Chapter 22: Drunken Kiss
Chu Yi was truly puzzled. He and Sheng Qianheng were both dressed as men, so they shouldn’t have been mistaken for a husband and wife.
Could it be that this book’s world was so accepting of male relationships? But he had carefully observed the streets and hadn’t seen any other male couples holding hands so openly like him and Sheng Qianheng.
Seeing that Sheng Qianheng didn’t seem to have any intention of answering, he had to let it go.
The two entered a restaurant and ordered many of the house specialties.
Chu Yi was indeed hungry and focused on eating, paying no attention to Sheng Qianheng beside him. Sheng Qianheng, on the other hand, carefully picked up food for Chu Yi.
Seeing the small mountain piling up in his bowl, Chu Yi, his cheeks puffed out, looked back at Sheng Qianheng. “Your Maj—… uh… Sheng Qianheng, you should eat more too.”
Sheng Qianheng nodded but didn’t stop picking up food for him. “You should eat more. You’re a bit too thin.”
Chu Yi didn’t know his own weight at the moment, and there was no electronic scale to weigh himself. “I don’t think so. I seem to have gained quite a bit of weight.”
“It’s fine. You still need to eat more.” Sheng Qianheng had held Chu Yi many times; he was as light as a feather.
After finishing their midday meal and resting for a moment at the tavern, it was only after Lianfang’s reminder that they began to consider where to stay for the next few days.
Sheng Qianheng pinched Chu Yi’s cheek. Seeing his dazed look, he said, “No need to worry. We can just stay at your Chu residence.”
Chu Yi thought that although the Chu residence had his own guards, if he wanted to escape without being noticed, there would surely be obstacles.
It would be more convenient to rent a room at an inn. He took Sheng Qianheng’s hand and tried his best to find a reason. “A-Heng, if we still stay at my residence on this trip, what’s the difference from before?”
Sheng Qianheng was puzzled. Since there was a ready-made place to stay, why not use it?
“Then where do you want to stay?”
Chu Yi moved to the bench where Sheng Qianheng was sitting, wrapped his arms around his waist, stared at him for two seconds, and leaned close to his ear, saying with a half-smile, “Sheng Qianheng, don’t you want to try a different place?”
Sheng Qianheng’s hand, which was hanging by his side, slowly clenched. His Adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably. “Chu Yi, do you know what you’re saying?”
Chu Yi’s gaze fell on Sheng Qianheng’s already flushed neck and earlobes. Seeing his hesitation, he released his arms from around him, moved away on the bench, and lowered his head, whispering, “Since you’re not willing, then let’s just stay at my Chu residence.”
Sheng Qianheng closed his eyes. An echo of Chu Yi’s words just now seemed to ring in his ears, and the string in his mind was about to snap. On the verge of losing control, he told himself that it was broad daylight and he needed to calm down.
Chu Yi continued, “Then let’s go. Let’s go back to my residence to rest for a while. I’m tired from walking.”
Sheng Qianheng looked up, reached out to wrap an arm around Chu Yi’s waist, and pulled him back into his embrace. His voice was a little hoarse. “A-Yi, you have to keep your word.”
Chu Yi blinked several times unconsciously, staring nervously into Sheng Qianheng’s eyes. He hadn’t guessed wrong. Sheng Qianheng was not only a tyrant but also a bona fide fatuous ruler!
“We’re out to have fun these few days. Don’t keep tormenting me!”
Sheng Qianheng raised an eyebrow, then took Chu Yi’s hand and pressed it to his chest. “As long as our A-Yi is a little more obedient, it will naturally be much better.”
Chu Yi ignored Sheng Qianheng’s improper words. He lifted his foot and stomped on Sheng Qianheng’s, reminding him, “Control yourself in public.”
Chu Yi had wanted to stage a scene of getting separated from Sheng Qianheng in the crowded street, but Sheng Qianheng held his hand at all times, giving him no chance to break free.
He was forced to wander the bustling Chang’an Street with Sheng Qianheng for a full four hours. Chu Yi had only ever known that women shopped as if their lives depended on it. Now, he was accompanying this tyrant on a shopping trip that drained all his life force…
Sheng Qianheng took a set of clothes hanging on a rack, handed them to Chu Yi, and pushed him into the fitting room. “A-Yi, hurry and try this on. This set should suit you very well.”
Chu Yi sighed deeply, looked up at Sheng Qianheng, and pouted, “A-Heng, can we not try it on? I still have a lot of clothes. I don’t need to buy these…”
Sheng Qianheng’s smile instantly vanished. He said with a wronged expression, “How can one have too many clothes?”
Chu Yi couldn’t win against Sheng Qianheng and had no choice but to go back into the room to change. As he came out of the dressing room, he nearly bumped into a pregnant woman. Chu Yi was so scared he clutched his heart.
He saw that if the pregnant woman wasn’t supporting her belly, there would be almost no sign of her pregnancy. A plan suddenly formed in Chu Yi’s mind. If he could really stage a scene of getting separated from Sheng Qianheng, and if he could disguise himself as a pregnant woman with a big belly, he might be able to escape the search by Sheng Qianheng’s men at that time.
Sheng Qianheng had been staring blankly at a feather coat displayed in the center of the shop, about to ask the shopkeeper to wrap it up, when he noticed Chu Yi.
He hurried forward and asked Chu Yi, “Did you get bumped?”
Chu Yi shook his head. His mood suddenly lifted, and he accompanied Sheng Qianheng on his shopping for a long time.
At the yǒu hour, the two returned to the inn for their evening meal.
A storyteller in the inn was recounting strange tales of the Dragon Boat Festival and the Double Ninth Festival.
Only then did Chu Yi realize that it was almost the Dragon Boat Festival. It had been more than two months since he had transmigrated. The experiences of these two months had been truly thrilling.
The waiter brought a pot of wine that the two had ordered. After Chu Yi poured a cup for Sheng Qianheng, the two clinked their cups and drank it all in one go.
Chu Yi had been desperately looking for a chance to escape, but when he looked up, he noticed that Sheng Qianheng’s face was already flushed after just a few cups of wine. Could it be that Sheng Qianheng can’t hold his liquor?
He poured another cup for Sheng Qianheng, pretending to chat idly while actually plying him with wine. Back and forth, Chu Yi had the waiter bring several more pots of wine. In order to get Sheng Qianheng drunk, he also drank a lot, but not to the point of being drunk.
It wasn’t until Chu Yi saw Sheng Qianheng’s flushed face and swaying figure that he cheered in his heart that victory was at hand.
When the nearly dozen pots of wine on the table were finished, Chu Yi propped his head up with one hand, reached out in front of Sheng Qianheng with the other, and made a hand gesture, asking, “How many is this?”
Seeing that Chu Yi was already drunk, Sheng Qianheng played along with his nonsense. “This is one.”
Chu Yi looked at his own hand, which was making the gesture for “two,” and concluded that Sheng Qianheng was indeed drunk. He lay on the table, holding his stomach and laughing nonstop, muttering, “I’m really too smart. Get him drunk and let him sleep. Now I can run!”
Sheng Qianheng was particularly sensitive to the word “run” from Chu Yi’s mouth and took the opportunity to ask, “Where do you want to run to?”
Chu Yi shot up, his head drooping. “Naturally, the farther the better.”
Fearing that Chu Yi would fall backward, Sheng Qianheng immediately pulled him into his embrace, had him sit on his lap, and asked patiently, “Why do you want to run as far as possible?”
The faint floral scent made Chu Yi feel a wave of sleepiness. He murmured, “Why so many whys? Are you a ‘Ten Thousand Whys’?”
The inn was crowded and full of prying eyes, and the scents of various xìnxiāng were mixed together.
Sheng Qianheng always felt that he was more easily influenced by xìnxiāng after drinking. The gazes of the men and women passing by seemed to be ill-intentioned, and most of them lingered on Chu Yi.
He looked down and noticed that the back of Chu Yi’s neck was red. He immediately picked him up and prepared to go back to their room upstairs.
Sheng Qianheng remembered Imperial Physician Xu’s warning:
[The Young Master’s differentiation was abnormal, and his gland’s sensitivity is different from ordinary people. In an environment with mixed xìnxiāng, he is easily influenced and his Rain and Dew Period can be triggered.]
[Because the Young Master’s Rain and Dew Period was relieved by Your Majesty, if he experiences it again, it must be assisted by Your Majesty.]
Chu Yi felt the world spin. His already groggy head couldn’t figure out where he was.
Sheng Qianheng gently placed Chu Yi on the bed in the room, then stood up and instructed Lianfang to bring a basin of hot water, and ordered the rest of the people to go and rest.
It wasn’t until Lianfang brought the water into the room that Chu Yi sat up in a daze.
The alcohol rushed to his head. He felt a wave of heat and messily untied his belt. In an instant, his lapels were wide open…
Sheng Qianheng took the water basin from Lianfang. The moment he turned around, he froze. “Lianfang, you may withdraw. Rest well tonight.”
Only then did Lianfang withdraw.
Sheng Qianheng took a deep breath, placed the water basin in front of the bed, took a handkerchief from the rack, dipped it in water, and squatted down to wipe Chu Yi’s face.
Chu Yi unconsciously dodged, thinking it was the hotel’s room service. He complained, “What kind of service is this? It’s not comfortable at all! I’m going to give you a bad review!”
Sheng Qianheng ignored Chu Yi’s nonsense, his mind focused only on cleaning the drunk man.
The open clothes were easily removed without much effort.
The palm under the handkerchief felt the subtle, rolling contours, and beads of sweat couldn’t help but break out on his forehead.
Only after wiping his upper body did Sheng Qianheng let out a breath of relief. He looked at Chu Yi’s vacant eyes, and the corners of his lips couldn’t help but turn up.
He held the handkerchief and stood up slightly to meet Chu Yi’s eyes. Even though he knew he wouldn’t get a clear answer, he still asked, “Chu Yi, were you happy today?”
Chu Yi looked at the exquisite eyes that slowly appeared before him and couldn’t help but reach out to touch them. The pad of his finger gently stroked the defined brow bone, the bridge of the nose, until it landed on the lips. He said in a low voice, “What a handsome man.”
Sheng Qianheng considered himself good-looking. At least, since he was a child, Chu Yi had often praised him. Now, it hadn’t changed in over a decade. He figured Chu Yi must be very satisfied with his appearance.
“Then do you want to make the person before you your own?”
Chu Yi couldn’t understand the meaning of “make your own” for a moment. He pouted and “ummed” for a long time but didn’t reply. In his mind, he had never had the idea of possessing someone.
Sheng Qianheng knew he was very drunk. Seeing that he didn’t reply, he had no choice but to continue cleaning his lower body.
Just as he took a step back, he was pulled into an embrace by Chu Yi, with no way to retreat. He looked at Chu Yi’s hazy eyes and smiled faintly. And he wanted to get me drunk with this kind of alcohol tolerance? But his silly look after drinking was quite cute.
He raised a hand to rub the back of Chu Yi’s head and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”
Chu Yi’s gaze fell on Sheng Qianheng’s opening and closing lips. Those thin lips were moist and seemed to have a soft red glow. He only felt the taste of wine still lingering in his mouth, and he was very thirsty.
The moment he stood up, his body was unsteady, and he fell straight into Sheng Qianheng’s arms. He laughed, “You… I’m so thirsty… I want to drink…”
Sheng Qianheng subconsciously supported his narrow waist. Through the soft fabric of the middle garment, he seemed to be able to feel the contours underneath.
“I’ll go pour you a cup of water…”
Chu Yi shook his head. “I don’t want to drink water. I want to drink yours…”
The moment the words fell, Sheng Qianheng was enveloped by a drunken, wet heat, and instantly lost his reason…
