Chapter 39

After a bout of sweeping through, he pressed against the root of his tongue and kissed him deeply.

The tongue, one of the most sensitive human organs with its complex neural network, was entangled by another. Within a few breaths, he felt a terrifying electric current shoot up from his tailbone.

Nearly half his body went numb. His tongue dodged and evaded, but in that narrow space, where was there a place for it to hide? In just a moment, it was entangled again.

During this time, their gums occasionally knocked together; the faint pain was always overshadowed by the fierce kissing.

The other's breathing was very heavy. Gu Jun could hear that his own breathing was very heavy too. It was even more intense than their first kiss. He practically wanted to clamp his teeth shut and bite several holes into the other's tongue—see if you keep misbehaving then.

But he had considerations, and moreover, he didn't have that kind of nerve. After hesitating for a while, he ultimately let it go.

The long kiss dispersed the intense stimulation.

The sounds of kissing were sticky. Gu Jun swallowed with effort; he truly couldn't hold all the saliva produced during the kiss.

His tongue went numb. The other withdrew, propped himself up with one hand, and sat up, holding him.

Gu Jun half-knelt, sitting on his thighs, head lowered, the rims of his eyes red, breathing lightly, and raised a hand to wipe the glistening liquid spilling from the corner of his lips.

Lin Yue's dark, jet-black eyes stared straight at him.

Gu Jun sensed this and lifted his head to look. The other turned his face away.

What was that supposed to mean?

He couldn't understand. A wave of irritation rose in his heart. He wiped his mouth clean and went to push away the arm wrapped around his waist, wanting to drink water, wash his mouth, wash his throat, wash his stomach—the latter two, if they could even be washed.

In a daze, he had actually swallowed the saliva produced during the kiss. Although the vast majority was his own, there was still a part that was the other's...

The other averted his gaze from him, but his arm held him tighter, impossible to push away no matter what. Gu Jun couldn't help but get angry.

Before the anger could exit his mouth, the other turned his face back.

Their noses collided. Gu Jun hissed in pain and was then kissed again.

He rounded his eyes, staring at the other in disbelief. The distance between them was too close; their breaths intertwined. He could almost see the other's eyes. Their lids were slightly lowered, the pupils immersed in shadow, looking very much absorbed.

Gu Jun spaced out.

The other's hand found its way to the back of his neck and squeezed a few times.

"What are you spacing out for?" Lin Yue spoke in a hoarse voice. Kissing was indeed comfortable, quite sweet. He changed the angle and pecked at the lips of the person in his arms.

Gu Jun came to his senses and jerked backward abruptly, covering his lips.

Lin Yue kissed the back of his hand.

Lin Yue's brow furrowed slightly, clearly about to get angry, and said: "Disgusted by me?"

I don't even mind that you're a man, and you dare be disgusted by me?

If you knew enough to realize this is improper now, what were you doing earlier?

Gu Jun braced himself and quibbled: "I'm not disgusted. It's mainly that kissing on the mouth isn't very clean."

Lin Yue: "Oh? According to what you say, we've done things that are even less clean."

Gu Jun: "What I actually meant was it's not clean here! And it's almost dark; the other tenants will come to cook. Us being intimate here would be an offense to public decency."

Lin Yue: "Is that so?"

Gu Jun nodded his head like a chick pecking at rice. Lin Yue watched him for a while, then in one motion pulled him up and started dragging him toward the room. How could Gu Jun not guess what he wanted? He immediately panicked, stumbled two steps, and clutched the other's hand, saying: "I'm hungry."

"Just a moment."

Gu Jun said: "You kissed me till it hurts."

Lin Yue halted and turned his head back to look at him. Gu Jun let go of his hand, leaned close to the other's face, and pouted his lips: "See for yourself."

Lin Yue pinched his chin, lowered his gaze, and looked carefully, saying: "Where?"

Gu Jun thought, could it be there's no wound? But clearly his mouth was slightly sore with a faint burning sensation. His gaze flickered. He mumbled a sound and said: "Some wounds are too small, invisible to the naked eye, but I can feel them..."

"When getting into a conflict with someone, we should send that mouth of yours out; it could take on a hundred by itself." Lin Yue sneered, then in one motion hoisted him over his shoulder. Blood rushed toward his head due to gravity; Gu Jun felt somewhat uncomfortable, but quickly recovered, smacking the young man's back and kicking at the other with his feet too. His whole person was like a fluttering moth.

This bit of resistance was tantamount to no resistance. Lin Yue carried him back to the room, set him on the table, and pressed in on him.

Gu Jun turned his head to dodge. Seeing he couldn't evade, and that the other's hand was even following the hem of his clothes and reaching inside, he cursed inwardly: why didn't I see before that he was a mad dog? He hastily grabbed the other's hand and planted a placating kiss on his lips: "Really, I'm not disgusted. I really am hungry, and it also hurts."

Lin Yue said coldly: "Stick your tongue in. That request shouldn't be too much, right?" He parted his lips and teeth slightly.

Gu Jun: I'm going to stir-fry your dog mouth!!!

Gu Jun thought to himself: Should I just tell the truth? After all, I can find work now. But if I tell at this moment—leaving aside how long it will take to find work once kicked out and how many times I'll go hungry in between—just saying it now, wouldn't it really disgust the other and add oil to the fire?

His emotions were unstable. After hesitating again and again, he steeled his heart. He leaned into the other's lips, his tongue tentatively reaching into the other's mouth. He encountered his teeth, and summoning his courage—

He leaned forward.

"Is Sir Lin here?"

Gu Jun's heart leaped with joy. He instantly returned to his original position, his rosy, glistening lips opening and closing, the words, tinged with hidden delight, bouncing out lightly.

"Someone's looking for you."

Lin Yue pinched his face: "You seem very pleased."

"Why would I be pleased?" Gu Jun feigned disappointment. "Truly unfortunate timing."

Lin Yue said: "Then we'll finish kissing before we talk."

"Sir Lin!" The call from outside the courtyard was raised several notches.

Gu Jun pushed at his chest: "Blinded by lust? People are waiting outside." Having said this, he seized the moment when the other was off guard, hopped off the table, and pushed him to go out.

Lin Yue didn't budge an inch, like a wooden post. Just as Gu Jun was about to curse him under the banner of righteousness, the other raised a hand and straightened his clothes, incidentally straightening his own as well, and pulled him along as he walked out the door.

Gu Jun: "..."

If you're going out, go out. Why do you have to drag me along? I want to wash my mouth, wash my throat, wash my stomach. Gu Jun cursed a blue streak in his heart, but on the surface he looked perfectly obedient.

"Sir Lin!" The person shouting revealed a smile. Not waiting for Lin Yue, pulling Gu Jun, to get close, he ran over in a few steps. "The brothers on patrol said you were home. We called a few times and thought you weren't in; I was just about to send people to search."

Lin Yue clasped his hands: "Thank you for your concern, elder brother."

The man was none other than the magistrate's attendant. He said: "Sir Lin, what words are these? This is what I ought to do. As long as I haven't disturbed your matters."

The last sentence had originally been a polite pleasantry. Who would have guessed that after saying it, he would actually get from Sir Lin a line: "You should have come later."

Gu Jun nearly choked on air. He hid behind Lin Yue's back to avoid the other noticing anything.

Even if the man couldn't see him, he seemed to have guessed something and said: "It's my fault. Sir Lin, don't be angry. Our master is hosting a banquet and invites you both."

He handed over an invitation card.

"Sir Lin, you must go. Hearing that you are planning to take the imperial examinations, our master has spent these past few days collecting books and model exam answers unavailable on the outside market to gift to you.

The man looked at Gu Jun: "Lady Gu, our madam is very worried that you'll be bored staying at home. This time, with the banquet, everyone can get familiar. In the future, if you're bored, feel free to visit the residence to find the madam.

"Within the county, various reputable ladies often hold all kinds of gatherings. Madam can't wait to introduce someone like you—young and beautiful, and with a good husband—to them."

This man's mouth was as if smeared with honey; his words came out in polished sets.

Lin Yue only needed to listen a little to know that although this man was the magistrate's attendant, when he came to invite them, he had been given directives by someone else.

That nephew of the magistrate?

Lin Yue flipped through the invitation; it was still written by the civil clerk the magistrate trusted.

Gu Jun craned his neck to look. Lin Yue handed the invitation to him. The man said: "Please relay to the magistrate that we will shortly arrive at your residence."

The man assented with a smile, turned, and left.

.

Counting, Chancellor Meng's people would arrive in Zhuyang County at the earliest in three days at most. To formally invite Sir Lin and his wife at this time—wasn't it too late? I said long ago, we should have formally invited Sir Lin and his wife days ago, after we impeached Magistrate Wang. Actually, it should have been even earlier. But in this remote, backwater place, preparing a banquet that looked passable—wouldn't it take several days?"

At that moment, Magistrate Gu was speaking with his nephew.

The scholar said: "Uncle, it's not late! Think about it: if we appear overly attentive, they might even look down on us. Us sending books and exam answers at this time, and also having aunt accompany his wife to relieve her boredom—this is just right. Neither fawning nor cold. No matter what, the other party will remember a bit of our goodwill."

Magistrate Gu stroked his beard.

The scholar said: "Secretary Huang can't stand to see us do well. He hasn't mentioned gifts or banquets for a while now. So when we act opposite to him, it's bound to be right."

Magistrate Gu said: "That is true. I wonder if my memorial impeaching Magistrate Wang has reached the capital?"

The scholar said: "Even if it has arrived, after the Chancellors read it and send a directive to the Surveillance Commission, and the Surveillance Commissioner sends people down to investigate Wang Gong, verify the facts, and finally convict that Wang Gong—all that will still take quite some time. Uncle, you must keep calm."

Magistrate Gu nodded and said: "Good lad. Once we've seen Sir Lin off, I'll arrange for you to enter the yamen as a civil clerk, to help Secretary Huang with his work.

"Once you've mastered Secretary Huang's skills, I'll find you a meritorious deed and recommend you for the position of Recorder. Currently, the county has a Deputy Magistrate—though he's a mediocre fellow—but the Recorder's post is vacant.

"This place is barely assessed as a middle county and isn't wealthy. Pulling some strings to get that recommendation approved won't be hard.

"As for Secretary Huang, once you rise to the Recorder's position, find some pretext and handle him for me. In the future, if there's a chance, I'll promote you to Deputy Magistrate."

A middle county's magistrate is a Principal Seventh Rank official.

A middle county's Deputy Magistrate is a Principal Ninth Rank official.

Although it's a Principal Ninth Rank position, for a Xiucai who failed the provincial exams several times, it was an extremely difficult thing to obtain.

The scholar was overjoyed. He knelt and kowtowed: "Thank you, Uncle!"

A servant stood by the base of the wall and overheard the two's conversation. After listening, without batting an eye, he went to Secretary Huang's quarters and relayed it to Secretary Huang.

Hearing this, Secretary Huang laughed coldly in his heart: Two fools. You want to do away with me? Survive until that day first!

Secretary Huang changed into a servant's clothes and left the magistrate's residence through the back door. He hurried all the way out of the city and came to a forest.

Three horses emerged from deep within the forest, all with riders, dressed in night-black and masked. One among them held a torch. The lead man in black asked Secretary Huang: "How is it?"

Secretary Huang said: "The magistrate has invited Lin Yue and his wife to the residence for a gathering. Your master had better not forget what he promised me."

The lead man in black looked down at Secretary Huang from on high.

Secretary Huang said angrily: "That night, your master invited me to his residence for a meeting. I originally thought he wanted to thank me for revealing the news that Lin Yue had been found. I didn't expect your master wanted me to help him deal with the magistrate.

"I refused. There was no benefit in this for me.

"Was switching magistrates going to make me an official?

"He went one better—directly sent his secretary to find Constable Feng and had him kill the Lin couple.

"Once Constable Feng succeeded, he planned to have Feng killed and pin the murder of the Lin couple on me. The magistrate had stripped my authority; Constable Feng had backstabbed me; I had a grudge against both. Then he'd jump out and say that that night, I had sought him out to ask for his help in eliminating the Lin couple—turning black into white—and I'd be labeled a murderer.

"What an excellent scapegoat I was! Afterward, he'd use this to impeach the magistrate. If Chancellor Meng pursued the matter, he'd sacrifice the magistrate as an offering, and the murder case would have a perfect ending.

"Don't think I don't know your master's plan! In the end, man proposes, Heaven disposes. The Feng residence caught fire; Constable Feng exposed the mastermind behind the scenes. Your master knew the magistrate would come after him for this, so he simply took advantage of everyone thinking the danger had passed and let their guard down, and attempted assassination again. Unfortunately, the target of the assassination knew martial arts.

"Your master instead handed over leverage and lost a secretary in the bargain. Truly laughable!"

The man in black—with a "shing"—drew his blade and held it against Secretary Huang's neck.