Hot flashes

Since that night, Xiao Jue seemed to have truly taken the words "recovery" to heart.

For several days in a row, he did not put on his armor and leave his tent. Military documents were delivered to his bedside or read by Zhou Heng. Important decisions were made by summoning a small number of key people, such as Mr. Du and Lieutenant General Zhao, to his bedside for consultation.

The large main tent had a rare moment of leisure stolen from the tense situation.

As dawn broke, Zhou Heng groggily woke up to find no one beside him, though the warmth of the body remained. He got up to wash, rinsing his face with lukewarm water from a copper basin. Just as he was wiping his face, the curtain was lifted, and Xiao Jue walked in.

He had tied his hair up himself and was wearing a loose, dark blue casual outfit. His left arm movements still showed some stiffness, but his complexion was much better than the previous two days.

He walked straight up to Zhou Heng, naturally took the cloth Zhou Heng had used, and slowly wiped his face with the not-so-clear water in the basin.

Water droplets dripped down his sharply defined jawline and soaked into his clothes. Zhou Heng was stunned; the water... still contained the foam from when he had just washed his face.

"The water's cold, I'll have someone change it..." Zhou Heng said instinctively.

"It's alright." Xiao Jue interrupted, tossing the cloth back into the basin, splashing a few drops of water. He turned around, his gaze falling on Zhou Heng's cheeks, flushed from just waking up, with clearly visible downy hair. He reached out and brushed them with his still-damp fingers. "Easy."

The gesture was so casual and intimate, as if it had been a habit for years. Zhou Heng's ears burned, and he turned his face away, muttering, "Unhygienic..."

Xiao Jue seemed not to hear, or perhaps he heard but didn't care. He walked to the edge of the couch, sat down, and patted the empty seat beside him: "Come here."

Zhou Heng watched him warily, without moving.

Xiao Jue didn't urge him. He simply picked up the top military report on the low table, unfolded it, but didn't look at it. He just held it in his hand and looked at him leisurely.

After a few breaths of stalemate, Zhou Heng gave in, slowly moved over, sat down half an arm's length away from him, and held out his hand: "Give it to me, Nian."

Instead of handing him the military report, Xiao Jue stretched out his long arm and pulled him into his embrace.

Caught off guard, Zhou Heng's back bumped into his solid chest. Even through the fabric, he could feel the warmth and heartbeat, as well as the slight bulge from the bandage on his left shoulder.

"Read it like this." Xiao Jue's chin rested on the top of his head, his voice coming from his chest, with the low, hoarse quality unique to early morning, his breath brushing against his ear.

Zhou Heng stiffened, trying to break free: "...It's hot."

The arms wrapped around her waist tightened, leaving no room for argument. "Nian."

Left with no other choice, Zhou Heng had to unfold the military report in this extremely intimate posture.

It is the latest scout report along the Canghe River, recording the camp location of Huo Yi's vanguard, signs of troop movements, and subtle changes in local hydrology and weather.

He tried to concentrate and read each word out in a clear and steady voice.

Xiao Jue listened quietly, his breathing even, seemingly completely absorbed.

But every few sentences Zhou Heng recited, Xiao Jue would tighten his arms around him slightly, or gently rub his cheek against Zhou Heng's temples, his warm breath tickling his neck.

Or perhaps her nose brushed lightly against the back of his ear, as if she were sniffing something;

Or perhaps it was his uninjured right hand that began to wander restlessly, sometimes pinching his fingers that held the scroll, sometimes stroking his taut back, and sometimes landing on his waist, the calloused fingertips slowly tracing circles through his clothes.

When Zhou Heng read a passage describing what appeared to be a nighttime reinforcement by the enemy, his voice paused involuntarily.

In that brief pause, Xiao Jue suddenly turned his head and kissed his earlobe.

The moist, warm touch sent a jolt through Zhou Heng, nearly causing him to drop the military report. "Xiao Jue!" he hissed, his voice low and filled with embarrassment and anger.

"Hmm?" Xiao Jue responded vaguely, lightly licking the sensitive flesh with the tip of his tongue before pulling away, resting his chin back on his head, his tone as calm as if he hadn't been the one causing trouble just now, "Continue."

Zhou Heng's face flushed red. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to ignore the lingering tingling in his ears and the mischievous hand around his waist. He forced his gaze back to the military report and continued reading.

However, there was an unavoidable tremor in his voice.

He read another passage, a secret report about the local gentry's ambiguous attitude towards the Northern Liang army. Zhou Heng was analyzing the key points when Xiao Jue suddenly raised his hand and cupped his face.

Zhou Heng was forced to tilt his head back, and before he could react, Xiao Jue's lips were already on his.

They pried open his teeth, entwined their tongues, and conquered his territory, swallowing up all his unspoken analysis. The crisp, medicinal scent forcefully filled his mouth.

"Ugh...!" Zhou Heng futilely pushed against his intact right shoulder, and the military report in his hand slipped completely, falling crumpled into the gap between the two of them.

After a long while, Xiao Jue reluctantly stepped back a little, his thumb stroking Zhou Heng's lips, which were red and moist from the kisses, his eyes filled with undisguised satisfaction and deep darkness.

His breathing was also a little erratic, his chest rising and falling slightly as he rubbed against Zhou Heng's back.

Zhou Heng was panting, his eyes glaring at him, burning with two flames, his cheeks flushed red as if they were about to bleed. "You...do you want to hear this or not!" he demanded through gritted teeth.

"Listen." Xiao Jue answered crisply, even bending down to pick up the pitiful military report, shaking it, and stuffing it back into Zhou Heng's hand. Then he tightened his arms again, holding Zhou Heng tightly, and rubbed his cheek against Zhou Heng's burning temples, like a large beast that had gotten a good deal. "You read it well."

Zhou Heng was so angry he almost fainted. Sounds good? He was reading an urgent military report! Not some folk tale!

Resistance was clearly futile. He could only suppress his anger and pick up the military report again, but this time, he read it very quickly, almost without pausing, trying to use speed to leave the person behind him no chance to take advantage.

However, Xiao Jue's patience seemed to be inexhaustible.

As Zhou Heng recited a long, tedious list of grain quantities, his hand slid down to Zhou Heng's waist, deftly untying the knot of the belt, and slipped under the hem of his inner garment, his warm palm directly touching the delicate skin of his waist.

Zhou Heng shuddered violently, his voice completely off-key, as he uttered an absurd number.

"There's a mistake here," Xiao Jue's deep voice rang in my ears with a hint of laughter, while his fingers maliciously drew circles on that sensitive skin. "It's three thousand seven hundred shi, not two thousand seven hundred shi."

Zhou Heng: "..."

He simply couldn't continue reading. He slammed a military newspaper at Xiao Jue, struggling to get up from his embrace. "Look for yourself! I'm not reading anymore!"

Xiao Jue let out a muffled laugh, his chest trembling.