With a single utterance of “Ah Xi,” Qin Yuanxi found himself somewhat dazed. That used to be a nickname they shared when they were outside the palace. Back then, he had to coax Zhao Tuo into calling him that in bed. Zhao Tuo had clearly been uncomfortable with it; he’d only utter it reluctantly when Qin Yuanxi pushed him to the brink. The hesitant, unfamiliar tone in Zhao Tuo’s voice seemed to please Qin Yuanxi more, the more awkward Zhao Tuo acted, the happier Qin Yuanxi became.
After returning to the palace, so much had happened that Zhao Tuo hadn’t used this endearing address again. The familiar term, spoken now, didn’t evoke warmth in Qin Yuanxi. Instead, for some inexplicable reason, he sensed something different in Zhao Tuo’s voice.
It felt as if Zhao Tuo was deliberately trying to please him, and this unfamiliar feeling made Zhao Tuo seem different from the Zhao Tuo Qin Yuanxi had known. His Zhao Tuo had always been simple and honest, often at a loss for words. Even an ordinary ‘Ah Xi’ was a bit too forward for him. He’d never say it easily, and his straightforwardness often made Qin Yuanxi hesitate when he wanted to tease him.
But just a while ago, whether it was Zhao Tuo’s disregard for the child in his belly, his efforts to undress Qin Yuanxi, or that deliberate nickname, it all left Qin Yuanxi feeling uneasy.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?”
Zhao Tuo half-embraced Qin Yuanxi, his warm breath tickling his ear. It was a distinctly tingling sensation. Qin Yuanxi wasn’t naive; he was a man with experience in intimate matters. How could he not sense Zhao Tuo’s intentions at this moment?
Zhao Tuo was seducing him.
His throat moved, and Qin Yuanxi shifted slightly away from Zhao Tuo. Then, he looked at Zhao Tuo and gently touched his face. After a while, he leaned in, closed his eyes, and kissed him seriously.
This kiss was initiated by Qin Yuanxi. He controlled the pace, trying not to let it escalate into carnal desire. He simply wanted a tender, comforting kiss from a lover. However, in just a few moments, the hand that was wrapped around his waist began to tighten. Qin Yuanxi struggled as the kiss slowly took on a different meaning. What was originally a tender kiss, full of affection, turned passionate after a few deepening moments. Qin Yuanxi was kissed so intensely that he went weak all over, almost suffocating. Just before his sanity turned to mush, he bit Zhao Tuo.
It was a forceful bite, even carrying some dissatisfaction. So, the bite held no affection, and there was a faint taste of something metallic, possibly blood.
“Ah Xi.” Zhao Tuo’s hand was still on the back of Qin Yuanxi’s head, and he could feel the heat and desire radiating from Zhao Tuo’s body. Under normal circumstances, Qin Yuanxi wouldn’t care about much else, but right now, besides the discomfort, a tinge of unease crept up.
He couldn’t quite pinpoint why. It was something he shouldn’t feel, but this unease was real, wrapping around Qin Yuanxi’s heart so intensely that he couldn’t possibly ignore it.
“I miss you so much, Ah Xi. I miss you so much.”
Whispered repeatedly, almost in a murmur, these words brushed against Qin Yuanxi’s ear. A wave of heat enveloped his body. Zhao Tuo was intentional, deliberately using this sensation to sway Qin Yuanxi. This restless feeling was like an abyss, luring Qin Yuanxi’s reason step by step.
“Please, be careful, gentle, and don’t be too violent.”
“It’s all up to you,”
Qin Yuanxi found himself placed on a soft, spacious bed, his head spinning. Things had taken an unexpected turn compared to what he had in mind. Zhao Tuo was indeed very careful, and it was him who had been pampered all the way. After being well taken care of, Zhao Tuo showed no intention of proceeding to the next step. Qin Yuanxi glanced down at Zhao Tuo’s lower body, but quickly averted his gaze. As he was about to reach out, Zhao Tuo restrained him, pulled him down, and covered him with a blanket. “It’s getting late, Your Majesty. You should rest.”
The voice, with a hint of hoarseness, carried an unfulfilled desire when you listened closely. Qin Yuanxi felt a bit embarrassed.
Looking at Zhao Tuo, there was still a dewy sparkle in his doe-like eyes. “So, what about you? I can help you.”
His eyelashes fluttered, and Qin Yuanxi’s expression seemed quite innocent, but his hand under the blanket had already become restless.
But his restlessness was short-lived. Zhao Tuo pushed his hand back and said, “Sleep.”
Huh? Seriously? Qin Yuanxi felt a bit reluctant and was about to try again, but Zhao Tuo refused him once more. This time, Zhao Tuo was afraid he might cause more trouble, so he held Qin Yuanxi’s wrist, brought him closer, and kissed his eyes before holding him in his arms and falling asleep together.
Snuggled in the warmth of Zhao Tuo’s embrace, Qin Yuanxi moved contentedly and then proactively embraced Zhao Tuo.
The person in his arms was still his beloved. As for those confusing thoughts from earlier, he might have just over thought it. Zhao Tuo remained the same Zhao Tuo, devoted and considerate, a gentle Zhao Tuo.
Qin Yuanxi slept soundly through the night, but Lu Bohuan had a different experience.
In his dream, Lu Bohuan felt like he was being crushed by a massive rock. The rock seemed to have a mind of its own, following him wherever he went. It initially pressed against his arm, a heavy burden, but then it grew larger, ultimately becoming a mountain that weighed down on him entirely, making it impossible for him to breathe.
He struggled until he heard a distant voice, and that’s when he jolted awake.
When he woke up, he almost tossed Qin Yuanxi out of his arms, but his instincts kicked in just in time to prevent it. Qin Yuanxi was pulled back in, although all the shifting had woken him, even though he slept like a log.
“Is it time for the morning court? Why is it still so dark outside?”
Yawning and rubbing his eyes, Qin Yuanxi was already complaining, “It’s getting colder day by day, and winter is just around the corner. Don’t you think it’s too early to get up in the wee hours of the morning? Shouldn’t we consider moving the morning court to a later time?”
For Qin Yuanxi, it was just an ordinary morning, and he was already complaining about the early morning court. But Lu Bohuan was far from calm.
In theory, this wasn’t the first time this had happened, but this time was different from the previous one. Last time, at least Qin Yuanxi hadn’t woken up, and they hadn’t found themselves in this awkward situation. Lu Bohuan had left quietly after waking up, distancing himself from the scene. He could pretend that everything was fine.
But this time, things were different.
Qin Yuanxi woke up in his embrace, still lying on the dragon bed, and most crucially, he was completely naked. Lu Bohuan had sharp eyes; he could see the exposed skin on Qin Yuanxi, adorned with faint, reddish marks. There was no need to say it; he knew what had happened last night.
Furthermore, Lu Bohuan instinctively touched the corner of his lips; it was quite sore. He had obviously been bitten, and it had been rather intense.
“Ah, well, it’s time for the morning court,” he coughed awkwardly.
Lu Bohuan casually picked up his clothes and began dressing himself, not bothering to look at Qin Yuanxi. His actions were noticeably hurried and disheveled, and Qin Yuanxi watched him help himself to his nightwear without any awareness of what he was doing.
“Uh, you’ve got my clothes there.”
The Emperor’s attire had some distinct features, and Lu Bohuan managed to mix them up, making it evident that he was not in his right state of mind. Qin Yuanxi watched him return the clothes somewhat embarrassingly, ultimately leaving with a disheveled robe. Where was the confident and imposing Prince Lu from days past?
“Is he getting too thin-skinned?”
Qin Yuanxi muttered softly, but after muttering, he too let out a sigh.
It seemed that Yan Shaoning’s concerns were not unfounded. In the past, when Zhao Tuo appeared, they would spend several days together, at least a day or two, and the breaks in between were quite lengthy. However, now, from yesterday to today, they have been switching identities so frequently. This was indeed a problem.
However, the problem might be even more serious than Qin Yuanxi had anticipated.
After Lu Bohuan hastily departed in the morning, he did not attend the morning court. Qin Yuanxi found it quite puzzling, Lu Bohuan was a workaholic. He rarely skipped the morning court unless he had a pressing matter to attend to. After inquiring, he learned that Lu Bohuan had gone to the martial arts arena. Hearing this, Qin Yuanxi understood that it wasn’t a place Lu Bohuan would normally visit. In other words, Lu Bohuan left his bedchamber, and Zhao Tuo appeared within what might have been less than an hour.
What could have gone wrong during that time? Yan Shaoning wasn’t entirely wrong; the current situation suggested that Zhao Tuo was vying for more power and was suppressing Lu Bohuan. But what about Lu Bohuan? Qin Yuanxi couldn’t quite understand his stance. Logically, Lu Bohuan was the primary personality, and it should be challenging for a secondary personality like Zhao Tuo to suppress the main one. Unless… Lu Bohuan, as the primary personality, was intentionally yielding to Zhao Tuo, but why?
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
