Huo Shi Shan. The only other place Yue Yang knew well other than his home village. His cousin was the 'Princess' of the area. She helped take care of the people there at the outskirts of the Huo Kingdom.
"Ying Ran?" Yue Yang glanced around. Where was she? Huo Shi Shan was a fairly small area.
"表姐(cousin)?" Yue Yang called out again. Hmmm…
"你在找谁呢(who are you looking for)?" An old lady asked them. Yue Yang pursed his lips.
"赢冉在吗(Is Ying Ran here)?" Yue Yang asked in dialect.
"Ah! 对对,她在!嬴冉!(yes, yes. She's here)" the old lady called out to a female in the distance. Her long hair had been pinned up elegantly, ensuring her hair didn't go in her face. She sighed and she waved to Yue Yang. She was wearing a bamboo hat. Bi Zhen mused at how similar they looked.
"Cousin…" Yue Yang smiled. Both he and Bi Zhen were tired from the journey. They had gone from the outskirts to cutting through the city to head to another countryside village.
"Ah Han? Why are you here?" Ying Ran wiped her hands on her clothes.
"Well… I have a few questions… do you have anywhere we both can rest?" Yue Yang huffed. He was too exhausted for anything else. Bi Zhen also needed to change. He was still in the bridal clothing. I wondered how he made it?
"Of course Ah Yang!" Yue Yang grinned. He knew she was reliable.
"Gege? What's happening?" Yue Yang's cousin froze. In phoenix culture, someone addressing another as Gege was usually associated with the other being a lover. A few people glanced at them strangely too.
"Yue Yang…" Ying Ran's voice trailed off.
"Erm… let's talk later cousin! My brother needs to change…" Yue Han's voice trailed off. He regretted saying that.
"Oh… ok. I'll arrange some place for you guys to stay at." Ying Ran bowed and she smirked slightly.
Yue Yang was left red faced and embarrassed.
"Your cousin is quite pretty." Bi Zhen hummed. He didn't mind women like her.
"It runs in the family!" Yue Yang felt a surge of jealousy rush through his veins. He implied he too was good looking. Bi Zhen giggled.
"You're very good looking too, Gege." Yue Yang couldn't take it. He quickly rushed in the direction, beckoning Bi Zhen to follow him.
"Do you like her?" Yue Yang muttered.
"Since when did complimenting someone mean I like them?"
---
"There were more rooms. Gege… it's ok. I'll take the floor. You can take the futon." Bi Zhen smiled. No. This was not right.
"I'll go ask for another futon. And… if anyone is sitting on the floor, it is me!" Yue Yang said before exiting the room. He tried to hide his annoyance, scared Bi Zhen would think his annoyance was caused by him.
"Ying Ran!" Yue Yang frowned. He opened the door to get hut and screeched.
"Hmm? I never knew you would swing that way? I'll support you however I can~" Ying Ran laughed. She poured herself a cup of tea and grinned. Interesting.
"Yes, yes… but… I don't need a push in that direction." Yue Yang groaned.
"So… you're really not denying it?" Ying Ran cocked her eyebrow up. Interesting.
"Yes! I'm not denying it! I think he's gorgeous, beautiful, has one of most amazing personalities I've seen and I want to get together with him! But… I don't even know if he swings that way too so…" Ying Ran snorted and she looked disappointed.
"Bah! You're such a wimp!" Yue Yang frowned.
"Just try some light advances in him… see how it goes…" Ying Ran shrugged.
"But… can I please have an extra futon?" Yue Yang's face blushed up.
"No."
"Whyever not?" Yue Yang groaned.
"It's now fun this way!" Ying Ran laughed. She passed Yue Yang a small teapot. Yue Yang hummed.
"Is this what I think it is?"
"Your favourite 米酒!(rice wine)" Ying Ran smirked.
"You know… we're not advised to drink in school." Yue Yang nervously said. He loved rice wine.
"Then drink it here!" Ying Ran smiled. Yue Yang didn't like the sly look in her eyes.
"You're not suggesting I try to get him drunk… are you?" Yue Yang frowned. Ying Ran turned away.
"Well… what's so bad about that! You can find more about what he likes too~" Ying Ran giggled. Yue Yang watched her eyes for any glint of some sort. After she'd warmed up to him again, he'd ask her the questions.
"I guess I may try." Yue Yang's alcohol tolerance was 'disastrous'. He could never get drunk. I suppose that was a good thing in all but… he never knew when to stop drinking. Well, looks like Ying Ran had thought of that. The teapot was quite tiny so even if Yue Yang drank the whole teapot, he would still be ok.
"Haizz… goodbye!" Yue Yang walked out of the house. Ying Ran hummed before waving back.
---
"There are no more futons." Yue Yang mumbled. Bi Zhen had changed into sleepwear and he looked… as usual, extremely pretty just dressed in a white Changshan长衫 with pants. Yue Yang tried not to stare too hard.
"That's ok… what about we share?" Yue Yang wanted to commit sucide. Had someone given Bi Zhen a script to make his life even harder? Whoever wrote the script needed to be killed!
"It's a pretty big futon… I mean, we're both males right?" Bi Zhen had a hard time saying that statement. Yes. They were both males. But… was it bad Bi Zhen found the phoenix a tad bit attractive? He didn't know why. He quickly brushed all that to the back of his head. It's just a phase. He's just… never seen blond hair before… that's why he's interested… It wasn't that Yue Yang was attractive to him or anything. No… Bi Zhen told himself.
Enjoy lying to yourself my darling son :)
Yue Yang rearranged his face and he thought about it.
His rational side and his pervert side were starting to battle. No no no no no no.
"Ok." THAT WASN'T HIS LINE!
"Ah! Do you want the pillow?"
"There should be more." Yue Yang muttered and he walked up to the cupboard, reaching the highest shelf and removing another pillow. Bi Zhen blinked. He had not noticed it.
"Did you wash the make-up off your face?" Yue Yang asked. He squeezed both Bi Zhen's cheeks with a single hand and checked it. Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for them, Yue Yang was a little dense to the fact that sometimes what he did to Bi Zhen could well… give signals of his feelings. Well, however this time, the move was intentional. Bi Zhen couldn't maintain a poker face and his face flushed up when Yue Yang checked it. Their faces were moderately close. Maybe… if they were shoved, they would have ended up kissing.
Aah~ If only I could crawl through the screen to their world.
Yue Yang watched his face carefully. Bi Zhen was red. Did this mean? He slowly released Bi Zhen's face and he thought. Hmm… perhaps he would blush too if someone had pulled his face nearer to theirs as well. Oh well. Bi Zhen rubbed his face and retorted.
"Of course I did! Why would I keep it on?!" Bi Zhen huffed.
Yue Yang shrugged. He reached for a cup, and poured some of the rice wine out. Bi Zhen gulped.
"Is that…"
"Rice wine." Yue Yang muttered. He poured himself a shot and drank it finish in a single gulp.
"I'm guessing your alcohol tolerance must be high…" Bi Zhen laughed.
"Well… yes. So you want any?" Yue Yang asked. He was going to try what Ying Ran had told him.
"Eh… I'm not allowed to drink."
"Why not?"
"I… I'm a crown Prince… I kind of am not allowed to drink." Bi Zhen whispered softly. Yue Han blinked. A crown Prince not being able to drink? Strange.
"That's odd. Well, you're technically not a crown Prince now… I mean… at least not in this territory… how about a glass?" Yue Yang wanted to swallow his words back.
The corner of Bi Zhen's eyes twitched and he sat down. He reached for another glass and held it out.
"I just want to try…" Bi Zhen sighed. He'd always been curious. Yue Han poured him a cup gently. Bi Zhen hesitantly sipped the wine as he watched Yue Han down shot after shot. Why was he drinking so much?
"So… how does it taste?" Yue Yang asked. Damn. He should've have forced Ying Ran to give him another teapot.
"Well… it… it… hic- it tastes… hic- nice." Yue Yang's eyes widened. Bi Zhen was already drunk?!
That. Was too quick for comfort.
"Are you drunk?" Yue Yang asked.
"No… Hic- I'm fine idiot hic-" oh goodness. Bi Zhen's level of alcohol tolerance was incredibly low.
"I'm going to lie down…" Bi Zhen yawned and his head fell. Well… his head fell on something hard. Yue Yang's shoulder. Yue Yang felt like screaming bloody murder. How was he going to survive. His heart kicked up its pace to a hundred miles per hour.
Did this day want to kill him alive?
Scare his soul out of his body?!
"Bi Zhen?" Bi Zhen was fast asleep. Bi Zhen looked so cute. Yue Yang tried to shove him off. But… he couldn't.
Bi Zhen's head was stuck to his shoulder. That was bad. Yue Yang looked down at Bi Zhen's resting face. He looked ethereal. That was unfair. No one should be allowed to look that beautiful.
Yue Yang eventually managed to move Bi Zhen to the futon where he flopped down on lifelessly. Huh.
"Goodnight…" Yue Yang muttered and he returned to finish his wine. Yet, he was caught off guard by Bi Zhen grabbing his sleeve. Yue Yang blushed and he turned around slowly.
"Hmm?"
"Can I have another glass?" Yue Yang pondered the request.
He poured Bi Zhen half a glass. Bi Zhen downed the cup of rice wine quickly.
"Gege! Why are you glowing?" Yue Yang paused.
"It's just the lighting."
"Oh… the wine tasted nice. It was slightly sweet and it was somehow tangy hic- It was almost just a bit soothing and it was really nice. There was a nice balance of flavours hic- and… I like it. Thank you Gege!" Bi Zhen beamed. Yue Yang felt his face flush up and he unconsciously moved his face nearer to Bi Zhen's. Yu Jing looked incredibly shocked for a moment and he turned bright red and covered his mouth. Hmm…
An awkward tension nestled between them.
"Well, I'm happy about that." Yue Yang sighed. The alcohol must be getting to him. Their heads were touching and they stayed like that for a while.
Bi Zhen eventually pushed his head away.
"Gege! You have some very bad habits!" Bi Zhen whined in a slight sing song voice. His head bobbed up and down slightly and he blinked blearily.
"Oh… like what?" Yue Yang mused.
Pfft. Acting dumb.
"You always like to put your face near others. If you keep doing that you'll get the whole cultivation school liking you." Bi Zhen choked out. Yue Yang's laughed and he pinched Bi Zhen's cheek.
"Haha! It's only you though." Yue Yang watched Bi Zhen's face. It turned bright red.
"Why? Am I that fun to tease?"
"My other friends would slap me." Yue Yang laughed. He felt bad. He was disgusting for doing this to the poor drunk boy.
He was going to go bathe himself in holy water and bury himself in books of holy mantras.
"Oh."
"Bi Zhen… what do you like!" Yue Yang advanced and he suddenly changed the topic. He was certainly going crazy. Would anyone... even converse with another like that?!
"Rice wine!" Bi Zhen chuckled. Yue Yang rolled his eyes and asked again.
"Besides rice wine… what else?"
"My family…" Bi Zhen yawned. Yue Yang hummed and he stroked a bit of Bi Zhen's hair. Ahh~ it was soft and smooth. Yue Yang bet his skin would feel-
Hold on. This was meant to be family friendly.
Yet… Yue Yang was getting… moderately turned on. This was the worst time. Yu Jing looked so goddamn gorgeous it was pretty hard to resist his charms. I mean, I can't blame him either.
The scent of alcohol made its way into his system and he tried to keep himself in check.
"Hmmm… animal?"
"Cats! They're lucky." Bi Zhen sighed. Yue Yang grinned.
"Hobby?"
"Calligraphy, painting and practicing my 琴! I miss my 琴..." Bi Zhen pouted. (Bi Zhen plays the zither)
"You can use your 琴 to practice your cultivation you know…" Yue Yang sighed. Bi Zhen's eyes lit up.
"Well… do you like anybody?" Yue Yang asked. His breath hitched as he waited for the answer.
"No. I don't like anybody. But I have liked somebody before. But… I don't see her anymore." Bi Zhen sighed. Yue Yang's heart fell. However, what did he expect? He was tempted to question him on this mysterious girl.
"Her name… I can't even remember her name… I knew her when I was very young. She was really nice… and pretty…" oh. Bi Zhen had embarked on the story without prompt.
"Then… she sort of led me on. I was quite small then and didn't know anything about romance so I thought she actually liked me too. Then… it turned out she was already with someone else. It actually wasn't too far back hic- it's just that… I refused to remember her. I mean… even males can suffer a broken heart too… they can cry too… They're not some superhuman people who will always be there to protect their lover and be the strong ones. They're weak too sometimes." Bi Zhen mumbled. Yue Yang sighed and he smiled.
"I agree… so you never tried to chase after her again?"
"No! She liked the other person. So… I let her be… hic- Gege? What about you?" Bi Zhen sighed. He glanced up at Yue Yang with hopeful eyes.
"Hmm… can I ask you one last question…?" Yue Yang asked.
"Ok… But you better answer my question!!"
"Do you like males as well?"
Bi Zhen immediately turned a bright tomato red and he hid under the blanket to hide his face. So it was a yes. Yue Yang had a chance. How great that chance was was arbitrary though. Sad.
"I… I- hic- I- hic- Does it really come off because of my face?"
"I wouldn't know."
"Then Gege! Answer me who you've liked!!" Bi Zhen's words came out in a flurry. They were slightly slurred and the sentence was complimented by a yawn.
"Well… I've liked quite a few females and… one male."
"Oh that makes us similar." Bi Zhen hummed. His brain fortunately failed to comprehend the awkward situation they were in.
"Why is there that one lone male?" Bi Zhen hummed.
"Well, he just caught my eye… by fate… maybe." Yue Yang sighed. He poked Bi Zhen's cheek.
"Oh… He must be awfully special then." Bi Zhen mumbled.
"Of course… I like him now."
"What's he like?"
"Well… what about… I tell you another day…" Yue Yang grinned. When Bi Zhen wasn't drunk. Yea sure, it would be more embarrassing to gush about your crush in front… of your crush but… maybe he'd get a hint.
"HMPH! I can help you!"
"Huh?"
"I can get him to like you too!" Bi Zhen looked awfully determined. His face had popped up back from the blanket and he looked determined. Yue Yang laughed. Oh! The irony! If Bi Zhen could fall in love with him… that'll… be nice…
"There's no need~ go to sleep."