ABRIWMTHM Chapter 97

Shi Xing was dazed.

His eyelashes were wet with tears, his expression looked particularly obedient, yet his appearance was a mess, creating a striking contrast.

Chi Yao’s pupils darkened as he scanned Shi Xing inch by inch; his body’s reactions made that clear.

Shi Xing wanted to say something, felt he should say something, but before he could open his mouth, or rather, before he thought it through, he didn’t know if his mind was muddled with joy or if he just couldn’t keep up with the abrupt highs and lows of his emotions.

Wasn’t it agreed upon…

Chi Yao didn’t give him much time to react, placing a gentle kiss on his face before getting up from the bed.

Shi Xing pulled him back.

Chi Yao’s grayish eyes looked over, and Shi Xing stuttered, “Your Highness, you haven’t… let me help you, with my mouth…”

In saying this, Shi Xing leaned towards Chi Yao, but was gently yet firmly pushed away. “No need.”

Shi Xing was confused, his fingers loosened, and Chi Yao stepped away from him.

As soon as Chi Yao left, the warmth of another person was gone, and the fine sweat on Shi Xing’s body was stirred by the warm air in the room, leaving him feeling a chill.

Not a physical chill, but one from the heart, a hollow feeling.

Did he… mess things up?

Water could be heard running from the bathroom, Shi Xing closed his eyes slightly; after an intense passion, he only felt extreme desolation.

Chi Yao put on a bathrobe and washed his face with cold water.

It wasn’t that he really wanted to clean anything; he just wanted to calm himself down.

Even if it might be difficult for a while.

Footsteps approached and stopped nearby; after not waiting for a sound, Chi Yao realized something was off, turned off the water, and looked back.

Shi Xing was wrapped in a blanket, looking at him with a painful expression.

As if he were about to cry at any moment.

Chi Yao was taken aback. “What’s wrong?”

Shi Xing replied, “I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

Upon hearing this, the corners of Shi Xing’s eyes turned red again, but it wasn’t the flush of affection, rather it was the remorse and sorrow.

Shi Xing slightly lowered his head, furrowing his brows tightly.

He repeated, “I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“I didn’t think it would turn out like this, I…”

“I just wanted to cheer you up, I originally thought… but I didn’t expect it… I was too…”

As he continued, apart from apologies, the point of his words became jumbled.

Shi Xing awkwardly covered his face with his wrist, not wanting Chi Yao to see his miserable side.

Chi Yao sensed something was off and pressed for an explanation. “What do you mean you just wanted to cheer me up?”

Shi Xing might really have lost his mind.

When Chi Yao asked, he answered.

“It was like last time, when I said something wrong, you were upset for several days… and then you were so busy afterward, I thought…”

Chi Yao immediately understood. “You thought I was still angry?”

“Not exactly, you said you weren’t angry, but I thought… maybe you cared a little…”

This time, Chi Yao didn’t punish him, nor was he angry; he was surprisingly easy to talk to.

But it was also this moment that Shi Xing felt Chi Yao had something unsaid and seemed unwilling to share it with him.

He couldn’t understand, didn’t understand, and instead, felt uneasy.

At some point, Shi Xing even began to miss the times when Chi Yao was angry.

The atmosphere fell into silence.

Suddenly, Chi Yao understood why there was such a fuss tonight, even though he usually didn’t show much interest in such matters.

“Actually,” after lowering his gaze for a moment, Chi Yao exhaled, admitting, “your feelings aren’t wrong.”

“I do care a bit.”

Shi Xing paused.

Chi Yao raised his eyes. “But it has nothing to do with you. It’s not your problem; it’s mine.”

Chi Yao moved closer, helping Shi Xing hold the blanket that had come loose, gently pulling back Shi Xing’s hand that covered his face, and kissing the corner of his eye.

“Don’t feel bad.”

His flat tone, as it entered Shi Xing’s ears, felt infinitely gentle.

His eyelashes trembled lightly, slowly, Shi Xing looked directly at Chi Yao, his eyes full of unexplainable guilt.

The nearby grayish eyes pressed down again, and the center of his brows was kissed by Chi Yao, “It’s not your fault.”

“Shall we talk outside?”

Shi Xing hesitantly nodded.

In the next moment, Chi Yao lifted him along with the blanket, embracing him tightly, as if afraid he would lose him if he let go.

…

A robot brought over a warm towel, and Chi Yao took it, wiping Shi Xing’s face.

Shi Xing, wrapped in a thin blanket, sat obediently.

After wiping his face, waiting for the lingering tenderness to fade a bit, Chi Yao turned to change the towel, and only then did he speak again.

“Was it you who said something about not entering the maturity period?”

Shi Xing replied with a soft “Mm.”

Chi Yao said, “Extend your hands.”

Shi Xing extended his hands.

Whether intentional or not, Chi Yao bowed his head to wipe Shi Xing’s hands, detailed and slow, yet he did not raise his head.

After a moment of silence, Chi Yao said, “I felt really uncomfortable when I heard that.”

“But I know it’s not your problem, so I didn’t want to get angry, nor did I want the conflict to escalate in our conversation, so I just left.”

Chi Yao left without saying a word, and since the matching began, it was the first time.

The departure was abrupt, leaving Shi Xing utterly perplexed.

But looking at his expression, he vaguely realized he had done something wrong.

“Xu Jin might have told you the situation with my parents wanting me, right?”

He did mention that when they decided to have a prince, both of them were injured in the Beast Tide battle. There wouldn’t be many years left, so once a child was nurtured, it was aimed at inheriting the Empire.

Thus, the young prince had a very heavy academic load as a child and worked extremely hard.

Because his parents… didn’t have much time to wait for him.

Having received an answer, Chi Yao switched to Shi Xing’s other hand and changed to another towel, continuing to wipe and speak.

“As a child, the academic burden was huge, and there wasn’t much time to play, but they were actually a very good pair of parents.”

“From my perspective, I should be grateful, if there’s any regret…”

His voice paused, becoming extremely light. “It’s just that they didn’t spend enough time with me.”

After his hands were clean, Chi Yao tossed the towel to the robot, watching it walk away before turning back to Shi Xing, still not looking at him, his eyes downcast, lost in his memories. “I don’t like parting, especially with those who are close to me.”

Shi Xing suddenly understood something else.

For example, why Chi Yao had been hesitating about matching…

Chi Yao said, “Actually, everyone had been urging me to bring an S-rank Blue Star human into the team. Even if they couldn’t heal me, they could still be of some use for minor injuries.”

“And that is indeed the case.”

“I know, but I never agreed.”

“Being a hassle is true; not having a matching level is also a problem. The final concern, probably only Xu Shu knows about this.”

Chi Yao looked up, his face showing no excess emotion, but Shi Xing felt an indescribable sorrow.

Chi Yao’s gray eyes locked onto Shi Xing’s, opening up to him, speaking heavy truths in a calm tone.

“I don’t want to see anyone close to me leave again.”

Chi Yao’s parents were good.

They raised him well.

But in the first year of his reign, he felt as much liveliness as he did desolation within the palace.

Before, waking up meant academics, training, and the army.

From now on, waking up meant endless political affairs.

But before, if he slacked off, someone would scold him and urge him.

After ascending the throne, he had to be his own measure, governing his words and actions.

The harshest part was that if he had never experienced a different life, it would have been fine. But since he did, having it taken away, days full of life turned to a monotonous routine, there would always be a stark contrast.

Even though he rationally knew it was his responsibility to shoulder.

Emotionally, it was hard not to reflect on the good old days, not to remember the loved ones who stood by him.

Chi Yao raised his hand, brushing underneath Shi Xing’s eyes, his tone losing force, admitting, “So I care, but it’s not your problem; it’s mine.”

“I fear losing.”

His voice was not heavy, nor was it spoken harshly, just gentle.

But the bittersweet pain felt for Shi Xing didn’t lessen even a fraction.

With a shift in topic, Chi Yao self-deprecatingly remarked, “Of course, I also know that many things are beyond human control.”

“What you mentioned might happen.”

“But I don’t want to hear you say it like that, in any circumstance, I don’t want to.”

“Just consider me selfish; I hope, in any situation, you never entertain such thoughts.”

Having been wandering along the boundary line for years, Chi Yao understood that sometimes, life or death could hinge on a single thought.

Strong willpower could accomplish many incredible feats.

But if someone crumbled from the inside out, that was truly… unsalvageable.

Chi Yao didn’t want Shi Xing to be like that.

Shi Xing said, “I was wrong, Your Highness.”

“I… won’t say that again…”

“Not under any circumstances.”

Chi Yao nodded, accepting Shi Xing’s promise.

Shi Xing reached out, and they embraced. Shi Xing initiated a kiss, their lips and teeth entangled.

Initially just feeling pity, perhaps having prepared too well, or maybe this conversation drew them closer, the prolonged kiss warped time and muddled emotions.

When Chi Yao pulled his hands from Shi Xing, the latter’s eyes were blurred, having unknowingly hung onto him.

“Your Highness…”

In hindsight, it was a question Shi Xing felt he had been foolish to ask; he inquired, “Really, is it not possible?”

“Can’t we try again?”

Shi Xing’s eyes shimmered with tears, “I… really want to.”

Chi Yao’s breathing became uncharacteristically chaotic.

After a moment, something decisive had been made; Chi Yao, similar to when he was teaching, drew a clear line, saying, “Then you promise, before the maturity period, you won’t act out of line again, we can try again.”

Shi Xing agreed.

Chi Yao wrapped him up in the blanket and went out, heading towards their room.

Upon reaching the hallway, recalling something, Chi Yao activated the shield, instantly separating the corridor leading to the outside world with an energy wall.

Once back in the room, seeing Chi Yao take something out, Shi Xing’s face flushed intensely.

A square plastic sheet was stuffed into Shi Xing’s mouth, and Chi Yao instructed him to tear it open with his teeth.

Shi Xing, belatedly realizing that this was also a method to reduce contact…

Yet knowing felt rather confusing; it was too shameful.

A part of his clothing was cut open, but it wasn’t taken off, not even the blanket was pulled away, leaving Shi Xing kneeling.

“Let your waist sink.”

Shi Xing complied.

Everything had been thoroughly prepared beforehand.

After a moment, Shi Xing gasped, his cheeks flushed red.

It was a lot to hold.

In the living room, the movie reached its climactic final battle, the theme music’s variation gradually becoming intense.

Upstairs, Shi Xing crawled forward but was pulled back.

The silhouettes on the curtain swayed, and Shi Xing lost control of his tears.

In the living room, the villain in the movie was taken down.

Upstairs, Shi Xing cried out for mercy.

In the living room, the protagonists and villains failed to reach an agreement and battled once more.

Upstairs, Shi Xing had already started calling for “husband,” unable to stop.

But backtracking was futile; using someone’s title would only provoke another.

The movie in the living room ended in triumph.

Upstairs, Shi Xing stained the sheets, even when released, his expression fell, eyes empty.

The movie concluded.

Fei Chu glanced at the communicator in surprise, “Hey, they haven’t replied yet; should I go find them?”

Xu Jin followed suit with a peek at the communicator, finding a message indicating that the shield leading to Chi Yao and Shi Xing’s room was down.

Xu Jin felt a jolt and immediately said, “The Emperor said they’re asleep.”

“We’ll wait until tomorrow.”

Fei Chu replied, “Okay, alright.”

He complained, “How can young people sleep so early, really…”

Xu Jin lightly coughed, turning off the communicator and asked Yan Changyue to choose another movie.

Shi Xing was fine, but Chi Yao was not.

Nonetheless, the mental energy left in Chi Yao had dwindled due to Shi Xing’s absorption, making him dare not and not prepare to continue.

But this time he was too late to stop; pulling off the plastic, he turned around, and Shi Xing opened his mouth.

At this moment, the words he meant to stop became stuck in his throat along with the rising emotion.

His skill was still clumsy, but Shi Xing kept his gaze fixed on Chi Yao, who was captivated by those light blue eyes, feeling the fire of desire burning bright, unable to halt.

Finally, Chi Yao also reached his peak.

Shi Xing’s jaw felt achingly sore.

When he finally caught his breath, Chi Yao was just about to reach out to let Shi Xing expel it, but Shi Xing let out a soft gulp, tears welling in his eyes, swallowing it down.

Chi Yao found this scene unbearably insufficient.