love at first sight... // zhuiling

Chapter 23

Sizhui woke up to a bright ray of sunshine in his eyes. He covered his eyes with his hands and got up. Looking right, he saw Jin Ling, still sleeping. 

He looks beautiful even when he sleeps, Sizhui thought.

Meanwhile, Sizhui checked his wound to see if it had healed. Luckily, since it was not severe, the combined power from the herbs and Sizhui's golden core were able to heal the wound quickly. Sizhui thought just wearing his undershirt seemed a little bare, so he untied the bedsheet that Jin Ling had made the night before. After putting on each robe, Sizhui went outside to see the current situation. Looking left, Sizhui could see a lake in the distance.

I guess I could freshen up before we walk back to the Cloud Recesses. Sizhui thought.

Sizhui made a mental note of where the cave was and walked to the lake. At the water's edge, Sizhui summoned a talisman to check if there were any water ghosts. After it finished reading the lake, it glowed yellow, meaning that the lake was safe for use. After seeing no people around the lake, Sizhui started untying his sash belt. His white robes fell first. Then, he unbuttoned his Lan sect undershirt. Finally, Sizhui pulled off the sacred Gusu Lan sect headband. Before jumping in, Sizhui neatly hung his clothes on a nearby branch.

Jin Ling woke up moments later, and saw that Sizhui was not next to him.

Huh?! Where did Sizhui go? Jin Ling thought. He started to panic.

Jin Ling quickly put on his robes and ran out the cave. He started to yell Sizhui's name, "Sizhui! Sizhui, where are you? Sizhui!"

Eventually, Jin Ling saw Sizhui bathing in the lake. Without thinking, Jin Ling started running towards Sizhui. It was only by the time Jin Ling was the water's edge did he notice that he was watching Sizhui bathe.

"Oh my god. I'm sorry, Sizhui." Jin Ling said, covering his eyes and blushing. "I didn't mean to watch you bathe."

"Haha, it's okay Jin Ling." Sizhui replied, smiling. "I was just freshening up before we go back to the Cloud Recesses."

"Oh, nice." Jin Ling said, "Well, I should do the same."

Sizhui immediately blushed and looked away. "I... uh... okay. I'll... uh... just be looking the other way."

Jin Ling smiled and began to take off the golden yellow robes of the Lanling Jin sect. He started untying the brown belt that was holding his robes together. After Jin Ling finished unclothing himself, he neatly folded them on the ground. 

"Haha, you can turn back around Sizhui" Jin Ling said. Sizhui turned to see the beautiful boy. His hair reflected sunlight onto the water and his hazelnut eyes pierced through his heart.

Holy crap... he's so pretty. Sizhui thought.

After a while, Jin Ling decided to get up from the lake, as he found it boring just standing in it. He was going to ask if Sizhui was also going to exit the lake when he noticed his forehead. Sizhui had removed his headband and laid it on the branch. Suddenly, Jin Ling smirked.

"Well, Sizhui" Jin Ling proclaimed. "I'll be getting up now."

"Yes, you go first." Sizhui replied. "I'll go after."

Sizhui didn't think anything of it at all. It was until he saw Jin Ling reaching for his robes that he knew what Jin Ling was doing. Sizhui wanted to tell Jin Ling to stop, but he restrained himself.

Well, I guess it doesn't really matter. Sizhui thought.

By this time, Jin Ling had already finished changing. Even in the Gusu Lan sect robes, Jin Ling looked gorgeous. Suddenly, Sizhui gasped.

Wait! My headband! Sizhui thought.

"You... I..." Sizhui said.

"Sizhui, looking for this?" Jin Ling taunted, as he pointed toward his forehead.