After that day, Wang Yibo never came to see Xiao Zhan again.
Although the two lived in the same courtyard, Wang Yibo was busy with business and social activities. He usually went out early and came back late. If he deliberately avoided him, it would be even more difficult to see each other.
Cui'e was also much quieter than usual. She was no longer as threatening as before, and always looked at Xiao Zhan with a face that wanted to say something but stopped.
"Cui'e, you always look at me like this, which is a bit creepy." Xiao Zhan was reading a book on incense making in the room. After reading a few pages, he couldn't help but close the book and looked at Cui'e.
"Master Xiao..." Cui'e glanced at Xiao Zhan and brought the boiled medicine to him, "Why do you seem to be fine?"
Xiao Zhan naturally knew what she said. He took a sip of the medicine and felt that the taste of the medicine was a little more bitter than before.
"Cui'e, what do you think I should do?" Putting down the medicine bowl, Xiao Zhan looked at Cui'e seriously.
"I, I don't know, but it shouldn't be like this."
"Go out, Cui'e, I'm sleepy." Xiao Zhan didn't continue to talk to her. He picked up the bitter medicine that night, drank it all, and handed the bowl over.
Cui'e knew that it was not the right time to say anything at this time. She just held the bowl, glanced at Xiao Zhan, and left angrily.
After Cui'e left, Xiao Zhan sat alone in the room.
After entering the summer, the daytime is longer than before. At this point, the sky is still bright and there is no sign of getting dark.
The longer the day, the shorter the night. Xiao Zhan now likes the night more. He closes his eyes, as if he doesn't have to think about anything.
Of course, it would be best if he could fall asleep.
It's time to make it clear.
What can I say? Is it just a formality to hold Wang Yibo, guard his door, and say those words to him?
Xiao Zhan couldn't do it, and those words at that time were what he thought in his heart.
If Wang Yibo could really marry the princess of Fengwang Mansion, even though she was born out of wedlock, it would be considered as finding a backer in the officialdom for the Wang family's big business.
Isn't all this the best?
While he was thinking, someone suddenly pushed the door open. Xiao Zhan looked up and saw Lao Chen, who walked in from outside with an excited look on his face, holding a small jar in his hand.
"Master!" Lao Chen looked like he was in a good mood. He walked to Xiao Zhan and sat down, pouring himself a cup of tea.
"Lao Chen, you are not in the shop, why are you here?" Xiao Zhan put away his thoughts.
"I have good news for you, Master." Lao Chen looked like something good was going to happen.
"Hmm?"
"Last time, when we were making incense. Because of the weather in Beijing, there was a fragrance that always became very greasy aftertaste?"
"Hmm, I remember."
That perfume was originally left by Mrs. Xiao.
In the Xiao family's incense book, this one was recorded as the best seller that year, but it was not simply because of the fragrance.
Xucheng is close to the sea, and in the early years, there were often foreigners coming in and out by boat. Unlike the capital, the folk customs were more open. At that time, a foreigner who always came to purchase some perfume taught Mrs. Xiao a new method, which was to integrate the perfume making technique into the candles used on a daily basis. In this way, the originally odourless candles also became good smelling.
Because of this incident, the Xiao family perfume shop became famous, and the dignitaries in the capital could not help but follow suit and sent people to purchase it. The original perfume with the same flavour also became popular.
Xiao Zhan has always wanted to bring this technology to the capital.
He knew very well that the perfume making craftsmanship had reached a point where other shops could already make good perfume. The eldest lady in the capital was used to seeing many things and was particularly picky. The set that worked in Xucheng might be a little difficult here.
But the incense candle is different. After all, it is still a new thing. The production method is also unique to the Xiao family. If it can be made in Beijing, it will definitely have a better chance of success.
"Really?" Xiao Zhan's eyes lit up when he heard this. He had been suffering from the difficulty of making that kind of incense and had no idea for several months.
"Really! A few days ago, it failed again. You said to take it easy. Later, I found out that the honey in Beijing was different from our Xucheng. It was not mature honey. After sealing the can and opening it again, the taste was naturally a bit strange."
"Is that so?" Xiao Zhan thought about it carefully. He didn't expect that there would be a deviation in the honey.
"Yes, this is thanks to Master Wang. He brought back a jar of honey for me last time, saying that it was sent by the cousin of the chief steward in the south, and asked me if I wanted to try it."
Hearing Wang Yibo's name, Xiao Zhan's heart, which was originally devoted to making incense, tightened again.
"You don't like sweet food, so Master Wang gave it to me. I didn't think much about it at the time. Later, I was bored, so I mixed the honey with the bay leaves and sealed it for half a month. Today, I took it out, and it really smelled the same as the one made by my wife back then!" Old Chen became more and more excited as he spoke. He opened the jar in his hand and put it in front of Xiao Zhan for him to smell.
Xiao Zhan lowered his head slightly and moved closer. He smelled the familiar and pleasant fragrance spreading in his nose. This was not the fragrance of flowers, but the fresh fragrance of some plants and trees. Although it was not as strong as those flower-scented ointments, it was particularly suitable for making incense candles and lighting them in the room to make people concentrate and calm down.
After waiting for so long, the incense was finally made. The gloom in Xiao Zhan's heart gradually became cheerful. He raised his head, smiled and looked at Lao Chen, feeling a sense of emotion in his heart.
"Master, I, are we finally going to have hope?" Lao Chen was also a man of temperament, and his tone was a little choked.
He watched Xiao Zhan's ups and downs. He followed Xiao Zhan to Beijing for half a year, and he knew the temperament of this young master. Even if Wang's house was good and had everything, it was not as reassuring as being able to revive the Xiao family's incense shop.
Xiao Zhan was also infected by Lao Chen's emotions. His nose was sour, and he nodded. He put the small jar to his nose again and sniffed it hard.
Lao Chen left the small jar to Xiao Zhan, and talked to him about opening a shop. Before leaving, Lao Chen told Xiao Zhan that someone came to ask about the shop again. He shook his head and refused to let go.
When he came out of Xucheng, Xiao Zhan sold a house, but kept the incense shop. Because of its good location, it used to be a booming business. Many businessmen thought it was a good feng shui and wanted to rent it, but he would rather close the door than take down the plaque.
Even if the business can't go on, the things left by his parents can't be left without any.
After Lao Chen left, it was almost evening.
Xiao Zhan had no appetite to eat, so he asked Cui'e to cook some porridge. He ate a few mouthfuls and put it down. There was always a stone in his heart, and he also knew what this stone was.
He walked to the window and looked at the crimson clouds in the sky. His heart was floating somewhere.
"Master Xiao." When he came to his senses, a long-lost face appeared in front of him. It was Chen Yu who was smiling brightly.
Perhaps because he had heard Zengqin's words before, plus the farce that night, he saw Chen Yu was stunned and took a few steps back. Chen Yu obviously noticed his expression, but he didn't say anything, just smiled and looked at him.
"Hello, Prince Chen Yu." After a while, Xiao Zhan remembered that he was a little rude, and greeted him at the door.
Originally, he didn't want to say more, but he didn't expect Chen Yu to stop him.
"Why is Master Xiao alone today?"
From the look on his face, it was clear that Chen Yu was asking knowingly.
"I'm always alone, aren't I?" Xiao Zhan was a little defensive about Chen Yu, so he naturally wouldn't want to talk to him too much.
"Where's Yi Bo?" Chen Yu walked into Xiao Zhan's room without caring whether the host wanted to entertain him or not, and sat down, shaking his fan, and drinking tea leisurely.
"Does Prince Chen Yu want to see me for something?" Xiao Zhan frowned slightly, walked forward, and didn't sit down either.
"Nothing, just haven't seen each other for a long time."
"Yeah."
"Did you and Yi Bo have a fight?"
Xiao Zhan was stunned, glanced at Chen Yu, and didn't answer.
"Master Xiao, I'm not a nosy person, I can't take care of all the things I have to do." Chen Yu took a sip of tea and said, "But..."
"But what?" Xiao Zhan couldn't help it. He asked, and when he saw Chen Yu's meaningful expression, he regretted it.
Chen Yu looked at him with a smile and said slowly: "A few days ago, I came back at night and just entered Wang's house, I saw a someone drinking in the courtyard. I was wondering where this madman crawled in and drank here in the middle of the night. As a result, when I got closer, I saw that it was our young master Wang."
"Yeah."
"Young Master Xiao, your eyes are blue. Have you not slept well recently?" Chen Yu suddenly stopped talking. Instead, he stood up and suddenly approached Xiao Zhan, staring at him thoughtfully.
Xiao Zhan was startled by his action and took a few steps back.
Chen Yu glanced at him and said, "Some things are unnecessary."
"I don't understand." Xiao Zhan really didn't understand.
"Young Master Xiao, you are a smart person, much smarter than Zeng Qin, the fool. There is no need to be too afraid of some things." Hearing that he took the initiative to mention Zeng Qin, Xiao Zhan couldn't help but raise his eyes and look at him.
The expression on that face was as natural as ever. After saying that, he nodded to Xiao Zhan and walked out.
Looking at his back as he left, Xiao Zhan really couldn't digest his intention and words in an instant.
Chen Yu was too unpredictable. Every time he talked to him; Xiao Zhan felt a little tired. After he left, he sat at the table and began to empty his mind.
The peach tree facing the window had already grown lush and green. He lowered his head and exposed a part of his wrist, which still had the mark left by Wang Yibo's last pinch. His body was sensitive and always left marks. Even the red mark left by Wang Yibo on his body when they were intimate for the last time was still light red.
Feeling a little hot, Xiao Zhan stood up, closed the window, and endured the discomfort in his body, slowly moving to the bed.
After lifting the wooden board under the blanket, some scratches carved with a knife were revealed, arranged in an orderly manner. His body began to tremble a little. The emptiness that jumped from the deepest part of his body began to occupy his mind again. He skillfully took out a knife from under the bed and tremblingly carved on the edge of the bed board.
One, two, three, four...
There was one more of those crooked vertical stripes.
After carving, he threw the knife under the bed, making a crisp sound, and his body slowly and uncontrollably slid to the ground. Without having to explore, he knew that his underwear had already become wet.
Xiao Zhan climbed the edge of the bed with all his strength, holding the quilt tightly with his fingers, his brows twisted into a frown, closing his eyes, and making a low whimper, like crying.
This frequent heat is the fifth time.
Since Wang Yibo stopped coming to see him, the frequency of heat has become more and more frequent in the past two months. Cui'e boiled medicine, three times a day, like drinking water, and had no use at all.
And every time he was in heat, he could only lock the door, hide in the quilt alone, and poke his fingers into his body, trying to dispel some of the emptiness, but that was not enough.
He had read those foreign books and knew very well that after being marked, if it was not that person, then he could not satisfy the physical torture at the moment.
It's not that he didn't have impulses. In the next room, as long as he pushed open the door, rushed over, and opened his legs towards that person, he wouldn't be so painful.
What dignity, what decency, as long as Wang Yibo hugged him, entered his body, and smelled that familiar scent, it would relieve all this.
If it was before, he would, but now...
Xiao Zhan climbed onto the bed with all his strength, trembling from under the quilt, and turned out a rope loop. The other end of the rope loop was connected to the innermost bedpost. He put the rope loop on his left foot and tied it tightly, and then tied it tighter.
On the white and tender ankles, there were red marks from the hemp rope, deep and shallow.
The whole bed curtain was filled with his smell, so sweet that it made him dizzy. After being marked, every time the pheromones were released, they were so strong that they made him physically nauseous.
Tears fell on the pillow, soaking a large area. His body was as soft as a pool of water. He twisted back and forth on the quilt, and his fingers were inserted into the deepest part of his body, but it was still difficult to satisfy.
The desire in his heart was like a flood and a beast, and it attacked him. Before Xiao Zhan was about to lose his mind, he touched the bedpost at one end with his hand, climbed hard, and hit it head on.
Once, it was not enough, the pain was still not enough to resist the surging desire, and once again, it was still not enough. In the end, he didn't know what he was doing at all.
He just numbly bumped into the bedpost repeatedly, making terrible groans, and mumbling words that he didn't understand. It seemed that only in this way could he offset the clamouring desire in his body.
When the pain became weaker and weaker, Xiao Zhan suddenly felt that he had hit something soft. He raised his head and saw a person standing by the bed in his tearful eyes. He stretched out a hand and blocked the bedpost he hit.
The familiar smell made him almost subconsciously reach out to pull the person, and pull him off to himself. When he couldn't pull him off, he climbed up and hung on the person, hugged him tightly with both hands, and rubbed his face against the person's neck.
Xiao Zhan even doubted whether this was a dream. The person being hugged was still motionless, just letting himself kiss and entangle.
One of his feet was still tied to the bedpost, his hair was spread out, his clothes fell to his waist, revealing his thin body, kneeling on the bed with his knees, climbing the other's neck,
Staring at the person with his hazy and out-of-focus eyes for a long time, and then carefully moved his lips over and pressed them against the tightly closed lips, rubbing them repeatedly.
After a while of rubbing without any skills, Xiao Zhan was pulled away. He looked at the man with puzzled eyes and tried to get closer again.
"Do you want me or respect?" A low and familiar voice.
"..." The body was pulled away for a distance, and the big hands pressed on his shoulders, just not letting him get close.
"Do you want me or respect?" He asked again, with a serious tone.
"..."
Xiao Zhan still didn't speak. His mind was fuzzy, and he only thought about how to be hugged by that person, struggling hard like a child.
Wang Yibo looked at Xiao Zhan, his eyes were out of focus, his whole body was trembling, a hemp rope was tied around his white ankles, and the whole bed was filled with the fragrance of his body. There was no trace of his usual nobleness.
At this time, he didn't understand what he was saying at all. He just needed a tool to relieve his heat pain.
Thinking of this, Wang Yibo relaxed his grip and felt that he couldn't help it tonight and came to him, which was really a bit boring.
"Hmm..." Before Wang Yibo could react, Xiao Zhan came up again and bit Wang Yibo's shoulder mercilessly, making him groan. The hand on Xiao Zhan's shoulder couldn't help but tighten.
"Wang Yibo..."
The hard thing in his pants had been held by a pair of cold hands before he could recover. That soft moan, with his own name, reached his ears.
Xiao Zhan in front of him had a flushed face, and desire filled his beautiful face. Wang Yibo was a little shocked. He had been tortured by heat and didn't know where he was. How could he recognize him?
"Wang Yibo..." Another moan came, and the hand in his crotch slid up and down, making the thing harder and harder.
The person beside the bed finally couldn't bear it anymore, and pressed the person who was half-kneeling on the bed to fall down. The curtain was opened and closed, and no one knew who made a low sigh that was inaudible.