Liu Zhenqing had never been so embarrassed and nervous in his two lifetimes. No, in his three lifetimes. Although there were many men and women who liked him previously, now that it had become Er-gou, nothing felt right, ah.

This was the child he watched grow up like his own brother.

No matter how he thought, he couldn’t have imagined that such a day would come.

And although Great Zhou was open, most people were heterosexual. Er-gou had a brother and a sister-in-law at his side, and didn’t know anyone of that type. How did he suddenly become gay? What was even more important was that when Er-gou heard that a man wanted to marry Liu Zhenqing before, he…..wait, maybe he wasn’t disgusted at that time, but jealous?!

How old was he then, ah?!

The more Liu Zhenqing thought about it, the worse he felt. He seemed to have teased Er-gou many times after his rebirth, even when Er-gou got “morning wood” at his side. Liu Zhenqing really wanted to cover his face.

The back of his hand suddenly felt warm. Liu Zhenqing suddenly came to his senses and saw Er-gou touching his hand!!

Liu Zhenqing started to pull away, but his body stiffened and he looked at Huo Fenglie with awkward nervousness.

Why was he doing it in public? Was he not afraid that he would get angry? If he pierced this window paper, how would they get along in the future, ah!

“Didn’t you get a good rest?” Huo Fenglie asked with a frown.

Liu Zhenqing shook his head in discomfort, all of his attention on his hand.

Still touching, still touching. When had he become so comfortable taking a man’s hand?

God! The back of his hand felt hot.

Huo Fenglie raised his hand naturally, preparing to grab the fish in front of Liu Zhenqing.

Liu Zhenqing was taken aback for a moment, and quickly pressed down to protect his food. “What are you doing?”

“It’s cold and can’t be eaten.”

“It’s fine, I can eat it.” Liu Zhenqing quickly grabbed it. Huo Fenglie had worked so hard to make this, how could it be wasted?

“That won’t work, you have a bad stomach and can’t eat cold food.” Huo Fenglie frowned.

“When did I…..”

“Your body was poisoned for a long time when you were in the capital,” Huo Fenglie reminded.

Liu Zhenqing was stunned. He had almost forgotten. He watched with helpless eyes as Huo Fenglie took away the fish.

He originally thought Huo Fenglie was going to throw it away, but he actually took it and started to eat it.

Liu Zhenqing watched for a moment, and his pupils suddenly quivered. Hadn’t he taken a bite of that fish just now?

It was that spot!

Er-gou, h-h-he ate it directly?!

What was he trying to do! Why was he being so obvious, ah!

Er-gou’s intentions were so obvious. Why hadn’t he noticed at all in the past?

“Ya, Lao Qin, do you not want to eat? Then give it to me.”

On the other side, without waiting for a response from Qin Yu, He Lan snatched his half-eaten fish and ate it happily.

Liu Zhenqing: ……

Liu Zhenqing took a deep breath. Calm down. Be cool.

Perhaps he was being a little excessive.

Right, come to think of it, Huo Feihan used to finish his and Li Xingruo’s food and share a pot to drink wine.

Liu Zhenqing, who at first wanted to become an ostrich, suddenly seemed to have found a glimmer of hope. Compared to the way Huo Feihan was with him before, it seemed Er-gou was not so blatant. Could it be that he had misunderstood him, and in fact, Er-gou actually just regarded him as his closest brother?”

En, let’s not rush to conclusions, and just watch. For such a big matter, the evidence must be solid.

Liu Zhenqing lowered his head and ate the fresh fish Huo Fenglie had given him. It had no fish bones, and was well-selected.

After staying at Qingheng Mountain for a few hours, they were on their way again. Liu Zhenqing subconsciously magnified every small detail, constantly wavering between confirmation and denial.

After all, Liu Zhenqing really didn’t want to admit that the little brother sitting next to him had such thoughts about him.

It was awkward no matter how he thought about it.

And it made him feel uneasy at the moment.

The small carriage suddenly felt overcrowded, and Huo Fenglie’s presence could be felt everywhere. Even the cool aura of his body seemed to envelope Liu Zhenqing with heat.

But….he seemed to smell really good. There was something indescribable about it.

Liu Zhenqing’s body inadvertently leaned in. The carriage suddenly shook, and he fell into Huo Fenglie’s arms.

Before Liu Zhenqing could struggle, Huo Fenglie had already hugged him firmly.

When Liu Zhenqing raised his head and saw that face so close at hand, his breath suddenly froze.

Wait, this guy could have obviously just supported him, so why bother hugging him?

Sure enough, he still had ulterior motives?

After Huo Fenglie held him steady, he saw Liu Zhenqing looking at him with a very disapproving expression and was confused.

“Did you get bumped?”

You’re holding me so firmly, shouldn’t you know whether I was bumped or not?

“Aiya, why are you throwing yourself into my arms? Has Lao Qin been coveting my arms for a long time?”

Qin Yu: “Let go, could you not just support me?!”

He Lan: “Come on, I want to fall too. Where can I find support, ah.”

Liu Zhenqing: ……

He held his aching head. Liu Zhenqing was mentally exhausted, but he soon rolled his eyes, and while the carriage was moving smoothly, he suddenly brought up a topic.

“Brother Huo, there is actually a question I’ve been curious about that I want to ask you,” Liu Zhenqing said with a smile.

Huo Fenglie: “What is it?”

Liu Zhenqing squinted his eyes and said casually: “Brother Huo is about to turn twenty-seven, how has he never gotten married? Have the Huo family elders really not urged you?”

As soon as these words came out, the carriage became eerily quiet.

He Lan on the opposite side gave Liu Zhenqing a thumbs up. “Awesome, ah. Brother Liu, your courage is commendable, advance bravely…..”

“I’m not brave, just curious.” Liu Zhenqing looked at Huo Fenglie with sincere eyes, as if he, an elder brother, truly cared about the lifelong events of the younger generation.

Huo Fenglie regarded Liu Zhenqing with a heavy gaze and said: “It has nothing to do with anyone else if I don’t marry.”

This…..was he really planning to not marry? Could it really be…..because…..of him?

Liu Zhenqing was anxious. He had brought up this topic because he wanted to give Huo Fenglie a heads-up, so he continued: “Haven’t you met a girl to fall in love with over the years?”

Huo Fenglie’s dark eyes grew darker, like thick ink that couldn’t be melted away. His tone of voice also became lower, as if he was emphasizing, “No, not interested.”

Liu Zhenqing choked. He Lan, fearing that there would not be enough chaos in the world, said: “Zhanyuan, it sounds like you don’t like girls. Then…..” His eyes darted back and forth at Liu Zhenqing. “Do you like young masters? You’re interested in young masters?”

Liu Zhenqing quickly said: “Perhaps it’s because you haven’t spent much time with girls. After all, you’ve been in a military camp. You saw your older brother and sister-in-law were good together and gave birth to a lovely pair of twins, but you don’t yearn to marry a girl and start a family?”

“These words coming from your mouth are so persuasive,” He Lan teased, trying to make things difficult for him.

The corners of Liu Zhenqing’s mouth twitched. “I’m thinking about it now, ah. A wife and children and a warm bed, I feel happy just thinking about it.”

Liu Zhenqing’s words inevitably puzzled the clamoring He Lan.

When Liu Zhenqing finished speaking, he felt a chill come over him. Turning his head cautiously, he saw that Huo Fenglie’s lowered eyes concealed his expression, and the lines of his masculine face were stern.

Why was it that he couldn’t see anything, but Liu Zhenqing felt more guilty than if he could see something? 

Sensing something wrong in the atmosphere, He Lan quickly said: “In that case, I really want to as well, hahaha. I’m not married yet.”

Qin Yu: “Isn’t it because you were rejected three times that you’re still waiting?”

He Lan immediately said with a smile: “Don’t expose the shortcomings of others. Besides, it’s not my fault. The Jinyiwei is rather unpleasant, and based on my temperament, those girls always think I’m not suitable for a life-long relationship. What can I do, I’ve been wronged, ah. In fact, I’m a peerlessly good man. Whoever marries me will definitely be happy.”

“You’re not sincere anyway, so naturally the girls don’t want to talk to you,” Qin Yu said coldly.

The bickering of the two resolved the awkward atmosphere, but Huo Fenglie turned around and went to ride on horseback.

The two looked at Liu Zhenqing.

Liu Zhenqing said awkwardly: “He’s angry?”

The two nodded.

Liu Zhenqing sighed and suddenly realized that if Er-gou was really interested in him, and had been for many years, saying this definitely would have hurt him.

He was angry now, so…..he really liked him?

Summarizing it like this, he instantly became more anxious.

No way, I can’t be so sure, I can’t give up hope, ah! Anything is still possible, I can’t say for sure. Let’s look for evidence.

The most troublesome thing was that he couldn’t ask directly. Moreover, relying on his own judgment, Liu Zhenqing felt that he was becoming more and more biased toward the point that he was unwilling to face.

“Zhanyuan hates when others talk to him about this topic. When the emperor talked to him before, he also had a cold face. He definitely isn’t happy about you fooling around, ah,” He Lan said.

“Because he gets angry, the Huo family never brings it up,” Qin Yu added.

He Lan said with a smile: “What are your intentions toward Zhanyuan, ah. He seems to like you, so why bring up such a topic? If you planned to test his feelings for you, then why deliberately provoke him by saying that you want a wife, children, and a warm bed? I think you hit your head.”

“I treat him as a brother, I was just speaking casually,” Liu Zhenqing said, ill at ease.

He Lan gave him a look of disbelief and said: “In any case, he’s angry. Wait, is he angry because you brought up a topic that shouldn’t be mentioned, or because you talked about your wife and children, ah?”

Liu Zhenqing was startled, and gave He Lan a distant look.

Thanks so much, it’s back to square one again.

They rested halfway through the journey to determine the next route. Although He Lan hinted that he should apologize, Liu Zhenqing refused. Making Er-gou unhappy was nothing. It would be best if he could kill the flowers that shouldn’t bloom.

Anyway, he was a man and an older brother, so it was impossible for him to accept Er-gou. If Er-gou really had that intention, then apologies, he could let Er-gou be disappointed in love.

After a while, Huo Fenglie picked some fruit and walked up to Liu Zhenqing. He lowered his head and whispered: “Qing-ge, fresh fruit.”

Liu Zhenqing: ……

He was clearly angry, but then turned around and tried to coax him?

Sure enough…..he really liked him?

He was already a little embarrassed and confused. “Er-gou, just now…..”

“Qing-ge, I don’t like that topic. Let’s stop talking about it.”

Shit, he felt so guilty. Seeing Er-gou’s drooping head, he felt it was pitiful and really wanted to comfort him, ah.

Liu Zhenqing moved his hand, but still held back.

No, he couldn’t give Er-gou hope. Regardless of whether his guess was right or not, there was nothing wrong with keeping his distance. He couldn’t just not accept someone in his heart and still not have a sense of proportion. That would be too cruel to the one who was giving sincerely.

“I spoke so much for your own good,” Liu Zhenqing said dryly.

Huo Fenglie was silent for a moment, then said, “I know.”

Liu Zhenqing still couldn’t control his conscience: “If it makes you unhappy, then just pretend I didn’t say anything. This….this kind of thing is not something a person can control.”

“All right.”

Huo Fenglie didn’t say anything more, sitting down to peel the fruit.

That gradually indifferent attitude really made Liu Zhenqing’s feel as if something was grasping his heart, and he didn’t know where to begin to refuse this meticulous care.

They arrived at the place they would stay for the night. It was a farmyard, with bunks all in a row close together for sleeping. He was looking at the wall on the left, with Huo Fenglie sleeping to the right.

Liu Zhenqing’s entire being felt uneasy. Could…..could he apply for a change of position?

He couldn’t seem to find an excuse!

How could he sleep like this, ah!

The night was quiet, and shallow breathing could be heard, but Liu Zhenqing was so nervous that he didn’t fall asleep until late at night.

It seemed that the night wind was blowing, and he could feel a bit of coolness coming in from the window beside him, causing Liu Zhenqing to feel a little cold.

Suddenly, the person next to him moved, as if Er-gou had woken up. Liu Zhenqing quickly calmed his breathing and pretended to be asleep.

It was unknown if he had to get up during the night or…..

A few strands of hair suddenly swept across his face, and Liu Zhenqing’s heart tightened. He didn’t move. That hair could only be Er-gou’s, so what was Er-gou doing? Was he getting closer?

Liu Zhenqing: ! !

Then, a hand touched his other side of the bed through the quilt.

Before Liu Zhenqing could be shocked, an invisible sense of oppression suddenly came from above, as if someone had moved over top of him. Although there was no contact, it felt like someone was above, because the moonlight was blocked and there was a sense of darkness through his eyelids.

Liu Zhenqing’s entire body was stiff, his mind blank.

What should he do! !

The next second, hands moved into Liu Zhenqing’s bed.

Liu Zhenqing’s hair stood up at once, and he hugged his pillow tightly, as if he would be safe with it in his arms.

But those rogue hands were shameless. One touched his waist, and the other touched his leg.

Liu Zhenqing felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Er-gou was…..attacking him at night! Taking advantage of him when he was sleeping?!

Liu Zhenqing suddenly recalled certain scenes.

Wait, that book? Er-gou wanted to do what was written in that book to him!

So Er-gou really sent that book on purpose?

What kind of books did Er-gou usually read? Was it to stir up his imagination?

You brat, you have a knack for feigning ignorance, ah. You’re usually aloof and ascetic, but I didn’t realize you were such a scheming boy? Taking advantage of me at night when I’m asleep?

It’s too much, too much. What did he do when I was asleep in the past? This pup, this little beast, how can he do this?

Laozi is going to beat him sober!

No, no, no, if I wake up now, there’s no turning back. This matter should be dealt with using the cold treatment.

Ahhh, what to do, ah.

Shit, Er-gou used too much force with his hands, isn’t he afraid of waking me up?

And….and….there are two people next to us!

Don’t you know you must do this kind of thing secretly? What should be done if someone sees?!

Liu Zhenqing felt his body being slightly lifted up. Was this preparation for convenience?

Did he want to kiss him? Or take off his clothes?

I’m telling you, there are others nearby! You’re just picking me up directly? It turns out you are this kind of dog!

No, he couldn’t be allowed to continue like this. He had crossed a line. He had to…..

Huh? 

Liu Zhenqing felt his body being promptly moved to the side.

Then the hands left his quilt. The darkness outside his eyelids vanished and the moonlight continued to shine through. The quilt was pulled flat.

There was a rustling movement from the place he had originally been laying, and it gradually became calm.

Liu Zhenqing’s brain had shut down, and it took him a while to come to his senses.

So…..he just switched beds?

Seriously, ah!

Liu Zhenqing was nearly furious with embarrassment, and couldn’t understand why he had changed beds in the middle of the night. He had thought…..

Liu Zhenqing opened his eyes cautiously and glanced to the side with a depressed look. Suddenly, a scene made Liu Zhening’s heart tremble.

Huo Fenglie was sleeping on his side, facing him. He was tall, and could just block the night breeze that leaked through the cracks in the window.

Although the breeze was very light, Liu Zhenqing could still feel the coolness on his body.

But now, he couldn’t feel anything.

Liu Zhenqing was stunned for a while. Looking down, he saw Huo Fenglie lying on his side under the moonlight, gently holding a lock of black hair in one hand. Those few strands were Liu Zhenqing’s hair. The curvature of that hair in Huo Fenglie’s hand was just enough to touch Huo Fenglie’s thin lips and straight nose.

It seemed as though he was sniffing and kissing it gently.

Liu Zhenqing’s cheeks gradually became hot, and his heart trembled slightly.

Such…..a silly dog. After all these years, there are so many outstanding people in the world worthy of your affection. Why do you like me?

Liu Zhenqing sighed silently, and couldn’t help but lie down on his side face to face with Huo Fenglie. He didn’t take his hair back, and fell asleep quietly.

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Chapter Fifty-Five << Table of Contents >> Chapter Fifty-Seven