Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Fang Zhihe returned to the courtyard. He ate most of the osmanthus candy, stopping only when a strong taste of blood rose in his throat, tossing the half-empty packet onto the table and returning to his room with a weary expression.

By the time Lu Wuyou finished cooking dinner and walked out, Aning was watering the flowers in the courtyard. On the stone table lay half a packet of osmanthus candy. Frowning, he asked, "Why'd you eat so much candy?"

Aning turned to look and laughed. "It wasn't me."

Lu Wuyou narrowed his eyes. "Not you? Then who—" He suddenly cut himself off, catching sight of a trace of red on the oiled paper wrapper, and his expression darkened.

He casually said, "Go ahead and have dinner first," then turned and walked toward Fang Zhihe's room.

Pushing the door open softly, Lu Wuyou forced himself to stay calm, thinking to himself that if he found the man coughing up blood in the room, he'd toss him out.

Instead, the man was leaning against the headboard, a book in hand. Seeing him enter, his mouth fell open in surprise, looking a bit foolish.

Lu Wuyou swept his gaze over him from head to toe. "Was the candy good?"

Fang Zhihe let out an "Ah?" and quickly nodded. "It was good."

Lu Wuyou snorted coldly. "Good, my ass. Eating until you cough up blood – you're a real idiot."

Having spent years in the military, Lu Wuyou had heard no shortage of foul language, but he rarely used it, especially in front of Fang Zhihe.

Fang Zhihe stared at him, bewildered. "Can you eat a dog's head?"

Lu Wuyou raised an eyebrow. "Are you messing with me?"

Fang Zhihe quickly shook his head. "No."

Lu Wuyou took a look around the room's furnishings: a set of peachwood tables and chairs, a bed, and two paper kites hanging on the wall—one a big yellow dog, the other a little spotted cat. In the corner were piled a few children's toys: clay figurines, hand-rattles, and the like.

Fang Zhihe glanced at him a few times. "Is there something you need?"

Lu Wuyou sat down on a chair, crossed his legs, and said casually, "Just came to take a look at you."

Fang Zhihe's mind raced. He eventually realized why the man had come to find him.

He cleared his throat, sat up a bit straighter, and said softly, "I've already asked Yunzheng to post a reward for farmers to dig the canal. The matter with the Prefect of Fuzhou is also being looked into… We'll head to Fuzhou Prefecture in two days, and the construction of shelters also needs to be started."

Lu Wuyou felt a complicated mix of emotions. Though he detested Fang Zhihe as a person, he couldn't help but admire how seriously he took things. Lounging back in his chair like a rogue, he thought for a moment and said quietly, "It's not about that. I just came to see you."

Fang Zhihe was speechless.

Again, that foolish look.

For some reason, Lu Wuyou's mood suddenly lifted. He got up, took off his coat, and headed for the bed, startling Fang Zhihe so much that his hand trembled, dropping the book onto the covers as he shrank back in a panic.

"Let me touch you." Lu Wuyou tossed the book from the bed to the floor, pressed his long legs over Fang Zhihe's, and reached out to touch his stomach.

Fang Zhihe stared at him wide-eyed, completely confused by his sudden gentleness. Was he actually being nice?

He pursed his lips, reached down to lift his undershirt, revealing a pale, thin waist and belly. It was pitifully frail, with hardly any flesh—pinch it and it would bruise into a big bruise in no time.

Lu Wuyou's expression darkened. He reached out and stroked Fang Zhihe's abdomen; the touch was cool and soft. He lowered his head and licked the tender belly.

Fang Zhihe let out a soft "Mm," trembling all over. "…Yuntai, don't, don't…"

He dared not finish the sentence, afraid that Lu Wuyou would actually strike him. Anywhere else would be bearable, but if it were here… he might really have to call Qi Guan to collect his corpse.

Lu Wuyou ignored his words, wrapping both arms around Fang Zhihe's waist. He nibbled at his stomach a few times, then, satisfied, nuzzled his chest.

Fang Zhihe's face flushed crimson; his normally pale complexion was now tinged with red. He clutched his undershirt, not daring to let go, yet too afraid to push Lu Wuyou away. He could only let the man do as he pleased.

Lu Wuyou sucked on his chest a few times, then reached down to grope inside Fang Zhihe's trousers.

Fang Zhihe whimpered, then leaned forward and bit him on the lip. The hand reaching down stopped. Lu Wuyou looked up to meet his gaze, and Fang Zhihe deepened the kiss.

Lu Wuyou looked at him. The man closed his eyes as if trying to escape, focusing solely on the kiss. Lu Wuyou pulled his hand back, pinched Fang Zhihe's cheek, and bit down hard on his tongue.

With his face held like that, he couldn't retreat, Fang Zhihe let out a muffled groan of pain, then wrapped his arms around Lu Wuyou's neck and gently licked the tip of his nose. Only then did he whisper, "It hurts."

Lu Wuyou snorted softly. "You got what you deserved, taking advantage of me."

Fang Zhihe smiled shyly and said nothing. The days when he and Lu Wuyou could be together in quiet peace like this were far too rare; he was reluctant to ruin it.

Lu Wuyou seemed to understand his thoughts. He stopped talking, pulled him close, covered them with the quilt, and gently rubbed Fang Zhihe's waist and belly as he closed his eyes.

Outside the window, the fading sunlight slanted into the room. Fang Zhihe held Lu Wuyou tightly, his melancholy seeming to fade along with the daylight, pulled away little by little by the encroaching night.

He closed his eyes and secretly stole a kiss from Lu Wuyou.