Chapter 186
The horse finally came to a complete stop, snorting and pausing in place. Silence returned to the forest, leaving only the two men's still-unsettled, intertwined, heavy breathing.
Sheng Xuan held Su Zhelan quietly for a while, savoring the lingering afterglow of their intimate embrace and the gentle nestling of the person in his arms. Only when his breathing had calmed down a little did he carefully and slowly withdraw.
"Hmm..." Su Zhelan let out a very soft whimper, tinged with discomfort and emptiness. Her body trembled almost imperceptibly, and she subconsciously leaned closer to the heat source behind her.
Sheng Xuan chuckled softly, gave him a soothing kiss on the top of his head, and then nimbly dismounted. Once he was steady, he reached out and carefully embraced Su Zhelan's waist and knees, lifting the weak and aching man down in his arms.
Su Zhelan's legs felt weak as he stepped onto the ground, almost unable to stand, and he leaned against Sheng Xuan's chest. Sheng Xuan helped him up and helped him sit against the trunk of a large tree nearby, then took a leather water pouch from beside the saddle.
He uncorked the bottle and tilted his head back to drink a few mouthfuls; the cool spring water relieved the thirst in his throat. Then, he poured some water onto a clean piece of fine cotton cloth and turned to face Su Zhelan.
“Look up.” His voice was much gentler. Su Zhelan obediently tilted his head up slightly. Sheng Xuan used a damp cloth to very gently wipe away the remaining tear stains, sweat stains, and some barely noticeable dirt from the corners of his lips on his cheeks.
Next, he wiped Su Zhelan's neck and collarbone area, where traces of their lovemaking remained. Finally, he knelt down and gently wiped Su Zhelan's inner thighs and her disheveled groin, being as gentle as possible to avoid causing further discomfort.
After doing all that, he used the remaining water to roughly wipe his face and neck, giving himself a quick clean-up.
"This is all we can do for now." Sheng Xuan looked at Su Zhelan, his tone tinged with helplessness and apology. In the desolate wilderness, conditions were limited, so they could only clean up the most obvious areas. Their clothes were still wrinkled, covered in dust and sweat, and a strong, ambiguous aura still lingered on them.
Su Zhelan nodded slightly, her cheeks still flushed, her eyes darting away, not daring to look directly at Sheng Xuan. After such a passionate intimacy, the quiet and tenderness she felt now only made her more shy.
Seeing him like this, Sheng Xuan's heart softened. He reached out and pulled him into his arms, whispering, "You can clean yourself properly when we get back." He patted Su Zhelan's back reassuringly, then straightened his disheveled clothes. Although the effect was limited, at least he didn't look so disheveled.
As the sun began to set, it cast long shadows through the woods.
Sheng Xuan helped Su Zhelan slowly back into the saddle, then mounted his own horse and pulled Su Zhelan into his arms again. "Let's go back," he said, his voice regaining its usual steady tone, though tinged with a barely perceptible tenderness. The horse began to move, carrying the two slowly back the way they had come.
Sheng Xuan steadily controlled "Chasing the Wind," carrying the exhausted Su Zhelan in his arms at a slow and steady pace, slowly returning to the Xishan training ground.
It was nearly dusk, and the drills on the parade ground were drawing to a close. The soldiers were packing up their equipment and preparing to disperse in twos and threes. Sheng Xuan's return did not attract much attention, but as soon as he reined in his horse, a personal guard in charge of horse administration trotted up to him and gave him a respectful salute.
"General!" The guard looked up, his gaze instinctively sweeping over the unfamiliar rider in front of Sheng Xuan, whose head was bowed and whose face was mostly obscured by Sheng Xuan's large figure. A hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it and asked instead, "General, why hasn't that 'Crimson Cloud' you took from the stable this afternoon been ridden back?"
Sheng Xuan's expression remained unchanged, but his heart skipped a beat. The docile chestnut horse was still tied up in the woods deep in the hunting grounds. He casually dismounted, shielding Su Zhelan behind him, and calmly lied, "Oh, that horse... it ran away."
"Ran...ran away?" The guard was stunned, an incredulous look on his face. He couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "How could this be...that 'Crimson Cloud' is the most docile horse in the stable, always so slow, how could it get lost..."
Sheng Xuan coughed lightly, interrupting his doubts. A hint of impatience appeared on his face as he waved his hand and said, "The forest is big; perhaps it was startled by some wild animal. Just send a few more people to search." His tone carried an undeniable authority, clearly indicating that he didn't want to dwell on the matter any longer.
Seeing this, the guard, though still feeling suspicious, dared not ask any more questions and quickly bowed, replying, "Yes! This subordinate will arrange for someone to search immediately!"
Sheng Xuan nodded in satisfaction, then turned and carefully helped Su Zhelan down from his horse. Su Zhelan's legs were still weak, and he stumbled slightly as he landed. Sheng Xuan immediately reached out and put his arm around his waist, supporting him steadily. This slightly intimate gesture drew curious glances from several soldiers around them, but Sheng Xuan ignored them.
He looked up and ordered the guard, "Go and prepare a carriage, something comfortable."
"Yes!" The guards were puzzled—this young general always rode horses swiftly, why was he riding in a carriage today?—but they still quickly obeyed and left.
Soon, a simple-looking carriage with soft cushions inside was driven over. Sheng Xuan personally helped Su Zhelan into the carriage and helped him settle into the soft cushions. Then, without any attempt to avoid suspicion, he bent down and climbed into the carriage, sitting down next to Su Zhelan. The carriage was not spacious, and the two men's robes were almost touching.
He lowered the carriage curtain, blocking the view from the outside, and then said in a deep voice to the soldier driving the car outside, "Let's go, be careful."
The carriage started slowly, its wheels making a soft rumbling sound as they rolled across the ground. The interior was dimly lit, and a subtle silence and awkwardness hung in the air.
Su Zhelan tilted her head slightly to look at the passing scenery outside the window, her ears still flushed. Sheng Xuan, on the other hand, stared intently at his tired profile, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
A moment later, Sheng Xuan reached out and gently placed his hand on the back of Su Zhelan's hand, which was resting on her knee. Su Zhelan's body trembled almost imperceptibly, but she did not pull away.
"If you're tired, lean on me and rest for a while." Sheng Xuan's voice was deep and gentle, completely different from his imposing manner on the training ground just now.
Su Zhelan was silent for a moment, then finally gave a very soft "hmm," relaxing his body slightly and leaning his weight slightly against the strong shoulder beside him. Sheng Xuan took the opportunity to reach out and put his arm around Su Zhelan's shoulder, making him more comfortable.
The carriage came to a steady stop in front of the imposing vermilion gates of the Su residence. Sheng Xuan alighted first, then turned around and carefully helped Su Zhelan, whose legs were still sore, down from the carriage.
He waved to the coachman and said calmly, "You can go back now. I'll return to my residence on my own."
The coachman respectfully agreed and drove the carriage away slowly. Sheng Xuan then naturally took Su Zhelan's wrist and led him into the mansion. The gatekeeper, seeing that it was Young Master Su Zhelan and Sheng Xuan, quickly bowed and let them pass.
At first, he could manage a few steps, but as he walked, Su Zhelan's complexion grew increasingly unwell. He hadn't noticed while sitting in the carriage, but now, with each step, the muscles tensed, and the sticky, slippery residue remaining inside his body slowly trickled down his inner thighs. The sensation was incredibly clear, carrying a cool dampness and an indescribable tingling feeling, stimulating his sensitive nerves.
Su Zhelan's steps slowed, his cheeks quickly burning red, even his ears and neck turning crimson. He suddenly stopped, frozen in place, head bowed low, biting his lip in silence, wishing he could disappear into the ground.
Sheng Xuan immediately noticed his unusual behavior, stopped, and moved closer to him. Her warm breath brushed against his sensitive earlobe as she asked in a low voice, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Su Zhelan was so ashamed that his whole body trembled slightly. His voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, with a heavy nasal tone and a sobbing voice: "The thing... is... flowing out..." As soon as he said it, he almost cried.
Upon hearing this, Sheng Xuan was taken aback at first, then his eyes suddenly darkened, and without hesitation, he bent down and picked Su Zhelan up in his arms!
"Ah!" Su Zhelan was caught off guard and instinctively exclaimed, frantically reaching out to hug Sheng Xuan's neck.
Sheng Xuan hugged him tightly, and without saying a word, he took long strides and ran towards the courtyard where Su Zhelan lived! He moved with lightning speed, passing through corridors and courtyards, completely ignoring the astonished and surprised looks of the servants along the way.
Su Zhelan buried her burning cheeks tightly in Sheng Xuan's shoulder, not daring to look up at all. She could only feel the whistling wind in her ears and the steady, powerful heartbeat of Sheng Xuan.
The shameful wetness seemed to flow faster because of the jolting while running, causing his body to tremble slightly, yet he was tightly enveloped in Sheng Xuan's strong and protective embrace. An extreme sense of shame and a strange sense of security intertwined, leaving him in a state of utter confusion.
Sheng Xuan hurried along and soon rushed into Su Zhelan's quiet and secluded courtyard. He kicked open the door, closed it behind him, and then gently placed the person in his arms on the bed.
Su Zhelan was placed on the soft bed, and immediately curled up, burying her burning cheeks deep in the brocade quilt, her ears turning bright red, refusing to look up at Sheng Xuan even once.
The shame he felt on the way here and the undeniable sticky sensation almost overwhelmed him.
Sheng Xuan knelt on one knee beside the bed, looking at Su Zhelan's extremely embarrassed appearance. The mischievous teasing in his heart was quickly replaced by heartache and remorse. He reached out and gently stroked Su Zhelan's slightly trembling back, his voice low and gentle, filled with deep apology:
"It's all my fault...it's all my fault..." he repeatedly whispered his apology, his fingertips gently stroking through the fabric. "Just now...I was too reckless...I made you feel uncomfortable..."
Su Zhelan's body, buried in the blanket, trembled slightly, but she did not respond; she simply buried her face even deeper.
Seeing this, Sheng Xuan's heart melted even more. He leaned down, whispered in Su Zhelan's ear, and continued to coax her, "Don't be angry... I'll go prepare some hot water for you and give you a good wash, okay? You'll feel better after a good wash..."
He whispered a few more words patiently, and seeing that Su Zhelan still refused to look up, but her tense back seemed to relax a little, he sighed softly and stood up.
He strode to the door, summoned the servant in the courtyard, and whispered a few instructions, telling them to immediately prepare hot water for a bath and clean clothes. His tone returned to its usual calmness, but carried an undeniable urgency.
After giving his instructions, Sheng Xuan immediately returned to the room and knelt down again by the bed. He looked at Su Zhelan, who was still wrapped up in a ball with only her reddened ear tips showing, and his eyes were filled with pity and self-reproach.
"The hot water will be here soon..." he said softly, gently placing his hand on Su Zhelan's shoulder again. "...Let me help you, okay?"
The person under the covers froze abruptly, then shook their head violently. A muffled voice came from under the covers, filled with shame, anger, and a sob: "...Get away from me...!"
Sheng Xuan felt both heartache and amusement at his reaction, knowing he was genuinely embarrassed. He didn't dare press him further, and could only softly reply, "Okay, okay... I'll go out, you can do it yourself... I'll stand guard outside the door, call me immediately if anything happens, okay?"
He waited a while longer, and when he heard the servant bringing in hot water, he patted Su Zhelan's back gently one last time, left the room, and carefully closed the door.
Sheng Xuan stood outside the door, listening to the faint sounds of water and rustling of clothes coming from inside. His eyes were deep as he pondered how to properly apologize later.
Inside the room, Su Zhelan listened to the footsteps fading away outside the door before slowly and tentatively raising his head from under the quilt. His cheeks were still flushed, his eyelashes were moist, and his lips were slightly swollen from being bitten. He glanced warily at the closed door, making sure the person had really left before letting out a sigh of relief, but was immediately pulled back to reality by the cool, sticky sensation beneath him.
He bit his lip and struggled to sit up from the bed. The discomfort was extremely obvious, and every slight movement seemed to remind him of everything that had just happened. He moved to the edge of the bed and looked at the large wooden bathtub behind the screen, which was still steaming, and the clean towels and a set of folded clean underwear neatly arranged on the small table next to it.
Barefoot, he stepped onto the cold floor and slowly made his way to the wooden tub. He tested the water temperature; it was just the right warmth. He unbuttoned his rumpled, slightly stained shirt, pulling it down to his ankles to reveal his body covered in faint red marks.
He stepped into the wooden tub and submerged his entire body in the warm water. The water rippled gently, enveloping his aching skin. He picked up a soft cloth, soaked it in water, and began to silently and carefully wash his body.
As he moved, the water touched the particularly disheveled area at the base of his legs, bringing a cool, stimulating sensation and washing away strands of very faint, cloudy white silk. Su Zhelan's face flushed even more instantly, and his fingers trembled slightly. He gritted his teeth and quickened his movements, scrubbing vigorously, as if trying to wash away all traces of shame.
The sound of rushing water filled the air, and the rising steam blurred his vision. He closed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and his body gradually relaxed under the soothing warmth of the water. However, the indescribable embarrassment in his heart and the lingering, subtle ache deep within his body remained.
He washed himself very carefully, leaving no inch of skin untouched, especially the areas where there were obvious marks. Only when he felt his entire body had been thoroughly washed clean and the sticky feeling finally disappeared did he stop, throw the cloth back into the water, lean against the tub, and close his eyes wearily.
As the water cooled, he slowly stood up from the tub, took a clean cloth to dry himself, and changed into the soft, clean undergarments. The fabric rubbed against his skin, bringing a comfortable warmth, but the subtle, strange feeling deep within his body and the shyness in his heart could not be completely washed away by a basin of hot water.
He walked back to the bedside, lifted the covers and crawled inside, leaving only his eyes showing as he stared blankly at the bed canopy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
