Changling walked over to Xing Guang, who was lying face down on the floor of the ferry, taking them back to the kingdom. It was a two-hour ride and Xing Guang. Although she frequented the kingdom from the island, she didn’t enjoy riding on water.

“Why do you look like you are dying?” He asked her.

Turning her head, she side-eyed him, “Your majesty, please, I am dying.”

He chuckled and sat down beside her cross-legged. He lifted her head up and slid his leg under her neck, asking, “Seasick?”

She nodded her head.

Just then, Youxian came out from the cabin looking ill and full of marks. He had woken up about twenty minutes ago from having his organs messed with by Changling.

His body felt disgusting and painful. Changling didn’t spare him any chance to even accept that he was back, going ahead of himself and having his way with Youxian as he did in the past.

He walked over to them and saw that they looked comfortable. Changling looked up at him and smiled. He took Youxian’s hand and kissed it, asking, “Did you sleep well?”

Youxian felt like throwing up. He looked away, saying, “Ah-Xing, go inside before you get sick like last time.”

She slowly got up and made her way inside. When she was gone, Youxian yanked his arm away.

Changling stood up and pulled him closer. Looking down at him, he asked, “Want to go another round? I’ve missed this body of yours and being inside it feels like I’m up in the heavens.”

Youxian scowled, “Where’s my husband?”

Changling let him go, asking, “Am I not standing in front of you?”

“You? You’re fucking joking, right? I don’t remember you ever standing before me and telling me you’d try with everything in your power to protect me from those who harm me. In fact, I remember clearly you walking down the red carpet with YOUR WIFE behind you tied to your right hand, leading her up the steps to the imperial palace.” He took in a deep breath and sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t know, but you must have imagined everything.”

Changling grabbed him by his throat and hissed in his face, “Didn’t I tell you to stop bringing that up? This is the last time, do you hear me?”

Pretending not to be bothered by the hand around his neck, he asked, “Where is he?”

Pushing him aside, Changling walked past him, saying, “Give up on finding him.”

“You better not do anything to him!” Youxian warned.

“Did you forget I’m the emperor? I can do what I want. A whore like you has no say in what I can and cannot do,” he scoffed.

Youxian stood in shock at hearing his words. His heart was pained. Who knew that hearing those words from the man who made him crazy could hurt him? He opened his mouth to say something, but just looking at Changling’s back made him feel complicated. 

Silently, he went back inside the cabin. Looking around, he found Xing Guang lying on the bed. Walking up to the bed, he climbed on it and hugged her as he laid down beside her.

She turned facing him with a forced smile and said, “Papa told me I won’t see him every again once his majesty was part of my life.”

Youxian hugged her tightly as he started trembling in fear. He was scared, not only for them but for Wulin. He was innocent. Where was he, and how could he save him? 

Xing Guang listened to her father cry. He sounded so sad and she didn’t know what to do, which led her to crying with him. 

Changling heard them crying and opened the door. The one he saw was Xing Guang and although she was crying, she was staring at him but ignored him.

He stood there for a moment more, then closed the door and made his way to the edge of the ferry. Opening a door, he went down the steps, which took him to another door that was guarded.

“Is he awake?” He asked them.

They nodded their heads. One of them opened the door for him and on the floor, he saw Wulin staring at him in the middle of his meal.

Wulin placed the spoon and bowl down and got up. He bowed to Changling then sat back down asking, “What do I owe the pleasure of this visit, your majesty?”

Changling closed the door and leaned against it. “I’ve decided to not kill you.”

Wulin raised a brow but remained silent. He didn’t want to hear about that. “How are they doing?”

“Xing Guang is seasick and Youxian only spits in my face,” he said.

Wulin sighed, “Youxian isn’t the same anymore. I don’t think things will go your way, your majesty.”

Staring at him, Changling agreed silently. “What happened over the years?”

“He watched the man he loved marry someone else and don’t forget you told him you loved him and were even planning to marry him secretly. Your majesty, although I married him and slept with him countless times over the years, one thing I know for sure is that he’ll never forget you. Youxian holds grudges over the smallest things and you, my lord, you did more damage than you can handle. Whether you kill me now or not, he will find ways to get you out of his mind and he will fail miserably.” Wulin said.

He went silent as he observed Changling then continued, “What I know is, he has been trying his best to raise your child and he hopes that if he can have a child of another, he’ll find someone else to replace the hole you dug inside him.”

*

The door to the cabin opened, making Youxian sigh. He was lying on the bed with Xing Guang in his arms, pretending to sleep.

Youxian heard footsteps coming towards the bed and tensed. Next, he felt a hand touch his shoulder followed by a whisper, “Wake up, it’s me.”

Youxian’s eyes snapped open. He didn’t wait a second and crashed into Wulin’s arms.

Wulin sighed against him. “We got caught.”

Youxian almost began to wail. He grabbed Wulin by the arm and dragged him off into the room, Changling arranged for Xing Guang on the ferry.

“How did you get here?” He asked him.

Wulin shook his head. “You don’t have to hide like this. He let me in.”

“But why?” Youxian asked, confused. 

Wulin felt bitter. “He’s giving me this chance to say goodbye to you.”

“Goodbye?” Youxian repeated. 

Wulin nodded, “He said when we get to land, I need to leave and go far from the capital.”

Youxian shook his head. “No, I’m sure he’s going to kill you.”

Wulin smiled as he looked at the worried expression he made. Hugging him, he said, “I suddenly wish I did have a little me with you.”

Youxian’s train of thought paused. He looked at Wulin and started whimpering. “If only that was possible.”

Wulin lifted his chin and kissed him on his lips, then whispered, “Want to try for the last time?”

Youxian nodded his head. Who knew what was going to happen after this? And it didn’t even matter if he couldn’t fall pregnant with Wulin’s child. At least his best days were spent with him.