Chapter 78

Chapter 78

"078"

Lu Siye stared unblinkingly at Xiao Lancui. It had been a while since he'd seen him, and Xiao Lancui had gotten even prettier.

But then his face soured, sinking completely. Xiao Lancui really was dating Lu Ao.

The spot where Lu Ao had kicked him last time suddenly throbbed with a dull ache. Lu Siye's balls had nearly been ruined—he'd only gotten them fixed last week, which meant he'd been living like a monk this whole time.

Though he knew deep down that was only part of it. His kinks were filthy and messed up—there were other ways to get off without penetration.

He just couldn't get into it. Every time he was about to finish, he'd think of Xiao Lancui.

The other day, overhearing his parents' conversation, he found out Xiao Lancui was actually dating Lu Ao.

How fucking ridiculous. Was Xiao Lancui some selfless angel, picking up a psycho to play charity case?

Even funnier—he'd invited Fu Chen and Huo Shenan to the villa for a party. Fu Chen didn't show, so he'd rounded up a bunch of other people. Guys and girls, young and hot, and most importantly, eager—unlike Xiao Lancui, who was always cold-eyed and cold-tongued.

But he struck out again.

In the dim room, a pretty young guy knelt in front of him. At the last second, he dejectedly zipped his fly. "Get out."

He went back to drinking, one bottle after another. Finally, he kicked the whole table over, bottles crashing and shattering everywhere. He stormed to the garage, got in his car, and was about to take off when Huo Shenan came to block him.

Yanking him out of the car, he roared, "Let go, or we're not brothers anymore!"

"Fine, then we're done!" Huo Shenan roared back. "You're fucking asking to die driving right now! I'd be hunting for your corpse by morning—might as well grab a knife and stab you to death now to save myself the hassle!"

Lu Siye didn't say anything. He slumped over the steering wheel, drinking on an empty stomach, his gut burning like hell. Huo Shenan shut up too, but Lu Siye knew he was still standing out there by the car.

After a long pause, he muttered, "Huo, I'm in love."

Huo Shenan didn't answer. Lu Siye didn't give a shit. His eyes were lost in the dark, his voice dropping lower and lower.

"I fucking think... I really fell for Xiao Lancui."

He fell asleep fast, half-hearing what sounded like a long, drawn-out sigh. When he woke up, he was in his own bedroom.

Lu Siye's left thumb was hurting too—cut by a piece of broken bottle. Small, fresh, a thin little cut, but the pain kept radiating out in lingering threads. He nearly stared a hole right through Xiao Lancui's face, saying each word slowly and deliberately, "Xiao Lancui, you told me you weren't gay."

Xiao Lancui walked over to Lu Ao's side, not looking at him. The scent of cologne wafting over from Lu Siye's direction made Xiao Lancui's brow furrow in discomfort. He coolly met Lu Siye's scorching stare. "Now I am."

Lu Siye ran his tongue over his back teeth, nodding over and over. "Nice one. You're fucking—you're something else."

"Xiao'ao!" A soft female voice cut in.

Han Xinyi had arrived.

The woman stepped up gracefully. She knew the man standing beside Lu Ao was Xiao Lancui, and she'd seen his photos in the investigation reports before. But seeing him in the flesh for the first time, a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.

He was even prettier in person than in his photos.

No wonder Lu Ao went gay for him.

Han Xinyi knew Lu Ao's sexual orientation very well—from his birth up until he ran away from home, she knew everything about him. Lu Ao hadn't been gay before.

Han Xinyi quickly recovered her composure. She extended her hand proactively, smiling at Xiao Lancui. "You must be Lan Chui. I'm Han Xinyi, Xiao'ao's stepmother. Very pleased to meet you."

Xiao Lancui loathed Han Xinyi. He loathed Lu Qing.

The fire Lu Ao had suffered, being sent to a mental hospital despite being healthy—all of it was the handiwork of this couple.

He didn't take her hand, merely giving a brief nod.

People kept coming and going at the hotel entrance—all relatives of the old Lu family. Some were already itching to come over. Han Xinyi's face stiffened. She withdrew her hand, her smile cooling slightly. "Your father is waiting. Let's all head in—dinner will be served soon."

Han Xinyi turned and left first.

Lu Siye didn't follow. Han Xinyi stopped and glanced back. "A Ye?"

Only then did Lu Siye pull his gaze from Xiao Lancui's face, stepping forward to follow Han Xinyi inside.

Xiao Lancui finally turned to look at Lu Ao. "Let's..."

His voice cut off as Lu Ao openly took his hand. Lu Ao stared straight ahead, leading Xiao Lancui into the hotel with long strides.

The hotel under the Lu Group was reserved exclusively for the Lu family today. Aside from the staff, everyone present was a Lu relative—close or distant.

Some had seen Lu Ao before; some hadn't.

But whether they knew him or not, Xiao Lancui's face was far too eye-catching. As Lu Ao led him through to a room, people along the way couldn't help but stare.

Leading Xiao Lancui into the room, Lu Ao shut the door instantly.

The corridor's light and noise were sealed out. In the pitch-black space, only Lu Ao's scorching breath remained.

Xiao Lancui's head was cradled by Lu Ao's palm, his body pressed against the warm wall. Familiar scent descended with scorching breath.

Just as Lu Ao was about to kiss Xiao Lancui, cool fingertips pressed against Lu Ao's upper lip. Eyes adjusting to the darkness, Xiao Lancui swept a glance around the room.

It was a small private dining room for five or six people.

Lu Ao stopped, a hair's breadth from the lips he craved, his burning breath spilling onto Xiao Lancui's mouth. The fingers blocking him carried a faint, pleasant scent of ink—Xiao Lancui had either just been writing or reading.

Lu Ao pressed a hasty kiss to Xiao Lancui's fingertips, his voice dry. "A Lan, I was wrong."

"You already apologized." Xiao Lancui didn't withdraw his hand, watching Lu Ao calmly.

In the dimness, the young man's features were sharp and deep, his eyes steeped in desire, carrying a fiercer edge than usual.

Xiao Lancui's lashes fluttered slightly as he continued, "But I haven't forgiven you yet." He stated plainly, "You know I hate deception."

Lu Ao lowered his eyes, gently kissing Xiao Lancui's fingertips. Before his mind flashed Lu Siye, Han Xinyi, the greeters... everyone's gaze on Xiao Lancui.

A violent urge rose in him—his treasured prize being coveted, he nearly went mad on the spot.

His gaze landed on Xiao Lancui's lips again. The second Xiao Lancui had appeared, he'd wanted to kiss him—kiss him until he was raw, until he couldn't breathe, until only he remained in Xiao Lancui's eyes.

His voice hoarse, "I'll accept whatever punishment you give me. Just let me have one kiss, okay? Please, A Lan. I want to kiss you."

Xiao Lancui pushed him away. The first push naturally didn't move him. He looked up at Lu Ao, holding his gaze for two seconds. Lu Ao's Adam's apple bobbed twice, and he stepped back on his own, though his right hand still cushioned the back of Xiao Lancui's head.

At least Xiao Lancui didn't tell him to remove it. He only said, "Until I forgive you, no intimate contact of any kind."

Lu Ao took a deep breath, suppressing the desire threatening to explode, then suddenly buried his face against Xiao Lancui's shoulder, rubbing twice before staying there, his voice so hoarse it was barely audible. "Fine. Whatever you say."

The next second, his head was pushed away too.

Xiao Lancui also stepped away from the wall, straightened his clothes briefly, and said, "That's also intimate behavior. Forbidden."

Lu Ao was at a loss for words. He whined, "Brother, holding hands doesn't count as intimate behavior, right?"

Xiao Lancui thought for a moment. "Not today, at least."

A few minutes later, Lu Ao led Xiao Lancui into the banquet hall.

There were people of all ages, filling five tables. As soon as they entered, all eyes slowly landed on them.

Lu Qing was at the main table. He glanced at Lu Ao, then his eyes moved to Xiao Lancui, who Lu Ao was holding.

He furrowed his brow deeply, his gaze flicking to Han Xinyi on his left. Han Xinyi hadn't told him that Xiao Lancui would also be coming.

Han Xinyi played it cool, got up to welcome them, and when Lu Ao and Xiao Lancui reached the main table, she said with a smile, "The two seats on your father's right are saved for you both."

Lu Qing had Han Xinyi and Lu Siye seated to his left. Lu Siye stared at Xiao Lancui's face while chewing hard on a snack.

Xiao Lancui met Lu Qing's scrutiny, his brows twitching slightly.

Yet another familiar face.

The first time he saw the Late Emperor was when he was named top scholar in the palace exam. That same day, Lu Qing changed his mind and made him tanhua (third-ranked scholar) instead.

It was because the eldest princess, the Late Emperor's favorite daughter, suddenly walked into the hall, glanced at him a few times, smiled, and whispered something in the emperor's ear.

His fate was changed in an instant.

The princess's husband couldn't be involved in politics, so the emperor changed him to third place and promoted another to top scholar.

It wasn't until he uncovered his second brother's scheme that he realized the princess's interest in him that day was all part of his brother's plan.

His second brother had already become the princess's paramour.

Xiao Lancui suddenly had an odd thought.

If he hadn't gotten caught up in that incident that year and had actually wed the eldest princess, then he'd have been Lu Ao's brother-in-law.

The second time was when Lu Qing summoned him to the palace, suddenly reinstating his official post and ordering him to inspect the border cities.

"When I heard you'd met with misfortune back then, my heart truly ached," Lu Qing said, stepping out from behind the dragon desk to help him up himself. "Rise. Your legs aren't well; no need for such formalities."

The two eunuchs holding him in the kneeling position let go in unison, and Lu Qing helped Xiao Lancui back into his wheelchair.

Xiao Lancui replied, "Your subject is deeply grateful."

He didn't take the bait. Lu Qing's smile faded. He withdrew his hand, made small talk for a bit, then got to the point. "I hear you're quite close with Ao'er?"

Lu Ao had earned great military merit, and rumors from the border even said the troops only pledged loyalty to him, not the court. This discarded son of a lowly concubine had become both Lu Qing's right-hand man and his biggest worry.

Xiao Lancui answered carefully. "Your subject has met the Fifth Prince a few times. He was kind enough not to look down on my disability. I am grateful for the imperial favor."

Lu Qing returned to his desk. When he looked at Xiao Lancui again, there was no smile in his eyes. If he couldn't win someone over, he'd rather destroy them than leave them for Lu Ao.

Lu Qing said slowly, "Since you're so loyal, go inspect the fifteen border cities on my behalf."

The fifteen border cities were constantly harassed by foreign tribes, and recently several forces had been making frequent moves. A disabled imperial envoy dying unexpectedly at the border? That would be all too easy to explain.

Xiao Lancui simply replied, "Thank you for your immense grace."

The next time Xiao Lancui saw the Late Emperor was the day before his abdication. The once-mighty emperor was now a skeleton, lying on a small bed in a side hall, skin sunken against bone, his body shrunken to half its size.

He barely had the strength to weep, begging over and over, "Minister Xiao, I beg you—tell Lu Ao to spare me. I'll make you a high official, you can have any of my daughters..."

The next day, the Late Emperor passed away.

Xiao Lancui truly loathed this face that was a mirror of the Late Emperor's. Lu Ao didn't move, so Xiao Lancui took his hand and led him to their seats.

Even after they sat down, Lu Ao still wouldn't let go. Only when Xiao Lancui shot him a look did he reluctantly release his hand.

The other six at the main table were Lu family elders—senior relatives of Lu Qing.

Everyone noticed Lu Ao holding Xiao Lancui's hand. Finally, Lu Qing's second uncle—the most senior elder of the Lu family—spoke up.

"Lu Ao, who is this?"

His voice wasn't loud, but the whole banquet hall went quiet. Kids who couldn't control themselves were quickly muffled by their parents' hands.

Lu Ao finally smiled. His voice was deep and firm, carrying clearly to every corner of the hall.

"Xiao Lancui, my boyfriend."