Chapitre 64: The Sorcerer is... Jealous?

"Take it out..."

"Just a little more, beautiful."

"Ah, hurts! I said, take it out!"

"I told you, this is a part of being married to me."

"I hate it! Take it out!"

XueYa let out a sigh as he pulled away, taking the golden hairpin with him.

LiangLin was glaring at him, his lips pulled into a pout. XueYa just wanted to kiss them swollen but held back. He wanted to live for another day.

Since morning, LiangLin had threatened to crush, slice and stab his family jewels. After rolling around in bed for a short while, XueYa emerged with a flaring cheek. LiangLin had smacked him across the face for all the sweet words and failed attempts at consummating their marriage.

It was LiangLin's fault for mentioning little sorcerers rolling around. XueYa just wanted to make this possibility into a reality. He still didn't know if snake gods could conceive, but he was willing to try and find out.

What better way to get those little sorcerers than to stay in bed and go at it like rabbits until LiangLin was pregnant with their child?

Or maybe not - yet. LiangLin looked like he wanted to take a bite from XueYa. He would have to coax LiangLin to accept him with time.

XueYa smiled at his pretty lover. He had carefully placed each hairpin over LiangLin's hair, making sure no one looked as beautiful as his little snake. It had taken him longer than expected, but LiangLin was like a painting brought to life. He could hardly tear his eyes away.

LiangLin wasn't in such a jolly mood as XueYa. He had been sitting there stiffly for hours now, letting XueYa decorate him. Was this how an emperor spent their time? Wasn't there nation affairs he should be looking into?

His displeased frown must have alerted XueYa, as the sorcerer brought a reflector over, letting LiangLin gaze upon himself. LiangLin had to admit he looked beautiful, with his hair cascading down his back, gold flowers and butterflies decorating his hair. But this was a waste of time! And his neck was near breaking under all this weight.

Who said an empress had it easy? One wrong move and they would break their necks, if not their backs, from all the jewellery they had to carry around daily.

"My love is the most beautiful."

LiangLin side-eyed the smiling XueYa over the edge of the reflector. He and his damn sweet words! Gah, LiangLin couldn't stop himself from blushing though. He liked that XueYa admired his beauty and put up with his kill threats. He was sure most would have run for the hills by now.

Still, he would not give in now!

XueYa was only so patient with him because he was after his immortality. He must have learned that once he got LiangLin to fall for him and… and… papapa… LiangLin would be done for. Snake shifters mated for life. He couldn't just give in to XueYa that easily.

He had to get rid of XueYa, at least for a few hours. The more they were together, the more he forgot why he even agreed to this marriage. Find out what XueYa is trying and how to wake up YaYun.

"Don't you have emperor duties?" LiangLin grumbled, turning his body away from facing XueYa.

"... They can wait. I just married," XueYa said, as he reached over, caressing LiangLin's cheek, trying to coax the snake to look his way. "It is normal for me to want to stay by my one and only all the time."

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

"What do you mean?" XueYa didn't understand what LiangLin was referring to.

XueYa hadn't lied, it was normal for newlyweds to want to be together at all times, and he couldn't care less for the nation's affairs. They were YaYun's job, not his. He was here for entirely different reasons, to marry LiangLin and to get rid of some pesky people.

But mostly, he wanted to pin LiangLin down and make some sweet loving.

"Are you trying to ruin YaYun's name? Make his people hate him?" LiangLin eyed XueYa with suspicion.

"..." XueYa leaned back, taking leverage from the table. He felt the jab. How could his love think of him this way? Admittedly, he hadn't been admirable in his actions so far, but to go as far as to tarnish his own twin's name? Never.

"Am I that evil in your opinion?"

"I-I didn't say that." LiangLin blinked, his cheeks flared as he turned away, trying to hide his fluster. "You just... don't seem to take your role as the emperor seriously. YaYun worked hard every day, barely sleeping. He even worked throughout the night, just to see Qing- um - see me."

Ah, it irritated XueYa how LiangLin kept praising and talking about YaYun. He was the husband here. Why was his beloved gushing about another man to him? Even if YaYun was his twin, XueYa wasn't keen on sharing LiangLin with anyone, the least with his brother.

A good emperor? Was that what LiangLin wanted him to be? It wasn't like XueYa couldn't be a good one if he wanted to. He was sure he would excel in it if he tried.

"Would it make you happy?"

LiangLin stole a glance at XueYa. The sorcerer's brows had furrowed thoughtfully, his eyes studying LiangLin's every movement and expression. It was the first time LiangLin ever saw XueYa so serious.

Somehow, LiangLin's heart sped up at the sight, the flush creeping over his neck and cheeks. So, XueYa could be serious when he wanted to. Gah, he was too handsome when all serious. LiangLin had to turn his gaze away to hide his feelings.

"It has nothing to do with me. You should do it for the country and YaYun. You already stole his place as the emperor. The least you can do is rule over the nation properly."

"Would it make you proud if I am a good emperor?"

"I-" What kind of question was that? Of course, LiangLin would be proud of his husband if he ran the country like a good and kind emperor. "That is your duty. It was YaYun's duty too."

Again talking about YaYun, XueYa's brow ticked irritably. But he put on a smile while trying to push the unsettling feeling aside. If he worked hard enough, LiangLin would eventually open his heart to him and forget about YaYun.

Be a good emperor? Fine, then. This country was going to have an emperor that feared nothing - well, except for LiangLin.

XueYa suddenly stood up, heading for the door. The officials should be in their meeting room still at this hour. He would catch them just in time.

"Wait, where are you going?" LiangLin asked in surprise.

"Be a good emperor, so my love can be proud of marrying me." With that, XueYa disappeared out of the door.