"Master Qianran, how is my condition? Can I recover?"
After Qianran completed the treatment session, Xu Tianran once again felt utterly defeated.
The sensation was akin to plummeting from heaven straight into hell—intolerably frustrating.
Yesterday had been the same. Each time Qianran activated his martial soul, Xu Tianran experienced a surge of hope, only to be cruelly brought back to reality when Qianran retracted it.
Xu Tianran looked at Qianran with an almost desperate gaze, longing for a way to prolong the fleeting euphoria—at least enough to test it out with one of his maids.
Just a few seconds? What good was that?
Undoing a belt alone would take over ten seconds!
"Your Highness, I believe your condition isn't purely physical. There may also be a psychological factor," Qianran said, his gaze flickering across Xu Tianran's body.
"What do you mean?"
"It's been far too long since Your Highness experienced physical intimacy. Coupled with years confined to a wheelchair, some special stimulation might be required to complement my treatment and ensure a full recovery," Qianran explained with practiced ease.
"Special stimulation? What... do you mean?" Xu Tianran was momentarily taken aback but soon found Qianran's argument convincing. It had indeed been over a decade since he'd last known the pleasures of the flesh. Yesterday's inadvertent glimpse of Qianran teasing Juzi had reminded him of what he'd been missing.
He had even forgotten what it felt like to experience the connection between a man and a woman.
"That depends. It varies from person to person. It's a matter of discovering what truly excites Your Highness," Qianran replied, a peculiar expression flitting across his face.
Xu Tianran shifted uneasily, unable to suppress the images resurfacing in his mind.
He recalled Qianran's shameless hands roaming over Juzi's curves as she wore her cheongsam and black stockings. The way Qianran's arms encircled her, pulling her close...
Then, he imagined his beloved sister, Tianzhen, by Qianran's side.
What would Qianran do to her? Would he treat her with decorum because she was a princess? Or would he unleash his beastly nature?
Xu Tianran's feelings were torn. On one hand, he seethed with hatred, yearning to snatch Juzi back and kill the man who dared covet his sister. On the other hand, his body betrayed him, delighting in these scenarios.
The mere thought of it made him feel as though he had already regained his vitality.
He...
Xu Tianran couldn't believe himself. Sending Juzi away was one thing—he'd never harbored strong feelings for her. But why did the idea of giving Tianzhen to Qianran excite him so?
Panic gripped him as he worried that Qianran might detect his secret inclinations. Already feeling inferior in Qianran's presence—where the man embodied the ideal of perfection—Xu Tianran knew he couldn't allow anyone, especially Qianran, to discover his dark thoughts. If that happened, he would be compelled to kill Qianran immediately, no matter the cost.
He could not let this secret see the light of day.
"Leave, Qianran," Xu Tianran ordered curtly.
"Oh, and prepare the guest room next to mine for Master Qianran. We get along so well," Xu Tianran instructed a maid after Qianran departed.
If Qianran stayed next door, wouldn't that mean Xu Tianran could catch glimpses...
As he replayed yesterday's events in his mind, Xu Tianran involuntarily swallowed hard.
Even if he couldn't see much, just knowing Juzi was in Qianran's arms unsettled him.
"If only I were Qianran."
"If I had Qianran's body and talent, what need would I have for the throne?"
Xu Tianran murmured to himself.
He was nothing more than a pitiful wretch who couldn't even fulfill the role of an ordinary man. How could he possibly compare to Qianran?
Qianran's unparalleled prowess left no room for fault.
If his sister could be with a man like Qianran, it would surely be the best outcome. There was no one more suitable or outstanding than Qianran. Even Juzi was better off with Qianran than with him.
Even if Qianran's treatment restored Xu Tianran, he would still be incapable of giving a woman true happiness. He required assistance for even the simplest tasks due to his disability, let alone...
Xu Tianran's feelings towards Qianran were undeniably complex.
He envied Qianran deeply. If he had such a perfect body, he wouldn't even care about the throne. Sometimes, he fantasized about living Qianran's life, imagining how fulfilling it would be to stand in his shoes. His crippled body made him yearn for the life of a normal man, let alone someone as flawless as Qianran.
Yet, at the same time, he wanted nothing more than to eliminate Qianran, whose mere existence posed a monumental threat to him and the empire.
...
"How did you manage this, Qianran? Does the Crown Prince truly want to win you over?" Juzi asked incredulously. Even Xu Tianran's closest confidants weren't allowed to live near his quarters.
Xu Tianran was notoriously wary, keeping even his servants at a distance. That he would offer a room beside his own to Qianran was nothing short of extraordinary.
"I have no idea," Qianran shrugged.
But Qianran knew very well—Xu Tianran was losing his grip.
This man clearly had a green-eyed fetish.
Earlier, Qianran had deliberately led Xu Tianran into certain thoughts, and the Crown Prince had taken the bait, going so far as to make this bizarre arrangement. Did he want to spy on Qianran and Juzi's intimate moments? How absurd.
Although Qianran enjoyed the idea of teasing Juzi in front of Xu Tianran, he had no intention of letting Juzi's body be ogled by the twisted prince. Qianran had no plans to satisfy such a perverse inclination.
At most, Xu Tianran might hear a few noises.
Heh.
The thought made Qianran grin smugly.
Xu Tianran's existence only made Qianran cherish Juzi even more.
"When we move, you can't behave so brazenly," Juzi warned, giving Qianran a pointed look. She dared not show any affection in Xu Tianran's presence.
She was beginning to realize something, though. It seemed Qianran always grew unusually excited after visiting Xu Tianran.
Though she hadn't understood it at first, a little digging revealed what it signified.
"Qianran, you're such a scoundrel!"
"No way. You're mine now. I just love seeing Xu Tianran's jealous and resentful expression. It's exhilarating," Qianran said, pulling Juzi close and caressing her thigh.
"Ah... Stop saying such nonsense..."
Juzi's body softened immediately, her quiet protests betraying her true feelings.
(Chapter End)