Luo Tingshi froze.
The petite beauty clad in dragon robes wore an icy expression. Cradling his slightly rounded belly, he glared at him with fury.
Luo Tingshi stood rooted to the spot. His usually intimidating wolf-like eyes betrayed a rare flicker of panic. His gaze shifted from the beauty’s frosty face to his abdomen.
Is that his child inside?
Luo Tingshi stared at Yu Zhi’s belly, his eyes fixed and unblinking. He even held his breath, as if afraid to disturb the fetus within.
“Why have you been standing at the door all this time? What, expecting this emperor to kneel and welcome you?”
A faintly mocking snort pierced his ears like a thunderclap, shattering Luo Tingshi’s composure. In that instant, all doubts vanished. He hurriedly lifted his feet, rushing toward the person he had longed for day and night.
Pausing beside Yu Zhi, Luo Tingshi lowered his gaze to meet the eyes etched deep into his very bones.
The other stared at him, cheeks puffed out in indignation. The corners of those cat-like eyes grew rounder, their depths blazing with fire—bright and searing, making his heart tremble.
Luo Tingshi crouched down, looking up at the beauty before him, apologizing in a submissive tone: “I mistakenly thought you were Lu Jing. I didn’t know it was you who shared that night with me…”
“Enough!” Yu Zhi’s eyes flashed with flustered anger as he instinctively covered Luo Tingshi’s mouth with his hand, nervously scanning the surroundings.
The door had long been shut by Lu Jing. Only the two of them remained inside, along with the guards hidden in the shadows.
Yu Zhi’s taut nerves relaxed slightly.
The next moment, he suddenly realized something was wrong.
A strange, warm breath brushed against his palm. Instantly, a flame ignited in Yu Zhi’s hand, spreading across his palm and radiating outward. His body began to grow faintly warm.
Yu Zhi frantically withdrew his hand. His gaze inadvertently met the man’s deep, unfathomable eyes. His breath caught, and he snapped at the man kneeling before him, “Do not look at me.”
Luo Tingshi obediently lowered his eyes, his gaze once again passing over Yu Zhi’s belly. He paused. Lifting his hand, he hesitated, his fingertips trembling slightly with nervousness, as if he wanted to touch the child.
Just as his palm was about to land on the rounded belly, a pale hand shot out from the side, striking him hard.
“Do not touch me.”
A crimson mark instantly appeared on the back of the man’s hand, standing out starkly against the bulging veins, looking somewhat terrifying. Yu Zhi’s eyes flinched, and he withdrew his hand, biting his lip.
The room fell silent, quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
Suddenly, a chill shot down Yu Zhi’s spine. Instinctively sensing danger, he sprang to his feet. But his opponent was faster, closing the distance in an instant. A firm grip seized his wrist, pinning him back down.
Trapped in the chair by Luo Tingshi, the man’s rough fingertips ground against his wrist. Yu Zhi’s body trembled. His wrist felt as if bound by red-hot iron shackles, and his breathing instantly grew ragged.
“You are forbidden to look at me, forbidden to touch me, forbidden to speak to me…”
The man’s eyes darkened as his neck slowly bent forward, like a wolf poised to strike. “Then why did Your Majesty summon me? To toy with me?”
Trapped and unable to move, Yu Zhi’s eyes flashed crimson with fury. “Luo Tingshi, you dare!”
“Release His Majesty!” Guards concealed in the shadows leapt from the rafters, closing in on Luo Tingshi.
Luo Tingshi shot a glance over his shoulder, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. He abruptly lowered his head, swiftly closing the distance between himself and Yu Zhi. Just as his thin lips were about to meet hers, he let out a soft chuckle.
“Why are you closing your eyes, Your Majesty?”
With only a finger’s width separating their lips, the man’s warm breath lingered on Yu Zhi’s mouth as he spoke, filling Yu Zhi’s lips and teeth with his scent.
Not a kiss, yet more than a kiss.
Yu Zhi’s ears burned crimson. Glancing at the guard behind Luo Tingshi, the guard strode forward swiftly, reaching out to seize Luo Tingshi’s shoulder, intent on dislocating his arm.
Luo Tingshi ducked and dodged the move. The guard followed up, engaging him in a struggle. The two exchanged blows with seamless coordination across the hall, their strikes lightning-fast, their movements leaving Yu Zhi dizzy with disorientation.
Yet not a single object in the room was disturbed by their palm winds, nor did the tea on the nearby table ripple.
Yu Zhi felt a chill run down his spine.
Was Luo Tingshi this skilled?
His bodyguard had been carefully selected by the Emperor from among the finest martial artists. Yet Luo Tingshi was proving his equal.
For a moment, Yu Zhi couldn’t tell which side would prevail. Seated in his chair, he felt a growing sense of unease.
Suddenly, thirst overcame him. Yu Zhi picked up a bowl of water from the table and drank deeply, yet his thirst remained unquenched.
His body burned with restless heat, the spots where Luo Tingshi had touched him stinging painfully. Yu Zhi clenched his wrist, pressing it painfully against his forehead. Gradually, his lower abdomen began churning violently.
The words barely left his lips when a gushing heat surged through his body, as if something was flowing out. Yu Zhi’s face paled, and tears welled up in his burning eyes.
The child!
Could his recent travels have harmed the fetus within?
Yu Zhi clutched his lower abdomen, helplessly lifting his eyes just as Luo Tingshi rushed to his side.
Without a word, Luo Tingshi scooped him up horizontally and carried him into the inner chamber.
For some reason, being held by Luo Tingshi seemed to ease Yu Zhi’s discomfort. He quietly buried his face against Luo Ting’s chest, rubbing against him ever so slightly.
Luo Ting had been quite alarmed by Yu Zhi’s condition. As he moved, he kept a watchful eye on Yu Zhi, noticing every small gesture. The icy chill in Luo Tingshi’s expression softened slightly, a hint of warmth melting into his eyes.
Reaching the bedside, Luo Tingshi carefully avoided Yu Zhi’s abdomen. He bent down, gently placing the person in his arms onto the bed before slowly releasing his hold.
Luo Tingshi turned back, peering through the green bamboo lattice toward the doorway, searching for the imperial physician’s figure.
Suddenly, his sleeve grew heavy. Behind him came a voice, weak and trembling as if scalded: “Don’t go. Hold me.”
Luo Tingshi spun around abruptly, seizing the hand tugging at his sleeve and pressing it firmly against the pillow. In a possessive stance, he pinned the other half-way between the bed and the wall, his gaze locked on those moist eyes. “What did you say?”
Given Yu Zhi’s temperament, being restrained like this would surely prompt him to demand Luo Tingshi release him.
Yet the figure on the bed proactively raised an arm to loop around Luo Tingshi’s neck, straining to pull him down. Tilting his face upward, he pressed against Luo Tingshi’s exposed skin, nestling into his neck and breathing softly.
“Slap!”
A bead of sweat fell from Yu Zhi’s jawline onto Luo Tingshi’s neck.
Luo Tingshi shuddered, his gaze sliding from Yu Zhi’s delicate chin to the collar slightly parted by the touch. He drew a deep breath and closed his eyes.
He pulled the other man forcefully into his embrace.
The person in his arms felt like a furnace, his body burning hot. Only someone whose mind had been scorched could cling to him like this.
Luo Tingshi pressed his large hand against the slender back in his arms, stroking down inch by inch.
The other tilted his head to rub against him, a purring sound like a cat being stroked emerging from his throat, sounding utterly content.
Seeing this, Luo Tingshi repeatedly rubbed Yu Zhi’s back, hoping to ease his discomfort.
Hurried footsteps echoed from the doorway, but Luo Tingshi remained still, sitting by the bedside and soothing the person in his arms.
Imperial Physician Zhang turned into the inner chamber, only to have an extremely suggestive scene suddenly fill his vision. Caught completely off guard, he stumbled backward, nearly tripping over his own feet.
How had His Majesty ended up rolling into bed with someone in such a short time?
At that moment, Dr. Zhang had no time for such thoughts. He hurried toward the bed, his heart sinking at the sight of Yu Zhi.
This state was all too familiar to him.
This wasn’t illness at all, but…
…heat.
Just in case, Physician Zhang seized Yu Zhi’s hand hanging over the bedside and felt his pulse.
“Why is he suddenly burning up? What about the fetus? Is it safe?” Luo Tingshi fired off questions in rapid succession.
Imperial Physician Zhang shot him a glance, his brow furrowing deeply as he chose his words carefully. “His Majesty is experiencing a surge of desire. Since Emperor Sheng is present, please comfort His Majesty promptly. He needs you greatly at this moment.”
Doubts immediately surfaced in Luo Tingshi’s mind.
A surge of passion? From the physician’s tone, it seemed only he could ease Yu Zhi’s arousal.
He lowered his eyes and asked, “How should I comfort him?”
Physician Zhang rubbed his forehead and sighed, “Hold him. Kiss him. Touch him.”
Luo Tingshi’s brow twitched violently. He lowered his gaze to Yu Zhi, whose face was flushed crimson, his voice hoarse: “Shall I enter?”
“No, no, no!” Physician Zhang waved his hands frantically.
Though that method was the most effective, His Majesty was currently unconscious. If he were to be taken like that…
Doctor Zhang dared not imagine what would happen if the young emperor regained consciousness.
He said sternly, “Your Majesty is carrying a child. That would harm both father and son. If you still want these two children, you must not abuse the Emperor.”
“I understand.”
Luo Tingshi lifted his gaze and dismissed him: “In that case, Physician, do not obstruct me any longer.”
Doctor Zhang shot him an unexpected glare and warned once more: “Do not act rashly. Should anything befall the Emperor or the royal offspring, our Yu Kingdom will not let this rest!”
Luo Tingshi responded with impatience.
Doctor Zhang snorted coldly, leaving the room with a look over his shoulder at every step. Before closing the door, he peered inside through the bamboo lattice.
Vaguely, he saw the man lower himself.