The steam from the hotpot swirled and lingered, carrying the tantalizing aroma.
After eating, Shen Tanqi wiped the little mouths of the two children and exchanged a glance with Fang Wenxun.
Fang Wenxun immediately understood, grabbed the two little ones, and said with a smile, “Goldfish, Taro Ball, would you like to stay with Uncle Fang tonight?”
Goldfish and Taro Ball looked at Shen Tanqi with reluctance. It had only been a day since Shen Tanqi returned, they wished to spend more time with their daddy.
But Uncle Fang was nice too. After a moment’s hesitation, the two kids obediently replied, “Okay—”
Seeing that Shen Tanqi was trying to send the kids away, Yu Ce felt a warning bell ring in his heart. He took a half step back and said, “In that case, I’ll go with Senior Brother Fang too…”
Shen Tanqi gave him a strange look. After Fang Wenxun took the kids out, Shen Tanqi removed his apron, hooked his arm around Yu Ce’s waist, and pulled him closer.
“What are you talking about? Do you really not want to stay here tonight?”
Shen Tanqi’s eyes were clear, with a faint, elusive smile. As he leaned in, Yu Ce’s heart skipped a beat.
Shen Tanqi’s gentle voice whispered in his ear, “Don’t go, my good husband.”
“Stay with me tonight, okay?”
Yu Ce stood frozen, hardly able to believe his ears.
Was it an illusion?
The Shen Tanqi who wouldn’t even call him ‘junior brother’ was now calling him ‘husband.’
He almost wished he were deaf.
Shen Tanqi hooked Yu Ce’s belt, causing him to panic. He reached out and gently clasped Shen Tanqi’s wrist.
That pale, delicate wrist was soft to the touch, and in an instant, Yu Ce felt a shock run through him, making him pull his hand back quickly.
Aside from clashing swords and Shen Tanqi’s one-sided humiliations, they had never been in such a situation.
Yu Ce had never touched Shen Tanqi, especially not like this.
His face flushed slightly, and he allowed Shen Tanqi to lead him step by step into his room.
Even though he tried to resist, saying, “Don’t…”
“Don’t refuse.”
“I really don’t want to…”
“If you keep playing hard to get, I’ll really get mad.”
“……”
After a while, Yu Ce gave up resisting. Once Shen Tanqi entered the room, Yu Ce silently tightened his belt, tying a knot as if it could protect him somehow.
Shen Tanqi sat on the edge of the bed, loosening his dark hair and slowly taking off his outer garment.
Yu Ce’s heartbeat quickened with his every move, speeding up until he felt completely lost and panicked.
He turned to leave but heard Shen Tanqi ask, “Where are you going?”
Yu Ce stopped in his tracks, not daring to turn around or make a sound.
Behind him, Shen Tanqi chuckled softly, “Are you shy today? Come over and chat with me for a while.”
“……” Yu Ce bit his lip, his mind in turmoil.
If it’s just chatting, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Yu Ce comforted himself inwardly, turning around slowly, only to see Shen Tanqi standing by the table, pouring two cups of sake, and looking at him with a smile.
“Come on,” Shen Tanqi blinked, “It’s been a long time since I had a drink. Will you join me?”
The painful memory of the last time he drank was still fresh in Shen Tanqi’s mind. He had a bit of wine with Xiao Qingyu, only to be caught by Yu Ce, which led to a huge argument.
But this time there shouldn’t be any problems, since it was Yu Ce who would be drinking with him.
Yu Ce frowned slightly, looking at the cup of wine, and shook his head. “I can’t drink.”
He wasn’t lying. The Rongyun Sect had strict rules against drinking as it disrupted one’s focus on the path of cultivation, so none of the disciples were allowed to drink.
Yu Ce indeed had never drunk before and didn’t know how.
Shen Tanqi pursed his lips, seeming a bit displeased, and said softly, “You won’t even drink a little with me?”
Hearing this, Yu Ce hesitated, then turned back and said, “I really can’t drink. I’ll call Senior Brother Fang to keep you company.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent.
Shen Tanqi stood up and slowly walked over, grabbing Yu Ce by the arm and pulling him back to the table, pressing him into a seat.
“Yu Ce, you’re acting strange today.” His voice was calm, yet it made Yu Ce break into a cold sweat. “Are you hiding something from me?”
“No…”
Before he could finish, Shen Tanqi placed a cup of wine into his hand, and Yu Ce tried to say something but was silenced by a single look from Shen Tanqi.
“If there’s nothing to hide, then sit tight. I have something important to discuss with you. Are you sure you don’t want to listen?”
So it really was a serious matter. The weight on Yu Ce’s heart eased slightly. He shifted uncomfortably away from Shen Tanqi and replied softly, “I’ll listen. Go ahead.”
No matter what happens, he has to face it. He still needed to consider the reliability of the system’s task. For now, he’d see what Shen Tanqi had to say.
Seeing Yu Ce agree, Shen Tanqi finally sat down across from him, contently lifting the cup of wine in front of him and toasting Yu Ce. “Come on, cheers.”
Reluctantly, Yu Ce raised his cup, going along with him. “What is it you want to talk about?”
Shen Tanqi downed his drink in one gulp, sighing in satisfaction as the cold wine brought a faint sparkle to his eyes. He spoke softly, “I mentioned before that the head of the family took an elixir from a quack doctor from the southern country. I was wondering if I could borrow your dragon ball to help extend my father’s life.”
If this worked, the family head would likely change his views on the daemon race. The city’s laws against them could then be gradually abolished.
Hearing Shen Tanqi’s words, Yu Ce’s hand trembled, causing the wine to ripple slightly.
So, Shen Tanqi had finally revealed his true intentions.
He had been kind and gentle all along just to get his dragon ball to heal the Shen family head?
After everything the Shen family had done to the daemon race over the years, did they really deserve his dragon ball to save their family head’s life?
Years ago, when the first lady of the Shen family died, the family head, based on a servant’s claim that scales from the merfolk tribe were found on her, ordered that any members of the daemon race appearing in Shouxia City be killed on sight.
The daemon race, who had been living peacefully in the city, were driven out overnight, becoming refugees, despised by all.
Why should he save a member of the Shen family? What reason did he have to save them?
Yu Ce narrowed his eyes, his hand inside his sleeve slowly tightening into a fist, as he scrutinized Shen Tanqi’s face.
“So you want me to save him?”
Feeling a bit tipsy, Shen Tanqi rested his chin on his hand and nodded gently, looking unusually submissive.
Yu Ce’s gaze darkened slightly, and he whispered, “What’s the price?”
“The price?” Shen Tanqi looked at him somewhat confused, then pointed to himself. “You mean the price I have to pay?”
He was the one considering the daemon race’s interests, so wasn’t it Yu Ce who should pay the price?
Yu Ce’s expression turned indifferent, his voice cold. “Of course. He’s your father.”
Shen Tanqi paused, seeming to understand something, and cautiously moved closer to him.
Yu Ce raised his hand cautiously, stepping back a bit. “What are you doing?”
“The price…” Shen Tanqi suddenly leaned into his arms, looking at him with confusion. “Isn’t this what you meant?”
Yu Ce’s jokes were getting more serious now. He looked unfazed, staring at Shen Tanqi with a poker face that was quite intimidating. If it weren’t for Yu Ce’s previous attempts to tease him by playing hard to get, Shen Tanqi might have taken it seriously.
“The price is that today, I’ll do whatever you say, alright?”
He chuckled softly, reached out, and wrapped his arm around Yu Ce’s neck, sitting on his lap. Feeling Yu Ce’s body stiffen like wood, he couldn’t help but add, “And, if you help my father, maybe he’ll be happy enough to agree to let me marry you, hmm?”
Marry him??
No way. He would never marry Shen Tanqi, let alone bring him home!
Yu Ce gritted his teeth, lifted his head, and grabbed Shen Tanqi’s arm, about to push him away.
Creak—
The door behind them was gently pushed open.
A figure in snowy clothes entered, his gaze landing on Shen Tanqi sitting in Yu Ce’s lap. He narrowed his eyes, radiating a chilling and terrifying sword aura.
Shen Tanqi froze in place, his hand still around ‘Yu Ce’s’ neck, and he instantly sprung to his feet.
How could there be two Yu Ces!
This scene felt eerily familiar. Why did he always get caught like this whenever he drank!
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)
