The Young Marquis is Ruining the Court! - Chapter 11

When Chi Zhou woke up, the sky was still dim, but it had begun to brighten.

Birds perched on the branches of trees, chirping and singing.

He felt a bit dazed, and it took a moment before he remembered to turn his head. The small couch was already empty.

It was as if he hadn’t actually brought anyone back yesterday, and Xie Jiu had never appeared in that small alley.

Yet, his neurons, satisfied after a long sleep, clearly told Chi Zhou that Xie Jiu had indeed accompanied him here throughout the night.

He recalled the words Xie Jiu said when they first met.

“Is it no longer the time when you’d strip my clothes and drag me to bed the moment we met?”

At the time, he had assumed based on prejudice that it referred to romantic affairs, but if the original owner was like him, troubled by insomnia, it wasn’t impossible that he simply stripped Xie Jiu’s clothes and brought him to bed as a human sleeping pill.

After all, this kid’s effectiveness as a sleeping companion was top-tier.

However…

Was it really that simple?

Chi Tong’s words flashed through Chi Zhou’s mind, and he gave up on thinking.

He was going crazy too, actually trying to rationalize the original owner’s behavior.

Tsk.

Chi Zhou let out a soft click of his tongue in his heart, lowering his eyes as his good morning mood was somewhat scattered for no reason.

Unable to go back to sleep, he simply pulled back the quilt and got up. Just as he was about to put on his clothes and head out, the door was opened from the outside.

Chi Zhou turned his head and was momentarily stunned.

The spring morning light was faint. Judging by the birdsong, it was still very early. The servants who swept the courtyard hadn’t started their shift yet. Xie Jiu stood at the door against the light, with a cherry blossom tree in full bloom behind him, making the young man’s figure appear as upright as a pine and his features as stunning as spring flowers.

Chi Zhou instinctively asked, “You haven’t left yet?”

Xie Jiu’s face instantly fell, and his voice was cold. “Discarded after use? You really are becoming more heartless, Chi Zhou.”

Chi Zhou was rarely at a loss for words. He felt that his image as a heartbreaker in front of Xie Jiu was exceptionally solid, the kind that couldn’t be broken even with a sledgehammer.

He tried to defend himself, then thought, whatever, the worse the image, the better.

How on earth was the original owner worthy of Xie Jiu’s unwavering devotion?

Thinking of this, a smile touched the corners of Chi Zhou’s lips, and he said warmly, “Why do you always wrong me, Jiu Jiu? I didn’t see you when I woke up and instinctively thought you had left.”

As he spoke, he even clutched his chest, saying theatrically, “I was sad for a long time, clearly it was you who didn’t want me.”

Xie Jiu stared at him for a while and snorted coldly, not even having the inclination to expose the man’s nonsense.

Seeing this, Chi Zhou wasn’t annoyed, instead, he let go of his hand and raised an eyebrow with a soft laugh.

As he tied his belt, he asked nonchalantly, “So where did you go, disappearing so early in the morning?”

The spring breeze brushed past the porch. Xie Jiu’s gaze followed Chi Zhou’s fingers to the belt, then moved up bit by bit, looking at the man’s slightly lowered profile and smiling lips.

So stupid, Xie Jiu thought.

If Chi Zhou would only look in a mirror, he would realize that his thin, richly colored lower lip was already somewhat swollen.

That was a curve that only swelled after being held in someone’s mouth and sucked for a long time, a sight that should be startling at a single glance.

Xie Jiu suddenly thought of a time when Chi Zhou was much more relaxed than he was now, and remembered more of their memories. Exhausted, Chi Zhou had found an excuse to enter the palace to pay respects to the old Emperor, then took a turn and headed straight for his Shende Hall.

He was playing chess behind his desk at the time, practicing for the battles on the front lines, stuck at a point where he couldn’t make up his mind.

Chi Zhou came over, yawning as he glanced down. He casually picked up a white piece and dropped it on the board, effortlessly breaking the black pieces’ encirclement.

Then he leaned lazily against his shoulder and said, “Stop playing, Jiu Jiu, sleep with me, I’m about to drop dead.”

Xie Mingjing hated how he constantly spoke of living or dying, as if he could truly die at any time without any lingering attachments.

Consequently, Chi Zhou had lain on the bed for a long time that day without cooperation. Chi Zhou wanted to hold him, but couldn’t turn the man over for ages, muttering sleepily, “Why do you get less cute the older you get?”

It was late autumn, the weather was very cool, and charcoal hadn’t been used in the palace yet. Chi Zhou couldn’t hold him before falling asleep, but after falling asleep, he kept burrowing into his arms.

Xie Mingjing was a bit annoyed by his burrowing, and remembering what this person said before getting into bed, he finally couldn’t help but flip over and glare at him fiercely for a long time, then lowered his head and bit his lip.

Chi Zhou was a total idiot who was blunt to the extreme.

Before that time, he had clearly kissed him secretly countless times, yet this person hadn’t noticed a single one. Not only did he come to find him for sleep without any grudge, but he even complained that Xie Mingjing wouldn’t let him hold him, making one gnash their teeth in frustration, not knowing what to say.

Except for that one time, Xie Mingjing didn’t hold back his bite, breaking Chi Zhou’s lip.

When the faint scent of blood spread in his mouth, Xie Mingjing was stunned. The hostility in his heart vanished without a trace, replaced by a creeping sense of trepidation and a secret hope.

He watched Chi Zhou’s expression, seeing him only frown without any sign of waking up, so he very gently licked the wound on his lip until the crimson began to turn pale and no more blood flowed.

Xie Mingjing thought, when Chi Zhou wakes up and finds he was kissed, what will happen?

Will he be shocked or angry?

Even if he was so angry that he cursed and blamed him, it would probably be fine. This person was soft-hearted, if he acted spoiled or pitiful to gain a bit of sympathy, Chi Zhou would act as if it never happened and still call him Jiu Jiu warmly.

Xie Mingjing thought, gaining Chi Zhou’s forgiveness was simply the easiest thing in the world.

So, what about gaining his love?

He waited in that uneasy trepidation for a long time, until the sky gradually darkened and the palace servants said the gates were about to be locked and the Marquis of Ningping should leave, only then did he gently nudge Chi Zhou awake.

Perhaps the sting on his lip wasn’t obvious. Chi Zhou woke up and straightened his clothes for ages, only seeing his mouth in the bronze mirror when he was about to leave.

He frowned and stared at the break for a long time, even reaching out to touch his lower lip, his eyes full of confusion.

Xie Mingjing was behind him, his heart almost leaping into his throat following his movements.

After a long time, or perhaps just a few blinks, Chi Zhou lowered his hand and straightened up, turning around to speak. His tone still carried the drowsiness of just waking up, lazy and casual, as he habitually instructed, “Jiu Jiu, you should still hang up the net, why are there still mosquitoes in your palace?”

He misinterpreted the bite mark, kissed out with a sense of annoyance, as an restless late autumn mosquito looking for food.

Deep love thus became a physical appetite.

Xie Mingjing sometimes really felt that even if he expressed his love for this person one day, Chi Zhou would likely only think it was because he lacked fatherly and motherly love since childhood and relied on him as a father or mentor, unable to distinguish feelings.

Xie Mingjing thought with hidden malice, what if it was this time?

What if this time Chi Zhou discovered he liked him?

He could even accept being his male plaything, the gigolo he provoked and played with on the boat, so accepting his love should also be within reason, right?

But Xie Jiu remained silent for a long time, and under Chi Zhou’s increasingly confused gaze, he spoke, “I’m hungry, I want to eat, but I couldn’t find the kitchen.”

Lies, he had been to the Marquis Mansion countless times. Forget the kitchen, he knew exactly which rock cave Chi Zhou hid in when he was avoiding Madam He’s whip as a child.

Chi Zhou was stunned upon hearing this, thinking of that night on the Glass Moon, and then smiled. “What do you want to eat, fermented rice balls? I’ll make them for you.”

Xie Jiu’s Adam’s apple rolled slightly, and he shook his head. “No, I want to go out and eat.”

Not true, he was actually craving the food Chi Zhou made personally for him.

The light outside the door grew stronger, a layer of pale pink dawn about to cover the fish-belly white sky. Chi Zhou smiled and agreed indifferently, “Alright, what do you want to eat?”

Xie Jiu said, “Something spicy, I’ve been eating vegetarian lately, it’s too bland.”

Chi Zhou’s movements paused, and for some reason, the look he gave Xie Jiu held a bit of inexplicable pity, as if he were some bullied little wretch.

Xie Jiu: “…”

Fine, let him misunderstand.

**

Chi Zhou was unwilling for people to know he had brought Xie Jiu back to the mansion, so before leaving, he found him a robe with a veiled hat and used sweet talk to coax him into wearing it.

Xie Jiu watched him coldly from beginning to end, unwilling to even lift his own arms. Chi Zhou had to reach around him like he was dressing a little puppet to put on the robe and the veiled hat, then casually tied a bow under his chin.

Like a gentlemanly kitten.

Chi Zhou thought to himself, secretly suspecting the original owner must have really spoiled this kid. Given this temperament of constantly giving him the cold shoulder and losing his temper, he was probably the one being coaxed even in bed.

The birdsong suddenly grew louder. Chi Zhou was startled by his own thoughts and turned his head to cough lightly, a suspicious pale pink creeping onto his neck.

Crazy, thinking about this first thing in the morning. He secretly cursed himself in his heart.

Xie Jiu lowered his eyes, staring at Chi Zhou’s neck for a moment, then closed his eyes, letting Chi Zhou handle him like a doll. Only the moment they stepped out of the Marquis Mansion and he felt the person beside him relax his breathing did he ask neutrally, “Marquis, can I not even be seen by people now?”

Chi Zhou choked. The smile on his lips hadn’t even formed before he suppressed it.

He thought for a moment and said awkwardly, “You know why, I’m about to marry the Sixth Prince, I’m afraid he might investigate me and find you later.”

Xie Jiu said coldly, “Since you want to remain chaste for him, why bother provoking me?”

The bitterness in those words was strong enough to overflow the alleyway. Chi Zhou was stunned for a moment, and a sudden mischievous streak rose in his heart. Unsure of what he was thinking, he actually smiled and said, “Jiu Jiu, when did I ever say I wanted to remain chaste for him?”

The morning breeze blew through the alley, and an old locust tree at the entrance was growing new leaves, which rustled in the wind.

Chi Zhou took a step forward, turning sideways to pinch Xie Jiu’s chin, looking into his eyes with a smile. “That man, Xie Mingjing, is neither romantic nor even a thousandth as good-looking as you. Even if I really wanted to remain chaste for someone, it shouldn’t be him.”

He blinked and sighed softly, “Jiu Jiu, are you jealous? How pitiful.”

He said, “Elope with me, I don’t want him anymore.”

Chi Zhou spoke half-seriously, and Xie Jiu also watched those opening and closing red lips with a half-clear, half-dark gaze.

He didn’t understand, he wanted to kiss him. Since it was all nonsense anyway, he might as well kiss him to save this person from opening his mouth just to lie.

Xie Jiu thought.

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