>> brief papapa flashback
The two of them got back to work after having a drink, but Chu Wanning knew he was in for it as soon as Mo Ran lifted the mallet.
The vigorous movement made the lines of the young man's body look even more taut and defined, the golden rays of the sun pouring over his body like a waterfall, streaming down along sensually chiseled muscles, and when he lifted his arms and stretched out his shoulders, his chest was firm and smooth like rocks that had been bathing in the sun all day, harboring an unimaginable heat and strength.
The wooden mallet slammed vigorously into the mortar, sunk deep inside the moist softness of the rice cake, and trailed a sticky white as it was lifted again...
The swings came down one after another, with that immense, inexhaustible strength. Chu Wanning thought that if he were to accidentally get hit by a strike,
he really might get crushed under him, shattered into pieces. Mo Ran panted lightly as he concentrated, chest rising to the beat of his heart. Sweat clung to his brows, the jut of his throat bobbed slightly every now and again, and the muscles in his arms flexed with each swing. Watching him, Chu Wanning suddenly couldn't help thinking of that dream he used to have over and over.
He had lain on Mo Ran's bed in that dream, had been invaded like the rice cake in the mortar, had been kneaded and humiliated until his body went soft…
he stared off into space until he heard Mo Ran calling him.
"Shizun." Or maybe Mo Ran had called him several times already.
"Shizun, Shizun?" He snapped out of it, but his heart raced madly in his chest and a faint light wavered in the depths of his eyes. His throat moved, eyes a little unfocused as he responded, "Hm?" Mo Ran's clear eyes stared at him from above, the heat of his body making those eyes seem even more fiery than usual. He said, "Shizun, come, turn over." "......" In those eyes, in those words, Chu Wanning felt dreams and reality folding into each other, becoming one. He suddenly felt a little dizzy, a scarlet red flashing by before his eyes. He saw two people tumbling between red colored bedding embroidered with dragon and phoenix in gold thread, a well-built man on top of another, tumultuous waves of red in an ocean of desire, and the toes of the man beneath were tightly curled, his calves twitching.
"Shizun, come, turn over…" He could practically feel that man's hot breaths against the back of his ear.
"Let me look at your face while I fuck you." Shocked by the images that had risen unbidden in his mind, Chu Wanning squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head——what was that? A hallucination?
Or an overly vivid recollection of that dream?
Heart thudding, he could feel the slide of cold sweat even as hot blood raced through his veins.
Sensing something wrong with him, Mo Ran put down the wooden mallet and came over to his side. "Shizun, you okay? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?" "No." Even his voice made Chu Wanning's heart tingle like it was being nibbled by insects, and Chu Wanning shoved him away forcefully, raising his embarrassment-turned-fury phoenix eyes, the corners of which were coloured with a light sheen of red. He gasped softly, hating his own perturbed mind to the extreme, "The sun is too scalding, I was only a little dizzy, don't stand so close to me, you're all sweaty." Mo Ran looked down at himself and sure enough, it's true, and felt dismayed. He knew Chu Wanning had always preferred cleanliness, so he immediately stood down to the side, only watching with a look heavy with concern, but nonetheless his eyes pursued that person, never wanting to move his gaze for even a second.
After that, Chu Wanning had kept silent and wordless until the rice cakes were steamed, and by the time everyone came to sit around, he was already gone.
"Oh, you're asking about Chu-xianjun? He said he has a bit of a headache so he's gone back to rest in the cabin." The village chief said, "When I saw him leave earlier, his cheeks were a little red, I hope he's not got a fever." The moment Mo Ran heard this he grew anxious, and he stopped helping with storing the rice cakes, dashing hurriedly instead towards the small courtyard the two stayed at.
When he pushed the door in, there was no one on the bed, and he grew even more anxious. Suddenly, he heard the sloshing sound of water from the kitchen, so Moran quickly lifted the curtain and charged in recklessly.
And then he saw: Chu Wanning had all of his clothes removed, and was just in the middle of raising a bucket full of water, standing bare feet over the brickred ground washing himself.
It was the end of October, the falling of frost on the calendar was already past.
Chu Wanning… He's fucking washing himself with cold water?!
Mo Ran was completely dumbfounded, his face turning blue, then white,
then red alternately as he stared at the bare naked shizun, feeling as if he could no longer hear anything other than the rumbling of his blood flowing like the surging tides of the Qian River.
What did he see...
This was the first time since his rebirth that he had vividly, clearly, and perfectly seen Chu Wanning's body. No haze, no concealments, nothing. There was only this familiar physique, the body that had macerated the defenses he erected, and tightly shut the floodgates of his memories. He felt his entire body was boiling with hot blood, trying to break free of his skin and flesh like the gushing of lava.
Everything was exactly as he was familiar, nothing was changed.
Suddenly, he found he couldn't breathe.
He saw Chu Wanning's shoulders, the curves and strength perfect like the bow that was pulled to seven parts taut, ready to shoot. He saw Chu Wanning's shoulder blades stirring beneath that skin as delicate as thin ice.
And then he followed the water stream, yes, he followed the water stream,
the water stream eroded his sight and brought it downwards, and so he saw Chu Wanning's thin and slender waist, there were two pools of shallow dimples on his back and they were filled with wine, ready to poison all who desired his person.
Going down further, he saw the perky and sturdy buttocks, much like the ripened sweet fruit of autumn, and he knew what ecstasy it'd be if he touched them, knew the trembling of pleasure when joined, like his soul would split, and forever thus be kneaded into one with the person under him, becoming greedy once he had tasted goodness, unable to quit the addiction...
"Mo-xianjun!" Suddenly, there's someone calling for him, "Mo-xianjun, are you there?" Mo Ran freezes and turns his head, but before he could stop the curtain it was pulled aside. Ling-er poked her head in, and said as she walked over, "Why did you run off in a hurry? My mom told me to get you to go eat the sweet rice cakes, you——"
She saw Chu Wanning was bathing, and her voice died in her throat.
Chu Wanning, "..." Ling-er, "..." "AH!!!" The girl screamed, covering her eyes in a panic. Chu Wanning's expression was also extremely dark, and tried to grab for his clothes in a rare flurry, but how could he possibly have expected that there'd be two uninvited guests charging into his house when he came running back for a wash, what the hell!
He had always done what he felt like, so his clothes were ditched near the door when he stripped. Was he going to cross the entire kitchen in his bare naked body to go fish for clothes under the watch of a grown girl?
Just as he was stuck in this terrible plight, feeling helpless, Mo Ran came straight for him, raising his arms and propping it against the wall, blocking him off with his embrace.
Mo Ran twisted his head around and said to Ling-er, "Get out." "Ah! Right! Right!" That girl was also too startled, and actually stayed stunned for a moment before she stumbled out in a hurry, running far away in horror.
Chu Wanning, "..." Mo Ran's expression was gloomy, and only after he made sure the girl really did go away did he sigh in relief, turning his head back.
Just to face Chu Wanning's cold and indifferent face.
Only then did he realize his action just now was very much like a ferocious hound protecting his food, baring his teeth to scare off intruders before turning back around whimpering to lick and eat the food hard-won.
His arms were still propped against the wall, and in order to keep Chu Wanning firmly shielded, he was pressed very close, so much that he could easily detect Chu Wanning's scent, and he stiffened unconsciously…
His head was burning, dizzy and heavy.
Scent was the easiest in evoking memories and desire, just as smelling the aroma of meat would make one hungry, and smelling plum blossoms would make one think of winter snow, all is the same.
Just like lust.
Mo Ran could only feel his mind surge, and the wall of determination he so painstakingly erected seemed to be toppling here and now. Chu Wanning's scent was a spark that landed in his dry and arid chest, igniting his animal instincts,
ready to burn him to dust.
Normally when they got too close, it didn't matter if Chu Wanning was properly dressed, he'd still couldn't help but feel his heart flutter, nevermind that the man before him now wasn't covered by a single thread, wearing nothing…
He desperately wanted to seize Chu Wanning's icy cold wrists still dripping with droplets, twist the man around and push him against the wall, then immediately rip off his own clothes, pressing himself forcefully against this person, hold this person, let this person's back press tightly against his own chest, and brutally enter him just like this. Just like in the previous life, where the absolute power he held over this person's life was in the sweat and panting,
melting them back into sweet splendor.
He really couldn't anymore... He wanted him so bad.
Mo Ran's breathing abruptly turned heavy.
He didn't speak. Chu Wanning didn't make a sound either.
The two pressed against the wall like this, standing very close to each other,
almost touching. But the muscles of Mo Ran's arms were pulled taut, trembling subtly, forcibly hanging on.
I may not touch him. I may not touch him.
Respect him. Love him.
I may not commit anymore the absurdity of deceiving and destroying my masters and ancestors. I may not.
He told himself this again and again, mechanically repeating it in his mind.
The weather was cold, but thin sweat was already slowly dotting his forehead.
You can't… you can't… Mo Ran, you can't… Don't let your mind wander…
He gulped, closing his eyes shakily, shutting out that scalding gaze, yet his face already appeared lost and confused…
If this was the normal Chu Wanning, how could he not have detected Mo Ran being unusual?
But right now, his condition really wasn't any better than Mo Ran. Even worse, in fact.
He appeared cold and indifferent, but heavens know just how much willpower he had to expend in order to keep himself steady, and only then could he pretend to be calm.
Mo Ran's breath was so hot and heavy, full of the overbearing scent that belonged only to males, practically burning him. And the arms propped against the wall were so firm, so thick, so strong, so full of power. He hadn't sparred with Mo Ran since his rebirth, but he knew that counting strength alone, not counting spiritual power, these arms could crush him like nothing.
He didn't want to look at Mo Ran's eyes, so he dropped his eyes somewhat,
his gaze landing on Mo Ran's chest.
While they didn't press together, Mo Ran is so close to him, there was practically only a thread of distance between them, and he could clearly feel that male tension emitted from that hot chest, broad and blazing.
Like he could melt the coldest solid ice in the world, and turn it into an uncontrollably overflowing spring.
"Shizun…" The young man called out to him all of a sudden, and he couldn't tell if it was his imagination, but he felt the other's voice sounded a little hoarse, filled with the wetness of the fire of lust and hot breath.
Mo Ran had called him shizun many times before; calmly, respectfully,
furiously, jokingly, uncountable ways.
But this was the first time he had heard a different "shizun"; it was nursed between his lips and teeth, dyed with the astringence of lust, sounding so filthy and alluring, Chu Wanning felt even the cracks of his bones were numbing.
Impossible. Mo Ran would never call him like that.
It was him who heard it wrong, it was him who was thinking too much.
It was his heart that was filthy.
He unconsciously backed away, and his bare back hit the icy cold wall. He shuddered involuntarily, his lips quivering as his mouth opened slightly,
appearing a little at a loss and helpless.
The colours of Mo Ran's pupils darkened even more.
He stared at those moist and fair-coloured lips. While he didn't make a move, his fantasy had already gone wild as he imagined himself lowering to kiss Chu Wanning, prying his mouth open, and brutally invading that person's untouched forbidden grounds with his hot tongue. He imagined his hands clutching Chu Wanning's waist and stroking him with vigour, leaving merciless red marks on that skin.
No matter how much he repressed himself, the blood of a wolf still surged in Mo Ran's veins.
The nature he set free was always going to be blazing and tyrannical, going as far as ripping apart the one going to bed with him between the sheets,
devouring the other whole from the inside to out, licking up every last drop of blood, every inch of flesh.
He could never become tame.
Closing his eyes, suppressing the boiling lava in his chest, he knew this was bad. He knew how close to a beast a man's flared desire could be, and he had to chase away this completely oblivious rabbit before his lust broke free of restraint.
He withdrew his hands and said, his voice practically hoarse, "Shizun, I'll go get… your clothes." Thick and heavy breaths brush past Chu Wanning's lashes.
Mo Ran turned around, walked to the door in long strides, and picked up the robes Chu Wanning had tossed there.
Chu Wanning was still leaning against the wall, but he felt as if he had just run a hundred miles, completely drained, and couldn't catch his breath. He squinted his phoenix eyes a little, and saw Mo Ran had his back facing him,
rummaging through the clothes he had stripped over at the other end, and suddenly remembered the state of a certain body part of his. He blanked for a few seconds, then abruptly snapped out of it!
When Mo Ran entered earlier, he was showering with his back facing him,
and when he had turned around, Mo Ran was pressed close so he didn't look down, which was why he didn't notice his rising desire.
But if Mo Ran turned his head around after picking up the clothes, then Yuheng Elder's haughty and pristine reputation, the aloof and ascetic image Chu Wanning had maintained for so long would probably crumble into dust in an instant.
Chu Wanning was instantly in a panic.
Seeing how Mo Ran had already sorted and tidied up his robes, holding them in his hands; seeing how he was about to turn his head around…
Chu Wanning was left with only two choices.
One: pretend his legs suddenly hurt and crouch down.
Two: jab his eyes out.
Before he could decide on one of the two awful options, Mo Ran had already turned around. "Shizun, you…" You what?
He didn't finish.
Whatever he had to say was all cut off between his lips the moment he saw the sight before him, plunging him deep into the mire, never to resurface.
Author's Notes:
It's New Years~ New Year's greetings, everyone~ Chu Wanning: Happy new year, come to me if you run into any difficulties.
Mo Ran 1.0: Wishing everyone a happy new year, hehe, a prosperous Year of the Dog~ Everyone must be smarter than me, okay~ Mo Ran 2.0: Happy new year, you can come to me for help if you run into any difficulties, haha.
Mo Ran 0.5: This venerable one will gift everyone a verse personally handwritten by this venerable one[Great Cock of the Year of the Dog] Liu gonggong: ...Your Majesty, you've misspelt again…
Xue Meng: May you be as hot as me this new years Shi Mei: May every girl here be prettier than me Mei Hanxue: May the gentlemen here have better luck in love than me Song Qiutong: May everyone have better skin than me~ Jiang-er: Bigger boobs than me, kay~ Madam Wang: May everyone find a partner who cares for you as much as Xue-lang cares for me Xue Zhengyong: May everyone be rich! Get all the moneys! Hahahaha!
Boss: May everyone be successful every year, and please take good care of me next year, don't roast me too hard, thank you thank you Meatbun: A happy new year to everyone! Thank you all! Muah muah!