Chapter 7: The Seventh Day
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Once Yin Xue made his affections for Ming Quan known, it was only a matter of minutes before the two efficient people decided on how to proceed.

Yin Xue was eager to take his young master as his mate, to tie this interesting young man to him before slowly spending the rest of his days exploring his lover thoroughly so that he could fall in love with him. But Ming Quan requested that he wait till the seventh day when the curse marks would briefly go inactive. That way, their coupling would be less painful for him.

As much as the urgency to see his young master becoming well again bit at him, Yin Xue still agreed. However, he couldn’t help but bemoan that unless they mated and Ming Quan gained immunity to the poison suffusing his body, they couldn’t even kiss. After all, like most of him, Yin Xue’s saliva was toxic as well.

Seeing the usually aloof and cold-faced Yin Xue seriously pondering on how to get past his own toxicity to steal a kiss from him, Ming Quan could only shake his head with a smile. Who knew that under all that frost, his beloved would have such a personality? But each new thing Ming Quan discovered about him only added to the clarity of his picture of Yin Xue and made him love him more.

When Ming Quan notified his father of the good news, Ming Yan had hugged both a helpless-looking Ming Quan and a disdainful Yin Xue and cried tears of relief. He easily offered to transfer his contract with Yin Xue to Ming Quan after he was cured to let him do as he would with it.

Once everything was thus decided, Ming Quan and Yin Xue returned to the Chrysanthemum Courtyard to patiently wait for the seventh day.

However, Ming Quan felt a bit awkward at being alone with Yin Xue while the knowledge of what they would do tomorrow hung over him. Not wanting this awkwardness to remain between them, Ming Quan suppressed his reservations and sat Yin Xue down beside him on the bed before declaring that they would talk.

At first, what they discussed were bland subjects like the goings-on in the household, the work that would be waiting Ming Quan’s attention after he was cured, and any small shifts in the political climate of the country. Then their talk slowly segued to Ming Quan recollecting certain mischiefs he had gotten into at the academy before and all the methods he and his friends had to employ to get out of it without alerting their parents. Being able to know such things about the young man deepened Yin Xue’s understanding of him. It seemed that this staid and workaholic young master of his had his playful side too. How amusing.

In return, Yin Xue recited entertaining tales about the stupidity of some of his previous masters or their relatives that he had witnessed, having Ming Quan laughing while clutching his sides. Realizing that though Yin Xue knew almost everything about him, Ming Quan himself knew very little about his beloved, Ming Quan decided to ask several small questions to shed more light onto Yin Xue’s personality.

Over the course of the questioning, he learned that Yin Xue loved sleeping in the afternoons when the day was the warmest, but seldom let himself do so due to his duties. Like most beasts, he disliked putting on so many cumbersome layers of clothing, but he still never failed to attire himself perfectly while under the Ming household’s service. If not for his strict professionalism, the Yin Xue that Ming Quan knew might have been very different.

By now, Yin Xue had sidled up to sit right beside Ming Quan, his arm draping itself over the young man’s shoulder without conscious thought. Ming Quan also didn’t bring it to his notice, silently bearing the pain with a smile as the touch ignited his curse marks. This unconscious touch meant much more to Ming Quan that the pain.

Feeling intrigued about the little glimpses of Yin Xue’s true self under all that ice, Ming Quan continued on the topic of clothes. “Why do you always wear white robes? Wouldn’t it be easier to wear something that wouldn’t show stains easily?”

Yin Xue shrugged and replied blithely, “I simply like the contrast of my enemies’ blood when it splatters onto pure white cloth.”

Ming Quan felt goosebumps at that answer, but only smiled wryly. Since Yin Xue was a spiritual beast with a predator’s instincts, it was only natural for him to be a bit bloodthirsty. After a short pause, he asked, “Pardon me if I’m being insensitive by asking this, but why did you leave your clan and venture outside? And rather than coming to our household when you were pursued, why didn’t you ask for your clan’s help? Did something happen?”

“I do not mind you asking,” Yin Xue reassured unperturbedly. “The reason I left the clan was because I was exiled. Since it was under unfair circumstances, I thought it good riddance to my unfaithful clansmen and cut all ties between us. Despite it eventually leading me to lose my freedom, I do not regret that decision.”

Ming Quan frowned. “What happened?”

Yin Xue sighed and took a moment to recall those times long gone, then summarized the events succinctly: “Like many other spiritual beast clans, the Silver Serpent Clan reveres strength and often decides things by fighting. Due to a small disagreement, I was challenged by the clan leader to a duel. I won. A clan leader is supposed to be the most powerful beast of their kind, and according to the rules, anyone who is able to defeat them is entitled to their position.

“But even though I made it clear that I didn’t want to exercise that right, the clan leader exiled me so that his authority wouldn’t be questioned. And since the clan leader was known to be an unreasonable person who held grudges, no one came forward to defend me or speak on my behalf. After all, I was only an orphan who lost my parents in a conflict with another clan while the clan leader was someone with a powerful family backing him. Sensing the clan’s attitude, I decided to leave without looking back.

“When I was later chased by people who wanted to force a bonding with me, this was the reason why I didn’t try to seek refuge with the clan. Even if I had, I feel that I’d most likely have been offered up to my pursuers. After all, the clan members probably wouldn't want the bother of shielding me after knowing that I was not favored by the clan leader.”

Hearing all this, Ming Quan frowned with both anger at the clan and sorrow for what his beloved had to go through. Though Yin Xue didn’t seem to care much about everything that had happened, Ming Quan still hugged him gently. Ignoring his own pain, he patted Yin Xue’s back and reassured, “Such people do not deserve you. Now that you are with me, I will give you a home where you will feel welcome.”

Yin Xue was at first surprised. After all, he had never received such overt gestures of affection for millennia. Even though he and his young master decided to become lovers, he hadn’t yet thought of what all that would entail other than mating. But now, faced with Ming Quan’s sincere words and care, Yin Xue decided that he liked this. Smiling softly, he embraced the young man back while taking care not to press onto his curse marks too much. “Thank you.”

After Ming Quan and Yin Xue pulled apart again, the conversation shifted onto lighter topics.

In this way, the pair slowly deepened their understanding of each other and their budding relationship. They grew significantly more relaxed around each other, able to chat more casually now. It was only when Ming Quan grew too tired and was unable to keep awake that they parted deep in the night.

When dawn broke the next morning, Ming Quan woke up to realize that the persistent pain in his body had vanished for now. The black curse marks that covered his whole body had faded to a pinkish-peach. He knew that if nothing was done, the curse would return stronger than ever in the evening and begin eating away his flesh and bones slowly, excruciatingly, until he was nothing but a puddle of blackened liquid.

But thankfully, because of Yin Xue, that wouldn’t happen.

The relief Ming Quan felt, both due to the current lack of pain and the knowledge that he wouldn’t have to die such a bad death, was overwhelming. After all these years of pining away for the man he loved, he had finally learned that his beloved was willing to love him back as well. The seventh day of the curse was one he had thought he would dread the most, but what filled his heart now was an unexpected happiness and limitless hope.

Ming Quan tuned to look at the vase of chrysanthemums by his bedside that grew by another flower each day and smiled. Lifting a hand, he gently poked the middle of a certain pink chrysanthemum.

“That is what is going to happen to Young Master’s own little chrysanthemum soon,” breathed Yin Xue’s voice right by Ming Quan’s ear.

Ming Quan startled and turned to look at his soon-to-be lover. Yin Xue’s countenance was as pure as snow as ever, yet his face held a tint of warmth and animation he’d never seen before. Yin Xue’s pale lips were tilted up with wicked amusement while anticipation darkened those eyes that swirled with cold colors. One of his arms looped around Ming Quan’s waist, pulling his body close against him, his actions surprisingly expressive. It was as if by connecting himself to Ming Quan, Yin Xue had bridged the distance he usually maintained between himself and the world as well.

This much intimacy with Yin Xue was not something Ming Quan had had a chance to get used to yet, but he didn’t push him away. Leaning into Yin Xue’s cool body, Ming Quan softly said, “I know that for my first time, it is more realistic for me to be bedded by you. But in the future, after I’ve gained enough experience, would you allow me to embrace you in return as well?”

Yin Xue raised an eyebrow and easily replied, “If Young Master gains enough confidence to take the lead in our mating, you only have to ask and I’ll gladly entrust my body to your care.”

Ming Quan felt a blush crawl up his neck. Turning to bury his face into Yin Xue’s shoulder, Ming Quan nodded. “Thank you.”

Yin Xue’s eyes grew half-lidded, his gaze deepening. He slid a hand down Ming Quan’s spine before resting it on a hip and squeezing it suggestively. “Now that it’s the seventh day and the curse has temporarily subsided, isn’t it time we begin and let Young Master gain some experience?”

Yin Xue was just about to lower his head and begin nipping playfully at Ming Quan’s skin when he felt a palm land on his face and firmly push it away. Yin Xue blinked confusedly as Ming Quan pressed his lips together and stated, “Not yet. I…” Coughing and looking away awkwardly, he continued, “I need to prepare myself first.”

Raising an eyebrow, Yin Xue said, “If it’s stretching out Young Master’s passage, then I assumed I would be doing it as foreplay.”

Ming Quan’s cheeks burned. He swallowed down his embarrassment and pressed on, “Th-That’s not… I was indeed planning on leaving that to you. But there are things I must do before we can get to that part.”

Yin Xue tilted his head and inquired, “Such as?”

Ming Quan lowered his head in abject mortification, but nevertheless chose to answer, “L-Like…clearing out my passage to prevent things from getting messy, for example.”

An expression of understanding bloomed over Yin Xue’s face. “Ah, I suppose since humans need to eat regularly, that would indeed be an issue.” His hand creeping to cup Ming Quan’s bottom, Yin Xue considerately offered, “Then how about I take care of that task for Young Master?”

As he felt Yin Xue’s fingers beginning to undo his robe, Ming Quan flushed with shame and pushed him away with more force that was fueled by embarrassment. “Y-Yin Xue, get out! I’ll do it myself!”

And so, after being chased out, Yin Xue could only shake his head with befuddlement at his overly self-conscious young master’s stubbornness.

∘━❁━∘

An hour later, Ming Quan deemed himself ready and Yin Xue was finally called back to the bedroom.

Ming Quan sat in the middle of the bed with his back straight and expression solemn. His hair was undone, hanging down his back like a silken banner. He wore nothing but a single long robe that shone slightly in the light of morning spilling through the windows.

Ming Quan turned to Yin Xue, his gaze taking in his silvery white figure before landing on his hand. “What do you have there?”

Yin Xue placed the box and the two palm-sized bottles he’d brought with him on the nightstand. He straightforwardly explained to the curious Ming Quan, “This smaller, ornate bottle contains oil that we will use in your preparation. The box holds a salve that will be applied to your entrance and within to lessen whatever bruising it may sustain during our coupling and heal it. And this larger, plainer bottle contains a drink I brewed for you to take to restore some energy postcoitus.”

Ming Quan’s fingers curled into themselves as he was once again faced with the knowledge of what they were going to do today. His heart thumped erratically.

Sensing his strangeness, Yin Xue asked, “Is Young Master afraid since you’ll have to lay under me?”

Calming his pulse, Ming Quan arched a brow and met his beloved’s intent gaze. “Yin Xue, I am delighted to finally receive your affections and share my body with you no matter our positions. It is just that I have never lain with anyone before and…I am unsure of how much pain I will have to bear in the beginning.”

His eyes gleaming quietly, Yin Xue smiled his warm smile that Ming Quan was yet to get used to. “If Young Master finds it unbearable, you only need to say so and I will do everything I can to be gentler.”

Ming Quan flushed, but didn’t look away from his soon-to-be lover’s gaze. Sharing such an intimate look with him was not something Ming Quan could have dreamed of even a day ago. Now that he had the good fortune to have this man, he wasn’t going to avert his eyes and risk missing a single moment of it.

Yin Xue’s lips curled. Whatever he saw in Ming Quan’s unwavering gaze seemed to have pleased him greatly. His voice was as soft as the brush of a snowflake on a cheek as he asked, “Now that all of that is done, shall we begin?”

I think what'll happen in the next chapter is obvious (●╹ω╹●) The next chapter will also be double the length than usual. Look forward to it~

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