8

Zhou Di returned to his room, lying on his bed, deep in thought about the conversation with Yang Chen just now. He thought back on his own life, although his parents had passed away prematurely, he was already an adult at that time. With the help of his family clan, he pursued higher education in university. Now his grandparents lived in a village where most of residents were from his family clan. With the love of his grandparents, he had been able to do everything what he wanted to do except for one aspect, the arranged marriage set up by his grandparent, a child engagement which going against his wishes.

With suppot from the family clan, he enjoyed the freedom to pursue his interests and live life according to his own terms. He grew up without constraints, learned what he liked and turned his hobbies into a means of livelihood. Comparing this to Yang Chen's life, the son of the grand warlord, burdened with responsibilities and lacking personal freedom, Zhou Di couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. Despite being only 27 or 28 years old, Yang Chen had to command and coordinate the entire army, maintain the family's honor and ensure happiness of everyone around him. How about his own life? Yet, he seemed to lack true companionship and the freedom to make personal choices. Thinking about Yang Chen's circumstances, Zhou Di couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. Poor Yang Chen! 

As the days grew hotter, Zhou Di kept his windows open day and night. However, he noticed there was no sign of Yang Chen outside the window. Butler Yang told him that Yang Chen was inspecting the coastal defenses in the east. It would take four or five days for him to return. Upon his return, he would bring a group of trusted officers to have a party for a couple of days before the arrival of the entire Yang family.

Meanwhile, Zhou Di's restoration work became increasingly challenging. Currently, he possessed patterns for five plates, four bowls and two jugs in his hand but the numbering of the fragments didn't match up precisely. This meant there were gaps to be filled by mixing porcelain powder with white epoxy resin to create a soft clay-like substance, which he then pressed this mixture into the missing parts according to the missing parts. If these items would be displayed in the exhibition hall in the bureau, Zhou Di didn't need to think about their price instead of their archaeological value. However, he understood Yang Chen focused more on their monetary worth. So meticulous repair work was essential to restore them to their orginal state. It was a complex and tedious endeavor, but one that Zhou Di approached with diligence.

After three days, Yang Chen returned with a dozen navy officers. Butler Yang had prepared everything in advance for their party, including plenty of fine wine and delicious food. However Zhou Di remained entrenched in his work in his room, reminding himself not to miss meals because Butler Yang was preoccupied with the arrangements.

However, one night, Zhou Di was abruptly roused from his sleep, disoriented and in a daze. In his semi-conscious state, he felt someone binding his hands. In a panic, he tried to resist, but it was too late. His hands were already tied to the bedpost. Soon, a person with a strong smell of alcohol pressed down on him with force. He wanted to scream, but his cries were muffled by the alcohol-laden breath covering his mouth. He tried to kick the person away but his legs were held down firmly. He attempted to push the unwanted kiss away but his head was held in place by a hand. At the same time, his body was touched gently up and down by hand. Helpless and vulnerable, Zhou Di finally succumbed to the kiss and gentle caresses. In his weakened state, he heard the person whisper: 

"My baby, I miss you!"

Zhou Di cursed weakly:

"Yang Chen, you bastard, don't do this, please, don't..."

Yang Chen not only touched but also scratched on his body from upper torso down to his waist and even beneath his underwear. At the same time Yang Chen planted kisses on Zhou Di's lips, neck and earlobes, trailing down to his chest where he lavished attention on one of his nipples, kissing, licking and playing it. At the beginning Zhou Di had a little power to scold and now his protests transformed into soft moans of surrender.

When Zhou Di regained consciousness again, it was already the next morning. He attempted to get up but felt soreness all over his body, particularly in his buttocks, which throbbed with pain. He couldn't help but suppress a groan. At that moment, Adjutant Yang walked in and said:

"You're awake. It's best for you to remain lying down. You have a fever so take this medicine." 

Zhou Di stared blankly at Yang Zaihua, still feeling disoriented, and mechanically took the medicine. Then Adjutant Yang Zaihua retrieved a small bottle and handed it to him, saying:

"Applying this medicine can alleviate the pain. Also, here's 200 silver yuan for you. Please keep it secretly and refrain from discussing this matter any further."

Suddenly Zhou Di grasped the implication behind the money and queried with a dark expression:

"Did Young Marshal used to offer others the same compensation before?"

Adjutant Yang explained:

"No, it was only 50 silver yuan, but those boys were blindfolded and didn't know it was Young Marshal. You're different because you....."

Cutting him off coldly, Zhou Di interjected:

"Because I know it's the Young Marshal. So, in addition to payment for our sex, is this also hush money? Is this what Young Marshal intends?"

Adjutant Yang replied:

"Yes, it is a practice I've employed in similar situation before, so..."

Zhou Di declared firmly:

"I want to meet your Young Marshal now."

After speaking, Zhou Di prepared to get up despite the pain coursing through his own body. Adjutant Yang hesitated, beginning to caution: 

"Are you sure you want to ..."

Zhou Di interrupted, his expression devoid of emotion:

"Get out! I need to get dressed. Tell your Young Marshal that I want to see him. Now!"

Seeing Zhou Di's unwavering attitude, Adjutant Yang seethed inwardly, feeling a level of disrespect he hadn't encountered outside of the Yang family. Maintaining a cold facade, he said:

"Zhou Di, don't act high and mighty just because the Young Marshal holds you in high regard. Don't think of yourself as some extraordinary person."

"I don't need Ajutant Yang to remind me. I know who I am, nothing special. I don't need your Young Marshal or you, Ajutant Yang, to look up to me. So please go out. I'm getting up. Or does Adjutant Yang want to be my next customer, letting me earn another 200 silver yuan?" 

"Don't need for Adjutant Yang to remind me. I have never known I am anything special and I don't need your Young Marshal and you to think highly of me. Please get out! I want to get up. Or does Adjutant Yang want to be my next client and let me earn another 200 silver yuan?"

After his words, Zhou Di fixed a cold stare on Adjutant Yang, who returned the glare at him fiercely and then walked out of the room. Zhou Di, with an impassive emotion, dressed himself, enduring the discomfort pain coursing through his body. He touched his forehead and felt a bit warmth but he didn't care anymore. He just wanted to see Yang Chen. Stepping out of the bedroom, he saw Adjutant Yang standing outside. Without a glance, Zhou Di addressed him coolly:

"It is better for you to show me the way to your Young Marshal. If I have to search him on my way, I think all of the officers here will soon learn of their Young Marshal sleeping with a man."

After speaking, Zhou Di proceeded down the corridor towards the main house. Adjutant Yang, seeing Zhou Di's determination, cursed silently and quickly caught up with Zhou Di and led the way ahead. Upon arrival, Adjutant Yang didn't lead Zhou Di towards Yang Chen's office and they entered a small meeting room adjacent to the main hall. He said to Zhou Di with a fierce tone:

"You wait here!"

Unfazed, Zhou Di replied fearlessly:

"It is better for you to be quick. I'm not a patient person. If I'm kept awaiting too long, I may just barge in."

After waiting for a while, the door opened and Yang Chen walked in. Zhou Di stepped forward and looked at Yang Chen coldly. Then he tossed the 200 silver yuan at Yang Chen's face, disdain evident in his tone:

"It is 200 silver yuan that isn't enough for me to tolerate prostitution and hush money. You're a Young Marshal, a great and well-known person. I think it is embarrassing for you to offer me such a palty sum."

When Yang Chen attempted to embrace him, Zhou Di took a step back, avoiding the embrace:

"Don't touch me and you disgust me. Please arrange for a car to take me down the mountain. I don't want to stay here for another moment."

Yang Chen explained:

"Please, Zhou Di, don't be like this. It isn't what I intended. I didn't instruct Zaihua to handle it in this way. I reprimanded him severely as soon as I heard what he did."

"Arrange for a car to take me away. Yang Chen, I no longer trust every word you say anymore. I was foolish, feeling sorry for you, an eldest son of a great warlord, seeming burdened with a life worse than a poor guy like me. But now I understand. You deserve to have no friends. Using lies to gain sympathy and favor from others is destined to fall."

While saying this, Zhou Di suddenly felt a wave of dizziness and quickly grabbed onto a nearby chair to prevent himself from collapsing. Yang Chen stepped forward, holding him and checked his forehead:

"You're running a fever. Didn't Zaihua give you medicine?"

Zhou Di tried to break free from Yang Chen's embrace but had no strength left, weakly saying:

"Get away! Don't touch me. I told you that you disgust me."

Yang Chen couldn't help but smile, saying:

"Okay, let me thoroughly disgust you."

After his words, he lifted Zhou Di horizontally. Zhou Di struggled with the last of his strength, trying to break free. Yang Chen continued to say:

"If you don't want me to carry you, I will just fuck you here again. With your current condition, you're powerless to resist against me. So it is up to you. Let me fuck you or let me carry you away?"

Drained of strength, Zhou Di leaned against Yang Chen's shoulder, muttering:

"How bastard you are!"

Yang Chen looked at Zhou Di and chuckled:

"Good curse. I like it."