Ming Quan sank down into the warm, floral-scented bathwater in the barrel-shaped wooden tub, his expression relaxing. Though the water enveloping the curse marks made it hurt, the pain was still far less than when something solid like fabric touched it. The feeling of satisfaction brought on by the sensation of submerging his sweaty body in water was indescribable.

“Young Master, you’ve soaked enough. Would you like me to start washing you now?” Yin Xue’s smooth voice came from beside the tub after a few minutes had passed.

Having pulled back the sleeves of his snowy white robe, Yin Xue exposed a pair of equally as white forearms corded with tightly packed muscle. The long fingers of one hand clutched a washcloth, ready to begin using it on Ming Quan to scrub his skin clean.

Ming Quan gulped nervously, but still nodded.

Seeing Yin Xue immediately extending his hands towards him, Ming Quan instinctively shrunk back before he could control himself. But not minding his reaction, Yin Xue held him steady with one hand while lifting the washcloth with the other. The touch of the cloth was cool and slightly rough as it slid down from one shoulder, over his arm, and down to his fingers and their tips.

The pain in its wake as it triggered the curse marks was horrible, making Ming Quan have to grit his teeth to avoid screaming. But he could also distinctly feel the sensation of the cool hand that was resting on his other shoulder to hold him in place. The very thought that it was Yin Xue touching him made Ming Quan want this to keep going despite the biting agony chewing up his nerves.

“Does the cloth’s surface hurt Young Master’s skin?” he heard Yin Xue suddenly whisper into his ear. “Then maybe I should put it away and use my hands.” The slyness in that mellow voice was undetectable.

Ming Quan’s face burned red as he turned away to hide his reaction. Tying to keep his voice level, he nodded. “That would indeed feel better.”

In response, he felt Yin Xue’s cool hands on him, cupping water in them and pouring it over his body before slicking down over his skin in steady swipes, carefully washing him. It still hurt, but the gentle coolness of Yin Xue’s hands, like the brush of soft snow over a prickling burn, was soothing.

Still feeling a bit feverish from before, Ming Quan sunk into a daze as pain and pleasure mingled in his mind. Was he dreaming again? He vaguely remembered having a delusionary dream where Yin Xue expressed that he liked him too. Maybe this was such a hallucination as well. Maybe he was still sleeping. If that was the case…why shouldn’t he indulge in his beloved’s touch?

And so, unresisting, Ming Quan let Yin Xue touch him. He would have liked to reciprocate as well, but his body felt too tired and heavy.

Sensing his compliance, Yin Xue drew his young master closer until Ming Quan’s side was pressing against the edge of the tub, the top of his body leaning into Yin Xue. Seeing that the young man was allowing it, Yin Xue’s hands moved gently yet steadily over Ming Quan’s smooth skin covered in black marks. “If my touch causes too much pain or discomfort, please tell me and I will stop.”

Ming Quan felt the slide of Yin Xue’s cold palms over his chest and sides while he was shrouded in his beloved’s presence and scent. But the pain from the curse kept him from becoming fully aroused. Shifting restlessly, Ming Quan said as if to convince himself, “It’s okay…it’s just a dream, so it’s not real pain. Yin Xue…please don’t stop.”

Raising an eyebrow, Yin Xue noted with humor, “Young Master, why do you always sweep away our most interesting interactions under the banner of ‘dream’. Or…is it just that you dream of me that much?”

Even as he kept talking, Yin Xue’s hands explored Ming Quan’s body, mapping out every swell and dip of muscle, every smooth stretch and hidden crevice of skin. Yin Xue felt his own blood slowly heating at the sensation of warm skin sliding under his palms, but suppressed it. He would focus on serving his young master for now. With a darkening gaze, Yin Xue’s fair fingers trailed up Ming Quan’s sides and lightly pressed on the two erect points on the young man’s chest, fiddling with them leisurely.

Rather than pushing away those presumptuous fingers, Ming Quan merely sighed at the pleasant sensation. “This is a nice dream… It’s the most detailed spring dream I’ve had of you till now…”

Now both of Yin Xue’s eyebrows flew up. “Oh? You’ve had many dreams like this with me, have you?”

Frowning, Ming Quan shook his head. “Not many…but I remember all of them.”

Yin Xue’s cold fingers suddenly pinched the two buds ruthlessly while his voice floated into Ming Quan’s ear, deceptively soft, “And how many other people has my young master dreamed of like that?”

The nip of sharp teeth on his earlobe following that statement made Ming Quan’s thoughts scatter. “Uhn…ah…I-I…” Ming Quan’s eyes were completely unfocused as he tried to process the contrast between the blistering pleasure given to him by Yin Xue and the burning pain of the curse.

“Yes?” Yin Xue’s low voice prodded while his fingers pulled taut the fragile nubs in their care.

“Ah!” Ming Quan shuddered. He almost melted as a cold breath tickled his ear. Gathering his incoherent thoughts, he struggled to respond, “N-No… I’ve never…thought of anyone else…like that before…”

Feeling pleased, Yin Xue’s hands eased their torment. His cold fingers gently caressed the reddening points as if in reward. “I see. How intriguing.”

Ming Quan felt the pleasantly cool fingertips rubbing circles into the sensitive buds on his chest and let slip a hesitant moan. It felt good enough to make bearing the agony of the curse marks worth it. There were many things he had to give up due to the curse, but he would not permit it to take away this dream of his with Yin Xue. Especially such a pleasant and detailed one.

Yin Xue’s voice suddenly drifted into his ear in a soft and intimate whisper, “Does Young Master wish for me to stop?”

“No,” Ming Quan’s husky reply was prompt. “It feels…good. Keep going and…touch me more.”

Swirling with cold colors and heated emotions, Yin Xue’s eyes glittered in the light. “Very well. I shall do as Young Master asks.”

Yin Xue turned Ming Quan in the waters and pulled him back against him. Ming Quan wordlessly cooperated. Yin Xue spread the fingers of one hand on his young master’s chest to keep his naked back pressed against his clothed front. The fingers of the other hand left cool trails in their wake as they slid over rippling abdominal muscles and smooth skin, slipping down and down until they reached between the pair of quivering thighs submerged deep in the water.

Ming Quan bit his lip, but didn’t protest. He even tried to widen his legs in a silent invitation. Cold fingers wrapped around his semi-hard length and slowly dragged up and down while the tips of sharp nails trailed along. Ming Quan let out a breathless groan and leaned his head further back, his eyes closing. Yin Xue studied his young master’s reaction to the continuing stimulation with interest. Ming Quan’s cheeks had flushed while his eyelashes trembled. His lips had parted to let out ragged breaths and soft sounds of pleasure. His neck arched, revealing cords of muscles stretching with strain.

Ming Quan’s thoughts grew blurred as pleasure lapped at him in slow waves. His mind couldn’t help but drift, pondering about how the hands currently on him were the same ones that had once brandished claws to cut down his and his father’s assailants when the emperor of the previous regime had tried to have them killed. They’d swung with such brutal mercilessness, making the assassins drop one after another like withered leaves in an autumn gale, the long fingers stained in blood and flicking those crimson droplets of an ending life, something much more precious than rubies, carelessly into the air. Those strong hands and coldly ruthless fingers now rested over his wet skin and enveloped his quickly hardening member so carefully, almost lovingly.

Ming Quan had to admit that despite knowing what these hands were capable of, he felt safe and protected under their care. What resistance he had melted away. His body softened, relaxing back into the wooden wall of the tub and Yin Xue. Ming Quan slowly slipped deeper into a place where pain and pleasure intertwined, drowning his senses. His desire finally pushed past the all-encompassing agony of the curse and fully rose.

Yin Xue’s hand increased its pace as if sensing it. Ming Quan panted harder, his brows drawing together. His body grew tense as he tried to ride the wave of stimulations. He’d never felt this much pleasure with his own hand before. The sensation of being attended to by Yin Xue like this was so…new.

Something stirred in Ming Quan’s mind. Yes, this felt like too much of a new experience to be in a dream. How could his mind know to show him these sensations if he’d never felt them before?

As unbelievable as it was, Ming Quan had to wonder. Was this…not a dream? No, it’s couldn’t be… Because, if this was real…

Sharp teeth delicately nibbled Ming Quan’s ear while the hand working on his shaft slowly came to a pause. “What is my young master thinking that makes his arousal lessen?”

A flush of embarrassment and humiliation came over Ming Quan. He pulled Yin Xue’s hands away from him and jerked his body forward to put some distance between them, instinctively seeking to escape these muddling sensations so that he could clear his mind and think for a bit. But his hasty motions caused the heavy tub of water to tilt and tip over. Water spilled out of the fallen tub along with a naked Ming Quan. Agony punched him as he impacted the floor and the world cut him sharp and clear. Once the haze of pain and desire was gone, Ming Quan was much more clearheaded. No, this definitely wasn’t a dream!

Yin Xue stood with a blank expression for a moment, not knowing what to make of this sudden change. Walking towards the Ming Quan who was covered in water and plastered with wet hair, he bent down and offered a hand. “Here, Young Master. Let me help you up.”

Ming Quan gritted his teeth and slapped the hand away. “Yin Xue, please get out. I will take care of myself from here.” Humiliation burned is cheeks red while anger that he didn’t know where to direct made his eyes glint sharply. Even lying naked on the floor while dripping wet, his back remained straight and his expression unbending. He was still very much the heir to the household who refused to let anyone make a fool of him.

Yin Xue straightened and looked at the troublesome young man with puzzlement. Tilting his head, he asked, “Young Master, what is the matter? Do you feel mortification because you became aroused? There is no need to feel shame over one’s mating urges. It is very natural.”

Ming Quan turned his head away from Yin Xue’s impassive gaze. His jaws clenched together harder.

Yin Xue continued, his voice flowing as smoothly as usual, “Young Master, since your body is expressing its needs so clearly, I do not mind taking care of it. Please stop being so strict with yourself and let me attend to you.”

Ming Quan’s hands curled into fists in the water pooled under him. His head shot up with a glare as he snarled, “Yin Xue, enough! I only ask that you allow me some dignity before my death.”

Arching an eyebrow, Yin Xue peered at the young man with half-lidded eyes. “Why does Young Master resist so much? Is it because it was me who touched you that way that you find an issue with it?”

Ming Quan’s eyes widened with shock and dread. It couldn’t be that…Yin Xue had found out about how he felt about him?

As if reading his mind, Yin Xue nodded. “Yes, I know of your affections for me.”

“H-How did you…” Ming Quan trailed away and sighed while running a wet hand through his hair agitatedly. “You read my letter,” he guessed. After all, no one knew about what Ming Quan felt for Yin Xue. He had hidden it too carefully. The letter was the only thing that could have given it away.

Amusement flitted through Yin Xue’s gaze. “Yes, the letter. Since it was addressed to me, I took the liberty of glancing at its contents.”

Ming Quan pressed his lips together and looked away. “I see. So you offered to relieve me of my lust out of pity for how my affections will never be reciprocated.”

Yin Xue’s voice was light as he countered, “What makes Young Master so sure that they will not be reciprocated?”

Ming Quan fixed Yin Xue with a steely look. “Stop trying to give me hope just because I am about to die. I do not need false assurances.”

A cold laugh escaped Yin Xue’s lips, giving the chilling feeling of feathers of frost creeping down one’s spine. “Young Master seems to be overestimating my compassion. Am I the sort of beast who would bother to bestow such a kindness towards a human? Why would I care about the wishes of a dying person, unless…it was a person I cared about?” The usually icy colors in Yin Xue’s eyes gleamed as if backlit by warm sunlight.

Ming Quan was beyond shocked, both at his tender gaze and the implication behind his words.

Yin Xue bent and cupped Ming Quan’s jaw with a hand. His fingers were much more gentle and careful than they had been on the first day of the curse. His voice was soft and intimate as he spoke, “Young Ma― No, Ming Quan. What I offer you is not out of pity, but because I have grown to like you as well. Though these last few days we spent together were by no means enough to bind me to you in love, I do know that if given time, there is a good chance that I will grow to love you with everything I have.”

Ming Quan took a shuddering breath, his eyes remaining wide with disbelief. He raised a hand and touched the back of Yin Xue’s fingers resting on his face. This… How could something like this even be possible?!

In a trembling voice, Ming Quan whispered, “It is not a dream, is it?”

“No, my beloved, it is not,” Yin Xue replied, his lips curving in a smile as warm as the sun.

And seeing his beloved smile like this for the first time after that day long ago in the chrysanthemum garden, Ming Quan finally believed him.

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Three more chapters till the end~ (*＾－＾*)