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˚❀. ˚✦ ✿ .˚ . ˚ ✿. ˚ ❀ . ˚✦ . ✿ ˚ ❀ * ˚ ❀ ✦ ˚ .
It had been a couple years since Zhao Yuanzhou had pissed Zhuo Yichen off enough he actually went after him with his sword. What had he done? By now the question really should be, what hadn't he?
In the heights of passion, Zhao Yuanzhou had pressed a hand against Zhuo Yichen's throat, forced his lips open to gasp for air, and spat in his mouth. At the time, Zhuo Yichen was already too enmeshed in pleasure to kick his ass, as his own was thoroughly ravished. He'd gagged, choking on the fluid he was forced to swallow, tears streaming freely down his face. So his angry glare, woven with heady arousal, hadn't been very intimidating. Moreover, it had been rather intoxicating.
After, Zhuo Yichen hadn't even bothered to get dressed. He drew his Cloud Light sword and chased Zhao Yuanzhou around the Peach Blossom House, where the pair often spent their free time together.
But even a few decades of contentment couldn't calm the wrath of someone like Zhuo Yichen, who was already planning some way to get back at him. Zhao Yuanzhou looked forward to whatever that might be. He was never disappointed.
Sometimes he missed Zhuo Yichen's past fumbling, innocent and naive in the ways of intimacy. But then his present, beautiful, demonic self would descend upon Zhao Yuanzhou and ride him to the brink, even if he cried every time.
Zhao Yuanzhou loved every single drop.
And since Zhuo Yichen was now a demon in his prime, his sexual prowess also increased. Zhao Yuanzhou was old and tired—as much as his desire only grew over the years, he was still lazy.
Which was probably why Zhuo Yichen had taken to mounting him on his own lately, stirring Zhao Yuanzhou up enough to drive him crazy. He would pin Zhao Yuanzhou down and sway his hips atop him, moaning and gasping as he chased his own pleasure.
Naturally, in the end he always got what he wanted—which was Zhao Yuanzhou flipping him over and fucking him stupid.
Neither of them ever grew tired of it.
Zhao Yuanzhou was beginning to look for ways to spice things up, maybe take back a little of his control over the wild and stubborn Zhuo Yichen.
When they weren't busy with bureau affairs or wandering the ever-changing mortal realm on night hunts, they would sometimes visit Wen Xiao—and she would sometimes join them on their more world-concerning missions. Others… they would spend only deeply entrenched in each other.
And so the legends went—the ones too uncouth for the lofty Zhuo Yichen to catch whiff of—that two great demons, who also happened to be lovers, traveled the world doing good deeds and maintaining a dual vessel of evil, thus protecting all the lands. And so on and so forth, the fun part was that they were lovers.
And it was true.
Long gone were the days of Zhuo Yichen's chastity, with it his abstinence. Though he remained willful and reserved, Zhao Yuanzhou knew he wasn't the only one full of illicit desire, even if Zhuo Yichen liked to pretend otherwise.
Zhao Yuanzhou had mentioned this once, when Zhuo Yichen was writhing his hips on top of him, “You act like such a prude, Xiao-Zhuo… until I’m inside you, then you become like this—”
To which Zhuo Yichen had squeezed down on him harshly just to watch him grunt, and breathily retorted, “Don’t you ask me to indulge you all the time, old lecher?”
“Says the one working so hard.” Zhao Yuanzhou's voice had grown sonorous and gruff, steadying Zhuo Yichen’s taut thighs with a bruising grip of his waist. Then he’d flipped them over and tutted. “Why can’t you just be honest?”
Because in fact, Zhuo Yichen actually had a very keen and specific interest—one in which Zhao Yuanzhou was more than happy to oblige. They maybe should talk out the details a little more, but neither of them were quite willing to parse out this strange love between them just yet. It was much more thrilling to discover as they went.
He would use a simple one-word spell, crooked fingers against smiling lips. Once this word was spoken, Zhuo Yichen would obey. If he was resistant, there would be punishment.
This was how it would begin—and usually, it was because Zhuo Yichen pushed one of Zhao Yuanzhou’s buttons, one too many times.
He was a patient demon; he knew how to wait for the good things—revenge was a dish best served cold. But Zhuo Yichen was also incredibly talented at testing Zhao Yuanzhou’s limits; almost as if it were his fucking hobby or something.
There was one taboo between them, and if it was trifled with, then it meant Zhao Yuanzhou held the reins—and he would absolutely take full control. This one taboo was stupidly simple, but it always, somehow, set him off.
Zhuo Yichen had a way of messing with him, and he’d just jammed one of those buttons a little too hard.
“Submit.” Zhao Yuanzhou's sultry voice whispered, watching the surprise hitch in Zhuo Yichen’s shoulders as his body gave in to his command. Depending on Zhao Yuanzhou’s mood, this meant a few different things. Right now, he wanted to see the tall and upright Zhuo Yichen below him.
So he knelt, dropped right to his knees in front of Zhao Yuanzhou.
It took a certain bond of trust to entertain something this dangerous. Between two great demons—two equals—that danger was even more invigorating than carnal lust. Zhao Yuanzhou already had enough trouble subduing his evil instincts, including their dominant nature... Whereas Zhuo Yichen, ever the embodiment of that trouble, had yet to understand his own meek and docile qualities.
Someone as powerful, respected, and aspired after as Zhuo Yichen… to him, letting go of all that rigid authority and meritable honor was like sipping an aged, fine wine. It did things to him. Good things.
Zhao Yuanzhou had discovered what Zhuo Yichen really liked was simply to be free of choice. He'd had to make so many terrible and heartbreaking decisions in his life, that it seemed having the illusion of that choice taken away made for a healthier, happier Zhuo Yichen.
This was sometimes difficult for Zhao Yuanzhou. Not because he didn't want to play his role, but because he enjoyed it way too much. The darkness inside him did, that was. So whenever Zhuo Yichen got like this—because of his choices—he was not the only one who would have to practice considerable restraint.
If there was one thing he'd learned those days, chasing after Zhuo Yichen and his missing soul—it was that the one really in control was him. Not Zhao Yuanzhou, who was given the throne from time to time, no. Even if Zhao Yuanzhou was the one responsible for Zhuo Yichen's life itself—he really had been whipped all along.
In the end, Zhuo Yichen got what he wanted; and Zhao Yuanzhou got what he deserved. It worked out splendidly, and if they were to trade places there would be no difference. They were both endlessly obsessed with each other.
However, just because Zhuo Yichen liked being ordered around or bullied in bed; it did not mean he was ever going to easily cave in and submit, even when forced to. He was stubborn, after all, and pride liked to get in the way of his darker desires. Sometimes the punishment was what he needed, and he sought it unconsciously.
Sometimes it took... a little extra effort to render him fully pliant, relenting and ready, to be taken apart however Zhao Yuanzhou wished.
"Eyes up." He said, but this demand Zhuo Yichen rebelled against. He’d stumbled to his knees, sure, and Zhao Yuanzhou was now looking down on him. The place his face was level with already felt heated… or maybe it was just his own bated breaths.
That extra work often leaned into Zhao Yuanzhou's favored spell—because when used in the right timing, made for some very naughty sights to see. For another time, though. "Look."
Where Zhuo Yichen was, kneeled on the floor as directed, he looked up to meet Zhao Yuanzhou's eyes. His own were already filled with deep pools of electric want, but he hadn't planned on engaging like this with Zhao Yuanzhou tonight. Of all the times to not do this, it would be now. They were in the middle of a mission, dammit!
"I know what you want to say, Xiao-Zhuo. Not tonight, we're busy. Yes, tonight. I haven't had you in weeks, so save your excuses."
"They're not excuses if they're true." Zhuo Yichen shot back, his glare turning into something bewildered when Zhao Yuanzhou’s shadow cast over him. He leaned down and slid a thumb into his mouth, pressing past his lips with little resistance.
"No biting." He casually warned, "What shall I do with you, hm? If you're determined to act unwilling, maybe I should remind you how we ended up like this in the first place. You brought this upon yourself, Xiao-Zhuo."
It was kind of Zhuo Yichen's fault. He groaned when Zhao Yuanzhou pressed down on his tongue, dragging his mouth open.
Zhuo Yichen still had his hackles raised, and he turned his face away. "Don't pin this on me. You just stood there and watched.”
To backtrack a little bit:
They had been engaged with a demon who wasn't very strong, but what he lacked in strength he made up for in cunning.
He was to be caught and punished with imprisonment for several years, as his crimes weren't horrible, just… piled up, and… untoward.
He was a fox spirit, a bold and reckless one. And he liked to fuck around with his targets by humiliating and insulting them. While that didn’t exactly work on someone as aloof as Zhuo Yichen, it didn’t stop the little rascal from trying.
Zhao Yuanzhou, being droll and indolent, had completely stepped aside for this one. He would let the accomplished and ferocious Zhuo Yichen handle it.
What he witnessed instead was the rather hilarious and visually stimulating sight of Zhuo Yichen attempting to catch a young man who was intent on tugging his clothes off one piece at a time; and he was quite agile and capable about it too.
Zhuo Yichen's sheer outer robe was already catching at his elbows. This sly fox was taking advantage of the fact Zhuo Yichen was trying not to hurt him any more than necessary. He hadn’t even drawn his sword. In fact, he’d actually tried to reason with the brat!
The fox just called him names like ‘pretty boy’ and ‘stupid lizard’ in return, yanked on his skirts and tugged at his belt as they did a ridiculous dance—until a little too much skin was shown, revealing a sliver of pale and toned chest, and Zhao Yuanzhou's possessive streak decided to make an appearance in concert.
With a one-word spell he knocked the fox out in a single breath. "Faint."
Zhuo Yichen was left pulling his collars back into order, disgruntled and annoyed. "What took you so damn long…”
"I thought you could handle a little shit like this yourself, but apparently you like to be toyed with by the youngsters. I should know better. You never spoil me like that…"
“Oh?” Zhuo Yichen huffed, slipping his half-shed outer robe back over his shoulders. “Does Zhao Yuanzhou want to be spoiled like a child?”
He hadn’t expected Zhuo Yichen to flirt back with him. How rare that was indeed. Had the fox managed to bewitch him somehow?
A bit taken aback, he answered more honestly than he’d intended. “You know I’d love it.” To regain his mien he added, “But the one who really enjoys being spoiled isn’t me.”
“Unfortunately, you’re the wise elder here. You would know best.” Zhuo Yichen’s ears had gone a little red; he’d reached the end of his ability to keep up with Zhao Yuanzhou’s smooth-talk.
So petty, but also cute as hell. Zhao Yuanzhou shook his head, chuckling. “You could spoil me a little—”
“I spoil you all the damn time.” If Zhuo Yichen heard the tinge of jealousy in Zhao Yuanzhou's voice, he elected to ignore it. "This fox is just a brat, he’s a nuisance but he hasn't done any real harm.”
"So you were fine with letting him undress you?" Zhao Yuanzhou ticked an eyebrow. Sure, they might be in the middle of the forest, miles away from the nearest town, but was Zhuo Yichen really that lenient toward the youths?
Apparently so, taking the fox boy's side, as he was. "Not everyone is like you."
There was a crackle of tension between them. "What is Xiao-Zhuo insinuating?"
"You know damn well, perverted old mo—"
"Are you sure you want to finish that sentence?" Zhao Yuanzhou crowded into his personal space, deciding to help Zhuo Yichen cinch his belt—a bit too tightly—smirking when he grunted and squirmed.
And repeated with zeal, "Perverted old monkey, get your paws off me!”
Back to the present, then.
"Xiao-Zhuo knows very well what to say and do to rile me up. Isn't this what you wanted?"
“Zhao Yuanzhou. There is a prisoner tied up across the room. Don’t you dare.”
“He’s a fox, how do you think he cultivated a human form at his young age?” Zhao Yuanzhou had taken care of this issue already.
Meaning, he’d struck a few acupoints, made the brat mute and unable to move for the time being. Awake or not, he didn’t care. And he wasn’t about to let Zhuo Yichen relax so easily by telling him any of this, either. There was a point to be made: Zhuo Yichen was his.
A little bit of punishment, and a little bit of pleasure. That’s what he’d get tonight.
To start, Zhao Yuanzhou would make him do something Zhuo Yichen wasn't very good at, because he was always too shy to practice. Something Zhao Yuanzhou really liked, and he was pretty sure Zhuo Yichen did too, despite his reluctance.
Usually, Zhao Yuanzhou was the one who would devour him whole. This evening, he'd give Zhuo Yichen a taste of something different.
While Zhuo Yichen's gaze was trained on him, forced to watch, Zhao Yuanzhou untied his belt and dropped it aside, then slipped out of his robes, biting back husky laughter at the sight of Zhuo Yichen's flushed and embarrassed expression.
“I know you like what you see.” He crooned, letting his robes hang at his elbows, broad chest bared. With only his trousers remaining, the shape of his arousal was visible against the fabric—exactly eye-level with Zhuo Yichen's face.
His thumb returned to press against Zhuo Yichen's lips as he released the spell keeping his eyes fixed, drawing out the whine he'd tried to swallow. Zhao Yuanzhou presented himself before those wetted lips, now free of all restraints, and said, "Open your mouth."
Zhuo Yichen's lashes fluttered closed, already trapping unshed tears, as he obeyed. Instead of having his mouth filled immediately, he was left hanging for a moment—and was about to call it quits when Zhao Yuanzhou chuckled—a low, rumbling sound. He whispered, "You really do spoil me, don't you?" And then slid onto that patiently waiting tongue.
Zhuo Yichen was forced to swallow his response, feeling humiliated—but there was nothing he could do as Zhao Yuanzhou twisted his fingers into his hair and held him still, sinking in until he hit the back of Zhuo Yichen's throat.
He gagged. Zhao Yuanzhou eased up a little, wincing. "Oops..."
A watery, mean glare was all he was shot in return—and it was incredibly hot on its own. He jumped in Zhuo Yichen's mouth, which only made him moan in surprise—repeating the process—and allowing him to push past that initial resistance, urging Zhuo Yichen's nose to nuzzle against his navel. He held him there for a struggling moment and then let go, sliding back out to rub against his tongue. Judging from the mellowed gaze upon Zhuo Yichen's tear-streaked face, this bode well.
He was always pleasantly surprised by how well Zhuo Yichen gave head, and hadn't realized he'd grasped his hair in both hands to hold him steady when climax ripped through him. He heard Zhuo Yichen choke, coming to his senses and pulling away. This made matters worse, as what Zhuo Yichen wasn't able to swallow landed on his face instead.
Zhao Yuanzhou wiped his face clean with a sleeve before he could gather his wits enough to protest and then pulled him up into a riveting kiss, licking away any breath he might have hoped to recover. Like this, he easily walked Zhuo Yichen backwards and onto the bed, where they both fell entangled.
The poor fox was completely forgotten as Zhao Yuanzhou's claws made their appearance and he ripped Zhuo Yichen out of his robes.
This always made Zhuo Yichen's lightheadedness focus enough to yelp, "Stop destroying my fucking clothes!"
To which Zhao Yuanzhou would playfully growl, "That's half the fun of it, Xiao-Zhuo."
Or something of the like.
Regardless, Zhuo Yichen was improperly disrobed, tossed onto his back with enough force to knock the wind out of him, and when his neck craned over the edge of the bed—he whined loudly, unable to see from where he was, but very able to feel Zhao Yuanzhou's mouth on him. His fingers came next, pushing inside impatiently, and when his lips trailed across Zhuo Yichen's inner thigh and bit down, hard, he came with a startled whimper, both in pain and bliss.
After that, it was a mess of heavy breathing and joined bodies. Zhao Yuanzhou pinned him down, bearing his full weight against him—but even that wasn't enough to keep Zhuo Yichen in his control, twisting and bucking under him, greedy for more—for rougher treatment.
"If you can't stay still, I'll tie you up." Zhao Yuanzhou told him, pulling Zhuo Yichen's hands away from knotting into his hair a fifth time. "I want to take my time with you, you always make that difficult."
"Just shut up and do what you're good at." Zhuo Yichen complained in response, believing none of his warning.
Zhao Yuanzhou sat back on his haunches, shuddering when the movement made Zhuo Yichen clench around him, and resolutely lifted his fingers to his lips. "Restrain."
As Zhuo Yichen's hair fell loose, the unraveled ribbon wrapped around his wrists instead, which were dragged up and tied around the headrest. Now every part of Zhuo Yichen was exposed—and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Much better." Zhao Yuanzhou chortled.
"Bastard." Zhuo Yichen replied.
"You insult me with your mouth, but this," Zhao Yuanzhou took him into his grasp, savoring the moan he unleashed, "tells me otherwise."
"Stop teasing me already..." Zhuo Yichen groaned again when Zhao Yuanzhou squeezed him, doing the exact opposite.
"There's something I've been wanting to try, Xiao-Zhuo." Zhao Yuanzhou leaned over him, keeping his pace slow and gentle—just to be a prick, really, because he knew that what Zhuo Yichen really wanted was to be pounded thoroughly.
"You might like it too, hm?" He brushed his palms across Zhuo Yichen's chest, feeling his beating heart and rough breaths through his heated skin. "So consider it before you immediately deny me."
"What… is it, then?" Zhuo Yichen really didn't like it when Zhao Yuanzhou got chatty in the middle of things. For one, if he was dishonest, Zhao Yuanzhou could bully the truth out of him in such a vulnerable position. For two, his mind was already muddled enough, he could barely think straight. That's why usually, to save what little face he had left, he would always spit out 'no' right away.
Therefore Zhao Yuanzhou would have to coax and coddle him a little bit to get him where he wanted him. It wasn't so tonight; they'd both managed to discover some new highs, and Zhuo Yichen wasn't the only greedy one.
"I'll make you come." Zhao Yuanzhou said, and brought his crooked fingers to his lips to show him what he meant—because he had no trouble doing that normally, either. "How does that sound? I bet I could make you do it, over and over, on the spot..."
This shouldn't do what it did to Zhuo Yichen, but it did. He shuddered at the thought, a little scared and a lot piqued. Still, his stubborn side was wary. "Don't get carried away."
"Let's just try it once, for now." Zhao Yuanzhou already had him right where he wanted him. He picked up his pace and changed the angle of his thrusts, already eager to give it a try. Zhuo Yichen gave up any thoughts of argument, relieved they were done talking.
Zhao Yuanzhou realized he'd gotten ahead of himself, untying Zhuo Yichen's wrists and pulling him forward and into his lap. First, he'd distract him enough to drag his mind away from their little play, and then he'd take him by surprise.
Zhuo Yichen sighed above him, letting his weight relax down into Zhao Yuanzhou's hold. It was one of the positions he was okay with being taken slowly, as the places Zhao Yuanzhou reached were deep and sensitive. A little more like this, and Zhuo Yichen would turn into putty in his hands.
His voice hitched as those devious hands found purchase of his ass and began to guide his movements. Their difference in heights gave Zhao Yuanzhou the perfect vantage of Zhuo Yichen's throat when he was astride him like this, and he couldn't resist sinking his teeth into the exposed skin of his neck, dragging his tongue along the beading blood he brought forth. Zhuo Yichen's head fell back, offering Zhao Yuanzhou more room to bite and lick—which he did, while carefully keeping him in check—from riding him too quickly and chasing his building release.
Not this time. Zhao Yuanzhou was going to control it. He tipped Zhuo Yichen back onto the sheets, taking hold of his legs and pressing his knees folding upward, making him small and contained in his embrace. He pushed into that impossible place Zhuo Yichen rarely let him reach, brought his fingers to his lips, watching him squirm, and commanded, "Come."
Pinning him down, deep inside him, and caged from every corner—Zhao Yuanzhou forced Zhuo Yichen to a shuddering climax then and there, a wanton moan escaping his lips in between gasps for the air Zhao Yuanzhou had pushed right out of him. He continued to move, fucking him through it, and as if he'd planned it—which he had—raised his fingers a second time and said, "Again."
This one brought fresh tears to Zhuo Yichen's eyes, lashes already damp, and he cried pathetically as he spilled onto his quivering stomach, which was full of something that shouldn't be nestling that deep. Still, he managed to gasp out, "You... mnh—said once..."
"I lied." Zhao Yuanzhou's own voice had grown husky, he wasn't going to last much longer after all the lewd things he'd just made Zhuo Yichen do. Not to mention, how tightly it made him convulse around him.
"Bas—ah!" Zhuo Yichen whined as he was turned onto his side, one leg shoved forward and out of the way as Zhao Yuanzhou finally let himself go. He snapped his hips, rutting as deeply as he could reach, and finished while still moving roughly, slipping out only to force back in—revelling in the cries of oversensitized pleasure it wrung out from Zhuo Yichen, and the way the sheets became wet as he came for a third time—puzzled and releasing something he never had before.
This only stirred Zhao Yuanzhou up more, so instead of stopping, he began to circle his waist instead, milking them both dry. Only once Zhuo Yichen began to physically push him away, weakly batting at his chest, did he relent. They both moaned when he slipped free, sighs heavy and sated.
Zhuo Yichen's heels dug into the divots of his lower back, legs shakily loosening from their tight grip of him. Zhao Yuanzhou was familiar with his afterglow habits, and untangled their limbs to lie down behind him, content to be the big spoon while Zhuo Yichen came down from the clouds of bliss.
When he recovered, relaxing against the soft threading of fingers through his hair, he sighed out, "How long have you been wanting to try that?"
"A long time." Zhao Yuanzhou replied lazily. He had a feeling if he said 'from the beginning', Zhuo Yichen would get mad at him. Truthfully, he had a long list of things he wanted to try with Zhuo Yichen.
Something with those bells and tassels, maybe some toys made of jade, and a simple but terrifying desire to spank him stupid. He definitely had a feeling Zhuo Yichen would stab him for that one, so he'd have to patiently work his way up to it. Maybe one day.
"Did Xiao-Zhuo like it?" He asked—knowing full well he did, and knowing damn well he didn't like to be asked.
"Zhao Yuanzhou." His tone held a large amount of annoyance.
"Hm?"
When Zhuo Yichen didn't respond, Zhao Yuanzhou opened his eyes, following Zhuo Yichen's glassy gaze.
Oh right. The fox.
He was staring wide-eyed at them both, tied up, immobile, but no longer mute—that spell he'd managed to wear off. "Uh, that was hot?"
Zhuo Yichen sat up in a flash, reaching for his robes—only to remember they were ripped apart. He said again, even more irate, "Zhao Yuanzhou!"
"It's not my fault you forgot he was there." It was the wrong thing to say. Zhuo Yichen proceeded to yank Zhao Yuanzhou's loose robes off his shoulders and toss them over his own. Once he was quickly and moderately decent—with Zhao Yuanzhou content to be naked and amused—he whipped around on the fox with his sword unsheathed, pointing the tip at his throat.
"If you speak of this to anyone, I won't hesitate to cut your tongue out." Zhuo Yichen was angry enough that this was not an idle threat.
But a fox was a fox. And he'd already been attracted to Zhuo Yichen from the beginning, thus he'd targeted him. "All the rumors say Zhuo-xianjun is dignified and honorable. To think he would degrade himself to such acts—who knew you were so meek behind closed doors?"
Zhuo Yichen was just about to deliver on his promise when Zhao Yuanzhou appeared beside him, magicked into a new set of robes and much more proper than he should be. He gently pushed Zhuo Yichen's sword aside.
To the terrified fox who'd almost lost his tongue, however, his voice was a low, vicious purr. "Zhuo-xianjun is indeed honorable enough to deliver you a swift punishment, but I won't be so keen. I know thousands of ways to make you suffer, and all I need to hear is one sliver of what happened tonight outside these closed doors."
The boy shut his eyes and shook his head. "I heard nothing, I saw nothing. I didn't even ask to be here! I didn't ask for this! I promise I'll never speak of it again! This lowly fox is more than happy to mete out his original, regular punishment and pretend none of this ever happened!"
Zhao Yuanzhou was done tormenting him, and glad he'd stopped Zhuo Yichen's outrage from making him do something he might regret. When it came to dealing with demons, he was very cut-throat—especially now that he housed half of Zhao Yuanzhou's malicious qi. The fox had served his purpose anyway—Zhao Yuanzhou had shown him just who Zhuo Yichen belonged to.
With another one-word spell, he put it all to rest. "Forget."
Zhuo Yichen shot him a dark look, realizing he could have done that from the start, as the fox shook his head again, this time confused.
He looked up at them, brow furrowed. "What did I do this time?" He asked, "Why are you standing there staring at me like that? I said sorry already. I just... I'm a fox. I can't help but want to play with pretty things..."
These were the same words he'd been spouting over and over when they dragged his ass back with them in the first place. He spewed even more, "Wait a minute, why are you wearing the Great Demon's clothes? And why..." his eyes drifted to the pile of ripped robes on the floor.
Zhuo Yichen sighed. "Knock him out again, while you're at it."
Zhao Yuanzhou obliged. Once the fox was unconscious, he turned his wicked smile to a grimacing Zhuo Yichen. "I guess I should apologize..."
"You should shut up." Came his agitated reply. "You did this on purpose."
"Of course I did. I was jealous, and I had to make a point." Zhao Yuanzhou had zero qualms admitting this. "Besides, you liked it."
This was how, for the second time in under a month, Zhuo Yichen chased Zhao Yuanzhou around with his sword, completely resolved to stab him once or twice for good measure.