Xiao Zongzi tilted her head, one of her many spindly spider legs reaching up to scratch the top of her head in confusion. Her black eyes gleamed in the dim light as she observed Shudu, who was busy tucking Xue Tuzi into bed. The latter twisted and turned restlessly, kicking at the sheets with little care, his soft snores filling the quiet room. A thin trail of drool slipped from the corner of his lips, glistening as it caught the moonlight filtering through the open window. Shudu scoffed, rolling his eyes at the sight before leaning against the windowsill, closing his own for a much-needed rest.
"Master?" Xiao Zongzi's voice carried a hint of disbelief, her mandibles clicking softly as she crept closer. In the past, when beauties had thrown themselves at him, Shudu had never once hesitated to indulge. Yet tonight, despite Xue Tuzi's willingness, he had rejected him without a second thought.
Shudu cracked an eye open, gaze flickering toward the spider demon as she carefully crawled her way over, each movement deliberate and slow. "Master, you won't be satisfying yourself tonight?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity and just the faintest trace of amusement.
His brows furrowed at her words, irritation flashing across his face. "Who do you take me for? A predator?" he snapped, clicking his tongue in contempt. He turned his head away from her, jaw tightening as he exhaled sharply. "I already told you—I want him fully conscious, not like that. Besides…" His gaze dropped to his hand, fingers curling into a tight fist before he relaxed them just as quickly. "I have never taken advantage of anyone. Man or woman, they have always consented." His voice was firm, unwavering.
Xiao Zongzi tilted her head again, studying him carefully. A small sigh escaped her as she rested two of her legs beneath her chin, thoughtful. For all her master's underhanded tactics, his words rang true—no man or woman had ever outright rejected his advances. Xue Tuzi was the first. Shudu had played the hero countless times, swooping in to "rescue" victims from the supposed evil, blood-sucking demon—her. His gallant deeds had always been rewarded with open arms and warm bodies.
Yet this time, things were different.
This time, she wasn't the villain in Xue Tuzi's eyes. Shudu was.
And no amount of sweet talk or careful maneuvering would change his mind.
"By the way," Shudu murmured, his head lolling back against the wall, "where's Xiao Jiao?"
A tiny, drunken hiccup sounded from Xue Tuzi's pouch. The little Gu worm poked his round head out, his chubby cheeks flushed rosy from the alcohol he had consumed earlier. As he hiccupped, tiny bubbles escaped his mouth, popping softly in the air.
"You too?" Shudu muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration.
The first rays of sunlight crept into the room, casting golden streaks over the wooden floors. Xue Tuzi groaned, shifting under the covers as he brought a hand to his temple, wincing at the sharp, piercing headache that greeted him.
"You're up early," Shudu mused, hopping down from the windowsill with practiced ease. He strode over to the bed, lowering himself to sit beside Xue Tuzi, and wordlessly offered him a canteen of water.
Xue Tuzi let out a quiet, groggy whimper as he struggled to sit up, his hair an absolute mess of unruly strands. He blinked blearily at the canteen before hesitating, eyes narrowing slightly. "…Did you drink from this?" he asked, still rubbing at his temple.
Shudu's smile faltered for just a fraction of a second before he pulled the canteen away, lips curling into a smirk. "You've got some nerve," he murmured, voice laced with amusement. His brows knitted together briefly, but the expression quickly melted into something far more playful as he leaned in close, lips ghosting near Xue Tuzi's ear.
Hiss lips grazed the shell of Xue Tuzi's ear as he murmured, "How many serpents have those pretty lips devoured?" His voice was smoke-thick, laced with something darker beneath the teasing—a blade wrapped in velvet.
Xue Tuzi stiffened. "None," he bit out, the word sharp enough to draw blood. His fingers dug into the sheets, knuckles bleaching white against the silk, as if the very question had physically scalded him.
A low chuckle vibrated against his neck. "Liar. You act like my cock hasn't been in your mouth before," Shudu purred, letting the accusation hang between them like a suspended strike.
His breath was hot against Xue Tuzi's neck, his nose tracing the delicate curve where shoulder met throat. "Are you hungry?" he murmured, lips barely grazing skin. "Do you want meat?"
Xue Tuzi shuddered—not from pleasure, but from the clench of his stomach. He pressed a hand to his mouth, swallowing hard. "No. Thank you," he managed, voice thin. "I think I'm going to be sick."
"You know, last night, you asked for my hand in marriage," Shudu mused, a mischievous smile stretching across his lips as he cast a sidelong glance at Xue Tuzi. His crimson eye sparkled with amusement, the corners crinkling ever so slightly.
"I did no such thing," Xue Tuzi scoffed, his brows knitting tightly as he shot Shudu an angry scowl.
But the demon reveled in his annoyance, his grin widening as he leaned in closer. "You begged me to bed you," he whispered against Xue Tuzi's ear, his breath warm, the words slow and teasing. He pressed two fingers against his own lips, his dark lashes fluttering in a mock display of innocence.
"Impossible," Xue Tuzi exclaimed, his tone thick with irritation. Crossing his arms, he puffed up like an indignant cat, his expression one of sheer defiance.
Shudu, undeterred, reached for a loose strand of Xue Tuzi's autumn hair, wrapping it lazily around his finger before bringing it close to his nose, inhaling softly. Then, with a quiet chuckle, he let it slip from his grasp.
Xue Tuzi's nostrils flared as he jerked his head back, flicking his tousled hair over his shoulder. His round, doe-like eyes narrowed into sharp slits as he glared Shudu up and down in open disdain. "First and foremost," he began, voice dripping with contempt, "I would never, under any circumstances, choose—" his gaze raked over Shudu with a slow, deliberate curl of his lip "—vermin like you as a wife."
Shudu feigned a wounded look, tilting his head with exaggerated sorrow, but Xue Tuzi ignored him, pressing on.
"My wife should be virtuous, pleasing to the eye, delicate as a flower," he said loftily, turning his face away as though even looking at Shudu sullied the image he was conjuring in his mind.
Shudu's lips curled, his expression coy as he playfully leaned into Xue Tuzi's shoulder, letting his fingers trail over his chest, tracing the firm lines beneath the fabric as if mapping out a secret only he knew. His docile, pleading eyes searched for Xue Tuzi's guarded ones, locking onto the scornful gaze that met him.
"She should also be dutiful, docile, and submissive," Xue Tuzi continued, his voice unwavering—until he felt Shudu's fingers ghosting over his skin. His grip shot out, seizing the demon's wrist in a bruising hold. Shudu winced, shrinking under the force of it, yet his expression remained deceptively soft, blinking up at Xue Tuzi with wide, dewy eyes, as if wounded by the rough treatment.
"Have I not already given you a child?" he pouted, letting his head rest against Xue Tuzi's shoulder. His lips parted slightly as he tilted his face up, whispering into his ear, his voice low and syrupy. "Is that not proof that I have all the qualities you desire in a wife?" His tongue darted out to wet his lips, as he felt the way Xue Tuzi stiffened, a small shudder racking through him.
Xue Tuzi immediately yanked himself away, his eyes darting wildly until they landed on the small, curled figure at the corner of the bed. "Xiao Jiao!" he exclaimed, his voice unusually high. The little Gu worm remained nestled in a tight ball, his breathing even, his soft, gelatinous form rising and falling with each breath. Xue Tuzi let out a relieved sigh, reaching out to run a gentle hand over its round, jelly-like head.
"Xue Lang~" Shudu's honeyed voice coiled around him again, the demon wasting no time in wrapping himself around Xue Tuzi's arm. His firm chest pressed against the other man's forearm, his breath warm against his skin.
"Don't call me that," Xue Tuzi barked, twisting his arm in an attempt to pry himself free.
Shudu gasped in mock distress. "Oh my, my husband is so grouchy," he pouted, his eyes gleaming with mirth as he peered up at Xue Tuzi. "Dear husband, you'll grow wrinkles quicker if you keep frowning like that," he scolded playfully, lifting his fingers to smooth the furrow between Xue Tuzi's brows.
Xue Tuzi exhaled sharply, long and drawn-out, his patience finally reaching its limit. Two can play this game he murmured to himself, in a swift motion, he grasped Shudu by the waist, yanking him forward until their bodies pressed flush against each other. Shudu barely had time to react before Xue Tuzi's piercing gaze bore into him, intense and unreadable.
"Why is my wife being so disobedient to his husband?" Xue Tuzi snapped, his voice low and dangerous. His lips curled into a slow, menacing smirk, and the tiny mole beneath them stretched as he spoke.
Shudu's breath hitched, caught off guard by the sudden shift in energy. His cheeks flushed an unmistakable shade of pink. "W-Wait—"
"I believe he requires punishment," Xue Tuzi declared smoothly, his grip tightening around Shudu's wrists before he suddenly pushed him down against the bed, pinning him beneath him.
Shudu gasped, his pulse quickening as Xue Tuzi's weight settled over him. Before he could utter another protest, Xue Tuzi's mouth descended upon his, claiming him in a bruising, breath-stealing kiss. Shudu struggled, but the other man's hands clamped down on his arms, pressing them firmly against the mattress.
"Spread your legs and give me another child," Xue Tuzi growled in between hungry, fervent kisses, his breath mingling with Shudu's as he dominated him with an intensity that left no room for escape. "This husband demands it."
Shudu could barely breathe, his lips swollen from the force of Xue Tuzi's brutal kisses. His mind swam, caught somewhere between frustration and something dangerously close to surrender. But then, something snapped.
"No more!" he exclaimed, summoning what little strength he had left to shove Xue Tuzi off him.
Xue Tuzi stumbled back slightly, breathing heavy, his expression unreadable. Then, as if regaining his senses, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his movements sharp, almost disgusted—as if the act he had just partaken in was something foul.
Shudu sat up hastily, straightening his disheveled shirt, his breath still uneven. His face burned with embarrassment, and before another word could be uttered, he turned on his heel and strode toward the door. His heart pounded in his chest, his flushed expression betraying emotions he wasn't ready to name.
With a satisfied smile Xue Tuzi buried himself beneath layers of blankets. His lips curled slightly, as he ran his tongue over them slowly, savoring the lingering taste of something sweet.
Xue Laohu woke to a splitting headache, his skull throbbing as if a melon split in half With a low groan, he forced himself upright, blinking against the morning light that stabbed at his eyes. Wincing through the pain, he dressed mechanically and made his way to Sect Leader Mao's study.
The heavy cedar door swung open to reveal a room steeped in quiet authority. The mingled scents of iron-gall ink and freshly brewed jasmine tea hung in the air, undercut by the faintest hint of sandalwood from the polished writing desk. Sect Leader Mao looked up from his scrolls, one eyebrow arched at Xue Laohu's obvious discomfort. "I have sent a courier to the west to announce your arrival," he informed, stroking his graying beard. "Grandmaster Chan can be quite particular."
Xue Laohu folded his fan with a graceful snap and bowed slightly in gratitude. "Many thanks," he said smoothly before departing. His eyes scanned for a familiar figure, his brows furrowing ever so slightly.
"Where's A-Tuzi?" he asked, still searching.
But Xue Tuzi had yet to stir. Back in his chambers, he remained wrapped snugly under layers of silk and cotton, his breath soft and even. His cheeks, kissed with a faint flush, rested against the pillow as he buried himself deeper into the warmth of his blankets, entirely undisturbed.