Chapter 48: A Gentle Confession at Dawn

It was like waking from a chaotic dream.

Su Zhuozhi’s face was flushed, his lashes wet and clinging together in clumps, even a glistening tear sliding from the corner of his eye. He felt his consciousness still hazy, unable to recover from the pleasure Xie Jue had given him.

As his eyes slowly focused and clarity returned, Su Zhuozhi finally remembered what had happened. His face burned even hotter, and he dared not meet Xie Jue’s gaze. Panicked, he turned his head away, his voice muffled and stammering in accusation: “You… how could you…”

Xie Jue was always intensely attentive to his young master, just as he had been moments ago—carefully observing every reaction to give him what he wanted. Now, he keenly caught the unspoken words behind Su Zhuozhi’s fragment.

“It’s not dirty. It’s sweet.”

Those low words exploded in Su Zhuozhi’s ears, making him kick Xie Jue in irritation.

“Get out!”

His voice cracked with anger.

Xie Jue knew when to stop. He lowered his eyes obediently to clean up the mess, but the joy radiating from him was nearly tangible, as if it could blossom into brilliant flowers filling the room—utterly impossible to hide.

Not a trace remained of the violent, gloomy demon lord.

Seeing this, Su Zhuozhi grew even more furious from embarrassment. Putting on a brave front, he commanded, “Go wash your face right now!”

Just looking at him was infuriating.

But Xie Jue didn’t mind at all. He even licked his lips as if thirsty, smiling as he said, “Don’t worry about me. Let me help you change first, young master.”

Su Zhuozhi, who was used to being waited on without a second thought, now reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. His fur bristled as he refused, his face cold. Ignoring Xie Jue entirely, he grabbed his robe and walked behind the screen to change.

Xie Jue’s gaze followed him like a shadow.

Su Zhuozhi’s scalp tingled from being stared at, the fire in his heart burning hotter.

‘Pervert.’

He cursed viciously in his mind.

His mood, which had calmed slightly, flared up again when he came out and met Xie Jue’s face.

He kept his expression taut, treating Xie Jue like air, walking past him straight to the table. He sat down, opened the Xuan Guang Mirror, and started playing with it.

Xie Jue followed closely and sat beside Su Zhuozhi. He was like a big dog that had done something wrong, circling its owner, trying clumsily to please, nudging the owner’s hand with a wet nose but earning not even a glance, circling anxiously in place. This time, his mistake had truly angered the young master.

“I’m sorry. I did something excessive without your permission.”

His low voice sounded full of guilt and remorse. He apologized, knowing exactly where he had erred, his attitude seemingly excellent.

But this time, Su Zhuozhi wasn’t so easily fooled. He knew very well that Xie Jue was the type of bad dog who confessed eagerly but would do it again next time. If not properly disciplined, he would surely repeat the offense, perhaps even more excessively.

Xie Jue noticed his cold expression—clearly not forgiving him. For a moment, his feelings were complex. On one hand, he was delighted by his closeness with Su Zhuozhi; on the other, he regretted losing control and angering him. Yet, truth be told, he didn’t really regret it, because this time he had probed further into his young master’s attitude.

The person before him had a beautiful, delicate profile, skin white tinged with pink, ears red at the tips, lips bearing the marks of biting back moans from earlier.

The young master was angry, but it was more from shame and annoyance. It didn’t seem like he loathed such acts. Otherwise, he would have drawn his life-bound sword and killed him on the spot.

Xie Jue brought out the pastries his young master loved, rare and powerful artifacts, and even placed his own demon sword before him. Back in the Su residence, Su Zhuozhi had coveted that sword and wanted to trade other famous blades for it.

This finally coaxed Su Zhuozhi to spare a sliver of his attention from the Xuan Guang Mirror. He glanced at the dark, sharp demon sword.

“For me?”

Xie Jue nodded and explained seriously, “It really likes you. It should feel comfortable in your hands. But since the demon leader hasn’t been dealt with yet, I still need it for now. After everything is over, it’s yours completely. You can use it anytime until then.”

A legendary, world-shaking demon sword—given away without a hint of reluctance or hesitation.

Su Zhuozhi picked it up and swung it a couple of times. It was excellent, but it didn’t resonate with him as well as his own life-bound sword. The moment he gripped the demon sword, his life-bound sword trembled in dissatisfaction, like a house cat that had spotted its owner petting a stray—its eyes wide, back arched, hissing fiercely.

So, suppressing his liking, he tossed the sword back to Xie Jue and continued ignoring him.

Xie Jue cast a glance at the demon sword, his eyes darkening a little, as if blaming it for being useless, unable to win the young master’s favor. The demon sword shook, emitting a hum, refusing to take the fall. It was just a sword, after all, caught in its master’s misplaced anger. Back at the Su residence, the young master had looked at it with such passionate desire.

Xie Jue bent down, drawing close, softening his expression. He lowered his lashes, making himself seem even more docile and harmless—like a fierce beast sheathing all its claws, disguising itself as an obedient pet.

No one would ever imagine that the mighty demon lord could humble himself so much, uttering such lowly words. To those who craved power and influence, this would be a great temptation. Or perhaps to someone with strong controlling tendencies, someone who wanted to mold others into their ideal shape, such submission would be very appealing.

Unfortunately, Su Zhuozhi was neither of those.

“You are who you are. Pretending is useless.”

The cold, heartless young master seemed to leave no room for negotiation.

Xie Jue fell silent.

After a while.

Su Zhuozhi suddenly felt two fingers gently gripping his chin, turning his face. Before he could dodge, he met Xie Jue’s deep, well-like gaze. He couldn’t avoid it, and involuntarily recalled what had happened half an hour ago. Xie Jue had looked at him the same way then—a raw, direct gaze that made Su want to cover his eyes with his arm and pull away. But his knees had been firmly held by Xie Jue’s palm, leaving no chance to retreat.

Xie Jue stared at him, his voice low and soft, tinged with a hint of enticement. “Young master…”

Su Zhuozhi immediately slapped his hand away and quickly denied, “I don’t like it!”

Xie Jue blinked, then a smile appeared in his eyes, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Su Zhuozhi lowered his head again, concentrating on the Xuan Guang Mirror, secretly glancing out of the corner of his eye. He saw that Xie Jue was actually smiling, looking quite pleased.

‘Is he brain-damaged? He’s happy that I said I don’t like him?’

Su Zhuozhi kept his face taut and continued the cold war with Xie Jue.

From then on, no matter what he did, Su Zhuozhi insisted on doing it himself, silently rejecting all of Xie Jue’s services.

The dishes Xie Jue placed for him were pushed aside, uneaten.

The new storybook Xie Jue offered was left unread.

The tea Xie Jue poured went undrunk.

When night fell and Su Zhuozhi finished his bath, he didn’t head to the bedchamber that Xie Jue had deliberately arranged to resemble the Yulan Hall. Instead, he went to the side chamber.

Xie Jue finally couldn’t hold back and followed.

While soaking in the bath, Su Zhuozhi had been distracted and slipped underwater. His fox ears had also submerged, and it seemed a little water had gotten in. Now his hearing felt muffled, as if through a membrane—strange and indistinct, with a stuffy, dull sensation—uncomfortable.

He bent his fox ear, pressed it, then tilted his head to one side, patting his head, hoping to let the water drain out.

As he did this, Xie Jue stepped over the threshold and entered.

Their eyes met in an instant. Su Zhuozhi straightened up, crossed his arms over his chest, and gave a light snort, visibly showing his displeasure.

Xie Jue approached and asked with concern, “Is the young master’s ear uncomfortable?”

Su Zhuozhi kept his face cold and said nothing.

Xie Jue pulled him over to the couch and made him lie down with his head resting on Xie Jue’s thigh.

Of course, Su Zhuozhi didn’t obey. As soon as he was grabbed, he struggled, glaring angrily at Xie Jue, two little flames of fury burning in his eyes. He probably wanted to curse, but then remembered he wasn’t supposed to acknowledge him, so he kept his lips tightly sealed and said nothing.

He was like an adorable little mute.

Seeing this, Xie Jue couldn’t help but think so. In his eyes, the young master was wonderful no matter what. Still, if the young master really couldn’t speak and could only whimper when bullied, that would be too pitiful. The young master’s voice was beautiful, especially tempting when he bit his lip and held back his moans. It was better this way.

In terms of strength, Xie Jue still had the upper hand.

Reluctantly, Su Zhuozhi was forced to lie on the small couch, his head pillowed on Xie Jue’s hard thigh. He was unhappy and tried to get up.

But Xie Jue lightly pressed down on his head, coaxing in a low voice, “It’ll be quick. I know you don’t want to talk to me, but it’s uncomfortable not to get the water out. Don’t wrong yourself because of me.”

‘Who would wrong themselves because of him?’

Hearing this, Su Zhuozhi paused, then stopped struggling. It was Xie Jue who insisted on serving him anyway; after this, he’d just ignore him again.

Xie Jue gently pinched Su Zhuozhi’s pointed fox ear and slowly inserted the ear scoop inside. When it reached a certain depth, he stopped, gently rotated it, scraping the inner wall to absorb the moisture.

Ears are naturally sensitive, and beast ears even more so. The touch of Xie Jue on his fox ear made Su Zhuozhi feel both itchy and numb. His fingers curled involuntarily, gripping the fabric of Xie Jue’s pants leg beside his thigh, crumpling it.

He frowned, enduring for a while, then finally couldn’t hold back and urged, “Is it done yet?”

Xie Jue paused a moment longer before pulling out the ear scoop. Before he could say it was fine, Su Zhuozhi hastily sat up, pressing his fox ear and rubbing it.

His ear was red again.

Xie Jue stared without blinking.

Su Zhuozhi kicked him and tilted his chin toward the door, signaling that he could roll away now.

A clear case of burning the bridge after crossing it—using someone and then discarding them.

But Xie Jue showed no reaction, just looking down at Su Zhuozhi’s foot that had kicked him.

Following his gaze, Su Zhuozhi saw a thin chain around his ankle, with a delicate little bell hanging from it. When it swayed and clinked, it made a crisp, faint sound, only audible in the quiet night and when very close.

Just like now.

Su Zhuozhi noticed too. He abruptly pulled his leg back and switched to pushing Xie Jue’s back with his hand.

“Young master, my injury hasn’t healed yet.”

At that, Su Zhuozhi paused, instinctively withdrawing his hand.

A hint of loneliness and unease flickered across Xie Jue’s face. He pleaded, “Can you help me apply the medicine?”

Su Zhuozhi hesitated.

“…Get lost.”

Xie Jue took the hint and stood up, only saying, “Young master should still sleep in the main bedchamber. The bed there is more comfortable—it’s what you’re used to. If you don’t want to see me, I’ll sleep here.”

Su Zhuozhi didn’t want to make himself uncomfortable. Without much hesitation, he got off the couch and left. As he passed Xie Jue, he let out a heavy snort, as if to say he saw right through him. That injury was clearly almost healed. Did Xie Jue think he was stupid?

That night.

Su Zhuozhi slept alone.

The canopy bed was even more spacious and soft than the one at the Su residence. It felt like lying on clouds; he could roll around freely, very comfortable.

But somehow, he couldn’t fall asleep.

These days, he had been sleeping curled up in Xie Jue’s arms. With the space beside him suddenly empty, he felt a bit unaccustomed.

Su Zhuozhi smacked the bed in frustration, turned over, and buried his face in the pillow, muttering to himself, “You’re asleep, you’re asleep…”

The next morning.

Su Zhuozhi opened his eyes and yawned. He had slept restlessly, waking up rather early. He wanted to go back to sleep, but couldn’t, so he had no choice but to crawl out of bed unwillingly, looking around groggily.

Where was Xie Jue?

He had to think hard to remember: he had chased the man to sleep in the side chamber.

Xie Jue had always personally attended to his washing and grooming, and the servants dared not come in on their own. So Su Zhuozhi got up and decided to find someone at the door.

The moment he stepped out, he saw a figure standing in the courtyard.

In the still morning, the sky hadn’t fully brightened, showing only a pale gray-white. Under the tree, a cool breeze passed. A tall, solitary figure stood there, exuding a touch of loneliness—as if he were the only one left between heaven and earth.

Su Zhuozhi froze. It suddenly struck him that he had never seen Xie Jue’s parents.

When Xie Jue entered the Su residence, he was an orphan. His parents had died long ago.

How had he lived back then?

Su Zhuozhi realized he didn’t really know Xie Jue.

He had been born into a happy family, loved and pampered since childhood. He couldn’t imagine how a small, fragile child without the protection of parents could survive—especially in a place as dangerous as the demon realm.

Xie Jue, standing under the tree, sensed his gaze. He turned back, his eyes dark and cold. But the moment he saw Su Zhuozhi, his stern expression softened, like ice melting. He smiled at him.

Su Zhuozhi’s heart skipped a beat. He unconsciously gripped the door frame, then released it and walked toward Xie Jue.

He stopped in front of Xie Jue, trying hard to suppress his discomfort. His eyelashes fluttered, he licked his lips, and looked nervously at the man before him. “You don’t have to change. I… I just like you the way you are.”

Saying those last words, he almost bit his tongue.

Because before, when Xie Jue mentioned the young master’s dog, he had seemed quite pleased.

It was a little perverted, something he couldn’t quite understand.

But he wanted Xie Jue to be happy.

Su Zhuozhi didn’t realize how red his face was at that moment, how clear and bright his eyes were—dazzlingly beautiful, the kind one would want to hide away.

Xie Jue leaned forward and pulled him into a tight embrace.

It was as if he had gained everything.

Su Zhuozhi let out a muffled groan, feeling like he was being crushed. His hands froze awkwardly in midair. After a moment, hesitantly, he reached them around and gently encircled Xie Jue’s waist.

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