Xu Huaqian and Chen Liejiu stayed in the room for a long time without coming out. The group outside, who had been ready for a while, gradually grew impatient: "Are we going or not? If we don't leave soon, the sun will set."
"I'll go check." Wang Wanwan, who had already gotten onto an oxcart, heard their complaints. After a moment's thought, she jumped down and walked toward Xu Huaqian and Chen Liejiu's room.
It had been nearly half an hour. Even if Second Brother liked to take his time grooming and applying makeup, it shouldn't take this long...
As she thought this, approaching their room, she heard faint, rustling sounds escaping through the closed door and window. She froze, her face instantly flushing bright red, and hurried away.
Returning to the convoy, she realized they probably wouldn't be going out today. She decisively told the others: "They have other matters to attend to. We won't be going today. You can all head back for now."
"What? Not going again?!" everyone complained.
Wang Wanwan, her face still flushed, forced herself to stay calm: "You'll still be paid for the day. It's fine if we don't go today. We can go tomorrow instead."
"Alright then." Hearing they would be paid even without working, everyone immediately stopped complaining, gathered their things, and left.
Once they were gone, Chen Xiaomei jumped down from the oxcart, puzzled: "Sister-in-law, what important matter do Second Brother and Big Brother have? Why aren't we going anymore?"
"Adult matters. Children shouldn't ask." How could Wang Wanwan explain such a thing? She evaded briefly and, afraid Chen Xiaomei's curiosity would lead her to bother Chen Liejiu and Xu Huaqian, took her directly to their neighbor Chen Zhushi's house to play, as she had two children there as well.
"...Did you see it?!" Inside the room, Chen Liejiu held Xu Huaqian's hand and asked.
"...I-I saw it..." Fingertips touching the smooth skin, Xu Huaqian's throat was so dry it felt hoarse. His heart had never beaten this fast in either lifetime.
Chen Liejiu, feeling comfortable, lifted his eyelids slightly. Seeing Xu Huaqian's expression—both serious and nervous, his face sweaty—he smiled faintly: "Is it nice?"
Xu Huaqian was too nervous to speak properly: "N-Nice."
"If it's nice, then help properly, okay?" Chen Liejiu's voice was full of unbearable strain, carrying a pleading tone.
Xu Huaqian swallowed. When his husband was in difficulty, of course he should help without hesitation!
A long time passed before Chen Liejiu in the room finally calmed down.
Xu Huaqian slumped to the side, his face flushed a deep, blood-red. Listening to Chen Liejiu's breathing, his hands wouldn't stop trembling. He couldn't see and didn't know how Chen Liejiu was. After waiting a long time without hearing any further movement, he gathered his courage and asked: "...Baby, are you alright now?"
"...I'm fine." Finally emerging from that half-dead state, Chen Liejiu felt much better. The feeling of being controlled, completely without conscious thought, only acting on instinct, was truly unbearable.
The worst part was, this was only the initial stage, not even the normal onset of the heat flush. What would happen when it officially arrived?
"...Is... is that all?" It wasn't that Xu Huaqian kept trembling; he was just so excited he couldn't control his emotions.
His husband was so uninhibited.
Even blind, he could feel his husband holding him, kissing him, guiding his hands everywhere. The scorching breath , ambiguous panting, and alluring scent all fell on his ears, making it impossible not to be excited.
He had held his breath the entire time, not daring to speak, afraid of breaking the atmosphere.
"...Yes!" Finally feeling alive again, Chen Liejiu spoke with more strength. Seeing Xu Huaqian leaning listlessly against the bedside like a ravaged branch, looking pitiful, he felt thoroughly satisfied.
"...Ah?" Hearing Chen Liejiu say this, Xu Huaqian's excited, trembling hands paused. He felt a bit disappointed: "...That's all?"
He had thought this was just the foreplay, that there would be deeper progress. He didn't expect it to end here.
Instantly, his excited, trembling heart calmed down. Wasn't it said that heat flushes required union with another? If so, couldn't a man resolve it himself?
"It hasn't fully arrived yet." Chen Liejiu was somewhat embarrassed to explain. If Xu Huaqian hadn't come in, it might have been different. But once he entered, Chen Liejiu, already sensitive in his initial heat, completely lost control upon sensing his presence and directly drew him in.
"...Oh." Xu Huaqian was disappointed, but hearing Chen Liejiu was alright, he also felt relieved.
His hands still trembling, he reached for a cloth to wipe them, but a warm, wet, sticky sensation transferred from his hand."...Don't lick that," Xu Huaqian said, his face burning, quickly pulling his hand back behind him upon realizing what it was. "...It's dirty!""My own stuff, how could it be dirty?!" Chen Liejiu found his nervousness utterly adorable. He pulled Xu Huaqian's hand back and continued what he had started. "Let me clean you up, and help you too."He knew that his earlier state had also left Xu Huaqian uncomfortable.Xu Huaqian didn't know how he managed to endure it. He felt like he wasn't himself anymore. His face burned over and over, as if he had fever spikes multiple times.From head to toe, even each finger was thoroughly attended to by his husband, back and forth, so many times that by the end, he was trembling and shivering, nearly dizzy from his own heat."With a body this weak, what will we do in the future?" Chen Liejiu looked at him, licked his lips, and frowned with worry.Thankfully, during the heat flush, he had controlled himself and didn't make a move on Xu Huaqian. If just a little attention left him like this, Chen Liejiu was genuinely afraid he wouldn't withstand any real exertion.Xu Huaqian, who had been blissfully lost in a hazy, comfortable daze, immediately snapped out of it upon hearing Chen Liejiu's words. He sat up with the energy of a carp leaping out of water and said with utmost seriousness: "A-Jiu! I can handle it! Believe me!"A man cannot say he is incapable!Heaven knows, when his husband questioned his capability, his heart instantly turned ice-cold. No wonder he hadn't wanted his help earlier when he was so uncomfortable. Was he actually thinking that?" Good boy, you're still young." Chen Liejiu, amused by his cuteness, ruffled his hair. "Wait...""I am not young!" Before Chen Liejiu could finish saying "wait until you're a bit older for marital relations," Xu Huaqian grabbed his hand. "You've already... partaken! You can't say I'm small!"This was the second time!
The second time his husband had doubted him.Xu Huaqian felt like he could spit blood!If the first time was just Chen Liejiu's subjective impression, thinking he was small, he could accept that. But this was the second time!
And after looking him over and over, and partaking again and again!
To still say he was small—he would go mad!Chen Liejiu was momentarily stunned by his sudden outburst, then slapped the bed and laughed heartily.How could someone be this adorable!
He never realized Xu Huaqian had been hung up on this."Alright, alright, you're not small!" Chen Liejiu said, then leaned close to his ear and whispered something.Instantly, Xu Huaqian's ears burned so hot they seemed to drip blood. He pushed Chen Liejiu away, embarrassed: "How can you say that?!""I'm a ruffian, aren't I?" Chen Liejiu said matter-of-factly, lifting Xu Huaqian's chin with a finger. "Don't ruffians always tease their little spouses like this?"Chen Liejiu's lips still held a trace of a musky scent, which made Xu Huaqian's face burn even hotter.His husband seemed rather lewd!
But what could he do? He loved it!With all the playful fighting, their plans for the day were completely ruined. While Chen Liejiu was heating water for Xu Huaqian to wash up, he suddenly asked: "Why did you call me 'Baby'?"The first time he said it, Chen Liejiu hadn't reacted. It was only when he called him "A-Jiu" that he realized it was meant for him."...Because you are my treasure!" Xu Huaqian sat by the stove, keeping Chen Liejiu company as he heated the water.Perhaps because of the recent intimacy, they were now stuck together in a way that was almost too sweet to watch.At that moment, it had just slipped out, as if it were the natural thing to call him. He tugged on Chen Liejiu's sleeve and called out a few more times: "Baby, baby, baby! Doesn't it sound nice?!""It's strange!" Being called something other than Chen Liejiu for the first time felt odd to him.But since Xu Huaqian said he was his treasure, he suddenly found it not too hard to accept."Then you are also my treasure!" Chen Liejiu thought for a moment, turned around, and called Xu Huaqian back: "Baby?""—Cough, cough, cough, cough!" Xu Huaqian choked on his own saliva at this sudden counter-tease. How did he learn to use it so quickly?!"You can't call me that!" A man's dignity must be upheld, no matter what. "That's only for a husband to call his spouse, to show affection.""Really?" Chen Liejiu was skeptical. "I've never heard that.""There's a lot you haven't heard." Xu Huaqian muttered. He could call him not only "Baby," but also "Darling Wife," "Dear," and countless other cheesy terms.Unfortunately, Chen Liejiu didn't hear his muttering. The water for bathing was ready. He ladled it into a bucket to take to the washroom, then suddenly turned back and asked Xu Huaqian: "Do you need me to help you wash?"Chen Liejiu was always straightforward. They didn't have a bathtub at home yet. He had noticed Xu Huaqian's legs were still shaky when he got out of bed and was afraid he might be unsteady, so he wanted to offer help."No need, no need." Xu Huaqian shook his head like a rattle drum. Having just been teased repeatedly by Chen Liejiu, he was afraid that if Chen Liejiu helped him bathe, the teasing would continue. Knowing his own body well, Xu Huaqian felt it was better to proceed slowly and carefully.He couldn't afford to overindulge and risk immediate demise!He wanted his husband's sudden... benefits to happen a few more times. After all, being twenty-seven, almost twenty-eight (in soul age), and never having enjoyed a happy life was a terrifying thought.However, today's sudden benefit from Chen Liejiu also left Xu Huaqian feeling apprehensive.This heat flush came without any warning, leaving no time for mental preparation, and followed no predictable pattern—it just arrived.Today, they were lucky. They were leaving late, so Chen Liejiu had time to deal with it at home. But what if it happened outside?Thinking this, Xu Huaqian suddenly associated it with something worse.What if a man had a heat flush on the street, or in the wilderness, or alone at home? Wouldn't that be disastrous...At this thought, Xu Huaqian's face instantly turned pale.He had only heard about heat flushes before but never witnessed one. Today, he experienced it firsthand. This heat flush, which could completely strip a person of rationality, leaving only the urge to act, was like a time bomb planted inside the human body. When its time came, if there was no suitable person around, it could only shatter the person to pieces.And even if there was a suitable person, if that person was unwilling, a union under such circumstances would be a tragedy for both.