OL CH11

The natural, unforced intimacy displayed by the man opposite him left Bai Su somewhat at a loss. He could only turn his head aside to evade that burning gaze, his body stiffening as he let Chen Tian hold his hand tightly, his mind in utter disarray.

Yet when half a beat passed and the person opposite remained silent, Chen Tian grew somewhat anxious.

Worrying, he gently nudged his sweetheart’s shoulders around, stubbornly insisting on seeing his face—only to meet Bai Su’s intricate gaze fixed upon him.

Within those eyes swirled a storm of tangled hesitation, despondency, and a deeply veiled tenderness.

Chen Tian did not miss that fleeting trace of affection!

Bai Su had feelings for him!

This realization sent an instant jolt of exhilaration through Chen Tian’s spirit. A sudden clarity struck his mind. Noting the taut line of the other’s jaw and his palpable nervousness, Chen Tian tentatively slotted his fingers between his lover’s, interlocking their hands together.

Sure enough, Bai Su did not pull away, sending boundless joy surging through Chen Tian’s chest. Unable to hold back any longer, he pulled the man straight into his arms with a tight embrace.

“Zisu, Zisu, Zisu! Is it as I think? You fancy me as well, don’t you?”

Faint traces of the mellow peach blossom wine still lingered on both of them. Hearing this urgent confession out of the blue, Bai Su felt as though he were floating high in the clouds, his heart pounding like a war drum.

Held dazed and helpless in the man’s embrace, a tender kiss landed softly upon his forehead. That featherlight touch shattered his defenses entirely, routing them into complete surrender.

When he finally managed to catch his breath, a rush of heat bloomed across his forehead, a spark catching flame right where the kiss had grazed and blazing all the way down into the depths of his heart.

A faint rim of crimson tinged his eyes. This was a scene he hadn’t dared conjure even in his wildest dreams, leaving him wondering whether he had yet to wake from sleep.

Seeing that Bai Su offered no resistance, Chen Tian was practically ecstatic to the point of madness.

He hadn’t anticipated that their hearts would align so quickly; he had assumed he would need to wait and watch over him for a long time. Gazing excitedly at the young man who rested obediently in his arms, utterly pliable to his touch, Chen Tian felt bewitched in an instant. Cupping his sweetheart’s chin, he leaned down and pressed his lips directly onto his.

Those soft lips sent him tumbling into rapid ruin. The exquisite sweetness born of intimacy with his beloved made it utterly impossible for him to steady his breathing. Like an inexperienced youth, he was desperate to the extreme yet agonizingly cautious. Merely letting their lips brush and nuzzle gently against each other, taking in his sweetheart’s warmth, granted his soul immense fulfillment.

It was as if the person in his arms were fragile porcelain, bound to shatter at the slightest rough touch.

Caught off guard by the kiss, Bai Su felt a potent wave of numbness and tingling surge forcefully through his limbs, throwing his entire mind into disarray.

Fortunately, mindful that he shouldn’t rush their very first kiss, Chen Tian soon released him. Drawing several ragged breaths, Chen Tian pecked the corner of his sweetheart’s lips once more before resting his forehead against his, asking with a smile: “Zisu, I like you. And you?”

At the man’s words, Bai Su’s heart trembled violently. Only after a long while did he regain his composure, stealing a glance at the handsome features mere inches away.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t doubted the man’s intentions, suspecting this overt intimacy might merely be hypocritical acting. The imperial family had always been cold and detached; how much genuine affection could they ever possess?

Yet when the man held him so tightly, gazed at him with such unwavering focus, and called his name with such profound love, Bai Su couldn’t stop hope from quietly budding in his heart.

Throughout his life, from the very moment he was born, he had been despised and neglected.

By the time he had memories, his biological mother was already gone. There was only his father’s cold indifference and the servants’ bullying and cold neglect. It wasn’t until his grandfather returned from the battlefield that he found someone to lean on, someone who propped up the sky above him. Later on, his grandfather took him along into the army, allowing him to find a purpose in life.

In the military barracks, by his grandfather’s side, he had finally learned what family and friendship truly meant.

After his grandfather passed away, he lost the only family member he held dear. Afterward, he was framed, crippled, subjected to endless cold stares, and trapped in the capital, unable to return to the army—all of which had caused his heart to freeze over step by step.

He had never dared imagine that someone could truly love him while he was so utterly broken and fallen, willing to spend a lifetime by his side.

It was only when King Ning appeared that he gradually succumbed, harboring thoughts he never should have entertained.

Yet people were inherently greedy. Even faced with ten thousand reasons why it was impossible, he still clung to that solitary sliver of hope: what if this man truly loved him?

Even if it were fake, even if it were a lie, he wanted to grasp it with all his might.

His heart had long since fallen; he truly could not let this man go! He was willing to be manipulated, willing to be at his mercy, if only it kept him by his side…

A reckless impulse roared within his mind: life was nothing more than a fleeting few decades—what harm was there in trusting him just this once?

Even if he were to plummet into a bottomless abyss in the future, savoring this singular taste of sweetness would make him feel his journey through this mortal world hadn’t been in vain.

At this thought, Bai Su suddenly reached out to wrap his arms around the man, leaning forward to press his lips against the other’s mouth.

Stunned by his lover’s sudden initiative, watching his sweetheart’s long, slender eyelashes flutter like butterfly wings with unmistakable trepidation, Chen Tian felt his heart soften into a puddle.

How could his Xiao Bai be so soft, sweet, and adorable!

Yet, this was indeed his Xiao Bai!

No matter what outward form his lover wore—even if he appeared as unyielding as a rugged boulder in this lifetime—Chen Tian knew that with enough patience to peel back the hardened shell, he would find the inside soft as a cloud, yielding pure honey at the gentlest touch!

And now, he had finally tasted this honey, melting completely into this tenderness…

Clasping the back of Bai Su’s head with his large palm, the man finally cast all restraint aside. He kissed his lover’s alluring lips with wanton hunger, tasting his sweetheart’s flavor with unrestrained passion.

Not until the other began to struggle for breath and weakly tried to push him away did Chen Tian reluctantly lift his head.

Seeing his lover’s lips swollen and flushed red beyond recognition, Chen Tian rubbed his nose, a hint of apology on his face but utter delight in his heart.

That kiss just now had already served as Bai Su’s answer. The blush gracing the corners of his lover’s eyes possessed an exquisite beauty. Chen Tian couldn’t help letting out a goofy grin, gathering the man into his arms and refusing to let go.

Every now and then, he pecked at the cheeks and earlobes of the person in his embrace, like a child who had received a cherished treasure—unable to part with it, refusing to let go under any circumstance.

Seeing Bai Su teased until his face was flushed crimson, yet still wearing an expression that looked entirely willing to give whatever was asked of him, the fire in Chen Tian’s chest blazed even hotter.

Yet he knew the time had not yet come. They had only just shared their feelings; he couldn’t let his sweetheart think he was overly impatient, merely coveting his body.

And so, aggrieved, Chen Tian could only plant another firm kiss on Bai Su’s lips before closing his eyes, doing his utmost to soothe the restless turmoil stirring in his blood.

Bai Su leaned quietly against him, the atmosphere inside the carriage settling into a warm, intoxicating haze of intimacy.

Having dawdled over their meal in Zhuangyuan Pavilion and lingered intimately in the carriage afterward, they had no idea how much time had slipped away before they remembered their plan to go boating on the lake.

Lifting the carriage curtain, the sky outside had already darkened, though the lakeside scenery at dusk had a unique charm of its own.

The bustling night market in the distance had already opened. Dappled lanterns flickered to life one by one, while various ornate pleasure boats drifted across the water, the melodic strains of bamboo flutes and string instruments occasionally wafting out from within.

Perhaps due to his shifted frame of mind, even though the crowds along the shore were bustling and rather noisy, Chen Tian still felt immense joy.

Just as they were preparing to step down from the carriage, however, the Prince’s estate steward suddenly came hurrying over. Trotting up to the carriage, he leaned in and whispered a few words into Chen Tian’s ear.

“It’s finished already?” Chen Tian asked with pleasant surprise.

Steward Wang smiled shrewdly. “Your Highness ordered that you be notified the moment it was completed; this humble servant certainly wouldn’t dare slack off. As per Your Highness’s instructions, we sought out the finest master craftsmen. It has already been brought over.”

“Well done!” Pleased with how perceptive Steward Wang was, Chen Tian nodded in satisfaction, feeling the item had arrived at the perfect time. Taking the box handed to him, he drew the carriage curtain shut.

Turning back to face the curious Bai Su, Chen Tian opened the box in front of him, revealing what appeared to be merely a pair of ordinary black boots.

“Zisu, try them on quickly. I personally had someone tailor-make them for you!”

Seeing the man present it like an eager child showing off a prized treasure, Bai Su found it hard to refuse. He simply couldn’t fathom why the man would gift him a pair of boots.

Being men, Bai Su wasn’t fussy, seeing no issue with changing boots in front of Chen Tian. He nodded and took off his current footwear.

Yet just as he reached for the new boots, a pair of slender hands gently intercepted him. To his shock, King Ning leaned down, lifted Bai Su’s leg to rest upon his own knee, picked up a boot, and personally began putting it on him.

Bai Su had intended to speak up and stop him, but the words died on his tongue in the face of the other’s gentle smile. He could only watch as the man meticulously fitted the boot onto his foot.

He had never imagined that a day would come when he would be pampered like a delicate flower. The man was a high-and-mighty Prince, yet doing something like this didn’t seem beneath him in the slightest; in fact, he looked as though he took genuine pleasure in it.

Blushing, Bai Su shook his head to clear his wandering thoughts, hurriedly directing his focus to the new boots. Stamping his foot lightly, he sensed something remarkably different from before.

The fabric appeared ordinary, but was of exquisite quality. Not only was it remarkably comfortable, but while the left boot was standard, the interior of the right boot was noticeably elevated. Furthermore, something had been reinforced and tightened above the ankle, allowing his previously weak joint to rely entirely on the leg’s support to effortlessly guide the foot.

“Care to step down and take a walk to try them out?” Chen Tian asked gently.

Bai Su nodded and followed Chen Tian down from the carriage. Their carriage was parked in a secluded spot with few bystanders around. The moment Bai Su set foot on the ground, he felt a striking difference: with the elevation under his right foot, it was finally no longer shorter than the other.

Most importantly, though unnoticeable from the outside, the inner lining of the right boot wrapped snugly against his leg, reinforced with some unique, pliable framework that provided solid structural support.

The hindrance previously caused by his injured right ankle was mitigated by this specialized footwear, so that his gait was no longer weak and limping.

Bai Su possessed exceptional martial arts and formidable body control. After taking several laps to adjust, his stride quickly became indistinguishable from that of an ordinary person.

Yet his eyes had quietly reddened with unshed tears.