TSMITB Chapter23

The small herbal room, which he had originally thought would still be locked by Sheng Qixiao, now had its door ajar. Shen Que didn’t have enough hands to steady Sheng Qixiao, so he could only lift his knee and knock the door open.

Perhaps due to his discomfort, the current Sheng Qixiao was unusually clingy. Although he was clearly taller and bigger than Shen Que, he insisted on clinging tightly to Shen Que, bent over like a puppy. No matter what Shen Que said, he wouldn’t let go, and his whole body was hotter than a winter stove.

Without sparing a thought for anything else, Shen Que half-dragged, half-hauled Sheng Qixiao over and forced him down into the chair behind the desk, then clenched his teeth as he wrenched his arm free from Sheng Qixiao’s hold and pressed two fingers against his forehead to pin him in place. Only then did he manage to free his hands in a fluster and light the butterfly lamp fixed to the wall.

Shen Que’s palms were already slick with sweat, and he silently kept praying that nothing would happen to Sheng Qixiao, that he wouldn’t run into any trouble because of the medicine Shen Que had given him.

Sheng Qixiao slumped bonelessly into the armchair with his entire arm dangling over the back of the chair. He lazily watched Shen Que, a faint glimmer shifting in his eyes while absorbing the panic written across Shen Que’s face without making the slightest move.

Shen Que stood in front of Sheng Qixiao before hurriedly pulling back the hand that was dangling over the back of the chair and placing it on the wrist of his other hand, “Hurry up and take your own pulse to see what’s going on!”

Sheng Qixiao allowed him to fuss over his arm as a subtle shift creeped into his otherwise indifferent expression. In the small patch of shadow cast by the light on Shen Que, he lightly curved the corner of his mouth.

A censer, which had appeared on the desk at some point, was slowly emitting wisps of blue smoke.

Sheng Qixiao lowered his eyelids halfway, silently counting the seconds in his mind. “I must have eaten something wrong. Tonight’s porridge, wasn’t very tasty.” Shen Que’s movements froze for two seconds and only then was Sheng Qixiao satisfied. He continued to ask for help with great benevolence: “Help me get the medicine from the second drawer on the fifth shelf of the cabinet.”

Shen Que quickly said alright while ignoring the strange feeling that erupted in his heart due to Sheng Qixiao’s abnormal behavior and immediately did as told, even thoughtfully feeding the medicine to his mouth while patiently waiting for him to carefully “sample” it.

A damp tongue swept lightly over Shen Que’s palm, curling around the pill and taking it away. After swallowing the medicine, Sheng Qixiao leaned back into the chair once more, quietly studying Shen Que.

The panic and worry on Shen Que’s face did not seem fake.

Sheng Qixiao’s heartstrings were slowly plucked but he quickly suppressed it, followed by an uncontrollable surge of anger.

He wondered how many people Shen Que had used this false display of care and concern on and how many hearts he had deceived.

Shen Que rubbed his fingers; his moistened fingertips felt a little hot. “Are you feeling better?”

Sheng Qixiao did not answer, nor did he have any reaction. He was as quiet as a statue but his breathing gradually grew heavier as a layer of black mist slowly enveloped his light-colored pupils.

A wave of unprovoked panic washed over Shen Que and he unconsciously swallowed. The human innate defense mechanism, which serves as a warning for impending unknown danger, was constantly telling him that the person in front of him at this moment was, without a doubt, an extremely uncontrollable factor, and he should leave immediately.

But the fraction of conscience Shen Que had left shackled him to the spot. Sensing the heat in Sheng Qixiao’s breath, he pressed his slightly parched lips together, bent down closer, and placed the back of his hand against Sheng Qixiao’s forehead to check his temperature. “Do you have a fever?”

Their breathing slowly fell into the same rhythm, and in that instant, a blazing fire flared to life across the parched ground. Sheng Qixiao suddenly raised his hand and grabbed Shen Que’s wrist without warning, completely abandoning his previous weak and powerless appearance. With one tug, he dragged Shen Que entirely into his embrace. As though led by instinct, his nose found its mark, fitting precisely into the hollow of Shen Que’s cool neck. He sighed a long, drawn-out breath: “You smell so good, Shen Que.”

“……” Shen Que instantly thought Sheng Qixiao must be possessed; otherwise, why would he act so crazy and make such a move… he quickly struggled to prop himself up, trying to get out of his embrace. In his flustered rush, his hand accidentally brushed against the loose change in his pocket.

“……?” Both of their movements froze. The fire in Sheng Qixiao’s eyes was completely ignited, burning so hot that the tips of his ears seemed to be steaming.

The strings in Shen Que’s mind snapped chaotically.

A sudden surge of strength coursed through his arm, and he shoved Sheng Qixiao forcefully, while he himself stagger as he regained his footing. Without pausing to breathe, he impatiently reached out and pinched Sheng Qixiao’s chin, compelling him to lift his gaze. He mercilessly patted his hot cheek with the back of his hand, his words full of astonishment, “What exactly is wrong with you?”

“Yes, Shen Que, what’s wrong with me?” Sheng Qixiao tilted his head to rub against Shen Que’s palm, speaking extremely slowly. It was a question but it conveyed an attitude of knowing the answer well. He grasped Shen Que’s wrist once more, his thumb lightly pressing against the pulse point and tracing it in slow, deliberate circles. “Your heart is beating so fast, Shen Que. What’s wrong with you now?”

Shen Que took a deep breath. Now that things had reached this point, how could he dare to stay any longer? He fiercely flung away Sheng Qixiao’s hand and turned to walk out the door, “I see you’re not uncomfortable anymore. I’m leaving first. You need to calm down.”

Sheng Qixiao stayed exactly as he was, sitting upright and still in the wooden chair, unmoving.

Shen Que forced himself to ignore him while silently reciting a calming mantra in his heart, trying to suppress the faint restlessness deep within his body. He bypassed the wooden table and quickly walked towards the outside. The distance, which was normally only a few steps, now seemed to be stretched infinitely.

Just as he moved to reach the door, it slammed shut with a bang, startling him unexpectedly.

Shen Que’s brow twitched, and he cursed under his breath. He clutched the doorknob and yanked with all his strength but the door felt as if it had been welded shut, refusing to budge.

From behind came a familiar jingle of bells, accompanied by deliberate, measured footsteps that drew closer with torturous slowness, each step pressing against the fragile edge of his sanity.

Sheng Qixiao rose from behind, his heated breath brushing along the side of Shen Que’s neck, his voice soft and tender, tinged with unwillingness: “Shen Que, why are you leaving? Are you going to leave me here alone?”

Shen Que was too frantic to clearly hear what he said. His breathing became heavier with every rise and fall of his chest. He felt the change in his body. The self-control, which was already below par in certain aspects, was being drained away.

He struggled to turn around with his back pressed firmly against the door while stretching out an arm to keep Sheng Qixiao at bay, gritting his teeth as he met his gaze, “Stay away from me.”

He was about to leave. He couldn’t and didn’t want to do anything excessive to Sheng Qixiao. But if Sheng Qixiao continued to approach, he couldn’t guarantee that his ‘second brother’ wouldn’t usurp control of his brain.

“Why? You clearly have feelings for me too, so why do you always push me away?”

His nasal cavity was filled with Sheng Qixiao’s unique scent along with a hint of another fragrance. Shen Que’s mind spun, his blood surging and rushing downward with a fiery heat. A sudden thought flashed through his mind as Shen Que grabbed the silver ornament on Sheng Qixiao’s chest and pulled him back. “Was it you… who did something?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Sheng Qixiao blinked, then gradually leaned in, using his momentum to guide Shen Que’s hand, which rested on his chest, to curl around him. Every movement seemed deliberately slowed down as if he had already anticipated that Shen Que’s reaction had become sluggish at this moment, determined to present every detail right before his eyes.

The instant their noses met, a cool brush of sensation passed between them, immediately followed by the warmth of a tender yet fervent kiss. A slick tongue, like a python, gently yet irresistibly pried open Shen Que’s teeth, exchanging breaths with him.

His kissing technique is mediocre.

Shen Que’s consciousness gradually became chaotic, yet he didn’t forget to critique Sheng Qixiao’s kissing skills.

After the evaluation, he bit his lower lip and deliberately offered his tongue, intertwining it with Shen Que’s and lingering with a subtle hint of guidance.An extremely intense flame burst forth in the entire space, scorching every particle of air.

Shen Que surrendered to himself. Some people are simply not born to be gentlemen.

His palm glided slowly down Sheng Qixiao’s lower back, caressing the supple curve with gentle pats. Just as he was sighing that the texture felt good and was about to lift the fabric for a closer feel, Sheng Qixiao suddenly grabbed his collar and spun him around before pressing him against the door panel, making him completely unable to move.

“You f*cking…” Shen Que’s back of the head was tightly held by Sheng Qixiao. His front directly bumped into the door panel, yanking his chaotic thoughts back for a moment. “Let go!”

“The kiss just now, was good. Do you always kiss others like this too?”

Sheng Qixiao was deaf to his resistance. His lips were red and plump as he sank his teeth into Shen Que’s earlobe, nipping with a touch of lingering resentment. The space between them shrank relentlessly. Sheng Qixiao’s body heat, searing even through their clothes, pressed against Shen Que, and their mingled breaths were scorching in their intensity.

Shen Que’s back stiffened, and he was almost instantly struck by a cold sweat. His body reacted faster than his mind, instinctively reaching out to push, only to feel as if he were thrusting a lamb straight into a tiger’s jaws. Sheng Qixiao seized his hand and forcefully brought it to his front. With a “clack,” the belt dropped to the floor in response.

……

A pair of fair and beautiful hands rested loosely on the door panel as if all their strength had been drawn out. His fingers reflexively curled slightly, finally sliding down slowly as if unable to bear it any longer. The next second, they were firmly covered by another pair of hands, which intertwined with his fingers.

The unfamiliar sensation made Shen Que struggle incessantly yet his struggle, conversely, looked more like actively leaning into the other person’s embrace.

“So cooperative ah…”

A slightly hoarse, whispered gasp, mixed with breathing, intermittently entered his ears. Shen Que felt like a firefly with broken wings, drifting helplessly in a deep pool, forced onto a piece of driftwood, rising and falling with every movement.

But the driftwood was unyielding, pressing persistently against his ear, whispering sweet nothings and dragging him ever deeper, intent on pulling him entirely into the bottomless current. Then, with an innocent tone, he asked him, “What’s wrong with me? Shen Que, tell me, what is wrong with me?”

In this mire-like whirlpool, Shen Que could not sink to the bottom nor could he break free. Even his breathing was controlled by the rhythm. He could only follow the night wind’s melody, powerless to restrain his low moans and soft humming with hot tears had unknowingly gathered on his lashes.

This tear finally extinguished the prairie fire in Sheng Qixiao’s heart.

The author has something to say:

Replaying over and over in my mind:

We’re happy, then what? By what measure is love reaffirmed?

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T/N: I messed up the schedule and accidentally release ch24 the other day :3 I’ve retrieve it, and will update both ch23-24 today.