Chapter 22: The Kiss

Chapter 22: The Kiss

Chen Shuoan was gently placed on the bed, watching a glum-faced Yuan Rang head out the door.

What's his deal? Even more random than my homeroom teacher.

Chen Shuoan lay in bed, the thin silk quilt wadded up and hugged to his chest in a ball.

He buried his face into the pillow mat, breathing in Yuan Rang's signature cool sandalwood scent, his mind totally blank as he dozed off.

After what felt like ages, the door creaked open, the wooden bed swaying softly as the person climbing in moved even more carefully.

Then Chen Shuoan landed in an ice-cold embrace.

The guy holding him was clearly way taller and broader, his chest almost swallowing Chen Shuoan whole as he loomed over him.

Chen Shuoan was too sleepy to open his eyes, so he just groped for the hand around his waist and felt a hint of dampness.

He mumbled sleepily, soft and slurred like talking in his sleep: "Don't... take cold showers."

In the haze, the nice coolness vanished, and Chen Shuoan frowned in dissatisfaction.

"Feeling cold? Then I'll come up later."

The voice was floaty and distant, like it was miles away from him.

Chen Shuoan forced his eyes open, pressed himself back into the guy, nuzzling Yuan Rang's chest, deciding the guy was totally ungrateful, and whined: "Don't go... it's comfy... you'll regret this when you're old."

Maybe because he was so sleepy, his words made zero sense, but Yuan Rang got it.

Good-naturedly, he wrapped his arms around the guy again, his slender white fingers tucking the stray strands of hair behind Chen Shuoan's ear, murmuring softly: "I won't do it again."

Chen Shuoan let out a soft hum and sank back into deep sleep.

Sometime around midnight, Chen Shuoan had a totally bonkers dream.

In the dream, he was making out with someone.

The guy's face was a white blur, features all fuzzy. Normally, Chen Shuoan would've been scared awake by a nightmare like that, but this time the dream was going somewhere totally unexpected.

He felt his lips getting kissed raw, the guy hovering over him clearly having zero clue what he was doing, just able to slowly rub his mouth against Chen Shuoan's.

His lips were gently caught, sucked, and slowly he started to get into it.

Chen Shuoan let out a soft whimper, his teeth parting without a sound.

The guy chuckled softly, planting a kiss on the tip of his nose like a reward, his voice pitched super low with a hint of youthful boyishness: "Good boy."

Chen Shuoan's tongue got sucked in.

Yuan Rang's breathing got fast, his moves turning rough and frantic as he fiercely licked and kissed the lips and tongue under him, like he wanted to eat the guy alive.

Chen Shuoan felt like he was choking, his face turning red as he tried to squirm out of the uncomfortable grip.

Luckily, the guy still had some conscience. Feeling him struggle, he pulled back, just gently licking Chen Shuoan's swollen, shiny red lips. As he spoke, the skin where they touched buzzed slightly. It sounded like he was talking to himself, but the words carried a scary possessiveness.

The guy said: "Don't think about him."

Chen Shuoan woke up in bed, his whole brain like a frozen computer screen.

What the heck was that dream?

Chen Shuoan let out a goofy laugh, thinking it was hilarious, like a movie playing in his head.

He looked around and didn't see His Highness the Sixth Prince, and sighed to himself.

A successful man's day starts with morning reading—His Highness is way too diligent.

Yuan the Successful Man had already finished breakfast and was heading to the study.

Jili stepped up to walk behind him, saying: "Your Highness looks in great spirits today."

Yuan Rang gave a cold "Mm," then added: "No classes at the study hall for the next two days. Don't bother him. No need to keep the food warm—just make it fresh when he wakes up."

Who this "him" was didn't need saying.

Jili was at a loss for words, but had no choice but to speak up timidly to his master: "This servant just saw Young Master Chen heading out of the palace, so I asked a quick question. Young Master Chen said..."

Yuan Rang frowned, annoyed by Jili's hesitation, and just shot him a look to hurry up.

Jili nearly jumped out of his skin, quickly adding: "Young Master Chen said he's leaving the palace today."

Yuan Rang's face turned colder by the second, all the earlier ease gone.

Jili had just worked up the nerve to look up when he saw his master's face, and instantly ducked his head again, shutting up.

————

Chen Shuoan sat in the carriage heading home, happy as a clam.

His hands were empty, and his head was just as empty.

Actually, the instructor had assigned homework, asking the students to share their thoughts after going home on the northern border region's constant demands for huge military funds from the court.

Chen Shuoan wasn't even from this era—he knew squat, let alone had any opinions to share.

Having him go up and do a stand-up routine might be more realistic.

Besides, he'd always been a firm believer in thinking twice—no, three times—before acting.

The three thoughts:

Can I not do it?

Can I do it later?

Can someone else do it?

Truly a legend of slacking off.

Zheng Yuanzhi and the others were waiting in the Chen family hall for Chen Shuoan's triumphant return.

None of them were stuck in the palace, so they got to go home way more often than Chen Shuoan.

Chen Jingxian looked at the three fine, upstanding young men before him and couldn't help but sigh inside—his good-for-nothing son had actually managed to make some real friends.

He was just about to ask how their studies were going and whether they could give Chen Shuoan some pointers, when he heard a familiar voice from outside the door.

"Dad, I'm back!"

He was the apple of his eye, the one he thought about day and night.

Chen Jingxian's face turned beet red. Before he could even respond, those little brats beside him, as if they were Chen Shuoan's own fathers, each one hollered back, "Here!" echoing through the courtyard.

?

Chen Jingxian was so mad he was fuming, wishing he could give each of them a good thump on the head.

Chen Shuoan hadn't even reached the hall when he heard the voices of his rowdy friends. Instantly feeling that a day apart felt like forever, he sprinted over and piled into a group hug.

Chen Fu watched from the sidelines, grinning ear to ear, thinking, "Ah, to be young again."

Zhang Chenggong leaned in and whispered to Chen Shuoan, "Since you're out of the palace today, we're thinking of taking you somewhere fun."

Chen Shuoan immediately became wary upon hearing this. After seeing the mischievous expressions on the other two's faces, he refused with a straight face and no hesitation, "If it ain't legit, I'm not going."

What a joke—his dad was right there. What would it look like acting so wild in front of his old man?

Zheng Yuanzhi smiled and reached over to pat his shoulder, saying, "Don't worry, it's totally legit."

Chen Shuoan didn't care whether it was legit or not; right now, he just wanted to whine to his dear old dad.

He brushed off the hands clinging to him, reached through the gaps between their bodies toward his father, and said with a sob, "Dad, your son has suffered so much..."

Zhang Chenggong swatted his hand away and turned to Chen Jingxian with a smile, saying, "It's just a tiny thing, and he's acting like he lost a limb. Rest assured, Lord Chen, Shuo'an hasn't suffered in the palace at all—in fact, he's gained two pounds."

Li Wei grabbed Chen Shuoan by the neck and dragged him toward the door, while the other two covered their retreat.

"Lord Chen, please rest well. Shuo'an will be back by afternoon. Farewell!"

Chen Jingxian: "..."

?

Where had his big son gone?