ITOTIABSAM | Young General | 92
Having a conversation with a mute while riding a horse, it's truly remarkable what the other party can come up with.
Unable to move the curtain left or right, Xie Ye simply gave up. He wasn't sure what Gu Cong was doing outside, but with a few quick movements, he managed to secure one corner of the curtain, freeing up his hand that he usually used to chat with him, resting it on the window sill.
From the outside, it probably looked like Gu Cong was pushing the carriage forward.
The guards who were originally cautious on both sides tactfully changed their formation, making room for their general. Seeing that Gu Cong seemed determined to keep going, Xie Ye couldn't help but reach out and tap Gu Cong's palm, signaling the start of the conversation.
But Gu Cong raised an eyebrow in response, "No need to go through all this trouble, just call me 'General'."
"Tired," Xie Ye wrote without hesitation.
And indeed, it had been a long time since Little Hao had used his vocal cords, making his voice rusty. Even though he knew the correct pronunciation, when he actually spoke, his tone still sounded a bit strange.
Gu Cong's expression immediately turned serious. "Is it hurting?"
Xie Ye shook his head.
Although he had become someone who could endure pain very well out of necessity, this time he was not lying.
"In Sanggan City, there are also good doctors. When we arrive, let them take a look," Gu Cong said in a low voice, furrowing his brow. "They might be different from the imperial physicians in the capital and could possibly help with your throat problem."
1101 suddenly had a brilliant idea: "In previous plot settings, illnesses could temporarily disappear through contact with Gu Cong."
Except for the last time, when his healing ability was taken away by the consciousness of the world.
This time, the throat problem had been inconsequential since the host's transmigration, to the point where it completely slipped its mind.
However, Xie Ye hadn't forgotten. "We've touched many times already. Even sharing a bed hasn't triggered any improvement. If it could be cured, it would have shown signs by now."
"No no no," 1101 waved its hands repeatedly, acting like an old scholar as it stroked its non-existent beard. "As the saying goes, 'treat where it hurts.' I mean mouth to mouth."
Xie Ye: ...
"Well, actually, I got the idea from watching a drama with a similar setup," 1101 quickly confessed, reverting to its original harmless form in the host's consciousness. But it couldn't resist adding cautiously, "But I think it's quite insightful. They say art imitates life, right?"
"Xie Ye?" Seeing the young man seemingly lost in thought, Gu Cong, thinking he was worried about his throat, paused for a few seconds before awkwardly trying to console him, "Don't worry, if the doctors in Sanggan City can't help, there will always be others. The world is vast, not just limited to two cities."
Xie Ye gently asked, "Will the General accompany me?"
"Otherwise?" Controlling the urge to awkwardly turn his head, Gu Cong replied in a serious tone, "You can't ride a horse anyway."
As soon as these words came out, he regretted them a bit. He didn't mean to show any disdain towards Xie Ye, but it sounded a bit off. Unexpectedly, before Gu Cong could think of something to say to make up for it, Xie Ye, neither anxious nor annoyed, slowly wrote in his palm, "Why is the General so good to me?"
Gu Cong subconsciously said, "We are married."
Xie Ye replied, "Fake." It felt more like taking someone in rather than a real marriage.
—Fake? How is it fake? We've had the formal ceremony, drank the bridal wine, and even visited the ancestral hall.
A nameless anger surged in Gu Cong's heart, but he had nowhere to vent it.
Because initially, he did intend for it to be a fake marriage.
Based on his observations over the past few days, he knew Xie Ye was very sensitive to emotions. The clear boundary of "indifference" from everyone in the General's residence from top to bottom must have been noticed by Xie Ye, hence his revelation at this moment.
Everything was going smoothly according to the plan before returning to the capital, but Gu Cong felt no joy. The thought of Xie Ye leaving at any moment only added to his irritation.
"I, as the General, have no intention of marrying twice," using such a self-reference for the first time in front of Xie Ye, Gu Cong's face was stern. "So, don't even think about it."
With that said, he turned away and left on horseback.
1101 saw through it instantly, "He clearly isn't giving you a chance to refuse."
Xie Ye's lips curved as he got what he wanted.
He wanted Gu Cong to awaken on his own.
So, when they arrived at the inn in the evening, Gu Cong, who had initially planned to continue with separate rooms due to their recent sleeping arrangements, hesitated for a moment and then asked for only one room.
His demeanor was natural, as if he had planned it from the beginning.
The inns along the official road, backed by the imperial court, naturally offered better conditions. Apart from them, there were other travelers too. Concerned that the atmosphere in the main hall might make the young man uncomfortable, Gu Cong specifically brought the food upstairs.
As expected, after several days without bathing, the young man promptly took a refreshing bath. When he entered the room, his hair was still wet, clearly concerned about catching a cold.
Gu Cong carefully placed the tray down and sat at the table. He seemed somewhat surprised when the young man glanced at the bed with two pillows, as if just realizing they would be sharing a room tonight.
Gu Cong had initially thought of finding an excuse, such as the inn having no other available rooms. However, seeing the young man's reaction, he suddenly felt at ease and even a bit self-righteous.
After all, as newlyweds, of course they should stay together, shouldn't they?
"Isn't the General accompanying them?" There was tea on the table, and Xie Ye poured some, writing, "I can also go downstairs to eat."
The soft fabric spread out as water soaked it. Gu Cong, who had been secretly watching for a while, couldn't help but stand up, grabbed a cloth, and stood behind the young man. "Like this?"
If it were his previous alter self, upon hearing this, he would have likely felt that the other party was mocking his disheveled appearance, rushing to go out and "show his face".
But Xie Ye understood Gu Cong's personality.
As expected, the next thing he said was, "What if you catch a cold?"
Gu Cong's hair was coarse, and he didn't usually pay much attention to it. At best, he managed to keep it clean and untangled. The strands of hair he now held in his hand felt like fine silk or satin, soft and delicate, making him unconsciously lighten his grip, afraid of breaking them or causing any discomfort.
From his perspective, he could just see the slightly loose collar of the young man after bathing, slightly open, revealing a small section of slightly protruding fair collarbone, and further down, there was...
Suddenly, Gu Cong looked away.
His gaze randomly fell on the white jade hairpin that the young man casually placed on the table. Finding no better topic, he said, "I haven't seen you change it. Do you like this style?"
If he liked it, he could find a few more for him.
But Xie Ye shook his head.
Gu Cong: If it's not about liking the style, then what is it about?
As if sensing his confusion, the young man continued to write on the table, "The betrothal gifts sent by the General's Mansion were placed in the first box. Did the General forget?"
Gu Cong's hand, which was wiping Xie Ye's hair, paused.
This matter couldn't be simply called "forgetting", considering that the betrothal gifts were actually prepared by Qianbo. At that time, he was indifferent and only instructed not to mistreat the other party, without getting involved in the rest.
Feeling inexplicably guilty but unwilling to lie to the young man, he could only vaguely mumble a response.
Fortunately, the other party didn't continue to inquire, returning to his previous activity. Gu Cong felt sulky: "There will be more in the future."
No need for Qianbo; he would personally deliver them.
Despite living together in the General's Mansion, the atmosphere between him and Xie Ye seemed to have changed. After finishing dinner and brushing his teeth, Gu Cong, who usually found bathing too troublesome, tidied up the bowls and trays and went downstairs. He didn't call for the waiter, taking matters into his own hands. After quickly rinsing himself with two buckets of cold water in less than fifteen minutes, he returned with his wet, dripping black hair.
Xie Ye was already in bed.
Unsure if he was asleep, facing away from him, Gu Cong immediately tiptoed into the room, quietly and stealthily. He hastily wiped himself with a clean towel, waited until he warmed up, then slipped under the brocade quilt.
Having been on the road for the past few days and personally checked the luggage, Gu Cong could confirm that the other party didn't have any incense. Yet, even at this proximity, he could still smell that familiar, faintly refreshing scent.
Curious, he couldn't resist and brought his nose close to the back of the young man's neck, sniffing.
... Only to be caught red-handed by Xie Ye, who had turned around.
Staring at each other wide-eyed, the theory of rebounding emotions worked again. After a brief awkward moment, seeing no reaction from the young man, Gu Cong took the initiative:
"You smell good."
If these words came from someone else, they might have sounded oily and frivolous, but Gu Cong's sincere gaze and tone were undeniable, stating the fact candidly.
Xie Ye: "If the General practices writing more, he could also achieve this."
The young man liked to use pine soot ink, and over time, it acquired a scent.
Hearing the teasing in Xie Ye's words, Gu Cong didn't show any annoyance. "Writing? I practiced it when I was young, and now, I can barely manage to write. When I have to draft military orders someday, I'll let you take a look."
"Forget it, let's do it now." Feeling like he had said too much about the future today, with doctors, jade hairpins, and military orders, Gu Cong groped around under the covers, accurately catching the hand Xie Ye was about to withdraw. With each stroke, he wrote two characters:
Xie Ye's name.
Writing with a pen and writing with a finger were completely different, but his handwriting remained vigorous and powerful, lacking in formal techniques but with enough character to make up for it.
Xie Ye, feeling ticklish in his palm: ...
Should I say someone is childish?
"Did you laugh? It's good that you laughed," completely forgetting who woke the other up by sniffing around, Gu Cong coaxed the young man like a child, urging, "We have to hit the road again tomorrow, so rest early."
Silently, Xie Ye pulled his hand away from Gu Cong's grasp.
"When traveling, it's safer to stay closer," worried that he might hurt the other, Gu Cong released him with understanding and then stretched out his long arms to pull him into his embrace. "Go to sleep."
Although his words sounded calm, his heart beat like a drum in his chest. With no experience in initiating intimacy with others, he became a bit nervous, using a bit too much force. Xie Ye's nose bumped directly into the firm muscles, causing only a slight soreness, thankfully not enough to cause tears.
Rather than reaching for the hand that was resting behind his waist, Xie Ye simply teased through the fabric, using Gu Cong's chest as paper, "Relax, General."
[ I'm not a cannibal. ]
His hand moved quickly, and with the added barrier of an undershirt, Gu Cong didn't catch it at first. "What?"
The next moment, fingertips cooler than his own body temperature deftly opened his collar, as if snow, as if jade, as if a slender snake, they slipped in and poked at his heart: "Here, it's beating so fast."
[ I'm not a cannibal. ]
[ Why is the General panicking? ]
Author's note:
Hmm, the excuse of being closer for safety is really lame.
But General Gu's initiative is quite strong.
1 Comments
dork so cute
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