[BL] Eternal Spring ✔️

第四十章

A/N  Been busy with exams for May and June, technically still not done but got time to edit today. It's a longer chapter, little more than 2.5k~~

The unrest in court bubbled and roiled like hot soup under the crystal skin of dumplings, scalding, and carrying the various flavours of gossip and malicious intentions. There were also officials who were concerned with the king's wellbeing, inquiring subtly for news at every opportunity. Of course, many others took the opportunity to spread rumours with the aim of creating confusion and chaos. Eunuch Shuang was also anxious about the situation, yet under the king's orders, he could only continue to obediently deliver the urgent documents to the imperial bedroom and deny any visitors (eager for gossip) an audience with the king.

"Hmngh..." Jiang Zhilan stretched his sore back, blinking tired eyes as he leaned over the half-finished document. A warm hand touched him lightly on the shoulder, a mellow voice sounding suddenly in his ear.

"If you're tired you should rest, your majesty." Jiang Zhilan startled slightly, only to lean back immediately after, his head softly thumping against Liu Qingyuan's chest. He was enveloped in a shadow, his eyes sliding closed in contentment.

"In a bit," he said lazily, feeling a hand fall onto the column of his throat, "I still have a few documents to finish." He reluctantly opened his eyes, leaning away to finish off a document with a flourish of his brush. Liu Qingyuan watched quietly over his shoulder, his hand sliding down to rest on the king's shoulder. These days...he himself had noticed his own clinginess but he felt better when he stood near him, when he touched him. He felt less tired. Liu Qingyuan's fingers squeezed for a moment, a foreign anxiety gripping his chest. This wasn't...him.

Sticking so close to him, he naturally felt the king stiffen before he dropped his brush. Jiang Zhilan swiveled in his seat as if remembering something urgent. "Didn't I tell you to lie down? What if you aggravate your injury!"

"It's fine. It's healing well.' Liu Qingyuan pushed his back down into his seat, not wanting to be coerced back into bed. He felt restless sitting for so long. He leaned down, wrapping an arm around the king's neck from behind.

"Qingyuan?"

"Mm?"

"You-ngh!" Jiang Zhilan's question was interrupted by a sharp pain on the side of neck. It was followed by a warm and moist feeling, sending shivers racing across his body. "You..." Liu Qingyuan pulled away, a string of silver attached to his lip. The tooth indentation was particularly clear against the fair skin. He...unashamedly wanted to bite more.

Jiang Zhilan turned to face him, cheeks red with embarrassment. But he still reached up and brushed aside Liu Qingyuan's hair, plastering his palm to his forehead. "Do you feel uncomfortable?" He patted his cheeks, "What's wrong?"

Liu Qingyuan, "..."

Jiang Zhilan had a faint premonition. Liu Qingyuan had been sticking to him so much these past few days; a touch here, a pinch there, did he want to...? Was he restless and looking for a way to vent?

"You...wait," His waist seemed to ache faintly. He pushed against Liu Qingyuan's looming figure, feeling a sense of crisis. Liu Qingyuan gazed at him silently, distracted as his ears started to ring. A bone-deep hunger rose again; he wanted to hold the man in front of him, fold him into his bones until they became one. Dizzily, Liu Qingyuan faintly felt a sense of wrongness, his skewed senses preventing him from noticing that the crawling feeling started in his meridians again. The moment Jiang Zhilan tried to get up, cool fingers gripped his chin and his mouth was captured by a pair of lips. "Mn..." Liu Qingyuan bit him impatiently, nearly directly pulling him out of his chair. Jiang Zhilan stumbled, a hand pressing on Liu Qingyuan's waist. "What are you doing? You're still injured!" Liu Qingyuan pulled that hand away, gently kissing his fingertips. He pressed his forehead on his hand, brows furrowing. Jiang Zhilan hesitated, "What wrong? Are you really uncomfortable?"