Over the next three days, Huo Fenglie did not come to see Liu Zhenqing. Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo, however, had dinner with him several times since they were about to separate.

And every time, despite Liu Zhenqing not saying anything, they would tell himself that Huo Fenglie had locked himself in his room and was busy with who knows what.

Liu Zhenqing could only drink in silence until the day the Huo Family Army was about to leave the capital. He went to the city gates to see them off, and finally saw a familiar figure among the Huo Family troops.

The young man clad in light armor stood tall and handsome, with solemn eyes. This was the first time he had seen him since he confessed his love in the peach blossom grove. It had only been ten days, but Liu Zhenqing already felt that he seemed different.

Although he was still a bit depressed and angry, Liu Zhenqing could help but fix his eyes on that person, and it wasn’t until Huo Fenglie’s eyes swept toward him that he looked away awkwardly. Pretending like nothing had happened, he went to the accompanying carriage and spoke to Li Xingruo, who had stuck her head out.

Leaning against the window, Li Xingruo raised an eyebrow and said: “Are you really not going to give Fenglie a proper goodbye? Once we leave, you won’t see each other for a long time.”

Liu Zhenqing’s lips curved as he said: “It’s him who didn’t say goodbye to me. I came all the way here and didn’t see him…..”

“Isn’t that because you’re giving him the cold shoulder? He’s about to go to war, but you never went to the General’s Manor to talk to him. How do you think he feels?” Li Xingruo criticized.

Liu Zhenqing looked embarrassed: “Who’s giving a cold shoulder? I….I’m doing this for his own good.”

Li Xingruo scoffed. Her eyes flashed, and she said: “If he came to say goodbye, would you want to see him?”

“I watched him grow up. How could I be so callous?” Liu Zhenqing said speechlessly.

Li Xingruo suddenly smiled: “Since you said so, say your proper goodbyes, ah.”

Hearing her tone, Liu Zhenqing immediately turned around and saw that Huo Fenglie had already walked to within three steps of him. When he saw him looking back, he immediately came to a stop.

“Qing-ge.” Huo Fenglie’s expression was no longer as solemn as before. Instead, he regarded Liu Zhenqing with an obedient look.

The address instantly made Liu Zhenqing feel as if an electric shock had zapped through his body. He hadn’t heard Er-gou call him this in a long, long time.

“Take care of yourself when you go out. It’s a battlefield, after all. No matter how good your martial arts skills are, there will always be unexpected situations, so you must be careful…..” Liu Zhenqing immediately began to nag and lecture, but his mind was a mess.

Huo Fenglie listened silently, his gaze never leaving Liu Zhenqing’s face.

Li Xingruo laughed and jumped out of the carriage, saying: “I’m going to check if I brought enough herbs. You two get in the carriage to say your goodbyes.”

As if fearing that Liu Zhenqing would make his escape, she shoved him into the carriage. Huo Fenglie naturally didn’t need Li Xingruo to urge him. He instantly jumped onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, and went inside.

After being pushed, Liu Zhenqing turned and saw him coming in. The spacious carriage immediately became cramped upon his entry. He had never felt Er-gou’s presence so strongly before, and the air seemed to become thin.

Such an awkward atmosphere and ubiquitous sense of oppression made Liu Zhenqing regret this, and he immediately wanted to get out of the carriage.

But thinking about how he didn’t know when they would next meet, Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help but want to give him a few more instructions. However, the boy in front of him suddenly took something out of his pocket. 

It was a three-level hollow Rubik’s Cube made of rare jade, small and delicate, with a cool color scheme.

“Qing-ge, this is for you,” Huo Fenglie said solemnly.

Liu Zhenqing stared: “Is this…..a parting gift? I didn’t prepare anything…..”

“That’s okay. I carved it myself, and it’s not well-made, but I hope Qinge-ge likes it.” Huo Fenglie lowered his head as he handed it over.

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help being moved. Was this what he had been doing when he locked himself away these past few days? Although he felt that a gift from Huo Fenglie held a different meaning now, it was very thoughtful. How could he refuse? He could only reach out and take it, playing with it for a bit. It made a crisp clicking sound, and was indeed well-made.

Huo Fenglie’s eyes flickered: “You can…..hang it at your waist instead of a jade pendant.”

Liu Zhenqing looked at the blue and white tassel hanging below it. The weight was suitable, but Liu Zhenqing didn’t hang it around his waist. 

To be honest, Liu Zhenqing liked to give people jade pendants as souvenirs. After all, jade pendants weren’t considered to be lovers’ tokens in Great Zhou, so he just treated them as ordinary gifts. But when the gift was given by Huo Fenglie, it burned hot in his hand, and he was too embarrassed to put it on in front of the other party.

When he just sat there, Huo Fenglie’s eyes darkened uncontrollably.

Pretending nothing had happened, Liu Zhenqing gave a few more stiff instructions, speaking entirely from the perspective of an older brother.

Huo Fenglie listened in silence until a horn sounded outside, indicating that it was time to set off.

Liu Zhenqing’s heart constricted, but he still said in a clear, loud voice: “Go, grow up well in the new world. You still have a very long future ahead of you.”

Just as Liu Zhenqing was speaking these encouraging words, he heard Huo Fenglie murmur: “My future is right in front of me.”

Liu Zhenqing went instantly still. Just when he thought the topic wouldn’t deviate, he saw Huo Fenglie raise his deep eyes and fix a burning gaze on Liu Zhenqing’s face.

“Qing-ge, you are my only future.” Huo Fenglie’s eyes were resolute, but his tone was somewhat anxious. “Qing-ge is brilliant, so he must understand why I’m leaving. Qing-ge, can you wait for me for another two years? Don’t fall in love with or marry someone else. Wait for me. I’ll definitely grow up to be outstanding and make you like me. Just wait for me.”

Liu Zhenqing’s brow furrowed slightly. He took a breath to refute, but Huo Fenglie didn’t seem keen on being rejected again. Before Liu Zhenqing could say anything, he suddenly turned to leave.

When he saw Huo Fenglie start to open the door curtain, Liu Zhenqing’s resistant mood just now seemed to freeze all of a sudden, and his mind buzzed.

He was leaving. Er-gou was leaving…..they were all really leaving.

Liu Zhenqing’s heart suddenly felt half empty. How could he bear to see the clingy child he had watched grow up leave him?

He almost instinctively reached out and grabbed Huo Fenglie’s clothing. It was truly a conditioned reflex, lacking any input from his brain.

He stopped at the critical moment, but the almost undetectable force still halted Huo Fenglie’s retreat.

Huo Fenglie immediately turned around and looked at Liu Zhenqing with surprise, joy, and disbelief. The expression on his face along with those watery eyes made Liu Zhenqing go stupid.

Just when he was at a loss for words, the horn sounded again outside. It felt like a death knell.

In an instant, a figure flashed before his eyes. Liu Zhenqing was pushed down inside the carriage, and it shook as Liu Zhenqing was held in his arms and kissed fiercely.

His reluctance to leave seemed to penetrate into Liu Zhenqing’s soul through the kiss, making his mind go practically blank.

It was as if his previous calm demeanor and obedience was all a sham, and the current out-of-control Huo Fenglie was his true self.

How could Huo Fenglie not lose control? When it came to Liu Zhenqing, he simply couldn’t bear any additional stimulation.

Liu Zhenqing didn’t want him to go right away, and was reluctant to let him leave. His small gesture to retain him excited Huo Fenglie so much that he felt reborn, and the suppressed affection in his heart burst like a dam. He hadn’t wanted to do anything to displease Liu Zhenqing before he left, but the towering wall of reason he had built collapsed with a bang under one nudge from Liu Zhenqing.

He really liked Qing-ge so much. And this affection could only be expressed with a kiss at present, making Huo Fenglie want to tear him apart and eat him up.

Liu Zhenqing was initially dazed by the kiss. He thought about putting up a fight, but he was pinned down so firmly this time that any resistance would only make things more dangerous. In the end, Liu Zhenqing could only let the bad dog on top of him run wild.

Liu Zhenqing’s eyes slid half-shut. His eyes were misted over, blurring the person in front of him, but he couldn’t help wanting to remember this sight.

Er-gou seemed to have improved – his technique made Liu Zhenqing weak in the legs, and sent his heart into palpitations. With such charm, there must be many people who would fall in love with the young military official elsewhere.

He was so strong that Liu Zhenqing felt as if his body would break into pieces. With such great strength, he wouldn’t suffer any losses on the western battlefront.

Liu Zhenqing’s mind raced foolishly, allowing Huo Fenglie to leave an indelible mark in his memory and deep in his soul.

Dazed from the lack of air, Liu Zhenqing heard Huo Fenglie murmur in his ear with a low, hoarse voice: “Qing-ge, wait for me to come back. Qing-ge, I like you, I like you. When I come back, I want to marry you. Qing-ge, you’re mine…..mine!”

Liu Zhenqing’s face flushed and his heart swelled. D….don’t try to brainwash him!

It wasn’t until Huo Feihan’s voice could be heard outside that Huo Fenglie released him. He hovered over him with his head bowed, staring down at the dazed Liu Zhenqing.

His cheeks were flushed, his face like a peach blossom, and his compliant, docile appearance almost crushed Huo Fenglie’s heart. It was as if Liu Zhenqing truly belonged to him now. He was reluctant to leave Qing-ge, truly reluctant, but he had to go.

Liu Zhenqing was still muddleheaded when there was a flash of silver. Stunned, he watched as Huo Fenglie took a tuft of Liu Zhenqing’s hair and cut it off, holding it in his palm.

“You!” Liu Zhenqing was aghast. Was this bastard getting worse? Not only had he forcibly kissed him, but he’d even cut his hair!

Huo Fenglie suddenly kissed him on the lips again. Liu Zhenqing froze and forgot to block him, only able to glare at Er-gou angrily, completely unaware that this expression nearly made Huo Fenglie lose his mind again.

His eyes grew several shades darker than before.

Huo Fenglie grasped Liu Zhenqing’s chin, and for the first time, his tone was insufficiently respectful: “Qing-ge…..I want to hold you…..”

Liu Zhenqing’s eyes widened almost instantly, and his cheeks changed color as he stared at Huo Fenglie in disbelief.

What was this mad dog talking about! In this place, with his brother and sister-in-law outside, what did he want to do, ah? If he gave an inch, Huo Fenglie would push even further. This outrageously bold lust was simply an act of insubordination. It turned out that he shouldn’t have allowed him to do as he pleased!

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