Chapter 97 Drunken Passion

Night had fallen, and the carriages of the Prince of Yan's mansion rumbled along the quiet streets.

Inside the carriage, Lou Yan was leaning against the wall, resting with his eyes closed.

Yu Beichen sat opposite him, his gaze fixed on the blurry lights rushing past the window. His expression was as aloof as ever, but upon closer inspection, a barely perceptible ripple seemed to be hidden deep within his calm and unwavering eyes.

Just now at the Prince Jin's mansion, seeing the unspoken understanding and warmth between Lou Jin and Ye Xunyang, seeing the undisguised doting in his third brother's eyes and the occasional dependence Ye Xunyang showed, Lou Jin felt somewhat unhappy.

Upon returning to the Prince's residence, he did not immediately go to his room, but went straight to the study.

"Bring the wine," Lou Yan ordered in a deep voice, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The servants quickly served the wine.

Lou Yan waved for everyone to leave, then sat alone at the table. He picked up the wine pot, which was slightly warm to the touch, and poured out a cup.

The wine is amber in color and has a mild aroma, with a subtle, unusual sweetness.

Lou Yan didn't have time to savor it before tilting his head back and drinking it all in one gulp.

As the wine entered my throat, I initially only felt its mellow taste. After a while, an unusual warm current slowly rose from my stomach and flowed to my limbs and bones. Even my restless heart felt as if it were being placed on a gentle fire, gradually becoming hot.

Yu Beichen hesitated for a long time after returning to his room, but ultimately, still feeling uneasy, he went to the outside of the study.

He frowned slightly upon smelling the strong odor of alcohol emanating from inside, then pushed open the door and went in.

Lou Yan sat at the desk, his face flushed an unnatural red. His collar was pulled open slightly, revealing his strong collarbone and faintly visible chest muscles.

He was still holding an empty wine glass in his hand, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight.

"Your Highness." Yu Beichen stepped forward, keenly sensing that Lou Yan's condition was abnormal, and it was not simply a matter of being drunk.

Lou Yan raised her head, staring intently at him, her voice slightly hoarse: "Bei Chen...you've come."

He swirled the empty glass in his hand, a strange warmth coursing through his body, making his gaze towards Yu Beichen carry an intense longing he himself was unaware of.

Yu Beichen frowned, strode forward, picked up the wine pot, brought it close to his nose, and his expression changed slightly.

This aroma... is definitely not from an ordinary fine wine; it seems to contain some ingredients that enhance the experience.

"Your Highness, you're drunk. This wine..."

Just as he was about to speak, Lou Yan grabbed his wrist with such force and scalding heat that Yu Beichen's fingertips trembled slightly. He instinctively tried to pull away, but Lou Yan held on even tighter.

"I'm not drunk..." Lou Yan stared at him, his eyes stubborn. "I just... I just felt... unhappy today when I saw my third brother and Ye Xunyang."

He paused, as if his pent-up emotions had finally found an outlet, and his words became somewhat incoherent, yet every word struck Yu Beichen's heart.

"Their relationship...it's so wonderful. They can stand together openly, hold hands and hug without any reservations...they can give up everything for each other...that kid Lou Jin, for Ye Xunyang, even gave up his position as crown prince...ha, so foolish...and so enviable..."

Yu Beichen listened in silence, feeling the burning sensation and slight trembling on his wrist. The lake in his heart, which he had been forcibly suppressing, began to ripple violently.

How could he not know? The relationship between him and Lou Yan had long transcended that of a typical ruler and subject, or doctor and patient.

Years of longing, life-and-death support, those unintentional glances, and the care in daily life have long planted an indescribable emotion deep in my heart.

But he never dared to, nor could he, face it.

“Your Highness,” Yu Beichen lowered his eyes, avoiding the overly direct gaze, his voice hoarse, “you are really drunk.”

"I'm not drunk!"

Lou Yan suddenly raised his voice, using the force to pull Yu Beichen even closer, their noses almost touching. The strong smell of alcohol mixed with his unique, chilling aura enveloped Yu Beichen.

"Yu Beichen! Look at me!"

He raised his other hand and roughly pinched Yu Beichen's chin, forcing him to look up and meet his gaze.

"Do you know... I..." Lou Yan's breathing quickened, his eyes churning with emotions he had suppressed for too long.

"I'm jealous of Lou Jin! I envy them! Why can they do it, but we can't?"

"Yu Beichen, I've loved you for a long time..." These words, like a thunderclap, finally resounded between the two of them.

Yu Beichen's pupils suddenly contracted, his whole body stiffened, and his mind went blank.

In fact, whether it was during his time living in the Prince Yan's mansion or when the two of them rode together through the capital in their youth, he had always understood his feelings for Lou Yan and had always been able to sense the difference in how Lou Yan treated him.

But when Lou Yan actually said those words so bluntly, he still felt an unprecedented sense of panic.

Seeing his face turn pale instantly and his bewildered eyes, Lou Yan's reckless courage surged even stronger.

Alcohol amplified his desires and stripped him of all composure and self-control.

"Speak!" Lou Yan approached, his hot breath spraying onto Yu Beichen's face. "I don't believe you can't feel it! Beichen... do you... have me in your heart?"

"Your Highness, please calm down..." He tried to back away, but Lou Yan held him firmly in place.

"Calm down? I've been calm for too long!" Lou Yan's eyes were filled with shattered reason and surging emotions. He picked up the wine pot, poured another cup, and held it to Yu Beichen's lips, his tone carrying an almost seductive coaxing.

"Beichen, this wine is wonderful. It warms the heart. You should have a glass too."

Yu Beichen looked at the rim of the cup, then at Lou Yan's eyes, which seemed to devour him whole.

Lou Yan might not know what kind of wine it was, but he was 100% certain that there was something wrong with it.

Perhaps it was his own delusions that were causing the problem.

As if possessed, he lowered his head and took a sip from Lou Yan's hand.

As the liquor entered his throat, the same warm current quickly spread throughout his body, and an unfamiliar heat rose up, assaulting his usually calm nerves.

Seeing Yu Beichen drink it, a triumphant glint flashed in Lou Yan's eyes, which then turned into a deeper longing.

He threw down his wine glass, cupped Yu Beichen's face in his hands, and kissed him fiercely.

"Ugh...!"

The kiss, sweet with the cloying taste of wine and possessive with an irresistible plunder, was more intense than before.

Yu Beichen's initial struggle crumbled completely under the gradually taking effect of the drug and Lou Yan's domineering aura.

He felt his body going weak and hot, and a hollow longing was being ignited.

Lou Yan felt his softening, and the kiss became lingering, sucking and exploring, like a thirsty traveler finally finding a sweet spring.

He kissed her as he murmured indistinctly, "Beichen...call my name..."

Yu Beichen, lost in passion, uttered broken words: "Lou...Lou Yan..."

This sound was like the final catalyst.

Lou picked the person up horizontally and carried them with slightly unsteady but determined steps toward the soft couch on the inside of the study.