Su Ce felt Ah Huai press a deeply reverent kiss against his cheek, his body slightly trembling.
He lifted his gaze, eyes already shimmering with moisture, and looked blearily at Ah Huai’s sincere face. He felt Ah Huai’s powerful arms slide past the sides of his body, the palms accidentally ironing through his soaked white robes as they encircled his waist.
Such a subtle touch was enough to send Su Ce’s heart into a panic.
He and Ah Huai were now far too close; he only had to lift his head slightly to catch the scent of Ah Huai’s fresh, clean skin.
That scent made him feel that something was not quite right.
“Young Master, are you feeling any better?”
Ah Huai’s voice sounded different than before—it was hoarse with the weight of burgeoning desire, and unexpectedly pleasant to the ear.
This made Su Ce, who had just been relieved of his heat, feel as if his body were burning with a fever once more, his heart feeling as though thousands of white ants were tearing at it, leaving him clawing at his own skin.
Su Ce was a man of extreme pride; today, having let his guard down and accidentally falling into the trap set by that bastard Zuo Yu, he was now exposing his most vulnerable, disheveled self before Ah Huai.
At this moment, Su Ce felt the surface beneath him digging into his backside, like sitting on uneven ground. He suddenly felt a sense of disbelief regarding Ah Huai; he had assumed Ah Huai was merely greedy for the Su family’s wealth, wanting to be a servant who stood a notch above the rest by staying at his side. He had never expected that Ah Huai truly harbored improper designs, wanting to climb into his bed and become his legitimate male concubine.
This was simply pure, unadulterated audacity!
Su Ce was suddenly overcome with rage, his cheeks—already flushed by the medicine—turning a shade of crimson so deep it seemed as if he were bleeding.
Seeing that Su Ce did not answer, Ah Huai’s breathing gradually steadying, he began to speak, only to be ruthlessly cut off by Su Ce: “Get out!”
“But…”
Ah Huai looked at the elongated shadows cast by the candlelight on Su Ce with what seemed to be genuine concern.
Su Ce wore a cold face, struggling to rise from Ah Huai’s embrace. “I told you to get out; can’t you understand what I’m saying?”
Yet, Ah Huai stubbornly tightened his arms, burying his face into Su Ce’s neck. His hand slipped inside Su Ce’s inner robe, his burning breath spraying against Su Ce’s earlobe as he pleaded in a low, humble, and earnest voice: “Young Master, mere ordinary methods are not enough to thoroughly relieve you tonight.”
Su Ce immediately understood the implication of Ah Huai’s veiled words. He was perfectly aware of his own state, yet he remained unwilling, saying only: “I do not need you to interfere. What status do you hold that you dare lecture me?”
To his surprise, Ah Huai pulled Su Ce directly onto his lap, catching Su Ce’s hand and placing it against his own cheek, asking this question to the man whose reason was about to be devoured by overwhelming desire: “Ah Huai, am I not your male concubine, Young Master? I should be doing these things to please you, so why are you unwilling? Is it… is it because Ah Huai is not Young Master Fu?”
Su Ce did not speak, and Ah Huai simply watched him quietly, his eyes dark and bright, though a flush of red appeared at the corners of his eyes, leaving him looking utterly aggrieved.
The room fell into a silence so profound that only the sound of Su Ce’s ragged, heavy breathing remained.
Until, finally, Su Ce’s reason crumbled, and he collapsed weakly into Ah Huai’s arms, saying faintly: “Go… go to the bed.”
Ah Huai carried Su Ce steadily toward the bed, unfastening his soaked robes as he went: “The night air is cold, and you are weak, Young Master; you must not wear wet clothes for long, lest you catch a chill.”
He only felt Ah Huai’s hand touch his vulnerability; the emptiness within him was infinitely magnified by Ah Huai’s movements.
Ah Huai seemed to be saying something, but in Su Ce’s ears, there was only the sound of breathing, and the blurred vision before him made it impossible for him to judge anything.
Soon, Su Ce felt the familiar, warm embrace of Ah Huai’s mouth against his shame, causing his body to shudder.
Not long after, a flash of white light crossed his mind, and Su Ce let out a moan of relief.
Ah Huai couldn’t help but cough violently, his throat tasting of salt and sweetness.
Outside the house, a drizzling rain had begun to fall; the rhythm of the drops against the eaves played a melody of the night.
Ah Huai looked at Su Ce, whose eyes were vacant and whose body was stained with a faint flush, the corners of his lips curving up imperceptibly as he leaned over Su Ce once more.
Seeing Ah Huai’s impending action, Su Ce was filled with fear. He grabbed Ah Huai’s hair, forcing him to look directly at him, and demanded: “Have you lost your mind?”
But Ah Huai leaned in to capture Su Ce’s lips, allowing only fragmented whimpers to escape.
After a long while, Ah Huai saw him gasping for oxygen and finally released him.
Perhaps because the medicine had not yet worn off, or perhaps because the long, lingering kiss had reignited Su Ce’s desires, he did not seem fully conscious yet.
However, he was less pliant than before, showing a touch of his usual bossiness; he pushed Ah Huai onto the bed and straddled him, their lips and tongues entwined once again.
Ah Huai lay on the bed, watching Su Ce’s bewildered, lost state.
He only wanted to bully him ruthlessly…
In the end, before Ah Huai could coax Su Ce to turn over and lie down, Su Ce collapsed onto Ah Huai’s body, exhausted.
Su Ce had tears in his eyes, feeling as though his body were burning with fire that would not be extinguished. Unable to care for his dignity any longer, he whispered to Ah Huai: “It’s so uncomfortable… help me.”
A muffled thunder sounded outside the window, followed by a flash of lightning that instantly illuminated the entire room.
Su Ce saw Ah Huai still wearing that look of not daring to desecrate him, looking at him with a composed and calm expression.
“Hurry, help me.” Su Ce’s tone grew hurried, carrying a hint of spoiled petulance.
“Young Master, Ah Huai dare not, for fear of making you angry, and then you would have no more use for me by tomorrow.”
Su Ce paused for a mere second before pressing his lips to Ah Huai’s.
Ah Huai scrambled to push Su Ce away, yet fearing he might hurt him, he said helplessly: “Young Master, Young Master, this really won’t do. If I do this, I am taking advantage of you while you are compromised.”
Su Ce’s brain could not quite react, but he gave an impatient “tsk” and muttered: “I am the one telling you to help me; how could that be taking advantage?”
Seeing Su Ce’s persistence, Ah Huai raised a brow and said: “Young Master, I apologize for the offense.”
Su Ce did not know where Ah Huai had found the fragrant balm he applied to his body; the icy sensation made him shudder all over.
Ah Huai whispered “relax” into his ear, but in the next instant, he let out an exclamation.
In his confusion, he seemed to hear Ah Huai’s low laughter, or perhaps it was just a hallucination.
Ah Huai rubbed his earlobe with his hand and leaned down to kiss his lips.
Outside the window, the rain grew heavier, the pattering sound masking all other noises in the world.
Ah Huai whispered to Su Ce in an incredibly seductive voice: “Young Master, there is no need to endure it.”
By then, Su Ce had completely lost consciousness; he could only see Ah Huai’s lips opening and closing.
After a long time, he finally let out a cry from the depths of his throat—a sound neither a scream nor a melody.
He did not know why, but he felt that if he did not follow Ah Huai’s lead, he would be cast back into that hollow abyss to struggle alone.
Ah Huai pulled his hand away, satisfied, and gathered his whole body into his arms, consoling him: “Young Master, if the pain is too great, just bite me.”
The night rain came quickly and left just as fast.
Ah Huai stroked Su Ce’s crown, kissing his lips. Without giving Su Ce any path of retreat, he pierced through his body and soul like a sharp blade.
He looked at Su Ce, whose body was rigid and taut, head tilted back, gasping for breath, unable to let out a single sound, before finally revealing a satisfied smile and tucking a strand of his fallen dark hair behind his ear.
Su Ce had long been worn to exhaustion by Ah Huai. As his consciousness faded into sleep, he only heard Ah Huai whisper softly: “Young Master, go to sleep.”
Only then did he close his eyes.
Ah Huai looked at Su Ce’s sleeping form and let out a long sigh: “Su Ce, this time it was you who begged me to do this. When you wake up tomorrow, you will surely blame me, but I would rather be blamed by you than allow anyone else to touch even a hair on your head.”
With that, he bowed his head to kiss Su Ce once more and continued: “I will soon settle the account with Fu Huaizhi for you, one by one. If I let anyone touch you again, I will have their hands and feet broken and turn them into human sticks. Do you know? I would do anything for you.”
Ah Huai finished speaking, hugged Su Ce’s waist, and fell into a deep sleep against his chest.
The next day, when Su Ce woke up, he felt that his entire body was in unbearable pain, his arms swollen and numb.
He opened his eyes in a haze to find the room in a state of utter ruin.
He remembered the events of yesterday well enough.
Coincidentally, Ah Huai entered with the food box, his face gloomy as he looked at the refreshed Ah Huai.
“Young Master.”
Ah Huai was as humble and submissive as ever, as if it were someone else who had left Su Ce half-dead the night before.
“Ah Huai, you have some nerve! I told you to help me back to my room, but you played your role so well—you carried me right to the bed, were you terrified that I wouldn’t recognize your status?”
Su Ce was so infuriated and embarrassed—mostly because of what Zuo Yu had said the night before: “You don’t look like the one on top.”
Ah Huai immediately knelt on the floor, bowing his head: “Ah Huai, Ah Huai saw that Young Master’s clothes were in disarray last night and the effects of the medicine were too strong, so I had to resort to these desperate measures.”
Su Ce gave a cold laugh at these words.
Outside the house, Song Yue’s voice could be heard before Su Ce had even finished dressing.
Song Yue had already stepped into the room. Seeing the red and blue bruises all over Su Ce’s body and Ah Huai kneeling on the floor and although the room had been incense-treated, the lingering scent of last night’s passion could not be entirely masked
Although Song Yue was unmarried, he had spent time with other wastrels in houses of pleasure; naturally, he reacted to what had happened between the two, his expression shifting repeatedly.
He hadn’t expected Su Ce to actually end up in bed with this man.
While it was common for the sons of noble families in the capital to be promiscuous, Su Ce had always remained chaste for Fu Huaizhi. Despite how degenerate he had become later, he had never been rumored to have any attendants or beauties. Yet, ever since this person appeared, Su Ce seemed to have lost his mind.
Clearly, those eyes no longer held the shadow of Fu Huaizhi, yet Su Ce still kept him by his side.
Song Yue remained silent for a moment before saying: “You… are you still going to go hunting with us today?”
Ah Huai glanced at Su Ce and Song Yue before lowering his head.
“No, tell them I am still suffering from a hangover and am not yet sober.”
Song Yue smiled as if nothing were wrong: “I thought as much. Then get some rest in the room.”
“Ah Huai, show our guest out.”
Ah Huai followed Song Yue silently. The moment they were about to step outside the courtyard, Song Yue stopped in his tracks, turning his head to stare at Ah Huai with an odd expression. “You seem to have real talent, much less dull-witted than you appear on a daily basis.”