CH 80

Chapter 80 Birthday

A four-finger-wide cloth strap was pulled between his teeth from behind and tied behind his head.

Qu Chenzhou smiled bitterly in his heart – Zhongming is too naive, how can the supervisor be fooled. However, this time, he didn’t have a special circle on his birthmark like with Du Quan, so he won’t be branded on the lower waist. With that, he was satisfied .

The iron vessel kept rolling in the charcoal basin. The Dianshi* wiped his sweat and asked, “What word?”

* ancient chinese official name

“Ming.” Someone glanced over his shoulder and replied with a sneer.

The Dian Shi muttered: “There are so many ‘Mings’, which one is it?”

“Who knows.”

Hearing the soldering iron lifted from the charcoal basin, Qu Chenzhou took a deep breath, clenched the iron rod, and clenched his teeth. 

The wound will be scorched by the soldering iron very quickly, and this time who knows how much blood there will be and how many days he will have to lie down and drink a few bowls of unpalatable ginseng porridge.

The heat quickly approached, but a clear slap sound was heard sooner.

At this moment, he thought that the slap fell on his face. He habitually tilted his head, and realized in a blink of an eye that the sound came from behind him.

“Are you courting death!” “

“Didn’t I tell you before!” 

“You don’t even look! Are you blind?!” 

“Shizi even came to instruct us himself! If you don’t want to die, get lost!”

Someone’s stern roar had the superintendent rushing back. They rushed over, turned his slave ring, checked the name, and apologized repeatedly. 

The cloth strap in his mouth was untied, and his hands were also released. 

Under many envious gazes, he put on his clothes, and was led out through the north exit. Until he stood outside the door, he was still in shock, and didn’t realize what happened for a while. 

Outside the exit, there were stewards from various families waiting to bring people back, and no one paid attention to him.

He stood blankly for a moment, saw the carriage parked across the street, the familiar carriage, and remembered the stern curse from the man just now—Did… Zhongming come in person?

Was he scared the Department of Control forgot the advance greetings and instructions…?

Qu Chenzhou walked slowly to the front of the carriage, and just as he bent one leg to bow down, he heard the voice inside: “Come up.”

Liu Zhongming leaned on the couch and was reading a book. He looked him up and down, saw that he was moving freely, and confirmed nothing happened. He lifted his chin and said, “Sit down, I’ll take you home first.”

He had never walked out of the Department of Control in such a safe and sound manner, let alone enter a carriage to go home, his nose became sour for no reason.

“Shizi…”

Without saying a word of gratitude, a whip sounded from outside the carriage, and the carriage suddenly moved. He staggered two steps and threw himself onto Liu Zhongming.

Liu Zhongming was unprepared, he let out a groan, and the book fell on his face.

“Sorry…”

He propped up against the couch and wanted to get up, but a hand moved from his armpit to his lower back, and those fingers on his lower back moved like a threat.

Qu Chenzhou wisely stopped and did not dare to move.

“You seem to be a little heavier than before,” Liu Zhongming opened the book with one hand, looked down at the man lying on his chest, and licked his lips: “Why is there still no meat on the waist? You’re so thin, quite easy to hug.”

He pretended he was going to pinch him, but Qu Chenzhou struggled. However, the other side was the wall of the carriage, and there was nowhere to hide.

“Shizi, I don’t mean to offend… but can you let go?”

“Why let go?” Liu Zhongming put his fingers on his eyebrows and asked, “This time, you took the initiative to give me a hug, where is your sincerity? Is it all talk?”

Qu Chenzhou’s knees sank, and someone pressed one of his legs up, imprisoning him so that he had no way out.

“Shizi…” He knew that he couldn’t break free, so he planned to bow down first before using force and tried to discuss it in a serious manner: “If I don’t pay attention and cry again, I’m afraid it will spoil the happiness of Shizi and Shizi will say that he hates me.”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t hate you anymore.”

Liu Zhongming looked down at him with interest, the eyes of the little wild cat trapped in the palm of his hand flickered, it was quite interesting to see such a cunning struggle.

He didn’t know since when he had stopped rejecting such close contact with this person, and even felt that this body was perfect for hugging.

Neither soft nor hard, neither light nor heavy, neither long nor short, neither fat nor thin, it was just tailor-made for him, just right for the space in his arms.

“This Shizi wants to see you cry now, so lets see it?”

“You shouldn’t,” Qu Chenzhou persuaded earnestly, “A beauty in tears is nice, what’s good about an ugly person?”

“Who said you… ” Three words rushed out, but Liu Zhongming swallowed the “were ugly” and smiled disdainfully: “I don’t mind you being ugly.”

Qu Chenzhou sighed, feeling that he had done his best.

“Come on.” Liu Zhongming’s fingers moved down and touched his nose teasingly: “Cry, let’s see.”

Qu Chenzhou didn’t cry, but suddenly raised his chin, opened his mouth to hold his fingers, making it slippery and wet The soft tip of the tongue twirled from the root to the tip of the finger.

Liu Zhongming felt goosebumps as if he was struck by lightning.

He watched as the pale pink moist soft tongue loomed, and his fingertips disappeared and reappeared between the plump and soft lips, dragging out a sparkling fluid in the light.

Pieces of fire spread from his fingertips to throughout his body.

“F*ck!”

It was already very embarrassing, but Little Brother Liu suddenly raised his head and got stuck between the two of them at an inopportune moment. He woke up like a dream, scolded him loudly, and kicked the person away with his leg. 

Qu Chenzhou fell on his back. Fortunately, the car was covered with woolen rugs, so it wasn’t too painful, but then, Liu Zhongming, who was caught by him in a panic, fell down.

The two, one up and down, as if they had reversed their positions, blocked each other, and the light in the carriage seemed to dim.

Qu Chenzhou wanted to raise his arms to separate the two, but the man on his body was too heavy to push, so he could only pant slightly and turn his head to the side, forcing himself to be calm, and speak to him.

“Your Highness…Aren’t you busy today?”

Liu Zhongming pinched his chin, and turned Qu Chenzhou’s face over again. He just licked it lightly, yet his whole body was in pain from being burned. He wished he could chew this person into pieces.

“Qu Chenzhou.”

How could he forget how this b*stard ruined his reputation in the first place…

“Shizi please give your instructions,” Qu Chenzhou’s eyes were slightly red, and he grinned politely: “Shizi is busy, right? I can go home by myself.”

One hand touched his waist and he panicked for a while, and then calmed down: “Shizi think twice, this is on the street. If I scream, it will be harmful to the reputation of Shizi.” 

“Well said.” Liu Zhongming gritted his teeth and smiled, pinching his two thin lips with his other hand.

Qu Chenzhou helplessly grabbed Liu Zhongming’s wrist and had to beg for mercy with his eyes.

Originally, Liu Zhongming really had something to tell him, and he planned to tell him when he got in the carriage, but now with this jest and looking at Qu Chenzhou’s pitiful eyes like a cat, his heart softened.

Compared with the former Qu Chenzhou who was always begging for death, compared with the taciturn and indifferent Qu Chenzhou, compared with the mad and absent-minded Qu Chenzhou, he preferred this person in front of him.

So he can’t say it – that he had found Qu Chenzhou’s family. His parents and four brothers were all there, and they were properly placed outside the capital.

He was afraid that the disturbing ghost would disturb the man to madness again.

“I’m really busy today, so I’ll let you go first.”

Liu Zhongming let go of one hand and caressed the scar across the bridge of his nose. The wound had turned into a scar but the swelling on both sides had not resided so it was even scarier than before.

“There’s no next time, do you hear?”

Qu Chenzhou nodded obediently. Seeing Liu Zhongming refusing to let go of his other hand, he took the initiative to express goodwill: “Shizi is going to the banquet later? Is Liao Guangming?”

“Yes “

“To use softness to conquer strength, now is not the time to fight hard.”

Liu Zhongming’s eyes narrowed: “Is there a divination?”

“Enemies will meet on a narrow road.” Qu Chenzhou stared at the adam’s apple that was sliding when he spoke, and spit out the second half of the sentence in confusion: “Every bet will win.”

Liu Zhongming laughed out loud: “With your auspicious words, Liao Guangming really likes to make people bet.”

Qu Chenzhou also laughed helplessly.

“Liao Guangming… It’s okay to be on guard in open, but keep an eye out for the dark. Back then, a supplementary officer of the procuratorate wrote a letter saying that the Jinxiu Ying should be merged into the Nanya, and then that person’s family died on the way back home…”

Liu Zhongming understood: “Don’t worry, our Liu family is not a soft persimmon. If he dares to do something, I will dare to respond and there is also the Bai family…” 

The conversation stopped for a while, and Qu Chenzhou added: “Shizi, fight against foreigners but make sure there is peace internally first.”

Liu Zhongming glanced at him and knew that they were thinking of the same person – Fang Wuyang.

“I’ll go get someone to check first.” 

The carriage gradually stopped, and there was the courtyard outside the door. Liu Zhongming stood up from the ground and stretched out his hand again.

“Go wash up before the doctor comes, you’re smelly. I’ll be back very late today, you go to bed first, don’t wait for me.”

“Yes.” Qu Chenzhou took his hand and was pulled to stand up.

When they got up, they heard a familiar sound in their ears, a ding sound. Qu Chenzhou’s eyes slanted slightly, and immediately fell on Liu Zhongming’s waist.

They usually came in differently but left the same, he rarely saw Liu Zhongming dressed like this when he goes out to a banquet, and he didn’t expect to reunite with old things suddenly.

The curtains were lowered, separating his eyes and he could only see the departing wheels.

Qu Chenzhou looked up at the high sky, he knew why Liu Zhongming would return late today—today was the ninth day of September, Zhongming’s birthday.

Another year’s birthday, and it belongs to the two of them. Zhongming is nineteen years old, and he is also… sixteen.

He touched the front of his shirt lightly, it was empty.

The small jade pendant was originally pressed under the placket, which Zhongming begged for him in the Buddhist Temple, it was said that it was a talisman that would protect him for the rest of his life.

Only that night, he reluctantly tore it off and stuffed it into the baby’s swaddling clothes.

He only hoped that this child could live in peace.

But now he hoped that such a sinful child would never be born again.

When Liu Zhongming entered the door, laughter drifted from the wing for a while, it was Ning Wang taking the lead.

Only Ning Wang, who has no taboos, would hang out with him on his birthday. Huai Wang and Qi Wang both knew their status, so they only sent congratulations to the Marquis residence.

“Look at what I said, Zhongming is always late,” Mu Jingzhao shouted loudly, “If it wasn’t for his poor drinking, I would suspect that he was trying to play tricks to get to drink.” 

“Thank you for waiting everyone, Liu Zhongming bowed his hands to everyone in apology, then sat down in the seat next to Mu Jingzhao, and said with a smile, “Since Wangye knows that I’m not good at drinking, the penalty for drinking will be waived.”

Mu Jingzhao deliberately asked everyone: “Can we waive it?”

They all played together usually, so how could they easily let him go? There were laughter and cries of “no” and “give him a few more fines”.

“Zhongming, today we’re not calling it a punishment drink,” Mu Jingzhao took the jug from his attendant and poured three glasses himself: “This is called meteoric rise wine, I wish you smooth steps in the future, and that you will rise all the way!”

Regardless of what this wine is called, Liu Zhongming could only accept it helplessly. He drank it quickly, his throat was burning hot, and he hurriedly found tea to press it down.

Seeing that Mu Jingzhao was about to pour him a drink again, he hurriedly stopped him: “Your Highness, please forgive me, I’m going to a family banquet at night, and if my father sees me drunk, wouldn’t that cause me to get a family punishment?”

Ning Wang couldn’t close his smiling mouth: “Zhongming, you also have people you are afraid of?”

He grabbed a young man beside him and sat him on his knees, poured the glass of wine into his mouth, and the wine was swallowed completely, overflowing from his lips to his neck. He dabbed it with his finger, stretched it into the young man’s shirt, and took the opportunity to touch him a few times.

“Zhongming, if you’re not good at drinking, why didn’t you bring someone out?” He pushed the person in his arms to his side: “Do you like this? I’ll give it to you. Using him to block the wine is okay too.”

Liu Zhongming used a fan to push the man back again and glanced at him: “No need, he also looks new?”

“New is right, it’s been less than a month since I got it.” Mu Jingzhao tore off the sleeves of the boy’s half-length sleeves a few times, and showed it to the others. There was a vermilion birthmark on his shoulder: “Have you seen it? It’s natural on this white skin. I’ve been playing for so many years, and it’s only my first time seeing such a unique one. Isn’t it rare?”

“Rare.” His fingertips twirled his fan, feeling a little regretful that he had just given way in the carriage, easily sparing the man.

“Speaking of rarity…” Someone suddenly laughed: “Isn’t there a rarity with Zhongming?”

“Hey, Commander Liao, stop making trouble,” Mu Jingzhao waved his hands disdainfully: “It’s been such a long time, not just talking about touching, seeing is already enough.”

Liao Guangming laughed: “That’s not necessarily the case. Shizi is someone who has long-term relationships, and I saw the person come out of Shizi’s carriage a few days ago.”

Mu Jingzhao was dumbfounded, and turned back to Liu Zhongming: “Zhongming, really? How can you not get bored with the beauty?”

“What beauty,” Liao Guangming chuckled and replied for him, “Maybe, I didn’t look closely, I just saw that it was still covered, and the scar between his eyebrows was bright.” 

Liu Zhongming opened his fan, fanned himself twice and also laughed.

“What can I do? I just like his eyes, and I can’t bear it.”

“What about digging them out?” Liao Guangming suggested.

“Is there such a way? It’s the first time I’ve heard of it,” Liu Zhongming slapped the handle of the fan in the palm of his hand, surprised: “It’s a pity that thinking about all the blood makes me sick. Where can I find a magic doctor to put his eyes on someone else?”

Mu Jingzhao didn’t understand, so he immediately patted his chest: “This is easy, I’ll help you find it!”

Liao Guangming beckoned behind him, and a teenager was pushed up, kneeling beside him with a look of panic.

“Don’t bother Wangye,” he grabbed the boy’s hair and gestured for everyone to look over: “I know a genius doctor. Look at this boy, he looks good, but unfortunately he’s blind, and these eyes were taken from someone else.”

The boy stared in horror, not daring to speak back.

Mu Jingzhao really believed it, and cheered: “That’s great! Hurry up and bring the person to Zhongming!”

“Wangye, the doctor is a lofty man who doesn’t like to see outsiders, and only has some friendship with me. It’s better for Zhongming to bring the child over, and I will help choose a clean and beautiful one to exchange it, then return it to Zhongming, how about that?”

Liu Zhongming raised his eyes and looked at Liao Guangming’s knife-like gaze.