Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Until Murong Jie rode his white horse to the door to pick up the bride, Lu Yunqi was still completely dazed.

In the soft morning light, he looked up at the handsome crown prince in ceremonial robes, seated on a white horse outside the gate, and for a moment, he felt a little lost.

He thought to himself, if he and Murong Jie didn't have all that messy history of deep feelings, but were instead proper young masters from noble families, would things between them have a different kind of romance?

Would he, in that scenario, be the one riding a white horse in ceremonial robes to come marry him?

Lu Yunqi let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh, thinking, yeah, that probably wouldn't happen!

After all, he was straight, and Murong Jie was straight too. If not for some crazy circumstances, how could they ever have ended up together?

Murong Jie outside the gate was also frozen on the spot, as if through that wedding dress, he saw someone else.

Even if he had changed his appearance, he knew it instinctively—that it was him.

The wedding procession wound through the streets with music and fanfare, taking Lu Yunqi all the way to the Crown Prince's residence.

Even after Lu Yunqi was escorted into the bridal chamber, he still couldn't wrap his head around how, in just one day, he'd become the Crown Princess.

But this wedding seemed way too low-key for a crown prince.

Yet he seemed to be in a huge rush—he didn't even hold a banquet, throwing together the ceremonial procession in one night, and brought the guy back to his place.

As if afraid he might run away, he even made sure everyone knew—the procession went all the way around the capital and made a point of passing by Lord Nine Thousand Years' mansion. Old Prince Lu even stood at the gate holding his grandson to watch.

Everyone said Murong Jie was taking revenge, avenging the humiliation of Lu Yunqi having his way with him back then.

Only Murong Jie knew he was showing off—finally marrying the person he'd always wanted.

But Lu Yunqi's rear end took a beating. He had been tormented all night, hadn't slept a wink, and had been bounced around all morning. By the time he was finally brought to the bridal chamber, he felt like his whole body was about to fall apart.

Exhausted and hungry, he threw all wedding rules out the window. As soon as the bridal chamber door closed, he dove for the table and chowed down.

After he was full, he stopped giving a damn about Murong Jie's motives and flopped onto the bed, pulling the covers over his head.

He slept who knows how long, until he woke up on his own. When he blinked his eyes open groggily, he heard a voice by his ear: "You're awake?"

Lu Yunqi frowned and looked up to see Murong Jie in fancy robes standing beside him.

Murong Jie looked at him and asked once more: "Do you remember where you are?"

Lu Yunqi was dazed for a moment before remembering—he had gotten married, married Murong Jie, become his crown princess. This plot, damn it, had taken way too sharp a turn.

Before he could speak, Murong Jie stepped forward, grabbed his chin, and continued: "Do you like me that much? So eager to marry me the moment we meet?"

Lu Yunqi finally snapped out of it. He sat up abruptly, knocked Murong Jie's hand away, and waved his hands: "No no no, Murong Jie, don't be like this. Our marriage is just a practical arrangement—a union of mutual benefit. You have your first love in your heart, and I have mine. We're just a fake couple—don't go making it real, hey!"

"Is that so?" Murong Jie said in a low voice. "Then tell me, who is your first love? What's their name? If you love them that much, why'd you marry me?"

Lu Yunqi was completely speechless. He cleared his throat and said: "We didn't know each other before, and we don't really know each other now either. So, um..."

But Murong Jie didn't let him off the hook. He stepped forward, pulled open his sash, grabbed his chin, and leaned in to kiss him. The familiar scent flooded over him, and Lu Yunqi immediately caved.

He started off resisting and pushing away, but his body gradually softened, and then, almost instinctively, his hand hooked around Murong Jie's neck.

It wasn't until his clothes were stripped away that Lu Yunqi gasped: "Murong Jie, don't you have someone you like? Why are you still sleeping with me?"

Murong Jie was truly exasperated, thinking, what the hell are you playing at? We've come this far, and you're still pretending with me?

I can recognize you—can't you tell how I feel about you?

Even if you've changed your appearance, even if you faked your death to escape, even if you left without saying a word to me—I recognized you the moment I saw you!

Whatever your reasons, I won't hold it against you. But today... I'm not going to explain myself!

The first time, you slept with me without asking. Today, I'm going to get even!

With that, Murong Jie didn't hesitate anymore. He pressed the person down directly, and as he grabbed his ankle, something like pent-up hurt clogged his throat. Finally unable to hold back any longer, he let all his bitterness out.

Lu Yunqi had originally wanted to refuse—first, because he couldn't win in a fight, and second, because... ugh, it felt way too damn good!

He was an omega!

And this omega body had a heat cycle to deal with. Luckily, he'd just given birth, so the first month's heat didn't hit, and the second month only lasted two or three days.

This was the third month, and it had been tormenting him for a day already. Today was the second day—when the desire was at its peak.

Murong Jie was the same, as if he wanted to pour all his pent-up desire into him. If not for the fact that, in the middle of it, Lu Yunqi tasted tears on his cheek.

Lu Yunqi froze, but pressed his lips together, feeling the heat surging through him.

Still, he forced his voice to stay steady and asked: "Murong Jie... are you... crying?"

The answer was two words: "Shut up!"

Lu Yunqi finally caught on. He threw his arms around Murong Jie's shoulders and asked: "You... you recognized me?"

Murong Jie looked up into his eyes. His own eyes were bloodshot, his face already wet with tears.

He asked, "Why?"

Lu Yunqi knew there was no way to explain it properly, so he just said three words: "I'm sorry."

But Murong Jie was pissed: "I don't want your apology. I just want you to tell me—did you really mean to leave me?"

Lu Yunqi quickly shook his head: "No, really, no. I had lost too much blood at the time. If I hadn't left, I might have actually died. And besides... what happened between us can't be explained in a few words. If I can, I'll find a time to tell you the whole story, bit by bit."

Murong Jie shook his head: "That doesn't matter. I just need you to tell me—are you going to leave again?"

Lu Yunqi shook his head like crazy: "No, I won't. This time, really never again."

Murong Jie had a thousand things he wanted to say, but in the end, it all came down to one sentence: "Then that's good."

As they talked, their bodies stayed joined, and when those three words landed, it was like a storm broke loose.

The next day, dawn broke, sunlight spilled in, and the gauze curtains swayed—the wedding canopy that had been hastily set up the day before.

The room smelled of ointment mixed with a faint musky scent. The two of them had no idea how long they'd gone at it yesterday before finally passing out.

All they knew was that it had been midday when they'd started, and now it was already the next day.

Lu Yunqi felt like he was dreaming. He looked up at Murong Jie and saw that he was already awake.

Murong Jie's expression was dark. Lu Yunqi shrank back, about to make a run for it, but Murong Jie pulled him back, and a voice came from above: "Don't you owe me an explanation?"

Lu Yunqi knew there was no avoiding it today. He took a deep breath and replied, "Fine! I know this day was bound to come."

So he laid everything out, holding nothing back, in full detail.

After hearing it all, Murong Jie was visibly shaken, and asked in disbelief, "I... truly killed you nine times?"

Lu Yunqi looked aggrieved. "More than that—every time was extremely cruel. In each life, you said, 'You killed me three times, and I only killed you once, so you got off lightly.' But you killed me nine times! So what, I can't get a little payback?"

His voice trailed off on the last sentence, but Murong Jie suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace, his voice heavy with regret. "I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry. I didn't know you and him weren't the same person. He humiliated me like that—how could I not seek revenge?"

But Lu Yunqi blinked and said, "But how do I know he wasn't me?"

Murong Jie frowned, confused, and asked, "You... what do you mean by that?"