Chapter 82

1. Xie Yuan propped himself up with one hand on the bed, pressing Shen Lian's paw against his chest, not letting him pull at his collar.

2. "I'm really not hurt. The military grain was seized, and I'm feeling stifled about it."

3. "Then let me see!" Shen Lian knelt beside him, his right leg bent, but was pressed down and couldn't move. He leaned in, growing impatient: "What if the wound gets infected? I brought the medicine powder—did you use the right dosage?"

4. "I took it. The temperature difference in the northern border is huge, and I couldn't sleep after taking it."

5. "Let go of my hand! Let me take your clothes off first!"

6. "Shh." The young male concubine made a silencing gesture, looking nervously toward the door, and whispered: "Don't talk nonsense. Your father and brother are home."

7. "What time is it? They should be back by now."

8. The young male concubine winced in pain, then mouthed silently: "They're squatting right outside the door—what are they doing?"

9. "How would I know?" Shen Lian frowned, then pressed his ear to the door, mouthing: "I can hear them."

10. The young male concubine didn't believe him, shifting his position on the bed, then moved closer to listen.

11. "They're gone!" Shen Lian suddenly pulled the door open and rushed out.

12. "Hey!" The young male concubine scrambled to his feet and followed him out.

13. "What are you two doing?" The elder brother looked at them in surprise.

14. "Oh! The food's ready. Are you hungry?" The elder brother smiled and tilted his head toward them.

15. The tall male fox spirit was standing by the round table, adjusting his collar, and looked up at them warily.

16. "We weren't doing anything wrong!" Shen Lian said, looking away guiltily.

17. "Come eat. We still have matters to discuss afterward."

18. "Let's eat first. We'll talk about it later."

19. Shen Ao pouted and followed his father out the door.

20. The young male concubine turned and pushed Shen Lian back toward the bed.

21. "I really wasn't hurt—I just failed to hold the grain depot. I feel awful about it."

22. Shen Lian looked at him suspiciously: "You're not hurt?"

23. "I'm fine. I just feel bad about failing to protect the grain."

24. "Then let me see for myself!" Shen Lian reached for his collar.

25. "I said I'm fine!" The young male concubine stepped back.

26. "If you won't let me check, then I'll worry even more!"

27. "There's nothing to worry about. I'm really fine."

28. "Then why won't you let me see?"

29. "Because there's nothing to see! I told you I'm fine!"

30. "You're hiding something from me, aren't you?"

31. "I'm not hiding anything! Stop making such a fuss!"

32. "Then let me check, and I'll stop fussing."

33. "No! I said no!"

34. "Why not? Are you afraid I'll see something?"

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35. "I'm not afraid of anything! I just don't want you to worry!"

36. "Then stop being so stubborn and let me see!"

37. "You're being unreasonable!"

38. "I'm being unreasonable? You're the one who's being difficult!"

39. "Can we just drop this?"

40. "No! I want to know the truth!"

41. "The truth is I'm fine! Nothing happened!"

42. "Then why won't you let me check?"

43. "Because you're being ridiculous!"

44. "I'm being ridiculous? You're the one who's acting strange!"

45. "I'm not acting strange! You're just overthinking!"

46. "Then prove it! Let me see!"

47. "I don't have to prove anything to you!"

48. "Fine! Then I'll just worry myself sick!"

49. "You're impossible!"

50. "And you're infuriating!"

51. "Can we just stop arguing?"

52. "Only if you let me check!"

53. "Fine! Check then! See? Nothing wrong!"

54. Shen Lian finally relented and looked him over carefully.

55. "See? I told you I was fine."

56. "Alright, I believe you now."

57. "Good. Now can we go eat?"

58. "Yes, let's go."

59. They walked out of the room together, the tension finally easing.

60. "The food's getting cold. Let's hurry."

It was almost June, after all, with only a thin layer of cloud-patterned brocade between their bodies.

The spot where they'd touched was oddly prominent.

Shen Lian, flustered, let go, his legs dangling, revealing a pale, slender stretch of ankle.

The Young Male Concubine suddenly spun him around and set him on the bed, their bodies quickly pulled apart.

The heat that had pressed against his navel slowly faded, but the awkwardness lingered.

His mind went completely blank.

Shen Lian lay on the bed, gripping the sheets with both hands, head bowed in a panic before he finally dared to look up at the Young Male Concubine.

The Young Male Concubine had already gone to the east window to let in some air, but didn't open it all the way. He first stepped back to check if anyone was in the courtyard, then flung it open, resting one hand on the sill and taking a deep breath.

Though he didn't dare dwell on it, being a man himself, Shen Lian had a rough idea of what had just happened.

He was utterly stunned.

Martial artists from ancient times were truly something else.

Shen Lian slid to the edge of the bed, stood up, and stepped closer, whispering, "I almost fell off the bed just now."

The Young Male Concubine seemed to avoid his eyes, "Mm, don't be scared. I would've caught you."

"You scared me." Shen Lian swallowed, his face and chest burning, but his hands and feet ice-cold, "I didn't react in time and bumped into you."

"No." The Young Male Concubine said seriously, "I caught you. It's fine."

Shen Lian looked down at his midsection, "I didn't hurt you, right?"

"What's there to hurt?" The Young Male Concubine glanced sideways at his expression, "This isn't the first time I've held you. At the hunting grounds, you asked me to hold you. Remember?"

"I know." Shen Lian looked up at him, "You let out a groan just now. Are you hurt?"

The Young Male Concubine looked at him, "You heard wrong."

"Oh." Shen Lian nodded slowly. "I was just worried about you."

The Young Male Concubine frowned, seeming to want to say something but holding back, then turned to look out the window. After a moment, he turned back to him, "When you go out with Lu Huaizhi and Han Wangchuan, are you this sweet and attentive too?"

Xie Yuan's anger from the past few days flared up again.

So the young imperial physician's helpless, vulnerable look was available to everyone.

He'd been secretly watching for days.

Whoever came to get him, he'd greet them with a beaming smile and eager eyes.

In other words, the month of overthinking Xie Yuan had done during his campaign was all in his head.

There would never be a dilemma of choosing between a male favorite and a consort.

No one was lining up to be his male favorite.

The young imperial physician was like this with everyone.

Logically, Xie Yuan should've breathed a sigh of relief, no longer worrying about losing a fun companion.

But instead, he was inexplicably irritated, spending his days venting at the mansion under the guise of training the elite Xuanlin Guard.

He'd already accepted reality.

At least now he could play house with the young imperial physician without any guilt.

But.

Was this young imperial physician really not doing this on purpose? Huh?

Xie Yuan ground his teeth.

"Gentle and considerate?" Shen Lian repeated the words in confusion. How could those ever apply to him?

"I'm a physician." Shen Lian defended himself. "You're my sworn brother. Of course I'd worry about you getting hurt."

"Just because I'm your sworn brother?" Xie Yuan tilted his head, squinting at him, stepped forward, then glanced around the room.

In the cramped, shabby little bedroom, in the dim chaos after the sunset had faded.

The innocent, delicate young imperial physician stood alone in his sight, gazing at him with complete trust and dependence.

"It's getting dark, Shen Lian." Xie Yuan looked at him cautiously. "You're not used to the dark. Let me carry you to the bedside to light the lamp, okay?"

The young imperial physician's eyes lit up, and he eagerly threw himself into Xie Yuan's arms.

Shen Lian occasionally looked up, shooting an urging glance at the Young Male Concubine, neither answering nor refusing.

He could see fine, but a free cuddle handed to him on a silver platter wasn't something to waste.

The Young Male Concubine stared intently at his face, reaching out to press his back, sliding from his spine down to his waist: "Can I do this to you? What about the other brothers? Can Lu Huaizhi do it too?"

Shen Lian was startled, looking up at him, his throat dry and scratchy, almost unable to speak, as if suppressing some terrifying truth—for him or for himself: "Who do you think has your god-given strength? My other friends can't lift me."

"Have they tried?" The Young Male Concubine pressed, lowering his head to stare at him. "Is it that they can't lift you, or that they're not allowed to?"

Shen Lian nervously pressed a hand against his chest, palms sweating, "What's the difference? It's the same thing."

"It's different." The Young Male Concubine said in a low voice. "If it's not allowed, anyone who dares to do it is dead. I want you to tell me now—is it allowed or not?"