Chapter 151
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A cold wind blew, making Gu Yuanbai’s nose slightly red. Looking at Xue Yuan in this state, he couldn’t resist leaning forward to bite his lip.
Xue Yuan’s lips were a bit firm, with a burning warmth.
When he smiled, his lips curled slightly, full of roguish charm. When he didn’t smile, his gaze was sharp. From Gu Yuanbai’s critical perspective, the more he looked, the more he found him sexy.
Gu Yuanbai nibbled on Xue Yuan’s lip, but when he wanted to pull back, Xue Yuan finally came to his senses, grasped the back of Gu Yuanbai’s head, and kissed him back with such intensity that Gu Yuanbai’s vision darkened. He had to push Xue Yuan away forcefully twice before he let go.
Seeing Xue Yuan’s eyes turn red with desire, Gu Yuanbai sighed deeply, though his heart itched, and his toes curled secretly.
A holiday should be a time for joy.
The heavy snow fell like white flowers scattered by a deity, covering everything except for the occasional red plum blossoms.
In just a short moment, black hair and shoulders were already covered with a layer of snow. Xue Yuan lowered his head slightly, step by step pushing Gu Yuanbai backward until they bumped into a plum tree.
The snow on the tree suddenly fell, but Xue Yuan quickly pulled off his cloak and covered them both with it.
Thick snow landed on the cloak, and in the darkness beneath it, Gu Yuanbai lightly coughed and whispered, “I’ve neglected you lately.”
Xue Yuan’s previously bright eyes dimmed.
“The emperor also knows he has neglected me,” he sighed deeply, “but compared to the country, even the goddess Luo Shen is insignificant, let alone me.”
He carried a mixture of cold frost, hot and cold, making Gu Yuanbai feel slightly embarrassed. He leaned back, causing the slender plum tree to sway violently as if in a storm.
Xue Yuan growled, “You’re still avoiding me.”
Gu Yuanbai: “…”
Xue Yuan lowered his head, and Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but close his eyes in anticipation. Sure enough, hot kisses landed on his eyebrows and nose, but never quite reached their mark.
Gu Yuanbai urged, “Kiss me.”
His voice, once spoken, sounded unexpectedly weak.
Xue Yuan left a trail of marks, deliberately avoiding his mouth, “That’s how I felt watching the emperor these past days,” he muttered to himself, “never quite satisfying.”
His feelings were complex.
He was also uncomfortable, with every muscle in his body tense. His entire being screamed to kiss and embrace Gu Yuanbai, driven by instinct to mark him deeply, ensuring that the one who had been too busy to notice him would now remember him.
When Gu Yuanbai was busy, Xue Yuan didn’t want to disturb him, feeling sorry for him. Besides that, he was incredibly lonely, tormented by endless, maddening thoughts.
Xue Yuan worried that once Gu Yuanbai had had his fill of fun, he might order him away again.
Three months were short for Gu Yuanbai but felt very long for Xue Yuan.
Every day felt like a year.
Chang Yuyan spoke to the emperor more frequently than he did. Watching them, Xue Yuan had to admit that the top scholar Chang Yuyan was indeed useful.
His writings and his pen were another battlefield for the emperor.
On that battlefield, no swords or spears could be used, and Xue Yuan could only watch, standing stiff and unmoving.
Xue Yuan was a rough man, with books filling the room merely as decorations. Of the things a gentleman should learn, he only understood chess. Usually, he could fool Chang Yuyan, but wielding a pen was beyond him.
When Gu Yuanbai handled government affairs, Xue Yuan ultimately felt he wasn’t doing enough and doubted whether the emperor could tolerate him on the dragon bed indefinitely.
After all, the emperor had never spoken words of love to him.
It didn’t matter, words weren’t necessary.
Xue Yuan told himself.
Would he let Gu Yuanbai go if he said he was tired of him?
Impossible.
But Xue Yuan feared that Gu Yuanbai would lose interest when he was least prepared. Just like when he returned from Jinghunan, only to face the emperor’s orders again.
Hot-headed, only to be doused with a bucket of cold water.
Xue Yuan’s thoughts ran wild, his body hot but his heart cold. Unconsciously, he hesitated at the door, unable to enter.
He kissed intently but never fully committed, knowing the emperor’s ears were sensitive, he silently sucked on the earlobe, one hand on the tree above Gu Yuanbai’s head, suppressing himself, shaking the tree as if it might be uprooted.
Gu Yuanbai began to breathe heavily, and Xue Yuan buried his face in Gu Yuanbai’s neck, sniffing his scent, fingers kneading the back of the emperor’s neck, leaving red marks on the pale skin.
Contemplating what kind of mark he could leave.
Gu Yuanbai was practically melting, yet Xue Yuan still wouldn’t kiss him.
Feeling uncomfortable, Gu Yuanbai muttered, “Stop kissing.”
Xue Yuan stood up, the cloak fell, sunlight flashed, and Gu Yuanbai squinted against the brightness.
Thoughts swirling, Gu Yuanbai felt a chill rise from his heart.
Was Xue Yuan losing interest in him? Or had he lost interest after having him?
His thoughts ran deep, with terrifying ideas spinning around. Opening his eyes, he realized he was overthinking.
Xue Yuan wasn’t disinterested, his robes were nearly bursting.
Raising an eyebrow, Gu Yuanbai casually looked away, but a smile crept onto his lips.
Why wasn’t Xue Yuan kissing him then?
The two of them walked through the plum blossom forest, stepping on the snow. Two adults, in such a romantic setting with falling snow and blossoms, hadn’t even held hands. Gu Yuanbai walked on, his faint smile growing stiff.
But Xue Yuan thought he was freezing, so he draped his cloak over Gu Yuanbai’s shoulders, held his hands to warm them, and said with concern, “Let’s go back.”
Gu Yuanbai looked down at their hands, one pale and one dark, clasped together. Expressionless, he thought, “Well, at least we’re holding hands now.”
D*mn.
With Xue Yuan shielding him from the snowflakes, they made their way back to the palace. Inside, the warmth quickly melted the snow on them. The palace servants prepared a hot spring bath, and Xue Yuan was also taken to soak in hot water. When he came out, the emperor was already sleeping soundly by the warm bed.
Xue Yuan tucked the blankets around him and watched his sleeping face for a while. His heart swelled with a feeling even more satisfying than touching Gu Yuanbai. His fingers brushed across his face, and he suddenly sighed.
Xue Yuan’s desires were growing. He not only wanted the emperor to like him but also to rely on him in other matters.
He had to think of a way.
***
After the snow stopped, Gu Yuanbai found some time to leave the palace and check the scholars’ attitudes towards punctuation marks for the upcoming imperial examination.
He and Xue Yuan sat in a teahouse, surrounded by examinees on both floors. Gu Yuanbai sipped warm tea and listened to their conversations.
The scholars inevitably talked about punctuation marks. Rather than good or bad opinions, they were more worried about using them correctly. They wondered if forgetting or misusing them would cost them a place on the honor roll.
After listening for a while, Gu Yuanbai had a clear idea. Just as he was about to speak with Xue Yuan, he met Xue Yuan’s intense gaze.
It was fiery, youthful, and vibrant.
Gu Yuanbai inexplicably felt thirsty. He took a sip of water, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Xue Yuan, still staring at him, said, “You look good.”
“…” Gu Yuanbai lowered his head.
He hadn’t noticed it when he was busy, but now that he had free time, he kept thinking about being held and kissed by Xue Yuan. He wanted it to be loud and fervent, enough to make his fingers tingle.
Gu Yuanbai really enjoyed the feeling of kissing Xue Yuan.
He was like a wolf cub, eager to devour Gu Yuanbai. That kind of wild passion excited Gu Yuanbai.
“I originally thought they would resist adding punctuation marks to this year’s imperial exams, even abandoning the exams altogether. But it seems they are more concerned about remembering and using them correctly. The literary examination is still three months away, so anyone who puts in a bit of effort should be able to remember the punctuation marks…” Gu Yuanbai looked up again, meeting Xue Yuan’s gaze and smiled, “Am I really that good-looking?”
Xue Yuan nodded and pointed to his own eyes, “I can’t move when I see you.”
Gu Yuanbai chuckled, lightly kicking his leg under the table, “Your mouth is coated with honey.”
Xue Yuan couldn’t hold back a muffled laugh, “Try it, it might sweeten you.”
Gu Yuanbai stayed silent for a while, then suddenly asked, “Have I sweetened you?”
Xue Yuan’s breath hitched, and he replied, “Sweetened to death.”
Gu Yuanbai looked at him for a while, then turned his head, resting his chin on his hand.
His beautiful, porcelain-like profile was exposed to Xue Yuan.
A faint smile appeared.
Amidst the fragmented conversations of the scholars, Xue Yuan looked at him and suddenly wanted to laugh.
In his heart, he thought, “It’s enough that you love him. Why think about so much?”
Busy is busy.
After the work, there’s still time for kisses and hugs, isn’t there?
“Master Bai,” Xue Yuan lowered his voice to a whisper, “Want to play something?”
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I’m melting ???? ????