At the same time.
In a bustling capital city, within the confines of an inn.
Gu Yi awoke from his unconscious state.
He stared blankly at the bed canopy above, then sat up.
"You're awake?"
A stranger's voice echoed.
He turned his head, his gaze falling upon a startling sight.
"Thump!"
His entire body tumbled from the bed.
His head struck the leg of a chair. Rubbing his head, he looked up.
Before him, seated around a table, were Xie Wang, Gu Nian, and Hu Keke.
The table was laden with an abundance of food: roasted meats, various pastries, and fruits.
Gu Nian was devouring a large chicken leg, his small hands slick with grease, thoroughly enjoying his meal.
Beside him, Hu Keke was also eating a chicken leg, though with a delicate grace befitting a young lady, pausing occasionally to wipe her mouth with an embroidered handkerchief.
Both Gu Nian and Hu Keke had shed their worn, two-day-old clothes.
Gu Nian was now clad in a moon-white robe that fit his build perfectly.
The robe was adorned with intricate patterns embroidered in dark silk, its fine material clearly indicating an item of considerable expense.
Hu Keke had changed into a pale blue long dress, a light pink sheer veil draped over her shoulders. The hem of her skirt was embroidered with lilies, and a delicate, small orchid hairpin was tucked into her hair. Without any makeup, she appeared as if a fairy had descended from the heavens.
Xie Wang remained in his black robe, his sickly complexion appearing even more pallid against the dark fabric. His voice was languid and enchanting, "What? You don't recognize this king? I am, after all, your savior."
As he spoke, Xie Wang rose and approached Gu Yi, bending down and extending his hand.
Gu Yi, lying on the floor, looked up at Xie Wang from below.
The enlarged face before him was exquisitely sculpted, as if crafted by divine hands.
His lips were a dark hue, which on an ordinary person might suggest poisoning, but on Xie Wang, it lent him an alluring, almost sinister beauty.
His black eyes, captivating and soul-stirring, held Gu Yi's gaze.
Gu Yi found himself lost in a daze.
"What are you waiting for? Expecting this king to pick you up?"
Xie Wang asked with a half-smile.
Gu Yi scrambled up from the floor like a startled rabbit, but his footing was unsteady, and he nearly stumbled.
As Xie Wang reached out, Gu Yi fell directly into his embrace.
Xie Wang was considerably taller than Gu Yi.
Looking down at the person in his arms, Xie Wang chuckled softly.
"How is it? Is this king's embrace warm?"
Nearby, the two children, who had been gnawing on their chicken legs, stared in astonishment. Gu Nian's large chicken leg nearly slipped from his grasp onto the table.
He blinked at Hu Keke, his eyes conveying a silent question: *Sister, what is happening?*
Hu Keke, being a few years older than Gu Nian, had read her fair share of romance novels in the countryside.
However, this man in the black robe was clearly a male.
Could this be… a homosexual inclination?
Various thoughts raced through Hu Keke's mind.
She immediately grabbed Gu Nian by the collar of his clothes, forcing him to put down his chicken leg. After helping Gu Nian wipe the grease from his small hands with an embroidered handkerchief, she quietly led him out of the room.
Gu Nian tried to resist, but Hu Keke covered his mouth with her hand. As they left, Hu Keke, with a show of "kindness," closed the door behind them.
The two children, hand in hand, descended to the first floor and found an inconspicuous corner. They then called for a waiter and ordered a table full of dishes.
While gnawing on a braised pork hock, Gu Nian looked up at Hu Keke with his large eyes, "Sister, do you have money to pay for this?"
Hu Keke popped a delicious pastry into her mouth and shook her head.
"Ah?"
Little Gu Nian's chewing motion paused. "Sister, are we going to dine and dash?"
He suddenly felt as if the meat in his mouth had become unchewable.
He knew that dining and dashing would result in a severe beating.
"Don't worry, we won't. But our Brother Gu Yi will."
Hu Keke gently ruffled Gu Nian's hair, a smile playing on her lips.
"How is that possible? Brother Gu Yi is so poor he's practically selling himself. How could he have money?"
Little Gu Nian was skeptical.
Hu Keke used her handkerchief to wipe the grease from Gu Nian's mouth. "Little Nian, you're very clever."
Gu Nian didn't understand the implication.
Just then, a man in a dark robe approached.
Several men in black followed behind him. As the man stepped forward, the black-clad men did not approach, but waited at a distance.
"Little Nian, Miss Hu, have you finished eating?"
The man, of average appearance, walked up to Gu Nian with a smile.
Little Gu Nian looked up, his large eyes wide. "Who are you? How do you know my name and Sister's?"
The moment Hu Keke saw the man, she immediately pulled Gu Nian into her embrace and glared at the man with great caution. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"Miss Hu, do you not remember me? I suppose, in my current state, Miss Hu would naturally not recall…"
"Whoosh!"
As the man flicked his sleeve, he transformed into a different appearance.
"It's you?"
Hu Keke's face was filled with disbelief.
Gu Nian was stunned.
"Take these two away!"
The men in black stepped forward.
…
At this moment.
In a private room on the second floor, Gu Yi was huddled in a corner against the wall.
He kept a considerable distance from Xie Wang.
His loosely fitting robe had slipped down to his waist, revealing the white inner garment beneath, its ties undone, exposing his smooth, fair chest.
Nearby, a large bathing tub was placed.
Xie Wang reclined lazily in the tub.
His outer robe had been removed, revealing his muscular chest, which was enough to make one's blood race.
A playful smirk curved his dark lips as he beckoned Gu Yi with a finger. "Come here, join me."
Gu Yi's feet slipped, and he nearly fell.
He shook his head vigorously. "No, no, no… Brother… this is not appropriate."
Xie Wang looked at him, his smile gradually fading. His tone became imperious, commanding, "This king has no patience to waste time with you here. Hurry up and come over!"
Gu Yi, this frail scholar, had developed a peculiar scent since being targeted by that scoundrel Mo Yinyang.
This scent made him easily traceable by Mo Yinyang and his ilk.
To remove this scent, a simple bath would not suffice.
Only… with the assistance of a demonic being, using their blood to cleanse him of the smell.
He, Xie Wang of the demonic realm, possessed the power to temporarily seal his demonic energy.
Currently, he simply wished to help Gu Yi remove the scent from his body.
Gu Yi was the elder half-brother of Gu Qianying.
Assisting him was akin to assisting Gu Qianying.
He surmised that when Gu Qianying learned of this, she would undoubtedly be grateful to him.
"Brother, this is truly not appropriate. I… I am not dirty, I don't need to bathe… really, I don't…"
Before he could finish his words.
Xie Wang raised his hand.
Gu Yi was propelled forward uncontrollably.
As if drawn by an irresistible force.
In the blink of an eye, he found himself sitting in the bathing tub, facing Xie Wang directly.
His outer robe had fallen to the floor the moment he was pulled forward.
Now, he was clad only in his white inner garment, but the inner robe was already soaked by the water in the tub, his slender figure faintly visible.
Xie Wang watched him, a smile on his face.
"Nice physique."
Gasp!
Gu Yi's face instantly flushed red.
"Brother, I… I… you, you…"
Shy and embarrassed, Gu Yi could barely form a coherent sentence.
He gripped the edge of the tub, attempting to stand, but as soon as he rose, Xie Wang pushed him back down.
Xie Wang leaned forward, closing the distance between them. They were so close that they could feel each other's breath.
"What? Still afraid this king will devour you?"