Chapter 82:
The Kiss – “Did You Know? That Night, I Was Awake Too…”
“What fearsome Ghost King? Just a pitiful, unlucky soul.”
That’s what Chen Henian had told Grandmaster Yongjian before boarding the plane, his usual dismissive tone, his gaze unwavering, the faint light in his eyes a deceptive innocence, his lips curved into a slight smile, as if he would laugh the moment he turned away.
Zhou Xianzhi had led them down the mountain, their departure swift, their destination uncertain. They couldn’t return to their old shop. The Southern sect had gifted them a house, a residence befitting a king, near their main mountain.
A villa, far from the city, a car waiting for them at the airport, its spacious grounds, the manicured lawn, the shimmering pool, a stark contrast to their previous accommodations. The three-story villa, its white tiles gleaming in the sunlight, was brand new.
“We live here now, it’s ours,” Chen Henian said.
“Of course it’s yours,” Zuo He, carrying Chen Henian’s belongings, said from behind. “This place is protected by the Four Symbols Formation, the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, their stone statues placed at the cardinal points, the villa at the center, a design by our ancestral founder. The array won’t harm King Jiang, but it will suppress his malevolence.”
“Ghosts are fueled by resentment and lingering attachments. You must have noticed, he carries a heavy burden, his anger controlled only by his immense power, his will a cage.”
His words made Jiang Wan chuckle, Zhou Xianzhi staring at him, his eyes wide.
“Such a bold young man, youth is truly a blessing,” he said, shaking his head, his tone a mixture of amusement and disapproval.
Zuo He, young and outspoken, hadn’t just spoken his mind, but had done so within earshot of the ghost king himself.
Yu Lin didn’t react, his silence a response, his gaze fixed ahead, his hand holding the umbrella, his footsteps steady as he walked beside Chen Henian.
“The best way to appease a ghost’s resentment is to help it fulfill its unfinished business, to release its anger, not to suppress it with arrays,” Chen Henian said.
“Can we even fulfill a king’s desires?” Zuo He asked.
Jiang Wan turned to Yu Lin. “You’ve achieved power and fame, what regrets do you still have?”
Yu Lin stopped, the black snowflakes falling from his umbrella, his gaze turning to her.
“Wine,” he said.
“Wine? Excellent!” Zhou Xianzhi exclaimed, his beard shaking with laughter. “Let wine drown your sorrows, let the wind carry them away.”
“What kind of wine?”
“Taixi Bai,” Yu Lin replied.
Chen Henian and Jiang Wan understood.
“I’ll get some! I’ll go right now!” Zhou Xianzhi jumped up, rushing towards the door, turning back to Zuo He. “Wait here! I’ll bring back the best wine! Nephew, prepare some snacks, we’ll have a feast tonight!”
“There should be some vegetables in the fridge,” Zuo He nodded, heading to the kitchen.
Chen Henian, observing the villa’s layout, climbed the stairs. “Choose your rooms, first come, first served.”
Cleaning was easy, a gust of yin wind, and the house was spotless.
Yu Lin, despite his request, didn’t touch the wine at dinner, sitting quietly, his head lowered, lost in thought, no one urging him to drink, his gaze fixed on the window, then, as the dishes were cleared, he stood up and walked outside, to the pavilion.
The moon was full, and Zhou Xianzhi, glancing outside, nodded at Chen Henian. “Go.”
Chen Henian stood up, following Yu Lin.
His desire wasn’t for wine, but for companionship.
Jiang Wan followed, carrying a jug of wine and two bowls, placing them on the bench beside him.
Yu Lin didn’t pour the wine, turning to Chen Henian. “Do you want to drink?” His voice was softer now, his expression relaxed. “You never drink unless there’s something to celebrate.”
“Pour it,” Chen Henian replied. “Isn’t our reunion a cause for celebration?”
Yu Lin picked up the jug, pouring the wine.
Chen Henian watched, his hand stopping him as the bowl was half full. “That’s enough.”
“I know,” Yu Lin said, his voice calm, as if he had anticipated this.
Their eyes met, and Chen Henian, startled, released his hand, picking up his bowl, raising it to his lips.
Yu Lin knew his habits, but he had wanted Chen Henian to ask, a small, silent request, a test of their understanding.
Jiang Wan held out her bowl. “Fill mine too.”
Their bowls clinked together, Yu Lin and Jiang Wan drinking in silence, his face impassive, hers alight with a cheerful energy.
Chen Henian took a small sip, the wine surprisingly smooth, then finished half the bowl, the warmth spreading through him, the last rays of sunset painting his face a delicate pink, his mind clear.
“Can you taste it?” he asked Yu Lin.
“Not like before,” he replied. His ghostly essence, merged with Chen Henian’s body, dulled his senses, only the scent of humanity, the taste of blood, a potent intoxicant.
A single cup of wine, its flavor lost, a reminder of a forgotten past.
“Are your regrets eased?” Jiang Wan asked, smiling.
“What’s lost is lost, even wine can’t bring it back,” Yu Lin said. “The present is enough, more than enough.”
His words were honest, but his tone betrayed a lingering sadness. Chen Henian looked at him, his gaze searching. “Are you truly content?”
“I’m happy tonight,” Yu Lin replied.
“Perhaps you can be even happier,” Chen Henian said, a playful smile on his lips.
They returned to the living room, the dinner dishes cleared, only the wine jug and bowls remaining.
“Let’s have another round!” Zhou Xianzhi exclaimed, his eyes lighting up as he saw Jiang Wan. She sat down, and he filled her bowl, Zuo He emerging from the kitchen. “More wine?”
Zhou Xianzhi had already finished a jug.
“Three bowls at most, I’m not as strong as I used to be,” Jiang Wan chuckled.
“Three bowls it is!” They clinked their bowls together.
“I’m going to bed,” Chen Henian said, turning to the others, their faces flushed with wine.
“Go ahead,” Zuo He sat down. “I’ll keep an eye on them.”
Chen Henian went upstairs, choosing a room at the eastern end of the second floor, Yu Lin following him, stopping at the doorway, his robes not crossing the threshold.
He didn’t enter, and Chen Henian opened the door, switching on the light, then, as he turned to close it, a dark shadow flickered past him, a cold breeze against his skin.
“Why are you coming in?” He turned to see Yu Lin standing there, his aura dark and menacing, his brow furrowed, his lips pressed together.
The room’s temperature plummeted, the figure on the bed shivering.
“Benefactor,” a soft, hesitant voice, the source of Yu Lin’s anger.
A man lay on his bed, his long hair spread across the pillow, his skin pale and luminous, his features delicate, his beauty undeniable, his legs crossed like a serpent’s, the white snake in human form, its eyes fixed on Chen Henian.
It was thrown from the bed, landing on the floor with a thud, its head bowed, its hair covering its face, coughing, trying to crawl towards Chen Henian, its body frozen, as if pinned down by an unseen force.
The ghost’s aura, oppressive and terrifying, its power undeniable, the white snake trembling, its body cold, a wave of nausea rising in its throat.
“What are you doing?” Chen Henian turned to Yu Lin, his voice calm. “It’s just a small snake, it hasn’t done anything to offend you, why are you treating it like this?”
“A lowly creature, defiling your bed,” Yu Lin’s voice was cold, his eyes burning with anger.
“It brings me pleasure, how is that defilement?” Chen Henian replied, his voice indifferent. “I invited it. I need someone to warm my bed. What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s not allowed,” Yu Lin said firmly.
“Reason,” Chen Henian bent down, helping the trembling Xiao Bai to its feet. It transformed back into a snake, quickly slithering away, disappearing beneath the bed.
“It’s a snake, and a man.”
“So what? I don’t mind,” Chen Henian said.
Yu Lin’s face, a flicker of surprise, then a mask of anger.
“Then I’ll kill it!”
“You’re not allowed.”
“You want to kill it?” Chen Henian’s voice rose. “You’re going to control who I share my bed with?”
Yu Lin’s brow furrowed. “No one is allowed in your bed.”
“Then I’ll die alone,” Chen Henian retorted. “I’m old enough for a bed companion.”
“Then why not me?!” Yu Lin’s voice rose, then he paused, his words echoing in the silent room. “If you allow those disgusting creatures in your bed, then why not me?”
“You said such transgressions are forbidden.”
“They’re not,” Yu Lin replied, his voice firm.
Chen Henian tilted his head, his eyes narrowed. “Then you lied to me. What’s the punishment for that?”
“I deserve to be punished,” Yu Lin said.
“And you will be,” Chen Henian glared at him. “Your punishment is to share my bed.”
“Come to bed, stop standing there like a fool,” he said, removing his outer clothes, slipping beneath the blankets. “And control your aura, are you trying to freeze me to death?”
Yu Lin lowered his head, the room’s temperature rising, his form shifting, a long, dark shape beneath the blankets, his body beside Chen Henian’s.
Chen Henian lay on his side, ignoring Yu Lin’s gaze, his breathing shallow, his hair, unbound, falling across his collarbone.
The bed was large, but their bodies, close together, created a sense of intimacy, a shared warmth, Yu Lin listening to the soft rhythm of his breath, his gaze fixed on Chen Henian’s back, unable to resist, his lips brushing against the back of his neck, the small red mole a focal point, a secret treasure.
Then he heard Chen Henian’s voice, soft and low.
“Are you only brave enough to kiss me in my sleep?”
“How many times have you done this?”
Chen Henian’s eyes were open, his gaze clear and unwavering. “Why don’t you kiss me when I’m awake?”
Yu Lin froze, his mouth open slightly, his voice lost.
“Do you want to kiss me again?” Chen Henian asked.
Yu Lin didn’t answer, his actions a response, his lips pressing against Chen Henian’s, a soft, fleeting touch.
Chen Henian smiled, the touch like a snowflake on his lips. “You can kiss me longer,” he said.
Yu Lin’s lips returned, his tongue, cold and wet, tracing the outline of Chen Henian’s mouth, the soft touch awakening something within him, his heart, long dormant, beating once more, his tongue parting his lips, tasting his skin, his blood, his essence, his kiss deep and urgent, possessive.
His hand cupped the back of Chen Henian’s neck, pulling him closer.
Chen Henian’s lips were warm, the faint scent of wine lingering on his breath, a sweet taste that intoxicated Yu Lin, a dream within a dream.
Yu Lin didn’t breathe, but Chen Henian’s breath hitched, his initial surprise fading as their tongues tangled, his hand reaching up, cupping Yu Lin’s cold face, his own cheeks flushed, a smile playing on his lips. “You’re such a fool,” he murmured.
“Did you know? That night, I was awake too.”
