166: 4.31 Punishing

4.31 Punishing

It had been too long— Lu Yizhou could no longer remember the last time a stranger willingly got close to him. His reputation and history had been a large part of the reason and usually, those people ought to survive under his gun first before they could get close within five meters of his personal space.0

Yet currently, he had two female courtesans wearing thin, gauzy dresses that looked even more indecent than being naked, sitting on both his sides. One of them was pouring wine while the other draped across the table like she had lost her spine, batting her lashes coquettishly at him as she studied him up and down. "Gong-zi, you're a cultivator, aren't you?" She slurred seductively. The scent of wine and perfume wafted to him and his nose crinkled ever so slightly.

"Of course, duh." The other gave a tiny chuckle and offered him the wine cup, her body edging forward at the same time. "Look at how fit his body is. Tall, handsome and muscular. He must be a very good cultivator. And that sword. I have never seen such an elegant sword before. How should this lowly one addresses you, Gong-zi?"

Lu Yizhou didn't expose the fact that he was currently wearing a thick glamour so his face would look ordinary at best. Well, he didn't know the extent of the beauty filter's effect though, so he might have been a bit better than average. Lu Yizhou passively accepted the cup and the woman took the opportunity to grope his hand. "Oh my, your palm is so broad and warm—"

Heimo slammed his wine jar to the table, hard. Abrupt silence reigned in their table as Heimo's lips tilted into a tipsy smirk, contrary to his eyes which looked dark and dangerous. "Uh, it seems like I have drunk too much. My apology, ladies."

The chatters and laughter returned in full force. "Aiyah." The woman beside Heimo exclaimed in an amused gasp. "How can that be? Hei-gongzi hasn't even finished one jar tonight. Usually, he can drink up to five!"

"Oh?" Lu Yizhou cocked his brows in interest. "Hei-gongzi must have been a regular here then."

Heimo's eyes snapped up to him, wide and flustered before he hastily looked away and gulped the wine again. The movement was so subtle that Lu Yizhou would have missed it if he didn't put all his attention on the man. It was the Pink Dress who answered in a chirp. "He is! Hei-gongzi has been coming here regularly for the past two weeks. He's very generous and charismatic. Alas," she sighed and pouted petulantly. "He has only drunk and chatted with us even though we have convinced him again and again to stay the night."

Heimo laughed, too loud and high. "Ahaha, ladies, you are flattering me! I am no one but a traveler seeking some companions to talk and drink with. How can I disturb your much needed rest?"

"How about tonight then, Hei-gongzi? It's snowing. The road must be slippery and wet." The woman put her dainty hand on his arm and he startled away from the touch, leaving her shocked and bewildered.

"No— There's no need." Heimo chuckled briefly and put the jar to his lips only to realize that it was already empty. His smile stiffened for a millisecond before he swiftly regained his composure and tilted his wine jar with a disappointed huff. "I have run out of wine. Will you bring me another, please?"

Lu Yizhou was too focused on Heimo that he didn't notice the two women by his side creeping closer and closer. He only snapped out of his thoughts when a soft and alcohol smelling breath grazed against his neck, followed by a feminine voice that whispered into his right ear. "Gong-zi, you haven't drunk your wine yet. Do you not like it?" The one on the left was leaning her head against his shoulder and batted her lashes. "Do you prefer wine or…something else?"

A loud crash resounded across the table and the two women straightened up in shock only to find the wine jar already crushed within Heimo's palm, small pieces of it clattering on the table. The man himself didn't even realize it, his reddening eyes transfixed on Lu Yizhou's left arm that was hugged close to the woman's chest.

"H—Hei-gongzi?"

Heimo snapped out of his stupor and looked down at his hand in bewilderment. "Oh, I'm sorry." He directed a sharp smile toward the two courtesans by Lu Yizhou's side. "I recall that there's a few important matters I have to attend to." Without sparing Lu Yizhou a glance, Heimo abruptly stood up, rounded the table, snatched Lu Yizhou's arm away from the courtesan's hold and pulled him up, smiling all the while. "I will be taking this gongzi with me. Please put the broken jar into my tab. Have a pleasant night, ladies."

The corner of Lu Yizhou's lips lifted ever so slightly as he let himself be pulled out of the brothel into the cold street. Heimo walked fast and silent, the lines of his shoulders tense. Lu Yizhou followed his lead until they hiked up the forest path and the hustle and bustle of the city gradually faded away behind him. 

Heimo suddenly let go and turned to face him. The tipsiness on his face was gone as if it was never there before and his amber eyes were glaring up at him, furious. "You know, don't you?"

"Know what?"

"Me."

Lu Yizhou nodded. "Lan'er."

"Ugh." Heimo groaned and walked back and forth in front of him. "How do you know? I swore I gave nothing away. Is it because I called out to you? No, it couldn't be. I was perfectly natural. That's how everybody should have acted!" His self-denial was so adorable that Lu Yizhou had to suppress a smile. Heimo froze in belated realization and his hand flew up to his hair. "…Is it the hairpin?"

Lu Yizhou shook his head. "Lan'er's acting was perfectly natural."

Heimo let out a frustrated whine from his throat. "Then why?!" 

How could Lu Yizhou not recognize him? He would be blind if he couldn't — no, Lu Yizhou was sure that he would still be able to recognize him even if he went blind. There was no spell in this world that could deter Lu Yizhou from seeing his real appearance. Looking at the glaring and flush-cheeked man in front of him, Lu Yizhou couldn't resist a smile. Heimo looked the best when he had shed off all pretense; angry, bold, demanding. Not the awkward and polite man and definitely not the demure and bashful act he was forcing himself into. "No matter what form Lan'er takes, I will always be able to recognize you."

Heimo's mouth hung agape. "Y—You—" He groaned again like a dying whale. Before he could bury his face into his palms, Lu Yizhou took hold of it and examined his hand with a frown, finding fresh cuts on them. 

"You're bleeding." 

Lu Yizhou smoothed his thumb on the calloused surface of Heimo's palm when the man suddenly yanked his hand back and hissed. "Don't touch me! Especially not with that hand!"

Hand. His hand that had been held by the courtesan. "Lan'er…" Lu Yizhou called helplessly.

"No! Actually, don't get close to me!" With every word he spoke, Heimo scooted back and increased the distance between them. His eyes were blazing with pure indignation as he snorted. "Well, our Jingxue-Jun was surely having the time of his life to be surrounded by beauties. It's my mistake to pull you out of that place! Feel free to go back, to drink and even stay the night! I definitely won't hold you back this time!"

"Lan'er," Lu Yizhou said again. A warning.

But Heimo was too deep in his own head to realize the imminent danger. He was fuming and his eyes saw red. The image of the two women who readily threw themselves to Lu Yizhou kept flashing in his mind over and over again. Don't touch, his whole body screamed, don't touch him, he's mine. But in face of his own hideous feelings, he could only be a coward and spouted out things he didn't mean. "You certainly looked so happy back then. What was I thinking when I dragged you out? Do you hate me now because I have been such a busybody? Instead of this unattractive, bony man, Jingxue-Jun must have prefered the company of fragrant beauties—mmph!" 

Lu Yizhou shut him up with a punishing kiss. He bit down on that plump lower lips that he had been missing, tasting blood and remnants of wine on the tip of his tongue. Heimo's lashes fluttered, each movement grazing against his cheeks in teasing. With a low groan, Lu Yizhou cradled his head with both palms and deepened the kiss, venting all of his frustration, anger and sadness.

Heimo was as still as a statue, his mind screeching to a halt, unable to process what was happening. The familiar warmth on his lips, the scalding arms around his body, the tantalizing scent of winter that overwhelmed his senses… He blinked, and blinked, yet the scene in front of him remained unchanged. Jingxue-Jun was… kissing him? Again? He hissed in pain when his lips were bitten, harsh. It was real; the realization sank into him at the same time with the exploding anger and unbidden lust. How dare he— How dare he kiss Heimo again smelling like cheap perfume, embracing Heimo with those arms that had just been touched by another?! Yet what was more aggravating than that was the fact that he couldn't bring himself to push the man away! He surged forward and wrapped his arms around Lu Yizhou's neck, returning the kiss with the same ferocity, if not more. There existed none of the gentleness. It was violent, bruising and messy. They were biting, sucking and pulling, only taking and taking whatever they could from the other.

Heimo's lips felt raw and tender, and at some point of time, he could taste the metallic tang of blood between the melding of their lips. Was it his or Jingxue-Jun's? He couldn't — didn't care.

When Lu Yizhou finally pulled away after an indefinite amount of time, Heimo was out of breath, his lips swollen and bleeding, his eyes were glazed and he felt even drunker than when he had finished ten jars of wine. His whole body was shaking lightly and he would have definitely melted into an embarrassing puddle on the ground if not for Lu Yizhou's arms around him, letting him lean his weight fully against the man. Their foreheads were pressed together, warm breaths fusing into one. Lu Yizhou reached out to wipe the corner of Heimo's wet eyes and he spoke into Heimo's lips, whispering, confessing.

"Lan'er is not unattractive. He's the most beautiful person I have ever seen." The raw emotions in Lu Yizhou's eyes almost broke Heimo apart yet every word he spoke was soothing, comforting; they dismantled him to pieces before mending him again, turning him into someone he couldn't even recognize. Someone worthy to be loved. "There is no one I need in this world except you."

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