Chapter 54: Chapter 53. The night is bright and clear.

Chapter 53.

The three women, youthful and decked in vibrant, sheer fabrics, stood shoulder to shoulder, their shy yet flirtatious gazes brimming with allure.

Yin Chengyu sat by the table, angled toward the doorway. Xue Shu couldn't quite make out his expression, but a gnawing irritation simmered in his chest.

Logically, he knew the prince wouldn’t lower himself to entertain such women, but seeing those sultry, longing eyes fixed on him—glittering like liquid fire—set Xue Shu ablaze. The heat spread through him, scorching every nerve.

He strode forward with deliberate force, his cold, cutting gaze slicing through the madam and the three women like a blade. “What’s going on here?” he demanded, his voice sharp enough to draw blood.

The madam greeted him with an oily smile, her expression as indulgent as her words. “Oh, perfect timing! These three are the finest blossoms in the house. You and the gentleman over there can each take your pick—or…” Her voice dipped suggestively, a coy laugh slipping past her painted lips as she pressed a silk handkerchief to her mouth. “Why not take all three and make a night of it?”

She prattled on, shamelessly eager, but Xue Shu’s patience had already worn thin. His expression darkened like a brewing storm. He stepped forward and positioned himself protectively in front of Yin Chengyu, his voice like ice cracking underfoot. “Get out. All of you.”

The madam froze, startled by his sudden shift in mood, but the shock quickly gave way to indignation. “What’s the point of coming to a pleasure house if you’re not here for the girls? You think we’re here for your amusement?”

Xue Shu’s eyes turned to steel, his temples throbbing with restraint. If it weren’t for the need to avoid causing too much of a scene, he’d have thrown her and her girls down the stairs without hesitation.

But it was Yin Chengyu who intervened. With the air of someone utterly unbothered by the rising tension, he slid a silver ingot across the table toward the madam. “We’re just borrowing the space. No girls needed.”

The madam’s irritation melted like butter under the sun at the sight of silver. She snatched it up eagerly, her gaze flitting back and forth between the two men with a dawning smirk. “Ah, I see. The two of you would rather… entertain each other.” Her laugh was rich with innuendo as she motioned for the women to leave. “Enjoy yourselves, then,” she cooed, lingering just long enough to ensure her insinuations landed. At the door, she added with a wink, “Don’t worry, the second floor’s empty, and no one will disturb you tonight.”

With that, she shut the door behind her, leaving a silence thick with unspoken tension.

Now alone, the oppressive heat of the room seemed to intensify. Pink drapes swayed gently, barely veiling the risqué paintings on the screen behind them. The incense burner at the side table—a sensual tangle of entwined figures—emitted a heady, cloying scent that stirred something primal.

Xue Shu sat opposite Yin Chengyu, his earlier fury smoldering into something far more dangerous. His dark eyes locked onto Yin Chengyu with a focus that bordered on predatory. “The message has been sent,” he said, his voice rough with restrained desire.

“Good,” Yin Chengyu replied coolly, utterly unruffled. His expression betrayed no awareness of the charged atmosphere in the room.

Xue Shu wasn’t satisfied. Since that kiss in the wilderness, the prince had kept him at arm’s length, and the distance gnawed at him. Now, in this sultry den of temptation, it was unbearable. The flickering lamplight danced off pink gauze and golden furnishings, teasing the imagination with its suggestion of indulgence.

He downed three cups of tea in quick succession, the bitter liquid doing little to quell the fire in his blood. Just as he gathered the courage to speak, a knock broke the moment.

The madam returned, this time carrying a tray of wine. “Our signature lotus brew,” she purred, setting it down. “Light, fragrant, and perfect for relaxation. If you’re tired, have a sip.” She didn’t linger, but paused at the door to add with a sly smile, “Oh, and everything you might need is in the bedside cabinet. Feel free to make use of it.”

The door clicked shut again, and her words ignited something volatile in the air.

The heat in the room was suffocating now, the once-swishing drapes hanging still, as if watching.

Xue Shu’s gaze was ferocious, his need raw and unhidden. His eyes burned as they bored into Yin Chengyu, who met them with a faintly amused smirk. Rising, Yin Chengyu strolled to the window and pushed it open wider, letting in a rush of cool night air. “Is it really that hot in here? You’re sweating.”

His tone was light, his demeanor detached, as if he were untouched by the sensuality dripping from every corner of the room. Even here, amidst carnal imagery and intoxicating scents, he exuded an icy clarity, like an otherworldly being untethered by mortal desire.

But Xue Shu wasn’t so removed. And the fire in his chest wasn’t going to burn out quietly.

That night, their breaths entwined in the dark, as if only Xue Shu’s presence had carved itself into his very soul. In the stillness of the night, the memory replayed, vivid and consuming.

But the more he lingered on it, the more fervently desire burned in Xue Shu’s eyes.

He wanted nothing more than to drag this cool and untouchable celestial being into his arms, to ravage him with abandon, and to make him a part of his very being.

“Cool tea will help with the heat. Drink more of it.”

Xue Shu’s gaze was intense, direct, and unyielding. Yin Chengyu raised an eyebrow, a sly smile curving his lips. He reached for the teapot, intending to pour Xue Shu a cup, only to discover it was already empty. He frowned, set it aside, and instead picked up a wine flask, pouring a cup of wine.

Xue Shu took it silently, downed it in one go, and resumed staring at him.

Yin Chengyu ignored the heat in Xue Shu’s gaze, his movements unhurried as he poured himself a cup. But just as he brought it to his lips, a faint medicinal scent caught his attention. His expression shifted, recalling the brothel madam’s peculiar smile when delivering the wine.

His gaze sharpened as he looked at Xue Shu across the table.

Xue Shu, having already finished his cup, appeared unaffected for now.

Yin Chengyu considered it. This was a brothel, after all, and the wine was likely just laced with some mild aphrodisiac. The effects shouldn’t be too strong. He didn’t mention it, instead brushing his foot against Xue Shu’s leg under the table.

“Stop staring. Go check if the target’s still out there.”

Xue Shu, clearly reluctant, got up and walked to the window. Peering outside, he spotted a figure lurking in the shadows. Judging by the time, the secret agents should be arriving soon. Satisfied, he returned to his seat.

“The target hasn’t moved,” he said in his usual rough voice, though it was notably hoarser than before.

His throat dry, he reached for the wine flask again, but Yin Chengyu caught his hand mid-reach.

Xue Shu turned to look at him, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.

“Drinking clouds judgment,” Yin Chengyu said casually, pulling the flask away and placing it on his side of the table. A single cup of that wine might be manageable, but any more could spell trouble.

Xue Shu didn’t protest, but his hand didn’t leave Yin Chengyu’s. Instead, his calloused thumb slowly traced the delicate lines of Yin Chengyu’s fingers, as if savoring the texture.

“Why isn’t Your Highness wearing your jade ring tonight?”

Yin Chengyu didn’t respond immediately, only withdrawing his hand when Xue Shu’s touch became too bold. He answered dismissively, “It’s cumbersome.”

Xue Shu’s lips pressed into a thin line, disappointment flickering in his eyes.

He liked it.

Their brief exchange was interrupted by the sound of two short and one long owl calls from outside—the coded signal of the secret agents.

Xue Shu sighed, setting his desires aside for now as he went to handle business. Imitating the calls, he relayed instructions, subtly guiding his team to the target’s location. The agents worked efficiently, trapping the man in a dead-end alley.

Within moments, another set of owl calls confirmed the capture.

“It’s done,” Xue Shu reported as he returned to Yin Chengyu.

“Then let’s leave.” Yin Chengyu stood, but before he could take a step, Xue Shu pulled him back into a firm embrace from behind.

Xue Shu’s chin rested on Yin Chengyu’s shoulder, his breath hot against his ear. “The wine Your Highness gave me wasn’t ordinary, was it?”

Yin Chengyu, acutely aware of the tension in Xue Shu’s body, smirked wickedly. “It’s just an aphrodisiac. If you can’t handle it, I could always call someone for you.”

“Don’t you dare.” Before he could finish, Xue Shu silenced him with a hand over his mouth, desperation in his voice. “I only want you.”

His voice had turned rough and gravelly, like sandpaper scraping against the edges of your ear, a raw effect of the drug coursing through him.

Yin Chengyu could barely form a coherent word, his mouth smothered by Xue Shu's hand. Frustration and panic clawed at him, the muffled sounds he made deep in his throat carrying his anger. His narrowed phoenix eyes gleamed with unshed tears, the corners stained a faint, furious red.

The guttural, whimper-like noises shot straight to Xue Shu's core, shattering the dam of desire he had fought so hard to control. His restraint snapped. He didn’t let go—instead, he tightened his grip, rough and unyielding, hauling Yin Chengyu firmly into his arms. He moved toward the bed with deliberate purpose.

If he released him now, if he let the prince speak, there’d be no defiance. He would be compelled to obey.

Yin Chengyu felt the shift, understanding Xue Shu’s intent. His anger boiled over, mixing with alarm as the realization struck him. By the time Xue Shu sat down on the edge of the bed and pressed him onto his lap, Yin Chengyu was seething.

Though his strength didn’t match Xue Shu’s, his past life had been one forged in blood. The assassination attempts had been endless, and Xue Shu himself had trained him in the arts of combat—had sparred with him, time and time again. That knowledge surged back to him now, sharp and lethal.

Yin Chengyu struck, leveraging his skill against Xue Shu's momentary lapse. The grip on him loosened, the element of surprise granting him freedom. He wrenched himself free, voice cutting through the air like a blade:

“So it seems I’ve been far too lenient with you! Such audacity!”

His fury burned bright in his gaze, a commanding force that bore down on Xue Shu. Yet the faint, incriminating redness of a handprint lingered on his cheek, a mark of their struggle. It softened the edge of his power, adding an intoxicating fragility to his regal presence.

Xue Shu didn’t look away. The drug had awakened something primal within him, unbridled and dangerous. His gaze was predatory, filled with a raw hunger that demanded to take and to claim.

“You’re doing it on purpose,” Xue Shu said, his voice thick, laden with accusation.

He tilted his head, eyes burning with a challenge. “Provoking me. Taunting me with someone else.”

The Xue Shu before him was no longer the obedient, docile boy he once knew. Gone was the shadow of submission. The beast he had become now bared its claws—sharp, deliberate, unafraid. He was untamed, feral, a creature that had grown into its instincts, ready to pounce.

It was as though he might, at any second, sink his teeth into Yin Chengyu’s throat.

Yin Chengyu met the ferocity head-on, undaunted. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, slotting a knee between Xue Shu’s thighs and leaning down to grip his jaw with slender fingers.

“Yes,” Yin Chengyu murmured, his voice as smooth as silk, but cutting. His breath fanned across Xue Shu’s face, the deliberate cruelty of his words sharp enough to slice. “I did it on purpose. What will you do about it?”

Xue Shu sat on the bed, eyes locked on the prince who towered above him. His fingers curled into the soft fabric of the bedding, the tension in his body so taut it felt like he might snap.

Then, after a moment, his hand reached up, circling Yin Chengyu’s wrist. The touch was gentle—not the brute force of moments before—but tentative, seeking. He held it carefully, as though afraid of breaking something precious.

Yin Chengyu didn’t pull away. He simply lowered his gaze, watching.

Xue Shu turned his wrist, pressing his lips to the prince’s palm. His kiss burned hot against delicate skin, a fervent reverence laced with dangerous devotion. His voice was a low, gravelly murmur, trembling with intensity:

“Your servant... would savor every drop.”

The beast, wild and untamed, suddenly withdrew its claws, rolling over to bare the vulnerable softness of its belly. It was a declaration of surrender, an offering of submission.

The flames of Yin Chengyu’s anger flickered, dimmed, then extinguished altogether, leaving behind a quiet, lingering heat. He stared at Xue Shu for a long moment, his lips pressing together as though to hold back some unspoken thought.

Finally, he straightened, pulling his hand back and tucking it behind him. His expression was cold, aloof, the perfect picture of regal composure—but his palm still held the faint warmth of that kiss.

“Take off your shirt," Yin Chengyu commanded, his voice even, as if nothing had transpired.

———Author's note:

Dog: Whimper whimper whimper! Trying my best to look cute!

Big dog: (sneers) Pathetic.