It took LiangLin hours to look through each box before he got to his sisters' gifts. There were 4 small wooden boxes hidden behind all the larger trunks. These must be from his sisters.
LiangLin was humming to himself as he arranged them in a line before him and flipped them open.
"..." LiangLin blinked, but what he saw didn't change.
Did his sisters confuse the wedding for a hunting trip?
LiangLin lifted a dagger in the air and stared at the ragged edges, like tiny fangs lining the entire length of the blade. What in the world-
He noticed a letter at the bottom of the box and took it out, reading it.
'51, use this to saw his little brother off if he tries to stab you! I asked KaiJun to make me a weapon that will kill him slowly and painfully! Show him what a She is made of! Don't submit!'
Stab? Why would XueYa try and kill him? LiangLin eyed the weapon in his hand and grimaced. Sister LiAi was always the evil one out of the litter. Poor Wei KaiJun for falling for her. LiangLin placed the dagger back in its box and put it aside.
The second box had a small spear. LiangLin lifted it up and nearly broke his wrist. The thing weighed like a brick! What the hell was he supposed to do with this? The spear itself was too thick to be useful for hunting.
Oh, it too came with a letter. LiangLin placed the spear down with a 'thunk' and read the letter.
'Lin'er, congratulations on your fake wedding! You know where to shove this if your fake husband tries anything! Love you, kiss, kiss!'
Shove- LiangLin's eyes trailed down on the weapon and blushed as he understood what LiChun meant. Was everyone here aiming to kill his husband? He was glad his sisters supported him on this murder mission, but their way of doing it was a bit - much.
LiangLin tossed the spear back in its box and moved to the next one. There was a rope and a neatly folded packet. Why would his eldest sister send him a rope? Unless-
LiangLin's blush darkened. Was LiBai supporting this marriage?
Well, if his eldest sister agreed to it, maybe he shouldn't be so hard on XueYa.
Smiling shyly at the thought, LiangLin took the items out of the box and opened the small package. It was full of thin silver nails.
"Why..." LiangLin read the words scrawled inside the package, sighing. They all wanted to kill his hubby!
'Once the guards get him drunk, tie him up and force these needles under his fingernails one by one until he tells you how to wake up YaYun. Good luck, Lin'er.'
LiangLin grumbled under his breath as he placed them back in the box, turning to the last box from LiYue.
She too must want to kill XueYa! They all plotted to murder his husband on their wedding night! How cruel!
When he looked inside the box, there were two vials of liquid. Was it poison? It was poison, wasn't it?
Something that once XueYa drank it, he would wither on the floor until his skin turned purple and his eyes popped out of their sockets. Maybe make him bleed from his ears and eyes before he keeled over and died.
LiYue would be on par with LiAi in her evil ways if she wanted to! So mean… XueYa hadn't even kissed him yet!
Without picking up the vials, LiangLin went for the letter and read it.
'Lin'er, I'm thrilled you are the first of us to marry. You are the prettiest bride I've ever seen. Admittedly, I've never seen other brides, but you are the most beautiful, I'm sure.
Your other sisters told me to come up with a gift that wouldn't allow XueYa to hurt you. These two vials should smooth things up for you!
Even if you don't know how to use them, I'm sure your husband does. Leave it for him to teach you. Love you lots!'
Oh, LiangLin smiled as he reread the letter. Did this mean LiYue agreed to this marriage? She wasn't trying to kill XueYa? That was good news!
LiangLin's smile slowly froze as his eyes wandered back on the vials. Wait, what were they for, exactly? Were they edible? Why would only XueYa know how to use them?
LiangLin had no time to wonder about it as he heard loud noises and saw the flickering light of the lanterns approaching the door. He quickly put the box away and stood up when the doors flew open, and Yu Zhong and Xie JingYi stepped in, dragging a half-unconscious XueYa inside.
"He drank himself under the table?" LiangLin mumbled as he reached over to brush off some escaped strands of hair from XueYa's visage.
XueYa looked like he was just trampled over by a herd of buffalos. A light sheen of sweat had broken over his skin. His face flushed from all the liquor, eyes closed in a pained expression.
"Let's take him to bed," Yu Zhong said, stepping past LiangLin to reach the sleeping quarters.
"Man, I've seen no one drink like him," KaiJun said as he rubbed at his neck. "He downed everything he could get his eyes on, and your sisters had added a lot of poison too."
"Wait. What?!" LiangLin hurried after the ox, climbing over the bed to take a better look at the groom. He wouldn't die, would he?!
XueYa was sprawled out on top of the sheet but didn't move. At least he was breathing. LiangLin sighed with relief as he reached over to check XueYa's temperature. He wasn't burning, just warm to the touch.
"Stupid!" Even if XueYa couldn't get drunk as fast as others, it didn't mean he should drink the liquor and poison as if his life depended on it.
The guards chuckled at LiangLin's little outburst.
"He won't die. No need to worry."
With that, the guards left the newly wedded couple on their own.
LiangLin let his eyes wander over the peacefully dozing husband of his. Long lashes rested over the high cheekbones. His thin, wide lips were parted. XueYa simply looked beautiful in his most vulnerable state.
Biting on his lower lip, LiangLin crawled closer, poking XueYa on the cheek.
No reaction. Was he really out of it?
LiangLin wouldn't believe it without confirming it. He already learned from his mistakes!
"XueYa."
No reaction.
"..."
LiangLin blushed a darker shade of crimson as he thought about the situation. If he said it, this guy would react if he was just faking unconscious. But he felt silly saying it!
Leaning over, LiangLin let his hand rest on XueYa's chest, feeling the heartbeat through the thin layers of fabric.
"... Husband, please wake up."
XueYa started snoring lightly.
LiangLin felt the heat envelop his skin. How dared XueYa ignore his embarrassing plea?
"Damn asshole! How can you be unconscious on our wedding night? I even called you husband!"
LiangLin huffed, trying to crawl off the bed when long fingers wrapped around his wrist.
Before LiangLin could react, he was pulled back on the bed and flipped to lie under XueYa.
"What- Bastard, you were awake this entire time?" LiangLin tried to wriggle away, but XueYa pressed his hands over his head with one hand, keeping him open and vulnerable.
"LiangLin..." The voice was hoarse, with a slow drawl in it.
LiangLin looked up into XueYa's eyes and stopped resisting. The bright brown irises were clouded over with drunkenness, lids half-closed.
There was a frown forming over XueYa's brows as he leaned his flushed face closer until their nose tips touched. The wafts of liquor surrounded the two of them, and LiangLin felt his heartbeat quicken, his blood pounding in his ears.
XueYa only gazed into his eyes, as if searching for answers.
"Tell me..."
XueYa brushed over LiangLin's cheek with his thumb, sending little shivers down LiangLin's spine. Their lips were only inches apart, so close yet so far away, LiangLin could almost taste the liquor on his lips. He wet his lips, parting them expectantly, letting XueYa take the lead.
But XueYa didn't lean in to steal a kiss. He only rested their foreheads together, his eyes slowly closing.
"... Do you love YaYun?"
The question took LiangLin by surprise. He had already forgotten he was marrying YaYun in the world's eyes, not XueYa. Of course, he had to say he only loved and adored YaYun. That's what everyone told him to do to keep himself safe from XueYa.
What did XueYa even expect as the answer?
But before LiangLin could say a word, XueYa slumped down over him, snoring into his ear. The hold on LiangLin's hands eased, and he wriggled himself into a more comfortable position under the drunken body.
Looking at the sleeping figure, LiangLin had to admit, XueYa was quite cute, snoring and drooling everywhere. If only XueYa wasn't a bastard sorcerer…
LiangLin brushed his fingers over the smooth skin, trailing a line over XueYa's brows. In the heat of the moment, he leaned over, placing a kiss on the side of XueYa's lips. A pleasant warmth spread inside him at the soft touch, and LiangLin couldn't help but smile to himself.
"I won't let you steal my first kiss, so I will just do it myself, damn sorcerer!"
Ah, who was LiangLin kidding? He liked this sorcerer. Just a little, a tiny teeny, itsy bitsy bit. But not enough to stop him from planning murder if the guy tried anything!
-------------[[[ AUTHOR'S NOTE ]]]-------------
I have news lovelies!
Since this novel has been contracted from September 2020, it is time for this story to go premium on 25.2.2021! That means the chapters will become locked starting from chapter 65, and to read further, you have to use fast passes or coins to unlock.
Because of going premium, Webnovel will automatically set a privilege for this novel. I have no control over this. This means there will be a minimum of two advanced chapters locked behind a paywall of a minimum of 1 coin, and unlocking privilege chapters will also demand additional coins.
This does not prevent you from reading regular premium chapters that come out of privilege every time I update. So this doesn't prevent you from reading without the use of coins!
I know not all readers enjoy reading novels with fast passes, so I understand if you drop the story, no hard feelings! (^ 3 ^)
Thank you all who continue with the novel! Starting March, I will do the daily release! Hope to see you then!
Much Love,
LinShui <3