16 The Soon-to-Be Husband

The bridge was further away down the river than what She LiangLin had first estimated. His thigh muscles were burning as he reached the little wooden planks that were stretched across the river.

He hurried over and now ran back up the river bench towards the inn. To his dismay, the lights were already put out as he reached the backdoors of the building. The doors were drawn close and bolted from the inside.

You've got to be kidding with me! LiangLin seethed as he kicked the grass with his bare feet. The robes that previously hung seductively over his lean shoulders were now hanging halfway over his chest, revealing his nipple.

The slit down his hem had pulled up over his waist, showing the side of his body and the curve between his thigh and back. It was not a good day to skip out on undergarments.

Resting his hands on his waist, he let his head fall back. His ponytail draped over his shoulder as he took a ragged breath in. Sweat and cool night mist clung to his flushed skin in tiny droplets. Turning towards the river, he let his hand fall to his side in defeat. He had missed out on seeing the guy.

He closed his eyes, letting his mind calm down, and his breath to even out. The moonlight shone brightly from under the fluffy clouds, caressing his skin with its silver rays. Allowing himself to be drowned by the moon's gentle embrace, he didn't hear the soft steps that approached him from behind.

Not until sturdy arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him tight against a solid chest.

"You are fast. You even changed your outfit," A warm, low voice whispered in his ear, sending shivers down his spine. LiangLin froze. He knew this voice.

A hand brushed down the open slit of his hem. Scorching hot fingers scraped along his thigh and LiangLin jumped at the sudden touch, pushing the guy off of him.

Familiar lopsided grin greeted him under the crescent moon and without a warning, LiangLin punched the man right between his eyes, sending him on his ass with a groan.

"Damn asshole! So you came back here after all!" LiangLin hissed as he gave the guy another punch over his brows, rendering him unconscious and sprawled out on the dewy grass.

The eyepatch was missing. Deep crimson robes had changed to that of dark blue, with golden stitching of peonies over his shoulders and chest. Flowy black hair was combed and pulled up in a half bun, with a gold ring and a pin holding it in place.

But LiangLin would recognize that face even if it was ground to dust and spread out with the wind. Those dark brows, and kissable wide lips... It was that sorcerer, XueYa!

So, he was that 'husband' QingYu had been blabbering about the entire day. Over LiangLin's dead body was QingYu taking this guy as anything! He belonged to - no - under the ground, minced up until not even his mother could recognize him!

As he looked at the motionless man at his feet, another, even more, irritating thought smacked him over his head. This asshole had thought he was QingYu. Something about changing outfits, he had said. So XueYa had come here to grope QingYu, not him!

LiangLin gritted his teeth as he gave the body a kick in the ribs. Feeling the irritation mounting inside him instead of dissipating, he gave another kick to the man's side. Damn bastard! This is for trying to ruffle up QingYu!

At that moment, Lan QingYu stepped out from the shadows. He had just walked around the inn. He had a smile on his lips as he skipped forward. Seeing LiangLin, the two orbs widened in surprise.

"Brother LiangLin? What are you doing here?"

LiangLin didn't answer, his glare was still nailed on the man at his feet.

QingYu came to a halt next to the white snake and looking down he screeched,

"Ah! Brother LiangLin, did you kill him? YaYun? YaYun!"

QingYu was now on his knees, running his hands over the man, slapping his cheeks to wake him up. Putting a finger under the man's nose, he let out a sigh of relief. YaYun was still breathing!

YaYun? LiangLin's eye twitched. YaYun his taut ass! This bastard was XueYa!

"Brother LiangLin! Why did you hurt him? Look at his pretty face, it's all red! Do you think he will develop a bruise?" QingYu was scowling at LiangLin as he propped YaYun's head on his lap and rubbed the red spot between the man's brows with his thumb.

"He's the sorcerer!" LiangLin hissed as his fists tightened.

QingYu raised his brow. "No, he is not! He is the man I told you about! He doesn't even have an eyepatch!"

"He could have faked it! That bastard is a scoundrel!" LiangLin snapped. XueYa could have easily faked being a one-eyed bastard. He very well could be a two-eyed bastard!

"He still has his fingers!" QingYu said as he raised the man's hands in the air. All ten fingers were still intact.

A frown formed over his eyes as LiangLin protruded his lips, pouting with confusion.

But it couldn't be.

It was clearly XueYa, in flesh and bone. He still remembered how XueYa had pinned him against the mattress, keeping him there without effort. But back then, there were only three fingers wrapped around his wrists.

"Maybe he regrew them?" LiangLin offered. Yes, it must have been it! He was a sorcerer, after all. They had all those magic things and artefacts going on. Growing limps didn't sound far-fetched.

"Even we can't grow limps that fast, and he is but a mortal sorcerer!" QingYu snapped.

LiangLin gritted his teeth. QingYu was an idiot! They knew next to nothing about sorcerers. LiangLin was certain this piece of shit was XueYa!

"Impossible! It must be him. How could two identical persons be visiting the same area in such a short time?" LiangLin complained.

"We are identical." QingYu pointed out as he brushed his delicate fingers over YaYun's face in gentle strokes.

"We are the exception, not the norm. How could there be so many identical people in the same area?"

"Brother LiangLin, why are you so adamant in ruining my chance of getting a nice mate?" QingYu grumbled as he hugged the limp body close to his chest. "He has been really nice and respectful towards me and others this entire evening."

LiangLin saw red, his nostrils quivering. The bastard had felt him up just now! Respectful his ass! "He came here to touch me - no - you indecently!"

"I-" QingYu blushed hard as he lowered his gaze on the man in his arms. "I might have... asked for him to meet me here and... um..."

LiangLin opened his mouth to protest but footsteps distracted him and the two snakes perked up, looking around their surroundings. Soon, three figures emerged from the darkness, walking towards the two and the body.

"Lin'er? Is that you?"

"Eh, 51, what are you doing here in the dark?"

"Oh my god, LinLin, did you kill someone?" LiChun sounded excited as she hopped closer and jumped LiangLin, clinging to his neck with her frail arms, hugging him.

"Eldest, 25th, and 50th sister? What are you doing here?" LiangLin asked as he twirled LiChun in the air for a few rounds before putting her down gently.

"We heard you shouting just now, so we came to check it out," LiChun said, smiling brightly at him.

"LiYue is here too, but she is waiting at the front of the inn. We came to make sure you are settling well in Lushan," LiBai, the eldest, said as her eyes shot between LiangLin and QingYu, then back at LiangLin again, trailing down his body. Her brow twitched.

Looking at himself, LiangLin blushed deep red as he pulled his robes up to conceal his exposed body.

"Who is this?" LiAi, the 25th sister, asked as she pointed at QingYu. Before either of the men could answer, LiAi had already crouched down to look over at the body in QingYu's arms. "Well colour me surprised, our boy, 51, caught and killed the sorcerer!"

"He what?" LiChun squealed as she pushed LiAi aside to take a look. Her smile quivered as she took a closer look at the man. "But, where's the eyepatch? And he's not missing any fingers."

"Hah, see? I told you, brother LiangLin!" QingYu chirped.

"Just in case, kill him." LiAi decided as she stood up and took out a small fan to air herself in the cold.

"What? No!" QingYu cried out.

"Hmm, maybe not kill him, but keep him tied up and interrogate later." LiChun offered.

QingYu pouted as he refused to let the man go from his clutches.

"Either way, sprawled out on the ground is not the way," LiBai said, then as her curiosity seemed to take the better of her, she added, "How do you two look so much alike?"

LiangLin told his sisters of his encounter with QingYu at the changing room of the inn.

LiAi was frowning. Her eyes told of certain death as they narrowed and she shot a glare at QingYu. "Such coincidences exist? Maybe dad cheated? I'm going to tell ma about this! I will fry his cheating toes!"

"Don't be silly, Ai'er. Ma has kept dad between the oven and her slipper every day since I was born. I doubt he had the time or the death wish to cheat out here in Lushan." LiBai said with a smile. Turning back to QingYu, she pointed at YaYun. "We should get him inside and tie him up for now."

QingYu shook his head and wrapped his arms around YaYun as if cradling a child.

LiangLin crossed his arms over his chest as he glared down at QingYu with evil intent carved in his smile.

"QingYu, either we get him inside and secured, or I will make you a widow!"

"Brother LiangLin, how cruel! He hasn't even pinned me down once, yet!"