Chapter Eight: Bitter Wormwood Love

Chapter Eight: Bitter Wormwood Love

Yun Zi'an had incredibly striking legs, long and straight, wrapped in smooth, pale skin, masculine yet not overly so, with clearly defined muscles visible when tensed, even the hollows of his ankles bearing a defined grace.

When shooting commercial ads, photographers almost always asked Yun Zi'an to cover his legs. Not because they weren't attractive, but precisely because they were too much so. From any angle, they made even the most serious mainstream ads seem risqué, almost inappropriate for children.

Nearly every male photographer who had shot Yun Zi'an secretly fantasized about those legs, seemingly more powerful than a woman's, imagining how exhilarating it would feel to have them wrapped around their waist...

Now, these sleek, long legs were coiled around Rong Xiao's waist like a serpent. Yun Zi'an's robe had somehow come undone, revealing a vast expanse of white skin from his chest to his abdomen, as if he couldn't breathe without sensuality, wildly biting at the small black mole on Rong Xiao's neckline, leaving behind one bloody bite mark after another.

．

Yun Zi'an both hated and loved that mole on Rong Xiao's neck; usually half-hidden by his collar, it appeared tantalizingly secretive, as if embodying Rong Xiao's composed and serious demeanor, making one fantasize about unbuttoning his shirt to kiss that mole, unlocking Rong Xiao's restraint, and witnessing his usually expressionless face twisted in passionate madness.

Rong Xiao's pupils trembled violently in the dim room, the faint city lights from outside casting enough glow for him to clearly see Yun Zi'an's face, filled with desire in the darkness. He couldn't describe the enthralling, almost sickening addiction it stirred in him, an urge almost impossible to resist, yearning to lose himself on him.

Yun Zi'an wasn't satisfied with just biting the mole on Rong Xiao's neck. He grabbed both sides of Rong Xiao's shirt and tore it apart, buttons flying everywhere. Panting heavily, he bit down on Rong Xiao's pectoral muscle, as if venting all the hatred from three years of emptiness, the bite filled with bone-chilling pain, almost bringing tears to his eyes.

The intense pain from the bite spread across Rong Xiao's chest, causing his jaw muscles to tighten instantly, his shoulders and neck pulling taut. Yet, he remained silent, his strong arms wrapping around Yun Zi'an, holding him to his chest, his breathing becoming erratic and heavy.

The depth of the bite was unknown, but Yun Zi'an's mouth was filled with blood, the metallic taste permeating his organs, an unbearable lump of suppressed sobs stuck in his throat. His internal turmoil was like drinking absinthe, the high alcohol content slicing through the body from the throat down, only revealing a hint of sweetness and aromatic herbs as the flame extinguishes.

Yun Zi'an was sure he was drunk, the alcohol in his blood taking effect, bringing back a long-lost memory of a sunset.

．

He envisioned himself in a pristine white suit, holding a bouquet of delicate white roses, standing under the grand stained glass window of a church, facing empty pews. His gaze traveled through the towering white doors, looking towards the horizon where the golden sunset seemed to scorch his pupils.

As a child, he wished the sun would never set, so playtime would never end. Growing up, even understanding the cycle of sunrise and sunset, he naively hoped that if the legendary arrows of Hou Yi existed on Mount Kunlun, he would climb to the peak to retrieve them, forever fixing the sun in the sky.

As the last sliver of the distant sun was swallowed by the mountains, Yun Zi'an watched the birds returning to the clouds at the edge of the sky, smiling bitterly, tears streaming down, splashing onto the immaculately clean tiles, reflecting his disheveled face.

Outside the church, occasionally, music students from the nearby conservatory played their violins, performing newly learned foreign songs. The melancholic tunes washed through the breeze, keeping the doves circling the bell tower.

The setting sun casting golden hues, merging with the evening clouds, one ponders where they stand...

When the butler informed him that Rong Xiao’s plane had taken off for a war-torn region in the Far East, Yun Zian let the white rose bouquet he had been holding all day fall heavily onto the altar, petals scattered by the wind.

．

Yun Zian buried his head deep in Rong Xiao’s chest, falling asleep in that position. His usually fierce and dangerous demeanor softened in sleep, his long lashes casting tranquil shadows, but his brows were still tightly knit, his blood-stained lips muttering, “Bastard…”

“Mm,” Rong Xiao steadied Yun Zian’s hips with one hand and gently stroked his back with the other. He looked down at Yun Zian, resting against his chest, lips pressed tightly, “I’m sorry.”

Rong Xiao carried Yun Zian to the bedroom, gently laying him on the mattress. He gazed at his lips for a moment, then raised his thumb to gently wipe away the blood at the corner of his mouth.

Undeniably, the moment he touched the softness of Yun Zian’s lips, Rong Xiao's Adam's apple involuntarily bobbed.

Yun Zian had bitten too hard; blood had even trickled from his mouth down his neck to his chest. Rong Xiao glanced at the crescent-shaped bloody marks on his own chest, clicking his tongue.

Rong Xuan's brows remained deeply furrowed; even though he had suffered far worse wounds, none had ever caused such a visceral pain that seemed to grip his very organs.

Knowing Yun Zi'an's slight obsession with cleanliness, Rong Xuan ignored his own bleeding wounds and first went to the bedroom's washroom. He washed a hot towel and sat by the bed, meticulously wiping off the blood from Yun Zi'an's neck and chest. The silk robe too was stained with blood. Hesitant for a moment, he wasn't sure whether to undress Yun Zi'an or not.

Ultimately, Rong Xuan slowly removed the robe from Yun Zi'an, revealing his pale body inch by inch. His breath faltered involuntarily, and when his gaze landed on a certain spot, his pupils shockingly dilated.

Yun Zi'an's pubic hair... was all shaved off!!!

By whom?!

．

The image of an unknown man flirting with Yun Zi'an while slowly using a razor blade flashed in Rong Xuan's mind. A nameless rage instantly flared, the impact so immense it felt like his veins might burst.

As his sanity was about to snap, a soft laugh echoed in his ears. Yun Zi'an had woken up, his light-colored eyes teasingly looking at him, "Rong Xuan..."

"You're staring at my lower half like that... planning to put a ring on it?"