SSEWC Chapter 75

In He Heng’s bedroom, a faint calming fragrance filled the air, with wisps of smoke gently drifting from the incense burner, lingering around the bookshelves exuding the scholarly atmosphere.

The environment here perfectly matched the serene ambiance suitable for meditation and contemplation, creating a sense of tranquility.

However, the chaotic scene on the bed formed a stark contrast. Numerous clothes, seemingly pulled from nowhere, were piled on the bed, and the bedding beneath was crumpled.

He Heng held the little merman, lifting him from the bed. At this moment, the merman was sitting astride him, panting urgently.

“Mmm~”

His fingertips gently grasped the fabric of He Heng’s shirt in front of his chest. Like a helpless little creature, he nuzzled into He Heng’s embrace, seeking comfort.

However, He Heng, at this moment, seemed inexplicably stiff, like a rigid piece of wood. His arms mechanically patted the small merman’s back, with no other movements.

He Heng did indeed “hold” him as he was told, but it was just that – holding. Realizing this, the little merman felt even more aggrieved. His thin lips pursed into a straight line.

Qiao Ran, encountering such a situation for the first time, had no idea how to handle it. Clearly, he was feeling so uncomfortable, yet the other person seemed unwilling to help him.

In fact, He Heng was not entirely in the dark. He was contemplating the consequences of actually sleeping with the little merman at this moment. He wondered if, once the truth came out, the other party might consider throwing him into the sea to feed the sharks.

In this moment, holding Qiao Ran, even through the thin layer of clothing, he could feel the other’s body warmth.

Ultimately, He Heng yielded to his instincts. He lifted Qiao Ran’s chin and leaned down to kiss him.

“Mmm~”

Qiao Ran’s entire being turned incredibly soft, his back arching into a graceful curve, allowing He Heng to continue the intimate moment.

He Heng started by lightly brushing against the soft petals of Qiao Ran’s lips, then skillfully parted the other’s teeth, asserting himself in a somewhat aggressive manner.

Unlike his usual gentle demeanor, during the kiss, He Heng appeared dominant and irresistible, leaving Qiao Ran struggling to catch his breath.

As they separated, Qiao Ran’s head was dizzy. He was panting rapidly, and a blush adorned the corners of his eyes.

Even though he had little clarity of mind left, the little merman still distinctly sensed the changes in the other person. He could tell that Da Zhu was responsive to him.

At this moment, the little merman’s face was still covered with the black cloth. His skin was exceptionally fair, resembling the finest white jade. His lips, however, were crimson, with a glossy sheen, and the loose neckline of the garment draped over him, revealing two delicate blush spots on his chest.

Observing the small merman’s body swaying as if about to collapse due to exhaustion, He Heng’s gaze darkened. Just as Qiao Ran was about to lose balance, He Heng swiftly reached out, pulling him back into his embrace.

He knew that once a merman bonded with someone, they considered that person a lifelong companion until death separated them.

Originally, He Heng had intended to let Qiao Ran regain his sight and learn the truth before allowing him to make a choice. However, he hadn’t anticipated that Qiao Ran would enter heat at this particular moment, disrupting his carefully laid plans.

However, in the midst of his daze, the little merman had taken the initiative.

Qiao Ran felt his body temperature rising, becoming increasingly uncomfortable and bloated. He couldn’t understand what was going on with Da Zhu – why was he taking so long?

Did Da Zhu not like him at all?

But they just kissed – didn’t that mean anything?

Thinking about this, the little merman became even more aggrieved. He clumsily tried to remove He Heng’s clothes, but his trembling fingers and erratic movements made it a futile attempt. After struggling for a while, he couldn’t even undo He Heng’s belt.

Finally, Qiao Ran, feeling somewhat drained, rested on He Heng’s shoulder, his voice carrying a hint of restrained sobbing. “Can’t you just help me?”

Upon hearing this, He Heng’s mind raced. In a mere second, he rapidly questioned and answered himself:

A merman can only have one companion in their lifetime. Could Qiao Ran have another companion besides himself?

No.

Is there a difference between becoming his companion now and becoming his companion later?

None.

Then, what was he hesitating about?

Wasting time.

After understanding everything, he used one hand to undo his own belt while supporting Qiao Ran with the other. At the same time, he didn’t forget to write on the little merman’s back:

“Ah Ran, will you still like me no matter what I become in the future?”

The area around Qiao Ran’s lower back, especially his waist, was the most sensitive. Yet, at this moment, He Heng was carefully writing on that spot. The little merman felt a bit uncomfortable, arching his back slightly, and softly replied, “Like.”

Then, he hugged He Heng’s neck and gently kissed his cheek.

“Forever liking Da Zhu.”

The little merman’s lips were very soft, and just by kissing He Heng like that, He Heng found it a bit hard to restrain himself. However, even at this moment, he remained calm and asked,

“What if I don’t go by Da Zhu anymore?”

Feeling a bit disoriented, the little merman replied, “Then what do you want to be called?”

He Heng paused for a moment, then after considering a variety of commonplace names like “Zhang San,” “Li Si,” “Wang Wu,” and even some flattering ones like “Handsome,” he made his final choice.

“Call me Gege.”

At this moment, Qiao Ran appeared exceptionally obedient. He immediately uttered a soft, “Gege~”

The next second, He Heng directly tossed his clothes several meters away, then sat down with Qiao Ran on his lap, leaning in to kiss his lips.

“Mmm~”

The little merman’s body was pliant, and adapting didn’t seem too difficult.

However, it was his first time, and every inch of his muscles, from head to toe, instinctively tensed.

Sensing the other’s stiffness, He Heng didn’t immediately proceed. Instead, he decided to let Qiao Ran gradually get used to it. He gently supported Qiao Ran’s waist, slowing down his movements.

However, Qiao Ran had no strength left. His waist trembled, and even with He Heng supporting him, he couldn’t control his strength. He suddenly slumped down, completely powerless.

The next moment, his long and graceful neck arched upward, tears uncontrollably streaming from the corners of his eyes, wetting the black cloth covering his face.

He Heng kissed his neck and soothingly patted his back. “Uncomfortable?”

“Umm,” Qiao Ran couldn’t speak, overwhelmed by the stimulation.

He Heng leaned in to kiss the corner of Qiao Ran’s mouth. Once he felt that the other had adapted, he took full control of the situation.

It took him minutes to soothe the little merman’s tears, but then he spent the rest of the night making him cry.

Early the next morning, upon hearing rumors that Fu Yanwei and several of his subordinates had disappeared overnight, Fu Yanyu immediately rushed to Lin Yuan Pavilion. Her intuition vaguely suggested that He Heng might know the truth behind this matter.

However, upon entering, she was only received by the household’s steward and servants, with no sign of He Heng.

Fu Yanyu asked the steward, “Where is He Heng?”

The steward lowered his head, appearing clueless, and finally mumbled, “Probably still sleeping?”

Fu Yanyu immediately responded, “Can you go wake him up, then?”

The steward seemed reluctant to undertake this task. He took a few steps back, repeatedly waving his hands, and said, “You don’t need to rush. When Lord He wakes up, he will naturally come to see you.”

Fu Yanyu: “…”

Why wasn’t she in a hurry?

Was the importance of He Heng’s lazy awakening more significant than the matter concerning the future inheritance of the Daliang’s throne?

Seeing the servants in the mansion currently avoiding her like frightened turtles, it seemed she might have to wait until He Heng woke up naturally.

With that in mind, Fu Yanyu sat back in her chair. She took a sip of tea, then glanced at the sky outside.

It was just past the hour of Chen, and the horizon was just beginning to show a pale light.

Considering the time, Fu Yanyu realized she might have arrived a bit early. Many people might not have even woken up at this hour.

She estimated that if she waited for another half-hour or an hour, He Heng should be awake.

However, she didn’t anticipate that the wait would stretch to a full three hours. From the hour of Chen until noon, the sun was now high in the sky, but there was still no sign of He Heng emerging from his room.

Another quarter of an hour passed, and finally, there was movement inside the room.

After approximately the time it took to brew a pot of tea, the door was pushed open with a creak. He Heng walked out, donned in an outer robe. Upon spotting Fu Yanyu sitting in the main hall, he visibly paused.

Seeing this, the steward hurriedly approached and whispered to He Heng, “Lord He, the princess has been waiting here for quite some time. She said there’s an important matter she wishes to discuss with you.”

“Got it.” He Heng nodded slightly.

With that, he put on the outer robe and straightened the front, but it failed to conceal the suspicious marks on his neck.

Fu Yanyu could vaguely see a suggestive rosy mark on the side of He Heng’s neck, and upon closer inspection, there was even a circle of teeth marks.

The door behind He Heng was still partially open, and through it, one could vaguely glimpse an intimate scene inside. Considering that the merman in the pool hadn’t been seen from morning until now, Fu Yanyu could easily guess what had happened last night.

Seeing Fu Yanyu approaching, He Heng probably guessed that she wanted to inquire about the disappearance of the Crown Prince.

After dressing, he turned around and gently closed the bedroom door to prevent any noise from disturbing the still-sleeping Qiao Ran.

After tossing and turning for most of the night, he had finally managed to coax Qiao Ran to sleep as the morning approached. The small merman was still in heat, and being exhausted from the previous night, his sleep was restless. If he woke up now and found He Heng missing, his emotional state might become unstable again.

After closing the door, He Heng looked at Fu Yanyu and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Before Fu Yanyu could respond, a soft sound came from the bedroom.

“Umm, Da Zhu?”

The voice sounded hoarse and urgent, like a little lost dog whimpering.

As soon as He Heng heard this, he immediately gestured for Fu Yanyu to be silent and swiftly returned to the bedroom, as if propelled by a gust of wind.

Once back in the bedroom, He Heng saw the little merman trying to get up from the bed. However, he seemed utterly powerless, and in the process, he had disheveled the clothes draped over him. Red marks resembling indentations adorned his fair wrists and ankles, while his shoulders and chest were covered in rosy marks. His lips were cracked, and the petals were swollen from biting, making him look pitiful.

Seeing this, He Heng quickly sat at the edge of the bed, supporting Qiao Ran’s waist and lifting him into his arms. He gently patted his back and coaxed, “What’s wrong?”

“Uncomfortable?”

Qiao Ran gripped the fabric of He Heng’s clothes, rubbing his face against He Heng’s chest like a small kitten. Only when he sensed the familiar scent of the man did he feel a bit more at ease.

“Why did you leave?” The small merman’s voice sounded a bit plaintive.

Perhaps due to crying too hard last night, Qiao Ran’s voice was also hoarse.

He Heng chuckled helplessly. “I just went out for a moment. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Are you thirsty? Do you want some water?”

Qiao Ran: “It’s okay.”

Although he said so, his voice was already so hoarse that he could hardly make a sound.

Seeing this, He Heng immediately instructed the servants to bring in a cup of water. He held the cup and helped the little merman drink half of it, then coaxed, “Aren’t you tired? Take a little more rest.”

“Mmm,” Qiao Ran nodded but still held onto He Heng’s clothes tightly, “Are you going out?”

He Heng smiled, “Just within the mansion. I won’t go anywhere.”

With that, he kissed Qiao Ran’s forehead and wrote on his hand, “Just discussing some matters with others. You go ahead and sleep. I’ll be here with you. We’ll talk more when you’re asleep.”

Qiao Ran softly said, “Okay,” then reached out to feel the prominent bridge of the man’s nose. He leaned in and kissed He Heng’s lips, “Will you be here when I wake up?”

“Right here.” He Heng hugged Qiao Ran’s waist and tucked him back into the blanket.

He continued to run his fingers through the soft hair, reassuring Qiao Ran that he was still there and hadn’t left.

It seemed that the little merman was indeed exhausted from the events of the previous night. After settling back into the warm blankets and feeling the gentle touch of the man, he soon succumbed to drowsiness.

Listening to the long and steady breaths beside him, He Heng looked down and found that Qiao Ran had already fallen asleep.

At this moment, a faint blush adorned the fair cheeks of the little merman, and his rosy lips were slightly parted, giving him an adorable and innocent appearance.

He Heng smiled, pulled the blanket up for him, gently touched his cheek with the back of his hand, and then quietly left the room.

At this moment, standing outside the room, Fu Yanyu felt like a 100,000-volt super light bulb. She was afraid that if Qiao Ran woke up again, He Heng would immediately rush in as if the house were on fire, and the two of them would once again cling to each other like lovebirds unwilling to part, prolonging their intimate moments until nightfall.

So she had to get straight to the point.

“Cough! Do you know the whereabouts of Fu Yanwei?” she asked.

“I know.”

He Heng immediately pointed to the two crocodiles in the pond, “They sneaked into Lin Yuan Pavilion last night, and my pet crocodiles ate them.”

Early this morning, the servants in Lin Yuan Pavilion had cleaned and scrubbed the pond. The artificial water channel had returned to its usual clarity, showing no signs of the gruesome events from the previous night. However, whether it was a psychological effect or something else, a faint smell of blood still lingered in the air.

Upon hearing this, Fu Yanyu immediately froze in place, looking incredulously at the crocodile pond.

She hadn’t expected Fu Yanwei’s plan to backfire so spectacularly, ultimately leading to his demise. She also couldn’t believe that after losing the merman’s eyes, he would end up like this.

However, regardless of the surprise, with Fu Yanwei gone, Fu Yanyu had no competitors at court. At this point, there was no force hindering her future ascension to the throne.

As for He Heng, being the National Teacher, he only needed to concoct a reasonable explanation for Fu Yanwei’s disappearance to the Emperor. The latter, without any evidence and considering the circumstances, would have no choice but to accept it. After all, Fu Yanwei had been eaten by crocodiles, leaving no remains behind.

The two of them briefly discussed how to handle the situation of Fu Yanwei’s disappearance before moving on to other topics.

Fu Yanyu asked He Heng, “What are your plans for the future?”

She could tell that He Heng becoming the National Teacher was a temporary solution. He couldn’t continue in that role indefinitely, especially now that their engagement was canceled. He Heng didn’t need to stay in the capital.

Fu Yanyu was well aware that if she could successfully ascend to the throne in the future, He Heng would have played a significant role. Recalling He Heng’s ability to generate ideas seemingly out of thin air, she felt that he indeed had something special.

As long as the other party doesn’t make overly demanding requests, she can agree.

Upon hearing this, He Heng reached up to stroke his chin, pondered for a moment, and said, “I want to bring Qiao Ran back to Mingcheng. If the princess is still willing to let me continue as the Governor of Mingcheng, that would be even better.”

“No problem.” Fu Yanyu immediately agreed. Then, as if remembering something, she looked at He Heng and said, “But…”

“Are you planning to tell him? About you being Da Zhu.”

He Heng nodded, “Yes.”

After all, it wouldn’t stay hidden for long.

He Heng planned to return the eyes to Qiao Ran once they were back in Mingcheng. By then, whether the little merman wanted to return to the sea or stay by his side, he wouldn’t interfere with his choice.

Fu Yanyu: “Well, good luck to you.”

After watching Fu Yanyu leave, He Heng returned to the bedroom.

The heavy curtains in the room were tightly closed, blocking any trace of light from entering the dim space. Qiao Ran was still sleeping soundly under the covers.

Seeing this, He Heng approached quietly. He gently lifted the covers and lay down next to Qiao Ran.

As if sensing the familiar and comforting aura, Qiao Ran made a soft sound and snuggled into the man’s arms.

He Heng had just returned from outside, and there was still a chill on his clothes. This made the little merman shiver for a moment, but even so, he extended his arms and hugged him.

In the half-dreamy state, the little merman murmured unclearly, “Mm, you’re back?”

“Mm.” He Heng wrote gently on his arm, “How about we go back in a few days?”

Qiao Ran almost didn’t think about it and naturally agreed, “Okay.”

After all, as long as he was by Da Zhu’s side, it seemed like it didn’t matter where they went.