A crescent moon hung in the sky, and the palace had already fallen into silence. Every now and then, a few birds flew past, perching briefly on the treetops before fluttering away again.
A faint light still glowed from one of the side rooms in the courtyard. Sun Ye was pacing around the room, packing his belongings, while Gu Master Mo Ru sat on a stool watching him.
“It’s getting late. Go to sleep first and finish packing tomorrow morning,” Gu Master Mo Ru finally urged.
Sun Ye shook his head. “I’ll sleep after I finish packing.”
“At this rate, it’ll be morning before you’re done,” Gu Master Mo Ru grumbled.
Sun Ye looked at him in confusion, unable to understand why he seemed so eager to go to bed. Normally, wasn’t this the time of night when he was most energetic?
“I’ve only been packing for less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. I’m almost done already. If you’re tired, go to sleep first.”
“No, I’ll wait a little longer.” Gu Master Mo Ru shifted restlessly on his stool, reminding himself to be patient. He had already waited this many days—what difference would another hour or two make?
At last, Sun Ye finished organizing everything and placed the packed bundles on the table.
“Can we sleep now?” Gu Master Mo Ru asked.
As if he hadn’t heard him, Sun Ye stared outside and said somewhat wistfully, “Tomorrow I’ll be leaving this courtyard. I’ve lived here for decades. I wonder if I’ll ever come back…”
“This place imprisoned you for decades. Are you really reluctant to leave it?” Gu Master Mo Ru was unusually sensitive to the nostalgia in Sun Ye’s gaze.
Sun Ye said nothing and walked from the window to the bed.
Finally, bedtime… Gu Master Mo Ru’s spirits immediately lifted.
Sun Ye set his sword on the table, removed his outer robe, and lay down openly on the bed.
Every movement seemed incredibly captivating in Gu Master Mo Ru’s eyes. A martial artist’s motions were clean, efficient, and graceful, carrying a unique beauty of strength. Especially someone with Sun Ye’s physique—there wasn’t an ounce of excess on him. His body was lean and well-defined without losing any masculine vigor.
“Why are you still standing there?” Sun Ye asked.
Gu Master Mo Ru snapped out of his daze. Seeing the confusion in Sun Ye’s eyes made his heart skip a beat. He removed his own outer robe and headed toward Sun Ye’s bed.
“Your bed is over there.” Sun Ye pointed toward the other bed.
Gu Master Mo Ru smiled. “I want to sleep with you tonight.”
“No.” Sun Ye rejected him immediately.
It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over Gu Master Mo Ru’s head, and irritation instantly rose within him.
“Why not? Didn’t you already agree that we’d be together from now on?”
Truthfully, even Sun Ye himself wasn’t sure why not. Perhaps he had refused Gu Master Mo Ru so many times over the years that it had become instinct. The moment Gu Master Mo Ru proposed anything, his first reaction was always to reject it.
“The bed is too small… We won’t sleep well… We have to travel tomorrow…” Unable to think of a better excuse, Sun Ye settled on that.
Gu Master Mo Ru noticed that, unlike before, Sun Ye’s tone lacked conviction. Beneath the refusal was a trace of uncertainty, and warmth gradually returned to his heart.
“Do you really think I only want to sleep beside you?” He moved closer.
Sun Ye instantly understood what he meant. His expression turned cold. “Don’t even think about anything else.”
“Why?” A hint of anger crept into Gu Master Mo Ru’s voice. “Don’t tell me, at a time like this, that there’s nothing of me in your heart.”
After a long silence, Sun Ye finally said, “If there weren’t, why would I agree to leave the palace with you? It’s just that…”
“Just what?” Gu Master Mo Ru caught hold of his hand.
Sun Ye looked uncomfortable. “That sort of thing… don’t think about it. I don’t like it.”
Gu Master Mo Ru narrowed his eyes. “I’ve never heard of a man who doesn’t like it. After standing guard outside the Third Prince’s chambers with Mu Xueshi night after night, did you never have a single thought about it?”
Sun Ye’s straightforward nature couldn’t tolerate such teasing. Before Gu Master Mo Ru had even finished speaking, he struck out at him.
Gu Master Mo Ru caught his wrist and pinned both of Sun Ye’s arms beside him.
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret, or else—”
“Or else what?” Gu Master Mo Ru looked at him with amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Or else I’ll kill you.” There was genuine menace mixed into Sun Ye’s embarrassed glare.
Gu Master Mo Ru merely smiled. A virgin who’s never experienced desire before. Once you learn how wonderful it can be, let’s see whether you can still talk so tough.
With that thought, he leaned down and kissed Sun Ye’s slightly parted lips.
The tenderness and care in the gesture were unlike anything Gu Master Mo Ru had ever shown anyone else. Feeling Sun Ye struggle, Gu Master Mo Ru’s hand moved to his chest.
A strange sensation spread from his chest through the rest of his body. It felt as though countless tiny insects were crawling across his skin, leaving him tingling and restless. His entire body tensed, yet he had no idea how to ease the feeling.
Trying to help him relax, Gu Master Mo Ru deepened the kiss. The unfamiliar intimacy overwhelmed Sun Ye’s senses. The masculine presence surrounding him stimulated every nerve, leaving him unable to understand why he wasn’t pushing him away—or why part of him seemed to enjoy it.
Seeing Sun Ye’s inexperienced reactions, Gu Master Mo Ru was exhilarated. Sun Ye was untouched. No other man had ever laid a hand on him.
Reluctantly leaving his lips, Gu Master Mo Ru shifted his attention to the edge of Sun Ye’s heated ear. A shiver ran through Sun Ye.
Goosebumps erupted across his skin. He tried to steady his breathing, only to realize that his breathing had long since fallen under Gu Master Mo Ru’s control.
Gu Master Mo Ru’s hands roamed freely over his smooth, firm chest. His practiced touch gradually eroded Sun Ye’s self-control.
Eventually, Gu Master Mo Ru removed Sun Ye’s inner garment and openly admired the strong, attractive body beneath.
Feeling exposed, Sun Ye lashed out with a punch. “What are you looking at?!”
Rather than getting angry, Gu Master Mo Ru laughed. A powerful wave of sensation crashed over Sun Ye, overwhelming his resistance.
The pleasure came one wave after another, drawing him deeper and deeper until there was no room left for rational thought.
When Gu Master Mo Ru’s hand eventually moved lower, Sun Ye abruptly shoved him away.
“No!” He tried to pull his clothing back on.
Gu Master Mo Ru had no intention of allowing that. Taking advantage of Sun Ye’s flustered state, he immobilized him before parting his legs and staring shamelessly at him.
An indescribable embarrassment swept through Sun Ye. His handsome face turned crimson, his teeth clenched tightly together from a mixture of anger and nervousness.
Gu Master Mo Ru’s hand settled on him and began to stroke slowly. A muffled sound escaped Sun Ye’s lips despite himself.
“What’s wrong? Can’t handle even this much?”
Gu Master Mo Ru teased. “Take your hand away.” Sun Ye’s breathing was already unsteady.
Gu Master Mo Ru smiled. “If I let go now, you’d feel terrible. I can’t bear to do that.”
He continued his movements, further deepening Sun Ye’s helpless state.
Sun Ye’s face deepened from red to flushed. Broken sounds escaped his lips, humiliating him more with every passing moment.
He remembered all those nights standing guard outside the Third Prince’s chambers, hearing similar sounds from within and finding them difficult to accept. Now that those sounds were coming from himself, the feeling was even harder to bear.
Just as Sun Ye was becoming completely lost in the sensations, Gu Master Mo Ru suddenly withdrew. The abrupt emptiness left Sun Ye frustrated and uncomfortable.
Knowing the moment was right, Gu Master Mo Ru released the restraint on him. The instant Sun Ye regained his freedom, he intended to retaliate.
But before he could, an even stronger wave of pleasure struck him. His body tensed involuntarily.
“Don’t… stop…”
Gu Master Mo Ru ignored the protest completely. The sensations intensified until Sun Ye’s body trembled uncontrollably.
His breathing grew heavier and heavier.
When he finally reached the limit, his entire body tightened and his mind went blank for a moment.
Afterward, clarity slowly returned. Sun Ye frowned. What had he just done?
Why had he never truly rejected it from beginning to end?
Seeing the crease between his brows, Gu Master Mo Ru reached out as if to smooth it away.
Sun Ye immediately pushed him aside.
“Don’t touch me.” His tone was neither warm nor cold.
Gu Master Mo Ru sighed dramatically. “You didn’t stop me when I was going that far earlier, and now suddenly you won’t even let me touch you?”
“You—” In a burst of anger, Sun Ye kicked him off the bed.
Gu Master Mo Ru felt deeply wronged. He had spent all that effort taking care of Sun Ye, yet his own desires remained entirely unsatisfied. Looking at Sun Ye now, getting him to continue any further seemed harder than ascending to heaven.
Forget it. There’s no need to rush. Sooner or later, this man will belong completely to me.