Chapter 105: The Golden Cage

Chapter 105: Gilded Cage

Luo Yunchen pinned Su Zheng’s hands as he spoke, shoving him onto the cushion.

Hearing Luo Yunchen’s final words—half vent, half grievance—Su Zheng’s mind went blank, and his heart twitched as if stabbed by a needle.

The poor little wolf cub—it made his heart ache.

But don’t worry, things’ll get better.

Su Zheng didn’t struggle; instead, he tried to reason gently with Luo Yunchen: “A Chen, let go of me first, okay? I can explain... Mmm—”

Luo Yunchen suddenly leaned in, covering Su Zheng’s mouth, swallowing every last syllable of his words before slowly pulling back.

But his thin lips still pressed against Su Zheng’s, his teeth lightly biting, and his mumbled words came with a self-mocking chuckle: “Brother still wants to fool me?”

“No...”

But Luo Yunchen didn’t want to hear any more from Su Zheng. He pressed his finger against Su Zheng’s lips while his other hand moved to Su Zheng’s nape, murmuring darkly: “Brother, be good. Don’t get any more bad ideas. I told you—I’m never letting you go again...”

Su Zheng felt a pressure at the back of his neck, and dizziness hit him. As Luo Yunchen’s words grew faint, he lost consciousness and fell asleep.

Luo Yunchen’s gaze lingered obsessively on Su Zheng’s obedient sleeping face, his fingertip gently stroking Su Zheng’s lips. His breathing was heavy, his voice wounded and resentful: “Your lips taste so sweet, but why are the words you say so bitter, like knives...”

***

Su Zheng woke up to total darkness. He blinked, but still saw nothing.

Instinctively he reached for his eyes, wondering if something was wrong.

“Clink, clink...”

The moment he moved his hand, he felt a cool sensation on his wrist, as if something was being pulled.

As his body fully awakened, Su Zheng realized he could only move one hand a tiny bit; his whole body was held down by someone so he couldn’t move.

Familiar scent, familiar embrace—it was his little wolf cub.

The warm breath on his neck was slow and shallow, steady and quiet. The hand around his waist would unconsciously give a gentle rub now and then before falling still, leaving a teasing tingle on his skin that felt hot.

Su Zheng shifted, and the arm around his waist instantly tightened, preventing him from moving.

“A Chen...”

Su Zheng called out twice. No response. Luo Yunchen’s breathing stayed steady and deep, and Su Zheng realized that Luo Yunchen was holding him and sleeping soundly.

He had been moving and calling out, but it hadn’t woken him. Those earlier movements were just Luo Yunchen’s subconscious reactions.

At the same time, Su Zheng didn’t feel any discomfort in his body.

The little wolf actually restrained himself and didn’t touch him?

Su Zheng tried calling the system: “System, you there?”

The system responded: “Yes, host.”

Su Zheng asked: “How long was I out? Never mind, just tell me when Luo Yunchen fell asleep and how long he’s been sleeping.”

“The male lead brought you back, changed your outfit, and then fell asleep. It’s been over four hours.”

Su Zheng frowned slightly, not bothering to question the “outfit” for now.

Instead, he turned his head slightly in the direction of the breath, a bit worried. Luo Yunchen seemed very tired, lacking his usual alertness. He slept so deeply—could he be unconscious?

“Is he injured? Is he asleep or in a coma? Why can’t I wake him?”

“Hmm...” The system paused, then gave a summary: “Let’s put it this way: ever since he went to the battlefield, the male lead has been sleeping less than six hours a day. After the war, he had injuries on his waist, back, and arms, though none were serious. But he only did simple bandaging and then set off immediately without any rest. Day and night, he rode hard, sleeping only two to four hours a day, spending the rest of the time traveling. He cut the travel time from the border back to the capital by more than half. When he entered the palace and learned of your death, he coughed up blood and his emotions went wild, then started searching for you while still handling state affairs and stabilizing the court. During the day he was busy, at night he couldn’t sleep, and when he did manage to close his eyes, he would wake up in less than ten minutes. After waking, he would stand by your ‘corpse,’ staring at it all night. He barely rested at all... Thank god he’s tough; anyone else would have died from exhaustion seven or eight times over.”

Su Zheng listened, dazed, his chest tight and heavy. His throat felt blocked, his lips parted as if to speak, but no sound came out.

The system seemed to sense the host’s emotional turmoil and continued: “Don’t worry, host. The male lead’s finally settled and can sleep peacefully. He’ll wake up once he’s rested enough.”

As if to prove the system’s words, Luo Yunchen, dreaming of something, pulled his arm tighter, pressing Su Zheng closer, rubbing against Su Zheng’s neck, and mumbled sleepily: “Brother... no...”

Su Zheng felt his waist tighten as Luo Yunchen held him close between his arm and body.

Thanks to Luo Yunchen’s repeated drills, Su Zheng’s waist was as lean as Luo Yunchen’s but much more flexible; being held so tightly didn’t strain his back.

Realizing Luo Yunchen was really just asleep, Su Zheng relaxed a little. He took a few deep breaths, and the earlier suffocating feeling subsided.

Su Zheng stopped moving, obediently letting Luo Yunchen hold him tightly, with no intention of waking him. He asked the system about his current situation and what the heck this “outfit” thing was.

He did sense that his eyes were probably blindfolded, and his hands were tied, but he couldn’t imagine the specifics.

The system explained: “Host, you are currently locked in a cage.”

Su Zheng: “...”

Su Zheng: “System, could you please rinse your mouth before speaking? Don’t say such weird stuff.”

“It’s not weird—it’s the truth. The male lead has put chains on your hands, feet, and waist. The chains on your hands and feet are connected to the bed, and the chain on your waist is connected to the cage. It’s a huge pure gold cage. Inside the cage, besides the large bed you’re lying on, there’s a folding screen and a bathroom separated by that screen.”

Su Zheng: “...”

“There are also some talismans pasted outside the cage.”

“What kind of talismans?”

“Demon-suppressing talismans. Looks like the male lead thinks you’re a demon. He got a Taoist priest to draw talismans that won’t kill you but will suppress your magic.”

Su Zheng: “............”

“Also, your clothes have been changed. Now you’re wearing a gold-trimmed white silk gauze robe, smooth and flowing, light and hazy. Especially at your chest, the pale lines of your skin are faintly visible. In one phrase: elegant with a hint of sexiness—sexy and alluring.”

Su Zheng: “....................”

“Based on the male lead’s past behavior analysis, at this moment you’re a beautifully presented dish on the male lead’s chopping block. With one look at you, there is a ninety-nine percent chance that his beastly instincts will kick in, and he’ll devour you day and night till you’re completely gone.”

Su Zheng: “....................................”