“Now that all of that is done, shall we begin?” Yin Xue softly queried.

Ming Quan stiffened, then relaxed. “Yes,” he said with a nod. “How do we start?”

Yin Xue’s hooded gaze glittered while his smile turned heated. “Let us start by divesting Young Master of his clothes then.”

However, Ming Quan’s hands that had risen to undo his belt in response were pushed down while Yin Xue took up the task. The color in Ming Quan’s cheeks darkened as he felt the robe sliding down his shoulders and cooperatively let it be pulled away. Extending his arms after that, the young man started on Yin Xue’s robes in return. Yin Xue smilingly let his young master disrobe him completely and let him take in his fill of his bared body.

Ming Quan’s gaze was unabashed as he greedily appreciated the sight of pale skin stretched over a slender frame corded with firm muscles. Yin Xue’s smooth skin held the luster of the pearly moon while his hair gleamed like liquid starlight pouring down over his shoulders. Ming Quan’s gaze roved hungrily over his beloved’s long limbs, the graceful curve of his waist, the elegant length of his neck, the two small and pink dots on his chest, the ridges of his abdominal muscles, the smooth lines of his body leading down to the dense silvery curls between his legs and the long organ extending from there, lying in repose.

Ming Quan gulped. While the thought of being taken by a member such as Yin Xue’s was titillating in theory, the imminent reality of having to let such a large intruder into his inexperienced body filled Ming Quan’s mind with the realization that the bigger it was, the more it would hurt.

Seeing the tightness in his young lover’s face, Yin Xue could guess his thoughts. Amusement glinted in his eyes as he said, “Young Master should be glad that my species of serpent beasts is not the kind that grows two of these or you might have to be really inconvenienced.”

Ming Quan pressed his lips together and silently looked away. He suddenly felt that this wasn’t the worst by a long shot and wordlessly accepted reality.

Yin Xue let out a low chuckle and pressed a hand to Ming Quan’s shoulder, urging him down onto the bed. Ming Quan didn’t resist and let himself be pushed back to lie on the sheets. His heart thumped violently as he saw a naked Yin Xue climb up onto the bed as well.

Yin Xue folded in and pulled apart Ming Qian’s legs before settling in between. His gaze was curious and heated from within as he intently drank in the sight of his young master lying before him. Even the remnants of the curse marks couldn’t take away the allure the young man had suddenly developed for him. Yin Xue felt it was only too bad that he couldn’t learn the shape of this body with his lips and tongue, but the time for that would come soon enough.

As Yin Xue’s rapt gaze slid over Ming Quan and moved down to a certain part between his thighs, Yin Xue’s brows flew up in surprise. With a thumb, he traced the dormant pinkish curse mark curving over his young master’s entrance and observed, “There’s one even here. It must have been quite painful for Young Master to use the outhouse every day.”

Ming Quan wanted to bury his face in his hands with embarrassment, but remained outwardly stoic. “Does it matter now? After this, it will soon be fine anyway.”

Yin Xue’s wry gaze lifted to lock on Ming Quan’s. “Yes, so I suppose we must make haste so that Young Master can be freed quickly.”

Shifting, Yin Xue settled himself over Ming Quan, his face hovering over the young man’s while he supported himself on his elbows. Shining hair fell around them with a soft shush, enclosing them inside a curtain of quiet intimacy. A light breeze drifted in from the window, bringing with it the scent of fresh chrysanthemums. The wind made the silvery locks of Yin Xue’s hair sway gently like fine strands of weightless watered silk, causing Ming Quan to stare enraptured at the beautiful face it framed. Hesitantly, he lifted up a hand to caress that fair cheek that looked as soft as powdery snow and felt just as cool under his fingertips.

Yin Xue’s gaze warmed, his smile growing small and affectionate. Without looking away from his young master’s expression of silent wonder, he reached for the small bottle on the nightstand and unstoppered it before pouring some of its contents into his hand. Closing the bottle again, he rubbed his fingers together to spread the oil evenly and warm the liquid. He retracted the sharp claws extending from the fingers of that hand, oiling up the fingertips as well.

Lowering his head, Yin Xue pressed a gentle kiss to Ming Quan’s forehead. Ming Quan exhaled a deep breath and let his eyelids fall closed. Yin Xue lips were soft and careful as they trailed down over his nose bridge before veering towards his cheek. Yin Xue’s lips ended their journey by his ear and Ming Quan felt the playful and by-now-familiar nip of sharp teeth on his earlobe. A smooth and deep voice murmured, filling his ear with warm breath, “Ah-Quan, I’m going to begin preparing you. Try to keep your body relaxed.”

Ming Quan’s heart gave a hard thump at that intimate address, the edges of his ears heating. He nodded somewhat unsteadily. “I-I’ll try.”

“Good,” came the husky reply. Ming Quan felt cool knuckles trailing down his body before slickened fingertips settled between his buttocks. He had to force himself to stay loose-limbed rather than stiffening in reaction to the strange sensation.

Yin Xue’s fingertip rested on his entrance, rubbing and spreading wetness over it. The finger then began to slowly push its way into him, the gentle invasion feeling strange. Ming Quan could sense the firm strength in that slender digit as it steadily gained ground inside his passage. The long finger slid as deep as it could into the tight channel before wriggling side-to-side in an attempt to loosen it. Ming Quan bit his lip, his eyes growing unfocused as all his attention grew centered on the small motions of that single digit within him.

After a few moments, Yin Xue moved the finger in and out, his movements languid and at ease. His gaze stayed unwavering on Ming Quan’s face, reading every small change in his expression intently. He added another finger into Ming Quan and spread them both to stretch open his beloved’s inner walls further. Yin Xue saw Ming Quan’s breathing hitch in reaction, a faint pink spreading over the young man’s cheeks.

In a soft whisper, Yin Xue asked, “Has Ah-Quan begun enjoying it?”

Ming Quan let out a shuddering breath, his eyes growing more dazed as soft waves of pleasure gently lapped at him from beneath his heated skin. His expression was all the answer Yin Xue needed. His low chuckle was like a feather tickling Ming Quan’s heart, bringing his focus back to his lover.

Even as the pair of fingers pulled out and squeezed back into his tight passage, Ming Quan’s began to think of all the ways he could reciprocate. He licked his lips, his eyes glinting as he raised his arms to wrap around Yin Xue’s shoulders. Yin Xue didn’t think anything of it. He was supporting himself on an elbow while his other hand was busily moving inside Ming Quan and widening his passage, both his arms thus occupied. Considering how he couldn’t use his mouth currently as well, Ming Quan took advantage of it and decided to tease his lover. Pulling Yin Xue down, Ming Quan took the initiative to run his lips over his jaw, his pulse thundering with nervous tension and arousal. The skin sliding under his lips was as cool and soft as satin soaked in moonlight.

Not expecting the younger man to participate of his own volition despite his inexperience, Yin Xue froze in surprise. Feeling the fingers moving within him still, Ming Quan smiled while dragging his lips downward over his beloved’s throat. Yin Xue swallowed, his Adam’s apple brushing Ming Quan’s warm lips as it bobbed up and down.

“Aren’t you going to continue preparing me?” Ming Quan prodded, his murmur deep and playful.

Yin Xue’s gaze darkened as he started his ministrations again, his fingers pulling apart Ming Quan’s inner walls and twisting. Ming Quan let slip a soft gasp that turned into a throaty chuckle. In retaliation, he lightly nipped the smooth skin before him, then sucked on it strongly. A small red mark bloomed on Yin Xue’s throat like a single vivid flower in a field of unmarred ice.

A sibilant hiss escaped Yin Xue’s lips, the colors in his eyes swirling furiously with pleasure. “Ah-Quan seems more passionate that I expected despite this being your first time.”

Ming Quan’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “I’ve fantasized about this situation too many times to lay still and inactive now. Since I have the man I love lying naked in my arms willingly, I will of course try to savor him as much as possible.”

Yin Xue gave him a sharp and amused smile. “Then by all means, please do continue taking advantage of me.”

Thus given leave, Ming Quan grinned before pulling his lover back down to suckle on his throat. His hands wandered down, curiously exploring the lines of Yin Xue’s shoulders, the elegant arch of his collarbones, the flat and firm plane of his chest, then settled eagerly on the two small points situated there.

Yin Xue’s fingers faltered in their movements as he felt the young man’s fingertips poke and prod the sensitive little nubbins, then rub and fondle them until they grew to stiff points. Ming Quan played with the two buds with interest before gently pinching and pulling them. Yin Xue’s chest vibrated with a cross between a suppressed growl and a deep groan.

Letting go of Yin Xue’s throat, Ming Quan chuckled, his ministrations growing more confident and spirited. Yin Xue gritted his teeth under this sensual assault that so vigorously fed the hunger burning through him. Struggling to bring himself under control, he continued moving his fingers with the same steady and careful motions to ready Ming Quan’s passage. All the while, the little points on Yin Xue’s chest were squeezed, rolled, and twisted with increasing fervor.

Feeling that he could finally add another digit into his beloved, Yin Xue smiled with sly pleasure while thrusting in three fingers into Ming Quan’s tight entrance. The sudden feeling of his channel being expanded and stretched so much elicited a low moan out of Ming Quan. And even more unbearable was the way those three digits pressed and rubbed into his delicate inner walls, massaging firm circles into them while wandering as if looking for something.

His hands dropping from Yin Xue’s chest, Ming Quan began to pant and shift restlessly as he felt his body flushing with warmth. The air seemed to burn with a dry heat as it scraped through his throat.

After a few moments of thorough searching, the fingers moving within the young man seemed to have found what they sought, and a sudden spike of pleasure cleaved up into Ming Quan from a certain point within his passage. Ming Quan’s head arched back into the pillow with a startled shout while his body turned as taut as a bowstring. The increased burn of arousal was a heated throb in his veins, flowing hot and heavy.

Yin Xue smiled smugly to himself, but didn’t use his newfound knowledge anymore, content to continue preparing the young man. As Ming Quan tried to regain his bearings, he heard Yin Xue’s soft whisper saying mischievously, “Isn’t Ah-Quan going to continue pleasuring me? If you’re already tired of touching my chest, then why not try something much bigger that’s awaiting you below?”

Ming Quan looked up at Yin Xue’s anticipatory expression and chuckled breathily, still feeling somewhat dazed. Reaching out, he let a hand creep down his beloved’s skin, over shifting hills and rippling valleys of muscle, before reaching a silky swatch of curls and going further below.

Yin Xue let out a shudder as he felt Ming Quan’s hot palm and slightly rough fingers close over his fully risen member. As that hand moved up and down over his shaft while granting him pleasurable friction, Yin Xue’s fingers within Ming Quan unconsciously mimicked that tempo as well while pumping into his passage.

Ming Quan licked his lips, his desire-laden gaze fixed on the flush coloring Yin Xue’s cheeks, the slight gap between those parted lips, and the deep need glazing those eyes swirling with beautiful blues, purples, and grays. Warm affection and increasing lust filled Ming Quan, deepening his breaths.

Yin Xue’s fingers abruptly halted before pulling out. In a slightly hoarse voice, he called, “Enough.”

Ming Quan stopped as well and looked at him askance.

“The preparation is done. We can move on to the next stage,” Yin Xue explained, his voice somewhat rough. As if unable to help himself, he dipped his head to steal a quick kiss from Ming Quan’s lips before saying, “Ah-Quan, as much as I would prefer to face you during this, it might be more convenient if you are on your front.”

Without questioning, Ming Quan made to get up and turn. Yin Xue leaned back as Ming Quan flipped himself over to settle on his elbows and knees on the bed. His hair brushed his shoulders as it slipped down to hang from either side of his head, pooling under him. Looking back, he asked, “Is this alright?”

Yin Xue nodded, his gaze sliding over the smooth expanse of skin on his lover’s naked back and the view between those firm thighs. Swallowing thickly, Yin Xue settled himself over his beloved’s body again. He used a hand to brush away the remaining strands of hair on Ming Quan’s back, then pressed his lips between the young man’s prominent shoulder blades. One of his arms looped around Ming Quan to pull his hips flush against Yin Xue’s. “Are you ready?” he asked.

Bracing himself with his palms flat against the sheets, Ming Quan let out a shuddering breath and nodded. “Yes.”

He immediately felt the sensation of something blunt poking his entrance while a claw-tipped hand held his hip steady. The mix of anticipation and nervousness made Ming Quan’s stomach tighten and his heartbeat quicken.

Licking his lips, Yin Xue slowly bore forward, making the head of his member breach Ming Quan’s scrunched opening. Despite the careful preparation, it was as if Yin Xue was pushing into a tightly closed fist of flesh that had reluctantly loosened just a bit. As he unyieldingly pressed on, the inexperienced little entrance was forced to open further and swallow the thick member, stretching tautly around the invading length. Yin Xue felt soft and slickened insides wrap around him, clamping tightly as if trying to squeeze out this unfamiliar intruder. His eyelids lowered halfway at the blissful sensation of the firmness and heat enfolding his shaft as he continued to carefully thrust in.

Meanwhile, the cool hand resting on Ming Quan’s hips slid up to his waist before pressing and kneading his flesh, the sharp tips of the claws prickling him gently. As sensitized as Ming Quan had gotten by now, even that little sensation was enough to grant him tiny bursts of pleasure. The delicious friction as his body was pried open and entered only heightened his arousal.

However, an unfamiliar ache soon spread through his passage and around his belly, feeling a bit uncomfortable but not altogether unpleasant or unbearable. Despite it, the desire thrumming through him remained insistent as it demanded to be fed.

As he bore these unknown sensations one after another, Ming Quan’s muscles quivered, the cords in his neck standing out. His elbows dug into the bed while his hands fisted on the sheets. Sweat began dampening his flushed skin, painting it with a silvery sheen. As deep and heavy breaths dragged in and out of his lungs, Ming Quan’s gaze grew unseeing, all his attention focused into the member breaching his entrance and oh-so-slowly burrowing its way into his depths.

Ming Quan felt his belly grow fuller and heavier as more and more of his beloved entered him. The ache in his channel grew as well, until a thin spike of pain suddenly pierced his insides. Ming Quan sucked in a breath, stiffening.

Yin Xue immediately halted. As slow and considerate as he was trying to be, it still didn’t seem to be enough. In a concerned voice, he asked, “Ah-Quan? Are you alright? Do you want to stop?”

Ming Quan silently shook his head, his eyes squeezing closed under furrowed brows. “J-Just…give me a moment.”

Yin Xue leaned forward to place a small kiss on his beloved’s shoulder before reassuring, “Take as much time as you need.” Then reaching out, Yin Xue gently enfolded one of Ming Quan’s tightly closed fists with a cool hand.

Ming Quan’s body lost its tension, his eyes opening to reveal warmth replacing the pain. Opening his hand and turning it upward to entangle Yin Xue’s fingers with his, Ming Quan let his gaze swivel towards the man behind him. His eyes locking with Yin Xue’s, Ming Quan slowly brought his beloved’s hand towards his lips and kissed it. “Yin Xue, thank you,” he said, his voice low and husky.

Yin Xue stared at him dazed, unable to look away from those shining amber eyes that burned with heat like two golden suns. Taking in a shuddering breath and letting it out, he finally forced himself to nod. “Are you…alright now?”

Ming Quan’s lips pulled up in a smile. “Yes, so please continue.”

Yin Xue didn’t need to be told twice. His passion having inexplicably risen higher, Yin Xue’s slitted pupils elongated further and sharpened into needles, the colors in his eyes whirling to form a maelstrom. But even though the need burning in his belly was a voracious beast, Yin Xue had plenty of patience to spare and make sure that his young lover would be as less discomfited as possible. As he thus continued to pressing himself deeper into his beloved’s body with more caution, he let a hand roam over Ming Quan’s front.

Ming Quan groaned and gasped as those cool fingers tormented the little buds on his chest, dragged over his thirsting skin, and landed around his stiff member to begin moving up and down. By the time Yin Xue had managed to fully seat himself into his passage, Ming Quan was just about driven mad with need.

Yin Xue stilled for a few moments, panting and luxuriating in the sensation of being completely enveloped in the slick heat and gripping tightness of his beloved. In a voice thick with suppressed need, he spoke, “Ah-Quan… I need to carve my name into you now to mark you as my mate. It will feel unpleasant and painful. Can you remain still until I’m done?”

Ming Quan forced his floating thoughts into order and made sense of the words. He gave a jerky nod. “I’ll do my best to not move. Do what you have to.”

Yin Xue let out a breath in relief and nodded. “Yes, I’ll try to be quick.”

A sharp claw rested between Ming Quan’s shoulder blades, piercing him and moving swiftly as it sliced a single character into the smooth skin.

Ming Quan gasped, his eyes widening. Jagged pain cut into the flesh of his back and sunk into his bones, carving its mark into his psyche. Agony clawed at him, spreading an intense ache filled with a severe prickling sensation throughout his sensitized body. Under this torment, moment after moment seemed to stretch infinitely.

As the waves of pain grew difficult to handle, Ming Quan let out a strained shout and bowed down, his forehead pressing into the bed and his fists clenching hard enough to tremble in the sheets. But despite his own struggles, he managed to keep the line of his shoulders and spine straight so as to not disrupt Yin Xue. But with how tightly his inner walls were squeezing Yin Xue’s member, he had to exert great effort to concentrate anyway.

Yin Xue finished carving his name within seconds, much to both of their relief.

Before Ming Quan could relax, however, Yin Xue moved on to the next phase of the ritual. Spreading the fingers of a hand on the young man’s heaving chest to hold him in place, Yin Xue bent his head to enclose the newly etched character still dripping blood with his mouth, softly sucking the crimson liquid into himself. In return, he let his power diffuse out of him before concentrating it into a small point, then drove it straight into the newly carved mark.

Ming Quan jerked with surprise and shuddered. The place where Yin Xue’s mouth rested against his sliced skin was so blisteringly hot that it felt cold and so bitingly cold that it felt hot. Fire and ice spread out in waves from his upper back, suffusing him completely. The intense sensations elicited by it intertwined with the pleasure thundering through him, the contrast strangely amplifying it. Ming Quan clenched his jaws, his limbs quivering with strain as he struggled to bear it. His senses were so overwhelmed that it was all he could do to swallow down his deep groans of pain and breathless gasps of pleasure.

“It’s done,” Yin Xue said after leaning up, his voice slightly tired. “When we finish our coupling, the bond will be completed.”

Ming Quan nodded. In a strained tone, he gasped out, “That’s all well and good, but…I’d rather commence the coupling right now before I burst.”

Amusement twinkled in Yin Xue’s eyes. “Ah, we can’t have that, now can we? I suppose I should start then.”

Not giving his young lover a chance to prepare, Yin Xue held Ming Quan by the hips and pulled himself out completely. Ming Quan barely had a moment to brace himself before the long shaft drove back into him, sinking to the hilt all at once.

Ming Quan gritted his teeth and let slip a hiss. His belly felt stuffed with the hot organ as pleasure flowed through him. Without giving him reprieve, the thick member drew out and slammed in again and again in a swift rhythm. The slap of flesh hitting flesh mingled with quick pants, hoarse cries, and harsh growls. The slick noises of their bodies moving together sounded loud and lewd while lust thickened the air, heating the breaths in their chest. Ming Quan clutched at the sheets under him and moved his hips in keeping with the ruthless tempo his hungering body demanded. He twisted and squirmed, his damp, heated skin slipping and sliding against Yin Xue’s.

Holding the young man close while moving his hips in a frenzy, Yin Xue once again reached out to Ming Quan’s front to start stimulating his throbbing shaft. Ming Quan groaned thickly. The pleasure given by Yin Xue mixed with the intense sensations still spreading through his back.

Just when he didn’t think it could any more unbearable, Ming Quan felt the head of Yin Xue’s member unerringly hit a certain point inside him that sent blasts of pleasure rocking through his body. A hoarse scream slipped out through clenched teeth. Using the knowledge of his young lover’s pleasure point that he’d discovered before during preparation, Yin Xue ruthlessly continued to press and drag over that patch of sensitive tissue again and again, causing Ming Quan to writhe and shout until his voice gave out. The waves of pleasure mounted and crashed against each other, taking Ming Quan higher and higher until he tipped over the edge. A bright hot spark flared to life before exploding and engulfing him in torrents of ecstasy.

Ming Quan let out a low, helpless groan and shuddered. Yin Xue wrapped his arms around him to hold him tight even as his hips kept thrusting furiously. The continued bursts of friction extended Ming Quan’s climax, wringing a seemingly unending stream of release from his pulsing member. His channel tightened around and strongly squeezed Yin Xue’s shaft as he pumped into it, his movements swift and frantic. A few moments later, Yin Xue stiffened and gasped into the crook of Ming Quan’s shoulder, thick jets of liquid shooting out of him and into the young man. Ming Quan moaned softly and patted the arms wound around him soothingly. His passage grew full before fluid spilled out, trailing down his inner thighs.

Slowly, their orgasms eased, leaving them panting and clutching at each other. Pressed against one another, their chests vibrated with the beat of two hearts pounding as one. Gradually, their pulses settled. As serene silence suffused the room, the couple stayed wrapped around each other, basking in the peaceful warmth of the afterglow and floating together on clouds of bliss.

Ming Quan felt a low burn inside his veins, like the dry heat of fever trying to burn something out. Surmising that his body was now rendered capable of fighting the curse, he let relief take him and slumped onto the bed with a soft sigh.

Yin Xue pecked him on the head, got up from the bed, and fetched some towels to wipe them both down. Settling a cooperative and spent Ming Quan on one of the towels, Yin Xue carefully drew out the release still inside him before cleaning it up. Dressing, he then left the room to make preparations for a bath. Within fifteen minutes, a steaming tub of floral-scented water was drawn up. Once the couple had washed themselves, Yin Xue once more busied about to replace the stained sheets and swept away all the used items.

Ming Quan was then made to lie down on the bed so that ointment could be applied to his swollen and sore passage by Yin Xue’s gentle fingers. Drinking the restorative tonic Yin Xue had brewed, Ming Quan felt the various aches in his exhausted body slowly begin to dissipate.

In this way, the aftercare was finally completed and the pair moved on to talking about the newly made mark.

“I want to see what you carved into my back,” Ming Quan said curiously while trying to twist his head to catch a glimpse of at least a corner of the character.

Yin Xue arched an eyebrow. His expression was relaxed and a satisfied smile curved his lips. “Very well. I’ll set up a pair of mirrors for Young Master then.” Rather than the distance of a servant with his employer like before, what colored Yin Xue’s address of ‘Young Master’ presently was a light and affectionate teasing.

Ming Quan smiled back at him amusedly and nodded. Within minutes, two mirrors facing each other were arranged in the bedroom. Ming Quan stood between them with his upper body bare and hair swept over to the front. As he tried to see what was on his back, Yin Xue angled the mirrors to give his lover the best view.

The skin between Ming Quan’s shoulder blades was reddened and slightly puffy. A neat and precise 雪 was drawn right in the middle, standing for the xue, or snow, that served as Yin Xue’s given name. The lines were thin and colored a dark red. With faint surprise, Ming Quan noted, “It looks elegant and beautiful despite having to be written by a claw on skin rather than with brush on paper like you must be used to. Where did you pick up such skills?”

Yin Xue chuckled and motioned to his left forearm. “I practiced carving it out on my arm until I was satisfied before coming to share Ah-Quan’s bed. Since my mark will follow you throughout your life, I naturally had to act responsibly and make sure it would turn out well.”

Ming Quan’s eyes widened as he rushed up to Yin Xue, pushing up his sleeve and checking his forearm. The skin there was smooth and unblemished. Yin Xue gave him a helpless smile. “Stop worrying. Have you forgotten that I’m a spiritual beast who can recover from such trivial wounds in a matter of minutes?”

Shooting him a glare, Ming Quan decreed, “It doesn’t matter. Yin Xue, you will never do something so unnecessarily painful again! I’d rather spend my life with a crooked character etched into me than have you be hurt.”

The wide smile stretching Yin Xue’s lips turned his eyes into crescents. His voice was soft and indulgent, “Yes, yes, I will of course obey my young master.”

Ming Quan shook his head. Well, since they would stay together from now on, he’d have plenty of opportunities to make sure his lover wouldn’t be hurting himself again.

As he sighed and began dressing, Ming Quan felt the touch of fabric on the wound on his back and frowned. Turning to Yin Xue, Ming Quan questioned, “Was there a reason you chose that particular place to mark me?”

Yin Xue tilted his head and replied, “Well, yes. It had to be someplace I could reach while buried inside you.” Ignoring Ming Quan’s embarrassed flush, he went on, “And I was also trying to be considerate so that if your robes were to even come undone while in another’s presence for some unforeseen reason, then my mark would be hidden under your hair.”

Ming Quan’s eyes widened with surprise, then softened into a warm look. “Silly Yin Xue,” he said, the affection in his voice turning it into an endearment. “Why would I want to hide it as if it were shameful? If anything, I would flaunt the sign of the one I love choosing me in return.”

Yin Xue let out a happy chuckle. He came over to hug Ming Quan and murmured fondly, “My young master is so good to me.”

“Why wouldn’t I be good to the man I love who also happened to save me from a deadly and incurable curse?” Ming Quan murmured back. Gratitude and love filled his chest. He felt that it was his Yin Xue who was too good to him.

As he felt his lover’s heartbeat through his chest while being hugged, Ming Quan smiled. What he’d once thought was a heart of ice and frost had melted for him over the course of these past seven days. Now, as the person he loved embraced him with affection, Ming Quan hugged him back tightly, determined to never let go.

He looked forward to spending a long life together, just like this.