Fu Shen’s hands were held, soft and limp. He didn’t avoid the topic, just looked a bit dejected, reluctantly bringing up past events: “When I was young, I was sickly and often had to take medicine. My mother passed early, and my wet nurse didn’t care much about me. When I refused to drink medicine, she would pinch my nose and force it down. Over time, it became a habit – I’d vomit whatever I ate.”
Yan Xiaohan’s gaze gradually turned cold, softly asking: “Didn’t anyone in your family notice?”
Fu Shen twisted his mouth: “My father was at the border, away from home for years.”
Later, my second uncle noticed something was wrong, secretly watched that wet nurse, and finally rescued me. After that, I switched to taking pills.”
The warm sensation on his wrist came from Yan Xiaohan, a martial artist whose fingers weren’t soft but who massaged with just the right pressure, providing an inexplicable comfort. Supported by this warmth, Fu Shen prepared himself, thinking avoidance wasn’t an option, and reached out to take the medicine bowl.
Unexpectedly, Yan Xiaohan did something completely out of character and pushed him back.
Fu Shen looked up suspiciously at him. Yan Xiaohan, who was originally sitting on a round stool across from the bed, had now placed the medicine by the bedside and sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning against the bed rail, saying: “This is the last bowl today. Tomorrow, Shen Yice will change it to pills for you.”
Fu Shen thought to himself, pills are pills, so why are you sitting so close?
Yan Xiaohan laughed softly, his tone slightly unnatural: “You probably don’t remember… Actually, during the past two days when you were in a coma, you were able to drink the herbal soup.”
Fu Shen: “Hm?”
Yan Xiaohan: “I fed you personally.”
Fu Shen: “!!!”
“What are you trying to do?” Fu Shen asked warily. “Are you going to force yourself on me?”
Yan Xiaohan could barely hold back his laughter. “Come here.”
Fu Shen moved closer to him, half-believing and half-doubting. Yan Xiaohan said: “Turn around and face away from me.”
Fu Shen turned. He was sitting upright on the bed when Yan Xiaohan reached out, gripping his shoulder and pressing him back. Fu Shen fell into his embrace.
He had been preparing to rest, wearing only a thin white silk inner garment. Through the layer of fabric, Fu Shen could immediately feel the warm, solid body pressed against his back.
Fu Shen struggled, shouting fiercely: “Yan Xiaohan! Have you lost your mind?!”
“Stay still, don’t move,” Yan Xiaohan said, supporting Fu Shen’s half-reclined position. Lowering his head, his chin touched Fu Shen’s temple: “Now do you understand? This is how I fed you back then. It’s not about taking advantage of you – who’s taking advantage of whom is yet to be determined.”
Fu Shen remembered everything.
During those feverish, hazy days, someone had indeed held him repeatedly, carefully cooling the soup and feeding it to him spoonful by spoonful. He had struggled, but the person was surprisingly gentle and patient, nothing like the rough nursemaid in his memories. Someone would softly coax him, even the spoon touching his lips was gentle, and after feeding him medicine, they would give him a spoonful of light honey water.
Yan Xiaohan adjusted to a comfortable position: “Let’s try again and see if it works. Just this once, never again. Open your mouth.”
Fu Shen wanted to find somewhere to hide for the first time in his life, yet was trapped in this small space within the other’s arms. A spoonful of medicine was immediately brought to his lips, the movement gentle yet leaving no room for refusal. As the first spoonful of soup flowed down his throat, he heard Yan Xiaohan laugh softly overhead, seeming both helpless and indulgent: “No matter how you put it, you still need someone to take care of you… young master.”
Fu Shen saw him, his heart already softening, though his expression remained stern.
Because they were surrounded by ears, even in the carriage, they couldn’t be too intimate. He said coolly: “I’ve traveled between the Northern Frontier and the capital at least eighty times, if not a hundred. What could you possibly be worried about? Go back, you have an official position, don’t delay too long.”
Yan Xiaohan said: “After parting today, we won’t meet again until next year. I hope the Lord will keep the marriage promise and not fail the previous commitment.”
Outside the carriage, Xiao Qun, who was eavesdropping, felt a chill down his spine, thinking that Master Yan must be a fool. He clearly knew the Lord was unhappy about the arranged marriage, yet he insisted on bringing up the most sensitive topic.
Inside the carriage, Yan Xiaohan suddenly pulled Fu Shen into his embrace, hugging him tightly, and whispered: “Be careful when you’re out. The North is cold, take good care of yourself and don’t worry me.”
Fu Shen unusually softened and responded: “My heart is with you.”
The warm embrace, cheeks pressed together, their heartbeats gradually synchronizing. Fu Shen gently touched his cheek to Yan Xiaohan’s, extremely tender.
After holding each other for a long time, he finally pushed Yan Xiaohan away, casually straightening his wrinkled collar, signaling him to get off, and said with an extremely arrogant tone: “Master Yan, rest assured. Next year during the Flower Festival, this Lord will personally come to marry you, with a ten-mile red dowry, I will not fail you!”
Yan Xiaohan: “…” Everyone: “…”
Two days later, the horse carriage entered Yan Province.
The surrounding scenery grew increasingly familiar, except for the withered trees, everything was the same as when they left in autumn. Although Fu Shen was born in the capital, he grew up in the Northern Border. Yan Province was like his second hometown, making him unconsciously relax, even interested in occasionally peeking out the small window to see the landscape.
They traveled the merchant road, passing through large and small towns and villages. By evening, they stopped in Lian Qi Town. When Fu Shen passed through a small alley, he smelled a crisp wine fragrance that stirred his desire, so he asked Xiao Qun to turn back and investigate.
Fu Shen was unconcerned: “Don’t worry, it’ll be metabolized overnight, he won’t notice.”
Xiao Qun: “Master Yan won’t let you drink either!”
Fu Shen’s eager smile froze.
Secluded Orchid Villa is a famous scenic spot on Baoyan Mountain in Huan’ren County. The original owner was a refined scholar from a previous era who had risen to the position of prime minister. After retiring, he purchased this mountain villa in the outskirts of the capital to spend his later years. He loved orchids and planted various rare and exotic ones throughout the garden, thus naming the estate “Secluded Orchid Villa”.
After the villa’s owner passed away, his descendants were convicted of corruption, and their property was confiscated, including the Secluded Orchid Villa, seized by the government. Later, the previous emperor granted this property to Fu Jian, the former Duke of Ying. From then on, it was passed down through generations as a private property of the Fu family.
Huan’ren County is a few dozen li from the capital, and Baoyan Mountain is rich with dense forests and valleys, making it an excellent hunting ground. With summer just passing, a group of young dandies, bored, agreed to go hunting in the mountains. Fu Shen was forced to be the host and had to send servants to clean and prepare for the guests. Consequently, his wife Qin shi was extremely unhappy, constantly criticizing him at home for being a wasteful spendthrift.
Fu Shen, tired of socializing and annoyed by her nagging, was about to find an excuse to lash out when his second uncle suddenly returned from the northern frontier.
