The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 70

70: A Snowy Night of Intimacy

“Qi Ren…”

“Hmm? I’m here.”

He let out a dreamlike murmur, softly calling his name.

Qi Ren lowered his head to look at him—his eyes were still closed, as if he were lost in a daze.

“I… I lied to you…” he whispered.

Qi Ren stiffened at his words, propping him up slightly. Fu Yu’an opened his eyes briefly before closing them again, looking utterly exhausted.

“What did you lie to me about?” Qi Ren asked, his tone urgent.

Was it what he suspected?

If it was about six years ago…

Sure enough, Fu Yu’an leaned in close to his ear and murmured, “Six years ago… that wasn’t a little palace maid. It was me…”

“!!”

So it was true!

No wonder he had found Fu Yu’an familiar the moment they met at the wedding. He was also the one who painted those amorous illustrations—how could there be such a coincidence in this world?

Fu Yu’an waited for a response but heard none, and his heart grew uneasy.

“Are you angry?” he asked softly.

Qi Ren snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. “No, I was just remembering something. Back then… why were you so willing to go along with me?”

At this, Fu Yu’an fell silent, closing his eyes and pretending to be asleep.

Qi Ren: “? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“…”

Silence.

Qi Ren was puzzled, assuming he had fallen asleep again. So he tightened his embrace, a helpless smile tugging at his lips.

The carriage swayed and jolted to a stop in front of the General’s Manor. The coachman stepped down to hold an umbrella for the two masters.

The snow had grown heavier.

Most of the servants in Guhe Courtyard had gone to the wedding banquet. Qi Ren carried Fu Yu’an to bed and stoked the fire himself.

He wasn’t very skilled at brewing sobering soup, so he had to borrow a bowl from the Second Madame’s courtyard and rushed back, afraid the soup would cool.

He helped Fu Yu’an drink it, but after half a bowl, Fu Yu’an refused any more, complaining that it was bitter—even worse than medicine. He pressed his lips shut, brows furrowed in disgust.

Qi Ren didn’t force him. Even coaxing didn’t work, so he finally gave up, kicking off his shoes and climbing into bed to hold him.

“If you don’t want to drink it, just sleep it off. You’ll feel better when you wake up. I told you not to drink so much—you just recovered from your illness…”

“You’re so annoying!”

“… You think I’m annoying?!”

His good intentions were met with disdain. He felt wronged, torn between thinking Fu Yu’an is so ungrateful and wondering was I talking too much and that’s why he’s annoyed?

“Fine, fine, I won’t say anymore.” he conceded.

Beside him, Fu Yu’an suddenly opened his eyes and turned to stare at him, asking seriously, “Didn’t you used to dislike men?”

Qi Ren turned to meet his gaze, confused. “Didn’t you ask me that before?”

“Did I? I forgot. Did you… did you like me back then—I mean, when I was dressed as that little palace maid?”

Qi Ren felt a pang of guilt. “Well… a little. But wasn’t that still you? From beginning to end, there’s only ever been you.”

Fu Yu’an persisted relentlessly: “No, you only liked me because you thought I was a woman. Besides, all these years, haven’t you ever fancied any other girls?”

Qi Ren fell silent.

He was so insecure, always worried that I liked this one or that one. Even when I reassured him, he wouldn’t believe me.

Qi Ren shook his head: “Don’t overthink it, alright? I’ve never liked anyone else. Whether you’re a man or a woman, I love you all the same.”

These words were soothing. Fu Yu’an, already dizzy from the alcohol, found his temper melting away under such sweet talk. He stopped dwelling on the issue of gender and obediently wrapped his arms around Qi Ren’s neck, leaning in for a kiss.

Qi Ren tilted his head back to evade, turning the tables: “But you still haven’t told me—did you ever like men before?”

“…”

“Six years ago, I won you over with just a few meals. Be honest—did you already have feelings for me back then?”

“…”

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Guilty conscience?”

Fu Yu’an shot him a disdainful look, released his hold, and rolled over indignantly, muttering, “Six years ago, how old was I? I didn’t understand any of this back then!”

Qi Ren chuckled: “You didn’t understand? Have you forgotten how we met? At the time, we even needed Boss Huang to vouch for us…”

“…”

With a mischievous glint, he leaned closer, his large hand sliding under the thin layer of inner robe to knead Fu Yu’an’s waist slowly.

“An’an, you know so much—when are you going to put it into practice with me?”

His voice was right by Fu Yu’an’s ear, low and teasing, utterly bewitching.

Perhaps it was the alcohol clouding his mind, but Fu Yu’an buried his face in the pillow and mumbled:

“If you want… we can do it now…”

Qi Ren froze, then abruptly sat up. He pulled Fu Yu’an onto his back, staring at him in disbelief: “Do you mean what I think you mean? An’an, An’an—you’re finally willing?”

Fu Yu’an covered his face in embarrassment, not daring to meet his gaze: “Li Ke is already married. If one day even Xiao Zhu ends up pregnant before we’ve even consummated our relationship… it’s not just you who’ll be embarrassed…”

Overjoyed, Qi Ren felt like sprinting around the general’s mansion a few dozen times in excitement.

He pinned Fu Yu’an beneath him, pulling his hands away and forcing him to meet his eyes, asking word by word:

“Do you know what you’re saying? Are you sober?”

Fu Yu’an turned his head aside, a stretch of his neck glowing pale under the dim lamplight, tantalizing enough to stir wild thoughts.

“I know…” he murmured. “It was only a little wine… Didn’t I drink the sobering soup earlier…”

Qi Ren fought to suppress the grin threatening to split his face, not wanting to scare him with his eagerness.

After longing for this for so long, the moment had finally arrived. Yet Qi Ren didn’t dare make another move. He simply hovered above Fu Yu’an, watching as his face turned as red as a boiled shrimp.

As time passed, Fu Yu’an grew increasingly flustered and embarrassed. Finally, he impatiently kicked Qi Ren and said fiercely,

“Go down and put out the light!”

Qi Ren was reluctant. “I don’t want to. I just want to look at you.”

How could Fu Yu’an agree? Though they’d had some intense moments before, they’d always been in the dark. Now that they were truly about to cross the line, the lights had to be off.

He pushed Qi Ren away, refusing to let him kiss him, insisting that if the lights weren’t turned off, they wouldn’t go any further.

Qi Ren knew he was shy and couldn’t argue with him, so he had no choice but to get up and blow out the lamp.

Fu Yu’an pulled down the bed curtains, shutting out even the faint glow of the snow outside.

Qi Ren fumbled his way back into bed in the dark, pressing against Fu Yu’an’s warm skin with a sigh of contentment.

“You’re finally willing,” he said. “I thought I’d have to be a monk for the rest of my life!”

Fu Yu’an responded with a silent kiss. The darkness was the best cover, magnifying the lack of security in his heart and making him act contrary to his usual self-passionate and bold.

Qi Ren propped himself up slightly and reached into a hidden compartment at the head of the bed, pulling out a small box. Soon, an unusual fragrance drifted between them.

Fu Yu’an wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and asked hoarsely, “What is this?”

Qi Ren scooped out a dab and murmured vaguely, “Boss Huang gave it to me. You’ll find out soon.”

The scented ointment had its own uses. Fu Yu’an gripped Qi Ren’s arm, his voice cutting off abruptly.

“No… no, Qi Ren!”

His tone was panicked as he shook his head in refusal.

Qi Ren’s eyes were nearly bloodshot with desire. No longer willing to compromise, his innate dominance-completely unrestrained in bed-took over as he pressed Fu Yu’an down and did as he pleased.

A pale hand clutched at the bed curtain, only to be pried open and pulled back by another, larger hand.

Outside the window, the snow fell heavier and heavier. After who knew how long, it finally stopped for a while-but soon started again, covering the tree branches and eaves in a blanket of white.