Jun Huailang felt as though he had awakened from a deep, heavy dream.
These past few days, there had been no clear boundary between sleep and wakefulness for him. But this time, when he awoke from that deep sleep, he was able to open his eyes without difficulty.
For a moment, the light was somewhat glaring, making him instinctively furrow his brows and squint.
The familiar bed curtains and surroundings came into view. When he turned his head slightly, he could see someone keeping watch beside his bed.
Before he could make out who that person was, the man had already sprung to his feet like a startled bird at the slightest movement from him, leaning forward.
“Awake?”
The voice was extremely hoarse.
There was no need for Jun Huailang to see clearly now. He knew immediately who was keeping watch beside his bed.
He had only just awakened, and his mind was still somewhat sluggish. He gave a delayed hum, then felt a hand settle against his forehead.
Dry and rough, it blended with the temperature of his forehead, the palm even carrying a faint warmth.
“The fever’s finally gone,” Xue Yan said.
Only then did Jun Huailang belatedly realize that he had recovered.
He froze, then braced himself against the edge of the bed and tried to sit up. He wanted to ask about the current situation in Jinling, whether the epidemic had already subsided, how many casualties there had been in the city, and whether they had found the source of the epidemic.
But at that moment, he met Xue Yan’s gaze.
A pair of amber eyes stared fixedly at him, burning with heat and stubborn intensity.
For a moment, Jun Huailang simply stared back at him, his mind going completely blank. All the questions he had been about to ask stopped in his throat, then vanished without a trace within moments.
There was nothing left in his eyes but Xue Yan.
For a while, neither of them spoke. Only the patches of sunlight falling through the window moved slowly across the floor with the slanting rays of the sun.
Xue Yan had lost a considerable amount of weight.
There had never been a time when the young man looked so disheveled. Even though he had clearly washed and changed into fresh clothes, the bloodshot veins in his eyes and the dark circles beneath them could not be concealed. His features had also become even sharper from the gauntness of his cheeks.
Jun Huailang wanted to reach out and touch his face.
And having thought it, he actually did.
He awkwardly raised his hand and placed it against Xue Yan’s cheek, slowly stroking it.
He seemed to feel every muscle in Xue Yan’s body tense in an instant, as though a devout worshipper had finally received divine favor. He remained frozen in place, not daring to move at all.
Only his gaze grew even more intense.
Jun Huailang suddenly felt a little embarrassed under his stare. As his mind gradually cleared, he also slowly remembered what he had said to Xue Yan when the latter had rushed back that day.
In both of his lifetimes, this was the first time he had ever promised someone that they would “be together.” Now it was time to fulfill that promise.
Even after living two lifetimes, he was still completely inexperienced when it came to such matters—awkward and inexperienced.
He had finally followed his heart and faced the feelings between himself and the other person directly. Yet when they were actually face-to-face, he was still yearning and clumsy. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, but he had no idea what he was supposed to do.
After a moment, Jun Huailang withdrew his hand somewhat bashfully.
But the instant he did, Xue Yan caught his hand, pressed down on the back of it, and held it tightly against his cheek.
Xue Yan pulled Jun Huailang into a sitting position, but immediately afterward, he pressed him back down onto the bed.
Supporting himself with one hand beside Jun Huailang’s head, Xue Yan trapped him between himself and the bed.
“You scared me half to death,” he said, then repeated it firmly. “You fucking scared me half to death.”
His gaze burned, and his warm breath came rushing toward Jun Huailang together with it.
It made the tips of Jun Huailang’s ears burn repeatedly.
He gave a quiet hum.
“I’m fine now.”
Being this close made it impossible for him to suppress his racing heartbeat. For no reason at all, he felt flustered. He raised his free hand and pushed lightly against Xue Yan’s chest.
Xue Yan did not move an inch. Instead, he shamelessly pressed his advantage.
“You forgot what you promised me?” he demanded, staring at Jun Huailang.
Of course he had not forgotten.
But Jun Huailang had always been the sort of person who preferred to proceed step by step, taking things slowly. How could he possibly withstand a bandit like Xue Yan, who had not even officially become his lover yet but was already pinning him down on the bed to talk?
Jun Huailang looked at him, his heart pounding, unable to say anything for a moment.
Xue Yan, however, was exceptionally good at taking advantage of an opening.
“What? You’re going to go back on your word?” he pressed.
Jun Huailang hurriedly said, “No.”
Xue Yan gave a low laugh and squeezed the hand he was holding.
“Then do you still remember what you promised me?”
Jun Huailang’s voice grew softer, and he shyly turned his gaze away.
“…Of course I remember.”
The corners of Xue Yan’s lips were impossible to suppress, curving upward again and again. If he had grown a tail at that moment, it would certainly have been wagging happily from side to side, stirring up a breeze.
His eyes and brows were filled with laughter as he looked at Jun Huailang.
“Then tell me. What did you promise me?”
Jun Huailang had nowhere to escape.
He thought this man was truly awful, yet there was nothing he could do about him.
With great effort, he turned his gaze back and met Xue Yan’s eyes.
Those amber eyes were filled with laughter, reflecting nothing but him.
Jun Huailang’s ears were faintly red.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
Xue Yan obediently did so with a smile.
The next moment, Jun Huailang’s hand settled against the back of his neck.
He pulled Xue Yan down, and immediately afterward, a plain, delicate kiss carrying a faint scent of birch landed awkwardly on Xue Yan’s lips.
Jun Huailang took the initiative for only a moment.
Immediately afterward, he was overwhelmed by Xue Yan’s all-encompassing return kiss.
Xue Yan was just as inexperienced as he was, but he possessed a certain fierceness and recklessness. Relying entirely on that overwhelming dominance, he somehow managed to seem as though he had figured it all out without anyone teaching him.
Before long, however, both their breathing became ragged.
Jun Huailang felt as though he could not catch his breath. He struggled to push against Xue Yan, finally managing to shove away the equally breathless man.
Xue Yan remained pressed over him, his chest rising and falling. His light-colored eyes burned as he stared at Jun Huailang, unable to stop grinning.
Jun Huailang steadied his breathing, but his face was still flushed. He turned his gaze away, his voice so soft that it was almost nothing more than a breath.
“…What are you laughing at?”
Xue Yan leaned down and kissed him hard on the lips again.
“Why do I like you so damn much?”
His low, hoarse voice carried laughter. As he spoke, the vibration from his chest made the skin all over Jun Huailang’s body tingle.
Jun Huailang said nothing.
Xue Yan cupped his face and immediately kissed him several more times. The crisp sounds echoed through the quiet room, making Jun Huailang’s cheeks burn.
“All right, all right!”
Like someone pushing away a large dog that refused to stop pestering him, he struggled to shove Xue Yan’s face away.
“Why do you never stop? It’s broad daylight, for heaven’s sake!”
Even though he was scolding him, the ending of his words remained soft. Instead of sounding particularly stern, his cool voice only became more alluring.
Xue Yan laughed quietly and kissed him hard once more.
“I’ve had to hold myself back for so long. What’s wrong with kissing you a few more times?”
Jun Huailang was so embarrassed that he kept dodging away, and Xue Yan stopped pestering him.
However, he kicked off his boots and climbed directly onto the bed.
Before Jun Huailang could react, Xue Yan had already pulled him completely into his arms.
“You…”
Xue Yan reached out and pulled the bed curtains shut, plunging the space into darkness.
“If you won’t let me kiss you, surely you’ll let me hold you for a while?”
The hand Jun Huailang had placed against his chest paused.
After a moment, it slowly clenched the fabric of his robe.
——
Jun Huailang had not expected Xue Yan to simply fall asleep like that.
It was not long before Xue Yan became completely still. Jun Huailang tentatively called his name twice in a soft voice, but Xue Yan did not respond either time.
He gently lifted a corner of the bed curtain. Borrowing the light from outside, he saw that Xue Yan was already asleep.
Jun Huailang did not move again. He simply lay there quietly beside him.
Xue Yan’s features were naturally fierce, but when he was asleep, he looked unusually docile. He held Jun Huailang in his arms, pressing him against his chest, his chin resting on top of Jun Huailang’s head.
Jun Huailang could feel his steady breathing.
Without realizing it, he fell asleep along with Xue Yan.
He slept all the way until dusk settled over the west, when Jun Huailang slowly woke.
Only then did he realize that something was wrong.
He had intended to wake Xue Yan for the evening meal, but no matter how he shook him, he could not wake him.
Jun Huailang immediately became somewhat panicked.
He hurriedly and carefully pushed Xue Yan aside and got out of bed, putting on his outer robe before going outside.
The courtyard was also completely quiet at this time, with only Jinbao standing guard at the door.
Jun Huailang hurriedly told Jinbao to fetch a physician.
When Jinbao heard that his master was unconscious and would not wake, he was so frightened that he immediately ran out of the courtyard and actually went straight to fetch the miracle physician.
The miracle physician had grown accustomed to living a leisurely life in the mountains. He had suddenly been rushed all the way to Jinling, then had to manage things after prescribing the medicine and oversee its preparation. He had only just finished everything and was catching up on sleep in the courtyard.
Yawning with an expression of deep displeasure, he was dragged by Jinbao to Jun Huailang’s courtyard.
When he saw Jun Huailang waiting at the door, the miracle physician could not help looking him up and down.
Jun Huailang was anxious.
“Sir, he’s been asleep and unable to wake since noon today. I only just noticed. Please, hurry and take a look…”
But the miracle physician merely curved his lips into a smile and patted Jun Huailang on the shoulder.
“He certainly has good taste,” he said teasingly, brushing past Jun Huailang and leisurely walking inside.
Jun Huailang hurried after him.
The miracle physician calmly sat down beside the bed, lifted the bed curtain, and took one look inside. Without even checking Xue Yan’s pulse, he asked,
“Is he still breathing?”
Jun Huailang froze.
“Of course he is…”
The miracle physician lowered the bed curtain again.
“Then there’s nothing wrong. Let him sleep.”
Jun Huailang was puzzled.
“Then what happened to him?”
The miracle physician glanced at the bed curtains.
“I heard that several days ago, he rode day and night to rush back here, and then went to Yangzhou afterward,” he said. “The fact that he didn’t work himself to death is already proof that he has a strong life. Once he’s slept enough, he’ll be fine.”
Jun Huailang’s gaze froze, and he looked toward the bed curtains.
The miracle physician watched his expression, amusement gradually appearing in his eyes.
He was rather mean by nature, and now that he had nothing to do, he naturally had to embellish things a little.
“That’s not all.”
He leisurely leaned back and continued.
“Last night, he even went and killed an alpha wolf himself just to obtain the medicinal catalyst. That wolf was not easy to deal with, and he insisted on extracting its blood while it was still alive.”
When he saw Jun Huailang look at him, the miracle physician continued leisurely,
“The medicinal catalyst in the medicine you took today was obtained by him killing that wolf.”
As he spoke, he braced one hand against the chair and leaned forward. He reached out, pulled back the bed curtain, and grabbed one of Xue Yan’s arms.
He tugged the sleeve upward, exposing Xue Yan’s forearm.
It was wrapped in gauze, clearly only having received a simple treatment. By now, blood was already seeping through it, making the wound look rather frightening.
“Tell me,” the miracle physician said with a smile, looking at Jun Huailang. “The fact that he’s only unconscious right now—isn’t that already proof of how strong his life is?”