Chapter 101: His

Chapter 101: His

...

The snow fell heavily this morning, flakes landing on the window lattice with a soft, delicate rustle.

Chen Shuoan slowly came to, his fingers curling weakly as he reached out for Yuan Rang, only to spot a tall, dark silhouette behind the screen beyond the sheer bed curtains.

He turned over, too worn out to make a sound, and simply watched Yuan Rang dress with half-closed eyes.

The room was warm and quiet, and Chen Shuoan's breathing slowed as he started to doze off again.

The light bed curtain was lifted, so gently that it didn't even stir the warm air.

A warm, tender kiss pressed against his cheek, and a large hand covered his smooth forehead, checking his temperature.

Chen Shuoan half-opened his eyes, reached both hands out from under the covers, and wrapped them around Yuan Rang's neck.

He leaned in and bit haphazardly at the corner of Yuan Rang's mouth. "Where are you off to?"

Yuan Rang sucked gently on the tip of his tongue as it peeked out, and said softly to calm him: "Going to the palace to discuss the rites for the sacrifice. It's still early, go back to sleep."

"Mmm..."

"I'll be back soon."

He tucked Chen Shuoan's hands back under the covers, pressed lingering kisses to his soft cheeks for a long while, then quietly slipped away once he was asleep.

It was a quiet winter morning. A few servants were clearing snow in the courtyard, and a little black dog—that had wandered in from who knows where—was smaller than even Chen Zhangying, trotting along behind it with its tail wagging so hard it might wag right off, barking loudly at the closed door.

Jili was standing nearby, and at the sound he rushed over, waving his fly whisk and lowering his already shrill voice: "Go play somewhere else, will you?"

The wooden door creaked open, and Chen Shuoan came out rubbing his reddened eyes, lifting the hem of his moon-white robe that trailed on the ground. His collar hung loose and wide, and his fair skin showed traces of bright red and purple love bites in the cold air.

Jili's old eyes went wide in shock.

Young Master Chen was wearing the prince's clothes.

He couldn't believe his eyes.

Last night, he had clearly folded both sets of clothes and sent them into the room together. If the clothes on the young master didn't fit right now, it could only mean he had mixed them up.

Jili stood by, bewildered, reflecting on the careless mistake he'd made, convinced his career was over right then and there.

Chen Shuoan yawned lazily, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and squatted down to poke the little black dog's wet, cold nose.

"I've met your mom, but you haven't met mine yet." A smile tugged at his lips, his doe eyes curving slightly, as he pointed at the little mutt born of Chen Gangpao in a threatening tone. "Bark again and I'll send you down to see her."

The moon-white robe puddled at his feet, and Chen Zhangying excitedly jumped onto it, leaving a few wet, snow-flecked paw prints shaped like plum blossoms on the clean fabric.

"Why are you wearing so little?"

Yuan Rang hurried across the courtyard, tossed his snow-dusted cloak to Jili standing nearby, and bent to scoop Chen Shuoan up from where he was crouching, wrapping his slender frame entirely in the cloak.

Chen Shuoan's face flushed so red it looked like it might bleed. His fingertips gripped tightly at Yuan Rang's warm collar beneath the cloak, and he whispered urgently: "Carry me inside, quick—I just squatted down and could barely get back up!"

He heard the laughter caught in Yuan Rang's throat and felt like he'd lost all face.

Chen Shuoan had slept so long his head was foggy, and seeing the little mutt, he had thought he was still at the Chen manor.

His eyes were a little red as he finally cleared his head.

Yuan Rang lowered his head to peck at his soft, red earlobe, then gently closed the door, shutting out the little black dog that was trying to tumble inside.

Chen Shuoan let out a long sigh: "How did it get all the way here? The Chen manor isn't close to this place."

Yuan Rang didn't answer, just changed him out of the clothes dampened by melted snow.

Chen Shuoan's upper body was exposed to the warm air, his skin covered in deep bite marks as he shrank back into Yuan Rang's embrace.

He looked at the clothes on the floor and raised an eyebrow, asking softly: "These are your clothes, aren't they? They're so big on me."

"Yes."

Yuan Rang pressed him down, catching both slender wrists and lifting him onto the bed.

"Didn't you say there were clothes my size at the manor? Why'd you give me yours?"

Yuan Rang let out a soft laugh and bit his smooth, round shoulder: "I like it."

Chen Shuoan's eyes went wide, and he flushed red from the tips of his ears all the way to his toes.

A faint sting from the bite spread across his exposed skin, and the bite marks from last night had deepened even more.

Where their skin touched was warm and dry. Chen Shuoan's body was covered with fresh clothes, and as he breathed in the cool, clean scent of Yuan Rang, he felt like his whole body was on fire.

This man really was a bit of a pervert.

He stared blankly, his long lashes lowered, at the sleeves that were still way too long, sinking into a strange silence.

Then he murmured.

"Still yours."

How was he supposed to go out looking like this?

Chen Shuoan took a deep breath, ignored his aching waist and legs, and struggled to climb up, standing on the bed to kick him square in the chest.

The man stood at the edge of the bed, the cold winter light filtering through the window paper onto his shoulders, like a cold, beautiful statue of a god.

Yuan Rang smiled faintly, his eyes brimming with light, looking up at him from below.

He pressed one palm against the smooth, slightly warm fabric at Chen Shuoan's thigh, and brought his lips close, pressing a reverent kiss to the spot.

"Mine."