Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei sat in a small, bustling roadside teahouse, the only resting stop available for a large stretch of this road. While Ning Wei feasted on the establishment’s humble offerings, Yan Yixuan disinterestedly poked at the healthy snacks his physicians had vetted. Their lack of tastiness weighed terribly on him.

Looking at his beloved’s sullen expression, Ning Wei sighed with regret. If only he could sneak some normal food to his husband. But it was better not to risk Ruan Shu finding out.

Now that Yan Yixuan had begun proactively strengthening his body, his physical condition improved, causing Ruan Shu to be all the more stringent with his master’s health to keep up the progress. While Yan Yixuan was delighted at the more obvious signs of his health getting better, like needing less recovery time after bouts of lovemaking, he still resented the continuing insistence on him eating healthy food.

Unable to see his beloved little fox unhappy, Ning Wei casually took a handful of small fried dough balls. He pretended to reach out to hold Yan Yixuan’s hand under the table and slipped him a few. Yan Yixuan stiffened, but recovered quickly and secreted them away into his sleeves. Seeing the young man’s mood visibly improving after sneakily obtaining more than half a bowl’s worth of loot, Ning Wei smiled to himself.

Finally regaining his spirits, Yan Yixuan leaned his head onto his husband’s shoulder relaxedly. “How much longer do you think I’ll have to keep poking this bitter food?”

Ning Wei chuckled. “Not much longer, I think.”

Yan Yixuan nodded. “I’m a bit curious to meet him. Anyone who can make someone as composed as Master Jin’s son look that helpless intrigues me.”

Grinning, Ning Wei added, “And I want to know why that Qin Liangyun saw the need to apologize for this friend of his in advance.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon,” Yan Yixuan said. The couple exchanged a meaningful glance.

A few minutes later, their opportunity arrived right on schedule.

A large retinue approached the teahouse, seeming to be escorting a noble. Yan Yixuan glanced around him to check that everything was as it should be. The teahouse was packed full except for Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei’s table. Patrons chattered in a low voice around them. Waiters briskly navigated the tight warren of paths between the tables, carrying trays of steaming tea and snacks.

Seeing that the teahouse didn’t have much space, the newly-arrived retinue chose to stay by the doorway. An energetic young man clad in expensive clothing detached from the group and entered the teahouse, a vigilant guard by his side. It was obvious who the young master of this group was.

The young master paused to survey the inside of the teahouse, then unhesitatingly made for the only table with free seats. His frowning guard dutifully followed him.

Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei looked up with suppressed interest when the young man stopped beside them.

“Hello! I’m Yi Shuo,” the young man spoke cheerfully. “I’m returning from the northwest and heading back to the capital. What about you two, dear handsome strangers who seem respectable enough to not kidnap me for my good looks and murder me?”

Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei, “……”

Yan Yixuan cleared his throat and smiled at him. “Hello, Young Master Yi. We are heading towards the capital as well.”

Yi Shuo clapped once with delight. “How wonderful! And don’t worry, I completely don’t suspect you of lying to stalk after me for my beautiful body at all!”

Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei, “……”

Ning Wei clarified, “Don’t worry, we don’t have such thoughts about you and we don’t murder people for a hobby.”

Yi Shuo widened his eyes and looked shocked that he would even need to say such a thing. “Well, of course not! When did I ever say I was worried you would do that to me?” He squinted suspiciously at Ning Wei. “Mister, can it be that you’re just a teensy bit paranoid?”

Ning Wei, “……”

Aha, now Qin Liangyun’s apology made sense.

Yan Yixuan hid a smile. Studying Yi Shuo, he couldn’t deny that the other man was indeed good-looking, like a gorgeous sunflower in full bloom on a sunny day. Despite his ridiculousness, he was lively and radiant enough to charm a smile onto anyone’s face.

Glaring at the two strangers cautiously, Yi Shuo’s guard spoke to him, “Master, why do you have to eat at such a shabby little place? Since there’s no space here, let’s return and have something in our carriage. It’s sure to be more luxurious than this ragged little hut.”

Ning Wei’s brows rose. Who knew a guard could be so snobby.

Yi Shuo rolled his eyes. “I want to eat here. It’s nice and lively. I’m bored to death of seeing the same four walls of the carriage for weeks. Don’t be fussy, Chuan-zi.”

The guard’s lips twitched. “My name is Dong Chuan, Master. I’ve told you, if you call me so familiarly…”

Waving a hand to dismiss the guard’s concerns, Yi Shuo huffed. “Don’t be such a worrywart. By the way, I’m hungry, so stop getting between me and a full belly and start helping me get something to eat.”

Dong Chuan sighed. “As you wish.” He turned to Yan Yixuan, his demeanor changing to look threatening as he demanded, “You, vacate this table with your companion at once. My master wishes to dine.”

Yi Shuo, “……” Oi, wait, this was not what he had been implying!

Ning Wei’s lips twitched while Yan Yixuan grew amused. Sensing the guard’s hostility, Yan Yixuan dipped his fingers into his sleeve. His hand bumped against the snacks he’d hidden there. He kept a straight face as he longingly stroked the cooling fried dough once, then swept past it to where he kept his tools.

“I’m afraid we’ll have to refuse. We’re in the middle of our lunch, you see,” Yan Yixuan informed the guard pleasantly.

Dong Chuan narrowed his eyes and clamped a hand around the thin young man’s arm to drag him up. “Who gave you a choice―?”

Yan Yixuan’s other hand had swiftly come up to press a needle against the inside of the guard’s thick wrist, effectively halting his words. The young man smiled politely. “Despite you refusing to give us a choice, I’ll be generous and give you one: let me go or get poisoned.”

Dong Chuan glowered but begrudgingly withdrew his hand.

Quicker than anyone’s eye could catch, Yan Yixuan hid away his needle, his lips still holding a courteous smile.

Yi Shuo laughed, bright-eyed. “That was masterful! I like you, little stranger. Since we’re going the same way, why don’t you and your sword-toting companion join us and become my guards? I’m in dire need of some.”

“Master!” Dong Chuan’s head whipped to him. “You can’t just entrust your life to strangers!”

Yan Yixuan pretended to be ignorant and asked, “May I ask why you need more guards?”

Yi Shuo folded his arms and nodded with mock solemnity. “My exceedingly noble life is under threat currently. My faithful guard, whom you just threatened to prick with your needle of doom, managed to find that my other guard was a conspirator of the killer, so we had to let him go just today. But Chuan-zi alone can’t keep an eye on me all the time. He needs to eat, sleep, and occasionally water the bushes or get intimate with a chamber pot too.”

Seeing the young man explaining it all to the strangers as if really intending to recruit them, Dong Chuan fumed harder. “Master!”

Yi Shuo wrinkled his nose. “Oh, don’t pretend you’re some divine fairy who doesn’t need to use the outhouse every now and then like the rest of us mortals.”

Dong Chuan sputtered, “Th-That’s not what―!”

“And when I said to help me get food, I meant you to go and order me what I usually have for lunch, not be rude to these nice gentlemen,” Yi Shuo informed with a frown. “You’re too feisty, Chuan-zi.”

The guard had on a difficult expression. “B-But…”

“Still not going to get me my snack?” Yi Shuo interrupted.

With a grouchy expression that said he was having to swallow down a lot of thorny words and that they didn’t go down pleasantly, Dong Chuan gave a brusque nod and began heading towards the teahouse’s kitchen.

Yi Shuo turned to Yan Yixuan to continue nonchalantly, “Anyway, as I was saying, having you along to protect my magnificently beautiful body would set my equally as magnificently beautiful mind at ease.”

Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei felt their mouths twitch. This man had such a…peculiar way of putting things. Ning Wei was almost starting to pity his guard a little.

“But what if I’m an agent of the killer too, just like your former guard?” Yan Yixuan asked with an arched eyebrow.

Yi Shuo narrowed his eyes. “Then you would be quite resourceful to have arranged our current meeting.”

Yan Yixuan’s fingers twitched within his sleeve. Yes, he was resourceful indeed.

He gave the young master an easy smile. “Maybe I am. Maybe all of this is just a ruse to draw your attention and get closer to you.”

With interest suddenly glittering in his eyes, Yi Shuo looked him up and down in a slow perusal. “Oh?”

Yan Yixuan suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “I meant as a companion in your travel.”

Yi Shuo rubbed his chin contemplatively and smiled. “It does a good enough job at both, I assure you.”

Ning Wei shot him a look.

Yi Shuo blithely went on, “Besides, if you were related to the killer in any way, would you be cautioning me this much?”

Yan Yixuan countered, “Maybe it’s a bluff.”

But Yi Shuo sighed happily. “And by saying that you make me let down my guard more.”

Yan Yixuan suppressed a smile, continuing with his ploy to divert suspicion from him. “A double bluff, then.”

Yi Shuo leaned over the table to grin at the young man. “Oh, you are just wonderful. Marry me?”

Yan Yixuan blinked. What the heck?!

And then he saw the mischief and humor glimmering in Yi Shuo’s eyes and understood he was being teased.

Yan Yixuan leveled him with an unamused look. “Please do stop joking or my husband will be very displeased.”

Ning Wei folded his arms, causing his muscles to bunch, and gave an emphatic nod. “Yes, I really will be. And you do not want me to be displeased.”

Yan Yixuan patted his beloved’s arm and nodded seriously. “Yes, because then he will cry. He looks very heart-wrenching when he cries, and you will feel very bad when you see him like that.”

Yi Shuo did a double-take and peered at the well-built Ning Wei strangely.

Ning Wei cast a wry glance at his sneaky little fox. “I wonder who was the one who cried yesterday when―”

“It was reflexive tears! I told you I have a strong gag reflex…” Yan Yixuan reddened and trailed away before he revealed any more intimate information. He turned to Yi Shuo stoically. “Ahem, anyway, don’t bully my husband and make him sad.”

But Yi Shuo was too busy laughing with his shoulders shaking. “Oh, you two are absolutely delightful! I must have you with me on this trip!”

Yan Yixuan tilted his head as if considering and nodded. “Then we’ll take you up on that offer, Young Master Yi. It’s safer to travel with a group than alone anyway. Thank you.”

Wiping his tears of mirth, Yi Shuo waved it away. “No, no, it’s my genuine pleasure. And it slipped my wonderful mind to ask you this, but what are your names?”

Yan Yixuan smiled. “I’m Su Xuan.”

Ning Wei suppressed the urge to look at his beloved in surprise. It seemed he would be using the name he had before entering the Yan household? But since Ning Wei did tend to call him Ah-Xuan, that name would work well. Then, since Yan Yixuan called him Ah-Wei, he supposed he should keep his given name too. As for his surname…

Ning Wei smirked and said, “You can call me Yan Wei.”

Yan Yixuan’s eyebrow twitched and he pressed his lips together. He couldn’t help but feel secretly pleased that his husband had used his surname. Glancing approvingly at Ning Wei, Yan Yixuan decided to forgive him for his teasing before.

The guard came back with Yi Shuo’s food at this moment. Waiters busied themselves with arranging what looked like the most lavish food this teahouse could produce on the table before retreating. As he watched over it all, Dong Chuan’s face continued to bear thunderclouds. But when Yi Shuo offered him the seat beside him and invited him to share his food, Dong Chuan’s expression considerably lightened.

After the group finished lunch, Yi Shuo cheerfully led them towards his household’s line of carriages. Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei carried the luggage they’d stowed under the table and followed him. Realizing that Yi Shuo was still intent on having these strangers accompany him, Dong Chuan’s complexion darkened again and he trailed behind them silently like a raincloud of disapproval and gloom.

As Yan Yixuan passed the threshold of the teahouse, he stealthily signaled with his hand for the people inside the building to keep playing their roles a while more. The teamaker in the corner, Ruan Shu, clinked a cup twice in affirmation. Satisfied, Yan Yixuan left.

Since Qin Liangyun had requested that Yan Yixuan protect Yi Shuo without revealing his identity or Qin Liangyun’s involvement, Yan Yixuan had thought of ‘coincidentally’ making contact with Yi Shuo in this teahouse that he would have to pass on his way. Yan Yixuan had emptied the teahouse beforehand and filled it with his people, not only securing the location but also making sure that when Yi Shuo arrived, the only seat available would be beside Yan Yixuan.

Reaching his retinue, Yi Shuo clapped twice to get their attention. “Lads and ladies, make sure to prepare for two more people joining us on our adventure towards the majestic land of hide-and-seek loving dragons and squatting tigers!”

Yan Yixuan, Ning Wei, “……” Wasn’t the idiom ‘hidden dragons and crouching tigers’?!

Used to their young master’s way of speaking, the others didn’t bat an eye. They simply cast curious glances at the new additions and went off to check if they had enough rations and other amenities to cover them too.

As Yan Yixuan casually surveyed the retinue of servants, one of the maidservants caught his eye. The young man blinked in surprise.

“Is something wrong?” Ning Wei questioned in a whisper.

Yan Yixuan turned away from the woman and smiled. “It’s nothing.”

Ning Wei glanced to where his husband had been looking and was startled as well. Why was someone like this person here of all places?! What was her relation to this matter?! But realizing that Yan Yixuan was avoiding bringing notice to her, Ning Wei decided to do the same for now.

Yi Shuo headed towards them with a skip in his step and asked, “My dear honored guests, would you mind riding in my carriage? We don’t have other seats available on such short notice, and it does get pretty boring with just me and Chuan-zi staring at each other’s faces all day.”

Yan Yixuan, Ning Wei, and the guard were all astonished.

Dong Chuan promptly burst out, “Master, no! Allowing them to come with us is one thing, but letting them that close to you is too dangerous! Especially now!”

Yi Shuo breezily waved his objections away. “It’ll be fine. If they wanted to kill me, that lovely young man surnamed Su could have just pricked me under the table while we were eating with his needle of doom clutched between his toes or something.”

Yan Yixuan’s eyebrows rose while Ning Wei chuckled, amused. Just imagining his straight-faced little fox regally eating lunch while his bare toes stealthily reached towards Yi Shuo under the table, frantically poking a needle in his direction… Ning Wei struggled to not burst out laughing.

“And anyway,” Yi Shuo went on, “it’s not like I’ll be alone. Or are you telling me you won’t do your job as my guard if something happened?”

Dong Chuan couldn’t refute him and settled for glaring at Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei instead. He thought of Yan Yixuan almost poking his wrist with a needle and something sharp flashed in his eyes. He turned to Ning Wei. “Your companion proved that he can at least handle himself, even though it was only through petty trickery. But what qualifications do you have to stand guard over my master?”

Ning Wei gave him an easy smile. “More than you, I wager.”

Dong Chuan growled. “Then let me test your boasts! Go one round with me and we’ll see your skills!”

Ning Wei tried to not look as gleeful as he felt and agreed. “Sure.” After having to bear this man’s rudeness and seeing him try to lay his hands on his husband, the general couldn’t wait to vent.

Yi Shuo looked at them with a helpless expression. But seeing that Yan Yixuan was smiling placidly with no intention of holding his husband back, and the two hotblooded men looking just as disinclined to stop, Yi Shuo didn’t know if his interference would be welcome.

Soon, a ring of curious onlookers, comprised mostly of Yi Shuo’s people, formed around the two combatants as they stood facing each other.

Ning Wei rubbed the pommel of his sword but didn’t draw it.

Dong Chuan sneered at what he perceived as the other man’s posturing. He slid out a knife from the sheath tied to his belt and gestured with it. “Pull out your blade.”

Ning Wei grinned. “No need. Just come at me.”

Dong Chuan clenched his jaws and charged at him with an enraged shout.

Ning Wei side-stepped the first swing of the knife and caught the hand when it decelerated near the end of the slash, gripping right over where Dong Chuan’s fingers wrapped around the knife’s hilt to immobilize the blade. Pulling Dong Chuan forward using his grip and the other man’s own momentum, Ning Wei spun on a foot and hammered a kick to the back of his leg. Dong Chuan’s leg folded and he crumpled to one knee.

With an uncomprehending look, Dong Chuan panted on the ground. It was deathly silent.

Then Ning Wei poked him with the tip of a boot and tutted in disappointment. “That’s all you have?”

Fury flared to life in Dong Chuan’s eyes. He roared and jumped up while swinging his knife. Reacting immediately, Ning Wei crouched to let it pass overhead, then leapt forward and sank a fist into the guard’s stomach. Dong Chuan staggered back, face pale.

Taking this chance, Ning Wei reached for the hand holding the blade and twisted the wrist. Dong Chuan groaned at the pain and tried to pull back but couldn’t help his fingers going lax. His knife tumbled down and Ning Wei caught it, then danced back in time to evade a punch.

Clutching his stomach, Dong Chuan glared at him, the other hand curled to a tight and trembling fist.

Ning Wei grinned and threw the knife at his shoulder.

Dong Chuan instinctively jerked to the side in alarm, and Ning Wei swiftly used the momentary discomposure to jump forward and tackle him. The next thing Dong Chuan knew, he was flat on the ground with Ning Wei sitting on him, Ning Wei’s feet pinning down his arms.

Casually reaching to the side to retrieve the thrown knife, Ning Wei held it against Dong Chuan’s throat. “You should stop before you make this worse for yourself. Now, have I earned my qualification to be a guard yet, or are you going to embarrass yourself more? Either choice will make me happy.”

Suppressed snickers rang out from the audience.

“Get off me!” Dong Chuan gritted out, red-faced.

Ning Wei shrugged and obliged. Dong Chuan rose and stomped away without another word, eyes burning angrily.

With the entertainment over, the onlookers began to disperse. Some of Yi Shuo’s servants cast snide glances or mocking smiles at Dong Chuan’s retreating back.

Yi Shuo walked up to Ning Wei and bowed. “I’m sorry that my servant has shown you disrespect and caused such trouble.”

Ning Wei frowned, side-stepped the bow, and bowed back. “I’m the one who should apologize. I might have taken it a bit too far, considering he didn’t seem that well-trained or experienced.”

They both straightened and Yi Shuo gave him a strained smiled. “Not to worry. He quite literally asked you for it. And Chuan-zi… from what I understand, he is prone to ostracization, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it caused him to miss out when he underwent training.”

“He indeed doesn’t seem to be popular with the others in your group,” Yan Yixuan observed as he joined them.

Yi Shuo sighed. “He’s one of the guards my uncle sent with me for added protection this time. But with that personality… Well, I’m not surprised Chuan-zi is the only one who is being continuously excluded from the rest of the guards who came with him even now. So I tried to be friendlier with him and chose him as the guard who would be riding with me in the carriage, hoping it’ll raise his status in the others’ eyes and that they’ll treat him better.

“But recently…well, there have been rumors that he…likes me.” Yi Shuo looked down with a distressed expression and fiddled with his sleeve. “The servants seem to think that I shouldn’t be left alone with him and have started treating him worse. The others’ exclusion, the insecurity caused by them advising me to push him away, and the anxiety of me being targeted by some crazed killer have made him stick closer to me nowadays.” He bit his lip and peered up at them. “I know he’s worried about me and is only thinking about my safety, so please don’t hold this against him.”

Seeing Yi Shuo like this, Yan Yixuan suddenly realized something. This young master might act frivolous and outgoing most of the time, but he was also very sincere and somewhat awkward when it came to matters he truly cared about.

Yan Yixuan smiled reassuringly. “We have no intention of holding this against your guard. We won’t make things difficult as long as he doesn’t cross any lines.”

Ning Wei nodded in agreement.

Yi Shuo’s tense shoulders relaxed and he let out a breath in relief. He gave them a grateful smile. “I can’t force him to not be his usual grouchy self, but I’ll make sure he won’t go this far again.”

Yan Yixuan’s expression turned contemplative at Yi Shuo’s concern for his guard. Recalling his guess about Qin Liangyun’s interest in Yi Shuo as more than just a friend, Yan Yixuan probed, “Young Master Yi seems very close with your guard. Is he always with you? And I don’t just mean when he accompanies you in your carriage.”

But Ning Wei was not as subtle. “Are you and your guard lovers or something?”

Yi Shuo blinked, surprised. “What? No! We don’t room together and I don’t see him that way. I don’t let him into my room even if it’s only in his capacity as a guard. I wouldn’t lead him on like that and I don’t want to give others the wrong impression.” Having regained his usual cheer, he grinned and added, “Plus, I wouldn’t want to impede other fine men and women from trying to divest me of my non-existent virginity. So I have Chuan-zi stay at the room adjacent to mine whenever we lodge at an inn.”

Seeing him bounce back so quickly, Yan Yixuan felt almost fond.

Just then, a servant came to inform Yi Shuo that they were ready to depart. Yi Shuo led Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei towards his carriage, chatting animatedly all the while. But his gaze kept sweeping their surroundings as if looking for someone.

When they neared the carriage, Yan Yixuan’s and Ning Wei’s sharp hearing caught him muttering to himself, “I guess Chuan-zi isn’t sitting with me this time… I hope he doesn’t get bullied.”

Yan Yixuan gazed thoughtfully at the back of Yi Shuo’s head while they boarded the carriage.

This Young Master Yi seemed compassionate and was close enough to his guard to be so worried. But if he cared about him that much, why didn’t he consider Dong Chuan’s advice when he cautioned him against them? No matter how one looked at it, trusting two strangers to get this close when one’s life was in danger was foolhardy. Why did Yi Shuo insist on it? Was he so scared of this murderer that he desperately sought protection in whichever way he could? Or…did he have some other reason?

If it was the latter, Yan Yixuan supposed he would find out in time.

↢∘●∘↣

Once the carriage had gained enough distance from the teahouse, Yan Yixuan finally felt assured in taking out the fried dough balls from his sleeve to snack on gleefully. At last, he could eat something tasty without his Brother Ruan knowing!

Ning Wei glanced at his cheerfully munching husband affectionately.

Yi Shuo peered at Yan Yixuan curiously and asked, “What are you eating?”

Yan Yixuan replied seriously, “These are smuggled luxury goods I went through a lot of trouble to obtain.”

Yi Shuo blinked at the little dough balls. He had thought them some common snacks and had only asked about them to make conversation. But hearing the young man’s words, he reassessed the value of this mysterious food and looked at it with more respect.

Yan Yixuan extended a handful of the dough balls towards his beloved. “Ah-Wei, want some?”

Ning Wei wasn’t shy and directly lowered his mouth to Yan Yixuan’s palm to take one into his mouth. He chewed it and nodded approvingly.

Yan Yixuan beamed at him. After popping another of the snack into his own mouth, he held up a second ball to Ning Wei’s lips. Ning Wei happily partook.

From the corner of his eye, Yan Yixuan noticed Yi Shuo looking at them with a soft, almost wistful smile. He recalled seeing the same smile on Qin Liangyun when he spotted the love bites Ning Wei had left on his jaw before their meeting.

Seeming to notice his attention, Yi Shuo composed himself and asked, “So, what do your families do for a living?”

Yan Yixuan answered, “My household leases some land to farmers and engages in a few other trades. My husband’s family has been soldiers for two generations now. What about Young Master Yi?”

Ning Wei contentedly chewed on the snacks being fed to him and let his little fox do the speaking.

Yi Shuo shrugged. “We’re tradesmen who got rich enough to buy a noble title when I was a child. We moved to the capital after that, though we do take turns visiting our relatives back in our hometown. That’s where I’m returning from,” He leaned forward. “Where are your hometowns?”

“Ah-Wei’s family is from near the border, but they moved to the capital,” Yan Yixuan supplied. “I grew up in the Qingxue Mountains before moving to the capital and meeting my husband.”

Ning Wei’s expression turned taut when he heard mention of that place. Qingxue Mountains… that was where Yan Yixuan and his mother had been forced to stay by Yan Yixuan’s father in an attempt to hide the proof of his infidelity. That was where Yan Yixuan and his mother starved, where he saw his mother die due to malnutrition, where he suffered and survived in isolation…

Ning Wei’s heart clenched and he looked away to hide his reaction.

But Yi Shuo nonetheless noticed and asked with concern, “I’m sorry, does speaking about it bring up bad memories?”

Yan Yixuan was surprised. “How did you come to that conclusion?”

Ning Wei turned back to peer at him askance as well.

Seeing that Yan Yixuan didn’t seem bothered, Yi Shuo grinned. Tilting his chin towards Ning Wei, he explained, “I’m good at reading people’s thoughts through the littlest of expressions, though I’m best at reading a certain friend of mine. It was due to him that I developed the habit in the first place. That idiot hides his true feelings all the time, wearing a gentle smile even when what he wants to say is, ‘I hope you sit on the pointy end of a spear, you rotten old farts!’”

Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei’s thoughts flashed to the image of Qin Liangyun saying that with his smiling expression and genteel voice. They burst out laughing.

Yi Shuo smiled at their amusement and looked out a window to admire the scenery. As the breeze caressed his face, he almost let it carry away his whisper, “But when he smiles at me, it’s always genuine.”

↢∘●∘↣

When the sun began to sink, the carriages stopped at the side of the wide road to settle in for the night. Hard-packed earth with occasional patches of grass and wildflowers stretched on one side of the road. The entire area was bordered by dense lines of trees.

“We’re stopping already?” Yan Yixuan asked, surprised, as he got down from the carriage.

Yi Shuo followed behind him and stretched his arms up. Giving a cheerful nod, he explained, “At the rate we’re going, we should reach the inn at the outskirts of the next town before nightfall tomorrow. Some extra progress today might result in us reaching the inn faster, but we’ll still set off only the next morning to take full advantage of the inn’s luxuries. So what difference does that scant amount of progress now make?”

“That’s true,” Yan Yixuan conceded.

Ning Wei alighted from the carriage and added, “Plus, it’ll give us the opportunity to get ready for the night using what natural light remains and save on the lamp oil.”

“Exactly!” exclaimed the Young Master Yi who had never even thought of that point before.

Yan Yixuan smiled and said, “Well, since we’ve stopped, I suppose I’ll excuse myself to have some privacy among the trees.”

Guessing that he must need to relieve himself badly, Yi Shuo nodded. He warned uneasily, “Make sure to stay vigilant for any wild animals!”

Yan Yixuan suppressed his amusement to solemnly nod at Yi Shuo and headed into the line of trees.

Once he walked deep enough that he was sure he was alone, Yan Yixuan hid behind a tree trunk. He retrieved a long and thin copper whistle from under his clothes and blew on it. A pleasant trill issued from the whistle, similar enough to a songbird’s that it would arouse no suspicion, yet distinct enough that those who knew of it would instantly recognize it.

The operative in charge of this section of the road materialized in front of the young man and bowed. Yan Yixuan had naturally planted his household’s agents all along their route and any notable stops to keep an eye on everything. He would never be vain enough to think just he and Ning Wei would be enough to take on an unknown and experienced murderer.

“Master, what do you need?” the operator asked in a raspy and respectful voice.

“As you know, we’ll be stopping here for the night. Please observe the area in shifts, and especially make sure to always have an eye around Young Master Yi,” Yan Yixuan instructed. “Note any and all interactions he has with anyone except us.”

The operative inquired, “Even with his guard?”

Yan Yixuan frowned. “Yes.”

“Very well, Master,” the operative replied. “Any other orders?”

Yan Yixuan shook his head. “I still think the suspect is hiding among this group so take care to not tip them off. Just in case, keep an eye on any approaching groups of people who look like bandits or mercenaries. We cannot rule out the suspect hiring others to kidnap Young Master Yi to make it look like an accident. We don’t have enough information to profile the suspect yet.”

The operative nodded. “Steward Ruan has had us prepare for all such occasions.”

Yan Yixuan let out a relieved breath. “I suppose Brother Ruan would know more about field operations than me. Good. Report to me the moment you notice something suspicious. Don’t be afraid to expose yourselves if you judge that Young Master Yi is in immediate danger.”

Bowing, the operative said, “We will keep vigilant, Master.”

Reassured, Yan Yixuan nodded and was about to dismiss him when he heard the sound of someone stumbling their way through the foliage and heading in his direction. The operative silently slipped away while Yan Yixuan stealthily peeked around the trunk.

With a frustrated and somewhat anxious expression, Yi Shuo was looking around as he unskillfully pushed his way through leaves and branches.

Yan Yixuan rounded the tree trunk so the other man could see him. “Young Master Yi? Do you need to relieve yourself as well?”

Yi Shuo startled, then relaxed when he saw who spoke. He shook his head and answered, “I was worried about letting you stay alone here when there could be poisonous insects, snakes, or other dangerous animals lurking about, so I came to make sure you’re alright.” He straightened and patted his chest. “I’d even throw aside my gentlemanly dignity and stand guard while you do your business just to make sure nothing attacked you!”

Yan Yixuan’s mouth twitched. “Please, do not worry. I already managed to finish and remain unbitten.”

Yi Shuo slumped with relief. “Thank goodness then.” He rubbed his arms and looked around tensely. “I hate it each time we have to travel this deep into the wilderness. It feels so dangerous and―”

Just then, Yi Shuo spotted a green snake coiled around a branch above them and yelped. “A snake!” He promptly scurried to hide behind Yan Yixuan, hands clutching the younger man’s thin shoulders.

Fearfully peering upward, he asked, “Is it going to jump down and sink its evil, poisonous fangs into us?! When people generally say my body is luscious enough to take a bite out of, they don’t mean like this!”

Yan Yixuan smiled helplessly. “Snakes do not usually attack people unless we get too close to their den or look like we could be a threat.”

Seeing the snake lean towards them, Yi Shuo squeezed out, “How threatening can I look when I’m trembling and hiding behind a younger man and about to wet my pants?!”

Chuckling, Yan Yixuan pointed out, “I doubt snakes can understand human expressions and behavior that accurately.”

As if to prove his point, the green snake unwound from the branch and dropped down with a hiss. Yan Yixuan instinctively leaned back and swung his sleeve, hitting the snake and sending it crashing into a nearby tree. It fell to the ground with a thump, roiling and seething with hate for a few moments as it regained its bearings. Then it uncoiled itself and hastily slithered away.

Still petrified with fear, Yi Shuo squeaked in a small voice, “Do you think it was injured?”

Yan Yixuan turned to him and raised a brow. “Then shall I kill it and add it to our travel rations so its potentially injured self won’t suffer a messy death in the jaws of some other predator?”

Shuddering, Yi Shuo vehemently shook his head. “That’d make me feel too guilty. Plus, I don’t think I can eat it after almost being frightened to death by it.” He shuddered again and bent to bury his head into Yan Yixuan’s back, fingers tightening on the younger man’s shoulders.

Yan Yixuan sighed and patted one of Yi Shuo’s hands. Though this man was a couple of years older than him, Yan Yixuan had the strange feeling of comforting a younger brother. “Come, let’s head back to the others before we have to deal with something else.”

Giving an eager nod, Yi Shuo began hurrying forward with a hunched, defensive posture. Yan Yixuan walked beside him with long strides, expression unhurried. Yi Shuo kept looking around cautiously, then clutched Yan Yixuan’s sleeve like a child holding an adult’s hand for reassurance. Though mildly exasperated, Yan Yixuan allowed it with a fond smile.

When they finally got back to the carriages, Yan Yixuan found Ning Wei waiting for him beside Yi Shuo’s surly guard, Dong Chuan. Ning Wei looked like he wanted to ask how the talk with the operatives went but didn’t dare to in front of the others. Dong Chuan, on the other hand, had his gaze fixated on his master the entire time.

The moment Yi Shuo spotted his reliable guard, he rushed towards him while wailing, “Chuan-zi, listen to what just happened—” Yi Shuo was just about to casually hold his arm when he recalled the rumor of Dong Chuan liking him. He stopped abruptly and hid his hands behind him while hastily taking a step back.

Looking away awkwardly, Yi Shuo coughed and spoke in a more restrained tone, “A-A snake jumped down at me earlier, I was so scared… But Mister Su did his duty as my guard amply well and swatted it away, so nothing happened.”

For all that Dong Chuan’s expression was inscrutable, he still chided him, “You shouldn’t have been prancing in the wilderness unprepared like that in the first place. If I was with you…”

Hearing him trail away, Yi Shuo peeked up at him. But seeing the darkly intense emotion in Dong Chuan’s eyes, he was startled into quickly looking away again.

After a moment of silence, the guard sighed. “Master, I’ll ride beside your carriage from now on to make sure nothing happens again.”

Yi Shuo peered up at him cautiously again and nodded.

Dong Chuan gave Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei a long look, then turned and strode away.

Yi Shuo bowed his head dejectedly and muttered to no one in particular, “Even though I don’t want to, I still end up leading him on, don’t I?”

But Ning Wei replied, “According to what Young Master Yi said before, your guard should already be aware that you’ve heard the rumors about his intentions towards you, shouldn’t he?”

Turning to him blankly, Yi Shuo nodded.

“The fact that he didn’t refute it till now must mean the rumors are true,” Ning Wei guessed.

Yi Shuo’s face fell further.

Ning Wei went on, “But the very fact that your guard didn’t receive an answer from you yet must tell him that you don’t see him that way. Of course, it would be ideal if you could directly state it to him to squash any false hope.”

Expression crumpling, Yi Shuo hid his face behind his hands. He whispered, “I know how it feels to give all of myself and love someone only to be told they never cared about me. I don’t want to hurt him that way.”

Yan Yixuan looked at him contemplatively. “It’s obvious that you do care about your guard, just not in any romantic way.”

Yi Shuo lifted his head and looked at him.

Yan Yixuan added, “Maybe the next time we reach a rest stop or inn, you can clarify it to your guard. He can then choose to stay with your group or split away if he can’t handle it. It might be best to wait until a few hours before leaving to tell him so the both of you don't spend the rest of your stay in awkwardness.”

Yi Shuo nodded and smiled tiredly. Absently rubbing his ring, he said, “Yes, it’s unfair to keep dodging this. I’ll consider your advice. Thank you.”

But something in his gaze told Yan Yixuan that it wasn’t just his relationship with the guard that he was thinking of considering.

Yan Yixuan came over to pat his back. “Enough worrying about it, Young Master Yi. It’s getting dark. We should go back to the carriage, unless you don’t mind facing any nighttime critters?”

Yi Shuo froze. “…Critters? I’ve never had such a problem the previous times I traversed this road. But just out of curiosity…what critters do you mean?”

Yan Yixuan brought his thumbs together, spread his hands, and wriggled his fingers while saying matter-of-factly, “Giant spiders, of course.”

Yi Shuo’s expression twisted and he immediately turned to head towards his carriage. “I’m going to lock myself in and close all the windows!”

Yan Yixuan chuckled softly.

Ning Wei poked his cheek and accused, “Sadistic little fox.”

“It did the job of distracting him from his worries, didn’t it?” the young man said while blinking innocently. But his gleeful little smile gave him away.

Laughing, Ning Wei took his husband’s hand and pulled him forward. “Let’s head back before we’re locked out of the carriage. In the meantime, you can tell me what you talked to your operatives about.”

Yan Yixuan nodded and did so, and the couple leisurely strolled towards the carriage to prepare for the night.

After some discussion, it was decided that Yan Yixuan and Yi Shuo would sleep on the comfortable carriage seats while Ning Wei would lie on the driver’s seat up front, sword by his side, just in case. Yan Yixuan had offered to take the driver’s seat at first, but he wasn’t as adept at staying still while asleep and the seat itself was narrow. Plus, Ning Wei retained his training to sleep lightly when needed and thus won the argument.

As the night deepened, even the chirping crickets and hooting owls had grown silent. The breeze was mild and cool, the sky above vast and cloudless.

Ning Wei was stretched out as much as he could on the driver’s seat, his ankles hanging over the edge. His hands lay relaxedly clasped on his stomach. His sword rested beside him, the brown sheath almost invisible against the wood. Though his eyes were closed and his expression peaceful, something in his posture conveyed a vague watchfulness.

Subconsciously sensing someone’s gaze on him, Ning Wei’s ears twitched and he abruptly came to awareness. He opened his eyes and his gaze snapped to a certain section of the woods. The general spotted a pale figure, little more than a boy, peering in his direction. The hiding young man’s expression was wary as his eyes stayed fixed on the carriage.

When he realized that Ning Wei was in fact awake and paying attention to him, the young man glared at him, then turned and fled deeper into the trees.

Ning Wei didn’t chase him. His highest priority was protection, not running after suspicious people. But even after the young man was gone, the gaze he felt trained on him didn’t subside, making him restless and hypervigilant.

Ning Wei paid a little more attention to his surroundings until he finally pinpointed the direction that made his instincts bristle the most. His eyes slid to a certain tree’s branches. All he could see were shadows, but he was certain there was someone hiding within. They were much more skilled than the boy just now.

Realizing that they were found out, the hiding person silently leapt down from the tree and made themselves known.

Ning Wei’s eyes narrowed in warning. This woman again! What was she doing in Yi Shuo’s group, pretending to be a servant by day and spying on them at night while wearing all black like an experienced operative?! There was no way she was one of the Yan household’s people, so what was going on?!

Seeming to sense that she wasn’t welcome, the woman sketched a shallow bow and glided away quiet as a breeze.

Ning Wei finally felt the prickling sensation of being watched subside. Sighing, he looked up at the clear sky and wished he had a smoking pipe. He’d used one briefly while he was stationed at an isolated town that prided itself on its long tradition of smoking. But smoking was unsustainable with what he had been paid at that time and he’d soon lost interest.

Closing his eyes, Ning Wei let his mind drift into a shallow sleep.

A couple of hours later, he came awake again to the sound of approaching footsteps. He turned to see Dong Chuan striding towards the carriage with his usual fierce frown. As Ning Wei watched without moving, Dong Chuan came to hoist himself up on the driver’s seat. Ning Wei drew in his legs just in time to avoid the other man sitting on it.

“I’ll take responsibility for my master and keep watch,” Dong Chuan declared. “Untrustworthy outsiders don’t need to be bothered. You just focus on sleeping.”

Ning Wei raised an eyebrow. “Who said I was keeping watch for your master? My husband is in there. What gives you the right to tell me not to guard him?”

Dong Chuan scowled. He knew Ning Wei was just messing with him, but he couldn’t refute his words. And after losing so thoroughly to the other man, Dong Chuan knew any posturing would be useless. Displeased, he huffily turned away.

Ning Wei was disappointed when no retort came and closed his eyes again. He sensed Dong Chuan studying him but didn’t show that he knew. He felt the other man’s attention shift to his sword and furtively increased his vigilance.

But after a moment, Dong Chuan turned away. He leaned back on the cabin with folded arms and settled in for the night. The quiet did nothing to dissipate the tense air but neither of the men cared enough to change it. Within half an hour, Dong Chuan was snoring, seeming unaccustomed to keeping watch at night.

But what drowsiness remained had already fled Ning Wei after this slew of nocturnal visitors. He sighed and stared up at the stars, his wish for a smoking pipe growing stronger.

Soft rustling sounded and Ning Wei turned his head. Yan Yixuan had swept aside the curtains connecting the carriage’s cabin to the driver’s seat that extended from it and come out.

Ning Wei noticed the sudden lack of snoring from Dong Chuan but didn’t bring any attention to it.

Yan Yixuan crouched beside his husband, hugging his own knees, and yawned. He didn’t show any signs of surprise at finding Dong Chuan here. The guard had never hidden how little he trusted them with his master, after all.

Ning Wei sat up with a smile and rubbed his little fox’s head of disheveled hair. “Why did you wake up?”

Yan Yixuan rubbed his cheek against Ning Wei’s shoulder sleepily. “I miss lying beside my Ah-Wei.”

Ning Wei’s smile widened and his gaze grew warm. “We can share a bed once we return to the capital. Go inside now, it’s a bit cold here.”

Yan Yixuan yawned again and nodded. “Do you need anything?”

After a moment of thought, Ning Wei said, “Maybe some of that concoction of yours will help me get through the night better.”

“Then I’ll get it,” Yan Yixuan said and burrowed back into the curtains. He returned a few minutes later with his waterskin holding the herbal concoction and a thick quilt.

As Ning Wei took a few gulps of the concoction, Yan Yixuan lovingly tucked the quilt around him, making sure there were no gaps.

Ning Wei stoppered and set down the waterskin with a grimace. He was dismayed to find that he was starting to get used to this taste. But when he turned to his beloved, he was smiling. “Thank you, Ah-Xuan.”

Yan Yixuan affectionately kissed his nose and peeked up at him. “It’s no trouble. Tell me if you need my company. I don’t mind staying up all night if it’s with you.”

Ning Wei nuzzled him happily. “I will. Now off to sleep with you.”

Yan Yixuan gave him one last look full of tenderness before heading back into the cabin.

Feeling more settled, Ning Wei lay down again and found no trouble relaxing his mind this time. When Dong Chuan resumed his snoring again, Ning Wei merely cast him an amused look and tightened the quilt around himself. He smelled his husband’s scent wafting up from it and felt his residual body warmth.

Looking up at the sky again, Ning We found the stars much brighter and the cool wind much more pleasant this time.

Night eventually gave way to morning. Birds chirped as the sky turned a warm and powdery blue. People stirred awake and started attending to chores, and the place soon grew lively.

For breakfast, servants made fish porridge using some of the preserved meat. Yan Yixuan expressed his disgust at the presence of fish and decided to head into the woods to catch his own non-fishy breakfast.

And that’s how, when Yi Shuo finished wiping himself down and came out, he found Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei cheerfully roasting chunks of snake meat, slathered in oil and spices, over a fire pit.

Yi Shuo, “……!”

Yan Yixuan spotted him and waved, wordlessly offering some of the snake meat. Yi Shuo blanched and looked at him with a wronged expression, then left hurriedly.

As Yan Yixuan quietly laughed to himself, Ning Wei pinched his cheek. “What did you do?”

Yan Yixuan tilted his head innocently. “Nothing at all?”

Ning Wei shook his head with an indulgent smile and offered him a skewer of perfectly done meat before roasting some for himself. The couple then enjoyed their breakfast together while Ning Wei told Yan Yixuan about the happenings last night.

Meanwhile, the poor, traumatized Yi Shuo kept trying to convince himself that the snake they were eating was not the same one he was terrorized by yesterday.

Once breakfast was over and everything was cleaned up, the group set off.

Dong Chuan did as he told before and rode a horse alongside the carriage, peeking in stealthily whenever Yi Shuo opened the curtains. Yan Yixuan made Ning Wei lie down on his lap to make up for the insufficient sleep yesterday night. Ning Wei gladly accepted and luxuriated in his husband’s care as Yan Yixuan stroked his hair. The usually chatty Yi Shuo watched the pair of lovebirds with a gentle smile and tried his best to make sure they weren’t disturbed.

When afternoon came, the carriages stopped again to get out the stoves and cook lunch for the whole group and some snacks to eat on the way later.

After lunch, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei spread a cloth at the side and sat down to relaxedly enjoy some tea. Yi Shuo declined their invitation to join them and stayed in the carriage. Since the woods still extended on either side of the path, he was too scared to leave the cabin’s safety after the scare with the snake.

As they placidly drank tea, Ning Wei’s gaze kept gravitating towards the woman who had been spying on them yesterday but was now bustling around and acting the part of a normal servant. His eyes narrowed as he observed, “Do you think she could be the murderer? Considering her backing…”

Yan Yixuan turned to follow his husband’s gaze and chuckled. “It’s not that she’s incapable, but why would you suspect her?”

Ning Wei shrugged. “I feel that her reason for being here, disguised as a servant despite her status, is suspicious.”

Yan Yixuan smiled wryly. “I guess it doesn’t help that she hasn’t come to tell us what she’s up to. But it could also be that she’s wary of approaching us when we’re either in public or with someone else, never just by ourselves.”

Ning Wei wasn’t entirely convinced. “You think that could be it?”

Nodding, Yan Yixuan said, “Yes, in fact, I think I can even guess her reason for being here. After all, she’s―”

Yan Yixuan snapped his mouth closed as he saw Dong Chuan approach.

The guard announced unwillingly, “Master wants to speak with you both in his carriage.”

The couple set down their half-full cups of tea and rose up to see what Yi Shuo wanted. Behind them, Dong Chuan looked at their backs with unhidden dissatisfaction.

In the carriage, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei sat down after greeting Yi Shuo. Sensing that Yi Shuo was in a surprisingly serious mood, they exchanged a glance between them.

“What does Young Master Yi want to talk about?” Yan Yixuan prodded.

Yi Shuo let out a breath, then said solemnly, “I’ve decided to trust you, so I feel that we should all come clean.”

Yan Yixuan raised a brow, intrigued. “Oh?”

Yi Shuo pressed his lips together. “Yes. Pardon me for not giving you due respect, Duke Yan. I have known your identity since the beginning. But I didn’t want to give it away until I figured out your true intentions.” He turned to Ning Wei and bowed. “And you as well, General Ning. Though I don’t know as much about you to recognize you immediately, considering that you were introduced as Duke Yan’s husband and are skilled in combat, I guessed who you are as well.”

Ning Wei blinked in surprise while Yan Yixuan leaned back and laughed.

“Very good,” the duke praised. “How did you recognize me?”

Yi Shuo coughed and looked away. “Well, after hearing your involvement in the incident that hurt Ah-Yun and that you were a student of his adoptive father, I asked around about you to learn more. I even squeezed my way to the front of the spectators who lined the streets on your wedding. I watched you lead the wedding procession to the Ning household, though I was unfortunately caught by my family before I could see you return along the same route with the general.”

Yan Yixuan was greatly amused. He rested his chin on a hand and asked, “So, what now?”

His composure threw off Yi Shuo and he grew nervous. “I…I wanted to know… was it Ah-Yun—um, Young Master Qin Liangyun who requested you to help me?”

Yan Yixuan blinked in surprise, then realized that the only person in Yi Shuo’s social circle who knew him would indeed be Qin Liangyun. And he was also the one who figured out that Yi Shuo would be targeted, so it wasn’t strange that he would arrange for someone to handle the matter.

Since his identity was found out anyway, Yan Yixuan easily sold Qin Liangyun out, “Yes, and he was very worried about you too.”

Yi Shuo froze, then his cheeks flooded with pink. “I…I see.” He looked away abruptly and cleared his throat. “I see. I guessed, but…I thought I was giving myself too much credit.”

Yan Yixuan smiled wickedly and teased, “How could that be? From what I saw, Young Master Qin was positively anxious and requested quite ardently that we make sure you don’t suffer the slightest.”

Yi Shuo’s entire face grew red now. He hunched his shoulders and asked in a small, shy voice, “R-Really?”

Yan Yixuan cheerfully nodded. “Mn, of course. Here I was thinking you two must be lovers for him to worry so deeply about you, but I guess you haven’t progressed that far yet.”

“L-L-Lovers?!” Yi Shuo squeaked. He squirmed and stuttered, “W-We aren’t… It’s not… We’re just f-friends!”

Yan Yixuan’s smile widened. Who knew teasing someone pure-hearted about their love would be so much fun!

Sensing how awkward and embarrassed Yi Shuo was feeling, Ning Wei took pity on him and saved him from the clutches of a certain naughty fox. “Young Master Yi, I take it that you’ve guessed we’re here to protect you from this murderer who’s aiming for your life?”

Yan Yixuan gave his husband an aggrieved look, but let him change the subject.

Yi Shuo gladly took this life- and dignity-saving straw and nodded quickly. “Yes, and I’ve seen how much you both try to shield me from danger. Duke Yan helped me with that snake and General Ning stood guard the entire night without complaint. So I decided to trust you and start working with you. We all have the same goal after all.”

With a regretful sigh, Yan Yixuan decided to get back to the topic at hand. “Does Young Master Yi have anyone you suspect?

Yi Shuo was startled. “How can I? I don’t know anything about the murderer.”

Yan Yixuan explained, “I believe that there’s a good chance the murderer may have joined your group. That’s the only way they can follow you closely. If they tried to travel separately, by the time they got to the capital, you would already be in territory more familiar to you and under your family’s guard. Doing anything under the empress’s eye is risky as well. Their only option is to strike before you reach the capital. You might have already come in contact with them. Do you have any ideas?”

Yi Shuo dumbly shook his head. He couldn’t even imagine anyone he knew in his group plotting to violate and murder him. Goosebumps rose along his arms at the thought and he rubbed at them with a shiver.

“I saw a young man while I was keeping watch yesterday night,” Ning Wei said. “He was very pale with robes that were washed into graying. He was staring intently at the carriage while hiding among the trees. Could he be a suspect?”

Yi Shuo thought for a moment before realizing who he meant. “Oh, Ming Bai? He’s harmless,” he stated. “During my recent visit to my hometown, I saw his family trying to sell him in exchange for food and bought him so he at least wouldn’t fall into some lecher’s hands.”

Yi Shuo frowned as he continued, “The poor boy was heartbroken at being abandoned by his family and wouldn’t even eat or speak, so I’d stay with him and feed him sometimes while telling some amusing childhood stories. Well, I didn’t remember the stories completely so I had to make up some parts, but it got him to laugh at least, even if it was because he thought it was ridiculous.” Yi Shuo grinned, seeming to take delight in the achievement.

Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei wore small smiles.

Something suddenly occurring, Yi Shuo straightened and exclaimed, “Ah, I think I suspect someone!”

“Who?” Ning Wei asked, leaning forward.

Yi Shuo frowned. “A maidservant. The one who has defined arms and always looks cold.”

Both Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei immediately thought of the woman they were just talking about before the guard interrupted.

Ning Wei nodded. “I suspected her too, but I suppose we shouldn’t jump to conclusions yet. How long has she been working for you?”

Yi Shuo replied, “She came asking for employment a day after I came to know of the danger myself. You have to admit that the timing is suspect, though I’m not sure if she is the murderer or someone working with the culprit.”

Unable to refute it, Ning Wei turned to his husband.

Yan Yixuan sighed. “I think she’s the least suspicious person here. Young Master Yi, I can’t tell you her identity since it’s not my secret to reveal. But she is most definitely not the murderer or anyone working for them. I would go so far as to say she’s here for your safety as well.”

Yi Shuo was confused, but since the duke insisted so much, he hesitantly nodded.

Ning Wei believed his beloved, but he still wanted to know why that woman was here.

And so, after the discussion came to a close there and the couple headed back, Ning Wei made sure there was no one within earshot and asked, “Ah-Xuan, just why is the empress’s consort here of all places?”

Yan Yixuan chuckled. “I was wondering how long it’d take you to ask me. It’s almost like we’re back to before we got together, with you always asking me things and me answering gladly.”

Ning Wei recalled those times as well and smiled.

Yan Yixuan replied to his earlier query, “It’s not a well-known fact, but the consort was a spy sent over to the palace by rebels and tasked with assassinating the empress.”

Ning Wei startled. “What?!”

Grinning, Yan Yixuan went on, “The empress has stringent measures against such things, naturally, and managed to find out. Rather than confronting the spy, she played with her like a cat with a mouse and seduced her into bed. I’m told it wasn’t easy for the empress, but she can be extremely charming when she wants to. However, the spy can’t be without her own charms since the empress was enamored with her as well. By the time the spy was considering accepting the role of an imperial consort, the empress had already stealthily dismantled the organization holding her lover’s strings and freed her from all obligations.

“After all her agonizing about conflicting loyalties and sleepless nights painstakingly plotting her freedom from her organization, the consort was casually told by the grinning empress that everything had already been cleared up. That night, the palace got to witness the rare sight of a teary-eyed consort chasing the empress with the bamboo pole used to close the empress’s bed curtains, yelling, ‘Why didn’t you tell me before, you evil bitch! Is it fun to mess with me, huh?!’”

Ning Wei doubled over laughing.

Yan Yixuan smiled, gleeful at having a chance to spread his friend’s black history and amusing his husband at the same time.

By the time they reached the place they’d been drinking tea in, Ning Wei had managed to control his guffaws. The couple sat down and lifted their cups to take a sip.

No sooner had the rim of the cup touched Yan Yixuan’s lower lip than he heard Ning Wei shout, “Wait! Don’t drink!”

Yan Yixuan immediately pulled the cup away from his face and looked askance at his beloved.

Ning Wei took a tiny sip of the tea and swished it in his mouth, then spat it out onto the ground. “It tastes fishy,” he stated.

“Fishy?” Yan Yixuan asked with a frown. “In which way?”

Ning Wei grimaced and said, “It’s subtle, but it tastes quite literally like fish. It must be some toxin from a sea creature. I’ve heard of a few that can cause paralysis or unconsciousness.”

Yan Yixuan looked at his tea with distaste and poured it onto the ground. How dare someone make him almost taste his most detested fish!

As someone who was used to facing assassination attempts orchestrated by others and himself, Yan Yixuan was too used to randomly finding poison in his cup. And yet, he had never thought of the possibility of toxins from sea creatures being used. With the door to new possibilities opened, Yan Yixuan began thinking of expanding his menagerie of poisonous animals to include aquatic creatures as well.

Meanwhile, Ning Wei was looking around suspiciously with a tight frown. If someone tried to poison them, they must be watching from somewhere close by to see if they succeeded.

Ning Wei’s gaze landed on the pale boy he saw last night, the one Yi Shuo had called Ming Bai.

Ming Bai was peeling vegetables with a few other servants while sitting beside one of the pots snacks for travel were being prepared in. But his attention seemed to keep wandering towards Ning Wei and Yan Yixuan. When he saw Ning Wei staring back, his eyes widened and he quickly looked away.

Ning Wei tilted his chin towards him. “That’s the boy I told you about, the one lurking around the carriage yesterday. Do you think it could be him?”

Yan Yixuan peered at Ming Bai, then shook his head. “We can’t say yet. Anyone could have had the chance to do it. The other servants, guards like that Dong Chuan, the drivers… We need more information.”

Ning Wei nodded. “Will you contact your people then and ask them what they saw?”

Sighing, Yan Yixuan pointed out, “The culprit might still be watching us, so I’d rather wait for a while more and do it when I’m sure it won’t draw attention.”

Ning Wei nodded thoughtfully. “Let’s return to the carriage. We’ll have more privacy and less chance of being interrupted there.”

“Yes,” Yan Yixuan said and got up.

Once Ning Wei tested the teapot to confirm it was poisoned too, he dumped all the tea and stood up as well.

As the couple headed back to the carriage, they saw Yi Shuo smiling with the cooks as the old women pushed bowls of freshly made food into his hands for him to test. After hearing how he had seen through their identities from the beginning yet had the presence of mind to not reveal anything while he tested them, the pair felt assured that Yi Shuo wasn’t stupid enough to leave the safety of being amongst others with his life in danger. Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei thus decided not to disturb him and returned to the carriage by themselves.

After they sat down, Ning Wei gargled some water to wash away the poison’s remnants, then cleaned his hands with more water just in case any of the poisoned tea got onto them. Settling back on the seat, he asked something he’d been wondering about for a while, “The consort’s past notwithstanding, why do you think she’s here?”

Yan Yixuan stretched out his legs with a sigh of relief and shrugged. “Why else? It must be by the empress’s request, of course.”

Ning Wei raised a brow in question.

The young man explained, “Even after becoming the consort, she keeps her skills sharp and works as an agent for the empress. When I chatted with the empress after having to attend court recently, she mentioned that her consort was out on some task, so I suspect she had already gotten word of the danger Yi Shuo was in. She knows that I feel beholden to Qin Liangyun due to what happened. And since Yi Shuo is important to Qin Liangyun and the empress knows I would regret not having helped Yi Shuo and thereby preventing the negative consequences on Qin Liangyun, she sent her most trusted agent to watch out for Yi Shuo.”

Ning Wei blinked. “That does make sense. But in that case, why not just inform you about it?”

Yan Yixuan smiled and leaned into his husband. “If she’d told me and I decided to lend Young Master Yi a helping hand, I would have had to make contact with Qin Liangyun. She must have thought Qin Liangyun would blame me for his misfortune and increase my guilt, so she tried to take matters into her own hands.”

Shaking his head, Ning Wei smiled. “She truly is a loyal friend.”

Chucking, Yan Yixuan agreed. “Yes, she’s always been.” He took his beloved’s fingers into his hand and began playing with it. Each time he was reminded of how he was surrounded by people who cared for him, warm bubbles of contentment filled his chest.

Ning Wei indulgently let his little fox amuse himself with his hand. “What do you think about today’s incident?”

“The attempted poisoning?” Yan Yixuan asked. “While it wasn’t badly planned, the culprit obviously lacks experience. If it was the murderer—and I think it is—then we can at least rule out poisoning from their skill set. Though it’s a point of interest how they found that toxin to poison us with in the first place.”

Ning Wei frowned. “Yes. It’s not something you’d come upon this far inland. The culprit must either have brought it with them from some coastal area or knew someone who did so. But if the culprit is also the murderer, then they probably do have a decent enough way of obtaining information, considering all the victims they’ve managed to get their hands on till now. So, them finding someone to obtain the poison from isn’t that farfetched.”

Yan Yixuan suddenly paused fiddling with Ning Wei’s hand and grimaced.

“What’s wrong?” Ning Wei asked with concern.

The young man said, “I just vaguely remembered that we used to have a servant who came from some coastal town. It was long ago, when Father and Second Brother were still alive, so I don’t remember much. But trying to recall it leaves a very unpleasant taste in my mouth.”

Ning Wei narrowed his eyes. “Do you think that servant has something to do with this?”

Yan Yixuan decisively shook his head. “I know for sure that Second Brother was displeased with that servant and killed him soon after, so he can’t have anything to with this.”

Ning Wei sighed and let it go. He turned to press a comforting kiss to the top of his husband’s head.

Yan Yixuan smiled and resumed playing with his husband’s hand again. His Ah-Wei’s fingers were long and thick with small scars and calluses, carrying the same gravity and grace as their owner. Yan Yixuan lovingly traced their contours with his own fingers, his mind drifting.

Meanwhile, as silence settled in, Ning Wei grew contemplative as well. Each time he ended up in a carriage alone with his little fox, he couldn’t help but think back to what he mistook for their first meeting. He remembered pushing Yan Yixuan down onto the carriage seat with the intention of scaring him, the feel of the young man’s thin body in his hands. It brought to mind all the other, more intimate things they did together in carriages after they got together.

Ning Wei looked at Yan Yixuan’s bowed head with building heat in his eyes while the young man busily toyed with his index and middle fingers with a thoughtful expression. Ning Wei recalled all the things he’d done to his husband with just those two fingers and shifted restlessly.

Yan Yixuan peered up at Ning Wei hesitantly, then looked away. “Ah-Wei, I know it’s an abrupt request, but will you to put these two fingers into my…”

Excitement shot through Ning Wei.

“…throat?” Yan Yixuan finished.

Ning Wei, “……?” This was not where he expected it to go.

Despite his confusion, Ning Wei joked, “When a man asks his husband to put something into his throat, it’s usually not fingers.”

Yan Yixuan flushed and peeked at him again. “Well, that’s the issue though, isn’t it? As much as I want to pleasure my husband by taking him deep into my throat, my sensitive gag reflex makes it impossible. So…”

Ning Wei’s brows flew up. “So?”

Yan Yixuan looked down and fiddled with his beloved’s fingers again. “…So, I’d like you to train my throat with your fingers so my gag reflex isn’t so strong.”

Expression growing complex, Ning Wei spoke, “I didn’t know that bothered you so much… Ah-Xuan, you do realize you don’t have to do this?”

Yan Yixuan nodded and brought up Ning Wei’s fingers to his lips. “I know, so Ah-Wei…please?”

The softness and warmth rubbing against his fingertips were too bewitching for Ning Wei to refuse. Holding Yan Yixuan’s gaze, Ning Wei slowly pushed his fingers into his mouth. Yan Yixuan parted his lips and accepted them unresistingly. Ning Wei felt his fingers slide over warm and slick tissue before reaching the tight opening of the throat. After a brief pause to let the young man adjust, Ning Wei gently pressed forward.

Yan Yixuan’s brows furrowed and his body stiffened. He clutched onto Ning Wei’s robe with both hands, desperately trying to fight his instincts.

And yet, Ning Wei could feel the young man’s throat spasming around his fingers. He saw water gather at the corners of his beloved’s eyes, his chest heaving and Adam’s apple bobbing frantically as his body struggled to expel the digits.

Unable to see his husband this distressed, Ning Wei hurriedly withdrew his fingers. Yan Yixuan clamped his hands over his mouth and bent over, retching emptily.

Ning Wei anxiously patted his back. “Ah-Xuan?”

Yan Yixuan shook his head and straightened. “I’m fine.” He wiped the welling wetness in his eyes with a dissatisfied look. “Ah-Wei, let’s try again.”

Worried, Ning Wei brushed back his beloved’s hair and said softly, “You don’t have to do this. You are already skilled enough in bed as you are. No matter how many new things you try to learn, I can’t be any more smitten with you.”

Yan Yixuan blushed. “But…it always feels so good when you take me into the back of your throat. How can I deprive you of that feeling? I want to give you every bit of pleasure my body can provide, no matter what it takes.”

Ning Wei smiled helplessly. He gently wrapped his arms around his little fox and pressed his forehead against his husband’s. As they gazed into each other’s eyes, Ning Wei said, “That just means there are some things I’m better at while you have other things only you can offer.”

Yan Yixuan’s eyelashes fluttered bashfully. “Like?”

Ning Wei whispered huskily, “The way you bring passion to our every exchange until my blood boils. The way you tease me just right with your touches and drive me crazy. The way you use your flexible tongue and nimble fingers on the most sensitive of places to give me such divine pleasure.”

Ning Wei brought one of his Yan Yixuan’s hands to his lips and kissed it tenderly. The young man blushed a deep red.

“Neither of us needs to be good at everything,” Ning Wei stated. “What we have now is more than enough. Of course, if this is important to you, I will support you however I can even though it distresses me to see you suffer.”

Yan Yixuan was quiet for a moment, then conceded, “If you feel that way…then it’s no longer important.” Peeking up, he then batted his lashes playfully. “But how about you instead try to train my gag reflex by reaching your tongue into my throat?”

Chuckling, Ning Wei refuted amusedly even as he bent towards his tempting husband, “You know my tongue isn’t long enough to reach that deep.”

Fingers sliding into his hair, Yan Yixuan pulled him closer and murmured, “Then you should take a page from my book and start practicing.”

And so, the two students faithfully practiced until they were flushed and out of breath with the effort. Despite the lack of success in tongue meeting throat, they still wore satisfied expressions when they finally parted, eyes gleaming and lips slick.

The sound of someone climbing aboard the carriage intruded into the private moment. “I hope you both aren’t having too much fun without me,” Yi Shuo called cheerfully as he cluelessly entered.

Yan Yixuan immediately turned to bury his face into Ning Wei’s shoulder to hide his swollen lips and discomposed expression. Ning Wei wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and tried to tamp down on his embarrassment at being caught like this.

Yi Shuo paused and looked between them both. Eyes twinkling with understanding, he asked the young man, “Did you return early just so you could use your husband as a shield to hide your face from me, Duke Yan?”

Yan Yixuan didn’t take the bait and informed him, “I’m pretending to sleep, so you can’t disturb me.”

Yi Shuo laughed and turned to tease Ning Wei instead. “What about you, General? I didn’t expect you to be so bold as to engage in such blatant displays of affection in the brief time it took me to return to the carriage.”

His head poking up, Yan Yixuan covered his mouth behind a hand and pretended to gasp in outraged surprise. “Indeed, how bold! Just look at your lips, so flagrantly showing off the result of your salacious immodesty! Ah-Ning, how could you behave shamelessly like this in your host’s carriage in broad daylight?”

Ning Wei narrowed his eyes and pinched his sneaky little husband’s cheek. “A certain wicked fox seduced me into it. As the only other person in the carriage with me, shouldn’t you know about it?”

Yan Yixuan hastily pried his beloved’s hand away and promptly hid his face in Ning Wei’s shoulder again. “I have no idea what you mean. I’m sleeping.”

Ning Wei shook his head with exasperated affection while Yi Shuo clutched his chest and wheezed in laughter. “Now this is why I wanted you amusing lovebirds to accompany me in the first place!”

Ning Wei gave him a strange look. Who the hell chose strangers to accompany them just because said strangers were amusing? But as he peered at Yi Shuo, his gaze fell on the glinting band of metal around one of his fingers.

Deciding to satisfy his curiosity, Ning Wei asked, “Why do you wear such a plain ring?”

Yi Shuo wiped his tears and showed his open palm. “As you can see, it’s not that the ring is plain but that I have the gem turned inward.”

Yan Yixuan peeked up to glance at the ring and observed, “It’s either something of sentimental value or one of those rings that have a hidden compartment.”

Yi Shuo was startled. “How did you know?”

Yan Yixuan shrugged. “More often than not when a noble wears a ring, it’s to show off its expensiveness, rarity of the components, or artistry. But you turned the part of it that was usually meant to be displayed inward, showing that you either wanted to hide it from others’ eyes or protect it from damage. But the gem on your ring isn’t expensive, and the ring itself doesn’t seem old or worn enough to be some heirloom or anything important enough to tempt a thief or adversary. Then it only leaves protection as the motive. The only reasons you’d want to shield the gem is either because it has sentimental value to you, or because it’s one of those rings where you can secretly store things inside, and you’d naturally not want those things to spill or be knocked out of the ring by mistake and be exposed.”

Yi Shuo was duly impressed. “You’re right.”

Yan Yixuan squinted at him. “Now I have to know, which is it? Sentimentality or secret compartment?”

Sitting down, Yi Shuo grinned. “It’s indeed hiding something.”

“Is it some secret note, something precious, or poison?” Ning Wei asked. “And is there a reason you keep it in your ring of all places?”

Yi Shuo nodded and explained with a rueful smile, “When Ah-Yun wrote to warn me of the danger, I asked him to send me a trinket I could wear casually with poison hiding within. If I ever ended up in the murderer’s clutches, I could either feed them the poison, or if I don’t have that opportunity, which is more likely, I can at least end my own life instead of suffering for the murderer’s enjoyment. Considering that Ah-Yun is just as talented in medicine as his adoptive father, I’m certain that any poison he chooses for me will give me the most quick and painless death possible.”

Ning Wei frowned. Just how much must this man be afraid of suffering to keep such an option open for himself? On the other hand, Yan Yixuan guessed that this must’ve been what pushed Qin Liangyun to ask for his help in the end.

All the while, Yi Shuo smiled softly and stroked the gem on the ring as if caressing a precious love token.

The rude stomp of boots broke the subtle atmosphere as Dong Chuan stormed in. He glared at the couple and accused heatedly, “I’ve been notified by the servants in charge of cleaning up that you both wasted a pot full of tea by just dumping it out on the ground. What is the meaning of this? How can you treat the hospitality and goodwill of your host so callously?! Just what do you take my master as?!”

Though Yi Shuo was surprised upon hearing it, he still held up his hands in a placating gesture and told his guard, “Chuan-er, calm down. I’m sure they had their reasons.”

Unruffled, Yan Yixuan said, “When we returned after chatting with Young Master Yi, we found that insects had gotten into the cups and pot and drowned. We figured it was best to throw it out lest someone drink it by accident.”

Dong Chuan’s gaze bored into him as if trying to figure out if he was lying to hide some evil ploy. Yan Yixuan gave him a cheery smile and successfully managed to annoy the guard further.

“Ah, that does happen when you leave food out,” Yi Shuo interjected their staring match.

Since Yi Shuo had spoken in favor of the couple, Dong Chuan reluctantly dropped the subject. “We’re about to set off soon,” he informed and strode back out to saddle and mount his horse.

Yi Shuo took this chance to astutely ask Yan Yixuan in a whisper, “Was there anything wrong with the tea?”

Yan Yixuan gave him an appreciative look for catching on quickly and nodded. “It was poisoned. Thankfully Ah-Wei found out before I could take a sip.”

As Yi Shuo looked at the general with amazement, Ning Wei amusedly wondered—was his little fox proudly showing him off?

“But poisoning your tea… Isn’t that going too far?” Yi Shuo said, brows scrunched. The more he disregarded the influence of Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei’s calmness and gave the matter serious thought, the more horrified he felt. Biting his lip, he noted, “This is becoming very dangerous. I’ll interrogate the servants and try to find clues about the culprit’s identity.”

But Yan Yixuan shook his head. “That would alert the culprit and make them either lash out or more defensive. I have my own, subtler means to find out. Please, don’t worry. Ah-Ning and I are not new to weathering assassination attempts.”

Yi Shuo looked at him with a complex expression but nodded. “The one who did this must be the murderer, mustn’t it?”

Yan Yixuan shrugged. “Most likely. Since we’ve been making it difficult for you to be preyed on, the murderer might have thought that it would be easier to take us out first since we’d be more focused on protecting you than ourselves. I doubt they know we are experienced in being targets of assassination due to our positions. Even if they come to know that we dumped the poisoned tea, they can’t be sure if it was really done due to insects infesting it or because we saw through the danger.”

Yi Shuo nodded as he digested it. “I understand what you mean. What should we do now?”

Ning Wei glanced at his husband. “We should find out who had the chance to tamper with the tea as soon as possible.”

Yan Yixuan nodded. “I suppose I’ll need the carriage to stop briefly so I can go and meet our informants.”

Yi Shuo’s eyes widened. Informants? But he didn’t think the duke would reveal anything even if he prodded, so he asked about something else, “But aren’t your lives are in danger too? It can’t be safe for you to go out alone.”

Yan Yixuan tapped his chin. “Then I’ll just take Ah-Wei with me.”

Yi Shuo blinked. “You want to…leave me alone?”

“Of course not,” Yan Yixuan grinned. “Since we have another skilled person with the same objective as us, we might as well use them.”

And so, a few hours after the group resumed their journey, the imperial consort found herself being summoned to bring fresh fruits to Yi Shuo and peel it for him. Upon entering the cabin with a basket of fruits, she was unexpectedly faced with Yan Yixuan’s warm and friendly smile.

The consort, “……” What scheme was she going to get embroiled in now?

A few more hours later, Yi Shuo’s new guests expressed that they needed to relieve themselves and headed into the woods. The amorous glances they exchanged along the way made it uncertain just which physical need they needed relieved. It left Yi Shuo alone in the carriage with a certain maidservant who expressionlessly peeled fruits, even as Yi Shuo kept glancing at her curiously as if trying to unravel some mystery.

On the other side, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei stood facing the operative summoned over by Yan Yixuan’s birdcall whistle.

After explaining the situation to him, Yan Yixuan ended with, “List everyone who had the chance to add something to the tea, please.”

The operative bowed. “Yes, Master” Straightening, he began, “The first one to get that close was the imperial consort. She seemed to have sniffed the cups and the pot, presumably to find if something was wrong with it. Due to the distance and her instinctive measures to block others’ sight, her movements weren’t fully visible.

“The second was the guard, Dong Chuan, who noticed the consort with the tea and hid at the side to watch her. Once she left, he came over to examine the tea as well. He dipped the tip of a finger into the cups and the pot, then rubbed his fingertips together as if checking for any residue. His findings are uncertain. He left soon after.”

Ning Wei’s face contorted with displeasure. Did he actually drink something that someone had dipped their possibly unwashed finger in?!

The operative went on, “The young man called Ming Bai had been keeping an eye on their actions with a frown while occasionally glancing in the direction of Young Master Yi’s carriage. During a brief interval between chores he came over to study the tea as well. He sniffed it and made to take a sip before stopping and putting it back down with an uncertain expression. He then left. By how close he held the cups and pot to his face and the angle at which he sat, he very well could have dropped poison from his mouth into the tea without being noticed.”

Ning Wei, “……” So now there was the added possibility of someone having spit something into the tea he sipped?! He felt violated!

Seeing the dismay on his beloved’s face, Yan Yixuan hid his mirth and sympathetically patted his arm. “Thank you for your sacrifice, Ah-Wei.”

Ning Wei gave him a look. Did his little fox think his amusement went unnoticed?

Yan Yixuan chuckled and kissed his sullen husband on the jaw. Turning to the operative, he asked, “Who else approached the tea?”

The operative replied, “A couple of servants passed by and one of them asked another who was working nearby if the tea needed to be cleaned up. After hearing that you had been temporarily called away, the servant left.”

Having obtained all relevant information, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei walked back to the carriage in contemplation.

No sooner had Yan Yixuan stepped in than Yi Shuo leapt at him to hug his arm while yelling, “I feel so cold after having to stay with that icy woman! I need to hug someone normal to warm up again!”

Yan Yixuan, “…?”

The consort merely lifted a brow, unaffected by the dramatics.

After the couple stepped into the cabin, Yan Yixuan inquired, “Where’s the other guard?”

Composedly continuing to peel fruit, the consort replied, “He was being hostile and bothersome so I sent him away to fetch more fruits since I accidentally managed to drop some.”

“Accidentally, she says” Yi Shuo muttered.

Casting him a curious glance, Ning Wei asked, “Just what happened between you both?”

The consort carefully set aside a peeled fruit, took up another to start working on, and answered, “The young master kept trying to converse with me, thereby impeding my ability to concentrate on my job of assuring his safety. So I simply offered him a way to occupy himself.”

Yi Shuo burst out, “What a way to put it! She said she’d tie me up then have me bite down on a sharp blade so I’d be too busy trying not to move my mouth and risk slicing something open to bother her!”

Ning Wei bit back a chuckle while Yan Yixuan was amused but unsurprised.

The consort didn’t seem to care what was being said at all. She finished peeling yet another fruit, set it aside, and got up. “Since I’m no longer needed here, I’ll be leaving to finish my other chores.”

Yan Yixuan nodded at her courteously. He and Ning Wei received a shallow bow as the consort left.

A pouty Yi Shuo pulled Yan Yixuan to sit and plopped down beside him, still hugging his arm. Ning Wei shook his head with a smile at his childish antics and sat opposite to them.

“So, what did you learn through your mystical ways?” Yi Shuo prodded.

Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei brought him up to speed on what they heard.

Yi Shuo looked crestfallen. “I don’t want to doubt any of them, even that cold woman.”

Ning Wei sighed. “And we still don’t have any conclusive proof.”

Yan Yixuan spoke, “We’ll just have to wait to find more clues. Until we’ve caught the murderer, we will continue prioritizing Young Master Yi’s safety.”

Yi Shuo nodded. “As frustrating as this is, I suppose the very fact that there haven’t been many incidents means that the murderer is cautious of us and not as confident. We’ll just have to be satisfied with it.”

The couple nodded.

With matters thus set to the side, the three men pushed up their sleeves and started working on decimating the gigantic pile of peeled fruit the consort had left behind.

When Dong Chuan returned with more fruit, he was faced with three expectant gazes and a half-eaten mound of fruit.

“Chuan-zi~” Yi Shuo called. “You’ve worked hard. Come, have some fruit as a reward.”

Dong Chuan, “……”

And thus, another victim was claimed.

↢∘●∘↣

As the sky deepened to evening colors, the group arrived at an inn as expected and stopped there to settle in for the night.

After sending their luggage to their room, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei parted from Yi Shuo to take a walk around the inn and stretch their legs. While strolling along the corridor and passing by one of the kitchens borrowed by Yi Shuo's group, they heard furtive voices whispering from within.

“…you say, but if the young master didn’t favor that guard, why would he always keep him by his side?” an old man was asking.

Without a word, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei halted to eavesdrop.

A younger voice added to the old man’s words, “The young master must be aware of the rumors by now, so it’s certainly telling that he continues to let that lovestruck guard stick to him.”

A middle-aged woman harrumphed. “Don’t talk as if you don’t know how kind the young master is. Do you think he’d push someone away due to mere rumors? With how straightforward he is, if the young master was truly interested in that unpleasant lout of a guard, why wouldn’t he say so after hearing how the guard liked him?”

“If I have to be honest,” a hesitant voice added. “I actually think the young master might favor that young master surnamed Qin who was adopted into the Jin household.”

The middle-aged woman exclaimed, “One would have to be blind to miss that!”

“Eh, you think so?” the old man sounded doubtful. “I still feel that he prefers the guard…”

Ning Wei suddenly glanced to the side, followed by Yan Yixuan. They spotted Yi Shuo peeking from around the corner, just beside one of the kitchen’s windows, as if he’d been eavesdropping as well. He winked and beckoned them over with a grin.

As Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei headed over, Yi Shuo took them a few paces away from the kitchen and stated, “I don’t know why they keep spreading those rumors, but I’m really not interested in Chuan-zi that way.”

Ning Wei shrugged. “We know. I suppose your servants just lack other materials for gossip.”

Yi Shuo made a face and stuck his tongue out at him, causing the couple to chuckle.

Yan Yixuan took this opportunity to tease, “If Young Master Yi is not interested in your faithful guard, could there be someone else you’ve set your eyes on?”

Yi Shuo hunched his shoulders and blushed. “M-Maybe.” Coughing and looking away, he said, “On that note, Duke Yan, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you…alone.” He peeked at Yan Yixuan.

Ning Wei raised a brow at him askance.

Yi Shuo gave him a pleading look. “I promise I won’t eat up your husband, General.” Then straightening and thumping himself on his puffed-out chest, he pronounced with bravado, “I won’t hesitate to use my own body, no matter how magnificent a treasure it is, to protect him if that’s what it comes down to!”

“How comforting,” Ning Wei remarked dryly, then turned to his beloved. “Ah-Xuan, you have all your tools?”

Yan Yixuan patted his sleeve with a smile. “Yes.”

Yi Shuo pouted at his dramatic declaration being ignored.

Ning Wei rubbed Yan Yixuan’s head. “Whistle for me if you need me.”

Yan Yixuan nodded. Ning Wei turned and walked away, reassured.

Looking at Yan Yixuan with shining eyes, Yi Shuo asked, “You can whistle? Show me!”

Yan Yixuan blinked but obliged by curling his tongue, parting his lips, and blowing a short whistle.

Yi Shuo was starry-eyed with admiration.

The retreating Ning Wei turned back with one side of his mouth quirked up, “Calling me so soon? Do you miss your husband that much or are you just catcalling me?”

Yan Yixuan grinned at him roguishly. “A perky pair of buttocks you’ve got there, young soldier! I bet it’ll feel fine in my hands. How about you come home with me tonight and let me give it a go?”

Flushing, Ning Wei pointed a finger at him accusingly. “Behave!” Turning away, the general strode away flusteredly, muttering under his breath about naughty little foxes and their naughtier mouths.

Yan Yixuan bent over laughing. Whose fault was it that he learned to speak like this? His Ah-Wei only had himself to blame!

When Yan Yixuan recovered his composure, he saw Yi Shuo gazing at him with a strange smile. He spoke softly, “I’m happy to see you both getting along so well.” He turned away and went on, “I’m happy that you can have such a thing.”

Yan Yixuan folded his arms and leaned back on the railing. “Even if I caused Young Master Qin to be hurt so badly?”

Yi Shuo let out a strangled laugh. “You sure don’t pull your punches.” Sighing, he replied, “Yes, despite that. I don’t know the exact details of everything that transpired, but Ah-Yun has spared no effort in telling me why his sacrifice was necessary and that you did not intend for him to be hurt that horribly. After being subjected to his skillful persuasion, what can I do but be convinced?”

Yan Yixuan tilted his head. “That’s very altruistic of you.”

Yi Shuo looked down and played with his ring. “Ah-Yun is the one who’s altruistic. He had to struggle through so many tragedies, first losing his family as a child and then getting burned so badly. Yet he manages to be so compassionate and open-minded, with that gentle grace hiding an indomitable spirit. No matter how much his injuries caused him to suffer, Ah-Yun bore it so stoically. So how can I choose to hold onto grudges that he has more of a right to feel and show my ugly, imperfect side to him? I would rather be like him, always focused on what can be done rather than languishing in the unfairness and despair of it all. I cannot begin to fathom his strength and willpower. By all means, Young Master Qin Liangyun is a man so perfect that he should seem distant.”

Yi Shuo’s voice grew tender as if cradling something delicate and precious within their tones. “Yet my Ah-Yun’s small smiles are so captivating in their warmth, especially when they’re tinted with a bit of helplessness due to something I said or did. I can’t help but want to make him smile in that way he only does with me, and I don’t mind making a silly fool of myself for it.

“But I know that no matter how lacking I am in comparison to that perfect man, he has never looked down on me. Ah-Yun cares enough about me that he spent the one favor he could ask of you, just to keep me safe. And in return, I care for him too. I like him; I’d do anything for him. I’m willing to stay by his side as long as I can. I even stopped getting together with other people because of it. I…I-I…”

Yi Shuo covered the lower half of his face with a hand. His cheeks burned a bashful red and his eyes spilled a soft yet intense yearning. He whispered, “I love my Ah-Yun. I love him so much I can’t bear it sometimes. I love Ah-Yun with all I have.”

Yi Shuo turned to Yan Yixuan, his eyes wide and filled with a purity of emotion. “But despite how much I love him, I never thought I had a chance with him. How can someone so perfect ever want me? How could any person be suitable for my Ah-Yun? But then I saw you, a person who shared his manner of perfectness, so casually loving your husband. I saw that perfect people can indeed be happy with someone imperfect. For the first time, I saw a flicker of hope, and it made me so ecstatic.”

“No wonder you always looked delighted whenever I and Ah-Wei messed around…” Yan Yixuan muttered to himself. He said aloud to Yi Shuo, “I don’t know in what way I seem perfect to you, but to me, my Ah-Wei is the perfect one. And similarly, maybe you’re the perfect one to your beloved as well.”

Bowing his head, Yi Shuo fidgeted with his ring, equal parts hope and unease in his gaze. “I…I wouldn’t be so sure of that. As you’ve no doubt noticed, I’m the type of person whose affections would be written on my face as soon as I realize them. I can’t help it. Someone as clever as Ah-Yun would’ve long since noticed it. Yet he has never mentioned it or showed any sign of reciprocating my interest, so…I don’t think he sees me that way.”

Suddenly seeming to shed his gloom, Yi Shuo looked up and grinned at Yan Yixuan. “But that’s okay! Even it comes to nothing, I’ll continue waiting till the end, because my Ah-Yun deserves that much dedication!”

For a moment, Yan Yixuan could only stare at him. Then he smiled. “To quote you: I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

Yi Shuo blinked with confusion.

Yan Yixuan crossed one leg over the other and began, “If you recall, Young Master Qin and I were taught by the same person. It’s inevitable that we would develop similarities in the way we process things. You yourself have observed that, haven’t you? Now, if Young Master Qin is anything like me in matters of romance, he wouldn’t necessarily have noticed your affections, even if they are obvious.

“To give you an example, I myself hadn’t realized Ah-Wei’s reciprocation of my feelings, even though we stayed under the same roof and spent a lot of time together. And Ning Wei hadn’t even been trying to hide his indulgence and fondness towards me. He found quite some amusement in that. It might be something similar with your Ah-Yun, don’t you think?”

Having never considered it, Yi Shuo had to take some time to think about it. He shook his head. “Even if he didn’t notice my affections, that doesn’t mean that he would reciprocate them when asked. I probably still don’t have a chance.”

Yan Yixuan sighed. “You already know how important you are to Young Master Qin. If you truly want to confirm the depth of that importance, you should ask him before deciding that it is shallow.”

Yi Shuo covered his face and shook his head. “What if he rejects me? That’ll break my sweet and precious heart!”

Yan Yixuan gave him a flat look.

Yi Shuo’s shoulders drooped as he lowered his hands. “I’m…afraid of expressing my feelings again.”

“If I remember right, you’ve told us before that you were rejected and it hurt you,” Yan Yixuan said. “I doubt it was with Young Master Qin. What happened?”

Biting his lower lip, Yi Shuo spoke hesitantly, “Didn’t I tell you before how my family bought our title of nobility? Well, when I was younger, I was pretty naïve. I wasn’t used to mingling with other nobles my age and all the trappings that came with our status yet. I didn’t know I was just seen as a novelty—a duck pretending to be a swan just because it was white, as they called me behind my back.

“The first time I fell in love was with the daughter of a marquis. But it turned out our brief relationship was just her playing with a new toy. In the current dynasty, it’s fairly uncommon for someone to be able to buy a title. So she had been curious and wanted the bragging rights of ‘taking down exotic prey’.” Yi Shuo rubbed his forehead and gave a strained chuckle. “Since it was my first time, I had gotten too emotionally involved, falling deep and hard. I was devastated and emotionally scarred when she laughed in my face and spat out what she truly thought of me while breaking things off.”

He shrugged. “Once I figured out how they saw me, I realized it was best to accept their offers and have fun while I could without getting attached to the people themselves. It hurt less that way. That is why I was surprised when I discovered what I felt for Ah-Yun. And now I’m afraid to deepen our relationship further.

“I’m such a flawed person that I couldn’t even be of use to my friend as a shoulder to lean on when he suffered. Ah-Yun is so strong despite everything, unlike my own weak self who is so afraid of suffering that I would have broken down quickly after living just a short while with his pain. What can someone like me offer Ah-Yun? With what courage can I declare my affections to that perfect person and expect a positive response when those more imperfect than him didn’t find me worthy?”

Yan Yixuan was silent for a few moments, then said, “I understand your hesitation now. But have you ever considered that Young Master Qin might be having similar thoughts about you, but hesitates because he doesn’t think he’s perfect enough for you as well?”

Yi Shuo looked like he couldn’t wrap his head around it. “How can that be possible? I will have you know that Ah-Yun is incredible! Why would he of all people feel insecure before someone as inept as me?!”

Yan Yixuan chuckled as he thought back to Qin Liangyun’s little slip-up during their meeting that led him to the guess that the other man might see this ‘friend’ of his as more than that.

With an elbow on the railing and chin in hand, Yan Yixuan smiled. “Young Master Yi, do you know? Every person Master Jin picks up is broken in some way. Losing his family must have traumatized Young Master Qin terribly. Master Jin taught children like us to…well, not close those cracks, but function despite them. He gave us knowledge and tools, he helped us find our feet again and build our confidence. It works very well in teaching us to take care of ourselves and navigate society smoothly.

“However, when we encounter something that moves us deep inside, something that gets past all the thick layers and shields we’ve built around us to function, we are left with no way to cope. We revert to those scared little children who had their former lives crushed cruelly by the world, who live in fear that if they reach out to hold the precious treasure they found, it’ll be snatched away again. So we don’t dare to hope. Instead, we silently protect the focus of our desire, because something so beautiful that touches us this deeply deserves to be cherished. We dare not expect anything in return.”

Yan Yixuan’s expression was soft and wistful. “It’s a lonely place to be, yet it is satisfying to see that the one we love is well, even if we can only gaze at them from a distance.”

Yi Shuo stared at him, enraptured. Could it be that this was how his Ah-Yun thought as well?

Yan Yixuan pinned him with his gaze. “That is why you should make sure. Since, if Young Master Qin does reciprocate your affections, he will never show or state it outright for fear of losing his precious person somehow. And even if you’re rejected…didn’t you say you didn’t mind getting embarrassed for your dear Ah-Yun’s sake?”

Yi Shuo flushed, but the uncertainty in his eyes had firmed a bit. “I’ll need to think about this a little further before I can gather the courage to even think of confessing.” He chuckled self-deprecatingly. “This would be much easier on my nerves if I knew what he thinks of me beforehand.”

Yan Yixuan hummed thoughtfully, then pointed to the ring Yi Shuo had been fiddling with constantly. “If you ever have to use its contents, you’ll know for sure. But it’s better if that opportunity never arrives, isn’t it?”

Yi Shuo was startled as he held up the finger with the ring. “This? Why?”

Yan Yixuan smiled and shook his head. “Just a guess.”

Yi Shuo huffed and complained, “Oh yes, be all mysterious, why don’t you.” But he didn’t prod any further, too afraid of the hope budding within him.

With his concerns thus addressed, Yi Shuo left in a chipper mood while humming a cheerful little love song. Once he was out of sight, Yan Yixuan turned towards the opposite direction and called, “You can come out of hiding now. I know you’ve been listening to us for a while.”

Looking angry at being caught, Dong Chuan stepped around the corner and glared at the young man. After hearing that the master he loved was so enamored with someone else, his usual grumpiness gained an extra layer of crackling fire.

Yan Yixuan smiled back placidly. He felt it was fortunate that this guard had only come upon them when they were well into discussing Yi Shuo’s love troubles, so he missed Yi Shuo referring to Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei by their titles. The less he knew the better. As for Dong Chuan hearing Master Jin’s name, Yan Yixuan wasn’t too worried. While Master Jin wasn’t without his own fame, his recognition lay only in medical circles, and among the capital’s residents and those who served in the war with him. Yan Yixuan doubted Dong Chuan fit into any of those groups.

Yan Yixuan asked, “Which of us were you stalking, by the way? Me or Young Master Yi?”

Dong Chuan bristled. “As his guard, isn’t it a given for me to make sure suspicious people like you don’t get the chance to be alone with him if I can help it? Who knows where you and that husband of yours popped out from and what intentions you have in worming your way close to my master! Considering your timing in approaching him, one of you is definitely the killer!”

Yan Yixuan shrugged, unconcerned about the accusations. “Young Master Yi was the one who requested my company, as you might have guessed from our conversation. Which makes me wonder, after hearing everything your master said, are you going to continue holding affections for him?”

Dong Chuan’s expression immediately went sour. His fists clenched and his head bowed with the strength of his emotions. “I might not have been by Master’s side for long, but it still feels like I’ve loved him for years. I want him. I want him so badly…”

Yan Yixuan’s eyebrows flew upward.

But all the anger seemed to abruptly drain out of Dong Chuan and his shoulders slumped. He rubbed his face with a hand and let out a heavy breath. “But this…changes things. I don’t know anymore. I still want to be by his side and keep a lookout at least until this crisis is past, but… I need to think about this alone.”

Ignoring Yan Yixuan, he turned and shambled away in a trance.

Yan Yixuan had to admit that he didn’t particularly care about Dong Chuan’s troubles. The man had been nothing but unpleasant.

Yan Yixuan ruminated over the recent happenings and slowly headed towards his and Ning Wei’s room. Along the way, he came upon Ming Bai, the servant boy who seemed to have undue interest in their affairs.

Ming Bai was helping a few other servants transport large trunks into the inn. Seeing Yan Yixuan, something flared in the young man’s eyes. He said something to his companions and walked over.

Yan Yixuan halted in the corridor and asked courteously, “Yes?”

Ming Bai gripped the banister from the outside and stared at him with intense eyes.

Yan Yixuan patiently waited as he observed him in return. Ming Bai’s skin was too white, his clothes washed to fading, and even his hair seemed to have a greyish tint, giving his entire person an air of paleness, like a translucent piece of forgotten, dusty paper that could be blown away by a puff of breath.

With a wary look, he finally spoke raspily, “Why are you both here?”

Yan Yixuan smiled. “Because Young Master Yi invited us along.”

Ming Bai frowned, seeming frustrated. “You shouldn’t have accepted. Now you’re in the way.”

“Oh? In whose way?” Yan Yixuan inquired with polite interest, but his eyes were sharp.

Frown etching deeper, Ming Bai shook his head. “Don’t ask me. But you should listen to me—stay if you want to, but don’t get in my way when the time comes. It’s not worth complicating things in a tense situation and putting yourself and others in danger.”

After that strange statement, Ming Bai gave Yan Yixuan a deep look as if confirming that the other man had heard him, then turned and loped back to join the other servants.

Yan Yixuan rubbed his chin and pondered. Ming Bai didn’t seem to be adept at communicating and his words could be taken in too many ways to actually clarify anything. But it at least confirmed that he was very much aware of the danger Yi Shuo was in and considered himself to be involved in it.

As he started walking again, Yan Yixuan sighed. If only he could pry open this bunch of troublesome people’s heads to see just what thoughts they hid in there.

Yan Yixuan thought back to Yi Shuo’s earnest expression as he pined after Qin Liangyun and smiled to himself. Though he had only agreed to help Yi Shuo to make it up to Qin Liangyun at first, he had grown to like the pure-hearted young master by now and wanted to protect him as well. If only he knew who he had to protect Yi Shuo from…

As it was, Yan Yixuan had a feeling that things would start moving soon so it might only be a matter of time before they found out.

As he reached the room he shared with Ning Wei, Yan Yixuan snuggled into his husband’s arms and decided that no matter what, they would deal with it together as always.

↢∘●∘↣

Back in the capital, Qin Liangyun was dreaming. The unseemly thoughts he repressed during the day bled into his night.

Qin Liangyun dreamt of stepping into his room on whole legs and finding someone on his bed. He swept aside the bed curtains to reveal Yi Shuo lying here, bound and blindfolded. Yi Shuo’s robes were disheveled revealingly, tears wetting his cheeks. He lay there curled while sniffling pitifully.

Qin Liangyun’s heart stung as he gently gathered his beloved into his arms. Stroking Yi Shuo’s hair soothingly, he murmured, “It’s alright, don’t cry.”

Yi Shuo sniffled again and called hesitantly, “A-Ah-Yun? Is that you? I’m scared…”

Qin Liangyun hugged him tightly and whispered, “Yes, it’s me. So don’t be scared and depend on me.” He pressed a hesitant kiss to the side of Yi Shuo’s head. He voice grew quieter and pleading, “Don’t leave me, alright? Become mine and always stay with me. I love you so much I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Yi Shuo’s tense body softened in his arms. He rubbed his wet cheek against Qin Liangyun and murmured, “Ah-Yun, if it’s you, I don’t mind it. You can have me.”

Qin Liangyun’s heart beat faster. The desire he always kept so meticulously suppressed surged up. He carefully laid Yi Shuo down on the bed and asked, “You’re sure?”

Shifting to settle himself on the bed while still bound and blindfolded, Yi Shuo nodded shyly.

Blood heating, Qin Liangyun slowly pulled away Yi Shuo’s half-undone clothing and intently studied his beloved’s bared body. Shifting to hover over Yi Shuo on his elbows and knees, Qin Liangyun bent down to kiss him, his mouth unskilled yet hungry.

Yi Shuo startled and whimpered at the force of the sudden kiss, but he kept his lips willingly parted. His beloved’s acceptance fed Qin Liangyun’s desire. He gripped Yi Shuo by the hips and ground his hardening arousal against him while his tongue thrust in deeper. Yi Shuo quivered and groaned helplessly. Qin Liangyun’s hands climbed up from his hips to explore the pliant body under him. The lines and curves felt indistinct in his hands, unfamiliar, but he didn’t pay it any mind. The thought that this was Yi Shuo gave him all the titillation he needed.

Yi Shuo moaned thickly and eagerly parted his thighs in invitation. His clothes having vanished sometime, Qin Liangyun didn’t wait to guide his hard member into his beloved’s waiting opening.

As they joined, all Qin Liangyun felt was the vague sensation of soft, liquid heat wrapping around his shaft and squeezing. He shuddered with pleasure and leaned down to suck on Yi Shuo’s neck. Yi Shuo’s breath hitched and he twisted, as flexible as Qin Liangyun knew he would be. Qin Liangyun licked the pink mark blooming on his beloved’s throat soothingly and pressed himself deeper into Yi Shuo’s body. When they fully connected, Yi Shuo made a soft sound under him.

Qin Liangyun barely allowed him a moment to adjust. Clutching Yi Shuo close, he pumped in and out of him in quick, forceful strokes as if to impress all his longing into his beloved’s body. Yi Shuo writhed and cried out in his arms.

Holding him tighter, Qin Liangyun buried his face into the crook of Yi Shuo’s neck to hide from the guilt, from the feeling that he shouldn’t be doing this. He drove into his beloved’s body harder, mad with desperation.

Panting and flushed, Yi Shuo struggled to maneuver his bound arms around Qin Liangyun and stroked the back of his head with trembling fingers. He whispered, “Ah-Yun, it’s okay, it’s okay to think of me like this…”

That permission hit the deep, shadowed corner of his heart that Qin Liangyun tried his best to keep buried in his beloved’s presence. Some strong, bittersweet emotion twisted in his chest. With a strangled shout of pained pleasure, Qin Liangyun slammed into Yi Shuo one last time and released in a rush.

As Qin Liangyun spent himself, Yi Shuo gasped and squirmed in his arms, nearing his own release. Qin Liangyun forced his lethargic limbs to move and began working his fingers over Yi Shuo’s member.

Yi Shuo’s hips swung back and forth with urgency. Pushed to the point of sobbing, he implored, “Ah-Yun…I need to see you.”

Qin Liangyun felt his pulse anxiously speed up. He tenderly kissed Yi Shuo’s eyes through the blindfold and hastened the movement of his hand.

Yi Shuo bowed with a moan and beseeched, “Please…let me see you…”

Panic quickened Qin Liangyun’s heartbeat. No, he couldn’t… What if he saw disgust or regret under that blindfold? No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t imagine Yi Shuo’s eyes displaying the love he wanted them to. He couldn’t risk it. He didn’t want to see what was behind the blindfold in the same way he didn’t want to undo his beloved’s bonds and risk him leaving.

Yi Shuo’s chest heaved, his body shaking. His voice was a thin whisper as he begged pitifully, “Ah-Yun…please?”

Qin Liangyun’s heart hurt. Leaving one hand to vigorously pump Yi Shuo’s dripping shaft, he first undid his beloved’s bonds. Yi Shuo sighed hoarsely in comfort and wrapped his limbs around him. Qin Liangyun hesitantly reached for the blindfold. His chest pounded nervously as he lifted the edge of the black fabric. His pulse thundered harder.

Yi Shuo let out a breathless groan and arched up in climax just as Qin Liangyun pulled off the blindfold. But right as he was about to meet Yi Shuo’s gaze…

The fearful hammering of his own heart woke him up.

Young Master Qin Liangyun opened his eyes to the shadowed confines of his bed, the curtains down on all sides. He placed a palm over his chest and felt the rapid flutter of his heartbeat gradually slowing. He sighed softly and shifted, but found that the inside of his pants was wet and slippery. He grimaced.

Qin Liangyun used one of the frames attached to the sides of the bed to pull himself upright. After his accident that burned a good portion of his body and rendered him weak, wooden frames had been attached to either side of his bed so he could help himself sit up.

“Young Master, do you need something?” the attentive query of a servant came from the other side of the bed curtains.

“Bring me a wetted washcloth and a new pair of pants, please,” Qin Liangyun answered.

He heard the servant getting up and leaving the room.

Qin Liangyun leaned back against the headboard and frowned down at his legs. They felt half-numb, stiff, and heavy as if covered by a thick carapace. Sometimes they itched fiercely or tingled. But most of the time, they were little better than partially flexible blocks of wood attached to his torso. To put it simply, he disdained them for being useless. His left arm wasn't much better.

With limbs like these, he would never be able to do the things he did so effortlessly in his dream.

Qin Liangyun buried his head in his hands, jaws bulging with the force of his clenched teeth. His body was nowhere near operational condition, so where did he get the gall to start fantasizing about Yi Shuo? He should first think of how he could push himself harder and recover faster. Why was he letting himself indulge in such unrealistic thoughts when he knew they would only become blades stuck in his flesh, sending out grinding pain with every movement? He had so much of himself to fix before he became half the man he pretended to be in front of his friend.

Tch, so pathetic. He couldn’t even control his own damned thoughts. What would Yi Shuo think if he knew how he saw him? That a cripple like him dared to hope that he had a chance when healthier people weren’t judged worthy of his beloved’s time? Even if Yi Shuo was kindhearted, what would he say to someone with legs like these that couldn’t even―

“Overcooked chicken drumstick,” Yi Shuo’s voice interrupted from memory.

Qin Liangyun’s train of thought abruptly screeched to a halt as a short laugh broke out of him. He clamped a hand over his mouth, but the change in his mood was undeniable. His brows smoothened and the burning heat of self-hatred mellowed to the familiar warmth of the exasperated humor his beloved engendered in him.

What nonsense was he thinking, besmirching Yi Shuo’s kindness with such doubts? Of course, his beloved would never say such things. Even the first time he saw his horrific injuries, his friend hadn’t treated him with anything but his usual dazzling warmth and understanding. Yes, his legs might be troublesome, but how could something that Yi Shuo touched so gently and spoken of with so much care be as hateful as he was making it out to be?

Qin Liangyun patted his legs as if in apology and closed his eyes. As the accumulated feelings of anger at himself and despair at his condition slowly melted away, a memory surfaced.

After several weeks of mental preparation, Qin Liangyun had mustered up the courage on a certain day, years ago, to let Yi Shuo look at his ghastly injuries.

They were at his courtyard’s back porch in the Jin residence. Qin Liangyun sat with his legs dangling over the porch’s edge, two cups of cooling tea set down beside him. Yi Shuo was kneeling before him while studying his exposed left leg, the most damaged section of Qin Liangyun’s body. Yi Shuo’s expression was a queer mixture of fascination and distress.

It had surprised Qin Liangyun. He hadn’t expected his easygoing, open-minded friend to recoil in horror or anything, but he had thought there would be at least some discomfort.

Yi Shuo poked his leg and commented wonderingly, “It’s so wrinkly, red, and shiny…”

Qin Liangyun smiled elegantly as if his heart wasn’t in his throat. He spoke with affected casualness, “Yes, it’s very ugly, isn’t it?”

Yi Shuo scowled up at him. “Ah-Yun, I didn’t know you were so superficial!”

Qin Liangyun blinked, stupefied.

Yi Shuo huffed and continued, “I personally think that the more marks a person has on their body, the more stories they have to tell!” His expression gentling, he touched Qin Liangyun’s leg. “And it just means that you carry a weightier story than most. It makes me sad that you had to go through the suffering that made your body this way, but by no means do I think it’s fair to blame or judge your body itself for becoming like this.” He tenderly stroked the scarred leg and murmured, “It’s not its fault, but I know it must still hurt you. If I could, I’d give you my own legs. Oh, how I wish I could…”

Qin Liangyun felt what nerves remained in his leg tingle at the touch. He didn’t feel confident in maintaining his expression, so he turned to lift a cup of cold tea to his lips while saying, “You don’t have to try so hard to speak up for them out of pity for me. It’s a fact that these legs are now unsightly and useless. You can just call them that and I won’t mind.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Qin Liangyun hid a wince. That was too close to his true thoughts for him to let it slip out. But Yi Shuo’s palm still rested on his leg, scrambling his reason too much to think. He hurriedly gulped down the tea, hoping to hide his discomposure.

Meanwhile, Yi Shuo had grown incensed and glared at him. “Did nothing I said get through your thick head?! If that’s what I felt, I would’ve told you as much! Do I look like the kind of person who hides his thoughts?! Hmph! Just be glad I was polite enough to not say it looked like an overcooked chicken drumstick.”

Qin Liangyun spurted out a mouthful of tea, trying not to choke as he laughed.

Yi Shuo stuck out his tongue at him, but couldn’t help grinning, feeling pleased with himself.

And so, the smile Qin Liangyun had been forcing himself to wear all these months finally became genuine.

After that, Qin Liangyun had requested Yi Shuo to help him practice walking.

Qin Liangyun had expected Yi Shuo to see him as a fragile invalid who needed to be coddled, like the rest of his household. Unable to bear the thought of looking anything less than reliable in front of his beloved, Qin Liangyun had even prepared several logical counterarguments against it.

But Yi Shuo had exclaimed with gleaming eyes, “As expected of my Ah-Yun! As always, your mental strength and determination are impressive!”

Qin Liangyun was startled, then he smiled.

His beloved often remarked how strong he was to be so unwavering in his pursuit of getting better and looking forward. But Yi Shuo didn’t know that the reason he always saw Qin Liangyun’s strong side was because being with Yi Shuo was what gave Qin Liangyun strength. It was what made him think it was worth striving for a future that contained this person, still standing by his side, even if it was only as a friend.

With Yi Shuo supporting him on one side and a walking cane on the other, Qin Liangyun gritted his teeth and put his legs to work. He walked until he felt the hot burn snaking through his legs turn to sharp, stabbing agony. He didn’t make a sound but Yi Shuo managed to figure out his condition and forced him to rest.

Qin Liangyun was dissatisfied. “I can go for a bit more. I’m not that weak.”

Yi Shuo patted his shoulder and consoled, “I know. Weak is the last word I’d associate with you, so you don’t need to push yourself to prove it. You’ve already done very well to come this far.” Smiling, Yi Shuo hugged him and expressed, “I’m so, so very proud of my Ah-Yun.”

All his arguments scattered and Qin Liangyun’s mind imploded.

Qin Liangyun barely held on until Yi Shuo went to fetch some towels for him to wipe away the sweat. Then he buried his face in his hands and smiled so wide his face felt like it would tear open.

I’m so, so very proud of my Ah-Yun.

Yi Shuo had called him his Ah-Yun. He said he was proud of him.

Qin Liangyun knew his smile was too big, too inelegant, but he didn’t care. His senses were full of Yi Shuo’s scent when he hugged him, that of clothes aired in the sun, and his beloved’s words.

I’m so, so very proud of my Ah-Yun.

Qin Liangyun was too immersed in that scene that he didn’t notice he wasn’t as alone as he thought.

“Liangyun?” a familiar voice called from behind.

Qin Liangyun turned towards the voice without thinking.

Master Jin blinked at him. “That’s the most foolish smile I’ve ever seen on you.”

Qin Liangyun, “……”

“Where’s your friend, that Young Master Yi? Wasn’t he visiting today” Master Jin asked. Then seeming to realize something, he looked towards the doorway leading into the residence and said thoughtfully, “Ah, so it’s like that, is it? I’ve wondered.”

Qin Liangyun coughed and began awkwardly, “Th-That’s…”

Master Jin patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to go around blabbing about it. Especially in front of him.”

Not knowing what to say, Qin Liangyun nodded with a complex expression. “Thank you, Teacher.”

Master Jin left just as Yi Shuo skipped over with the towels. When he saw Qin Liangyun, he stopped to tilt his head this way and that in puzzlement. “I don’t know how to read your expression, Ah-Yun. What have you been thinking about?”

Qin Liangyun put on his usual smile, something that always sat more comfortably on his lips in Yi Shuo’s presence. “I was thinking of how overprotective my servants have been and wondering how they’ll react if they found out I’ve been straining my legs. I don’t want them to worry, so you won’t tell them, will you? Let’s keep this just between us.”

Yi Shuo perked up, eyes shining. “So it’s a secret just between us? I won’t say a word!”

Qin Liangyun didn’t know why it made Yi Shuo so cheerful. But he was nevertheless relieved that the topic had been successfully diverted.

As Qin Liangyun leaned back on his headboard and reminisced about that day, the servant he’d sent to get a washcloth and a fresh pair of pants finally returned. He wiped himself and changed with the servant’s help, then laid back down to sleep.

Qin Liangyun’s thoughts drifted drowsily. Yi Shuo was such a precious person, yet he never seemed to realize how he lit up others’ day with his presence. He never seemed to understand the true impact he made in Qin Liangyun’s life or how dearly he was held. Qin Liangyun wouldn’t dare ask for Yi Shuo to reciprocate his affections, but he wished his beloved at least knew that to at least one person, he was a perfect and cherished existence.

And yet, such a beloved man was now in danger.

Qin Liangyun grew grave. No matter what, Yi Shuo couldn’t get hurt! How he wished he could rush to his side to comfort him when he was scared and shield him from all malice. But if he went to Yi Shuo in his current state, he would be the one needing protection.

Sighing as he sank into sleep, Qin Liangyun's last thought was that he could only entrust Yi Shuo’s safety to Yan Yixuan and hope to behold his beloved’s smile soon.