Chapter 71
The disapproval in Wang Jin's eyes turned to astonishment, and after the astonishment came a tenderness that seemed to melt his heart.
He reached out, the knuckle of his pinky finger curling slightly as it hooked onto the man's fingertip, swaying gently, as lighthearted as his own buoyant mood at that moment.
"Actually, there's no need. Compared to that medicine, I can't stand being apart for several days even more. Can’t you just not go?"
The ger muttered, his soft lips pouting slightly, his eyelids lowering to conceal the fragmented light in his eyes. The morning glow cast upon his face, and his long lashes cast scattered shadows beneath his eyes. When he lifted his gaze slightly, those lashes trembled like delicate wings, and the faint glimmers in his eyes spilled forth with the movement.
He only glanced at the man once before seeming to realize that his words had been too blunt and clingy, so his eyelids drooped again. Soon after, a faint flush gradually rose to his cheeks.
The man’s breath hitched. Though the ger had only looked up for a brief moment, that single glance was unbearably tender. Even after his gaze had withdrawn, the lingering sweetness of it still clung to him, as if stuck to his skin.
It was as if a lively little deer had appeared in the man’s heart, prancing about with light, rapid steps.
His fingers twitched, then hooked around the ger’s knuckle in return, locking it in his palm and rubbing it gently with his thumb.
The knuckle was lightly scraped by the calloused pad of the man’s thumb, sending a tingling itch spreading from that spot, creeping into his heart and stirring restless thoughts in both of them.
This was truly unbearable! Such a slight touch was even more intoxicating than their more intimate encounters, leaving them both bashful and flustered.
Wang Jin stiffened, not daring to move, his tense body leaning slightly away from the man as if afraid he might do something. Yet, his hand seemed to enjoy the friction, pressing further into the man’s palm as if harboring some unspoken expectation.
Yuan Heng toyed with the delicate fingertips, his heart stirring. He lowered his head, parting his lips slightly toward the finger.
"...But if you don’t go... won’t it be hard to explain to the leader?" Wang Jin’s finger twitched, and the mood-killing words slipped out before he could stop himself, his nervousness nearly making him bite his own tongue.
Yet, the moment he said it, he regretted it. Why did he have to ruin the moment like this?
The man paused slightly, his darkened pupils gradually lightening again. The clarity in his light-colored eyes made him appear composed. He took a quiet breath, a flash of restraint crossing his face before he closed his parted lips and leaned in, pressing a controlled, tender kiss to the ger’s fingertip.
"I have to go retrieve something. It’s not far from where Rui grass grows..."
Yuan Heng didn’t finish, but Wang Jin understood his meaning.
Finding Rui grass and retrieving that item, the man had already made up his mind. Their separation for these few days was inevitable.
Wang Jin’s heart sank unhappily. His fingers curled slightly as he tried to pull his hand back from the man’s grasp.
But Yuan Heng tightened his grip.
"The Danmu tribe has a clan rule forbidding the leader from abusing his power for personal gain. I once promised someone that if the leader ever did such a thing, I would step in to handle it. But resolving this requires an item..."
A clan rule?
Wang Jin’s eyes flickered.
The man paused, then pinched the back of Wang Jin’s hand lightly. "Besides, my ger really does need the Rui grass to nourish his body."
"..." Wang Jin pressed his lips together before asking, "This clan rule... does the leader not know about it?"
"Him?" Yuan Heng recalled the leader’s earlier reaction, his expression turning disdainful as he said darkly, "He’s probably forgotten all the clan rules by now."
"..." Wang Jin fell silent.
If the man said the Danmu tribe had such a rule, then he must have seen it before. The leader had indeed seemed oblivious earlier. Wang Jin didn’t ask how the man planned to handle it, but instead pondered his words...
A person...
He lowered his gaze in thought before asking, "The one who asked you to step in, was he the previous leader of the Danmu tribe?"
Yuan Heng paused slightly, then a trace of tenderness flickered in his eyes. He nodded. "Yes. That person... was good."
For the man to call someone "good," they must have truly treated him well in the past.
The man always repaid kindness...
Now that they were married, whoever had been good to the man was also someone who had shown him kindness.
Wang Jin was silent for a moment before asking, "Then when will you leave?"
Though the ger’s face still showed unhappiness, his tone had softened, and his expression carried understanding and consideration.
This ger was becoming more and more considerate of him.
Yuan Heng’s heart felt as if it had been warmed, burning with affection. He couldn’t help but think how wonderful this person was, so wonderful that he wished he could tie him to his side and take him everywhere. So wonderful that even before leaving, he already couldn’t bear the thought of parting.
The man leaned in, pressing kisses to Wang Jin’s forehead, nose, and lips several times before suppressing his emotions and murmuring, "Tomorrow."
His deep voice was no different from usual, but perhaps because their separation was near, Wang Jin thought he detected a trace of reluctance in it.
Tomorrow...
"..." Wang Jin’s fingers curled slightly, retreating into his sleeve where they brushed against something cold.
Tomorrow... this thing would probably be finished by then.
Perhaps knowing that their brief separation would begin the next day, the two were even more inseparable than usual today, clinging to each other at every moment and indulging in all sorts of reckless behavior.
Or perhaps they were just using the impending separation as an excuse to stick to each other as much as possible.
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