Chapter 174: Farming: Saving the Substitute Bridegroom 17

After lunch, Jin Chen washed the bowls clean; he was supposed to go hunting in the mountains as usual, but seeing his husband dozing on the bamboo bed in the bamboo grove, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan, he felt a bit lethargic and just wanted to hold his husband close and cherish him.

Thinking so, Jin Chen did just that.

He put down his bow and arrow, drove 0731 out to play beyond the fence, then walked toward the bamboo bed.

He had made it specially for Yelin to cool off; the bed surface wasn't wide, and all bamboo splinters that could cut the skin had been finely smoothed, feeling cool to the touch.

"Husband..."

Yelin was dozing, and when he was suddenly picked up, he wasn't startled; he half-opened his eyes and naturally snuggled into the embrace, shifting to a more comfortable position.

"Are you there, Linlin? Are you sleepy?" Jin Chen sat on the bamboo bed, lifted his husband, leaned his back against two bamboo poles, bent one leg, and let him rest against him.

"Mm… I'm a bit sleepy."

Yelin opened his mouth slightly and yawned, rubbing against Jin Chen's chest; he didn't notice a few bamboo leaves landing on his green robe, some of which fluttered down onto the bamboo bed with his soft clothing, while others stayed put on him, unmoved by the breeze.

"Linlin, you're dressed all in green today, like a bamboo spirit come to life—these leaves are clinging to you."

Jin Chen chuckled lightly twice, brushed the leaves off him, and teased.

"A bamboo spirit?"

Yelin narrowed his eyes, gazing at the lush, verdant bamboo; a breeze swept over the treetops, gently and delicately causing the leaves to overlap in rippling layers.

He suddenly curled his lips, but said nothing, merely thinking to himself, bamboo born of heaven and earth is the purest spiritual essence; even if it truly became a spirit, it would still be far from his own appearance.

He himself had been broken beyond repair, only able to continue living in this world thanks to Jin Chen's affection; how could he compare himself to bamboo?

"Husband is teasing me again."

Setting his thoughts aside, Yelin let out a soft, coquettish hum, raised his hand to lightly punch Jin Chen's shoulder, but Jin Chen caught his wrist and rubbed the delicate skin with his fingertip.

"No teasing, I'm speaking the truth—Linlin is just naturally handsome, even more attractive than that bamboo."

Jin Chen's other hand gently stroked the back of Yelin's neck; lowering his head just a little, their lips met, tongues tangled, hair mingled in disarray, indistinguishable whose was whose.

"Mmm..."

A trembling sound escaped Yelin's throat, his eyelashes fluttered, and he instinctively clenched Jin Chen's chest clothing, his movement both reliant and reluctant.

The hand that had been caught curled its fingertips in the air, trembling slightly.

A few more bamboo leaves fell, brushing Yelin's wrist, landing on both of them, stirring a slight movement in his arm, which Jin Chen promptly caught again, slipping it into the wide sleeve.

Not knowing how long they had kissed, Yelin could barely breathe, yet he didn't want to push Jin Chen away, only letting out weak, feeble moans as he tried to turn his head for air.

Jin Chen pulled back slightly, his peach-blossom eyes filled with desire and a startlingly deep affection, as if nothing in heaven or earth mattered to him except the person before him.

He lightly brushed Yelin's lips, glistening with moisture, then suddenly turned, shielding his head as he pressed down; they locked eyes, and Jin Chen pulled out the hairpin that bound Yelin's topknot.

Yelin's eyes seemed to hold water, hazy and misty; his green robe was disheveled, his black hair spilling across the bamboo bed, his lips glistening, clearly aroused, his gaze rippling with spring.

He truly resembled a bamboo spirit come to life, seizing a hint of summer's lingering hue, taking human form and rushing in here, captivating Jin Chen to the point of forgetting what heaven and earth are.

His breathing grew heavy; he rose and pressed down. (Continued vb, same name)

……

When he awoke again, it was already evening.

Yelin felt sore all over, as if his body had fallen apart; even the slightest movement was uncomfortable.

Yet his body felt fresh, not sticky; closing his eyes, he sensed that Jin Chen had held him while washing him clean, and his cheeks flushed with two shy blushes.

【Villain Heartthrob Value +15, total 80!】

Jin Chen stepped through the door, holding a bowl of lotus-seed soup.

He set the bowl on the bedside table, sat on the bed, and gathered Yelin into his arms, asking, "Does your body still feel uncomfortable?"

"A bit of lower-back soreness..."

Yelin guided Jin Chen's hand to his waist, his whole body leaning into the embrace, eyes softly closed; he clearly hadn't rested well yet.

"Eat the lotus-seed soup before sleeping, or your stomach will feel uneasy."

Jin Chen massaged his husband for a while; seeing him drift toward sleep again, he lowered his head to kiss his lips and whispered a reminder.

Yelin's eyes stayed shut, but he opened his mouth.

Helplessly smiling, he took the bowl and fed him spoonful by spoonful, meticulous and gentle, without a hint of impatience—in fact, he thoroughly enjoyed it.

The lotus-seed soup was very refreshing, with plenty of rock sugar, sweet and delightful.

As Yelin ate, he actually stopped feeling sleepy.

He tugged at Jin Chen's sleeve and said, "More."

"It's all in the kitchen; shall I go ladle out some more?"

Jin Chen wiped his husband's mouth corner with a handkerchief and asked softly.

Yelin nodded, tilted his head as a reward, and planted a kiss on Jin Chen's cheek, his almond eyes bright.

Jin Chen rose, took the empty bowl, and went to the kitchen.

【Host, Jinbei is dying.】

He was ladling the lotus-seed soup; hearing this, he raised his eyebrows slightly.

【It's only been two days, and he can't hold on?】

【Perhaps his constitution was already weak; after having his hamstring severed and losing too much blood, then being rammed by a wild boar leaving him covered in wounds, he can barely maintain consciousness, occasionally calling out for food.】

0731 finished explaining, then asked.

【Would you like to go see him?】

【Go, of course.】

Jin Chen peeled another boiled egg, his eyes tinged with mockery.

【Let him see how this fated protagonist meets a painful death.】

Jin Chen placed the egg in the bowl, just about to turn, when his husband hugged him from behind, rubbing his cheek; his expression instantly softened, and warmth welled up in his eyes again.

"How did you get out of bed."

"No longer hurting…… I want to come over to find my husband."

"After the afternoon's intimacy, Yelin is now clingy, only wanting to stay glued to Jin Chen's side."

"Jin Chen turned around, lowered his head, and placed a light kiss."

"Yelin, you're so good."

"He took her hand and sat down by the table in the courtyard; Yelin, without a second thought, sat in Jin Chen's embrace, wrapping his arm around her waist."

"After finishing the egg and a bowl of lotus seed soup, Jin Chen wouldn't let Yelin eat more, fearing she'd suffer from indigestion at night."

"Yelin, you know I didn't hand Jinbei over to the officials that day, right?"

"Jin Chen held her as they looked at the bamboo forest scenery in the courtyard, then suddenly asked."

"Hmm, did you kill him, husband?"

"No, I had Fortune drag it to an abandoned pigsty halfway up the hill; I plan to go check it out."

"0731 let out a howl, as if responding, its fluffy head rubbing against Yelin's shin."

"Then I want to go too."

"Yelin sat up slightly, pursed her lips, and found an excuse: 'Husband, take me with you; it's getting late, I'm scared to stay home alone.'"

"Jin Chen naturally didn't expose her, saying, 'All right, I'll take you along.'"

"He patted 0731's head, 'Fortune, lead the way.'"