Days passed by one after another. Little Gray had fully grown into an adult dog. Tian Yao’s care had given it a sleek, glossy gray coat. It was a full size larger than the other dogs in the village, looking incredibly majestic and intimidating where it stood.
The chicks they’d taken from Aunt Shun had also shed their soft yellow down and taken on the appearance of adult chickens. Tian Yao’s favorite thing to do was check the chicken coop, but he was always disappointed—the chickens still hadn’t laid any eggs.
The Enlightenment Classroom building was complete, just waiting for an auspicious day to start lessons. Lately, Tian Yao was even more nervous than Yu Nian, acting as if he were the one about to teach.
He tossed and turned at night, keeping Yu Nian, who slept beside him, awake as well. The man who usually fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow was now full of worries. After turning over yet again, he grabbed Yu Nian’s arm. “Are you really not nervous?”
Yu Nian let him hold on, gently covering his hand. “I’m really not nervous.”
Tian Yao had many concerns. There were many mischievous kids in the village, and their families all seemed intent on sending them to the school. He was constantly worried those kids, who were used to being little tyrants, would bully Yu Nian. He also feared that if the children said something unfiltered about Yu Nian’s legs, it would upset him. He was already kind of regretting having Yu Nian agree to this.
“Don’t worry about me,” Yu Nian patted his hand. “Haven’t you noticed? Even the naughtiest kid in the village is always well-behaved around me.”
Tian Yao thought back. That did seem true. The last time the Village Chief had a child escort Yu Nian home—that kid was loathed by everyone in the village—but around Yu Nian, he’d acted incredibly timid.
“Fine,” Tian Yao blinked. “I was thinking of taking Little Gray up the mountain tomorrow. I never gave that Old Physician money for borrowing his medical books. I want to see if there’s any game on the mountain. If I can hunt something, I’ll bring it to him and ask about your legs while I’m there.”
“Aren’t the mountain paths difficult right now? Why not wait a few more days?”
Tian Yao shook his head. “I haven’t been up the mountain in so long. I really want to go.”
“Then be careful.” Yu Nian didn’t try to dissuade him further. After all, hunting was something Tian Yao enjoyed. Besides, with Little Gray now the size of a full-grown dog, they could look after each other on the mountain.
Tian Yao snuggled a little closer to Yu Nian’s arm. He always loved sleeping next to him. In the cold winter, having someone close was truly warm.
But once he was physically warm, his thoughts began to wander. When he was injured, Yu Nian had said they’d wait until he’d healed. Well, his injury was better now. So why hadn’t Yu Nian acted on his promise?
Tian Yao inched a bit closer. Yu Nian put his arm around his shoulder, lowering his eyelashes in a silent question.
Tian Yao stammered for a long moment before blushing deeply. “You said before… that when I was better, we would, you know…”
He buried his head in Yu Nian’s chest, feeling his ears burning hot as he waited for a reply.
Yu Nian paused for a moment, then realized what he was talking about. First, Tian Yao had been recovering. Then the village started building the school, and Tian Yao was helping every day, his mind on his six chicks. He simply hadn’t been focusing on this.
“Do you want to?” Yu Nian asked.
Tian Yao didn’t speak, but his finger tapped lightly on Yu Nian’s chest.
There was no need for a charcoal brazier in the room anymore. Little Gray didn’t sleep inside now, but by the door. When Yu Nian was weaving the chicken coop, Little Gray kept pacing around him. Yu Nian ended up weaving him a dog house, too. Little Gray had always been intelligent. Since the last incident, it was even more alert at night, dragging the house to the door on its own. Tian Yao couldn’t stop him, so he just padded the dog house with extra cloth scraps to make it comfortable for sleeping outside.
Tian Yao silently confirmed Yu Nian’s question. He remembered what Liu Zhi had told him: sometimes, a “ger” could take the initiative. After all, it was a private, bedroom matter. No one else would know.
His hand emerged from the blanket and found the sash of Yu Nian’s clothes. In the past, he’d untied Yu Nian’s sash with perfect composure, but tonight his hand trembled uncontrollably.
Yu Nian just lay there, letting him do as he pleased. Yet today, the hand that used to undo sashes seemed to be tangled in knots and couldn’t get it loose.
Yu Nian pressed his hand over Tian Yao’s to stop him. Once Tian Yao paused, Yu Nian pulled him up slightly. Tian Yao thought it was a rejection and felt a little stunned, until Yu Nian’s forehead touched his own.
Amid their mingled breaths, Tian Yao only then realized they’d never been this close before. Except for the stolen kiss on New Year’s Eve, Yu Nian had always maintained a certain distance.
Tian Yao opened his eyes. Yu Nian’s face was right there, impossibly handsome. When their noses touched, a dense shiver traveled down Tian Yao’s spine. He grabbed Yu Nian’s collar and pressed his lips forward.
He didn’t actually know how people who were in love were supposed to be intimate. He’d only glimpsed, as a child, his Father and Little Dad kissing. He was so young he didn’t understand what it meant. As he grew older, he learned it was a way of expressing love.
He just blindly pressed his mouth against Yu Nian’s, his eyes wide open. He had no idea what to do next. Even this was making his scalp tingle and his whole body feel floaty, as if he were about to take flight.
Yu Nian reached up and covered his eyes. After their lips met, the tip of a tongue lightly tapped his lip, followed by relentless plundering.
Tian Yao had never imagined a kiss could involve such heart-pounding actions. He was a bit dazed, yet it felt so good, and he eagerly wanted more.
His hands, gripping Yu Nian’s clothes, curled unconsciously, then, as if by instinct, returned to their battle with the clothing ties.
But he couldn’t untie them when his mind was calm; now, with his heart in turmoil, it was naturally even more impossible.
Just then, Yu Nian’s kiss deepened further. Tian Yao’s hands froze. He’d never considered that two people could be this close. Unable to untie the sash, he gave up trying. Using brute strength, Tian Yao tore Yu Nian’s clothing open.
Yu Nian pulled back slightly. Tian Yao’s cheeks were flushed; he’d been holding his breath the entire time. When Yu Nian released him, he gasped for air.
Once he had caught his breath a bit, he pressed forward again, his hands roaming over Yu Nian’s body, gradually moving lower.
Yu Nian caught his hands and placed them over his chest.
Tian Yao opened his eyes and looked at him. Still breathless, he grabbed Yu Nian’s hand. “What’s wrong?”
The moment the words left his mouth, Tian Yao froze. He’d never imagined his voice could sound like that—as if he’d melted into water, trembling.
“Aren’t you going up the mountain tomorrow?” Yu Nian was also steadying his own breathing.
Tian Yao furrowed his brows, his lips slightly parted as he caught his breath. At a moment like this, who would think about hunting on a mountain? The meat already at his lips was far more important.
Yu Nian gently touched his forehead. “I’m sorry.”
Tian Yao looked up, a little confused.
Yu Nian carefully wiped the trace of moisture from the corner of his lips. “I’m not sure if I can do this well. Give me a little more time, alright?”
It was only then Tian Yao remembered: Yu Nian’s legs hadn’t healed yet. Although… the most important part was very much lively right now, his legs were still immobile. He mumbled, “I can do the moving myself.”
Yu Nian laughed. “I can’t let you take the initiative in everything. Let me handle this one.”
Tian Yao drew back a little. “Alright, then. I’ll wait.”
Yu Nian pulled him back. His fingers were long and slender; in Tian Yao’s eyes, they were the best gift the heavens had ever bestowed. Yu Nian untied the clothing with none of Tian Yao’s recklessness. Tian Yao’s inner garment was peeled away in an instant.
Then Yu Nian kissed the scar on Tian Yao’s neck, barely visible now. It was the first time Tian Yao had been injured for his sake.
Tian Yao lay back, breathing heavily. Yu Nian’s kisses trailed from his neck down to his chest. Yu Nian’s movements were limited, so Tian Yao wriggled up, leaning against the headboard to make it easier for him.
As Yu Nian’s hand moved lower, Tian Yao felt countless dazzling fireworks explode before his eyes. He’d seen such beautiful fireworks once, when he was very small, when both his parents were still alive. He couldn’t remember why there were fireworks in Huailing Village that year, but he’d never forgotten them.
Finally, Tian Yao lay on the bed, his hand covering his eyes, his breathing still uneven. Yu Nian sat beside him, wiping his hands with a handkerchief. Tian Yao saw this and felt shy again. He hastily threw on his clothes and rushed to the kitchen to fetch water for Yu Nian to wash his hands.
Once done, he climbed back into bed and began to replay the sensation in his mind. It was like a massive whirlpool; just touching a fingertip to it had pulled him in completely, overwhelming all his senses.
“Yu Nian.” Tian Yao’s voice was very soft, barely audible.
Yu Nian murmured a response.
“Yu Nian, I’ve never… experienced this before. Why is it so…”
Yu Nian was uncharacteristically stumped by his words. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Perhaps this is why the ancients said we must preserve heavenly principles and extinguish human desires. If everyone indulged in this, chaos would ensue.”
Tian Yao recalled the lyrics from a temple opera he’d once seen: “From then on, the King forsook the morning court.” Apparently, it was truly grounded in reason.
However, Yu Nian’s phrase about “preserving heavenly principles and extinguishing human desires” didn’t sit quite right with him. “What old fossil said that? I bet he never experienced this kind of happiness himself.”
Yu Nian’s chest shook with laughter. “Perhaps not.”
But then Tian Yao remembered: it seemed Yu Nian hadn’t really experienced it either.
His hand reached over to Yu Nian. “You haven’t experienced it either, right? Let me help you?”
Yu Nian shook his head.
Tian Yao, however, misunderstood. He thought Yu Nian meant he had experienced it. His hand froze mid-air. After a moment, he realized: Yu Nian used to be a wealthy young lord. He surely had servants at home, just like in the operas…
Yu Nian now understood Tian Yao well. Seeing his expression change, he knew what he was thinking.
“I haven’t.”
Tian Yao looked up. “Then how do you know these things?”
Yu Nian propped himself up and retrieved a book from the bedside cabinet.
Tian Yao glanced at it and recognized the medical book he’d bought for Yu Nian.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
Yu Nian pulled Tian Yao into his arms and flipped to the very first illustration in the book.
Tian Yao’s eyes widened in shock. This was not a medical book!
This, this, this was a forbidden book! And one with very explicit drawings!
