Hot flashes

That very evening, Zhou Heng couldn't wait to experience his "invention."

Lying in the comfortably warm bathtub, he hummed contentedly. When Xiao Jue entered, he saw him with his eyes half-closed, his cheeks flushed pink from the steam, like a satisfied cat.

"Comfortable?" Xiao Jue stood by the tub, looking down at him.

"That feels so good!" Zhou Heng splashed water, grinning. "Would you like to try it, Lord Marquis? I'll give you a back scrub?"

Xiao Jue's eyes darkened. He didn't speak, but began to loosen his belt.

Zhou Heng's smile froze: "Wait, wait! I was just kidding! I haven't finished washing myself yet..."

The protest was ineffective. In the end, the bathtub experience was upgraded to "double bathing," and Zhou Heng's little bit of pride was completely drained away in another, more physically demanding "exercise."

---

Besides tinkering with these "ingenious skills and ingenious tricks," another great pleasure for Zhou Heng in the Marquis's mansion was exploring Xiao Jue's study.

He discovered that Xiao Jue's book collection was far more diverse than he had imagined, even including some folk tales and supernatural novels.

One day, he came across a notebook about strange cases from the previous dynasty. One story in it was about an official who was wrongfully killed. After his head was cut off, his eyes kept staring at the murderer. Years later, the murderer died suddenly, in a gruesome manner.

Zhou Heng was so engrossed in watching that he had nightmares while sleeping that night. He kept vaguely feeling shadows outside the window and would burrow into Xiao Jue's arms in fright.

Xiao Jue was jolted awake by his touch and hugged him, asking, "What's wrong?"

Zhou Heng buried his face in his chest and said in a muffled voice, "...I read a scary story."

Xiao Jue paused for a moment, tightened his grip, and said in a low voice, "It's all fake. In this world, only the living can hurt people." He paused, then added, "With me here, no demons or monsters can get close to you."

These words, spoken simply, possessed a reassuring power. Zhou Heng hummed in agreement, snuggled against him, and quickly fell asleep again.

The next day, Zhou Heng discovered that the several books of strange tales and bloody crime stories in his study were all gone. He asked Chang An, who remained silent, saying, "The Marquis ordered that those books were offensive and have been put away for the time being."

Zhou Heng: "..."

Mr. Shen Yu would occasionally come to Dingbei Residence to discuss matters with Xiao Jue, and sometimes he would also chat with Zhou Heng for a few words.

The old gentleman was very knowledgeable and had a witty way of speaking, and Zhou Heng quite enjoyed talking to him.

Once, when discussing the customs of the northern regions, Zhou Heng casually remarked, "If only we could build a greenhouse, we could grow some fresh vegetables in winter." Shen Yu stroked his beard and pondered, "A greenhouse? There seem to be records from the previous dynasty that used glazed tiles for the roof, drawing in geothermal heat or burning fire walls to increase the temperature, and growing out-of-season flowers. However, it was extremely expensive, and glazed tiles were rare."

Zhou Heng's eyes lit up: "We don't necessarily have to use a whole piece of glass! We can use translucent oiled paper, or make small grids with bamboo strips and wooden frames, and paste them with thin silk soaked in tung oil. Although the light transmission is less, the cost is much lower!"

It can also be made into a portable design, so you can open it up to let it bask in the sun during the day and cover it up to keep it warm at night...

He became more and more excited as he spoke, and Shen Yu listened thoughtfully. The two even started discussing this "low-cost greenhouse" and began sketching.

When Xiao Jue returned, he saw Zhou Heng and Shen Yu huddled together on the desk, discussing a piece of paper that was covered in scribbles. Zhou Heng's face was smeared with ink again.

Xiao Jue stopped in his tracks, looking at Zhou Heng's radiant profile and the undisguised admiration in Shen Yu's eyes, and that subtle, indescribable emotion welled up in his heart again.

He didn't like Zhou Heng getting too close to others, even if the other person was Mr. Shen, who was over fifty years old and highly respected.

"What are you talking about?" Xiao Jue walked over, his voice not loud, but it immediately made the two people who were discussing separate.

Zhou Heng looked up and proudly showed him the sketch: "Mr. Shen and I are thinking about how to build a cheap and functional greenhouse! Look, like this... like this... maybe we can even eat leafy greens in winter!"

Xiao Jue glanced at the scribbles-like sketch, his gaze falling on Zhou Heng's bright eyes, then shifting to Shen Yu's smiling face, where his displeasure became even more pronounced.

He reached out, took the paper, and said calmly, "Not a bad idea. Mr. Shen, you'll need to check the newly arrived grain tax accounts from the south again."

Shen Yu, being astute as he was, immediately bowed and said, "Yes."

Before Zhou Heng could react, Xiao Jue had already put the sketch aside, grabbed his hand, and used a damp cloth to wipe the ink off his face, the movement a little rough.

"It hurts..." Zhou Heng winced.

Xiao Jue softened his movements, but his tone remained unchanged: "From now on, discuss these things with Shen Yu less."

"Why? Mr. Shen knows a lot!" Zhou Heng asked, puzzled.

Xiao Jue wiped the ink off his face, put down the towel, looked at him, and said slowly, "What would you like for dinner?"

Zhou Heng's attention was immediately diverted: "I want to eat fish! Sweet and sour!"

"Fish from the North is a rare treat," Xiao Jue said, but seeing Zhou Heng's face fall instantly, he added, "Have someone go to the frozen lake to check tomorrow."

Zhou Heng immediately beamed again, leaned over and kissed Xiao Jue on the chin: "Your Excellency is the best!"

Xiao Jue's eyes darkened, and he wrapped his arms around his waist, turning the fleeting kiss into a long, lingering entanglement.

Although there was no fish for dinner, there was a sweet soup made with cellar-aged fresh fruit, which Zhou Heng ate with great satisfaction.

That night, Zhou Heng was exhausted from all the tossing and turning. Finally, he begged for mercy in a hoarse voice before Xiao Jue let him go. Xiao Jue held his sweaty body in his arms and patted his back gently, like coaxing a child.

Exhausted, Zhou Heng was in a daze when he heard Xiao Jue whisper in his ear, "If you have any ideas in the future, tell me first."

"Mmm..." Zhou Heng mumbled in response, snuggling even deeper into his arms.

---

Peaceful days are always going to be disrupted.

A few days later, Xiao Jue received an urgent report that several tribes in the northeastern part of the northern border, which had recently submitted to the government, had experienced small-scale riots due to winter snow disasters and spring famine. Some tribal leaders were secretly colluding, and there seemed to be signs of instability.

Xiao Jue had to go there personally to suppress and appease the situation.

On the eve of his departure, Xiao Jue discussed matters with his trusted generals and advisors in his study until late at night.

Zhou Heng fell asleep first, but woke up in the middle of the night to find his side still empty. He got up, put on his clothes, and went outside the study, where he heard low murmurs of conversation.

He stood there for a while, and just as he was about to go back, the door opened, and Xiao Jue walked out, carrying a faint weariness and a cold aura.

"Did I wake you up?" Xiao Jue's brows relaxed slightly when he saw him.

"No, I just woke up." Zhou Heng looked at the dark circles under his eyes. "Going out again?"

"Hmm, a trip to the Blackwater Tribe will take at least ten days, and at most half a month." Xiao Jue put his arm around his shoulder and led him back to the bedroom. "While I'm away, stay in the manor and don't wander around or mess with any dangerous things. If you need anything, find Chang An, or have Shen Yu send me a message."

"I know, I'm not a child anymore," Zhou Heng muttered, but felt a little empty inside. He was used to Xiao Jue being around, even though he always had a stern face and was very controlling, so it felt strange to see him suddenly leave.

Xiao Jue tucked him back into bed, then lay down himself and pulled him into his arms. Neither of them spoke, quietly listening to each other's breathing.

"Come back soon," Zhou Heng said sullenly.

"Mmm," Xiao Jue responded, kissing the top of his head. "Take care of yourself."

The next day, before dawn, Xiao Jue quietly got up. Zhou Heng was actually awake, but pretended to be asleep.

He sensed that Xiao Jue stood by the bed for a while, seemed to look down at him for a moment, and then turned and left.

Hearing the fading footsteps, Zhou Heng opened his eyes and stared blankly at the top of the tent. The Marquis's residence suddenly seemed empty and quiet.

He started counting down the days. On the first day, he finished reading all the miscellaneous books he hadn't finished before.

The next day, he sunbathed in the yard, watching ants move their food. The third day, he tried to improve the greenhouse sketch, but after drawing for a long time, he was dissatisfied, crumpled it up, and tossed it aside. The fourth day, he stared blankly at the spot where Xiao Jue usually sat…

Shen Yu would occasionally come over, bringing him some novel trinkets from outside, or telling him about trivial matters in the mansion, but Zhou Heng always felt unmotivated.

On the fifth night, as he was half asleep, he suddenly felt someone climb onto the bed, carrying the chill of the night dew and a faint smell of dust, and embrace him.

Zhou Heng instantly snapped back to reality, recognizing the familiar scent. "...Xiao Jue?"

"Hmm." Xiao Jue's voice was hoarse from the long journey, and his arms tightened around him. "Things went smoothly, so I came back ahead of schedule."

The emptiness in Zhou Heng's heart was instantly filled. She turned around and hugged him back, burying her face in his cool neck: "Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

"I wanted to give you a surprise." Xiao Jue chuckled and kissed him, making this night, after several days of separation, feel exceptionally long and passionate.