Zhao Chu's bones were very cold, and he was born with a lofty heart that looked down upon the dust of the world. This made it rare for anyone to catch his attention, and over the course of several decades, even rarer for him to experience desires he couldn't control.

He was originally an indestructible person, yet, unexpectedly, within his meticulously organized plans, he suddenly collided with Fang Linyuan.

For a moment, the raging fire was like a storm, threatening to destroy him.

Fortunately, it was still raining from the sky.

He forcibly persuaded Fang Linyuan to go back, and returned to the outside of the horse stable. The merchants and drivers inside the stable were still busy, and when they saw him return, they all smiled and said his method worked; the strong wind hadn’t even shaken the tarpaulins they had set up.

But in Zhao Chu's ears, only the sound of the pouring rain remained.

Despite the fierce storm, it seemed not big enough. The fine, cold raindrops fell on the place where Fang Linyuan had been pressed against him earlier, almost dripping from his soaked robes, yet they couldn't wash away the lingering warmth from that spot.

Skin soaked with rain becomes more sensitive, so even through the thin fabric, he could feel Fang Linyuan’s healthy and flexible muscles, and the pulsating blood vessels beneath his skin.

Zhao Chu’s throat moved slightly with the sound of the blood flowing.

He was pressed against him, with nothing more than a thin layer of wet clothing between them, as if their skin was pressed against each other.

Zhao Chu’s breathing grew heavier.

His hand gripping the umbrella handle couldn't help but tighten, the knuckles like fangs of a coiling serpent, white and exposed.

And at that moment, some understanding inexplicably appeared in his mind.

It turns out, the impulse to possess another person isn’t something that only the heart produces.

It had already taken control of all his limbs and body, screaming from instinct, wanting to get closer to him, just like before, or even deeper.

Zhao Chu slowly closed his eyes.

*

When they finished organizing the grain and confirmed everything was in order, they returned to the post station, where the officials and soldiers in the hall had already finished their meals and returned to their rooms to rest.

The station officer smiled and greeted them, saying that hot dishes and soup had been delivered to their rooms, and that they could change clothes and dine comfortably in their rooms. The kitchen had also prepared hot water, which had already been carried upstairs, with a large barrel in each room for warming purposes.

By the time he returned to his room, the sky had completely darkened. Through the screen, the steam from the wooden tub rose, and Zhao Chu glanced indifferently at the food on the table before changing his clothes and stepping into the tub.

Zhao Chu seemed to truly need a bath to ease his spirit and calm the raging blood coursing through his veins.

However... he had forgotten that the water prepared by the station was also hot. In addition to warming and relieving fatigue, it could also invigorate the blood.The moment the warm water touched his skin, Zhao Chu’s brows furrowed even tighter.

His mind was filled with Fang Linyuan’s image, and with the help of the warm steam, the heat beneath his skin seemed to intensify.

Fortunately, Fang Linyuan wasn’t here.

With no one around, Zhao Chu could no longer control the restlessness, longing, and self-loathing within him, so he simply gave in to them, letting them spread and grow within the enveloping mist.

He was despicable, yet also greedy. There was no law in the world that forbade despicable people from looking up at the bright sky, nor was there any rule stating that the bright sky didn’t belong to anyone.

Moreover, he was still Fang Linyuan’s wife.

This realization allowed Zhao Chu to find a reasonable justification for his desires at this moment.

As husband and wife, any thoughts he had shouldn’t be considered excessive. Even though he wasn’t a woman capable of bearing children, he had never violated any of the laws regarding marriage since entering the Marquis’s household.

Such a bright person, why shouldn’t he be allowed to long for him?

Zhao Chu’s brow slowly relaxed, in place his hand instinctively loosened its grip on the tub’s edge.

But at that moment, there was a knock at the door.

Zhao Chu stiffened all over.

"...Who is it?" When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse, carrying a trace of irritation from being disturbed.

He then heard the person outside, carefully leaning against the door. "It's me!"

It was Fang Linyuan, purposely lowering his voice, sounding lively, clean, and cautious. "Open the door, I’ve brought something for you!"

*

Even though he had returned to his room first, Fang Linyuan was still concerned about whether Zhao Chu might catch a cold.

He had dinner with the soldiers and officials, and after the soldiers had gone back to their rooms to rest, he was also led by the station officer to a room on the third floor.

This post station wasn’t large and could barely accommodate their group. The soldiers downstairs were sharing rooms with two or three people each, and the rooms for the merchants were simple and narrow.

Fang Linyuan’s room, however, was spacious, with thick bedding on the bed and a screen separating the washroom and a small study.

"General, if there’s anything missing, just tell me," the station officer said with a smile.

Fang Linyuan was never picky about accommodations. He simply glanced around the room and then smiled at the station officer, saying, "Everything is fine, you've worked hard."

"There's no need to be polite, General," the station officer replied with a smile. "Then I won’t disturb your rest. I’ll take my leave now."

As he turned to leave, Fang Linyuan called after him, "Wait a moment, sir."

The station officer turned back, and Fang Linyuan asked, "The few merchants who came with us have been out in the rain for a long time. Could you please prepare two more blankets for them?"

Upon hearing this, the station officer paused slightly and then smiled apologetically. "General, you’ve thought of everything. However... our post station is rather simple. The people downstairs have already taken all the quilts from the storeroom, and there’s barely enough for the soldiers."

He seemed concerned that Fang Linyuan might be displeased, so he added, "How about I go and gather some more quilts? The merchants and officials have worked hard all day, they should have a good rest."

Hearing this, Fang Linyuan immediately shook his head.

If they were to distribute quilts, it would only mean taking from the officers' supplies, and the wind and rain outside had not stopped yet. Even inside the post station, it wasn’t exactly warm. Even he himself could feel the cold.

Taking their blankets would be unreasonable.

At this thought, Fang Linyuan seemed to feel a slight itch in his nose. Before he could speak, he sneezed.

"General?" The station officer immediately became anxious.

"I'm fine," Fang Linyuan said nonchalantly, rubbing his nose. He smiled and said, "Since there are no extra quilts, never mind. You've been working hard for so long; it’s really too much trouble. Please go back and rest."

The station officer repeatedly expressed his thanks, exchanged a few pleasantries with Fang Linyuan, and reminded him to keep warm and rest before he turned and left.

Watching the station officer head downstairs, Fang Linyuan turned around.

It was just a sneeze that made his head feel a little dizzy, but the station officer’s anxiety didn’t bother him at all.

He scanned the room and ended up focusing his attention on the bedding on his own bed.

Fresh and thick, clearly prepared specifically for him.

But he was used to the extreme cold of the Tiger Pass and had always had a warm body. Though he had gotten caught in the rain today, it was just a bit of a headache and some chill on his body.

It was nothing that a good sleep wouldn't fix.

But Zhao Chu had been drenched by such heavy rain today, his robe completely soaked.

Looking at the bedding, Fang Linyuan couldn't help but think of that day when Zhao Chu had fallen ill at the Huaiyu Pavilion, his pale complexion and furrowed brow.

Fang Linyuan’s brow furrowed as well.

Zhao Chu was indeed prone to getting sick.

Thinking of this, he bent down and picked up the blanket, sneaking quietly to Zhao Chu's door.

But it turned out Zhao Chu was bathing.

He waited outside for a while before the door opened. Before he could look up, a wave of damp heat and steam rushed toward him.

He looked up and saw Zhao Chu, drenched in water vapour, standing in front of him.

His wet hair hung over his shoulders, and a snow-white sleeping robe clung to his body. The sharp lines of his collarbones and the chest covered by a layer of firm muscles peeked out from the loose neckline of the robe—pale, tight, and resilient.

Fang Linyuan immediately recalled the sensation of crashing into his embrace earlier.

The heat caused Fang Linyuan's ears to flush red.

The steam seemed to blur everything around him, making him feel increasingly dizzy, and his vision started to blur.

He clutched the blanket in his arms like a little bird with a fluffy chest, tucking his neck in and completely covering his ears and face.

Yet he didn’t realize that the small part of his face still exposed was turning slightly red.

Zhao Chu paused for a moment before his gaze fell on him. "What’s with the blanket?"

"Ah... I..."

Fang Linyuan hesitated for a moment, only managing to finish his sentence after he looked down at the blanket.

"The bedding in my room is very thick. Seeing that you were caught in the rain today, I thought I would bring it to you to exchange."

As he spoke, his eyes lifted from the soft blanket, carefully avoiding Zhao Chu’s body and directly looking at his face. His expression was honest, even showing a trace of eager, pitiful longing. "Are you still bathing? I’ll leave as soon as I’m done. I won’t disturb you."

Fang Linyuan’s heart couldn’t help but thump loudly, feeling a little embarrassed and wanting to run.

But Zhao Chu remained silent for a moment before slightly turning to the side, making way for him. "It’s fine. I’ve finished. Come in."

Fang Linyuan, carrying the blanket, slipped into Zhao Chu’s room.

For some reason, bathing, which was such a normal activity, suddenly felt somewhat alluring when it came to Zhao Chu. So much so that after entering the room, Fang Linyuan didn’t dare look at the bath area behind the screen.

This sense of allure made Fang Linyuan feel inexplicably embarrassed, to the point where he instinctively adopted a busy posture to cover it up.

He quickly glanced around the room and said, "Your room is really a bit small."

Zhao Chu simply hummed in response, grabbing a towel from the side to dry his hair. He sat down on the couch by the window and said, "This post station is small, but given the circumstances, the station officer has done his best."

Fang Linyuan nodded in agreement, then bent down to place the blanket on Zhao Chu’s bed. He reached for the original blanket and said, "This one is a bit thicker than yours!"

With that, he began to change the bedding, attempting to roll up Zhao Chu's original blanket to take it with him, looking like a little squirrel moving its nest from the back.

But this little squirrel had a slim waist, tightly cinched by a leather belt that showed off its narrow and flexible shape. As he bent down, his smooth back followed a fluid line, perfectly fitting into the well-tailored leather belt.

The warm, damp steam still lingered around Zhao Chu.

"Alright, sit down for a bit. No need to hurry," Zhao Chu said, gripping the cloth he was using to dry his hair tightly, unable to stop himself from interrupting.

The furniture in this room was simple, with only a bed and a couch. Fang Linyuan sat down on the couch, and since there was no other place to sit, he could only sit directly on Zhao Chu's bed.

Fang Linyuan turned around and noticed the soup and dishes on the small table. He asked: "Aren’t you going to eat?"

Zhao Chu glanced at the dinner on the table, paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "I’m not very hungry. I’ll eat later."

His tone was calm and gentle, and the words came out with no suspicion at all.

The only thing that betrayed him was the slight curling of his fingers, as if there was a hint of guilt.

After all, he couldn’t just tell the truth—saying that he had nearly lost his mind after Fang Linyuan briefly brushed against him while holding the umbrella for him, and when he returned to his room, he had only cared about throwing himself into the bath in a frenzy.

...And he certainly couldn’t say that when he was on the verge of truly losing his mind, it was Fang Linyuan’s knock on the door that interrupted him.

Zhao Chu’s expression remained calm, but only he knew that as he uttered this lie, he was adjusting his breathing in the quiet atmosphere they were in.

Unexpectedly, when this lie reached Fang Linyuan's ears, he became more worried. "Lost your appetite?" he asked. "You’re not getting a fever, are you?"

Zhao Chu was about to shake his head when he saw Fang Linyuan walking toward him, reaching out to touch his forehead.

No… don’t come too close. His body was still burning with heat, and it hadn’t cooled down yet.

As Fang Linyuan took a few steps forward, the place where he had touched Zhao Chu earlier began to heat up again, as though a burn mark had been left behind.

Fang Linyuan’s body temperature, the sensation of him pressed closely through his clothes, his pulse, and his breath—Zhao Chu didn’t even need to close his eyes to feel it, as though he could sense it instantly.

His Adam’s apple bobbed.

However, in such a small room, with a window behind him, Zhao Chu had no place to hide.

He could only helplessly watch as Fang Linyuan approached, his flushed face growing even cuter under his lingering gaze. Fang Linyuan, completely unaware, reached out and placed his hand on Zhao Chu’s forehead.

Unexpectedly, that dry palm was even hotter than his own body temperature.

...So hot?

Zhao Chu paused slightly, then looked up at Fang Linyuan.

But when he looked at Fang Linyuan’s face, it wasn’t the cute flush of his cheeks. It was clearly the flush from a fever.

Meanwhile, Fang Linyuan, upon touching Zhao Chu’s forehead, felt an unexpected coolness in his palm.

Eh? Zhao Chu’s body temperature is still this low, didn’t he just bathe?

Fang Linyuan frowned in confusion, about to speak and ask, when he saw Zhao Chu's brows furrow tightly. The next moment, Zhao Chu’s hand pressed against his forehead.

It was another cool sensation, and it actually felt quite comfortable against his skin.

Fang Linyuan couldn't help but sigh in his mind, thinking that Zhao Chu must be a snake or something.

"Why are you so hot?" Zhao Chu asked.

*

Fang Linyuan didn’t expect that the one with the fever was actually him. He had always been used to toughing it out in the field, indifferent to the wind and rain, never thinking that such a small rain would make him sick.

So, when he ate earlier, he hadn’t even changed out of his wet clothes. After the meal, he returned to his room, and if he hadn’t come to bring Zhao Chu a blanket, he probably would’ve already collapsed into bed and fallen asleep.

But it wasn’t a big deal; after all, he was strong. Even if he had a fever, a nap would solve it.

However, Zhao Chu seemed to care a lot more than he did. After confirming that Fang Linyuan’s forehead was also burning hot, Zhao Chu’s brow furrowed deeply.

Before he had the chance to speak, Fang Linyuan’s wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Zhao Chu stood up, pulling him and pressing him back onto the bed. “Didn’t you notice you have a fever yourself?” Zhao Chu frowned, looking down at him.

… So fierce.

This person usually acted like a sly fox, always with an aloof, cold expression or a scheming smile, and Fang Linyuan had never seen him so fierce before.

Fang Linyuan felt a bit guilty under his gaze. “It’s just the wind; I have a slight headache, nothing unusual,” he said, rubbing his itchy nose.

But Zhao Chu noticed his small action. Zhao Chu’s expression darkened, and the next moment, he reached out and yanked off Fang Linyuan's leather belt.

Fang Linyuan was startled.

He quickly covered his chest with his hands and stared at Zhao Chu with wide eyes in surprise. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t you take off your clothes when you sleep?” Zhao Chu asked.

“Ah, I’ll just sleep when I go back,” Fang Linyuan stammered.

But Zhao Chu didn’t speak, instead gripping his leather belt with one hand and standing before him. His tall figure blocked half of the light from the bedside lamp, casting an overwhelming shadow over Fang Linyuan. “Lie down first.”

His brow was still furrowed, and he looked down at Fang Linyuan from a commanding height, his words fewer.

Fang Linyuan awkwardly stopped arguing.

Under Zhao Chu’s watchful eyes, he took off his outer clothes and bent down to remove his boots. With his long legs drawn up, he sat on the bed and looked up at Zhao Chu. “Then where will you sleep?”

But Zhao Chu didn’t answer. Instead, he placed a hand on Fang Linyuan’s shoulder and gently pressed him down onto the bed.

“You get a fever and still bring me the blanket?” Zhao Chu’s tone was now tinged with helplessness.

Fang Linyuan couldn’t say he didn’t know. He didn’t dare to argue, just blinking his shiny black eyes and looking at Zhao Chu with a bit of guilt.

Zhao Chu didn’t speak again. He touched Fang Linyuan’s forehead, cheeks, and neck with the back of his hand before pulling over the blanket and covering Fang Linyuan with it.

“It’s not too hot, thankfully,” he said.

In fact, the blanket Fang Linyuan had brought wasn’t very thick. After all, summer had just ended, and with such a small inn, there weren’t many visitors, so resources were quite limited.

Even with one blanket on him, Fang Linyuan didn’t feel very warm. But then Zhao Chu took another blanket and tightly wrapped him up like a dumpling.

Fang Linyuan’s eyes were the only thing showing. He watched as Zhao Chu covered him with the blanket, then walked away.

Soon, Zhao Chu brought a basin of warm water with a white towel inside. He placed the basin on the bedside, then sat on the edge of the bed and wrung the towel out from the water.

The dim light cast on Zhao Chu’s wet hair, which hung down along his cheek.

He wasn’t wearing a loose robe, but still looked like a sly fox. Yet, with the soft light, his brows and lashes gave off a serene and calm impression, making him seem… somewhat…

Virtuous.

The sound of water echoed softly in the quiet room. After a moment, Zhao Chu picked up the warm towel and turned to gently wipe Fang Linyuan’s forehead and cheeks.

… This method didn’t seem to be very effective; Fang Linyuan felt his neck getting even hotter.

Earlier, when he entered the room, he hadn’t dared to look at Zhao Chu’s collar or chest, but now, it seemed he didn’t even dare to look at Zhao Chu’s face.

Fortunately, when the towel brushed over his cheek, he heard Zhao Chu's voice soften.

"Close your eyes," he said.

Alright!

Fang Linyuan quickly shut his eyes.

But as the soft, warm towel gently wiped his face and then moved down toward his neck, it seemed even harder to endure with his eyes closed.

His eyelashes fluttered, and his heart thudded wildly in his chest.

"...Why are you wiping my face?" he asked, trying to make some small talk to distract himself.

"To reduce the fever," Zhao Chu replied. "Didn't you do this when you had a fever before?"

Before... he didn't know, but Zhao Chu's voice was quite pleasant to hear. With his eyes closed and everything dark before him, his sense of hearing seemed to become sharper. Zhao Chu's clear, slightly deep voice sounded in his ear, and with the warm towel wiping him, it even made him feel a slight tickle.

"Ah..." His mind went blank for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

But his reaction seemed to have made Zhao Chu misunderstand.

"If you're tired, just sleep," Zhao Chu said. "I won’t disturb you."

Seemingly thinking that Fang Linyuan was truly tired, Zhao Chu's voice softened even more, now with a slight breath, sounding a little husky.

Fang Linyuan's fingertips trembled, and his heart beat even faster.

 

--

The author has something to say:

Fang Linyuan: Men can actually seduce people too! This is terrifying!

 

Translator : DarNan