Chapter 150: Shizun and I Swapped Rooms

This small town had become famous because of Dawning Peak.

But after the affair with the fake Gouchen, in which the weapons of

Jincheng Lake had been completely destroyed, visitors to the town had

dried up. Many of the inns that had provided accommodation for those who

came seeking swords closed down due to the slump in traffic or took up

different business. Nevertheless, the inn with the hot springs stubbornly

survived. Thanks to Nangong-gongzi's grand wedding, many of the guests

coming to Rufeng Sect to attend the reception would settle in Dai City first,

and thus the inn had momentarily returned to its former glory.

Xue Zhengyong swept aside the bamboo curtain and stepped into the

foyer. "Hey, boss. Here to check in!"

"For four?"

Before he could answer, a low voice from behind said, "For five."

Mo Ran had walked quickly to join them in time. Xue Meng was

surprised to see him. "You were done that fast?"

Mo Ran was taken aback. His expression soured, and he thought

angrily, How long does it take for yours to go down? For him, it had been a

simple matter of reciting the mind-purification mantra a few times while

sitting at the tea stall. But no—he knew Xue Meng wasn't talking about that

at all, and he couldn't make a scene, so he nodded quietly.

"You swallowed the melon seeds without even spitting out the shells,

didn't you?"

Mo Ran seethed but had no comeback.

"Honored guests, how many rooms would you like for the five of

you?"

Xue Zhengyong replied, "My wife and I will share one, plus we need

three more of your best suites, so four in total."

Mo Ran was somewhat agitated as he listened to his uncle make

arrangements, though he didn't show it. He'd harbored a secret hope that

the same thing would happen as in the past, where the boss would tell them

that there was no vacancy and they'd have to double up, that way he

could…

Forget it. He knew he wouldn't be able to make a move. But the

thought of staying in the same room alone with Chu Wanning made his

heart burn, unsettled him and thrilled him just a bit. After all, the blood of

carnivorous beasts flowed in his veins.

Luck wasn't on his side today, however. This time, the manager quite

happily answered, "Yes sir, four of our best suites!" He turned and took four

keys from the cabinet, then declared, "Honored guests, second floor, this

way please—"

Mo Ran gave him a deep, silent look, feeling somewhat glum. You

dumbass, he thought, what's with that happy expression over four rooms?

What's there to be happy about! What's so good about making more money!

"Ran-er, why are you gripping the counter like that?"

Mo Ran silently withdrew his hands and forced a faint smile. Cracks

showed on the bottom of the wooden board he had been gripping; had he

used any more force, it would've snapped into pieces. "No reason."

After taking his key from Xue Zhengyong and heading upstairs,

Mo Ran stopped in front of the door assigned to him with some surprise.

When he turned his head, he saw Chu Wanning looking back at him.

"You're staying in that room?"

"Mn… Yeah." Mo Ran hesitated, lashes lowered, then raised his gaze

despite himself and studied Chu Wanning with those bright, black eyes.

"Does Shizun still remember?"

"Remember what?"

Mo Ran pointed at his door. "That time we came to seek weapons,

this was the room Shizun stayed in."

Chu Wanning didn't answer. Mo Ran watched him cautiously. He

couldn't conceal a flicker of hope as he asked tentatively, "Shizun, do you

still remember?"

Chu Wanning thought to himself, How could I not. As he'd climbed

the creaking stairs that had long since fallen into disrepair, thoughts of the

past had filled him with every step. Memories had floated to the surface,

carrying the decaying smell of wood soaked in the passing of ages. He

could almost see the young Mo Ran pushing open the door with an

irreverent and frivolous expression, cracking a smile at him as he did so.

His dimpled grin was light, yet profound with years.

At his long silence, Mo Ran appeared somewhat disappointed, and

lowered his gaze. "Maybe I remembered wrong, mixed it up…"

"You're right."

Mo Ran's head shot up.

Chu Wanning gazed at him, then seemed to smile faintly. "You

weren't mistaken. It was indeed this room."

His words were a spark that ignited the darkness in Mo Ran's eyes,

and the corners of his lips slowly bowed in a sweet smile, as if he'd tasted

some delectable candy. He pointed toward the room Chu Wanning was to

stay in for the night, and in his joy, blurted out unreservedly, "And the room

Shizun is staying in tonight was the one I stayed in last time."

But this only made Chu Wanning embarrassed, and his smile

vanished as he huffed indignantly, "That I don't recall." So saying, he

pushed open the door and went in, leaving Mo Ran in the hall.

Mo Ran blinked after him. What had he done to upset him this time?

He didn't dare go to the baths to soak in the hot springs that night.

Better safe than sorry. Mo Ran felt as though he stood on the precipice of

desire; if he were to catch sight of Chu Wanning looking even the slightest

bit sensual, he wasn't sure he could remain a gentleman, could resist

picking this forbidden cliffside flower. Instead, he lay in bed, arms pillowed

behind his head, horribly bored, and mulled over what had lately passed

between him and Chu Wanning.

Mo Ran knew he wasn't a very smart person, and that Chu Wanning

was like a big white cat. He wanted to treat Chu Wanning well, to take care

of this snow-white kitty. Yet every time he tried to stroke it, he only

managed a couple of pets before the white cat's claws swiped at him like

he'd rubbed its fur the wrong way. He felt it was his fault, but at the same

time, he really didn't know where he was allowed to touch this cat and

where he wasn't. He was like someone who had just started keeping a cat;

all his knowledge was fragmentary, and he could only think to grab that

white cat and lick its fur. And that, in turn, would earn him an angry yowl

and a swipe of the claws.

Mo Ran turned over and blinked, feeling rather depressed. Yet it was

at this very moment that he realized—with the floorplan of this inn, his bed

was pressed right next to the bed of the room next door, separated merely

by a single wooden wall.

The instant this thought surfaced, any chance Mo Ran had of falling

asleep dwindled to practically nothing. He felt his mouth go dry. Had Chu

Wanning taken his bath? Or was he getting ready to? But Mo Ran had

barely heard any movement from the next room… If Chu Wanning didn't

plan to bathe, did that mean he had already lain down? If so, they were in

truth awfully close to each other now, and if it weren't for that thin wooden

board that divided their rooms, they would be lying next to each other…

Lying together. The thought alone made the young man's blood boil,

surging dangerously like a volcano in shallow dormancy, yet to erupt.

Unconsciously, he shifted his body to press firmly against the wall.

A wall made of wood was different from one of brick; after all,

wooden planks could only be two or three fingers thick. Mo Ran thought to

himself, Chu Wanning is lying there, mere inches away from me, stripped of

his clothes, or perhaps only wearing a thin inner robe… He closed his eyes

and swallowed hard. He could feel his heart burning, scorching his entire

body, blazing heat that reached his face, his eyes. His eyes weren't open,

but if they had been, they would've been laced with red, bloodshot.

Ah. He abruptly remembered another fact—one so thrilling his entire

body went taut, his blood rushing south. He had once jerked off on the very

bed that Chu Wanning was now sleeping in.

His memories of years past were so sticky, sinful, and sweet. The

recollection sent tension throughout his body. That year, he remembered, he

had gone to the hot springs and had accidentally tripped, falling into Chu

Wanning's arms. That feverish heat wouldn't fade no matter how he tried,

so he'd given in, rubbing one out with his forehead pressed to the wall,

releasing his desire on his own…

Mo Ran cracked his eyes open a slit, his eyes dark as pitch, yet with

scarlet lava surging beneath. He once again pressed his forehead to the wall.

It felt like his heart would burst. How had he been such a fool? He had

blatantly always felt desire and love, so how…had he not noticed…

He placed one hand on the wall. He did try to restrain himself, but he

really couldn't. When he didn't know he loved Chu Wanning, he could

think of the man and relieve himself without scruple. But now that he'd

fallen in love, he was destined to never obtain that man on the other side of

the wall no matter how hard he wished. Even dreaming it would feel dirty,

like he was defiling Chu Wanning.

Holding back lust by force of will was pure torment for a young body

so full of vigor. The tip of his nose brushed the wall as he pushed his

feverish body against that flimsy surface, his mind a chaotic mess. His eyes

were unfocused, and as passion grew in him, swelling every minute, an

illusion took hold. It seemed as if Chu Wanning's breathing and the faint

fragrance of haitang that clung to his body had permeated the cracks in the

wood's grain, had seeped into Mo Ran's bed, thoroughly enveloping him.

Chu Wanning's scent was enticing him, pitying him. It tempted his

beastly desires while pitying his humanity. It lured him to burn in the

flames of lust, and pitied him for what he wanted but could not have. Lost

in this temptation and pity, Mo Ran's brows drew together in pain and the

hands pressed to the wall tensed, showing sinew and bone. But his ruthless

expression was belied by his pleas, near sobs, as he murmured softly, "Chu

Wanning… Wanning…"

What he didn't know was that on the other side of the wall, Chu

Wanning likewise hadn't dared to go to the hot springs for a bath. Just as

Mo Ran had envisioned, he had already lain down to sleep. And at this

moment, Chu Wanning was also thinking of Mo Ran, yearning for him. He

stroked the cool wooden planks with his long and slender fingers, his

forehead also pressed to this heartless wall.

In the past life, the misunderstandings between the pair had been so

deep that they had lost their way, had been divided by a tremendous abyss.

In this life, they filled that abyss with their blood, turning it into a crimson

sea they could sail to each other's side. Yet because of this barrier, they

could not see the surging tides of one another's passion, and had no choice

but to ride the turbulent, overflowing waves of their own desires.

But they were so close; it was almost as if Mo Ran could hear Chu

Wanning's heartbeat, and Chu Wanning could almost hear Mo Ran's

breathing.

Someone banged on Mo Ran's door.

Startled, Mo Ran shouted irritably, "Who is it?!"

His shout also startled Chu Wanning next door, who instantly realized

that Mo Ran really had been sleeping nestled against the wall, pressed so

close that his deep and hoarse voice seemed to have sounded right next to

his pillow. He unconsciously clenched his fists, silently opening his phoenix

eyes in the darkness.

"It's Xue Meng," came the voice outside. "My mom said she packed

my stuff with yours. Open the door, I want to take a bath."

Eavesdropping was obviously not a good deed, but Chu Wanning

thought: I'm not eavesdropping. It's the planks that are too thin, the

soundproofing of the rooms that's terrible, it's Xue Meng who's too loud.

Either way, it wasn't like he wanted to listen in, Chu Wanning thought as he

wrapped the blanket tighter and shuffled closer to the wall.

Next door, the bed creaked, and after a moment the door opened.

Xue Meng's voice came again. "Eh? You're already in bed? So early?"

"I'm tired." Mo Ran sounded a little strangled. "Get a move on, you

woke me up. Take your clothes and go, go go."

"What's the rush?" Xue Meng paused, then a trace of suspicion

colored his voice. "Locking your door so early and holing up in there. I

barely said two words and you're getting all pissy; don't tell me you

were…"

What? What was he doing?

Chu Wanning's eyes widened, and his mind unconsciously wandered

back to when he'd rubbed against Mo Ran's body at the lotus pond. That

youth possessed an overabundance of vitality and virility, a lethal potency

waiting to strike. As a young man in his early twenties who didn't practice

the abstinence-based cultivation method Chu Wanning did…how much

roiling lava was concealed under that skin? How often would someone like

that have to relieve himself? Chu Wanning didn't know any of that; he had

been abstinent for too long. It wasn't something he understood. Now he

wanted to know, but this curiosity was held back by his haughtiness and his

self-respect. How could someone as proud as he was ask this sort of

question? He couldn't possibly pull a random disciple aside and say, Excuse

me, sorry to trouble you. I want to know how many times a week do men in

their prime need to relieve themselves?

Perish this perverted thought.

Of course, Sisheng Peak's libraries contained books related to

romance and dual cultivation. But every book borrowed required the

borrower to log their name, and Chu Wanning really couldn't imagine the

following words appearing on the logs:

The Legend of the Bedchamber Heroes

Tales from the Sensual Sea

Borrower: Yuheng Elder, Chu Wanning

…Death would be preferable.