Because of the few not-so-decent books that His Highness gifted him a few days ago, Shen Que would rush back to his courtyard every day after finishing his duties. After quickly washing up, he would light a lamp and start diligently reading.

With one hand, he would flip through the “Shuowen Jiezi,” and with the other, he would read those illustrated books, often blushing furiously, but at least he wasn’t sleepy.

Shen Que started late and couldn’t read aloud, so he could only use this clumsy method to memorize. Sometimes, when he couldn’t find something in the book, he couldn’t very well take an obscene book to ask others, so he could only hide in his room, feeling anxious.

Lin Xie had long been standing by the half-open small window, silently listening to the sound of pages turning inside the room. Unintentionally, he curled his lips into a smile, a fleeting hint of amusement in his eyes that no one could catch.

He didn’t use the front door, insisting on sneaking in through the window, and then quietly walked up behind Shen Que.

“Well now,” Lin Xie suddenly snatched the book from Shen Que’s hands from behind, pretending to examine it, “You’re actually sneaking around, reading such vulgar books behind my back.”

His sudden appearance and voice almost scared the soul out of Shen Que. Once he came to his senses, he stood up to snatch the book back.

Lin Xie deliberately held the book high, standing on tiptoe so that even if Shen Que jumped, he couldn’t reach it. Then, when Shen Que was flushed with anxiety, Lin Xie slightly bent down to kiss his lips.

Shen Que only felt like he had bumped into something soft and cool. After a moment of shock, he quickly pushed Lin Xie away, retreating several steps, avoiding him like a vicious dog.

“You’ve read almost half of this book, seen so many vulgar illustrations,” Lin Xie teased with a half-smile, “Why are you still shy about a little kiss? Are you pretending? Trying to act like those courtesans…”

“Uh…” He laughed deliberately, “Playing hard to get, is it?”

Lin Xie loved that look of his, where he couldn’t argue back, like a little herbivore, even when angry, only his eyes would turn red, and his grievances were suppressed, making him even more endearing.

“Do you want this book?” he asked.

Shen Que glanced at him, then hesitantly nodded slightly.

Lin Xie then showed his mischievous smile again: “Then come over, give me a kiss, and if I’m happy, I’ll give it back to you.”

Shen Que thought for a moment, deciding it would be more cost-effective to spend some money and buy a new one outside, so he pursed his lips, showing a look of indifference.

Lin Xie, however, was not in a hurry, taking a few steps forward, looking down at him like a mischievous merchant, pressuring him softly and firmly: “I’m not joking, the Prince will test you on your lessons tomorrow. What will you do if you can’t even produce the book?”

His tone was light and gentle, like a caring elder brother, genuinely worried and concerned for him.

Shen Que became anxious again, wanting to punch him in the face, but one punch probably wouldn’t be enough; he’d have to beat him black and blue. But he only dared to think about it in his heart; he didn’t dare to actually act out.

He had thought too simply earlier. At this late hour, the bookstores outside were all closed. Even if he had money, he probably couldn’t buy a book. Besides, this wasn’t an ordinary book; it wasn’t easy to find.

“Just one kiss?” he finally gave in, asking in sign language.

Lin Xie smiled: “Ten kisses are fine too, I don’t mind.”

Shen Que wanted to roll his eyes at him. This guy’s face was as thick as a city wall; he shouldn’t have asked that question.

He walked forward slowly, and when he got close, he hesitated, then tilted his face up and closed his eyes, clumsily leaning towards Lin Xie’s lips.

However, just as Shen Que was about to touch his lips, Lin Xie suddenly stepped back, leaving him kissing the air.

Shen Que opened his eyes, looking at him in confusion. Lin Xie was stirred by his helpless gaze, but it was a fleeting feeling, like a breeze brushing past the treetops, causing the leaves to tremble slightly, barely noticeable.

“We just kissed, doing it again would be too much,” Lin Xie said with a teasing smile, “Save it for later, I’ll remember to ask you for it.”

Being stared at by his smiling eyes made Shen Que’s scalp tingle. He showed no expression, but in his heart, he thought, how could someone be so bad? There probably wasn’t anyone worse than him in this world.

Seeing him embarrassed once wasn’t enough; he wanted to see it a second time, not letting him finish immediately, deliberately leaving it to annoy him.

Lin Xie didn’t tease him further, tossing the book back into his arms, then forcing him to sit back down, asking nosily, “I heard that the other day, the little singers at the Listening Oriole Pavilion pulled off your undergarments. Is that true?”

Shen Que glared at him, not speaking.

His question wasn’t exaggerated. That day, he was indeed surrounded by the performers, unable to leave. His hands and feet weren’t enough to fend them off, and his clothes were almost torn apart.

Looking at those children, Shen Que couldn’t help but feel pity. If they were in a good family, they should have a life of luxury, but falling into this place, they became rootless duckweed, unloved and uncared for, left to be mistreated.

He felt sorry for them, but there was nothing he could do.

That day, he barely escaped and returned to the mansion, somehow letting Shen Xiangzhi find out about it. He got a good scolding, but Shen Que thought his master was right, and he accepted it.

He didn’t have the ability to be a savior, so if he couldn’t save them all, it was better not to save any, lest others come to hate him for it.

“When I gently untie your undergarments, you want to fight me,” Lin Xie said, “But when others pull at your undergarments, you willingly let them.”

Shen Que didn’t know where he got so much nonsense from, able to twist everything into something indecent, eight out of ten sentences meant to embarrass him, and the remaining two were just preludes to more teasing.

Seeing him annoyed, Lin Xie instead laughed, scolding him like an elder: “Why aren’t you reading? Don’t you have a test tomorrow? If you keep being lazy, I’ll tell the Prince.”

Whether his words were a joke or not, Shen Que couldn’t tell, but even if it was an idle threat, he was still afraid.

“Keep recognizing characters,” Lin Xie said gently, “I promise not to disturb you.”

Though Shen Que didn’t believe his words, he obediently opened the book again. He was slow at finding and recognizing characters, often sweating profusely just to read a line.

Lin Xie wasn’t there to watch the little mute read and recognize characters. Seeing how slow he was, Lin Xie deliberately leaned over, propping himself on the table, face to face with him.

“You’re so slow, finding characters one by one,” Lin Xie tilted his head, smiling at him, “I’ve read a few years of books too, why don’t you ask me?”

Shen Que didn’t want to ask him, but with a living “Shuowen Jiezi” right in front of him, he couldn’t not use it, so he raised his hand to point at the character he couldn’t find in the book.

“Xie,” Lin Xie read by his ear, “This is the ‘xie’ in ‘xiehou’ (encounter).”

Shen Que nodded, then stopped asking.

“That’s it?” Lin Xie seemed to pity him, speaking in a very sympathetic tone, “At this rate, when will you be able to sleep? Why don’t I read it to you?”

Shen Que didn’t agree, but Lin Xie started reading on his own, reciting the explicit words without blushing or skipping a beat.

“Then out comes the vermilion bird, grasping the red skirt, lifting the white feet…” Lin Xie read a line, moving an inch closer, forcing Shen Que’s evasive eyes to meet his burning gaze, “And the man’s mind is dazed.”

“Enough!” Shen Que, blushing, gestured emphatically, “I’ll read it myself!”

After reading indecent books for several days, Shen Que felt uncomfortable at night, his body felt strange, and his mind was in turmoil, sometimes thinking of His Highness, sometimes of Lin Xie’s face.

Tonight, he seemed to finally understand what he was longing for. He feared he had been corrupted by the scoundrel in front of him, becoming like the actors and courtesans in the books, begging for a man’s touch.

No, he didn’t want that.

He wasn’t an actor, nor did he want to be a courtesan.

But Lin Xie didn’t care about his resistance, curling his lips and continuing to read: “Then with saliva, he smeared, rubbing up and down, looking up with affection, the seam slightly parted without knowing.”

He was too close, almost pressing his whole body against him. Seeing his embarrassment, Lin Xie paused, his lips brushing against Shen Que’s earlobe, deliberately teasing.

Not satisfied with just a touch, he wrapped it in his mouth, then released it, leaving the earlobe glistening with moisture, dazzling under the candlelight.

Shen Que shivered uncontrollably, wanting to get up, but Lin Xie pressed his hand down, pinning it to the table: “I haven’t finished reading yet, why are you in such a hurry? You should finish what you start. If you don’t listen to the end, what will you do tomorrow?”

So Shen Que had to endure, listening to him read, feeling his scalp tingle, a current running up his spine, making him itch and almost unable to sit still.

But Lin Xie not only read, he deliberately slowed his pace, dragging out the words, intentionally denying him any relief.

“The yang peak enters straight, unexpectedly more than the zither strings; the yin noon strikes obliquely, unevenly grinding the valley fruit.” [Note]

After finishing this line, he finally stopped, having sold his wares, naturally reaching out for his reward: “I care for you so much, understanding your struggle with recognizing characters, going to great lengths to read to you, but I don’t do it for free. How will you repay me?”

Saying this, Lin Xie sank down, embracing him from behind, reaching to undo his clothes.

Shen Que quickly grabbed his hand, his eyes turning red, his mind in chaos, his sign language also disordered: “Not here.”

Lin Xie clearly understood his meaning, but still deliberately asked: “Not here, then where?”

Shen Que pursed his lips, not moving his hands.

Lin Xie continued to undo his outer garment, Shen Que became anxious, clutching his clothes to stop him. Lin Xie wasn’t angry, only saying: “If you don’t say where, I’m not a worm in your belly.”

“Bed,” Shen Que mouthed, awkwardly forming the words, “To the bed.”

Author’s Note:

[Note] Written by Bai Xingjian, the younger brother of Bai Juyi. He wrote a lot, but I dare not mention the book title. If you’re interested, you can look it up.