Chapter 64
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Xue Fangli lifted his eyelids, and just as he was about to brush away Jiang Juan’s hand, he paused.
Because the term was too embarrassing to say out loud, Jiang Juan spoke softly, his words mumbled and unclear, like a cat’s meow. It sounded like he was calling out to his husband, but it was hard to discern.
Xue Fangli’s voice was calm, “I can’t understand your meowing.”
Jiang Juan: “?”
He looked confused and said, “What meowing? I wasn’t meowing, I was just talking to you.”
Xue Fangli asked him, “What did you call me?”
This was practically a public punishment. Jiang Juan looked down at his hand and slowly repeated, “…Husband.”
Xue Fangli seemed not to have heard clearly again and asked Jiang Juan, “What are you meowing about again?”
Jiang Juan: “???”
He suspected His Highness was doing it on purpose. This time, instead of repeating obediently, he said quietly, “Bastard, I called you a bastard.”
Xue Fangli finally turned around and looked down at Jiang Juan. Even though he was cursed, his expression didn’t show any displeasure. Even the previous gloom and hostility had faded significantly.
Despite this, Xue Fangli still asked Jiang Juan with a faint smile, “Do you think that making a mistake and calling me ‘husband’ a few times, acting cute, will let you get away with it?”
“Can’t I?” Jiang Juan blinked. “Then I’ll call you a few more times?”
“Husband, husband, husband.”
After the first call, it became much easier to say, but Jiang Juan still felt a bit embarrassed. He tried hard to control it, but his eyes still wandered around.
The young man’s tone was light and soft, really like a cat meowing incessantly by his ear, coquettish yet innocent. Jiang Juan himself was oblivious to it, his eyes pure and innocent.
It seemed that no matter how others’ hearts softened or how moved they were by his calls, it had nothing to do with him.
After all, from his perspective, he was just calling out ‘husband,’ nothing more. He didn’t even think he was acting spoiled.
Innocent to the point of being infuriating.
Xue Fangli stared at him for a long time. The anger and restlessness dissolved in Jiang Juan’s repeated calls of ‘husband,’ and his heart unknowingly softened.
Even if he didn’t want to admit it, the young man making a mistake, calling him ‘husband’ a few times, acting spoiled, really could let him get away with it.
It really could make him compromise.
Xue Fangli thought, what’s the point?
He had long known that the young man had a delicate heart, a kind soul.
He had long known that the young man liked to meddle in everything. He wanted to save the wolf, he wanted to save the peacock, he wanted to save everything. Wasn’t he himself also pulled back to the human world by him?
He kept the young man by his side, wanting him to save only him, to be his little savior. But even a little savior is still a savior.
The young man couldn’t bear to see suffering and wanted to save all suffering.
He had thought about imprisoning him in a cage, making him a beautiful little golden canary, so he wouldn’t see the common people, wouldn’t see the suffering, and only have eyes for him.
But Xue Fangli couldn’t bear it.
He couldn’t bear to make the young man cry or to make him sad.
The young man came to this world, meant to be loved by thousands. He should be proud and free, without worries or fears.
Why get angry with the young man?
In the end, wouldn’t he be the one to coax him?
What’s the point?
Xue Fangli’s gaze lowered as he pinched Jiang Juan’s chin and calmly said, “Remember this, there won’t be a next time.”
“If you dare to put yourself in danger again, rushing to save others recklessly, I will have no choice but to…”
“Lock you up.”
He couldn’t bear to see the young man cry, but if the young man remained stubborn and unrepentant, then no matter how pitifully he cried, Xue Fangli wouldn’t soften his heart.
His tone was almost a warning, but Jiang Juan didn’t take it to heart. He understood that His Highness was not truly angry with him. Since His Highness had compromised, he should properly admit his mistake.
“It was too reckless of me,” Jiang Juan said. “There won’t be a next time.”
After speaking, Jiang Juan lifted his face and asked expectantly, “So… Your Highness, are we reconciled?”
He was about to nod, but hearing “Your Highness” made Xue Fangli smile faintly. “I don’t know, we’ll see.”
We’ll see.
What’s there to see?
Jiang Juan didn’t like this answer. He complained, “Your Highness, you say I’m hard to please, but clearly, you’re harder to please and more troublesome.”
Xue Fangli raised an eyebrow and asked, “When have you ever tried to please me?”
Jiang Juan thought for a moment and then said generously, “Your Highness, I don’t want to walk anymore. Can you carry me?”
Xue Fangli glanced at him. The young man was already delicate, and riding had chafed his legs, making it painful. Only because of this did he actively ask to be carried. Xue Fangli complied and picked him up, “Hmm.”
Jiang Juan then said, “Isn’t this me pleasing you?”
Xue Fangli asked with a half-smile, “How does me carrying you count as you pleasing me?”
Jiang Juan replied confidently, “Aren’t you always saying you love holding me, can’t let me go? By letting you carry me, isn’t that me pleasing you?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Juan added, “Your Highness, will you apply medicine for me later?”
In fact, Jiang Juan felt quite wronged that His Highness was angry with him.
He fell into the water accidentally, but why was His Highness so fierce and unwilling to speak to him?
Couldn’t His Highness talk to him nicely?
He wasn’t unreasonable; he would listen.
Although they had now reconciled—Jiang Juan unilaterally decided they had, His Highness hadn’t explicitly agreed—Jiang Juan still resented that His Highness had told him to apply the medicine himself.
His Highness used to always apply the medicine for him.
Jiang Juan couldn’t bear this grievance.
Thinking about it, Jiang Juan decided for himself, “Alright, Your Highness, it’s settled. You’ll apply the medicine for me.”
Xue Fangli paused, stared at Jiang Juan for a long time, and then slowly asked, “Are you sure you want me to apply the medicine?”
Jiang Juan nodded, “Hmm.”
Xue Fangli said nothing more, only asked, “Go back now?”
Jiang Juan persistently asked, “Is that alright, Your Highness?”
“You took me horseback riding, I got hurt, shouldn’t you take responsibility?”
Xue Fangli still didn’t respond, so Jiang Juan wrapped his arms around his neck. He sensed that His Highness liked hearing him call ‘husband,’ so he called softly again, “Husband, say something.”
Xue Fangli: “…”
His little thing was starting to meow again.
“As long as you don’t regret it,” Xue Fangli said with a faint smile, “don’t come crying to me later, saying you don’t want me to touch you.”
Jiang Juan promised earnestly, “I won’t.”
Xue Fangli snorted, “You better not.”
Knowing that His Highness had agreed, Jiang Juan happily rested on his shoulder and said, “Your Highness, let’s go back quickly.”
When he needed something, it was ‘husband’; when he didn’t, it was back to ‘Your Highness.’ Xue Fangli tightened his grip around Jiang Juan’s waist as if in punishment, but his lips curled into a smile.
“Bring that cat along.”
After a few steps, Xue Fangli ordered a maid without turning back.
Jiang Juan blinked and asked uncertainly, “Your Highness, why bring the cat?”
Xue Fangli: “Didn’t you want to keep it?”
Jiang Juan: “Can I?”
Thinking for a moment, Jiang Juan considerately said, “Your Highness, if you dislike cats, then forget it. I don’t have to keep it. It doesn’t matter; I have other things to play with.”
“I don’t dislike it,” Xue Fangli said calmly. “Isn’t my cat something I can’t bear to part with?”
Jiang Juan looked at him, and Xue Fangli added without changing his expression, “If you want to keep it, keep it. But you have a heart condition, so you can’t overexert yourself. The cat will be taken care of by the servants in the residence. You can play with it, but you can’t hold it or let it on the bed.”
What’s so tiring about keeping a cat?
Jiang Juan didn’t quite understand, but if His Highness said he could keep the cat, whatever he said went.
As for not holding it or letting it on the bed, Jiang Juan guessed that His Highness still didn’t like cats and hated cat hair. If he held it or let it on the bed, it would get cat hair everywhere.
Jiang Juan immediately agreed, “Okay, I won’t hold it, and I won’t let it on the bed.”
Completely unaware, Xue Fangli didn’t want him to hold it or let it on the bed simply because he didn’t want Jiang Juan’s attention divided.
The cat was something Xue Congyun and a few others had won. They had said that Xue Congyun would keep it, and when His Highnesswasn’t around, Jiang Juan could play with it. Now that His Highness had changed his mind, Jiang Juan asked Xue Congyun, “Can I take the cat back to the prince’s residence?”
Xue Congyun waved generously, “Of course.”
Jiang Juan thanked him and bid farewell to them before leaning back into Xue Fangli’s arms, signaling that they could leave. Just before leaving, Xue Fangli glanced at Xue Congyun and casually said,
“You don’t need to pull the fur from the felt anymore.”
Xue Congyun: “???”
He was punished inexplicably, and now he was being let off just as inexplicably.
Did his fifth brother ever have a plan?
Xue Congyun was full of questions but didn’t dare ask Xue Fangli. After they left, he turned to the other two and asked, “What’s with my fifth brother? He suddenly punished me by making me pull fur from the felt, and now he’s suddenly not punishing me. What’s he up to?”
Gu Puwang calmly said, “You should thank His Royal Consort. If not for him, you’d be lucky to keep your life today, let alone the felt.”
Xue Congyun: “???”
What on earth? Why should I thank Brother Juan?
Xue Congyun couldn’t understand. “Why should I thank Brother Juan? How did he save my life? What are you talking about?”
He fired off a string of questions, which Jiang Qingliang found exasperating. He reminded him, “Just now, when you put your hand on his shoulder, didn’t you see the look in your fifth brother’s eyes? I thought he was going to order someone to cut off both your hands right then.”
Thinking about it, Xue Congyun recalled and said in confusion, “I just put a hand on his shoulder. Why would my fifth brother glare at me? It was just a shoulder pat, was that necessary?”
Jiang Qingliang said speechlessly, “Didn’t you see how much your fifth brother spoils Brother Juan? Not to mention how furious it made Imperial Consort Mei, he wouldn’t even let Brother Juan walk, and he gets jealous of even a cat. He won’t allow Brother Juan to hold it or let it on the bed.”
Xue Congyun was shocked. “Huh? Spoiling him? Isn’t my fifth brother always bullying Jiang Juan?”
Jiang Qingliang: “Your fifth brother bullies him out of affection.”
Xue Congyun: “No, listen to me. Every time I see Brother Juan, either his hands are covered with marks from my fifth brother’s grip, or his feet are too injured to walk. He’s always hurt. Isn’t that my fifth brother tormenting him?”
Jiang Qingliang: “…”
Gu Puwang: “…”
“You—” Jiang Qingliang said with difficulty, “Think about it carefully. If your fifth brother really wanted to torment someone, would there be no blood? How could there be just handprints unless…”
As Xue Congyun listened, he suddenly felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
That’s right, if his fifth brother really disliked Brother Juan, he would’ve sent him away long ago. There’d be no reason to keep him around and torment him like this.
Besides, if his fifth brother really wanted to torment someone, he wouldn’t just leave handprints. He’d probably dislocate their hand.
So, there’s only one truth.
They were fighting in bed.
Xue Congyun: “…”
Xue Congyun: “???”
Realizing this, he was dumbfounded, then completely lost it. “Every time I visited Brother Juan, my fifth brother would find new ways to deal with me.”
“I kept thinking that if even I was treated this way, Brother Juan must be suffering much worse. I was always worried he’d give up and kept bringing him little treasures to cheer him up.”
“I…”
Xue Congyun choked up. “The real fool is me.”
Jiang Qingliang, instead of showing sympathy, burst into loud laughter. “Hahaha, wondering how badly Brother Juan was suffering—he’s carried everywhere by His Highness, fed by His Highness. Poor Brother Juan, suffering so much he’s about to give up!”
Xue Congyun began to wail, “How could I be so foolish, I…”
Next time his fifth brother wasn’t around, he’d storm into the prince’s residence, furiously—give Brother Juan a few more treasures and make him promise to be his best friend.
Waaah.
He was truly hurt.
How to relieve this pain? Only by becoming Brother Juan’s best friend.
Otherwise, he’d make a huge scene!
Back in the tent, Jiang Juan was placed on the bed. He sat up and slowly rolled up his underpants, “Your Highness, apply the ointment.”
He looked down and gently touched the wound. His inner thigh was chafed and it hurt quite a bit.
Xue Fangli fetched the ointment and glanced at the wound. The chafed area, originally snow-white, was now a bright red, surprisingly beautiful in its own way.
“Put it up.”
Xue Fangli said slowly. He grasped Jiang Juan’s ankle and lifted his leg onto the armrest to apply the ointment.
This separated position felt strange. Jiang Juan hadn’t regretted asking His Highness to apply the ointment, but now he realized he might have been too hasty, given the location of the injury.
Realizing this, Jiang Juan tried to lower his leg, but Xue Fangli’s hand remained firm on his ankle. Jiang Juan could only wiggle a bit. Xue Fangli looked up. “What’s wrong?”
His tone was calm, but his eyes were dark and intense.
Jiang Juan nervously suggested, “Maybe… I should do it myself?”
Xue Fangli showed no expression. “Forgot what you said?”
Jiang Juan gripped the soft mat beneath him, anxious. “But I forgot this isn’t like an injury on the back, hands, or feet.”
Xue Fangli asked, “How is it different?”
Jiang Juan blinked, unable to respond. Xue Fangli waited a few seconds before dipping his fingers into the ointment and beginning to apply it.
The touch of his fingertips made Jiang Juan’s lashes tremble.
It hurt.
Even though Xue Fangli’s movements were gentle, the skin was too delicate, and Jiang Juan couldn’t bear it. He inhaled sharply, “Your Highness, it hurts, it really hurts. Be gentler.”
Xue Fangli lightened his touch, almost just brushing over the area, but it was still too much for Jiang Juan. He shook his head desperately, “Your Highness, it still hurts.”
He kept crying out in pain, making it impossible for Xue Fangli to continue. He paused, looking down for a moment, then applied more ointment to Jiang Juan’s wound before slowly lowering his head.
The next moment, a wet sensation spread over the wound.
Jiang Juan’s eyelashes fluttered. At first, he clutched the mat because of the pain, but now it was because of the tickling sensation. His fingers tightened, and then he realized what was happening, and his body stiffened.
It was a tongue.
His Highness was using his tongue to spread the ointment.
The touch was barely there, the tip of the tongue brushing lightly like a feather. This time, it didn’t hurt at all, but it tickled terribly. And—how could he use his tongue?
Jiang Juan weakly pushed him away, “Your Highness, you don’t have to do this, just use your hand. I can endure the pain, really—” The push made Xue Fangli lose some of his force, and Jiang Juan gasped lightly, his voice wavering, “R-Really, I can.”
Xue Fangli had no intention of stopping. He knew how delicate the youth was; Jiang Juan couldn’t endure the pain. But something made him pause, and he maliciously curled his lips upward, slowly raising his head.
“You can endure the pain?” He repeated, then nodded slightly. As Jiang Juan wished, he switched back to using his fingers.
But perhaps because of the contrast, no matter what, each time his fingers spread the ointment, Jiang Juan found the pain unbearable, even worse than before. He tried to hold on, biting his lip, but tears fell, and he couldn’t stop a few soft whimpers.
“Does it hurt?”
Xue Fangli stopped, a slight smile playing on his lips as he asked.
Jiang Juan bit his finger, nodding slowly. Xue Fangli, as calm as ever, asked, “If it hurts, should I stop using my fingers?”
Jiang Juan hesitated, and Xue Fangli, seeing his hesitation, continued applying the ointment, his fingers pressing into the soft, snow-like skin. Jiang Juan winced in pain, his scalp tingling. He couldn’t bear it any longer. “It hurts, Your Highness. Don’t use your fingers anymore.”
This time, Xue Fangli did not comply.
“If you want to change, that’s possible.”
His tongue lightly pressed against his cheek, still tasting the sweet, tender flesh of the boy. Xue Fangli savored the moment, smiling nonchalantly. “Since I’ve worked so hard to apply the ointment, shouldn’t I get a reward?”
Jiang Juan asked, bewildered, “What reward?”
Xue Fangli pinched his chin, his Adam’s apple bobbing, his gaze lowering. He looked into Jiang Juan’s eyes, his clean fingers brushing against Jiang Juan’s lips, making no effort to hide the desire in his eyes. “What do you think?”
The author’s note: His Highness (on the surface): I’m working hard to apply the ointment for you…
His Highness (in private): The fish is really sweet.
His Highness has finally tasted the fish.
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Obrigado pela tradução 😘