Xiaobao, completely worn out, was hazily hoisted onto a horse by Huai En.
"We're two days away from Feng Chuan. Once there, we'll stock up on provisions. The next road of our journey is mostly deserted, not much people, but if we make good time, we should reach Yu Xia in three days...
Xiaobao?" Huai En prodded him with a riding crop, and Xiaobao, who had been nodding off with his head almost touching his chest, suddenly straightened up, nearly tumbling off the horse.
"Ah! Right, right, we'll be there shortly."
With a touch of exasperation, Huai En announced, "We'll reach Da Ma Town in half an hour. We'll stop there for a meal and give the horses a break as well."
At the mention of food, Xiaobao's eyes sparkled, "Excellent! The horses must be completely worn out."
"Then wake up and get moving, then!" Huai En unexpectedly lashed Xiaobao's horse on the behind, causing it to bolt. Xiaobao, terrified, leaned back, gripping the reins tightly, screaming as the horse dashed ahead, pleading for it to slow down.
Huai En couldn't help but laugh and kicked his horse into a gallop to follow.
Da Ma Town was a small place that could be easily circled in half an hour on horseback. However, as a vital waypoint to Shu, it thrived with bustling crowds and goods, alive with activity daily.
The town, frequented by travelers from the martial arts world, had a small number of permanent residents and a notably bold local culture.
As soon as Xiaobao and Huai En entered the town, they were immediately met with overtly curious glances.
Primarily, it was Huai En who drew the eyes.
His stunning beauty, delicate figure, and youthful ambiguity, even in men's attire, made him resemble a woman masquerading as a man. After all, the notion that a man could possess such exquisite features was nearly unthinkable.
Yet, Huai En appeared to be well-adjusted to either the admiring or the crude stares, paying them no mind and not even bothering to look their way.
Xiaobao was nearly driven to frustration, his patience teetering on the edge.
"Take a good look! I'll make sure you look until your eyes fall out! My esteemed wife is not someone for your unworthy eyes! Disgraceful!"
Xiaobao, filled with anger, faced off against several large men whose imposing stature and robustness made them look nearly as intimidating as wild boars, appearing almost like brothers without Zhao Cai and Jin Bao present. In this situation, Xiaobao restrained himself from showing off.
He maneuvered to walk between two horses, aligning himself next to Huai En. Unnoticed, he casually placed an arm over Huai En's shoulder, disguising his action with a cough.
Huai En glanced at Xiaobao's soft, plump hand on his shoulder with a furrowed brow, not moving away but instead asking with a hint of confusion, "What are you doing?"
"Those people are clearly up to no good, staring intensely as if they can't get enough. I need to make it clear we're a pair, to prevent any trouble from them," Xiaobao declared, feeling entirely justified. Despite his annoyance, walking beside such an unparalleled beauty brought him immense pride.
From another perspective, he knew this display would evoke jealousy in others. By marking his territory, Xiaobao fed his male ego like never before, feeling overjoyed by this demonstration of possession.
Huai En, half-smiling, half-scoffing, observed Xiaobao. In his eyes, Xiaobao was nothing but superficial and common. Yet, there was no feeling of disgust. Watching Xiaobao's face beam with pride, his eyes curling into smiles, Huai En fantasized about overpowering him, undressing him, and leaving red marks all over his tender skin. He imagined taking him forcefully, causing him to cry and plead for mercy, silencing his whimpers with his actions.
Feeling a burgeoning heat and constriction in his lower body, Huai En realized the peril of making a scene in public. Were it not for his garment's loose front, his discomfort would be unmistakably visible. The idea of exhibiting such a loss of control publicly cast a shadow over his expression.
Xiaobao, noticing the sudden gloom on his face, mistakenly thought his clumsiness had sparked anger, causing him to hurriedly retract his hand. In
an attempt to smooth over the awkward moment, he guided Huai En into the closest diner.
To Xiaobao, such humble local eateries seemed beneath notice. He cautiously inquired of Huai En, "Do you have any preferences or dietary restrictions? The menu here is limited, but it should suffice to fill the stomach."
Upon receiving a brief glance from Huai En, who then averted his gaze, stating, "I'm easy with food," Xiaobao was met with a demeanor of detachment. That look, adorned with a winsome smile and gleaming teeth, and eyes sparkling with unabashed adoration beneath fluttering lashes, was too much for Huai En to bear—he longed to... right then and there.
Perceiving Huai En's aloofness, Xiaobao suspected he had indeed annoyed him. Could it be considered an improvement that he wasn't thrown out in front of everyone?
Feeling a touch melancholic, Xiaobao lamented the drastic difference in their behavior when alone versus in public. A mere touch seemed to repulse Huai En... This led Xiaobao to doubt himself, pondering if his presence embarrassed Huai En.
He was acutely aware of his lack of physical appeal, especially in stark contrast to Huai En's striking appearance. His family's wealth was his only pride, yet flaunting wealth ostentatiously was not an option.
Despite their intimate moments, Huai En's demeanor remained cool, as if Xiaobao held no value outside of those private encounters.
Such a predicament was deeply humiliating for any man.
Nevertheless, Xiaobao berated himself while considering that perhaps this was a step forward, possibly the closest he had ever been to Huai En.
Gradually, Huai En's resistance seemed to diminish, hinting at a slow acceptance. Huai En was slowly becoming less resistant, starting to accept him. This was the process of pursuing Huai En, a significant progress. He should be proactive, not wallowing in self-pity over what he gained or lost.
He was always at a disadvantage in this emotion, as Huai En, in every aspect, seemed so perfect. He truly felt unworthy of him. However, he thought if he continued to strive and give his all, even if he couldn't hope for Huai En to like him back in the same way, perhaps achieving even a mere ten to twenty percent of that affection would suffice. To have a treasure beyond compare in his life was more than enough; one shouldn't crave for more, even if it was only for a fleeting moment.
Huai En was the most precious treasure he could ever possess in his lifetime. He revered him with utmost care, deeming it all worthwhile.
Xiao Bao smiled at him, a smile tinged with a slight bitterness, "Then I'll order some homely dishes, which I believe won't be too badly made."
Xiao Bao made a special request to the server, instructing him to use less oil and salt, especially avoiding soy sauce and vinegar, explaining to Huai En, "Eating less of these heavily colored seasonings will help your wounds heal without leaving scars."
When the dishes arrived, Xiao Bao attentively picked out fish bones for Huai En, an act he had never done before but found not too difficult. He had never cared for anyone to this extent, but he wanted to take care of Huai En, not just to please him but because he genuinely wished to do so.
Regrettably, no matter how much he tried to please, Huai En didn't pay him any more attention, making the meal exceedingly stifling. Xiao Bao felt increasingly uneasy, wanting to apologize to Huai En, yet feeling pitifully sad at the thought of apologizing just for accidentally touching him.
Xiao Bao, with his head down, slowly stuffed food into his mouth until he heard a loud snap of chopsticks being slammed onto the table.
He abruptly looked up, only to see Huai En turning his head to call the server.
"You two guests, would you like anything else?"
"Get me a good room."
What? Wasn't it said that they'd be sleeping under the stars these days?
Xiao Bao was startled when Huai En turned to him and asked, "Have you eaten enough?" The depth in his gaze, shimmering with a dark brilliance, made Xiao Bao shiver.
"I have... eaten enough..."
"Then let's go." Huai En tossed some silver on the table and pulled Xiao Bao upstairs.
Following behind, Xiao Bao asked, "Didn't you say we wouldn't stay at an inn?"
Huai En, almost desperately, pushed him into the upper room on the second floor and, before Xiao Bao could regain his senses, pinned him against the door and fiercely sealed his lips with his own.
Xiao Bao was startled by his urgent licking and biting, allowing him to sweep back and forth inside his mouth, leaving his mind blank.
He couldn't adapt, truly unable to keep up with Huai En's pace, unable to understand how someone could be as cold as ice one second and passionately fiery the next.
As Xiao Bao was almost out of breath, Huai En finally let go of him.
Xiao Bao heard heavy breathing by his ear, felt the warmth spray on his neck, and heard Huai En's eager voice, "I want to do it, let me do it."