A beam of light narrowed in front of Chu Hanjin’s eyes.

He woke up.

Yue Lin’s fingertips gently brushed over Chu Hanjin’s cheek, tracing the contours of his eyebrows and eyes. He seemed a bit surprised by Chu Hanjin waking so early, “Awake so soon today?”

Chu Hanjin’s back was damp with sweat.

He realized Yue Lin had likely helped him clean up, as his clothes were slightly damp, and strands of his hair stuck to the back of his neck like cold, snake-like tendrils.

Chu Hanjin stared at Yue Lin.

Yue Lin’s voice was low and hoarse, carrying an inexplicable sensuality. He smiled and asked, “What’s the matter?”

The images from Chu Hanjin’s dream kept replaying in his mind.

The feeling of hope crushed into despair, abandonment, and helplessness.

The abuse, hatred, repression, and desire for revenge…

Yue Lin, was this your past?

The more he saw Yue Lin smile, the sadder he felt.

After thinking for a moment, Chu Hanjin said, “I dreamed of you.”

Yue Lin raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression calm as he asked, “What did you dream about?”

Chu Hanjin recounted the events of the dream.

Yue Lin’s brow lifted only slightly in response, his smile fading as he met Chu Hanjin’s gaze.

Chu Hanjin asked, “Was all of that real?”

“It was.” Yue Lin tapped his chin lightly with his fingers, “How did you dream of it so accurately?”

Chu Hanjin didn’t know the reason and shook his head. He noticed a slight ache in his back as he woke up, and his hand drifted to his stomach, “Maybe the child wanted me to see it.”

Yue Lin kissed his forehead softly, “Perhaps.”

The atmosphere felt just right, and Chu Hanjin, for once, didn’t avoid it. However, he was distracted by the sound of the night watch outside, which made him pause, “It’s the fifth watch. Do you stay up this late every night?”

“…”

Yue Lin remained silent for a moment.

Chu Hanjin glared at him, but Yue Lin smiled innocently, saying, “No, no. Just tonight.”

Liar.

Chu Hanjin didn’t know how to respond, so he pulled the blanket over his face, “I’m going back to sleep.”

–

In the heat of summer, the sun blazed fiercely.

A tall figure stood behind the garden door, dressed in white robes that flowed loosely to the ground. His sleeves hung low, concealing his waist, while he flipped through a book held between his fingers.

Yue Lin returned, holding an umbrella, “Still reading?”

Chu Hanjin glanced at him and set the book aside, “Mm.”

“If you’re tired of reading, play a game of chess with me.” Yue Lin pushed aside the papers on the table, “There’s something on my mind.”

Chu Hanjin lifted his robe and sat down, picking up a white chess piece.

Yue Lin casually grabbed a piece from the basket and placed it on the center of the board, “Lately, they’ve been pushing harder.”

Chu Hanjin fiddled with a jade stone, “Who?”

“Them. On the surface, things seem calm, but my third sister has raised the taxes in the western city and purchased spiritual weapons from the Huigong Pavilion. It looks like she’s preparing for war. My seventh brother has been cozying up to the academy instructors, gathering support from the strongest military sects in the demon realm, consolidating power. All of this was reported by Bai Gu.”

Chu Hanjin understood. It wasn’t complicated.

There were three major powers in the demon capital. First, the Third Princess Chi Man, second, the Seventh Prince Dong Liu, and third, the tribal kings who weren’t related to Yue Lin by blood.

“They banded together to drive you out before. It’s only natural they’d fear your return and take precautions against you growing stronger. Increasing their strength is expected,” Chu Hanjin said.

Yue Lin shook his head, “What they don’t understand is that the ones who die first are always the dishonest. But they don’t dare openly oppose me, because I wouldn’t hesitate to cleanse them all again.”

Chu Hanjin placed a white piece on the board and picked up a captured black piece, “Bai Gu told you all this?”

“Yes. He’s been very eager to show his loyalty. After being dead for over twenty years, I don’t have a network of informants, so I rely on him to feed me information.”

Chu Hanjin neither agreed nor disagreed, “The information may be true, but so is his desire to sow discord.”

Yue Lin placed another piece on the board, then tilted his head back to look at the sky, his expression dark, “Exactly. In this demon realm, there isn’t a single person I can fully trust.”

Over the past few months, Yue Lin had secured his position, but those propping up his throne all had hidden knives, waiting for any opportunity to reveal their true intentions.

Yue Lin glanced at Chu Hanjin’s belly, “There’s another reason they’re growing more desperate—you’re about to give birth to my child.”

In the demon realm, bloodlines were everything. If Yue Lin had an heir, his enemies would not only have to contend with him but also with a potential second threat—his child. A child who could inherit his power and hatred.

“Our time is running short,” Yue Lin said.

Chu Hanjin’s hand paused mid-move, fully aware of Yue Lin’s predicament.

Without him, Yue Lin would have returned to exact his revenge in full force, leading to mass bloodshed and a likely outcome of mutual destruction.

But now, with Chu Hanjin in his life, Yue Lin seemed to have found a weakness.

Chu Hanjin organized the chess pieces and asked, “How long until the baby is born?”

“At most, one month.”

Chu Hanjin’s hand hesitated with a white piece before nodding, “Got it.”

After dinner, Chu Hanjin went to bathe.

In the summer heat, going even a day without bathing left Chu Hanjin feeling uncomfortable. The wooden door, nestled in the woods, let in a few green bamboo leaves.

Chu Hanjin undid his loose outer robe but didn’t go further. He called, “Yue Lin.”

The young man entered from behind the door, pulling the curtain closed.

In the narrow space, there were only the two of them.

Chu Hanjin, his back to Yue Lin, whispered, “It’s time for my bath.”

“I’m here,” Yue Lin replied, picking up a ladle from the wooden bucket and pouring water over Chu Hanjin’s hair, which he gathered into his hand. Warm water cascaded down from his shoulders.

He could only see Chu Hanjin’s back.

It was still as slender and white as ever, with smooth bones and not a hint of excess weight. But if one’s gaze followed his shoulders down, they would see the gentle swell of his pregnant belly.

Chu Hanjin, with his pride, had always concealed the change in his figure, wearing loose robes to hide the swell. He hardly left the house anymore, to avoid being seen by others, with Yue Lin taking care of nearly all his needs.

Only Yue Lin had ever seen him like this, with his pregnant body fully revealed.

Yue Lin poured more water over his shoulders, “I’ve brewed some herbal medicine to help cool you down. It’ll clear your mind and make you feel less uncomfortable.”

Their child was somewhat restless, often making Chu Hanjin feel irritable, especially with all the kicking. Hearing this, Chu Hanjin nodded slightly.

“Is your back still sore? Want me to massage it?”

As Yue Lin spoke, his hands moved to gently cradle Chu Hanjin’s waist.

The skin there was pale and smooth, stretched taut over his rounded belly. Chu Hanjin sighed, feeling a bit more comfortable, and leaned back into Yue Lin’s embrace.

It hadn’t been easy for Chu Hanjin during this pregnancy. He had experienced all sorts of discomforts.

After a while, Yue Lin continued bathing him, ensuring he felt refreshed and relaxed. Once finished, he said, “All done. The floor is cold—I’ll carry you back.”

Without waiting for a response, Yue Lin effortlessly lifted Chu Hanjin, cradling him as he carried him back to the bedroom.

Chu Hanjin was unusually quiet these days, likely due to the baby, and he didn’t resist Yue Lin’s attentions. He simply rested his head lightly on Yue Lin’s shoulder.

“Sit down and drink this bowl of medicine first.” Yue Lin placed a cushion behind Chu Hanjin’s back, “I’ll give you a massage.”

Chu Hanjin took the medicine, drinking it in a few quick gulps before handing the bowl back, “Take it away.”

Yue Lin knew Chu Hanjin hated the taste of medicine. He smiled, lightly scratching under Chu Hanjin’s chin, “You’ve worked hard.”

Chu Hanjin closed his eyes, accepting the attention.

Once his waist had been massaged and felt more comfortable, Yue Lin climbed into bed, holding Chu Hanjin’s hand, “If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, let me know.”

Chu Hanjin lazily lifted his gaze, meeting Yue Lin’s bright eyes, “Ah Chu, you’ve been through so much. Without you, there wouldn’t be our child. It hurts me to see you suffering. If you ever feel unhappy, tell me—I’m here for you.”

Chu Hanjin knew Yue Lin meant every word.

Every day, Yue Lin would silently watch him for a while, his eyes full of tenderness. He often said soft, caring things, as if he wished he could bear the burden of pregnancy himself.

With his body feeling heavy, Chu Hanjin sighed softly.

Yue Lin immediately took his hand and kissed it several times, “It’s almost time, you’ll be giving birth soon.”

Chu Hanjin glanced at him again. Yue Lin’s expression remained calm, but there were faint traces of fatigue in his eyes. If Chu Hanjin so much as furrowed his brow, Yue Lin would rush to his side.

Pressing his forehead to Chu Hanjin’s, Yue Lin whispered, “It’ll be over soon. You won’t have to endure much longer.” With that, he placed Chu Hanjin’s slender fingers against his own chest, where his heart beat steadily.

Chu Hanjin could feel the strong thrum of Yue Lin’s heartbeat.

And the warmth of his breath as Yue Lin whispered, “My love, if I had known how hard pregnancy would be, we wouldn’t have gone through with it. There are other ways. Why did it have to come to this?”

Unable to resist, he leaned closer and kissed the delicate curve of Chu Hanjin’s ear.

Watching Yue Lin move closer like a loyal dog, and feeling his own softened hands being held, Chu Hanjin’s heart softened as well. He shook his head slightly.

After all this time, he had come to a conclusion, “I don’t regret having this child with you.”

Hearing this, Yue Lin froze for a moment, as if waves had suddenly surged through his calm exterior.

A complex, indescribable emotion flickered in his eyes as he embraced Chu Hanjin tightly, “You’ve worked so hard.”

But as he hugged Chu Hanjin, all he got in return was, “It’s hot.”

“…”

Yue Lin quickly grabbed a fan and began waving it gently, “How about now?”

Chu Hanjin nodded reluctantly.

Yue Lin sighed in relief and kept fanning.

Chu Hanjin closed his eyes, feeling a bit pampered.

As his pregnancy progressed, he had grown more and more particular.

If the greens in his stir-fry were too thick, he wouldn’t eat them.

If the broth had too much oil, he wouldn’t drink it.

If the crust on the fried meat wasn’t crispy enough, he would spit it out and simply say, “I’m not eating this,” leaving Yue Lin to prepare his meals with even more care.

At night, sometimes when his back ached, Chu Hanjin would grow irritable and snap at Yue Lin.

Yue Lin always responded with a smile, remaining gentle and accommodating, never once losing his temper.

Just a few days ago, Chu Hanjin had requested tea, and Yue Lin had spent days searching for the best tea leaves. He brewed it with painstaking care, discarding several attempts when the water temperature wasn’t right. After switching to a more pleasing cup, Chu Hanjin finally took a sip but never touched it again.

Now, feeling a bit thirsty, Chu Hanjin said, “Water.”

Yue Lin handed him a cup of warm water, “Here you go.”

Chu Hanjin took a sip, “It’s too hot.”

Yue Lin took the cup back, blew on it, and then handed it to him again, “Try now.”

They sat in the courtyard, passing the time quietly. It was a summer evening, and as night fell, the garden was filled with dancing shadows and the occasional flicker of light.

Chu Hanjin hadn’t paid much attention at first, but something caught his eye.

Yue Lin noticed it too, “Fireflies?”

Chu Hanjin’s gaze followed the little glowing insects.

Yue Lin cast a spell, summoning a small puppet to fan Chu Hanjin. Then he pulled out a piece of translucent white silk, quickly made a small lantern using a bamboo frame, and wandered into the garden, catching fireflies one by one.

Chu Hanjin watched as Yue Lin leaped down from the garden wall, inspecting the silk lantern inside. Yue Lin shook his head, “Not enough fireflies. The lantern isn’t bright enough! I’ll catch more.”

He turned and continued searching among the flowers.

Chu Hanjin couldn’t help but call out, “Be careful not to crush them.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch them for you to play with, and I’ll release them tomorrow morning. They’ll be fine!”

Yue Lin’s swift movements darted through the flowerbeds and shadows of the trees. After a while, he returned with a few leaves stuck to his head, his hands cupped together as he hurried toward Chu Hanjin.

“I caught more,” he said.

Chu Hanjin leaned forward slightly as Yue Lin crouched down to meet him at eye level. Yue Lin held his hands in front of Chu Hanjin’s face.

“Watch closely.”

Slowly, Yue Lin opened his palms.

A soft, glowing silk lantern appeared, its center illuminated by the gentle light of the fireflies, flickering like a small, burning sphere.

The warm glow lit up Yue Lin’s face. But instead of looking at the lantern, Yue Lin’s gaze was fixed on Chu Hanjin, his eyes filled with joy, “Do you like it?”

Chu Hanjin lowered his eyes and softly replied, “Mm.”

Yue Lin smiled, gently lifting Chu Hanjin’s hand and placing the lantern’s handle in his palm, “It’s for you.”