SSEWC Chapter 38

When they walked back to the room, the person in his arms had already cried silently.

Inside He Heng’s bedroom, a warm stove burned. As the heavy door closed, it instantly blocked out the biting cold, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a warm paradise.

Meanwhile, the snow accumulated on Wen Liangyu’s clothes had long since melted, turning into water that soaked through his entire outer garment.

The damp thin fabric clung tightly to the warm skin of the person in their arms, outlining his delicate collarbone and slender waistline.

Watching Wen Liangyu’s increasingly rapid breathing and the intense rise and fall of his chest, fearing that he might fall ill if this continued, He Heng quickly walked to the bedside and placed the young emperor on the bed, then reached out to remove his wet outer garment.

Under the sudden alternation of cold and heat, Wen Liangyu began to shiver in the arms of the other. He weakly clutched at He Heng’s sleeve, as if a drowning person grasping their last straw of salvation.

Afraid that he might be too cold, He Heng dared not undress him all at once. In the end, only a loosely hanging thin shirt remained on Wen Liangyu.

At this moment, servants, following his previous instructions, brought hot water and towels.

He Heng took the towel from them, then sat on the bed with his back against the sturdy bed frame, cradling Wen Liangyu in his arms. He gently wiped away the tears on the other’s cheeks with his fingers and used the warm towel to briefly wipe his body.

Just a moment ago, Liu Fuyuan had briefly explained to him what had happened earlier. He learned that the medicine Wen Liangyu had taken was not only potent but also acted extremely quickly, with little alternative for relief.

With this in mind, He Heng’s brows furrowed even tighter. He couldn’t bear to think about what might have happened if he hadn’t been there for Wen Liangyu at this moment.

“Umm~”

However, in the midst of his distraction,

The person in his arms suddenly let out a soft gasp, abruptly bringing his thoughts back.

Wen Liangyu struggled a bit to shift his body, extending his arms to wrap around the man’s neck. The wide sleeves immediately fell away, revealing two sections of fair and pristine arms.

The anger from being drugged, the helplessness, and fear of losing control of his own body all dissipated the moment he encountered He Heng.

When the man whispered, “It’s okay,” in his ear, all of Wen Liangyu’s negative emotions were extinguished, as if a lost traveler in the snowy night had finally found his way home.

Now, all that remained for him was an overwhelming sense of discomfort.

At this moment, the young emperor wore only a loose inner garment, with his dark hair cascading down, accentuating his snow-like skin.

Perhaps due to the effects of the medicine, there was a hint of blush at the corners of Wen Liangyu’s eyes and eyebrows. His raven-like long lashes fluttered twice, and his amber-colored eyes sparkled.

He climbed onto He Heng’s neck, his silky hair falling down and disrupting their breaths, “He Heng, I feel uncomfortable~”

The young emperor instinctively leaned against the other, but his entire being seemed as flexible as a boneless fish, unable to stand upright.

Fearing that Wen Liangyu might fall, He Heng quickly used his palm to support the small of his back. The moment his hand touched the other’s skin, a burning sensation surged through his palm, as if flames were spreading relentlessly.

The slender waist of the young man felt like warm, smooth jade. Perhaps because he had gained a little weight during this time, there was a softness around the hips, the touch reminiscent of squeezing a plump rabbit.

He Heng’s gaze had completely darkened, and his large palm uncontrollably moved upwards.

Then, he pressed against the young emperor’s back, bringing him closer. However, just as their noses were about to touch, the last trace of reason made He Heng halt his actions, stopping just millimeters away from Wen Liangyu’s thin lips.

He knew what he was doing, but what about Wen Liangyu?

Currently drugged, what would he think once he regained consciousness?

However, in the gap of He Heng’s distraction, a sudden warm sensation on his lips startled him.

Wen Liangyu lowered his head and lightly brushed his lips against He Heng’s, his long and curled lashes sweeping like a small fan across He Heng’s eyelids.

The young emperor didn’t know why He Heng had stopped, but he felt that the touch of the other’s lips was cool and pleasant, with a fragrance like a clear pool of water, easing the current heat he felt.

“Umm!”

The next second, the soft flesh on his lower back was firmly pinched by the man, causing Wen Liangyu to gasp in pain. He then looked at the other with a somewhat red gaze, a hint of complaint in his eyes.

The man in front of him now looked quite formidable, with his brows furrowed low and a somewhat fierce expression. This made Wen Liangyu feel a bit scared, but more than that, he felt uncomfortable. Seeing that the other truly wasn’t taking any action, he mustered up courage and reached out to clumsily undo He Heng’s belt.

However, the young emperor’s movements were completely chaotic, and He Heng’s belt seemed more complicated than a Chinese knot in his eyes. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t figure it out.

At this moment, Wen Liangyu felt extremely wronged. He bit his lower lip, prepared to try again when his hands were suddenly seized by the other, and he found himself locking eyes with a pair of deep and intense gaze.

He Heng’s deep voice resonated in his ears, “Your Majesty, do you know what you’re doing?”

“Umm~ I-I know.”

Wen Liangyu, with his hands captured by He Heng, weakly leaned against the other. The fair complexion beneath the half-covered dark hair displayed an abnormal flush, his amber eyes deepened with mist. The slightly upturned corners of his lips glistened with a watery sheen, and his voice sounded on the verge of tears.

He couldn’t muster any strength throughout his body, only able to nuzzle against the other’s chest like a little puppy, emitting soft breaths continuously.

He felt really uncomfortable,

Why wouldn’t He Heng help him?

In this position, the thin gauze that Wen Liangyu wore became even looser. The knot around his waist seemed to have inadvertently come undone, revealing a large expanse of fair chest. Following the edge of the thin shirt downward, one could catch glimpses of his delicately slender waist.

Seeing this, He Heng’s eyes darkened slightly. He felt like Wen Liangyu was behaving like a child who couldn’t get candy and was now crying.

It’s not that he didn’t want to help, but he didn’t want Wen Liangyu to do this in a muddled state, especially when he wasn’t in clear consciousness.

After hesitating for a moment, He Heng lowered his voice and asked him, “Ayu, have you really thought this through?”

Even if Wen Liangyu’s mind wasn’t clear, He Heng wanted to hear the answer directly from his mouth.

“Hmm?” Wen Liangyu’s head was in a daze, and he couldn’t think clearly about the question.

What should he think about?

He just felt that He Heng’s calling him “Ayu” sounded nice, much better than the cold “Your Majesty”.

Taking advantage of the moment when He Heng loosened his grip, Wen Liangyu reached up to the other’s neck, and their bodies pressed together. He nuzzled the man’s high nose bridge with his nose, much like a little dog.

“Ayu—”

He Heng’s tone intensified, but it was evident that his breathing was becoming erratic.

Being teased by the other like this,

Even so, He Heng still reached out to restrain Wen Liangyu’s aimless twisting waist.

So fierce,

Wen Liangyu couldn’t understand why the man in front of him was so fierce.

“Umm~” In the end, he nodded drowsily and looked into the other’s eyes, saying, “I’ve thought about it.”

He Heng didn’t hesitate at all, “This is what you said.”

The next moment,

“Umm!”

He Heng’s fingertips ran through Wen Liangyu’s silky black hair, and he fiercely pressed against the back of his head, kissing him deeply. Their positions immediately shifted.

Forced to tilt his neck backward, Wen Liangyu’s lips helplessly parted. The intense kiss left him dizzy, and the oxygen in his respiratory cavity seemed to be stripped away. His brain was even a bit muddled, and he instinctively reached out to hug the other’s neck.

At the same time, He Heng’s long and powerful hand supported the soft waist of the other.

His fingertips skillfully explored, deftly undoing the belt on Wen Liangyu.

The person beneath him, with flowing dark hair scattered, had a complexion like peach blossoms in March, his body soft yet resilient.

Considering it was the other’s first time, He Heng had tried to restrain himself, making his movements gentle and slow. However, the person in his arms trembled like a startled little animal.

They tossed and turned for most of the night.

By the time Wen Liangyu finally couldn’t hold on any longer and fell into a deep sleep in the man’s embrace, the faint light of dawn had already penetrated through the window.

The morning court the next day was naturally canceled. Since Wen Liangyu ascended the throne, this was the first time the morning court was canceled, excluding instances of illness and extremely severe weather.

Everyone knew that this young emperor was renowned for his diligence in governance. In the past three years, the number of times he canceled the morning court could be counted on one hand. To cover up, He Heng had to come up with excuses such as heavy snow blocking the roads, extreme weather conditions, and the inappropriateness of holding court under such circumstances. This barely silenced the whispers among the ministers.

At this moment, within the bedchamber of the Prince Jing’s residence,

A warming stove on a shelf beside the large bed made the spacious room as warm as spring. The thin gauze curtains hanging from the bed frame partially concealed the figures inside.

He Heng stretched out his long arm to embrace Wen Liangyu, who was lying on the bed on his side.

The person in his arms had his eyes closed tightly, deeply asleep. A fair and rounded shoulder peeked out from the brocade quilt. The neck was covered in delicate red marks, and the lips looked slightly swollen. The lower lip even had a small cut, and the corners of the eyes were a bit red, probably from crying hard last night.

Seeing this, He Heng pulled the blanket up a bit more, afraid that the young emperor might feel cold. He gently pulled out the arm that was tucked under Wen Liangyu’s head.

“Cough, cough, cough.”

Although his movements were gentle, it seemed to have disturbed Wen Liangyu, who was already in a light sleep. The young emperor coughed several times in a row.

Seeing that he was coughing even in his sleep, the sound seeming a bit muffled, it seemed that his throat was a bit hoarse. So, He Heng quietly got out of bed, planning to pour a glass of water for Wen Liangyu.

At that moment, the young emperor woke up. He groggily opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was He Heng’s figure as he got up to leave.

Subconsciously thinking that He Heng was leaving, a surge of grievances welled up in his heart. He immediately reached out, wanting to grab the other’s wrist.

However, He Heng left too quickly, and Wen Liangyu’s outstretched hand grasped nothing.

Fearful that He Heng would truly leave, disregarding the soreness in his waist and thighs, Wen Liangyu hurriedly got out of bed.

At the instant his feet touched the ground, “Umm~,”

Wen Liangyu suddenly inhaled a breath of cold air.

Why did it have to be so uncomfortable?

Due to his impatience, Wen Liangyu’s movements when getting out of bed were naturally swift. In the moment he took a step forward, it suddenly triggered the sore parts of his entire body. He felt disoriented, and his legs became weak and unsteady.

The next second, he lost his balance, and his body uncontrollably tilted forward.

At this moment, He Heng also heard the commotion behind him. Seeing this, he quickly reached out and caught Wen Liangyu.

Once embraced by He Heng, the young emperor leaned his face against the man’s sturdy chest. He then extended his arms to tightly encircle He Heng’s waist, as if afraid the other might leave again.

Seeing this, He Heng paused.

“Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry to get out of bed?” Wen Liangyu retorted with a hint of grievances, “Wasn’t it you who left first?”

After saying this, Wen Liangyu buried his face back into He Heng’s embrace.

And, why call me ‘Your Majesty’ again? Clearly, last night, it was all ‘Ayu’.

With a slightly amused expression, He Heng lifted Wen Liangyu horizontally, then gently placed him back on the bed.

“I thought your throat wasn’t feeling well, and I wanted to get you a glass of water from the table. How could I have known you’d rush down like this?” He Heng explained with a chuckle.

“Oh.”

As Wen Liangyu spoke, his voice was indeed hoarse, possibly from overuse the previous night.

Thinking about this, he leaned against He Heng’s shoulder, burying more than half of his face to conceal the redness caused by the misunderstanding just now.

“Your Majesty, have some water,” He Heng reached over and handed him the cup of tea he had just poured.

Wen Liangyu obediently took the cup and took a small sip without saying a word.

After a while, he finally stuttered, “Can you not call me ‘Your Majesty’?”

He Heng chuckled, his arm circling around the other’s waist. “Then, what should I call you?”

“A-Ayu,” Wen Liangyu felt a warmth spreading to his ears, so he lowered his head, not looking at the other, “Is it okay?”

“You called yourself that last night.”

“Okay,” He Heng’s smile deepened, and he reached to ruffle the small emperor’s head, finding his shy demeanor exceptionally adorable.

Upon hearing this, Wen Liangyu happily embraced He Heng, resting his head in the man’s neck.

Due to this sudden movement, the already loose neckline opened wide, revealing fair and rounded shoulders that extended from the back.

From He Heng’s perspective, as long as he slightly lowered his head, he could clearly see the delicate butterfly-like undulations of Wen Liangyu’s spine, as well as the shocking iron brands and whip marks on his skin.

Upon seeing the scars on Wen Liangyu’s back, He Heng’s eyebrows furrowed tightly, and an unnamed anger surged within him.

In the dimly lit room last night, he couldn’t see clearly, and both were quite focused, so these details went unnoticed. However, in the daylight, these red marks on Wen Liangyu’s originally flawless back were truly disturbing.

“Your Majesty,”

In order to examine those scars, He Heng didn’t say anything more and directly reached out to push aside Wen Liangyu’s clothes.

“Heh, what are you doing?”

Feeling like his already thin clothes were suddenly stripped off, the little emperor’s face began to blush.

It was fine at night, but in broad daylight, He Heng was undressing him while keeping his own clothes on. In the end, only he was left bare, which was embarrassing.

Thinking about this, Wen Liangyu’s sense of shame surged. He quickly covered his chest and reached out to stop He Heng’s actions.

But He Heng’s strength was much greater than his. In a matter of moments, he had stripped him completely.

Even with a warm stove in the room, the temperature was still low in the middle of winter. Wen Liangyu, who was naturally sensitive to the cold, felt a chill on his entire back. Desperately, he burrowed into He Heng’s embrace like a groundhog.

In the next moment, the man’s fingertips, as delicate as silkworm silk, gently traced over Wen Liangyu’s smooth back, causing him to shiver.

Then, Wen Liangyu heard He Heng’s voice, tinged with anger, coming from above,

“Who did this to you?”

Wen Liangyu was momentarily stunned, not knowing how to respond.

These were all done by the original owner when he ordered the servants to humiliate him. At that time, he felt heart-wrenching pain, but now, he didn’t feel much.

Although Wen Liangyu was mentally aware that He Heng and the original Regent were not the same person, he had never explicitly revealed this in front of He Heng. Therefore, in that moment, he didn’t know how to respond.

During his hesitation, He Heng’s fingers traced over the scars on his back, which should have been flawless. Realizing this, He Heng’s gaze darkened, and he asked again with a tone that brooked no questioning,

“Tell me, who did this?”

With this question, Wen Liangyu felt a headache. After all, the person responsible for these scars was now standing right in front of him.

In the end, he hesitated but still spoke up, “If I told you, what do you want to do about it?”

Without hesitation, He Heng squinted his eyes and said fiercely, “I’m going to deal with him.”

Wen Liangyu: “…”

Now, he definitely couldn’t say more.

 

 

 

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Author’s note:

The Little Emperor: What should I do if the old gong wants to deal with himself? Quite urgent! Waiting online.