Yan Xiaohan looked at him and laughed: “My lord, I’m not such an upright gentleman. After struggling to become Chief Inspector, even if the Emperor didn’t permit, I’d have stolen you back. How could a court dog harm the loyal?”
Fu Shen knew he was talking nonsense but was still touched, reaching out to tap his back: “What a waste of a good face, how stubborn you are.”
Yan Xiaohan leisurely said: “One glance at Lord Fu doomed me for life. What can I do?”
The words he didn’t say were hidden in the gentle gaze of his smile.”
If Emperor Yuan Tai hadn’t arranged the marriage, Yan Xiaohan probably couldn’t have forcibly taken the Jing’ning Lord, and might have pretended to be enemies for life.
One glance at Lord Fu doomed his life. Fu Shen could ruin his life, but he couldn’t ruin Fu Shen’s.
“Okay,” Yan Xiaohan released him, about to step back, when his body suddenly stiffened, grabbed by the collar out of nowhere.
“Sorry for ruining your life,” Fu Shen relaxed and leaned back, corner of his mouth lifting: “Come on, now you can ruin me back.”
——End of Volume 1——–
[Volume 2] Chapter 44 New Life | (Complete) Calling him a dog would be flattering him
March 30, dawn.
Servants hurriedly came to knock on the main house door. In the room, Yan Xiaohan was awakened, and Fu Shen, sleeping beside him, also stirred, being gently embraced and mumbled: “It’s okay, go back to sleep.”
He got up, wearing a robe, with a face showing annoyance at being disturbed, and opened the door: “What’s wrong?”
The servant was full of smiles: “Good news! The Qi Wang Mansion just sent a messenger. The Qi Wang’s wife gave birth to a little princess at the hour of Chen, mother and daughter are safe.”
It was indeed a great joy for the Fu family. The Qi Wang’s wife had given birth to the first legitimate daughter before other concubines.
Yan Xiaohan told the servant to inform the accounting office to give everyone half a month’s extra pay. He then closed the door and turned around, seeing Fu Shen had already fully awakened and trying to sit up.
Fu Shen got up but couldn’t sit steadily. He frowned and reached to support his lower back, but when the movement was slightly large, Yan Xiaohan immediately pounced over, pulling up the blanket to wrap him tightly: “Don’t get up, just lie down.”
Fortunately, Fu Shen had just woken up and hadn’t yet recalled what happened last night. He only vaguely heard something about the “Queen of Qi” and struggled to keep his eyes open, asking, “What about the Queen of Qi?”
“Congratulations, you’re an uncle now,” Yan Xiaohan’s hand pressed against his forehead. “The Queen of Qi has given birth to a daughter. Someone just came to announce the good news.”
Fu Shen suddenly became alert: “How is my sister?”
“Don’t worry, mother and daughter are both fine.”
Yan Xiaohan hung up his outer garment and lay back on the bed, taking half the blanket from him. The two squeezed into the same blanket, and the warmth and tenderness made one feel as if they could fall back into a dream just by closing their eyes.
“It’s still early, let’s sleep a bit more. We’ll go to the Qi Wang Mansion to offer congratulations when we wake up.”
The low whispers were only audible to each other, creating an intimate atmosphere within the bed curtains. Something was indeed different now.
Fu Shen was pulled into an embrace, and the absurd events from last night also surfaced. Borrowing the faint light from the window, he lowered his head to look at his chest: “Yan Menggui, are you a dog or something?”
A low laugh flowed past his ear, bringing a tingling sensation, with a satisfied sigh containing even more insatiability: “Jing Yuan.”
“Hm?”
“Jing Yuan.”
Fu Shen’s face darkened: “Go play elsewhere.”
“I won’t,” Yan Xiaohan leaned close to his ear: “I’ll only play with you.”
Fu Shen expressionlessly slapped him. The sound of skin meeting skin was crisp but with only a minimal pain sensation. Yan Xiaohan knew this was Fu Shen’s rare indulgence, a light punishment that would still be restrained, just as he had been last night, frowning and gasping but never stopping.
He couldn’t help but hold him tightly, with a force that seemed to want to merge their very bones: “Jing Yuan, you’ve worked hard.”
“Don’t act all sweet now,” Fu Shen said coolly, “Where was this care when you were tormenting me yesterday? Next time before you come here acting shy, remember to hide that fox tail of yours that’s wagging left and right.”
Yan Xiaohan: “There’ll be a next time?”
“…” Fu Shen, “No, get lost.”
When he woke up again, the other side of the bed was already empty. The sky was bright outside, with birds chirping. Fu Shen didn’t know how long Yan Xiaohan had been massaging his back, but he could finally sit up stiffly. He carefully examined himself and was almost scared by the hickeys and bruises. Calling Yan Xiaohan a dog would be an understatement – truly befitting of his Flying Dragon Guard background.
“What misunderstanding?” Fu Shen was stunned for a moment, then quickly understood, playfully pinching his cheek with a suppressed laugh, “Our family’s master is beautiful and virtuous, gentle and charming, naturally suitable for high society and presentable.”
“I cannot…” Yan Xiaohan realized he had misspoken and abruptly stopped.
Fu Shen’s expression gradually darkened: “What were you going to say? Finish it.”
As his momentum rose, Yan Xiaohan immediately shrank back.
Fu Shen, seeing his reaction, understood everything, feeling a mix of pain, anger, and disappointment, and coldly sneered: “Impressive. I didn’t know that the mighty Imperial Censor and General would have such an inferiority complex.”
He had hit the nail on the head, leaving Yan Xiaohan speechless for a moment before finally saying in a hoarse voice: “Jing Yuan, I’m covered in filth, I cannot…”
Fu Shen slammed the table and shouted: “Yan Xiaohan! Try saying that again!”
Yan Xiaohan knew he had already understood his meaning.
He could not selfishly taint Fu Shen; the half-lifetime reputation of the Jing Ning Marquis must not be sullied by such a treacherous person.
It might sound absurd, but this was exactly what he was thinking.
Fu Shen was not wrong about his inferiority complex. With such a dishonorable background, being pointed at since childhood, one would either become ruthless or self-degrading. Yan Xiaohan’s current state was already the result of his utmost restraint.
Fu Shen actually understood clearly that Yan Xiaohan’s core issue was “taking things too seriously,” and Fu Shen had not provided enough sense of security.
In life, if one cannot live freely, at least don’t exhaust oneself internally. Born with a traitor’s fate, but not suffering a traitor’s illness. Thinking this way, it was somewhat pitiful.
Fu Shen said: “The Emperor betrothed us to essentially force you to become half a Fu family member and smoothly take over North Yan’s military power. Shouldn’t you be responsible and solidify this reputation? Why are you hiding and avoiding people?”
Yan Xiaohan said in a low voice: “You know I’m not doing this for military power.”
“Oh, you’re doing this for me,” Fu Shen said, “but when I want to be with you openly, you’re unwilling.”
Yan Xiaohan’s temper rose: “Do you think I want to sneak around? A pure national hero like you, entangling with a court dog – how would that sound?”
“Enough, I understand,” Fu Shen laughed coldly in anger, “In your heart, my reputation is less important than a mere name.”
Yan Xiaohan sighed, his anger quickly dissipating. He didn’t want to argue with Fu Shen today and tried to calm things: “Jing Yuan.”
“Now you think being with me taints your reputation,” Fu Shen suddenly raised his voice, “You’ve already defiled me, so why didn’t you think about today back then!”
Yan Xiaohan: “…”
Ancestors, please stop shouting.
