Chapter 18

“A little… something?” Shadow Twelve repeated stiffly.

He lowered his head, staring blankly at his own hands, while inwardly guessing what sort of favor the Master might want.

Last time he had acted on his own initiative and displeased the Master; the Master surely didn’t want to be close to him either.

Yin Wuji, waiting for the Shadow Guard to offer something up, heard his Shadow Guard ask, at a complete loss—

“What favor does the Master want?”

But Yin Wuji’s gaze had gone straight to the Shadow Guard’s lips. Drinking that bitter fetal-stabilizing medicine every day, the Shadow Guard’s lip color had recovered somewhat, though still rather dry—not a promising prospect for kissing, it seemed.

But Yin Wuji knew perfectly well what feeling her lips would bring him.

Suddenly he felt a trace of craving.

Still, there was a difference between the Shadow Guard offering himself and Yin Wuji asking. He wanted to watch the Shadow Guard clumsily please him.

He turned the question back: “What do you think This Manor Master wants?”

What did the Master want? Listening Crane Manor was famed for assassination, and Qingzhou had long troubled the Master. Weighing the two, Shadow Twelve said, “Once this Subordinate… recovers his Internal Energy, this Subordinate will go to Qingzhou and find the answer the Master has always wanted.”

Hope shone in Shadow Twelve’s eyes. This was the best favor he could imagine. Anxious to give the Master the very best, he was even willing to give up his own wish—to stay at the Master’s side.

As long as the Master believed in him, he would ease the Master’s burdens.

Qingzhou again? The order transferring this Shadow Guard to Qingzhou had already been torn to pieces and dumped right in front of him. Yin Wuji hadn’t expected Shadow Twelve to still be brooding over it.

Quite the grudge-holder, wasn’t he.

Gripping the chin of the man in his arms, forcing Shadow Twelve to look up at him, Yin Wuji asked, “That eager to go to Qingzhou?”

“This Subordinate……” Shadow Twelve evaded, trying to escape Yin Wuji’s hold.

How could Yin Wuji allow it? He pinned the man firmly in his arms, leaving Shadow Twelve no choice but to meet his sinister gaze. Shadow Twelve’s brow twitched; he squirmed uneasily—and suddenly, Yin Wuji smacked his backside.

Shadow Twelve froze. The crisp sound seemed to still echo through the room. Face burning scarlet, he had nowhere to put himself, and peered up pleadingly. “Master……”

He didn’t understand why the Master did this, any more than he understood why the Master had kissed him that day.

Perhaps just a passing whim.

“If you don’t settle down,” Yin Wuji brandished the hand he’d just struck with, threatening, “there will be another.”

Shadow Twelve went still, nestling quietly in Yin Wuji’s arms—until his waist was pinched again. Instinctively he jolted upward, only to be caught. Yin Wuji said, expressionless, “Keep thinking.”

Keep thinking of a favor to give him. Yin Wuji had no intention of letting the Shadow Guard off this cheaply.

Shadow Twelve said, in surrender, “Then this Subordinate will go kill some people for the Master.”

All the troublesome ones, the hard-to-kill ones—hand them all to him. Better than this endless stalemate with the Master.

Yin Wuji was angered into laughter, his gaze sweeping over the Shadow Guard’s rounded belly before his palm settled over it, circling there. Yin Wuji said, “Go like this?”

The moment Internal Energy stirred, it dragged the whole body along. He had seen how terrible the Shadow Guard’s face looked from the cramping in his belly. And still the Shadow Guard claimed he would go kill people.

The feel of the belly was rather nice. Yin Wuji couldn’t help stroking it a few more times, and even the Shadow Guard’s earlobes went red.

The already trim Shadow Guard uniform was pulled taut and back by Yin Wuji’s grip, accentuating the waist. Yin Wuji pressed on, “And how would you go?”

Only when the Shadow Guard had abandoned the notion entirely, Yin Wuji thought, would he be satisfied.

“Mas… ter,” Shadow Twelve said in a panic, pulling at Yin Wuji’s hand. “This Subordinate… this Subordinate knows his wrong.”

“Knows his wrong?” Yin Wuji’s lips curled, openly twisting the Shadow Guard’s meaning. “So you believe This Manor Master is punishing you?”

The hand kneading his belly never stopped, Yin Wuji watching the Shadow Guard’s every reaction. “But from what This Manor Master sees, you’re enjoying it very much.”

Terrified the next sentence would be something about debasing himself willingly, Shadow Twelve clenched his lip and buried his face in the crook of Yin Wuji’s neck, fighting with everything he had to control his body’s reactions.

An uncontrollable whimper. Yin Wuji looked down to find the Shadow Guard covering his mouth in terror, tears dripping through his fingers.

Wasn’t he supposed to be begging for a favor? How had he been driven to tears instead?

Yin Wuji stopped his hand and asked softly, “Does it hurt?”

The Shadow Guard shook his head, clamping his mouth shut, terrified of letting a sound escape—that one cry had already frightened him half to death.

Yin Wuji gathered him closer. Shadow Twelve’s body rose and fell as Yin Wuji patiently waited for the man to fully relax.

“Master.”

The same voice as always, only the corners of his eyes a little red.

Seeing Yin Wuji look over, Shadow Twelve asked anxiously, “Master, this Subordinate can’t think of anything. May this Subordinate withdraw?”

Standing on the floor, cradling his belly, Shadow Twelve kept his head bowed, and Yin Wuji’s gaze settled on the pale neck the Shadow Guard had unconsciously exposed.

Desire peaked.

Yin Wuji never shortchanged himself. Catching Shadow Twelve’s hand, he drew the panicked Shadow Guard before him once more and asked, “Can’t think of anything?”

Shadow Twelve hesitated, then nodded.

“Didn’t you do very well last time?” Yin Wuji touched the matter and went no further.

The Shadow Guard looked up, shock flashing through his eyes and vanishing. See—even the Shadow Guard had been thinking of it all along, wanting it all along. He wasn’t the only one.

“Master……” Shadow Twelve was confirming one last time.

Yin Wuji raised an eyebrow. “Yes.”

With the affirmation received, Shadow Twelve clenched his fists, the line of his neck drawn taut. Even if the Master despised him, even if the Master pushed him away, Shadow Twelve thought, he would probably still press close.

Just that shameless. Shadow Twelve closed his eyes.

Yin Wuji waited quietly, anticipating the Shadow Guard’s response. At last, the Shadow Guard began to move.

Shadow Twelve instinctively dipped downward, and Yin Wuji supported him. This time the instruction was more direct. Yin Wuji said, “Kiss here.”

Watching the Master tap his own lips, Shadow Twelve’s mind went blank.

Gathering his courage, Shadow Twelve leaned in.

To be frank, the Shadow Guard was hopelessly green. He didn’t know how to kiss at all—trembling, teeth accidentally knocking against Yin Wuji, the experience abysmal.

And yet precisely this could so easily rouse Yin Wuji’s excitement.

Never expecting to enjoy kissing the Shadow Guard this much, Yin Wuji tightened his grip on the Shadow Guard’s nape.

He was teaching the Shadow Guard by hand.

And when the Shadow Guard was kissed breathless, he murmured against the Shadow Guard’s ear, “Next time, like this.”

Such a kiss—and there would be a next time.

Shadow Twelve lowered his eyes, hiding the true emotion in them, and said meekly, “Yes.”

“This Subordinate will study diligently.”