Yang Lianting loved him the most when Dongfang Bubai faced him with this unparalleled elegance unique beneath the heavens that was accompanied by a doting and submissive tolerance. At this moment, he felt moved beyond words.
Raising his hand to tenderly stroke across Dongfang’s cheek, deliberately lowering his deep voice he smiled warmly and said, “Seeing that innkeeper’s surprised look, I almost wanted to ask him what’s so strange about sharing a room with my own wife?”
Dongfang Bubai’s cheeks blushed vivid red.
“What nonsense are you saying?”
“Who’s your wife!” Dongfang Bubai glared at Yang Lianting in embarrassment. His whole body felt awkward, but he did not know how to refute him. For a while his glance wandered about and then he lightly mumbled, “This Seat is the world’s first, the Invincible East, how dare you be this disrespectful–”
“Disrespectful?”
Yang Lianting could no longer endure. Laughing deeper and deeper, he firmly placed his hands on both sides of the chair and enclosed Dongfang Bubai between his arms. Lowering his head, he lightly kissed him on his lips like a dragonfly rippling water. Raising his head again, he asked him, “Cult Master, do you think this is disrespectful?”
Without waiting for Dongfang Bubai’s response, he quickly lowered his head once again.
Deep and earnest kiss.
Teeth entwined, closely tearing and biting.
Tongues entwined, lovingly licking and sucking.
Yang Lianting could not bear to part from his lips and teeth, could not bear to tear himself away from him. He seemed to taste something incredibly rare and precious.
Loving and domineering.
Initially, he had only wanted to lightly kiss him but after their lips touched he only felt a boom in his mind and wanted to hold the one in his arms a little closer, a little tighter. He wanted to be as mutually dependent as their lips and teeth[38] in this lifetime, this was his own humble wish for the future.
Chest rising and falling faintly he felt his entire body heat up.
Dongfang Bubai felt a little uncomfortable at first but the one who kissed him was Yang Lianting. He slowly relaxed his stiff body, cautiously raised his hands, and returned their embrace by hugging Yang Lianting’s back. Lifting his head, he gently and softly responded to Yang Lianting’s kiss.
Feeling Dongfang Bubai’s subtle response, he could not help but take a deep breath and tighten his hold around the one before him. In truth, Yang Lianting himself did not know why he could not refrain from falling into deep reverie when he felt Dongfang Bubai’s body, despite him being a man like himself.
Just by being this close together, looking at his shining eyes, smelling his familiar scent, kissing his red cheeks and mouth, touching his lips and teeth, his breath turned unstable and he could not keep himself from wanting even more.
Dusk fell outside the windows, the remaining sunlight faintly shining into the room. Bright light and deep shadows both tinted Dongfang Bubai’s profile in a distinct beauty. Skin pale and eyes slightly closed, trustingly and dependently enjoying their kiss.
Towards others this person in red was cold and aloof, proud and indifferent, but only in his arms was he this peacefully quiet and supple, showed this sweet and indulgent expression.
Yang Lianting gazed at his face and for a moment he felt time endlessly flow like water, his past and present life passing before his eyes like a mighty torrent of time. With a loud rumble, his heart burst as if he had finally found what he had lost a long time ago. The deep crevice in his heart that had repressed him for two lifetimes was entirely filled in this moment, his old self finally saw all that he had been unable to see.
Beauty like jade.
“Dongfang, you don’t know how beautiful you look.” Yang Lianting’s voice sounded faintly hoarse. Lightly panting, his eyes burning in a dark red luster and a hidden current surging beneath, he asked in a restrained tone, “Did you take a good rest these last few days? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”
“Lian di, it’s still daytime, you–”
Dongfang Bubai clearly understood what Yang Lianting was implying when he asked him if he still felt any discomfort. Yang Lianting’s gaze made his heartbeat quicken and his cheeks burn bright red, his entire body felt awkward. If anyone else dared to make him feel this awkward and embarrassed in the slightest, he would definitely raise his palm to let them lie flat on the ground and turn them into a corpse then and there.
But the one before him was Yang Lianting. Thinking of him, seeing him, and being touched by him felt like savoring a cup of strong wine, savoring a cup of irresistibly sweet poisoned wine[39] without any strength to resist. It felt like drinking a cup of honey filled with secret expectations of joy and love.
‘We bowed thrice to ourselves, to heaven and earth.’
Indeed, we’re truly married.
Dongfang Bubai turned his face away to hide his burning red cheeks and tried to keep his voice calm and composed. Raising his chin, he lightly coughed and arrogantly stated, “This Seat is the world’s first and has naturally recovered a long time ago–”
Before he could finish speaking, Yang Lianting picked him up and directly carried him to the bed. Laying Dongfang Bubai’s whole body on the bed, he said, “Cult Master, since you’re better already this Subordinate can rest assured and indulge–”
Yang Lianting laughed in a low voice, stretched out his hand to pull down the bed curtains, but before he could make a move a sound came from outside the door.
Knock, knock–
“Guests, the dishes you ordered are ready!” The inn’s waiter knocked against the door and the aroma of a freshly cooked meal could be faintly smelled, “Guests, guests, the food’s ready!”
The mood was destroyed in an instant.
Yang Lianting took a deep breath and stared towards the door with a dark and resentful expression. Dongfang Bubai looked at his expression and could not help but laugh out loud.
Yang Lianting froze. In truth, he rarely heard him laugh like this. A lifetime ago, Dongfang had always felt inferior and been overly sensitive, had always been silent and restrained his every word and action afraid of provoking his dislike and attracting his disgust, had always hid his bitter loneliness behind a faint hollow smile.
Dongfang Bubai may not have undergone the same torture as in the past, but he was still sensitive and indifferent, kept anyone at a distance of a thousand li. Seeing him freely open up his heart and cheerfully laugh without restraint was truly rare, listening to him loudly laugh like fast flowing water without any misgivings nor vigilance, at this moment Yang Lianting felt the cool spring breeze carry countless white flower petals that suddenly sprouted towards him from far away. He felt the myriad dark green leaves of the sago cycad[40] tilt downward and overwhelm him. All of the chaotic thoughts from before vanished and only the one before him remained. Softly striking his heart, resounding deafeningly.
Meeting his gaze, Dongfang Bubai felt a little embarrassed. He shoved him away, “What are you doing? Go and open the door already.”
“Dongfang, you should laugh more from now on.” He lightly coughed to cover up his momentary daze and quickly pressed a gentle kiss on his forehead, he then stood up and opened the door for the waiter.
“You look great when you smile.” Yang Lianting sincerely complimented him, but he was heard by the waiter who walked in with the dishes. The waiter halted and then simple-mindedly scratched the back of his head.
“Honored Guest, even if you say so we waiters must brightly smile towards all guests, if we don’t–”
The waiter had not finished speaking, before Yang Lianting glared at him and interrupted, “I’m talking about him, not you.” Following the direction of Yang Lianting’s gaze, the waiter glanced toward Dongfang Bubai too and stood still, staring blankly.
Dongfang, dressed entirely in red, black hair draped over his shoulders like a waterfall, stood up from the bed and walked next to Yang Lianting. Standing side by side, he dulled his sharpness and indifference with such a quiet and supple appearance.
“In… Indeed… really good-looking.”
Dongfang Bubai frowned and raised his hand, silver needles instantly appearing between his fingers. Seeing their glint, Yang Lianting hurriedly stepped forward and gripped his hand. After taking away the dishes held by the waiter, he quickly pushed him out of the room.
“I dislike being stared at like that.” Dongfang Bubai frowned, his tone cold as ice.
“I don’t like it either.” Yang Lianting took hold of the man’s hand again and pulled him to sit down at the table with him. He ladled him a bowl of steaming light congee and stated, “I don’t like others looking at you like I do.”
Dongfang Bubai shook his head, “It’s different.”
Hearing his reply, Yang Lianting could not help but smile as he placed the bowl of congee and a pair of chopsticks before him “My Dongfang is too good-looking.”
“Occasionally I think about whether or not I should construct a hidden courtyard on Blackwood Cliff. Just the two of us living inside peacefully, no one else knowing the way in.” As he spoke, Yang Lianting could not keep himself from smiling wryly and letting out a long sigh. To hold absolute authority in the palm of his hand and to avoid Dongfang Bubai’s affection, he had built that isolated courtyard, with the small and elegant house beside the flower garden, and kept that man in red within as if he were imprisoned. At present, he still wanted to construct that hidden courtyard, but contrary to the past, he now wished to build it so the two of them could live in peace and quiet without being distrubed by anyone.
“I had a dream.” Dongfang Bubai paused and hesitated to speak. Glancing at Yang Lianting, he cautiously continued, “On the day we married, I woke up in the middle of the night. Back then, I wanted to tell you what I dreamt but then I saw you wear black to kill Ren Woxing.”
Yang Lianting coughed, touched his nose and said nothing.
Dongfang Bubai naturally did not mind and continued, “That night, I dreamt of a beautifully built house surrounded by countless flowers and a pond, birds and insects flying about.”
“No one other than me lived inside the courtyard. It felt quiet and peaceful as I embroidered wearing a woman’s dress, as if I were patiently waiting for you to return.”
Listening to him speak, Yang Lianting’s heart skipped a beat and his frantic breath shortened. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Dongfang Bubai with a forced and crooked smile. He tried his best to keep his tone calm and collected as he cautiously asked, “Dongfang, what else did you dream of?”
Dongfang Bubai shook his head, not noticing the strangeness in Yang Lianting’s tone, and only recalled that night’s dream.
“I can’t clearly remember everything but thinking about it…”
“If I could put aside all the cult affairs and live like an actual woman, embroider and weave clothes for you, cook for you…” Dongfang Bubai smiled gently, his long eyelashes casting fan-shaped shadows over his red cheeks. He gently continued, “That would be quite nice as well.”
Yang Lianting only felt confusion and chaos within his heart. Never would he have thought that Dongfang Bubai would dream of the events from their previous life. For a moment, he lost his mind. Forcing himself to feign calmness, to act as if nothing was wrong he pulled up the corners of his mouth into a smile. Lowering his head, he tightly took hold of Dongfang Bubai’s hand to interlock their fingers. Feeling skin against skin, feeling his body’s warm temperature, he was finally able to calm down a little.
“Dongfang, if we really build that courtyard, I’ll definitely… I’ll definitely not make you wait for me to come home all alone day after day.” Yang Lianting took a deep breath, promising him in a hoarse voice, “I… I’ll always be with you, I’ll never let you be lonely.”
“Alright, let’s eat quickly.” Yang Lianting calmed down and smiled at Dongfang Bubai, unwilling to let him discover his own chaotic mind. He suggested, “After we’ve eaten, let’s take a look around and go for a walk. Didn’t the innkeeper tell us that there’s a firework festival this evening?” Yang Lianting tenderly stroked Dongfang Bubai’s hand. “Isn’t your life on Blackwood Cliff a bit tedious and mundane? Let’s just take a break, alright?”
Initially, Dongfang Bubai wanted to refuse him, he had never liked crowded events nor loud and bustling places. He especially hated coming into close contact with anyone. But once his eyes met Yang Lianting’s, he lightly pursed his lips.
If Lian di wants to go–
He gently nodded, “Fine, let’s have a look after dinner.”