C84. Kissed.

C84. Kissed.

The one-acre plot of land was not much, and when Yang Zhongfa squinted for a moment and opened his eyes again, there wasn't much left.

Glancing at the field, he saw the General and Lord Yuan standing close together. Lord Yuan was mostly obscured, with only a smiling face visible.

Upon closer inspection, Lord Yuan hardly bent over; he stood by the General's side, handing out seedlings, while the General, worked tirelessly and completed most of the tasks.

Yang Zhongfa watched in admiration.

Truly remarkable.

Yet, he also felt a sense of wonder. Throughout the year, the General had really changed a lot, showing a lot of human warmth.

As the sun set, the group returned for dinner.

Despite being in the countryside, Guo Mao's manor was not simple; it exuded natural charm, with even a bear's head hung in the dining hall. The meal was enjoyed by all, with Guo Mao's entertaining conversation prompting laughter, and he and Yang Zhongfa engaging in a drinking contest.

There were many vacant rooms in the manor for Yuan Li and his entourage to stay.

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhongfa slammed the table in approval and said to Guo Mao, "You have no idea. Our General and Lord Yuan are very courteous. Last time, when we visited the scholar Cui Xuan, the rooms were not enough, and the two lords had to share a room, compromising their sleep."

Guo Mao laughed heartily, "You need not worry here. I may not match Mr. Cui in scholarship, but there are certainly enough rooms."

Chu Hechao furrowed his brow, glancing at Yuan Li. Their eyes met briefly before quickly looking away.

That night, it started raining outside.

The drizzle masked some sounds, and as Yuan Li lay in bed, he heard a slight creak of the door as someone entered.

Chu Hechao latched the bolt, tiptoed to Yuan Li's bedside, and sat down to remove his shoes.

Yuan Li was a bit nervous and asked quietly, "You weren't seen by anyone, were you?"

Chu Hechao reassured him and teased, "Look at you, it's as if we're having an affair."

Yuan Li thought to himself, well, isn't this somewhat like an affair?

Chu Hechao had been caught in the rain when he arrived; his back was wet, prompting Yuan Li to suggest, "Take off your wet clothes. Don't catch a cold."

"It's alright, I'm not cold," Chu Hechao replied.

Despite his words, Chu Hechao followed Yuan Li's advice and removed his wet clothes, draping them over the chair to dry. He then climbed onto Yuan Li's bed in just his pants.

His toned upper body and handsome muscles were exposed, with scars scattered across his well-tanned skin from years of exposure to the elements.

Yuan Li reached out to touch a scar on his chest, and Chu Hechao immediately grabbed his hand, teasingly asking, "Where do you think you're touching?"

Yuan Li responded in kind, pretending confusion, "Can't I touch here?"

Chu Hechao made a sound of mock injury, scratching an itch as he released Yuan Li's hand, "You can touch. A man can touch freely."

Then, with a mischievous tone, he added, "You can even explore further down."

"I see," Yuan Li sighed, "Your mind is filled with nothing but lewd thoughts."

Not understanding the implication, Chu Hechao chuckled and, appearing somewhat naive, asked Yuanli, "So tell me, what color are the non-yellow straws?"

Yuan Li: "..."

Chu Hechao cupped Yuan Li's face and placed a kiss, "Can't think of an answer, can you?"

Yuan Li pushed his face away, "Shut up."

Chu Hechao silenced him with a kiss and then withdrew, his voice hoarse as he proposed to Yuan Li, "Shouldn't you return the favor and kiss me? I've been vegetarian for almost half a month."

Yuan Li pondered for a moment and agreed, so he ducked under the blanket.

Chu Hechao was taken aback by his straightforwardness, freezing in place.

As Yuan Li was about to make contact for the kiss, Chu Hechao was already extremely excited. Caught off guard, Chu Hechao's face darkened in disbelief and then turned to anger.

How could this be?

Emerging from under the blanket, Yuan Li's slightly dirty face surprised him. After wiping his face with a handkerchief, he had not anticipated this turn of events.

However, seeing Chu Hechao's unpredictable expression, Yuan Li kindly reassured him, "It's okay, we can try again next time."

Try again? What a joke.

Covering Yuan Li with the blanket, Chu Hechao's expression darkened, his eyes looking predatory. "Don't speak," he commanded.

Frowning, about to get angry with Chu Hechao, Yuan Li was surprised to see that Chu Hechao was ready to try again.

With a resigned sigh, Yuan Li accepted his fate.

Outside the blanket, Chu Hechao, leaning against the headboard, was tense all over.

His mind went blank for a moment, a strange feeling surging from his head down to his toes. He couldn't believe how much effort it took to avoid embarrassing himself in front of Yuan Li again.

The rain outside grew louder, tapping against the bamboo forest.

The bamboo forest was unbothered, standing tall and fresh after the spring rain.

At twenty-seven years old, Chu Hechao experienced this kind of pleasure for the first time.

Under the blanket, the young man groaned softly, his teeth clashing together.

As he gritted his teeth in excitement, the pleasure intensified.

At the crucial moment, footsteps could be heard outside the door.

"Lord Yuan?" It was Yang Zhongfa's voice, causing Yuan Li and Chu Hechao to stiffen instantly.

Yuan Li emerged from under the blanket, clearing his throat, "What is it?"

He glanced at Chu Hechao.

Chu Hechao's eyes were filled with restlessness, his breathing heavy, his face showing restraint as he nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

The restlessness spread like wildfire.

Yuan Li soothingly grasped his arm.

Yang Zhongfa approached the door and said loudly, "I didn't see General Xiang in the room. Do you know where he went? Have you seen him?"

Yuan Li's heart was racing as he nervously replied, "I don't know."

Outside, the old General grumbled a few words, while inside the room, the couple lay on the bed, their chest movements creating increasingly loud sounds.

The loud noises made Yuan Li wonder if they could be heard by Yang Zhongfa outside through the walls.

Chu Hechao pinched Yuan Li's ear and mouthed, "Ask him why he's looking for me."

Yuan Li asked, and Yang Zhongfa replied, "It's nothing. My room is leaking, so I wanted to stay with the General overnight, but since he's not here, I'll just go have a drink with the guards."

Yang Zhongfa was probably a bit tipsy as he continued to ramble, "Oh, Lord Yuan, are you free now? Let's have a few drinks together."

Chu Hechao's temples pulsed with agitation.

Chu Hechao's throat constricted as he whispered impatiently, "Tell him to leave!"

The man's urgency made Yuan Li a bit irritated, and he quickly said, "Sir Yang, I'm a bit tired, so I won't be joining you for a drink."

Yang Zhongfa agreed and his voice gradually faded, muttering to himself, "Strange, where did the General go? How could he run off in this heavy rain..."

"Lord Yuan is tired so early, huh, *burp*..."

The voice disappeared.

Large beads of sweat dripped down Chu Hechao's forehead, falling onto Yuan Li's hair.

The stifling heat lingered in the room.

Sound easily seeped through the mud walls and wooden doors, so caution was essential. Thankfully, the rain outside masked many traces.

After they were done, Yuan Li emerged from under the blanket with flushed cheeks, puffy cheeks, and a face covered in sweat and wet hair.

Looking pitiful yet adorable, he glared at Chu Hechao with annoyance and anger, then got out of bed to rinse his mouth.

Chu Hechao was almost aroused by the glare, he tied his belt and followed Yuan Li to watch him rinse his mouth. Looking at the things on the floor, the man with a content expression clicked his tongue and lamented, "These are all future generations."

Yuan Li was speechless and nearly choked on the water.

Chu Hechao handed him a handkerchief, smiling in satisfaction, "Take your time."

As the two returned to bed, they brought a damp spring rain atmosphere with them.

Yuan Li's throat was sore, "I don't want to kiss you next time."

Chu Hechao retorted, "But I like you, so you should like me too."

With that, Chu Hechao gave Yuan Li a kiss, and then let Yuanli kiss him back.

Yuan Li's face instantly turned red.

Soon, Yuan Li felt like a fish just pulled out of the water, with a face covered in sticky sweat and weak legs.

Chu Hechao wiped the sweat from his face, "Feeling better?"

It took Yuan Li a while to nod.

Chu Hechao chuckled, "So, will you kiss me next time?"

Yuan Li obediently nodded, but then furrowed his brow, "But compared to you, I seem to be at a disadvantage."

Chu Hechao raised an eyebrow, pleased by the underlying meaning in Yuan Li's words, and encouraged him, "Then you just have to persevere a little longer."

Yuan Li said, "I am still young, I will be better in the future."

As soon as he mentioned this, Chu Hechao frowned, thinking about the eight-year age gap between himself and Yuan Li.

Eight years... He was approaching his thirties, while Yuan Li had just entered adulthood.

In the future, this eight-year gap would become more prominent.

Feeling uncomfortable, Chu Hechao got out of bed to rinse his mouth alone. When he returned and leaned against the bed, his expression was deep and thoughtful, and he muttered to himself, "Beast."

Yuan Li was puzzled, "Who are you cursing at?"

"Chu Mingfeng," Chu Hechao's eyes showed annoyance as he coldly said, "He is several years older than me. How dare he marry you when you were so young?"

Yuan Li wasn't even an adult at that time.

It was simply outrageous.

Chu Hechao felt the urge to drag Chu Mingfeng over and give him a beating, but Chu Mingfeng had already passed away.

As he wiped his face, a flash of sadness crossed his determined expression.

After some contemplation, Yuan Li was unsure whether to reveal the truth to Chu Hechao at that moment. But considering they were in someone else's home, he had a feeling that if he disclosed the truth to Chu Hechao, it would lead to more than just a simple kiss...

Anticipating the consequences of revealing the truth, Yuan Li decided to remain silent for now.

But as he kept quiet, Chu Hechao became dissatisfied. He coldly looked at Yuan Li and said, "What, you're not happy when I curse him?"

This attitude was clearly aimed at his ex-husband.

In his heart, Yuan Li felt sorry for Chu Mingfeng, "He's your brother..."

Chu Hechao's face darkened, "So in your heart, I can't compare to him?"

Yuan Li turned away, not wanting to engage.

But Chu Hechao forcibly turned him back, his voice stern, "Speak."

Frowning, Yuan Li met Chu Hechao's gaze and said, "I have never said or thought such things. Chu Ciyue, don't overthink it."

"Then tell me," Chu Hechao probed as he touched Yuan Li's ear, "Have you done with him what we did today?"

Yuan Li replied earnestly, "No. I have only been with you, not with anyone else."

Chu Hechao asked again, "What about kissing?"

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Yuan Li's face stiffened, "Truly, it's only been you."

"I have never done anything with your brother," Yuan Li reiterated, "Please don't bring this up again in the future."

Chu Hechao thought about how Yuan Li had previously mentioned being in love with Chu Mingfeng and wanting to remain faithful to him, but he didn't say anything. "Alright, I won't mention it again."

After Yuan Li fell asleep, Chu Hechao held him in his arms and spent the night thinking about his wife and another man's past relationship that they had once shared. Eventually, he had to convince himself.

What matters most is that a person belongs to themselves.

There was no way around it, truly no way. Chu Hechao had never imagined that he could feel so deeply for someone. He had never thought he could be so affectionate, indulgent, pleasing, or even conceding.

Even now, knowing that Yuan Li still had feelings for someone else, Chu Hechao chose to act as though he didn't know.

With a sigh, Chu Hechao closed his eyes to sleep. The rain had been falling all night and into the next day, turning the roads into a muddy mess. By the time they returned to the Jixian Manor, both people and horses were covered in mud.

Yuan Dan, who had come to watch the commotion, was startled. "Lejun, did you all go rolling in the mud?"

Yuan Li looked down at himself and indeed felt like he had just rolled out of a mud pit. He couldn't help but chuckle, almost bending over with laughter.

Chu Hechao's lips twitched as he grabbed him, a bit helpless, "Why does everything make you so happy?"

A single sentence from Chu Hechao brought a smile to Yuan Li's face, leaving Yuan Dan puzzled.

With so many people, bathing was too much trouble, so they washed together in pairs or groups of three. Buckets of hot water were brought in to wash away the mud, and no one complained.

The steam filled the room, creating a blurry atmosphere. People stood or soaked in tubs, chatting and laughing, making the room alive with noise.

Yuan Li was also inside, and since they were all men, no one thought twice about it. Chu Hechao didn't object either – having been a general in the north for over ten years, he had bathed with others countless times.

Even though Yuan Li was his wife, he was still a man, and there was nothing wrong with it.

Chu Hechao led Yuan Li to a corner where two bath tubs were placed. After washing away the dirt from their bodies, Chu Hechao asked Yuan Li to scrub his back.

Yuan Li took a towel and stood behind him. Water droplets fell as Yuan Li began to scrub Chu Hechao's back. His muscles were strong and well-defined, moving like a graceful dragon, exuding a masculine charm.

Yuan Li couldn't help but feel a tickle in his throat and cleared it, saying, "Your back isn't dirty."

Chu Hechao chuckled and turned around, taking the towel from Yuanli to eagerly offer, "Let me scrub your back."

Yuan Li turned around, allowing Chu Hechao to scrub his back. However, Chu Hechao's grip was too strong, causing Yuan Li to wince. Despite his protests, Chu Hechao continued, not only scrubbing Yuan Li's back but also other parts of his body.

While scrubbing, Chu Hechao used this as an excuse to take advantage openly.

When the group finally emerged from the bath, Yuan Li's neck and arms were red from being scrubbed by the men.