He chuckled nervously. “You know what? On second thought, I think you’re right. I still have work to do.”
He stood and walked toward the window, keeping a wary eye on Hua Ren. Just as Hua Ren lowered his arm, Sheng Fei’s form blurred. In a blink, he was crouched before Hua Ren, his warm hands cupping Hua Ren’s flushed cheeks. Before Hua Ren could react, Sheng Fei captured his lips in a deep, searing kiss.
Hua Ren’s eyes widened in shock, but the soft, insistent press of Sheng Fei’s lips sent a wave of warmth through him, and before he knew it, his rigid posture softened. He melted into the kiss, his mind blank as a strange, intoxicating sensation took over. It wasn’t until his lungs screamed for air that Sheng Fei pulled away, leaving Hua Ren breathless and dazed.
Sheng Fei grinned, his voice low and teasing. “See you soon, wife.”
He winked and, with a flash of movement, disappeared out the window, leaving Hua Ren gripping the sheets, his face burning with a mixture of fury and lingering heat.
The quiet hum of the restaurant buzzed faintly in the background as Hua Ren stared absently at his bowl of noodles. His mind was far from the steaming meal in front of him and instead, trapped in the lingering memory of Sheng Fei’s kiss. The warmth of Sheng Fei’s lips, the confident tilt of his head, the way his golden eyes sparkled with mischief—it played on a loop in his head, leaving his thoughts in disarray.
Not to forget the little action between them. Sheng Fei had helped him during his heat. He knew the help was temporary so he had take a suppressant before leaving home. Still, he felt bad for kicking Sheng Fei out. He wondered, was he too cold or just indecisive?
“Hua Ren,” Rowan’s voice broke through, but Hua Ren didn’t register it.
A sharp click echoed as Rowan tapped the edge of Hua Ren’s bowl with his chopsticks, pulling him back to the present.
“Hm?” Hua Ren blinked, his gaze shifting to Rowan’s curious expression.
“I was saying that you’ve barely touched your food,” Rowan said, looking worried. “Are the dishes not to your liking? Should I order something else? Or do you still feel sick?”
Hua Ren quickly shook his head. “No, no. I’m sorry. I just...” He hesitated, glancing down at the swirling noodles as Sheng Fei’s handsome face came up in his mind. “I just keep thinking about something.”
More like someone, he added silently, heat creeping up his neck. Thankfully, he was dressed in cream coloured robes that covered his neck. Also, his white hair was let loose, shielding the exposed parts of his neck.
Rowan tilted his head, his sharp, inquisitive blue eyes narrowing slightly. The Ivory Warlord looking so disturbed about something? It definitely couldn’t be ordinary. “You can tell me, you know,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “I might have some useful advice.”
Hua Ren considered the offer, but quickly recalled that this was Rowan, the creepy prince he met at a place where people were being auctioned. He lowered his gaze and mumbled, “I was just thinking about the Emperor.”
Rowan’s brow arched slightly. “What about the Emperor?”
What about the Emperor? Hua Ren repeated internally, annoyed. Must he say more lies? His fingers tightened slightly on his chopsticks as he scrambled for something plausible.
“I... I still feel guilty that I wasn’t there to protect him,” he finally murmured, rolling the noodles aimlessly in the broth. The words sounded hollow to his ears, and guilt prickled at his chest.
Sheng Fei must have been rubbing off on him. If not, how else could he lie so shamelessly?
Rowan’s expression softened, his chopsticks pausing mid-air. “It was not your fault, general. No one can predict these things. Besides, you cannot protect the Emperor every second of every day."
Hua Ren nodded absently, his eyes still fixed on the bowl.
“General," Rowan said gently, his tone laced with concern. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine,” Hua Ren replied a little too quickly, forcing a weak smile. “Just tired, that’s all. So, tell me, why do you want Lim Sa Yu? You’re going through all this trouble to find someone else’s wife."
Rowan didn’t seem entirely convinced by Hua Ren’s reply, but he let it go. "Why I want him...." he sighed. "I want him because I think he’s beautiful and his beauty is wasting away with a mere merchant. He should be with someone like me, a prince who will give him all he desires in this world."
Hua Ren felt disappointed with Rowan’s answer. He wondered, were they all so superficial and selfish? Besides, he was wearing a veiled hat which covered his face. How could Rowan tell if he was beautiful or not?
"What if the life he’s living with the merchant is what he desires?" He asked. "What if they have children? You’ll be pulling him away from his entire family. Won’t you feel bad about that?"
"Feel bad?" Rowan laughed, shaking his head. He felt that the Ivory Warlord was so naive. "Why would I feel bad? I’m just going for what I want. Besides," he leaned close, lowering his voice. "They’re not really merchants and they’re not married so there’s no family. I don’t have to feel bad about anything."
"It still doesn’t make it right though." Hua Ren countered. He also lowered his voice. "Although we suspect his identity, he’s still a human with rights. You can’t just claim him. And what if we find him and he’s not who you think he is?"
’What if he is me?’ Hua Ren thought internally. ’Will you claim me?’
Rowan fell silent. He hadn’t really thought about Lim Sa Yu’s true identity. He had just concluded that he was a rebel. The Ivory Warlord was right. What if Lim Sa Yu wasn’t even a rebel but someone far more dangerous?
Hua Ren watched Rowan’s expression carefully. "The Emperor promised him to you on the condition that he might be a rebel. We both know that the Emperor will not hand a married man over to you so tell me, Prince Rowan, what will you do?"
He wanted to know just how far Rowan could go. Was he a person they had to dispose of or could they let him live? He hadn’t really liked Rowan since they met at the auction. Something about him felt off. Besides, no normal human being would attend an auction where other human beings were being sold and enjoy it let alone buy one.
Right from the start, Rowan already had low points from him.
"If he turns out to be a truly married man, then there’s nothing I can do." Rowan finally said with a smile. "I only made that deal based on the assumption that he may be a rebel. Of course I won’t expect His Majesty to give him to me if he isn’t."
’Liar’ Hua Ren thought. He could see it in Rowan’s eyes. Rowan wasn’t the type to just give up.