After sending away Bai Ling with a "I hope she doesn't think you escaped from an asylum," look. Chu Nuan was about to rest, when rustling from outside the courtyard alerted her.
"Who's there!" Chu Nuan shouted as she threw her chain towards the figure outside,
"Clang! Clink!" Feeling her chain wrapping around the other person, Chu Nuan gave a strong pull.
"Ngh." A familiar voice echoed inside the courtyard.
Surprised by the late-night visitor, Chu Nuan released her chains, "Xie Luochen?!"
Running up to him in a fluster, Chu Nuan expressed her apology, "Sorry! I didn't know it was you. What are you doing here so late?"
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Xie Luochen looked at the woman in front of him silently with a complicated expression.
A few minutes ago, he came into this courtyard to see if Chu Nuan was satisfied with the arrangements.
But who would've thought, that the first words he heard from Chu Nuan would be-
"Take it off!", "be good, this will end quickly.", and "Bai Ling".
Bai Ling, his master's name.
Exactly what happened, he couldn't be sure. The place he was standing at was too far from the door to hear. Besides, he didn't want to hear clearly at all.
So, with a heart full of complicated emotions, Xie Luochen moved towards the center of the courtyard. To give some private space for the two people inside. Perhaps it's because he was in a daze, or maybe, he acted unconsciously to his desires. But the sound of his movement alerted the Chu Nuan inside. She burst out from within the room, directing the constricting chain at him.
With no motive to move, he let the chain wrap tightly around his body. Causing parts of his body to bruise up painfully.
He watched as the woman he was thinking about a while ago ran up to him in a fluster.
His head lowered slightly, shadow caused by his bangs covered up his complex expression.
"Nothing much, I just came by to see if you like the arrangements."
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Seeing Xie Luochen unwilling to look directly at her, Chu Nuan thought, "this is bad, this is really bad, the rabbit I'm trying to catch is about to run away!"
If she could, she would definitely turn back time and give her past self a huge fist to the face!
Why didn't she look outside carefully before throwing out her chains? Or maybe, she could have thrown a teacup at him instead. It's small and easy to dodge.
Now look at him, he's all bruised up! Part of his neck is turning purple, his arms under those long sleeves must be the same as well.
"Either way, first follow me!" Chu Nuan said as she pulled him forward into her room.
With her pulling him into the room, Xie Luochen became flustered as he remembered the other person inside. He was about to reject her offer, when, with a strong tug, he stumbled inside.
Looking around the room, he noticed that, other than a small black dog resting in the corner, there is no one else.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Xie Luochen allowed Chu Nuan to lead him towards a chair.
" Hold on." She said while rummaging through her pockets.
Not long after, she took out a small jar of ointment. " I'll help you rub this on, roll up your sleeves."
Although the words were hinting at him to roll them up, Chu Nuan's evil claws had already slipped under his sleeves. Sliding them up before he even had a chance to react.
Taking this (probably) once-in-a-lifetime chance, Chu Nuan covertly let her hands roam around Xie Luochen's arm as she applied ointment on.
Thinking, " wow, his skin is so smooth! Muscles are so firm, he must work out regularly. Why didn't my chains wrap around his waist instead? If it did, my hands would be...…" Imagining so, Chu Nuan's sight moves toward his abdomen.
Her eyes darken faintly, a type of seriousness rarely seen for the past thousand years appeared on Chu Nuan's face. Just as she was pondering whether to take a risk, something soft brushed against her cheek. Xie Luochen's voice sounded near her ear. Startling her so much that it almost caused her to yell, " I haven't touched yet!"
Fortunately, she forcefully closed her mouth just in time before the words came out.
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Staring at the woman in front of him absentmindedly, Xie Luochen's thoughts became even more chaotic.
He wants to ask Chu Nuan about his master. When did they meet, what were they doing a while ago, and….if she already has master, why did she do all that to him?
So many questions to answer, but not even an ounce of courage to ask.
Just as Xie Luochen wallowed deeper in confusion, distress, plus a tinge of anger, he felt a soft cooling sensation spreading across his skin.
Coming out from his thoughts, he noticed Chu Nuan spreading ointment on his wounds.
Xie Luochen watched as she carefully and gently skimmed her fingers across his arm, leaving behind a trace of warmth that traveled all the way up to his chest.
That trace of heat sparked an ember of flame in him. "Thirsty," he thought as his sight followed those jade-like fingers.
Licking his slightly parched lips, Xie Luochen inched his body forward. Hooded eyes revealing a primal hunger. Brushing his lips against her soft cheeks, he arrived next to her ear.
I'm a low hushed voice, he whispered, "Chu Nuan."
Sensing the body next to him shuddered in response, Xie Luochen chuckled lightly.
Breathing in her delicate scent, he started, "Ever since I remember, I've always been alone. Not even the other kids in the orphanage would approach me for any reason. I thought my days would continue like this, until one evening, someone came specifically asking for me. That person was my master, Bai Ling."
Listening to Xie Luochen's soft voice, Chu Nuan thought that he's acting kind of strange. Where is strange exactly? Not too sure, but if he wants to talk about his past, she's more than willing to listen.
"Ever since that day, my life has been filled with warmth. Master has always been kind and patient with me. Once, I accidentally broke my master's favorite vase. Instead of being upset with me, the first thing he did was asked if I got hurt. But that night, I saw him holding onto the shatter remains of that vase with tears in his eyes." Xie Luochen said, as he snuggled into the curve of Chu Nuan's neck.
"Ever since that day, I told myself not to approach the things my master likes, in case I cause him to be sad again. Chu Nuan, although my master looks like a very solemn person. In fact, he is a very delicate person on the inside. Almost, almost like-"
Imagining the Bai Ling a few moments ago, without a shred of hesitation, Chu Nuan blurted out, "like a flower?"
The second these words came out, Chu Nuan froze in shock. Mouth hanging open and eyes wide with surprise, she just wants to say, "bring me a pot of oil, I don't want to live anymore!"
Contrary to Chu Nuan's silent shock, Xie Luochen paused for a bit before asking, "is that how you see him?"
"You view him as a flower?" He thought.
Giving himself an indecipherable smile, Xie Luochen moved away from Chu Nuan's neck. He slowly edged back into his seat until his eyes overlapped with Chu Nuan's. Feeling startled from seeing his own reflection clearly shown in those bright eyes, he lowered his sight.
Giving himself a few seconds to sort his thoughts, he explained, "I'm not sure when the two of you met, nor the reason you have hidden it from me."
Chu Nuan, "??"
"But ever since I was young, I always wondered why my master hadn't found someone to date. But now I know…..... Master has always been a father figure to me and as his son...."
Chu Nuan, "?????"
Xie Luochen hesitated for a moment, before lifting up his eyes once again to look directly at Chu Nuan, his expression showing his resolve. "As his son, I will also accept you, Mother."
"Dang!"
The ointment jar dropped out of Chu Nuan's hand.