Chapter 63 Dawn and Brand
——＜A dividing line of um…＞
Su Yan woke up with an extremely unfamiliar feeling.
The first thing he felt was a run-over, limp, soreness throughout his body, a reminder that what happened last night wasn't a dream. Then, he realized he was being held tightly in a strong arm, his back pressed against a warm, broad chest, and he could even feel the other person's steady, strong heartbeat.
It’s Huo Shen.
He actually... slept with him in his arms all night.
This realization froze Su Yan, and even his breathing subconsciously slowed down. The morning light filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting a faint glimmer of light into the dim room. It was enough for him to clearly see the bony, male hand wrapped around his waist, and the smooth, powerful lines of muscle on his arm.
Huo Shen seemed to be sleeping soundly, his steady breathing brushing against the back of his neck, bringing a slight tickling sensation. The sharpness and coldness he had worn when awake had faded, and now, his brows revealed a nearly peaceful and relaxed expression.
Su Yan felt a mixture of emotions. The fear, humiliation, and physical discomfort were still clear, but this overly intimate, protective sleeping position was like a soft feather, constantly scratching his strong defenses and bringing about an absurd illusion.
He carefully tried to break free from the suffocating embrace.
He only moved slightly, and the person behind him immediately reacted. The arm around his waist tightened instantly, pressing him back into place even more firmly. From above, Huo Shen's voice, hoarse and displeased, just as he had just woken up, came: "Don't move."
Su Yan immediately dared not move anymore, his body was as stiff as a stone.
Huo Shen seemed to be fully awake. He was silent for a few seconds, and then Su Yan felt the hand loosen its grip on him and move to caress his arm, its fingertips unconsciously rubbing against his smooth skin, with a kind of afterthought laziness and... possessive lingering.
"Does it hurt?" Huo Shen's voice rang low in his ears.
Su Yan bit his lower lip and didn't answer. How could he answer such a question?
Huo Shen didn't seem to need his answer. He propped himself up, half leaning against the headboard, looking down at Su Yan, who was still curled up with his back to him. His gaze was like a substance, sweeping over his exposed shoulders, neck, and back, which were covered with ambiguous traces.
"Remember this feeling." Huo Shen's voice returned to its usual calmness, but with an indescribable, brand-like depth. "Su Yan, from the inside out, you are mine."
His words were like a final judgment, hammering at Su Yan's heart.
After saying that, Huo Shen got up from the bed, picked up the clothes scattered on the floor, and put them on calmly. During the whole process, he did not look at Su Yan again, as if the man who lost control and hugged him to sleep last night was just another illusion of Su Yan.
It was not until the bedroom door was closed that Su Yan slowly, extremely slowly turned around and looked at the empty room and the messy bed beside him that was still warm.
The air seemed to still be filled with Huo Shen's scent, and the sensory memories he left behind, a mixture of pain and unfamiliarity. The discomfort in his body was a clear reminder of the changes that had taken place in him, and Huo Shen's last words were like a brand, deeply engraved in his bones.
He had lost some kind of boundary, some last barrier to his individuality that he had been trying to maintain.
From outside came Huo Shen's calm voice, instructing the servants, seemingly arranging breakfast and... changing the bedding in his room. Everything was handled methodically, as if last night had been a mere accident requiring cleanup. Su Yan buried his face in the pillow, which still held Huo Shen's scent, and closed his eyes. A vast, blank, empty feeling washed over him.
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