Chapter 130: It Will Be Comfortable

Chapter 130: It Will Feel Good

Xie Nai's old illness was a long story, but actually quite simple. In summary: Xie Nai did indeed have a chronic condition and did indeed need the Fengxue Bracelet to maintain his health, but it was not nearly as severe as Military Doctor Hou had claimed.

Ever since the gu worm inside the Fengxue Bracelet had acknowledged Qin Jiao as its master, Military Doctor Hou had scoured the land for rare herbs, and often consulted with Xiao Qisheng and Xiao Baiyu. About a month after the gu worm acknowledged its master, Xiao Qisheng found an herbal remedy that could alleviate the pain of Xie Nai's old illness. Although the process was somewhat harder to endure than using the Fengxue Bracelet, this medicine worked fast—curing it completely within half a year.

After Xie Nai finished explaining, Qin Jiao calculated the days. Indeed, it had been just over half a year by now.

"Military Doctor Hou said those things to you before because the old man likes to 'play tricks,'" Xie Nai said, his voice unconsciously softening for fear that Qin Jiao would be upset. "Don't be upset, young master."

Qin Jiao gave a flat, humorless smile without a word.

Nice one, Military Doctor Hou. At your age, still pulling stunts—what a mischievous old rascal!

"Thank you for being upfront with me, Your Highness." Qin Jiao finished speaking and took a step back from Xie Nai's side.

Qin Jiao figured: since Xie Nai's body was fine now, they should stop the hot spring soaks. Military Doctor Hou really had some nerve saying that—even a goose needs to get out of the water and stretch its legs now and then. Soaking in hot springs every day—Qin Jiao worried they'd both end up waterlogged.

Qin Jiao got up to leave, but Xie Nai grabbed him from behind and pulled him back. The young man fell back into his arms, splashing water everywhere. Through the shimmering water spray, Xie Nai asked with a smile, "Are you still mad?"

"No," Qin Jiao said, a bit flustered.

They were pressed close together, and Xie Nai's warmth seeped into Qin Jiao without either of them noticing. Qin Jiao glanced down—the young master's face was flushed like peach blossoms, his ears turning bright red. Xie Nai smiled and bent down to kiss Qin Jiao's ear.

"What—what are you doing?"

Qin Jiao was startled by the kiss. His ears were sensitive, and Xie Nai's soft, persistent kisses made it worse. For a moment, Qin Jiao didn't know what to do. "Don't—don't you dare mess around."

"Mm, no messing around."

Xie Nai said the words, but his hands were already cupping Qin Jiao's face.

Qin Jiao's neck was beautiful—smooth and slender, with faint blue veins showing when he tilted his head back. Xie Nai reached up to trace the young master's pretty lips. As he traced them, Xie Nai's gaze grew darker. Qin Jiao's lashes fluttered; his heart raced, but he didn't pull back.

Xie Nai lowered his head and gave Qin Jiao's flushed lips a feather-light kiss.

Qin Jiao didn't refuse.

Sometimes silence was a signal too, and Xie Nai interpreted that signal as tacit consent and permission.

The next second, Xie Nai kissed him deeply—prying his lips apart, tongues tangling in a wet, lingering kiss, with soft smacking sounds...

"Mm... g-gentle..."

Qin Jiao gasped between kisses, head tilted back, chin held firmly by Xie Nai. The rising steam wrapped them in a hazy veil.

Qin Jiao's legs went weak, his mind hazy from the kiss. How awful—and even worse, he felt Xie Nai's hand creeping toward the waistband of his undergarments...

All those messy memories from the night Xie Nai was drunk came rushing back like a flood. "N-no, stop." Qin Jiao shoved Xie Nai away, voice hoarse, the corners of his eyes flushed red.

Though Qin Jiao refused, there's a saying: "Once the arrow is drawn, it must fly." Just moments ago, pressed skin-to-skin, Qin Jiao had felt how hard Xie Nai was holding back.

"Really not?"

Xie Nai moved closer, asking between kisses on the little brown mole on Qin Jiao's collarbone.

Qin Jiao pressed his lips together and stayed silent, but Xie Nai seemed to catch on and smirked.

"It'll feel good."

With that, he kissed him again, slow and deep. Xie Nai pressed against Qin Jiao's tailbone to keep him from squirming away. Qin Jiao, half resisting, half giving in, bit his lip hard to stifle any sound... At the end, Qin Jiao went limp against Xie Nai's shoulder.

Unlike when he was drunk, the sober Xie Nai's gaze was intense, his desire plain to see. He stared at Qin Jiao without blinking, his eyes clearly saying he wanted "payback"—or maybe even "full conquest."

Silence once again gave the signal, so Xie Nai grabbed Qin Jiao and began the "payback."

With last time's experience, Qin Jiao had actually prepared himself mentally, but the sober Xie Nai was more scorching than expected. Qin Jiao even wanted to run away at one point...

"Just hold on a little longer." Xie Nai embraced Qin Jiao, coaxing him.

Qin Jiao thought to himself, "I'd believe you if you were the devil..."

Finally, after a long while more, Xie Nai kissed Qin Jiao's pale, thin shoulder and let out a muffled groan.

"Xiao Jiu..." The young man's subconscious murmur made Qin Jiao freeze, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.

"?"

He's calling Xiaojiu again? Xie Nai, you bastard, are you trying to infuriate me?

Furiously pushing Xie Nai away, all the previous tenderness vanished. Qin Jiao turned to leave in anger, but Xie Nai's hand moved faster than his mind and pulled Qin Jiao back into his arms. "What's wrong? Why are you suddenly so angry?"

"Xiaojiu, Xiaojiu—who told you to call me Xiaojiu! You're so annoying!" Qin Jiao didn't want Xie Nai to hold him and kept struggling and hitting him.

Xie Nai wrapped his long arm around the squirming Qin Jiao. "Can't I call you Xiao Jiu? Isn't that your childhood name?"

"?"

Qin Jiao was confused. "My childhood name? Weren't you calling Xiaojiu? That young master from the Zhong family?"

Xie Nai was caught between laughter and tears. "You're standing right here before me. Do you think I could mistake you for someone else?"

"I..."

Qin Jiao opened his mouth but didn't know how to answer.

Right. Xie Nai wasn't drunk today, and he, a living person, was standing right beside him. How could Xie Nai possibly mistake him? Qin Jiao had just been too furious to think clearly and hadn't noticed that.

"Then why did you call me Xiao Jiu?"

Just because of that one "Xiao Jiu" from Xie Nai, Qin Jiao had sulked for days—only to be told now that he had been jealous of himself?

"You forgot?" Xie Nai looked astonished.

Qin Jiao: "What am I supposed to remember?"

Seeing that Qin Jiao's expression didn't seem feigned, Xie Nai was somewhat surprised. "Ten years ago, at Rongxin Temple outside the capital, 'Xiao Jiu' was the name you wrote with your own hand."

"Huh? I wrote that?"

Qin Jiao even doubted whether his memory was faulty, but Xie Nai's gaze was exceptionally certain. Qin Jiao thought again, and suddenly something flashed through his mind like lightning. "Could it be... that Your Highness saved me when I was seven?"

Qin Jiao indeed didn't remember Rongxin Temple, but he suddenly recalled that he had written his name for someone—the young brother who saved him the year he was abducted at age seven.

Qin Jiao's eyes curved with joy. So Xie Nai was that benefactor brother!

As they say, fate has a certain serendipity. And so, amid the intersection of countless fateful paths, the encounter from ten years ago would finally unlock its long-sealed story today...

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