I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character Chapter 41

The sound of the door locking was unmistakable. The rooms at the inn couldn’t compare to the palace—small, with a folding screen serving as a partition near the entrance. After locking the door, Xueya squinted, trying to see in the darkness as he cautiously made his way forward, but he still ended up bumping into the screen, specifically stubbing the two toes at the back of his foot.

Xueya hissed in pain and quickly covered his mouth, feeling it was unseemly to make such a sound. The pain, however, was so sharp that tears welled up in his eyes. He stood still for a moment before feeling his way forward again.

Finally reaching the bed, Xueya sat down at the edge and, feeling wronged, complained, “Empress Dowager, I stubbed my toes. Why isn’t there any light in the room?”

He Xulan didn’t answer the question but instead sat up and lifted the bed curtains. Unlike Xueya, he could see quite well in the dark. “Take off your shoes and let me see.”

Upon hearing this, Xueya tucked his foot under his robe. “No need, it won’t hurt in a little while.” He couldn’t see He Xulan clearly, but he knew roughly where his face was and whispered in that direction, “Can I warm the Empress Dowager’s bed tonight?”

Though he called it “warming the bed,” Xueya was actually just looking for a place to sleep. Downstairs, he would’ve had to sleep on the floor, and he had already heard multiple people snoring loudly, creating an unpleasant symphony. If he stayed there, he knew he wouldn’t get any rest at all.

After asking, Xueya realized He Xulan hadn’t answered right away, so he moved a little closer and said, “Can I warm the bed for my older brother? There aren’t many people in this area, and it gets really cold at night.”

Finally, He Xulan spoke. “You can sleep inside.”

Xueya held back a cheer and quickly stood up, taking off his outer robe and skirt, then placed them on the nearby chair. He removed his shoes and socks before climbing into the bed swiftly. Though he hadn’t bathed, Xueya had wiped his body down multiple times with a damp cloth earlier.

He was vain and didn’t want anyone to smell anything unpleasant on him.

Just as Xueya was halfway onto the bed, he was suddenly grabbed, flipped over, and pulled into someone’s arms.

Then his foot was held.

“Is it this one?” He Xulan asked in a low voice.

Xueya had never had anyone hold his foot before; it felt different from shaking hands. There was an odd sense of vulnerability, as if he was being violated.

While it wasn’t as taboo for men as it was for women to expose their feet, a man’s foot was usually kept hidden in shoes, and no one touched it unless they were a servant tending to a master. For an ordinary man, having someone hold his foot was rare.

Xueya had heard of people with a foot fetish, but he had never experienced it himself. Now, as his foot was held in He Xulan’s palm, it felt strangely uncomfortable.

“N-No, not that one,” he stammered.

He Xulan then grabbed the other foot and began gently massaging Xueya’s toes. The discomfort in Xueya’s mind gradually turned into pleasure, and before he realized it, he had relaxed into He Xulan’s embrace, wishing the massage would continue.

But He Xulan only rubbed for a short while before letting go. “Go to sleep,” he said.

Those words were a disappointment to Xueya, who hadn’t had enough. The thought of Cui Lingjing, who had been occupying his mind earlier, was quickly pushed aside. Xueya snuggled closer to He Xulan. “Older Brother, can you rub them a little more?”

He Xulan’s gaze shifted slightly as he looked down at Xueya. Thanks to his sharp vision, he could see the boy biting his lip, his sly, fox-like eyes fixed intently on him.

Provocative.

Anyone who saw Xueya at that moment would have thought of that word.

He Xulan grasped Xueya’s foot again, and the moment he did, Xueya softened further in his arms, as if he’d turned into a boneless spirit. The boy’s scent was clean, with a faint trace of peaches.

After a while, Xueya spoke again. “Brother, you have to rub the other one too.”

He Xulan switched to the other foot, and this time Xueya was completely comfortable, snug in his embrace. Xueya thought to himself that not only were there people who enjoyed playing with feet, but there were also people who enjoyed having their feet played with. He wondered if Cui Lingjing would help him with this one day.

Eventually, Xueya, feeling merciful, figured He Xulan must be tired and pulled his foot away slightly. “Brother, it’s late. We should go to sleep.”

“There’s still one thing left to do,” He Xulan replied, his other hand grabbing Xueya’s and guiding it to a certain part of his body.

As a courtesan, Xueya instantly understood what it was. He was startled and tried to pull his hand away, but He Xulan held it in place, not letting him escape.

“Xueya, I’ve taken care of you. Shouldn’t you take care of me?” He Xulan’s voice was calm, though what his body was asking for was the opposite.

“I… I…” Xueya stammered.

He had never intended to offer himself to He Xulan. His real target was Cui Lingjing, and the madam had always told him that a courtesan’s first time should be used wisely.

He Xulan stared at Xueya for a long moment. When he spoke again, his tone was a bit cooler. “Just with your hand.”

Xueya blinked, hesitating and remaining silent. He knew that refusing might have serious consequences. Now he truly understood He Xulan’s real nature. He wasn’t a gentle immortal figure; he was more like a monster who devoured people whole.

Ah, this was all his own fault for getting carried away with comfort.

After much inner conflict, Xueya finally whispered, “Alright. But you promised—just with my hand. You can’t trick me.”

“Mm.”

Though Xueya had been trained in these things, that was with objects. This would be his first time with a real person, and naturally, he was nervous. Despite agreeing to help, he just sat there, frozen. After waiting for a while, He Xulan pressed down on his hand, guiding him forward.

He couldn’t help but take a sharp breath, but then quickly realized how embarrassing that was. After all, he was a courtesan, so how could he be so easily scared? It was just using his hand—what was there to be afraid of?

Even though he thought that, he still squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

***

At first, there was fabric between them, but Xueya couldn’t quite remember when the fabric disappeared. He had kept his eyes shut the whole time, telling himself this was just part of his usual training at the brothel. But eventually, even he couldn’t keep lying to himself.

Training never lasted this long. Xueya had been riding in a carriage all day and was already exhausted. Now, his hand was sore and aching. He couldn’t pretend anymore, nor could he endure it any longer. He stopped his movements and accused He Xulan, “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

He Xulan’s voice seemed lazy. “Hm?”

“You’re doing it on purpose… dragging it out so long. I only let you rub my feet for a little while, but you’ve made me… do this for so long,” Xueya glared at him.

“How could I be doing it on purpose?” He Xulan chuckled lightly. He straightened up slightly and leaned closer to Xueya. “You’re a man yourself, shouldn’t you understand?”

Warm breath brushed against Xueya’s earlobe, and his face instantly turned beet red. He froze in place, unable to speak or remain silent.

Xueya didn’t move, but He Xulan did.

He Xulan took hold of Xueya’s hand and guided it again.

When it was finally over, Xueya clenched his eyes shut. He felt He Xulan get out of bed, and after a while, someone wiped his hand. Xueya kept his eyes closed, and only when he was pressed into the blankets did he start to react.

He buried his face in the covers, his long lashes fluttering like the wings of a butterfly learning to fly. He felt He Xulan lie down beside him, but he didn’t look in his direction. After a while, feeling uncomfortable from the stuffy air under the blanket, Xueya finally poked his head out.

He Xulan seemed to have fallen asleep, lying still beside him without making a sound. Xueya sneaked a glance in his direction. He couldn’t tell if He Xulan’s eyes were open or not, but since there was no movement, he assumed he must be asleep.

Xueya stretched out his overworked hand and gently wiped it on He Xulan, once, and then again, thinking it wasn’t enough. Halfway through, he was suddenly pulled into He Xulan’s arms, and the scare nearly made Xueya scream.

He didn’t, though, because He Xulan was quick to cover his mouth.

“Disgusted by me?” He Xulan whispered close to Xueya’s ear, his voice low.

How could Xueya dare to admit it? He quickly shook his head, but it was already too late.

***

The poor sleep Xueya got last night caused him to doze off even while sitting the next day. He leaned against the carriage wall, his head swaying with the movement of the ride. Fortunately, they were traveling on a paved road, and the driver was careful not to jolt the carriage too much, as he didn’t want to disturb the noble guests. Xueya managed to catch a few fitful naps, but sleeping while seated left him tired and groggy. Even while eating, he nearly fell asleep.

He was holding a jade chopstick, and his face almost fell into his bowl when He Xulan reached out to support his drooping head, frowning slightly.

Still too young, he thought, sleeping so much.

Even though both were seventeen, Xueya’s seventeen years couldn’t compare to Cui Lingjing’s. 

Cui Lingjing, even while traveling, continued to read and review memorials. Soldiers on fast horses brought official documents along the way.

In the other carriage, Empress Lei was eating a peach. She used a small skewer to pick up the peach flesh and slowly put it into her mouth. Growing bored, she opened the window to look ahead.

In front of her was He Xulan’s carriage. She looked on either side but didn’t see the person she had noticed the day before. Just as she was about to look behind her, a large horse passed by her carriage.

Riding the horse was Yi Yefeng, his face expressionless. “Your Majesty, please sit properly.”

Empress Lei glanced at Yi Yefeng with disdain in her eyes. “Why?”

“Because it’s dangerous. If bandits were to ambush us and fire an arrow, it could blow your head off in a single shot,” Yi Yefeng said with cold precision. The moment he finished speaking, Empress Lei quickly pulled her head back inside and slammed the window shut.

“Get lost,” she muttered.

Yi Yefeng, obliging, urged his horse forward until he was riding beside He Xulan’s carriage. He didn’t linger long there either and continued moving ahead.

By the time evening arrived, the group finally reached the Sui Bai Race Track. The local officials had already made proper arrangements, and although there was no palace for them to stay in, they were provided with tents, which offered a unique charm. Xueya, who had been groggy all day, felt much more alert after stepping out of the carriage.

He was instructed to bathe and then dine.

Since this was a hunting trip, Xueya was given hunting attire that had been specially prepared by Huang Gonggong. It had been a long time since Xueya had worn men’s clothing, and he was so excited that he admired himself in the mirror for a long while before finally lifting the tent flap and running outside.

He wanted He Xulan to see how good he looked, but as soon as he rushed out, he bumped into someone.

That someone just so happened to be Yi Yefeng.

Even though Xueya had collided with Yi Yefeng, it was Xueya who ended up bouncing back.

He landed hard on his rear, stunned at first, and then burst into tears from the pain.