Suddenly, Xu Yunchun is quiet as his face bursts into a bright crimson.
A moment later, he mumbles: “even if you have a tattoo, you still shouldn’t remove your glands…you said one week straight, so it has to be one week straight, not even one second less…that way omegas won’t think….”
Wei Xiu interrupts: “How long are you going to play dumb? Didn’t you want to know why I was distant from you after coming back from Shizhou? This is the reason! I was scared you would realize I…fancy you.”
–
Wei Xiu is unsure of exactly when Xu Yunchun started appearing in his dreams. Endlessly tormented, Wei Xiu suddenly became enchanted by this person he had been by his side all this time. He knows it shouldn’t be this way, but he can’t help but get sucked into the feeling.
And Xu Yunchun is so oblivious, unaware of these feelings, always cuddling up to him, making him feel incredibly awkward.
Before the battle in Shizhou, Xu Yunchun fell ill and Wei Xiu was forced to go into battle without him. It was the first time after so many years that the two had been separated for so long. And that is how he realized the insane extent to which he missed Xu Yunchun.
–
The battle in Shizhou was arduous and not even one letter came from Xu Yunchun. Eventually a letter did come, but it was from the housekeeper saying that Xu Yunchun’s illness was not letting up, yet he missed his young master so much that he longed to go out and accompany him.
Wei Xiu was anxious to get back home, but he understood that he had a greater responsibility on his shoulders.
The military had always had a tattooing culture; soldiers got tattoos to show off their military status, tattoos of birds or flowers as a display of power and tattoos of gods and demons to manifest blessings and protection. Not believing in any of these things, Wei Xiu’s whole body remained completely clean.
But one night, Wei Xiu located the old mess cook who knows how to tattoo, had him come to his tent, and had him tattoo the word “Yunchun” on his chest. He does not believe in gods or buddhas, only in Yunchun, the one dearest to his heart who pushes him to surpass any and everything.
–
The battle in Shizhou ended in a complete victory and Wei Xiu was eager to return to Xu Yunchun’s side.
Right at that time, he hears people ridiculing Xu Yunchun calling him a kept man. He felt both angry and frightened; angry that these people were starting rumours, yet frightened that his tattoo left him without a leg to stand on.
He did indeed see Xu Yunchun in that type of way. But these rumours reminded him that if he kept up this behaviour without restraint, it would do irreparable damage to Xu Yunchun’s reputation.
Thus, ever since he returned from Shizhou, he never slept in the same bed as Xu Yunchun again. Afraid other people would discover his tattoo, he covered himself up from head to toe, even in front of Xu Yunchun.
Later, when Xu Yunchun teases him for being prudish, he would happily accept it. It completely stopped other people from making careless guesses about their relationship.
–
Now, Xu Yunchun can’t believe it, his pure and innocent young master has a tattoo, and it’s a tattoo of his name.
“Did…did you not think about how that would affect your marriage?”
Wei Xiu chuckles to himself: “You would always joke that I have a red virginity mark, but you were right in a way. As soon as I decided to tattoo that word to my body, I wasn’t thinking about getting married or whether it would be seen by anyone.”
He hadn’t been able to admit to his feelings, he had just been treating it like the simple lust of a hot-blooded young man. Lust is easy to get over, but love gets stronger and deeper as you ponder it day by day.
The tattoo on his chest was like a taboo. The deeper he hid it away, the deeper he hid his feelings.
Thus, Xu Yunchun lived and died never knowing that he had a deep place in his young master’s heart.
–
Wei Xiu has ignored his feelings for long enough, and at this point, he doesn’t want to hold them in anymore.
“Before, I was an alpha who couldn’t be with you. But now that I’m going to remove my glands, everything is possible. “ Wei Xiu explains, “with all that said, you still don’t want me to remove my glands?”
Xu Yunchun stutters: “I…”
“It’s fine. Besides, you already made it clear, you don’t like me. Even if I do it, we won’t be together.” Wei Xiu pivots the topic of conversation, “Since you don’t like me, then why do you care?”
Xu Yunchun gets flustered. The young master is his, how could he just remove his glands without his permission.
The young beta is rendered so flustered that he climbs into his bed refusing to get out.
Wei Xiu pulls the other out by his leg: “I have admitted to everything. From today on, I have a weight off my shoulders, you can do whatever you want.”
Now Wei Xiu has a clear conscience, while Xu Yunchun’s has become quite heavy. Anyway, it’s not like the beta’s had absolutely nothing on his mind until now.
He’s been so stubborn for so long, so how could he suddenly admit that every time he cuddled up to the young master, he felt a little bit of attachment building.
