Chapter 83

After Sang Chi spoke, he stood outside the window waiting. But after a long time, no one in the room responded, and the courtyard was utterly silent, as if he were the only one there.

Sang Chi knew there was definitely someone inside. Not only had the thick Demon Qi yet to dissipate, but his sensitive ears had also picked up faint sounds from within: sticky water noises, suppressed sobs, and even the sounds of kissing.

“Stop pretending. I know someone’s in there.”

Seeing them act like they weren’t home, Sang Chi felt stifled inside. He knocked on the window and said, “Qixue, I know what you’re doing. You don’t need to be shy. I’m just here to check on you. Do you want to come back with me?”

This time, Qixue finally spoke. His voice trembled terribly, sweet and cloying like it had been dusted with sugar: “I’m fine. I don’t want to go with you. Since you already know, why don’t you leave quickly? I-I… ah!”

Hearing Qixue say that, Sang Chi felt even more sour and heartbroken, as if he could wring acid from it.

It had been three days already—surely they were done by now? Even an iron rod would have been worn down to a needle.

What made Sang Chi the most jealous was Qixue’s own attitude. He had originally worried that Qixue might have been forced, but now it seemed Qixue wasn’t unwilling either. It was as if Sang Chi had interrupted their good time.

“Then you…”

His voice was a bit dry. He licked his parched lips and asked softly, “Then when can you come out? Your eyes aren’t better yet. Luxiangqiu and I are both worried about you. At least let me bring in some medicine for your eyes.”

“No need.”

A cold male voice suddenly interrupted their conversation: “I’ve already applied medicine to Qixue. He’s fine. There’s no need for outsiders to worry about our affairs.”

“Is that what you call applying medicine… Mm! No, stop—stop quickly, ah…”

The sounds from the room were no longer suppressed—or rather, Qixue couldn’t suppress them anymore. Sang Chi suddenly gripped the window frame tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hand. “At least let me see you once. I’ll leave after I see you. Otherwise, I won’t feel at ease.”

After a moment of silence, the window was pushed open slightly from inside. A hand as white and delicate as porcelain reached out. Sang Chi’s body stiffened slightly. Following the slender arm upward, he saw scattered kiss marks growing more numerous until they blanketed his chest in a connected red expanse.

Qixue’s watery eyes, brimming with tears, met Sang Chi’s gaze. His black hair cascaded over his shoulders, his flushed face extending red to his neck. His lips were kissed swollen, and even his thin eyelids bore faint teeth marks. He was breathtakingly beautiful, like a fruit ripened to bursting, exuding a seductive allure that pierced to the bone.

“Have you looked enough…”

His body swayed slightly, the ruby pendant swaying and glinting. Drops of milk fell one after another. “I’m going to close…” He took a shallow breath, trying hard not to let his voice distort. “Close the window.”

Sang Chi pressed down on the back of his hand, his gaze lingering downward. “Not enough.”

Qixue was both shy and angry. He reached out to close the window, but Sang Chi blocked the frame with his hand. “Why are you closing it so quickly? Didn’t you say you weren’t afraid to let me see?”

“What nonsense are you spouting…” Qixue slapped at his hand, but his whole body was limp and powerless, unable to push away Sang Chi’s arm. “When did I ever let you see?”

Sang Chi gripped his wrist. Seeing the marks all over his body, it would be a lie to say it didn’t hurt, yet he couldn’t help being drawn to him.

He said, “Have you forgotten your trial to descend the mountain? You didn’t just strip naked for me—you even wanted to strip in front of all the demons, to let them see how beautiful you are.”

Qixue felt the broad hand pressing into the hollow of his waist suddenly tighten. In the next moment, he couldn’t stand steadily and awkwardly slumped over the windowsill, curling up his body. “Xie—!”

He couldn’t speak. His tongue tip protruded as he dry-heaved slightly, saliva dripping uncontrollably to the ground. His beautiful eyes lost focus, rolling back slightly, and in an instant, his whole person was dazed.

Sang Chi stared in stunned silence. Xie Shu’s cold, stern face appeared behind Qixue. He reached out with a long arm to close the window. “Thanks for letting me know.”

Bang.

The inside and outside of the room were once again separated into two worlds. Sang Chi stood quietly for a long time before finally turning and leaving.

Inside the room.

Xie Shu gripped Qixue’s throat from behind with his palm, pushing his chin upward and forcing him to raise his head. “Strip naked for others to see?”

Qixue clutched his small abdomen, which protruded in outline, gasping softly. He had already started crying. “That was… a misunderstanding. I can explain. It’s all Sang Chi’s fault…”

Xie Shu: “He wanted you to display your body in front of everyone?”

“…” Qixue fell silent, his body tensing guiltily as he buried his head deeply.

Xie Shu’s breathing grew disordered for a moment. Seeing Qixue’s reaction, how could he not understand who was truly outrageous?

“You always do this, Qixue.”

He wrapped one arm around Qixue’s waist and lifted him off the ground, leaving his feet dangling in the air.

Losing support, Qixue cried out in panic and instinctively reached forward for something to grab. But since Xie Shu was still behind him, he grasped at empty air, catching nothing.

Xie Shu carried him into the canopy bed. Sturdy wooden beams crossed above the canopy, strong enough to bear weight. He conjured two silk ribbons that threaded through the beams, binding Qixue’s wrists one on each side and suspending him slightly.

The height at which Xie Shu hung Qixue was very precise—it didn’t leave him fully airborne but forced him to stand on tiptoe. Standing like that for a while, however, would make Qixue’s legs ache and go numb.

Of course, he could choose to lean back instead. Behind him was Xie Shu, who could hold him up and spare him the discomfort.

But that would come at another cost: he would have to please Xie Shu.

“Husband… I’m sorry. I really know I was wrong. Please spare me…”

As soon as his wrists were bound, Qixue shamelessly begged Xie Shu for mercy. He strained backward to nestle into Xie Shu’s embrace, coquettishly sweet and soft.

“I had only just transformed into human form back then. I didn’t understand human customs, etiquette, or shame. You can’t entirely blame me.”

Qixue lifted one foot, rubbing Xie Shu’s calf softly with his sole, trying to awaken the tender side in his heart.

“After descending the mountain, I’ve never done anything like that again… You should know, I spent over a hundred years as a naked rabbit. Can’t you take pity on me and spare this innocent little rabbit?”

Xie Shu’s tone was cold as he slapped the underside of his waist several times in succession. “I’m teaching you etiquette and shame.”

A few sharp slaps, and Qixue flushed crimson with ears burning, his expression one of humiliated fury. This damn slippery eel—how dare he spank his butt again? Was this teaching etiquette and shame? No, it was teaching shamelessness!

“You object?”

Though Xie Shu couldn’t see Qixue’s face, he keenly sensed his mood and added, “Do you want to argue with me?”

“I don’t…”

Qixue’s tone immediately softened. He pleaded, “What will it take for you to forgive me?”

Xie Shu stroked his hair. “Show your ears and rabbit tail.”

Reluctantly, Qixue sprouted his rabbit ears and tail. Feeling Xie Shu toy with the soft rabbit ears in his palm, Qixue fumed inwardly—he knew this old guy really wanted to play with his rabbit ears!

The long dragon tail, unwilling to be left out, coiled around the fluffy rabbit tail like a ball of fur. They truly mated like that, and Qixue, embarrassed by the tail entanglement, couldn’t help but twist his waist—only to get two more spanks from Xie Shu.

Always getting spanked like this, Qixue suddenly felt the urge to relieve himself. Though he had been fasting these past few days, he still drank water regularly and had to go a few times a day.

He shook the silk ribbons on his wrists and coquetted to Xie Shu. “Husband, let me down. I need to pee.”

Xie Shu glanced at him. “Handle it like this.”

“What…?” Thinking Xie Shu might not have heard clearly, Qixue repeated, “You might have misheard. I mean, I need to…”

“Handle it like this,” Xie Shu said. “I’ll clean up afterward. So, please me.”

“Impossible!” Qixue’s face turned beet red. He struggled in extreme shame and fury. “I won’t do it here… Don’t even think about it, you perverted old eel!”

“Is that so?”

Xie Shu said lightly, “No problem. We have time. I’ll wait for you to change your mind.”