...Quickly, Zhan put his hand back over King Yibo's, pressing down to stop him from moving. King Yibo looked at Zhan's pouting face and stiffened again, no trace of playfulness about him as he said, "What now?"
"I want do it myself unless you want to touch me, and it already stopped hurting." Zhan said, pouting.
(This boy will be the death of me), King Yibo thought to himself, pushing Zhan's hand away as he press the waist. Suddenly, Zhan wrapped his entire body around King Yibo's, letting out a genuine scream of pain. The way Zhan fell onto him was so unexpected, and his hand flew up to cover his ears because of the volume of Zhan's voice, which echoed in his head. Their positions were reversed; King Yibo was on his back, and Zhan was on top of him hissing in pain.
King Yibo had no choice but to hold Zhan. A strange stillness fell, their faces so close their noses were almost touching. Their eyes were locked. Something in the situation confused Zhan's calculations again; forgetting the pain he was feeling, he found himself lost in the depths of King Yibo's pupils. Quickly, he averted his own pupils, wanting to slide his whole body away, as his own skin was tingling strangely, and his breath seemed to be leaving in ragged gasps. King Yibo's hand on Zhan's waist pulled him back against his own body.
The heat Zhan felt from his proximity made him scrunch up his face, then he pursed his lips, opening his own eyes to see the handsome face of the king so close that his whole being made him feel as if they were squeezed into a mountain cave.
The way Zhan reluctantly looked at him again made him feel a smile coming on. But a strange feeling and stubbornness made him swallow it, blinking slowly at Zhan's beautiful face, which now looked like it was about to burst into tears. Filled with a desire to speak to him, he pressed his hand firmly where Zhan was hurt, his voice hoarse as if coaxing, "Shall I call the Doctor huh my bunny?"
The way King Yibo spoke, blowing his breath onto Zhan's face, sent a small shiver through Zhan's body. Quickly, Zhan turned away from him, covering his face again. He himself didn't know when he had started teasing King Yibo like this; he just found himself doing it. "It's stopped hurting now, let me go so I can get up, this isn't good."
King Yibo clicked his tongue, his sharp eyes softening as they looked down, and in a somewhat stern tone, he said, "What's 'this'?"
Slowly, Zhan pout his lips. His eyes were closed, showing how he was feeling, as he shook his head. A cunning smile escaped King Yibo for the first time. Slowly, he turned them, and they both lay back on the bed on their elbows, facing each other.
Zhan made attempt to pull away; but instead, Yibo used his hand to bring their faces close together again.
"Did I say I'm done with you?"
Zhan felt completely like this wasn't the King with him, but some spirit that had come to him in his form. If not, then who was this shameless King? A man he knew, or seemed to know, but others didn't recognize... truly, this was a spirit, a spirit he had often seen before entering this palace...
The breath King Yibo blew on his face made him take a heavy,deep breath, a sign of his returning consciousness. The King's face twitched slightly where it was pressed against his, and Zhan's eyes darted away again as he moved. He, too, closed his eyes, then opened them again, moving his lips slowly as if compelled.
"Don't touch me, this isn't right" Zhan whispered.
"And what about the one who paid your bride price? I have every right to touch you" the King asked and said.
Zhan eyes were closed, standing straight, and despite his voice being firm, there was a sign of softening as he said, "You didn't pay for mine. I was brought to this palace by force to be killed, just like my sisters were killed."
King Yibo barely managed to suppress the smile that wanted to break through, and he stiffened his face again, even though Zhan wasn't looking at him. He felt a pleasure in pursuing this, so in an even lower voice, he said, "If I didn't pay it, then time will tell. Have we ever killed anyone before you that you would accused us of?"
"Of curse. Several time."
"Then you should say clearly, who did we killed before you?"
"Your wife who died last. And I, too, becouse I am bitter, which is why you couldn't eat my soul, because I am stronger than witches; I know you are afraid of me right now." Zhan said with the forceful tone of someone wanting to confirm something, his face stiffening further.
(You will be the death of me, boy), King Yibo thought to himself, suppressing the laughter rising within him. His hand actually moved to Zhan's waist, right where he was hurt, and he blinked slowly, gradually pressing on the spot without Zhan startling, even though he felt a little pain.
"When did you start realizing I was afraid of you? Because it seems I really am afraid of you. It seems you won't let me go; are you a witch or something?"
Zhan's lips twisted into a kind of pout as he covered his face. He had to sound angry as Yibo called him a witch, "I would never be a witch. You've been afraid of me since the first day you saw me! And if not fear, why did you keep disguising as Mulan to know my secrets...?"
The way Zhan finished speaking, his face crumpling as if he were about to cry, made King Yibo draw in a difficult, sharp breath. His own head was starting to ache from fatigue, and he realized his whole body was tense. Showing clear signs of exhaustion, even in his tone, he said, "So, you think I'm afraid of you because I disguised as Mulan to know all your secrets?"
Zhan's closed eyes flew open, staring at him. With a desire to provoke, he said, "Huh, if was not a fear, then what? Well, your secrets are in the palm of my hand too; I just haven't spoken them yet."
"Mine?"
Yibo said abruptly, widening his desireble eyes at Zhan. Zhan was trying to pull away again, but a laugh escaped him seeing how wide the King eyes were; in his view, he had clearly scared him. King Yibo held him again, and they were closer than before, in a manner that demanded Zhan's attention, as he brought his nose to Zhan neck, blowing his breath against it.
With a hoarse voice that made Zhan startle deep within his throat, King Yibo said, "Tell me, which of my secrets do you know? I promise I'll give you another one right now, on top of everything you already have." As he spoke, his breath settled on Zhan's neck, and he pressed his hand against the injured waist. Without any warning, Zhan jolted as if to speak, but King Yibo covered his mouth with his own soft, pink lips.
Every functioning part of Zhan's body, every movement of his spirit, stopped immediately, frozen in place, just as King Yibo's kissed deppend. His eyes closed slowly and then opened again on Zhan's face. Before Zhan could react to stop him, the King slipped his fingers into his soft hair, slowly began to loosen the ribbon Zhan had used to tie his hair in the middle, and pressed his lips deep onto his, tilting them so they were back on their elbows, now facing each other again, Yibo start moving his naughty hand on Zhan's body exploring the unknown.
This was the first time this had happened between them, something that had never occurred before, which threw Zhan into confusion and shock. Then, with a technique that seemed to seek to steal his very breath, King Yibo moved his lips within his mouth, no longer resembling the stern, dignified, and politically reserved King of Beiping, for whom even speaking was difficult.
His smile seemed like the most precious thing to anyone who knew him. Completely overwhelmed, Zhan's body began to tremble; the pain in his foot and waist was sought and lost...
It seemed King Yibo had departed, gone to a place that blocked out all sound in the world, for all his frustration with those lips that had been teasing him today seemed to have been vented. His student Zhan, since the first jolt of returning consciousness, had not made a single proper move. Only when he felt the King hand trying to slip under his pant did he jolt again, trying to cover Yibo's hand his own, wanting to pull away his lips, which were being held firmly within Yibo's mouth amidst the trembling of his body.
There was no sign that King Yibo would grant the freedom he needed, for it seemed he had seen deeply lost all his restrains. Quickly, Zhan mustered all his remaining strength to pull his body back. King Yibo wanted to hold him tighter, but he released him, his eyes closed, showing a kind of frantic struggle and restrained strength.
After Zhan turned away from him, his body was still curled up, trembling on one side. Since his Mother gave birth to him, he had been clever and resourceful; no one had ever laid a hand on him where King Yibo had reached today. Goodness, he hadn't even allowed his own siblings to see his bare body like this, he's a shy person. But today, he faced the unexpected with the man he had never imagined, oh my....
A strange, tingling sensation ran through him, as if King Yibo's hand was still on his body, he was so startled. He suddenly curled into a ball in the center of the ornately made bed, unable to calm down in the slightest. Truly, Zhan was frightened by a fear he had never experienced in his life. Tjen some warm tears, whose origin he didn't know, began to stream down his face in a continuous flow.
The heavy, shuddering breaths he was drawing made King Yibo open his closed eyes, which showed a profound weariness. On Zhan's back, where the shirt had ridden up high due to his curled position. He blinked slowly, his gaze trailing over Zhan fair skin. A pounding started again in his heart, more forcefully this time, when his eyes landed again on that large dot located just above Zhan back, near his right shoulder blade.
Quickly, he shook his head slightly, as if it were an impossible thing to grasp. How could this be? (No... no... it can't be), King Yibo said in his mind, very harshly, as he averted his eyes. Then he stretched out, with extreme stiffness, sat up, and gave Zhan some space. In his heavily restrained voice, he uttered, "Here is another one of my secrets for you to keep for me."
Without allowing himself to look at Zhan again, he headed straight for the bathroom, merely trying to deny what his heart refused to answer regarding what his eyes had seen once more today on Zhan's body.....
With a burning fever and a harsh twisting pain in his stomach, King Yibo stepped out of the bathroom. Yet, being a man known for unshakable strength, he forced himself to remain composed, suppressing the violent wave threatening to break through. The room was empty..... it seemed Zhan had fled. Zhan's discarded shirt lay on the floor, but his long jacket was gone; clearly, he had taken it when he left.
A strained smirk appeared on Yibo's lips, teeth biting hard through the ache. No matter how much he tried to restrain it, the pain had already taken hold.... this was the first time in his life he had gotten this close to anyone. It meant he had awakened something far beyond his control. His stomach twisted again, forcing his breath out in short, uneven bursts. ( This damn Sperm Cramps...) he muttered.
Despite the cold creeping through his body, he couldn't even change out of the bathrobe clinging damp against his skin. His hair was still wet, water trailing down his face. He barely managed to sit on the bed. Sweat soaked his body, trembling as if struck by some curse. He clutched the pillow Zhan had held earlier, squeezing it with a strength that revealed the true steel of his nature.
He had run from this situation for years.... and now it had found him when he was least prepared to face it.
With difficulty, he stood and searched for the medicine he had long stopped taking....the SC treatment, locked away months ago after the doctor warned it might cause serious collapse. When he finally found the box and opened it, it was empty. Only the torn sachet remained; he must have taken the last dose without remembering.
He dropped the box and fell back onto the bed, pulling a blanket around his shaking body. His skull pounded violently, thoughts scattering.
His mind raced:
His mother and her ultimatum.
Zhan and the disturbing power he carried.
His uncles and their hunger for control.
The problems of his people waiting for his judgment.
Too many burdens, all crushing at once.
He had spent his whole life fighting to control himself, fighting to protect his honor....never crossing boundaries, never harming the innocent. His greatest wish was to hold himself together until the day he found someone worthy of his trust, someone to whom he could give his deepest secrets....secrets he prayed no one else would ever reach.
And now, it seemed the time had come.... but burdened with consequences heavier than he could bear.
Meanwhile
Zhan had slipped out the moment King Yibo entered the bath. No matter what he did, he couldn't rid his body of the king's scent....he bathed, he drowned himself in layers of perfume, yet the scent clung stubbornly to him, filling his lungs.
Feeling stripped raw, he leaned against the wall with his eyes shut, breath shaky. He didn't understand what he was feeling.... all he knew was something inside him had snapped, leaving him without strength. What happened between them now stood solidly in his heart, refusing to move.
Zhan touched his lips, then jerked his hand away as if burned, shaking his head violently as though trying to silence a voice speaking directly into his ear. He moved back to the table of perfumes, applying one after another with desperate intensity.
But no matter how many scents he drowned himself in, the trace of Yibo remained....stubborn, fierce, and inescapable.
He wanted to laugh. Or cry. Or break something. He felt absurd enough to do all at once.
A knock interrupted him....the attendant announcing breakfast. He was starving, but he would not step out and risk meeting King Yibo. For the first time in his life, he ordered the meal to be brought to him privately.
The command was obeyed immediately.
At the Imperial Court
Nearly an hour passed beyond the scheduled time, and still no sign of King Yibo. Silence filled the court hall.... something that never happened. King Yibo was a leader who did not break his word. If he promised action, he fulfilled it regardless of obstacles. If he refused, no power could force his hand. Sharp, decisive, unwavering....these traits were what earned him the loyalty and admiration of his entire nation.
"Is everything alright today?"
Prince Langya murmured anxiously to Prince Aoying.
Prince Aoying exhaled slowly, concern shadowing his features.
"I don't think there's a problem. I met with him recently...but you know, a man with family responsibilities…"
He ended with a weary half-smile.
Prince Langya felt like to stroke a dagger straight into Prince Aoying's chest. Just like that, the words that King Yibo's with his family pierced badly. Prince Aoying forced a small smile and turned his face away, pretending not to notice Prince Langya irritation, though deep inside he did said that intentionally.
★★….. ★….
King Yibo, hardworking as always, still hadn't fully gathered himself even by 2 p.m. His absence made Prince Aoying and the others certain that something serious had kept him away.
He kept trying to return to normal, but nothing worked until nearly 4 p.m., when he returned to the gym and pushed himself through an intense workout—so brutal that he came out drenched in sweat, eyes blazing with desires. He got ready again, moving slowly as exhaustion weighed heavily on him, but he forced himself out anyway.
Zhan, who had been wiping the water from his face, snapped his eyes open at the sound of the door. Their eyes met.... Zhan and King Yibo. With sudden panic, King Yibo shut his eyes tightly and turned away, wearing his usual mask of cold indifference and proud silence. Zhan also looked away as if he hadn't seen him at all.
King Yibo walked past Zhan, picked up a few documents from the study table, and turned as if to leave again. Zhan stood still, eyes closed, fighting to avoid eye contact. His heart hammered rapidly just feeling the king near. Then he felt a sudden warm close to him, he opened his eyes slightly just to confirm.
King Yibo was standing right in front of him, staring directly at him through dark tinted glasses. (Oh no…) Zhan whispered silently to himself, shutting his eyes again before saying softly, "Good afternoon."
The king's tense gaze seemed to force him to keep his glasses on. His deep voice, harsher than usual, low and pressed from his throat, said,
"Meet me after eight o'clock."
Zhan's eyes widened in shock, but King Yibo had already turned away.
Just as he was about to exit, Zhan felt tears burning behind his eyes, but he swallowed them back, trying to borrow courage from nowhere. Slowly, he said,
"I'm going to see Mother first… please."
King Yibo froze, though he didn't turn for several seconds.
"You do know you're under legal orders, don't you?" he said flatly.
Zhan nodded slightly, eyes lowered.
"Yes, I know. I'm only requesting permission. She's upset… and as our mother, I can't rest knowing she's angry with me. I want to see her and apologize."
All the tension in King Yibo's body loosened. A strange calm washed over him, starting from his toes to the center of his head. Slowly, he turned to look at Zhan. His gaze was deep...firm, unreadable....giving nothing away behind a cold expression.
"Wait for me."
He said it plainly before stepping out.
Zhan exhaled shakily and stepped back until he leaned against the wall, feeling lightheaded. Everything stunned him...his reaction, the king's words, the strange heaviness pressing deeper into his chest. And from another corner of his mind came the memory of his dream...how he had asked King Yibo for permission to visit the Dowager Taihou in the dream, and how the king's answer there matched exactly what he said now. What did that mean? How was he supposed to make sense of it? Suddenly the ache of missing his parents returned sharply, and tears pooled in his eyes.
He let out a shaky breath and forced a bitter smile... one that hurt more than anything. He recalled King Yibo's words.
"Meet me at eight o'clock."
Meet him how? What fate had pushed him into this marriage? The way the king acted now... as if he hadn't devoured Zhan completely before, as if he hadn't bruised him with his touches not long ago… Had he simply forgotten everything?
(Why don't you ask him?) his mind whispered.
He jerked upright angrily, temper flaring like a living flame....yet before he could act, someone knocked at the door…
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛