Mu Shu laughed. “I’ll go to the river to gather some more willow branches. I’ll weave two more wicker baskets.”
Yan Yu’an nodded, signaling him to hurry, while he stayed here to keep picking apples.
The bright red apples still gave off their unique fruity fragrance, and before long the two wicker baskets Yan Yu’an had brought were full.
Fortunately, Mu Shu returned in time. The two of them filled a full four baskets of apples before happily heading home.
“Come look, everyone!” Mu Shu called into the room.
Hearing Mu Shu’s voice, Xie Chen was the first to run out. He spotted the baskets in their hands at a glance and raised an eyebrow. “Where did you pick these fruits?”
Xie Ji came out after him. He jogged over to Yan Yu’an and took the basket for him. Ning Bingque and Shen Yuanzhou, a step behind, couldn’t help pursing their lips at Xie Ji’s eagerness to please.
Shen Yuanzhou picked up a fruit and toyed with it. “This is the first time I’ve seen this fruit.”
Yan Yu’an thought for a moment, figuring that the old place probably didn’t have this fruit. He gave a light laugh. “Let’s go wash them first.”
As he spoke, Ning Bingque had already filled a basin of water. Yan Yu’an and Mu Shu crouched down and washed the apples properly, then handed them out. “Try them.”
Xie Ji was the first to take a bite, and the fresh, sweet juice burst open in his mouth. His eyes couldn’t help lighting up. “Delicious!”
Hearing him say this, the others couldn’t help biting into the fruit too, and their eyes lit up in unison.
“I haven’t seen this fruit in a long time. Where did you find it?” Xie Chen’s eyes curved. “The first time I came to this island, there was one of these trees right when I came ashore. But later that tree died, and I haven’t eaten this fruit since.”
Yan Yu’an made a face at Shen Yuanzhou, his voice carrying a hint of teasing. “Then you have Shen Yuanzhou to thank.”
Shen Yuanzhou: “?” He vaguely understood something, but only silently took a bite of his fruit, not planning to speak.
After everyone finished the fruit, they went to study the iron-smelting in more detail. Then, seeing the sky gradually darkening, they decided to go back inside and rest well.
The inner side of Yan Yu’an’s thigh hurt a little. He couldn’t help spreading his legs apart and lying across the bed.
“What’s wrong?” The moment Xie Ji came in, he saw Yan Yu’an sprawled every which way on the bed. He couldn’t help walking over to Yan Yu’an’s side and asking softly.
Yan Yu’an looked up and saw Xie Ji. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but after a long while he still shook his head. “Nothing.”
Anywhere else would have been fine, but the inner side of his thigh was really too private. Yan Yu’an was too embarrassed to tell Xie Ji.
At this moment Ning Bingque also walked in. A trace of unease flashed across his face, and then he pretended not to know and asked Yan Yu’an about it too.
Seeing that he wouldn’t say, he assumed Yan Yu’an wasn’t badly hurt and felt slightly relieved.
“I’m going out for a bit.” Yan Yu’an sat up. The pain on the inner side of his thigh made him truly uncomfortable. He wanted to see just what was wrong with his leg.
Ning Bingque lowered his eyes and nodded randomly, but some bad thoughts suddenly surfaced in his mind.
“You look like you did something.”
Xie Ji narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. After Yan Yu’an went out, he asked Ning Bingque in a cold voice.
“Also, why on earth were you two fighting? Didn’t we agree that night to…” He suddenly shut his mouth, glanced around, then lowered his voice. “Fair competition. Why were you fighting? It made him unhappy.”
In Xie Ji’s heart, as long as Yan Yu’an was happy, that was enough.
Ning Bingque ignored him. He gave a faint huff, then sat up, his gaze turning toward where Yan Yu’an had left.
“What exactly is wrong with this leg?” Yan Yu’an pressed his lips together. By the moonlight he could only barely see that the base of his thigh was slightly red.
He pressed his lips together and couldn’t help reaching out to touch the reddened area. A sharp pain hit at once, and he sucked in a breath of cold air.
Could it be an allergic reaction? He thought in his heart, then listed all the food he’d eaten today. That can’t be it…
“Shen Yuanzhou?”
A tall figure blocked the moonlight. Yan Yu’an snapped back to his senses. He looked up at the figure and covered his mouth with a gasp.
Shen Yuanzhou nodded faintly. “Mm.” He answered Yan Yu’an, then took out the crushed herbs. “Does it hurt a lot?”
“How did you know!” Yan Yu’an’s cat eyes went wide, his big eyes full of confusion.
His look made Shen Yuanzhou want to laugh, but then he thought of who had put Yan Yu’an in this state, and his anger flared up again.
He lowered his eyelashes and revealed an extremely gentle smile. “I could tell.” He paused, reached out his other free hand, and rubbed Yan Yu’an’s head. “Let me apply the medicine for you.”
Yan Yu’an was startled and took a step back, waving his hands repeatedly. “N-no, no need. I can do it myself.”
Snakes had excellent night vision. Shen Yuanzhou saw the flush on his face from anxiety and embarrassment.
He tilted his head, looking somewhat puzzled. “Why?”
Shen Yuanzhou was tall, with smooth muscle lines. Standing there, Yan Yu’an had to look up to see him clearly.
Now this curious look of his made Yan Yu’an feel a little embarrassed instead.
Shen Yuanzhou fell silent for a moment, and a trace of sadness appeared on that cold, clear face. “My Snake Queen.” He glumly took Yan Yu’an’s hand. “I’m very worried about you.”
Yan Yu’an’s heart softened at once. Tell me—when someone looks at you pitifully and says to you softly, full of self-blame, “I’m very worried about you.”
Who could keep their heart from softening?
Yan Yu’an rubbed his forehead. Plus, that spot really hurt badly, so he had no choice but to nod. “Alright. Once it’s done, we’ll hurry back and rest.” He paused. “Tomorrow morning after I learn iron-smelting, we’ll have to leave by the afternoon at the latest.”
Shen Yuanzhou lowered his head, hiding the smile that curved up at the corner of his mouth. “Alright. I’ll try to be quick.”
Shen Yuanzhou was different from Xie Ji and Ning Bingque—his skin was exceptionally white, and under the moonlight he looked like an immortal descended to the mortal world.
The mole between his brows added a distinctive flavor to that fair face.
“Mmm…” Cold fingers bearing herbs touched Yan Yu’an’s tender skin, and Yan Yu’an couldn’t help shivering.
Then waves of stinging pain hit, and he felt a hot rush nearly spill from his eyes. “It hurts…” he said quietly.
Shen Yuanzhou’s fingers paused. He took a deep breath, as if making some kind of preparation.
After a long while, he said: “I’ll blow on it.”
As he spoke, not waiting for Yan Yu’an’s refusal, he leaned right in.
The fine breeze made Yan Yu’an couldn’t help trembling—cool and ticklish.
“Don’t…” He wanted to push Shen Yuanzhou away, but the next second, he felt his little brother stand up.
Yan Yu’an: “…” Too embarrassing.
In an instant, his face flushed bright red. “Sh-Shen Yuanzhou! Forget it, let’s forget it for now.” He said this stammering, raising his hand to push away Shen Yuanzhou, who was leaning against him.
“Hmph, hmph.” Shen Yuanzhou gave two light laughs. His fingers still bore the herbs, but Yan Yu’an felt them slowly growing hot.
Scorching breath kept falling beside his little brother, and when Yan Yu’an lowered his head, he could only see a furry big head.
Fuck… that’s way too unfair.
He raised his hand to cover his eyes, cursing ceaselessly in his heart.
But Shen Yuanzhou couldn’t understand Yan Yu’an’s cursing. Seeing that the base of Yan Yu’an’s thigh was more or less done being medicated, his fingers slowly moved onto Yan Yu’an’s little brother.
Yan Yu’an was shocked!
…………
He didn’t know how much time had passed before Yan Yu’an lay panting in Shen Yuanzhou’s arms. The corner of his eyes was tinged with an unnatural red, and that pretty little mole looked as if it were about to drip blood.
“Does it feel good?”
If you listened carefully, Shen Yuanzhou’s voice carried a bit of hoarseness—but it was precisely this hoarseness that gave him a distinctive charm.
Yan Yu’an nodded blearily. Judging by the look of him, he clearly still didn’t know what had happened.
Shen Yuanzhou affectionately pressed his cheek against his, and a gentle kiss landed on his mole. “Then it’s my turn.”
The next second, their positions flipped.
“N-no, you can’t!” Yan Yu’an instinctively wanted to refuse. He pushed at Shen Yuanzhou, wanting him to get up, but seeing that he didn’t budge, he couldn’t help his body trembling.
Shen Yuanzhou lowered his eyes, looking very disappointed. “You said before that this was nothing.”
Yan Yu’an: “???” When did I ever say that?
Shen Yuanzhou took his hand and placed it on his own body. “You’ve forgotten… haven’t you?” His tone sounded utterly pitiful, and Yan Yu’an’s heart softened.
He pressed his lips together, somewhat at a loss.
But the next second, his hand was grasped by Shen Yuanzhou.
…………
He didn’t know how much time had passed before Shen Yuanzhou carried the utterly exhausted Yan Yu’an up. By now, Xie Ji and Ning Bingque, who had waited so long for the two to return, had noticed something was off.
Xie Ji clamored that he was going out to look for him, but Ning Bingque stopped him.
A strange light flashed through those shrewd eagle eyes. He said: “Shen Yuanzhou will bring Yan Yu’an back. Don’t worry.”
“Bah!” Xie Ji hurriedly tried to head outside. “With him there, that’s exactly what I’m worried about.”
Ning Bingque lowered his head and smiled faintly. In a certain sense, Xie Ji was indeed right.
“He’s too tired. He needs to rest.”
Just as Xie Ji broke free of Ning Bingque’s restraint and wanted to go find the two of them, Shen Yuanzhou returned.
There were still some water droplets on his muscles, and by now Yan Yu’an had already fallen asleep in his arms.
“Did he go take a bath?” Xie Ji was a little puzzled. He reached out, wanting to take Yan Yu’an, but Shen Yuanzhou dodged him in one motion.
Xie Ji narrowed his eyes, his blue eyes full of killing intent. “What’s the meaning of this?”
Shen Yuanzhou raised an eyebrow. He ignored Xie Ji and instead laid Yan Yu’an on the bed, covering him properly with the animal hide.
“I ran into him while I was bathing.” He paused, and a rare smile appeared on his face. “He was sleepy, so I carried him back.”
Xie Ji: “…” Was he a three-year-old child?
But he couldn’t say anything to Shen Yuanzhou. After all, Yan Yu’an was lying there perfectly fine—he couldn’t exactly grab Shen Yuanzhou by the throat and demand to know what he’d done to Yan Yu’an, could he?
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