothes and a conical hat, opened the courtyard gate, and a fierce wind carrying snow immediately blew onto his calm face.

“What is it?”

The guard said, “General Zhao has returned from Yunzhou and needs to discuss urgent military matters with Lord Xie! There can be no delay, so we had to disturb you in the middle of the night!”

A pensive look appeared in Xie Wuchi’s eyes. But it was a different kind of understanding. He spoke without emotion, a chilling aura seeming to emanate from him. “Let’s go.”

Shi Shu stood on the steps at the doorway, craning his neck to look out. He watched Xie Wuchi’s figure disappear into the vast snow until there was no trace left. Shi Shu stood for a moment. Du Zihan tucked his hands in his sleeves, stomped his feet, and chuckled, “Can’t bear to see your boyfriend go to work in the middle of the night?”

“…………”

Wh-what! The word made Shi Shu dizzy and lightheaded, his mind filled with only three words: “The sky is falling.” He asked, “What did you say?”

Du Zihan said, “Boyfriend, duh. With how you two were acting just now, doesn’t that count as going official?”

Shi Shu said, “No no no no no no!”

Du Zihan asked, “Then why didn’t you push him away? That whole ‘half-resisting, half-complying’ thing, what’s the difference between that and a boyfriend? Admit it! You’re gay!”

Shi Shu fought a losing battle. “No, we never confessed to each other. It absolutely doesn’t count as boyfriends!”

Du Zihan asked, “Then what are you two? Partners for life? An arranged marriage?”

Shi Shu was at a loss for words for a moment. He looked up, staring at the roaring wind and snow outside the courtyard gate. But… for that one moment on the bed, Shi Shu had considered spending a lifetime with Xie Wuchi, even in this ambiguous relationship.

“Let’s go!” Du Zihan, having finished his spectating, said, “Let’s sleep. We have work to do tomorrow!”

Hearing this, Shi Shu agreed. He was still thinking about the murderous aura Xie Wuchi had in that instant. It was puzzling, since Xie Wuchi always had that look when he was about to kill someone. Now, on a winter night with wind and snow, what was he called out to do? Lost in thought, Shi Shu returned to his bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Winter grew colder and colder. Every morning, they had to melt fresh ice and snow to boil hot water, wash up in a chaotic rush, and put on layer after layer of clothes before going out. After getting up, Shi Shu looked around the courtyard and asked Du Zihan, “Where’s Xie Wuchi?”

Du Zihan asked, “Huh? He didn’t come back?”

Shi Shu mused, “He said he’d be back soon. But why isn’t he back by morning? Did that workaholic spend the whole night discussing things with Zhao Shirui at the government office?”

Shi Shu and Du Zihan ate their meal, waiting for the soldiers to knock on the door and gather everyone for their service. But strangely, no one came to knock today. Shi Shu simply opened the courtyard gate himself. The common people were not at home, and the road was already clean. Did Xie Wuchi talk to the government office and exempt us from the corvée labor?

Du Zihan, who was putting on his snow clothes, asked, “What’s going on?”

Shi Shu lowered his eyes and said, “Let’s go out and see.”

The two of them went out together. The weather was freezing, and the ground was covered with crisscrossing icicles. One careless step could lead to a fall. Shi Shu bought a hot bun and walked along the narrow, ice-free path under the eaves, eating as he went. Soldiers were stationed on the city tower. In winter, their armor was as hard as ice. Shi Shu couldn’t help but say, “No matter how many times I come out, I’m always filled with admiration when I see these soldiers.”

Du Zihan walked behind him. “Of course. If we stood up on that tower, the wind would be even stronger. We’d freeze solid.”

Shi Shu couldn’t help but ask, “Why do humans have wars?”

Du Zihan laughed twice. “Guess which came first, civilization or war?”

Shi Shu asked, “War came first?”

Du Zihan said, “I read in a book that civilization came first, then war. People think that a lack of civilization leads to war. But actually, it was when people understood concepts like tribes and city-states that war began. If you have to blame something, blame humanity’s endless desires.”

Usually, it was Xie Wuchi who explained these topics to him. Now it was Du Zihan’s turn. Shi Shu swallowed the last bite of his bun. Up ahead, a person who was running suddenly fell to the ground, getting a mouthful of snow and a swollen face from the impact. Shi Shu walked closer and helped him up. “There’s ice on the ground. Walk slowly, don’t fall again.”

But the man had a terrified expression. “Can’t be slow, can’t be slow! I, I have to hurry back and move!”

Shi Shu asked, “What’s wrong?”

The man, in a panic, said, “There’s, there’s going to be a war!”

Shi Shu didn’t understand. The man shook off his hand and ran off into the snow, not caring where he was going. Speaking of which, Shi Shu did indeed feel a faint sense of unease in Senzhou. He turned to look at Du Zihan. “What’s going on?”

Du Zihan said, “I’m not too sure either.”

Shi Shu walked to the edge of Senzhou’s city gate and went out. Outside the city, horses were galloping back and forth, carrying letters with feathers attached. The pace was indeed more urgent than usual. Whips cracked sharply on the horses’ rumps, and the riders all shouted in rough voices, “Urgent military business! Make way for the horses!” “Move!” “Urgent military intelligence!” along with the calls and shouts to drive the horses.

Shi Shu walked outside the city gate. The temperature these past few days had been extremely cold. The sky was filled with foul, yellow, dense clouds, from which heavy snow fell, almost blocking one’s vision, making it difficult to distinguish anything. Shi Shu and Du Zihan discussed it and decided to walk towards the supply route. Unexpectedly, they ran into Song Sinan as soon as they arrived.

The moment he saw Shi Shu, he made a “fall down” gesture. Shi Shu immediately fell into the snow, then got up laughing. “What are you guys doing?”

Song Sinan was in a good mood. “Guarding the supply route every day, what else? The snow is so heavy today, what are you two doing here?”

Shi Shu said, “Us? We were originally conscripted laborers.”

“Oh, but Lord Xie said you don’t have to come anymore. It’s so cold, he’s afraid his precious little brother will freeze.”

Shi Shu asked, “You’ve seen my brother?”

Song Sinan pointed behind him with a wink. “Your brother, my brother, and General Zhao were discussing things together early on. I asked him where you were, and he said you were frail and shouldn’t go out in the wind and cold anymore. Also, your brother is truly a rare beauty.”

Shi Shu said, “Him, ah…”

Du Zihan couldn’t help but laugh and turned his face away. It made Shi Shu quite embarrassed.

Song Sinan threw some military supplies onto a grain cart and asked again, “Did you study the weapon I gave you yesterday? On the battlefield, if you tie a rope to that thing, you can use it to capture a general. Throw it around his neck, and he won’t dare to struggle. The more he struggles, the tighter and more painful it gets, so painful that—”

Shi Shu asked, “Painful how?”

“In short, very painful. Hard to describe.”

While they were chatting, Shi Shu looked up. Three figures emerged from the wind and snow. One was wearing armor, with a steady and powerful posture. Another also wore armor but was much thinner and more capable-looking. The third was wearing the same dark cyan robe he had worn when leaving the bed last night, his crane-feather cloak whipping in the wind, looking proper and noble. Xie Wuchi.

Shi Shu’s eyelids lifted. He suddenly remembered the events of the night and Du Zihan’s “boyfriend” comment. A chill ran down his back. The group walked slowly. Zhao Shirui seemed to be still saying something, his features rough and firm. Someone brought over three horses, and they were about to head elsewhere.

Shi Shu didn’t speak, but Xie Wuchi noticed him first. Shi Shu was standing with the young men in the snow. He raised his hand and made a gesture to go home, then mounted his horse. The few horses galloped away, heading towards the Cha River front line. Shi Shu lightly pressed his tongue against his cheek and asked, “What are they going to do?”

Song Sinan was very excited, laughing and banging his hand on the cart’s planks. “I don’t know either. Military secrets can’t be revealed. But something big should happen next. Your brother’s maps and strategies are exceptionally good.”

Shi Shu asked, “What big thing?”

“You’re not in the army, so I can’t say.”

Shi Shu chatted with him a bit more, then turned and walked with Du Zihan towards the Cha River line. The harsh winter had frozen the river, allowing people and horses to cross easily. On the opposite bank, the shacks were in disrepair. Beimin soldiers could be vaguely seen in the watchtowers, but they were all huddled up and not sticking their heads out to look. It was hard not to be a little lazy in the cold. It was market day, and a few people were crossing the river to the other side, unsupervised.

Shi Shu stood by the Cha River, his mind replaying the scene when they first arrived in Senzhou, when Xie Wuchi taught him to ride a horse. They had stood here together, and Xie Wuchi had said: “Military merit is the fastest way to promotion.” Military merit, military merit.

Shi Shu pulled up his scarf to cover his handsome, fair chin and turned to ask Du Zihan, “The Beimin on the other side are so arrogant, these watchtowers are barely keeping watch. Do they just not take Great Jing seriously?”

Du Zihan guessed, “Probably. After all, they won a decisive victory twenty years ago. Who wouldn’t be arrogant? They haven’t started another war all these years. I heard the royal family on the other side is fighting over who will be the leader. Maybe the war will start once a winner emerges.”

Shi Shu said, “So Great Jing was able to use these twenty years to recuperate and train a new army?”

The two walked along in the snow. Shi Shu asked, “Can Great Jing defeat the Beimin now?”

Du Zihan said, “I don’t know. It’s hard to say when it comes to war. I only know that when the Beimin iron cavalry points their swords, no one can stop them.”

Although war was a foreign concept to him, if it started, it would surely mean devastation and bloodshed. The horrors of war were plain to see. Perhaps it was the heavy snow, but Shi Shu felt a heaviness in his heart as he pondered these questions.

At that moment, a column of cavalry approached from not far away. “Go back quickly! The snow is heavy and the wind is strong. Don’t linger here!”

“Understood…”

Shi Shu and Du Zihan nodded and turned to head back to Senzhou. The Senzhou city gate had also begun to be under martial law. It used to be unrestricted, but now it was about to be closed, and people were not allowed to enter or leave freely. Shi Shu broke into a run, saying, “Me, me, me! I haven’t gotten in yet!”

“Hurry up!”

They rushed and just managed to get into the city. Inside the city gate, people who had heard rumors were already whispering among themselves. The urgent closing of the gate was obviously to prevent information from leaking. Shi Shu glanced at Du Zihan. “What’s the procedure for a war, anyway?”

Du Zihan said, “I don’t know either.”

Shi Shu was truly puzzled. Based on the principle of not causing trouble, he returned to the courtyard with Du Zihan.

“There’s nothing to do today. What should we do?” Du Zihan suggested, “Play cards?”

Shi Shu asked, “You still have cards?”

“Of course. I’ve been reminiscing about the good old days.”

Shi Shu followed Du Zihan to his room and watched him rummage through his bundle. Unexpectedly, many things fell out of the bundle. Shi Shu asked, “Do you have a hoarding problem?”

Du Zihan asked, “What’s it to you if a graduate student has a bit of a hoarding problem?”

Shi Shu said, “Mm.”

Shi Shu helped him put the things back into the bag. He didn’t notice at first, but then he saw a hairpin, wrapped in a silk cloth, which had fallen out. Just as Shi Shu was about to put the hairpin back, he took a closer look, and blood rushed to his head. “What is this?”

Seeing it, Du Zihan finally remembered. “This is a relic from that transmigrator I met.”

Shi Shu asked, “The one who committed suicide?”

Du Zihan said, “Yes.”

Shi Shu stared at him for a long time before saying, “Xie Wuchi has one too.”

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