Huo Shu looked at the ger blocking the bed with outstretched arms, raised a brow, and in one motion scooped him up and tucked him under the quilt.
"Your 'mantis trying to stop a chariot' act is more entertaining than the opera house."
[螳臂當車 (táng bì dāng chē): lit. mantis trying to stop a chariot; fig. overestimating one's strength.]
Ji Taoyu huffed and kicked Huo Shu in frustration. One day, when he’d trained his arms and legs to be stronger, he’d see if Huo Shu still dared to look down on him.
Huo Shu caught the incoming foot, his grip settling just above the ankle, right at his waist.
He looked down at the ger lying in bed, his clothes slightly disheveled, revealing the faint outline of his collarbones—unaware of how enticing he looked while glaring.
This position was somewhat dangerous.
"Let go, it’s freezing."
Ji Taoyu tried to pull his foot back from Huo Shu’s grasp to tuck it under the quilt, but the man suddenly leaned down, pressing over him.
In an instant, he was enveloped by Huo Shu’s uniquely cold, powerful aura. His body completely covered Ji Taoyu’s, like a mountain collapsing over him. His breath hitched, and he weakly pushed at Huo Shu’s chest.
His legs were spread a little too wide by Huo Shu’s weight, and the discomfort and shame made his face burn.
"You’re crushing me."
Huo Shu listened to the soft voice by his ear and remarked, "You blush so easily."
If his eyes weren’t red, his face was.
Ji Taoyu gazed at the man so close to him and couldn’t resist reaching up to touch Huo Shu’s strikingly high nose bridge. "Not everyone has skin as thick as yours."
Huo Shu’s nose tingled at the touch, and he pinned down Ji Taoyu’s ever-mischievous hand.
"Should we try again tonight?"
Ji Taoyu was completely immobilized, with no strength to resist—like a fish on a chopping board, utterly at his mercy.
The feeling only made his heart race even more.
His face burned hotter. Not that he had much say in refusing.
"Then… are you going to do it, or should we use the ointment the physician gave…?"
Huo Shu didn’t answer. Instead, he suddenly got up and walked away.
Ji Taoyu felt the restraint on his body loosen and couldn't help but sigh in relief—both from the pressure Huo Shu had exerted on him and from the lingering scent of medicine he'd brought back from the physician.
Though he had always thought about consummating their relationship sooner, when faced with the reality, he couldn't help but shrink back a little.
Huo Shu was truly…
Before he could finish his thoughts, Huo Shu had already returned.
Feeling the large hand at his waist tugging at his trousers, Ji Taoyu quickly grabbed Huo Shu's wrist: "N-not going to warm up first?"
"Already warm."
At first, Ji Taoyu didn’t understand what he meant, but later he realized why this man had inexplicably trimmed his nails earlier.
This was even more embarrassing than when he had used the jade rod before.
He had never imagined things could be done this way.
Like duckweed floating on water, he could only go wherever the current took him.
If his sensitivity to pain was several times sharper than an average person’s, then his sensitivity to pleasure… ahem—
Ji Taoyu bit his lip, trying his best not to make a sound.
The next morning, when Ji Taoyu woke up, his legs felt so weak they seemed glued to the bed, completely unable to lift on their own. He had to use his hands to help shift them off.
As he lifted the bed curtain, he saw Huo Shu enter the room with breakfast.
"What are we eating today?"
The moment he spoke, he realized how hoarse his voice was.
Remembering last night’s events, he shut his mouth in embarrassment.
"Dumplings. Lamb filling."
After Huo Shu answered, he noticed the person on the bed light up with excitement but still struggle to get up.
Indeed, some things couldn’t be left to external aids—doing it himself provided a greater sense of involvement.
He grabbed a thick padded coat, strode over, wrapped Ji Taoyu in it, and carried him to the table.
Ji Taoyu happily eyed the plump dumplings in the bowl and picked up a spoon to try one, only to notice there was only one bowl. He looked at Huo Shu: "Aren’t you eating?"
"I already ate."
Huo Shu opened the window. The sun was out today, its light already spilling onto the windowsill.
With the doors and windows shut, the room had been so quiet that Ji Taoyu hadn’t realized it was already mid-morning.
"Why didn’t you wake me earlier?"
Huo Shu sat across from him: "Your uncle’s family is hosting relatives today. Father and Mother left early in the morning and said we should just come over for lunch."
Considering how busy they’d been the day before and how late they’d slept, he had let him rest.
Hearing that his parents had already left, Ji Taoyu relaxed and bit into the juicy, flavorful dumpling.
The filling was well-seasoned, and the broth was a rich bone stock.
The dumplings must have been made by his mother, and the broth had been simmering since yesterday—meaning Huo Shu had only boiled the dumplings.
Though it didn’t take much skill to drop dumplings into boiling water, this was the first time he’d eaten something Huo Shu had cooked for him, so it tasted especially delicious.
Noticing Huo Shu watching him quietly as he ate, Ji Taoyu asked: "You still haven’t told me how you saved up so much money."
Huo Shu saw how persistently he kept asking, as if he wouldn’t feel at ease without an answer.
"You really want to know?"
Ji Taoyu nodded eagerly: "Of course!"
Huo Shu lowered his gaze slightly: "Do you know how ordinary soldiers get promoted in the military?"
Ji Taoyu wasn’t very familiar with military matters and didn’t understand why Huo Shu brought this up. "By fighting bravely?"
"That’s not wrong. But on the battlefield, with swords and shadows everywhere, who’s keeping track of whether you’re fighting bravely? There needs to be proof to confirm your valor."
ReplyDeleteEvery chapter we are closer to this two having their own plump baby 👶👶👶
Thank you for the chapter!!!!