Gu Fuzhou repeatedly pondered the words ânot necessarilyâ. Lin Qingyu did ânot necessarilyâ not miss him; did ânot necessarilyâ only like girls.
How exactly was he supposed to take this? Why wonât Lin Qingyu just answer him directly? Could it be that Lin Qingyu was⌠not exactly in love -- don't lie -- but just liked him a little?
He wanted to ask more questions, but the tipsy great beauty had already closed his eyes, though he still clutched the corner of his sleeve.
Gu Fuzhou consoled himself: No rush, no rush. Take it slowly. This is also a kind of sincerity. It takes time for a straight man to turn into a cut-sleeve. He was able to carry Lin Qingyu after having known each other for two years. At the rate they were going, he might just be able to kiss his forehead in another eight or ten years.
Oh, shit.
The sobering soup was useless at this point. Gu Fuzhou took off his clothes and lay down beside Lin Qingyu. Once again, he was sleeping in the same bed with Lin Qingyu and his reaction showed no signs of fading. He didnât expect that a body in its thirties would be so energetic even after drinking alcohol. It was making him feel a little uncomfortable.
However, this body truly hasnât vented for a very long time and enduring it any longer would be bad for the body.
Gu Fuzhou spent a little while just looking at Lin Qingyuâs sleeping face. Looking at it sent his heart aflame. He then looked around the room â the towels he could use for wiping and cleaning were on the shelf a few steps away from the bed; there was no hot water in the house and if he really were to do something, he would have to call someone to bring in water to wash his hands. It was so cold outside and the bed was oh so warm.
Gu Fuzhou hesitated. He hesitated and hesitated again. In the end, he chose to simply lie down and accept his fate.
Forget it. Just go to sleep. You wonât have to think about it when youâre asleep. Maybe thereâll be something exciting in his dreams.
On the first day of the new year, Lin Qingyu got up half an hour later than usual. Occasionally, drinking a little wine helps him sleep. He slept very well last night. When he woke up, he felt good but he was a little thirsty.
Lin Qingyu moved a little and his back bumped into a warm and firm chest. He had only been tipsy last night and he remembered clearly what had he said and done. When Gu Fuzhou went to bed, he hadnât even fallen completely asleep yet.
Gu Fuzhou had asked him if he still only likes women. Lu Wancheng also asked him this question once before he died.
The two answers he gave were completely different. So, what did Gu Fuzhou think? He still remembered that the day after he married Lu Wancheng, Lu Wancheng kept saying that he wasnât gay. Later, he kept pestering him to be friends, insisting that they call each other brothers. Being a cut-sleeve, this kind of thing, has to be done together. If one person cuts and the other doesnât, it will only bring more troubles.
Lin Qingyu stayed lying down for a while before he tried getting up. He was lying on the inside of the bed and the way out was completely blocked by Gu Fuzhou, who was sleeping on the outside. If he wanted to get out, the only way was by stepping over Gu Fuzhou.
Gu Fuzhou was sound asleep. Usually, at this hour, the earth quaking and the mountains shaking couldnât get him to wake up. Lin Qingyu felt that he didnât have to worry about it but he still lightened his movements. Unexpectedly, just as he was halfway over, Gu Fuzhou suddenly turned over, causing him to topple to a sit over Gu Fuzhouâs waist.
Although Lin Qingyu was thin, he was an adult man nonetheless. The sudden force down, caused Gu Fuzhou to frown and he very reluctantly opened his eyes.
The moment Lin Qingyu locked eyes with him, for the first time in Lin Qingyuâs life, he felt completely at a loss as to what to do. His current posture didnât seem right.
Lin Qingyuâs hair was very long and seated over the manâs waist, the blue silk of his hair cascaded over his shoulders, some strands falling to his chest. Gu Fuzhou looked for a while but because he was too sleepy, he closed his eyes once again.
Lin Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to resume his getting out of bed, when a pair of hands closed around his waist on either side.
Gu Fuzhou still had his eyes closed, his voice low and smiling, âThinking of escaping?â
Lin Qingyu said calmly, âI want to get some water.â
Gu Fuzhou tried scaring him, âIf you get up early on the first day of the new year, you will be forced to get up early throughout the rest of the year.â
Lin Qingyu laughed. âWaking up early is nothing to me â now let go. Iâm really thirsty.â
Gu Fuzhou didnât allow him to get up. He hugged him back and then stuffed him back into the quilt. Lin Qingyu saw that he was mouthing some words and when he looked closer, he found that he was actually counting down. âFive, four, threeâŚâ
When he reached âoneâ, Gu Fuzhou suddenly opened his eyes. He lifted the quilt and got out of bed, strode to the charcoal stove and quickly poured a cup of tea, bringing it immediately to Lin Qingyu. As soon as Lin Qingyu took the tea cup, he burrowed back under the quilt. âItâs so cold, so cold. Iâm going to freeze.â
The tea has been warmed on the charcoal stove and was slightly hot. Lin Qingyu sat on the bed, taking small sips. The dryness in his throat due to drinking the night before was quickly relieved.
Gu Fuzhou, wrapped in the quilt, watched the beauty drinking morning tea. Heâd wanted to relieve himself last night but gave up the idea because it was too cold. It wasnât much warmer in the wee hours of the morning than at night but he was unexpectedly able to get himself up within ten seconds for Lin Qingyu, going to the other room to bring him back tea.
Gu Fuzhou couldnât help feeling emotional: Fuck, I really like him.
Lin Qingyu slowly finished his cup of tea. Gu Fuzhou took the empty cup and put it on the side of the bed. âNot that youâre no longer thirsty, can you stay in bed with me?â
Lin Qingyu said, âTodayâs a rest day. No oneâs going to stop you from staying in bed. Why do you want to drag me along?â
Gu Fuzhou smiled and said, âItâs boring by myself but with two of us, we can talk.â
âWhat do you want to talk about?â
Gu Fuzhou thought about it and said, âWhy donât we play Connect-the-words?â
Lin Qingyu glanced at him. âA game that Qinghe stopped playing when he was five? Are you sure you want to play that?â
âOh, does Doctor Lin think my game too childish? Okay, then letâs discuss how one becomes a true and proper wild king.â
Lin Qingyu wondered, âWhy would you want to be a true and proper wild turtle?â
âŚ
The two of them were nestled under the quilt, exchanging inconsequential chatter. In the blink of an eye, it was already three poles high in the sun. Save for when he was sick, Lin Qingyu had never gotten up so late. A rotten apple spoils the barrel. Being in close contact with this bag of lazybones for so long, even he couldnât help being lazy occasionally.
However, he had to admit that having a lie-in with Gu Fuzhou in the middle of winter felt really good.
Gu Fuzhou had no parents and there no guests would come to the mansion on the first day of the new year. After freshening up, the two took their noon meal together. The servants who stayed in the mansion to celebrate the New Year came one after another to give their New Yearâs greetings to the master, offering auspicious words. Lin Qingyu had Yuan Yin to take out the pre-prepared rewards and distributed them to the servants one by one. Among them, Huan Tong and Hua Lu were undoubtedly the most rewarded, several times higher than the others.
When Huan Tong got the money gift, he beamed, âThank you, Young Master. Thank you, General. I wish for the Young Master to have all your wishes come true. May the General grow younger with every passing year â Achoo.â
Lin Qingyu asked, âHave you caught a cold?â
Huan Tong wiped his nose with the back of his finger and complained, âItâs been really cold these past couple days. Itâs like an ice cellar under the quilts when I sleep.â
Gu Fuzhouâs tone was lazy. âIt canât be, it canât be. There are actually still people without a wife to warm their bed in winter?â
Huan Tong: ââŚâ
Lin Qingyu threw a look at Gu Fuzhou, signaling him to shut his mouth. He summoned Yuan Yin and said, âMake the arrangements. The amount of charcoal in each room is to be doubled during winter.â
After the crowd of servants dispersed, Gu Fuzhou took out a heavy purse. âHappy New Year, Qingyu. Hereâs my money gift for you.â
Lin Qingyu was puzzled. âYouâre younger than I am. Why are you giving me New Yearâs money?â
Gu Fuzhou said, âIn terms of physical age, Iâm twelve years older than you. And in my hometown, the husband prepares New Yearâs money for his wife.â
Lin Qingyu smiled. âThank you.â
Gu Fuzhou smiled as well. âIâve given you my New Yearâs greetings. Would you like saying one back?â
âAlright.â Lin Qingyu flicked his sleeves, put his hands in front of him, closed his eyes and bowed slightly to Gu Fuzhou, âFirst, a thousand years to langjun and second, to the qieshen, perpetual health.â
Lin Qingyuâs attitude was dignified and magnanimous, a graceful bearing befitting a learned scholar. In contrast, Gu Fuzhou immediately felt that his New Yearâs greeting just now felt like a childâs playing house.
He knew this poem â and it was about a couple making a toast and exchanging wishes at a spring banquetâLin Qingyu used it to pay his New Yearâs greetings to his husband.
Gu Fuzhou imitated Lin Qingyuâs movements, bending over to return the salute, âThird, like the swallows perched on roof beams, may we see each other year after year.â
News that Xiao Jie had been conferred the title of feudal king on New Yearâs Eve didnât reach the Generalâs mansion until that afternoon. Hearing that Xiao Jie was proclaimed âKing Ningâ, Gu Fuzhou said, âKing Ning? Good choice. All throughout history, there has never been a King Ning who hasnât wanted to rise in revolt.â
âWrong.â Lin Qingyu corrected him, âWe donât want to rise in revolt; we want conspire against the state.â
There was a difference between revolting and conspiring against the state. The former focused on military power, while the latter focused on strategy. Unless absolutely necessary, Lin Qingyu did not want to use the troops, nor did he want to seize the throne from the Xiao Clan. What he wanted was a change of rule in the palace. The country may have a ruler surnamed Xiao, but it will not be Xiao Cheng.
Gu Fuzhou smiled and said, âMy wife is the only person who can use the words âconspire against the stateâ in such an understated way.â
On the second day of the new year, Lin Qingyu and Gu Fuzhou stayed in the Lin Mansion. On the third day, Lin Qingyu was called by the emperor to the palace to diagnose his pulse.
In the palace, he happened to run into Xiao Jie, who had just finished offering his New Yearâs greetings to the emperor. Xiao Jie came out of the emperorâs chambers with an anxious look on his face. He was dressed in an azurite princeâs robes, looking very preoccupied.
Lin Qingyu stopped to salute Xiao Jie, âGreetings to His Highness.â
Xiao Jie smiled when he saw him, showing his fine white teeth. âItâs Doctor Lin. Are you here to examine my Imperial Father?â
âYes.â Lin Qingyu said, âCongratulations to Your Highness. I heard that the prince was made feudal king. The General and I were looking for an auspicious day to visit the prince and offer our congratulations.â
âSigh, please donât mention this.â Xiao Jie waved his hand, âThis King Ning, feudal king matter is all nonsense.â
Lin Qingyu asked knowingly, âWhy do you say that?â
Xiao Jie grumbled, âMy Imperial Father has no intention of letting me be an idle king. Heâs already given me an assignment!â
Lin Qingyuâs lips curved slightly. âIs this not a good thing?â
âWhat about this is good? He asked me to go to the Ministry of Revenue and work with Nanâan Hou to raise funds for the provisions of the army in the Northwest for the coming year. But I donât know anything about all that! My Imperial Father handed over that sort of thing to my older brother, the Crown Prince before. I donât know why heâs suddenly throwing this to me.â
âYour Highness, there is no need to worry.â Lin Qingyu comforted, âI think Steward Xi may be able to share your worries for you.â
Xiao Jie sighed. âI certainly hope so.â Xiao Jie seemed to remember something and added, âBy the way, Doctor Lin, AâRong told me yesterday that you forgot to tell him the secret behind the tea. He was planning on going to the Generalâs Mansion to ask Doctor Lin for it.â
Lin Qingyu smiled lightly. âMay I inconvenience Your Highness? Kindly tell him that Iâll be waiting.â