Chapter 194 Heartache

Chapter 194: A Heavy Heart

Cheng Ge's soul nearly left his body when he heard that the Crown Prince wanted to see him.

His mind buzzed, and only four words flashed in his mind: "Payback time."

Flashing back to the scene of slapping Zhou Zhan that day, Cheng Ge couldn't help but marvel at how hard his slap had been.

Cheng Ge's body shuddered, and he instinctively tucked his head down into his shoulders.

He wished he could shrink away like a quail, but instead of stopping, he quickened his pace.

He can't see me! He can't see me!!! He can't see me!!!

He simply pretended to be hard of hearing and heard nothing, wanting only to get out of this mess.

"Censor Cheng! Lord Cheng! Please hold up! His Highness requests your presence!"

Seeing Cheng Ge walking faster and even starting to jog, the young eunuch shouted after him, his tone growing more anxious.

Cheng Ge was cursing his luck inwardly, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

It's over, it's over! If Zhou Zhan catches him, he'll be dead meat!

He steeled himself, his feet flying, and broke into a flat-out sprint.

Run, run!!!

The palace corridor was long; Cheng Ge's legs churned rapidly, but the persistent young eunuch kept chasing after him relentlessly.

"Lord Cheng! Wait! Don't run!" The eunuch's voice was on the verge of tears, obviously giving it his all in the pursuit.

Cheng Ge turned a deaf ear, his eyes fixed only on the palace gate not far ahead.

Once out the gate and lost in the crowd, he would be safe! Freedom, here I come!

Seeing his escape within reach, the threshold of the palace gate right before him, Cheng Ge felt a surge of joy.

"Brother, quick, quick, quick!!!" He reached out and handed his token to the guard for inspection.

Seeing Cheng Ge dripping with sweat from running, the guard figured he must have an urgent family matter, so he quickly checked the token and waved him off.

"Thanks, brother! Next time I'll buy you a drink." Cheng Ge patted him on the shoulder and dashed out like an arrow.

Guard: "..." You said the same thing last time and made me wait forever last time.

Cheng Ge moved like lightning, with freedom just ahead.

But just then, two tall guards suddenly appeared from the side.

They stood side by side like two stone walls, precisely blocking his last escape route.

Cheng Ge: "!!!"

He screeched to a halt, nearly colliding headfirst with the cold armor.

Cheng Ge: It's over. Totally over.

He stiffly turned around, looking at the young eunuch who had finally caught up, and forced an innocent smile.

"Little... young eunuch..." Cheng Ge waved his hands, trying to play dumb, "Just getting some exercise?"

The young eunuch: "..."

The eunuch, bent over with his hands on his knees, was panting heavily, his face pale from running.

He finally caught his breath, grimaced, and said, his voice trembling.

"L-Lord Cheng... please don't make fun of your servant...

His Highness is still waiting in the Eastern Palace... If you don't go, I'll lose my head..."

Cheng Ge looked at the pleading and frightened eyes of the young eunuch.

He turned and glanced at the two guards behind him, motionless like stone sentinels, and finally faced reality.

He let out a despairing sigh, his shoulders completely slumping, like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Fine... lead the way..." he said in a defeated tone.

His face was downcast, as if the words "utterly hopeless" were written all over his face.

On the way to the Eastern Palace, Cheng Ge dawdled, wishing the road would never end.

Along the way, he imagined all the possible outcomes, and the more he thought, the more despondent he became.

Nevertheless, before long, he still shuffled up to the outer hall of the Eastern Palace.

After the eunuch announced him, Cheng Ge hung his head and slowly shuffled in, not daring to look up.

Soon after, the eunuch hurried out, saying that Cheng Ge should enter quickly.

Ever since the Mid-Autumn banquet last time, Zhou Zhan had been drugged with a powerful aphrodisiac, and losing control, he nearly did something they couldn't undo with Cheng Ge.

Although it didn't actually come to pass, that tangled contact and mingled breath had already far exceeded normal boundaries.

Later, when the drug's effects flared violently, his father the Emperor, out of consideration, intended to send a palace maid to help him with the drug's effects.

But when the maid's soft hands touched his burning skin, Zhou Zhan's mind was completely filled with Cheng Ge.

For no reason at all, he felt strong revulsion and irritation, and was absolutely unable to accept anyone else's touch.

In the end, he drove the maid away and soaked in cold water all night, forcing himself to endure that agonizing, bone-deep effect.

Fortunately, he had a strong constitution; he was only listless for a few days, without any lasting physical damage.

But although the physical torment had passed, the mental torment was relentless.

Since then, whenever he closed his eyes, the chaotic and intimate scenes from that night would surge up uncontrollably.

Cheng Ge's stifled gasps, red-rimmed eyes, sweat-dampened hair, burning skin... every detail was terrifyingly clear.

Even the shallow tooth mark on his shoulder that Cheng Ge had bitten him in desperation—though it had long since healed—

Yet it always burned faintly in the dead of night, as if it still retained the warmth of the other's lips and teeth.

The body heat of their tight embrace, the tingle of skin touching skin, and that strange yet alluring atmosphere that almost broke through reason...

All of this haunted him like specters, clinging to him at every moment.

Every time he recalled it, his heart was filled with an indescribable, burning restlessness, and his blood raced uncontrollably.

A strange, craving, insatiable emptiness seared his insides.

Zhou Zhan figured he must be sick, and seriously at that.

But when he secretly summoned his trusted imperial physician to take his pulse, the verdict was that nothing was physically wrong, just some excess heart fire.

Finally, the physician chose his words carefully and replied, "Your Highness... this ailment seems... to be more of a heart-sickness."

Heart-sickness? Zhou Zhan fell silent. He didn't understand what heart-sickness he had, and why it had gotten so bad that he couldn't sleep and was spaced out all day.

But he had a vague feeling that all these strange symptoms might have to do with Cheng Ge.

After what happened at the Mid-Autumn banquet, they had to be feeling awkward. For two men to do something that intimate was just wrong.

Zhou Zhan had meant to avoid everything related to Cheng Ge, but he learned that Cheng Ge had also fallen ill after that day, which made him all the more restless and anxious.

His heart felt as if it were being scorched, and eventually he couldn't help but secretly send someone to check on him.

Fortunately, he later heard that Cheng Ge was okay, which put his mind at ease a little.

But after the relief, the inexplicable thirst didn't fade; it only grew stronger.

That urge to see him again grew in him like wild vines; the more he suppressed it, the stronger it became.

He tried to calm his mind and read, but every time he opened a book, even the smell of ink seemed laced with the other man's scent.

If it weren't for the ban on witchcraft in the palace, he would have suspected that he had been put under a love spell.

After suffering like this for several days, he was finally defeated by his instincts.

He felt that if he couldn't see Cheng Ge again, this heart ailment would likely turn into a serious illness.

So as soon as he heard that Cheng Ge had finished the morning court session, he quickly sent someone to fetch him.