Lin Zili clenched his fists and reached out to touch the water temperature. “Your Highness, the temperature is just right.”
Fearful of provoking him too far, Yan Jingxuan ceased his commands, removed his trousers, and stepped into the tub. The moment he did so, Lin Zili buried his head even lower.
Yan Jingxuan leaned back against the rim of the tub with his eyes closed. “Eunuch Lin, scrub my back for me.”
Lin Zili took a deep breath, mentally cursing Yan Jingxuan repeatedly, but ultimately turned around. He walked to the edge of the tub, picked up a bath towel, and began scrubbing Yan Jingxuan’s back with measured, firm strokes.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Lin Zili used considerable force. Occasionally, his fingers brushed against Yan Jingxuan’s firm muscles, causing both men to tremble slightly.
Lin Zili felt the elasticity of the muscles beneath his hands and felt momentarily distracted. He could not help but swallow hard. Although the man had numerous scars of various sizes, his physique was truly impeccable. He was just like that other man.
Yan Jingxuan felt quite content. He tilted his head slightly to look at Lin Zili’s flushed earlobes, a subtle, barely perceptible arc forming at the corners of his mouth. “Eunuch, your skills in attending to others seem a bit rusty. You should practice more.”
Upon hearing this, a spark of anger flared within Lin Zili. He scrubbed even harder. “Your Highness, I am not trained for these tasks. If you are not satisfied, you may have someone else do it. Why make things difficult for me?”
Yan Jingxuan felt the sting but was not annoyed. Instead, he laughed aloud. “Is the Eunuch angry? I was merely joking. Please do not take it to heart.”
Lin Zili ignored him, wanting only to finish his task so he could leave and finally be left alone.
Yan Jingxuan felt the touch of the person beside him like a tickle through a boot. He instinctively grabbed the hand beside him. His thumb gently brushed against the back of Lin Zili’s hand, and the warm tactile sensation caused his heart to flutter.
Lin Zili was shocked and tried to pull away, but Yan Jingxuan held him firmly. He struggled, but failed to break free.
“Your Highness!”
Only then did Yan Jingxuan seem to snap out of a trance. He released his grip, opened his mouth, and finding nothing to say, muttered, “Apologies.”
With a pale face, Lin Zili tossed the towel aside, bowed his head, and retreated several steps. “Please finish your bath soon, Your Highness, so you do not catch a chill.”
Yan Jingxuan stood up from the tub, water droplets sliding off his toned physique. Lin Zili hurriedly snatched a bath towel and threw it at him, his eyes fixed firmly on the ground, terrified of seeing anything he should not and inviting further trouble.
Yan Jingxuan caught the towel and wrapped it around himself. Looking at Lin Zili’s fearful expression, his heart was filled with complex emotions, a mix of frustration at his own impulsive actions and an inexplicable sense of reluctance to let him go.
“Eunuch, I was too forward today. I hope you will not hold it against me,” Yan Jingxuan said in a low, sincere tone.
Lin Zili kept his head down. “Your Highness speaks too seriously. I would not dare blame you. I only hope that you will not act in such a manner in the future; it is something I cannot endure.”
Yan Jingxuan frowned, wishing to say something to alleviate the awkward, stiff atmosphere, but finding no suitable words, he fell silent and began drying himself.
Once Yan Jingxuan was fully dressed, Lin Zili finally exhaled. The accidental touch and Yan Jingxuan’s strange behavior left him deeply unsettled. His desire for retaliation had vanished, replaced by a singular wish to flee this place of conflict.
Matters were drifting away from his expectations. If things continued this way, something terrifying might happen.
“Your Highness, I shall take my leave. If you have further commands, please summon someone else.” Saying this, Lin Zili turned to leave the room.
Caught in his own complex thoughts, Yan Jingxuan did not stop him.
After leaving, Lin Zili found the steward and asked to be shown to his quarters. The steward dared not delay and quickly led him to an elegant small courtyard.
The steward said respectfully, “Eunuch, the Regent specifically ordered this courtyard prepared for you. Is it to your satisfaction? If you find anything lacking, please do not hesitate to inform this servant.”
At the mention of Yan Jingxuan, Lin Zili frowned slightly. “My thanks to the steward. It looks fine, and I doubt anything is lacking. I am only staying for two days, so there is no need for such trouble.”
The steward acknowledged him and withdrew.
Once inside the room, Lin Zili inspected the furnishings. While not as grand as the palace, the room was exquisite. After locking the door, he finally relaxed and called out to the system internally: Yao’er, are you there?
System [Auto-reply]: I am in a meeting. Please leave a message.
A smile flickered in Lin Zili’s eyes. Good. With the system absent, he could hardly be blamed for failing to report the situation.
The characters had already deviated from their original archetypes to the point of being unrecognizable. If the plot diverged further, it was not his fault; after all, he was entirely coerced.
Elsewhere, Yan Jingxuan sat alone in his room, brow furrowed. The image of Lin Zili, and the sensation of that warm hand, played repeatedly in his mind. He felt as if a cat were scratching at his heart; it was itchy and maddeningly frustrating.
He could not understand why he became so unlike himself the moment he saw Lin Zili. His usual calm and steady demeanor seemed to have been cast to the winds.
Is it really just age? Or has a long period of celibacy finally taken its toll?
“Someone come!” Yan Jingxuan called. A servant hurried in. “Your Highness, what are your orders?”
“Go check if Eunuch Lin has settled in, and see if he lacks anything. If so, provide it immediately,” Yan Jingxuan commanded.
The servant accepted the order and left. Before long, he returned to report, “Replying to Your Highness, Eunuch Lin has settled in. He said he lacks nothing and appears satisfied with the quarters.”
Yan Jingxuan nodded slightly and waved the servant away.
Perhaps truly frightened, Lin Zili avoided Yan Jingxuan for two consecutive days. Unless it was unavoidable, he would reluctantly follow him, eyes cast down, keeping as much distance as possible.
This left Yan Jingxuan feeling frustrated and defeated. He considered himself of high status and decent appearance—many people scrambled to curry favor with him—yet Lin Zili treated him as if he were a flood or a savage beast, avoiding him with astonishing diligence.
Yan Jingxuan sat in his study reading, but his mind was not on the scrolls. The image of Lin Zili’s cold, aloof demeanor kept appearing before him, and the more he thought about it, the more unsettled he became.
“Someone come!” Yan Jingxuan tossed the scroll onto the table and summoned his servant. “Go and invite Eunuch Lin to the study. Tell him I have matters to discuss with him.”