After Zhai Bairong clearly signaled his guests to leave, Duan Mingyu felt too embarrassed to continue bothering his senior brother’s official business and departed with Rong Lü.
Once they were gone, Zhai Bairong, who had supposedly entered the Earth Fire Room, emerged again a moment later. He hurried into the alleyway to look around, but Nie Shiyun was nowhere to be found. Zhai Bairong didn't know when Nie Shiyun had left or how much he had overheard. Although the two of them had spoken openly and cleared the air, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Putting himself in the other’s shoes, he knew he would certainly feel uncomfortable as well. Zhai Bairong paced around the area twice, and after confirming that Nie Shiyun was truly gone, he realized that even if the man were nearby, this wasn't the place for a private conversation. Feeling somewhat dejected, he returned to the alchemy room. He sat down and felt his storage bag, only to find that he had run out of the communication crystals paired with Nie Shiyun’s. With a sigh, he decided to go find Nie Shiyun in person that evening.
After finishing the sugar spheres for Coal Ball and refining several more batches of pills, Zhai Bairong found his mind too unsettled. The quality of his alchemy was steadily declining, so he simply packed up his cauldron, paid the fees, and checked out of the Earth Fire Room.
On the other side, Duan Mingyu, mindful that Xu Yehua was coming to see him later, went straight back to his quarters. Rong Lü would usually have stayed by his side, but after sitting in Duan Mingyu’s room for a short while, just as the atmosphere was becoming tender, Xu Yehua arrived early. Although Rong Lü claimed to have forgiven Xu Yehua on the surface, he still felt a lingering resentment in his heart. It felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over him; he no longer felt as comfortable as he once did when the three of them were together.
Seeing that Zhai Bairong wasn't there, Xu Yehua felt much more at ease. He didn't spare a glance for the visibly uncomfortable Rong Lü, instead bringing out many novelties and ornaments to coax Duan Mingyu into a good mood. He apologized for not accompanying him that afternoon, and Duan Mingyu, naturally not holding a grudge, simply mentioned that he had received more Fire-Condensing Pills from his senior brother, so his constitution issues could be alleviated for a while.
"Why eat those? Isn't doing it with me the same thing?" Xu Yehua teased with a wicked grin, nipping at his ear.
"It's not the same. How could I... do that with you every waking moment?" Duan Mingyu’s face flushed crimson as he complained, "Besides, when I went to find you yesterday, you wouldn't even see me."
When he brought this up again, Xu Yehua, knowing he was in the wrong, pulled the man into his arms and began a forceful display of coaxing and playfulness. Before long, the two of them had tumbled into the inner room.
Rong Lü, however, lacked any enthusiasm today. He felt that Xu Yehua’s mouth was full of flowery lies, glossing over his mistakes with ease. Yet, Duan Mingyu fell for it every time, forgiving him so quickly.
"Brother Rong Lü?"
"The two of you have just reconciled; I won't disturb you."
Duan Mingyu scrambled up, thinking Rong Lü was angry. Seeing his pitiful expression, Rong Lü’s heart softened, and his cold facade crumbled. "But you have to make it up to me next time."
Nevertheless, he insisted on leaving. Seeing that Rong Lü didn't seem to have a personal grievance against him, Duan Mingyu let him go with a slight sense of unease.
Duan Mingyu sighed sorrowfully. "Everything was fine between the four of us at the start. Why has everyone’s relationship become so strained? First it was Senior Brother, and now Brother Rong Lü is like this too."
Xu Yehua didn't feel guilty at all. He was quite happy to have Duan Mingyu all to himself. He chuckled and hooked the man back onto the bed. "Doesn't that just show our possessiveness over you is growing stronger? Isn't that a good thing? it proves how charming you are."
"Stop it..."
While the spring scenery was in full bloom over there, Rong Lü, who had just walked out, quickened his pace and hurried away with a dark expression.
Such an outcome might bring joy to some and sorrow to others, but none of it concerned the senior brother Duan Mingyu had just been thinking about.
"..."
"Shi... Shiyun..."
Zhai Bairong suppressed a gasp.
"Hmm?"
Nie Shiyun traced Zhai Bairong’s back along his shoulder blades, brushing aside his hair.
"That’s... about enough..."
Hearing Zhai Bairong’s voice muffled against the bedding, Nie Shiyun feigned a hurt tone. "But my heart is truly aching. Thinking of the scene from earlier leaves me full of unease and restlessness—"
"You... you really can just say anything, can't you..."
There wasn't a trace of unease in Nie Shiyun’s voice; it was clearly brimming with nothing but thick amusement.
After Zhai Bairong left the alchemy room, he had paced for a while before finally being unable to resist rushing to Nie Shiyun’s residence. Fortunately, Nie Shiyun hadn't detoured elsewhere and had come straight back. Not long after he sat down, the two of them ran into each other.
When he first entered, Zhai Bairong was somewhat anxious to explain himself. Seeing his state, Nie Shiyun suddenly wanted to tease him and deliberately put on a dejected face. In his haste and worry, Zhai Bairong was actually fooled for a moment, his heart filling with bitterness and guilt.
However, Nie Shiyun was rather irresponsible and didn't play the part to the end. He soon found himself moved and secretly delighted by Zhai Bairong’s frantic, worried appearance. It didn't take long for Zhai Bairong to sense something was wrong and realize the other man was teasing him.
"Is this... not allowed?"
Even after being exposed, Nie Shiyun wasn't worried. After all, Zhai Bairong was quite indulgent toward him in this regard.
"Ngh... as... as you wish..."
As expected, Zhai Bairong said exactly that.
Nie Shiyun couldn't help but grin at an angle where the other couldn't see.
"This morning, when you stood up for me, your aura was quite imposing. You were the center of attention," Nie Shiyun said suddenly.
Zhai Bairong was a bit puzzled as to why he was bringing up idle chatter now, but he turned his head and replied, "It wasn't as exaggerated as you make it sound. Why... bring this up all of a sudden?"
Nie Shiyun leaned in and whispered, "Is my sword easy to use?"
"Naturally, it's very—" Zhai Bairong cut himself off halfway, falling silent with a sheepish look.
He finally realized why Nie Shiyun had suddenly brought that up.
Seeing Nie Shiyun’s half-smile, Zhai Bairong cleared his throat twice and criticized him with a hint of a complaint, "Must you speak such lewd words at a time like this?"
He wasn't good at listening to such things, let alone saying them. Nie Shiyun would occasionally say a few things jokingly, but never excessively. Most of the time, Zhai Bairong would just feel his face heat up like this, rather than becoming truly ashamed or angry.
"Because my heart was aching today," Nie Shiyun laughed uncontrollably, his state completely contradicting his words.
Zhai Bairong turned his head away and, in a rare move, took the initiative to urge him, "Stop laughing, hurry..."
Kneeling upright was a first for him, and the tips of Zhai Bairong’s ears were burning. As Nie Shiyun, who had been urged, continued his movements, his fingers slid to Zhai Bairong’s collarbone and then up to his neck. Zhai Bairong tilted his head back slightly, swallowing; his Adam's apple bobbed up and down beneath Nie Shiyun’s palm.
Nie Shiyun couldn't resist sliding his hand further up, his index and middle fingers lingering on Zhai Bairong’s lips, feeling the heat exhaled from his heavy breathing.
"...!"
Nie Shiyun froze.
His fingertips were warm and wet. It took him several seconds to realize that Zhai Bairong had actually opened his mouth and taken his fingertips inside.
By the time Nie Shiyun regained his senses, it was already too late.
Or rather, too early.
"...You."
As the two separated, Nie Shiyun, for once, found himself at a loss for words. "Why did you... suddenly..."
"We are both men. It's not as if I... don't know what men like in bed." Zhai Bairong turned around, coughing twice to hide his embarrassment. His tone was composed, but his heart felt as if it were on fire. He thought to himself: *If we were face-to-face, I would never have the courage to do that.*
However, seeing Nie Shiyun’s rare, red-faced and flustered state, Zhai Bairong couldn't help but want to laugh. He felt that doing this once in a while wasn't a bad thing.
Nie Shiyun had finished earlier than expected and felt unsatisfied. Just as he was about to pull Zhai Bairong back to do something more, he suddenly felt someone calling him from outside the cave dwelling’s restriction.
"Hey, Nie Shiyun, are you in there? It's me, Xuan'er, and your cousin. We remembered the lotus platform is still broken. If you're free, why don't you come and lend a hand?"
The words were transmitted one-way into the room through the restriction. Nie Shiyun was stunned. The person calling out was none other than the opponent of the man currently sitting on his bed: Qi Miaohan.
Zhai Bairong was also startled. He had come here several days in a row without anyone disturbing them; today was the first time someone had come looking.
"It's fine, just pretend I'm not here. I'll go find them later," Nie Shiyun said.
Zhai Bairong frowned. Just as he was about to nod, he suddenly asked, "Wait, is the person outside Fellow Daoist Qi?"
"Yes, why?"
Zhai Bairong thought for a moment and replied, "Tell her to wait a moment. I have something I need to discuss with you briefly."
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Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 56 | A Bold Advance | Novela.app | Novela.app
