In the midst of chaos and uncertainty, the Jiangs make a strategic move to secure a marriage alliance between a late bloomer, Jiang Ying, and the crown prince, Lan Xichen. However, their plans are disrupted when Jiang Ying is abducted before the mee...
The town looms closer in the distance, its lights and banners flapping in the wind. Xie Yun urges Bichen on, picking up the pace to reach safety. They land on the street and walk around to find an inn but are met with closed doors and darkened windows. They groan and think about what to do until they see a trail of smoke rising from the corner.
"We should go check it out. Maybe they have some meat to help with your horrendous diet," Jiang Ying says, excited by the prospect of sleeping indoors and having some meat. For the past few days, he has been sleeping under trees or in caves, eating only dried fruits and nuts.
"Even if they do, they probably won't share. I'm beginning to think you enjoy imposing on others' homes more than I do," Xie Yun counters, but he follows Jiang Ying despite his protests.
They weave their way through the trees and bushes until they come upon a quaint cottage, with a man dressed in yellow robes gathering firewood from a pile. Beside him sits a small child playing with a wooden toy. Jiang Ying steps forward a bit to get a closer look, and a twig snaps under his feet. Shit!
The man in yellow startles and drops the firewood, turning to face them with a look of surprise. "Hello, how can I help you?"
Jiang Ying starts walking out of the trees and into the clearing, pulling Xie Yun along with him. "Sorry, we didn't mean to scare you. We're just traveling through."
A soft smile creeps onto the man in yellow's face. "It's no problem at all. My name is Jin Xiaobao." He then gestures to the small child in yellow, who is hiding behind him. "And this is my little girl, A-Mei."
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Jiang Ying puts on his textbook social etiquette smile. "Nice to meet you. My name is Jiang Ying, and this is my companion, Xie Yun." He winces when Xie Yun elbows him in the ribs for revealing their true identities, but he can't seem to care when Jin Xiaobao appears to be trustworthy. "Wait! Jin?! How come you are a Jin?" Jiang Ying asks, genuinely curious about the man's surname.
Jin Xiaobao pauses for a moment, a contemplative look crossing his face. "Ah, that's a long story! Let's get inside, and I'll tell you all about it."
Jiang Ying follows, intrigued by the mysterious man and eager to hear his story. But Xie Yun has different plans as he pulls Jiang Ying to his side, scenting him all over until he feels satisfied. He wants Jiang Ying to smell like him and only him. As they walk together, Xie Yun remains close to Jiang Ying, their hands touching and their scents merging into one. No other alpha would dare to approach unless they're looking for a fight.
A furious blush spreads across Jiang Ying's face as he feels the possessiveness of Xie Yun's actions. He never thought he would be this close to anyone or feel so comfortable around them. Now his mind races with thoughts of what the future holds for him and Xie Yun.
He buries his face in his hands, waiting for the red tint to fade away. This day is just kicking his ass. When he finally gains control of his face and removes his hands, it is a miracle he doesn't run into something. Following the sound of Xie Yun's footsteps prevents him from colliding with a tree.
