TAMW CH65

Accustomed to being served in the Zhou household, Yuqing reached out his hand, naturally letting the date pit fall into the man’s waiting palm.

Zhou Xiao’s eyes were fixed on the tip of his tongue.

They hadn’t seen each other in a month, and he had missed him desperately. More importantly, the man before him was a Yuqing in his early twenties—a sight he had never witnessed. Beautiful as ever, yet his gaze held a touch of youthful greenness; as his eyes shifted, they seemed to ripple with the fluid gleam of fine silk.

With the date sweetening his mouth, Yuqing felt the man’s besotted stare. His elegant brow furrowed slightly, and with a huff of irritation, he turned his back.

“What are you looking at…” Yuqing bit his lower lip, feeling inexplicably flustered.

Zhou Xiao had done nothing but sit on the edge of the bed staring at the spit-out date pit, yet Yuqing felt as though he were about to be devoured whole, his entire body prickling with unease.

“You are the adopted son of the Zhou family. Since Father brought you home to raise, does that not make you a member of the Zhou clan? By age, I ought to call you Elder Brother. What, is looking at my Elder Brother—serving my Elder Brother—forbidden?”

With that, the towering man rose to his feet. Catching the fabric at the waist of Yuqing’s long gown, he pulled him backward. Like a feather-light falling leaf, Yuqing’s slender frame was swept straight into his embrace.

“You—”

“The First Madam’s funeral has cast a deathly pall over the entire estate. I haven’t even had the chance to greet my Elder Brother properly.” The man’s voice dropped low, speaking right against his ear.

His lips hovered just beside Yuqing’s earlobe—close enough to brush, but not quite touching—yet his warm breath tangled intimately, his tone carrying a distinctly masculine depth.

Zhou Xiao was three years his junior, barely an eighteen-year-old pup.

Yet looking at him now, what part of him seemed like an innocent virgin?

He was probably some seasoned rake from his time in France. Yuqing had no patience for such a slick, smooth-talking liar. His waist was incredibly pliant; just as he moved to twist away, Zhou Xiao—as if anticipating his dodge—pressed his chest closer, murmuring, “Don’t run, Elder Brother.”

“Don’t be afraid of me. Your younger brother has studied abroad for years and has only just returned. I don’t know how to manage the affairs of this household; I’ll need my Elder Brother to guide me. Please, don’t find me a nuisance.”

In his early twenties, Yuqing was at the peak of his ambition for power and wealth.

Especially with the First Madam dead, he had no rivals left in the inner courtyards.

For Zhou Xiao to rely on him now was the smartest choice. If the boy showed even a sliver of insubordination, Yuqing had no intention of coddling him.

Yuqing pressed his lips together, tilting his head like an inexperienced kitten: “Younger brother?”

“Yes.” Hearing Yuqing acknowledge the title, Zhou Xiao knew better than anyone how heavily Yuqing weighed the bonds of blood. “By the rules of propriety, am I not your younger brother?”

Yuqing hesitated. Being called “Elder Brother” over and over made his ears burn, entirely missing the fact that Zhou Xiao still hadn’t thrown the date pit away.

“Will you call me your younger brother? Just once?” he asked.

Yuqing stared at him. “But…”

But he is the Young Master.

“Zhou Yuqing. Just call me your younger brother, please?”

Zhou Yuqing…

That surname was what truly stirred Yuqing’s heart. Bewildered by the man, his hand was caught and guided to rest atop Zhou Xiao’s head. Softly, he murmured, “Younger Brother Zhou Xiao.”

Before the Master had even acknowledged him as a true son of the Zhou family, the Master’s biological son had validated his status first.

“My good brother…” With his head bowed under Yuqing’s hand, Zhou Xiao couldn’t resist reaching out to embrace him again.

Suddenly pulled into his arms, Yuqing pressed both hands against his chest. Before he could push him away, Zhou Xiao pleaded, “Do not reject me, Elder Brother.”

Yuqing’s mind buzzed.

Was this some popular foreign method of greeting?

They said people over there were more open, their minds working differently than folks back home. Thinking this, though still bewildered, Yuqing found he simply couldn’t push the man away. He only managed a weak shove: “Let go, quickly…”

To embrace like this upon their very first meeting—what was this?

Though they were both men, Yuqing felt something was strangely off about him.

Like a demon wearing human skin, what he said and what he thought seemed to be two entirely different things.

His mouth respectfully called him Elder Brother, yet the fabric of his tailored trousers was already tented so fiercely there wasn’t a single crease in sight.

Even Yuqing had never encountered such a sight before.

That night, Yuqing even had to share the bed with him.

He had originally been sleeping in Zhou Xiao’s room. Now that the rightful owner had returned, by all logic he should have vacated the space. But Yuqing was eager to assert his standing and reluctant to leave—which perfectly suited Zhou Xiao’s designs.

Zhou Xiao insisted that brothers sharing a room was perfectly normal.

At worst, he would sleep on the bed, and Yuqing could take the outer daybed.

Once the mother-of-pearl folding screen was drawn, they wouldn’t even see each other.

“Elder Brother, did you know? I’ve never slept in a place like this. But if you command me to sleep in this cramped, miserable spot, I will accept it.”

Yuqing: “…”

“Elder Brother, sleeping in my room every night, did you ever imagine what kind of person I was? Well? Do I resemble the man you pictured?”

Yuqing: “…”

“Oh dear, if I nod off, I might accidentally knock this candle over. I hope it doesn’t start a fire in the night.”

Yuqing: “Come up and sleep on the bed.”

That was precisely the invitation Zhou Xiao had been waiting for. Grabbing his pillow, he scrambled onto the mattress.

Having suffered from malnutrition in the Ruan household as a child, Yuqing’s body was still recuperating at twenty-one; he was even slighter and more fragile than Zhou Xiao remembered.

Taking up a tiny sliver of space on the inner side, he turned his back. Beneath the thin sleepwear, his shoulder blades protruded like butterfly wings, a slender neck leading to long black hair cascading down his spine.

Lying on his side, Zhou Xiao couldn’t resist lifting a strand of that hair to sniff gently.

Even then, Yuqing carried a faint, natural scent of jasmine.

“Does Elder Brother know how to write?” he asked.

With his back still turned, Yuqing answered, “Only a little.”

As a child, he had eavesdropped on the tutor hired for his elder siblings, grasping bits and pieces. His true, formal education had only begun when he was nearly eighteen.

The Master’s health was failing, the First Madam was dead, and the estate needed someone to manage its affairs, inside and out.

The eldest sister was soon to be married, the Second Uncle was likely plotting to divide the assets—every single detail required Yuqing’s oversight.

He managed everything, pouring his heart and soul into the Zhou family, only for those very people to sneer that he was an ungrateful outsider biting the hand that fed him. Remembering this, a sudden, fierce resentment flared in Zhou Xiao’s chest. He felt he had returned far too late.

Since he had been reborn, couldn’t heaven have given him a chance to protect Yuqing from the very start?

Yuqing’s voice was quiet as he replied with a question of his own: “Why does Younger Brother ask? Is there something you need?”

“I know how to write.”

Yuqing stiffened. Suddenly, he let out a cold scoff. “You bring this up just to tell me you know how to write? That the Master hired a tutor for you? I am well aware.”

Yuqing was deeply sensitive. A child raised in the treacherous depths of grand estates learned to dissect a single sentence into ten different meanings; he had never known the luxury of taking words at face value.

He assumed Zhou Xiao was comparing them, reminding him that as a latecomer, no matter how hard he tried, he would never surpass the true heir raised within the Zhou family.

At that thought, a bitter ache swelled in Yuqing’s chest.

The Master treated him well, using him to fill the emotional void of a neglected son. But now that Zhou Xiao—the true eldest son—had returned, would the Master still favor him?

He thought he had finally found a sanctuary, yet now it seemed he was destined to be cast adrift in the storm once more…

Yuqing only hated that he wasn’t born into a family that loved him, hated that he wasn’t good enough.

He wallowed in self-pity, his mind oversensitive—traits born of youth and a lack of worldly experience.

Hearing his breath hitch, Zhou Xiao hurriedly reached out, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him into his embrace: “You misunderstood me.”

“I meant… why are your eyes red?”

Suddenly hauled into his arms and flipped over, Yuqing’s long hair fanned out, his collar slipping open. His expression looked genuinely wounded. He tried to push Zhou Xiao off, but at eighteen, the man was already too heavy to budge. Humiliated, Yuqing turned his face away. “Leave me alone.”

His raven-black lashes fluttered. Being near Zhou Xiao felt like an unbearable indignity.

Yuqing’s collar had parted slightly. In truth, Zhou Xiao was intimately familiar with his chest.

Aside from his lips, it was probably the place he had kissed most often.

But when they married in the past, Zhou Xiao hadn’t kissed him there; by the time he finally tasted it, Yuqing was already carrying Qingming.

During the pregnancy, his body had matured considerably.

This body was different—pale, glowing with an arresting whiteness under the dim candlelight, the color at the center beautifully flushed. Zhou Xiao had never seen it slightly concave like this. Though the difference was slight… compared to the later stages of Qingming’s pregnancy, the contrast was staggering.

So small…

Zhou Xiao stared, momentarily spellbound.

They were both men, yet for some inexplicable reason, every single inch of Yuqing left him utterly intoxicated.

“So small.”

“You—!” Yuqing hastily pulled his collar shut. “What are you looking at?!”

“We’re both men, but Elder Brother’s is quite different from mine. Why don’t you see for yourself?”

The candlelight was exceedingly dim, and Yuqing had no interest in whatever Zhou Xiao wanted to show him. Yet Zhou Xiao had already taken his hand and pressed it against his own chest. “Feel this. Why is mine different from yours? Elder Brother, your waist is so incredibly slender.”

Zhou Xiao guided his hand, letting it wander over his pectoral and abdominal muscles.

Yuqing had never touched a man’s body at such a peak of vitality—or rather, so robustly built.

Frail since childhood, he had never possessed such vigor. As Zhou Xiao guided his hand over his body, he commented that Yuqing’s hands were freezing, asking if the First Madam’s death had frightened him.

In the dead of night, the two brothers were supposedly bonding in fraternal harmony.

Only with a friendly elder brother could the younger be respectful.

Yuqing thought: What nonsense is this?

Did France teach him to let other men grope his body?

What a shameless… man!

The more Yuqing thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. Yet before he could retract his hand, Zhou Xiao suddenly asked, “What is this?”

“Elder Brother, how could you have such a reaction to your younger brother?” Zhou Xiao looked down at his inner trousers with feigned surprise.

“If… if you hadn’t touched me, it wouldn’t be there! Let go!” Yuqing gritted his teeth. He couldn’t tell if Zhou Xiao’s hands were calloused from riding horses or handling guns, but a thin layer of rough skin coated his palms.

“Then allow me to relieve Elder Brother’s burden.”

Zhou Xiao’s audacity shattered the limits of Yuqing’s comprehension.

The First Madam’s funeral had barely concluded; her tablet hadn’t even been enshrined. Zhou Xiao had, after all, been raised by her, yet he didn’t shed a single tear, instead choosing to… slip his hand into the trousers of an elder brother he had only just met.

Yuqing was left utterly staggered.

Pressing close against his skin, Zhou Xiao rubbed his cheek affectionately. This soft, silken sensation was something he had yearned for endlessly since waking in this timeline.

In his previous life, he had long become incapable of leaving Yuqing for even a moment. He was his anchor, his beloved Qingqing.

His embrace was his only true home.

Right now, Yuqing was still entirely green; even his waist hadn’t learned to tremble properly.

His forced expression was mortified, clearly repulsed by Zhou Xiao’s actions, yet entirely bewildered as to why his body melted so easily under his touch.

Yuqing had never cared for such things, nor did he indulge in lust.

Yet Zhou Xiao, despite this allegedly being their first meeting, seemed intimately acquainted with every contour of his body.

He even knew exactly where to kiss his waist to make him shiver.

Yuqing pulled the quilt over himself in agony. Frail and slender, he felt like a ragdoll seized by the limbs upon their first meeting—how he moved and reacted was entirely dictated by Zhou Xiao’s whims.

Burying his face into his thighs, Zhou Xiao felt a profound wave of contentment.

The current Yuqing was truly pristine. The jasmine scent was faint; pressing his nose closely against the skin, he could even detect the bathwater he had used today, likely steeped with other pleasant herbs. His body carried the soothing, neutral scent of pure, boiled water.

The Yuqing he had known was a ripe, bruising peach; this one was freshly grown, the flesh not yet soft, but being a honey peach by nature, a single prod left a distinct dent.

With a little more pressure, it wouldn’t be surprising if sweet juice spilled forth.

Outside, the servants knelt in the ancestral hall, weeping mournfully in place of the masters for the departed First Madam.

On the bed, Yuqing shed tears of his own, unable to comprehend why this man was subjecting him to such treatment.

And yet, he could not leave.

The Master had saved his life; remaining in the Zhou estate to repay that debt was his lifelong duty.

He was the adopted son in name, but how many in this sprawling compound truly respected him?

To secure his footing, he had hoped to borrow the authority of the eldest son’s title, never expecting the man himself to return.

Now, he desperately wanted to push him away, but the man’s mouth…

Yuqing felt dizzy, unsure if his eyes were playing tricks on him. This felt more like a fever dream.

“Why the sad face, Elder Brother?” The corners of Zhou Xiao’s lips curled up slightly.

Between them, it had always been Yuqing who teased him.

When they had truly connected in the past, Yuqing had already seen too much of the world; romantic love held no weight in his heart. But now, it was different. Yuqing had experienced little, seen little, and he still knew how to be shy.

At this moment, didn’t he resemble the Zhou Xiao of the past? Desiring, yet terrified to admit it.

Across time and space, they continually found reflections of their past selves in one another. Bound together like this, regardless of the era, regardless of the time.

Knowing exactly what Yuqing was thinking, Zhou Xiao deliberately teased him, calling him “Elder Brother.”

Yuqing was so remarkably green that his ears burned a furious, bleeding red. Several times he tried to clap a hand over Zhou Xiao’s mouth to stop him—what if the servants outside heard? What would become of their propriety?

Zhou Xiao adored this raw, innocent version of him.

On their actual wedding night, he had assumed Yuqing was already experienced… so he had devoured him like Zhu Bajie swallowing the ginseng fruit—gulping it down whole. Aside from knowing it extended his life, he hadn’t savored the taste in the slightest, left only to secretly reminisce and crave it later.

Wasn’t Yuqing doing the exact same thing now?

In all his years, what kind of people had Yuqing not seen?

The vile, the lecherous, the beautiful, the hideous—he had dealt with them all.

But a man who called him “Elder Brother” while diving into his inner trousers, murmuring “I like you so much”… this was truly a first.

What kind of place was France, really?

Raised in deep courtyards, Yuqing had seen countless concubines scheme and fight out of jealousy—not for the man himself, but for power. Otherwise, who would truly love a wrinkled, aging patriarch? What they loved was the authority he wielded as head of the family, the prestige of borrowing the tiger’s might.

Anyone raised in such an environment learned early to think three steps ahead before taking one.

But Zhou Xiao…

He was clearly intent on devouring him. Just kissing his skin drew a sigh of profound satisfaction from him. Just what kind of man was this?

Later, Yuqing would realize: this was a man governed by sheer lust.

The next morning, the Zhou estate, which had been bustling for days, woke early to prepare a welcoming banquet for the returning Young Master.

Before the appointed hour, the courtyard was already noisy. Displeased, Zhou Xiao instinctively reached out to pull the man into his arms, intending to share a tender moment with his Elder Brother.

He was in soaring spirits.

Because Yuqing was still young, and Zhou Xiao had the advantage of reliving their past, he could teach Yuqing calligraphy in the Zhou estate, teach him how to run a business, and marry him early…

His Qingqing was now exceedingly docile.

Such a Qingqing would surely never venture out and meet other men, would he? Zhou Xiao decided he had to clear out the current staff and replace them entirely with his own people. That way, when Yuqing stepped out to do business, it would be purely for his own amusement.

His Yuqing deserved to live happily in the utopia he built for him.

Lost in thought, a grin broke across his face. “My good Elder Brother, touch me here—why is it hurt? Did Elder Brother bump against it yesterday? It’s swollen so large…”

He took Yuqing’s hand, intending to guide it as he had in the past, taking advantage of Yuqing’s lack of resistance to acquaint him early with the sheer weight of his affection.

Yuqing was already awake, staring blankly outside the bed curtains.

After a moment, he shifted his gaze to Zhou Xiao.

Zhou Xiao guided his hand downward: “It’s terribly uncomfortable. Elder Brother, please feel it.”

Yuqing raised an eyebrow, taking in his smug, triumphant grin, fighting the urge to slap him across the face.

Seeing Yuqing’s lack of movement or expression, Zhou Xiao assumed he had moved too fast and frightened him. He quickly amended, “Actually, it might not be swollen. Why don’t we put ours together? A little rubbing, a little touching, and maybe it will heal right up?”

Such brazen shamelessness. Yuqing scoffed coldly, his thin lips parting: “Zhou Zezhi, do you take me for a three-year-old child?”

Zhou Xiao: “?”

“Let go,” Yuqing commanded.

Zhou Xiao froze for a second, instantly releasing his hand. Like a man electrocuted, he bolted upright—no, he dropped straight to his knees, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed nervously. “Qingqing…?”

Last night, Zhou Xiao hadn’t gone all the way, but he had thoroughly feasted on him, leaving Yuqing’s body soft and aching this morning.

Propping himself up, memories flooded his mind. For some inexplicable reason, after death, he had returned to his early twenties.

Last night, relying on Yuqing’s lack of memory, Zhou Xiao had taken endless liberties, even using his toes to…

Between husband and wife, such acts were nothing. But without his memories last night, Yuqing had been so humiliated by his audacity he had nearly cried.

Though older, he had been toyed with effortlessly by his younger brother.

He had done absolutely nothing, yet seeing Yuqing cry from shame had only excited Zhou Xiao further, prompting him to greedily lick his tears away.

Yuqing stared at Zhou Xiao: “Did you enjoy your fun last night?”

“Does the Master prefer a younger body? Hmm? Come here.” Yuqing crooked a finger, and Zhou Xiao instantly scrambled closer. “Was that mouth of yours given to you just to spout lies? Zezhi, you have truly grown wicked.”

Yuqing’s slender fingers pinched his cheek. Unable to hold back, Zhou Xiao blurted, “Qingqing, I missed you…”

“You have no idea. I missed you so much, but I was terrified of scaring you, so I had to trick you a little. You know I can’t survive without you.” Ignoring the pinching force, Zhou Xiao caught his hand, pressing fervently kisses into his palm. “I missed you, missed you…”

Long accustomed to his lavish kisses, Yuqing propped his head on one hand: “Do you know your wrong?”

“I do.” Zhou Xiao whined, shaking his hand like a spoiled child. “Mother, Xiao’er was wrong. With Qingming gone now, let me fulfill my filial piety in his stead.”

“We’ll settle your punishment after breakfast.” Yuqing tapped his nose, gently opening his arms. “What is the situation now? You’ve returned so suddenly; the estate is bound to fall into chaos.”

He had regained his memories later than Zhou Xiao. This was the most turbulent period for the Zhou family.

The eldest sister was preparing for marriage, the Second Uncle was maneuvering to split the inheritance, the old master’s illness was worsening, the pawnshop business was steadily declining, and the port was not yet in their hands…

Everything had to be rebuilt from scratch.

Propped on his arm, Yuqing looked down. Where was the rogue who had tormented him yesterday?

The man had instantly turned exceptionally docile, hugging his waist. Out of habit, he moved to bite him, but finding the curve barely concave—just a slight depression that protruded with a bit of pressure—Zhou Xiao mumbled obediently, “I’ll listen to whatever you say.”

“Elder Brother, Qingqing, whatever you want, I’ll obey…”

Yuqing pinched his cheek again. Remembering how he had been teased yesterday, the urge for payback swelled within him. “Get out of my embrace,” he ordered.

Though confused, Zhou Xiao dutifully opened his mouth and sat back on his knees.

Too lazy to get up, Yuqing stretched his leg out, resting it on Zhou Xiao’s thigh, pressing his foot down. “Massage my leg for a bit. Yesterday, you refused to even apply a bit of scented balm for me; rubbing my leg today is the least you can do, isn’t it?”

“After all, you are not yet Yuqing’s husband. If you are unwilling, then—”

Before Yuqing could finish, Zhou Xiao looked on the verge of tears, lunging forward as if to bite him. “Qingqing, I forbid it, I forbid it! I’ll have the old man officiate our wedding tomorrow, alright?! I want to be your husband, don’t… I was wrong! I shouldn’t have used your… yesterday. Do your toes hurt? Let me blow on them for you.”

“You nearly made them cramp, what do you think?” Yuqing pushed his head away. “All you know is how to torment me.”

“I missed you for a whole month. I nearly went mad on that ship! When I finally got home and saw you look at me like a stranger, it truly broke my heart…”

Yuqing didn’t believe a word of it.

No matter what age he was in, Zhou Xiao would always find a way to shamelessly stick to him—otherwise, he wouldn’t be Zhou Xiao!

Coaxed by a few sweet words, and perhaps resigned from a lifetime of indulging him, Yuqing’s tone softened. Hearing him pout and whine, habit took over; he parted his robes and let him back in.

The massive Zhou Xiao hugged him tightly again, burying his face in his chest. It was already slick and damp. But Yuqing’s body was too green right now; the slightest touch sent him reeling, feeling as though he might faint.

“First, we settle the Zhou family affairs, and then we hurry up and…”

“Get married?” Zhou Xiao interrupted, a pang of jealousy striking him as he recalled that a dog had stood in for him at their wedding in the past life.

“Hurry up and give birth to Qingming.”

Zhou Xiao: “I knew it! You only ever cared about the child. When have you ever truly cared for me?!”