Before Shen Qingfeng could even turn around, he felt a gust of wind sweep past him. Immediately afterwards, Lu Yan rushed forward like an arrow released from a bow. He grabbed the hand that Chen Luo had placed on Shen Qingfeng's shoulder. It seemed that he used all his strength as he yanked Chen Luo's hand away forcefully. Staring at Chen Luo fiercely, he growled, "If you dare to touch him again, I'll chop off your hand!"
Chen Luo didn't seem surprised at all. Instead, he let out a few laughs, completely ignoring the five finger - marks that Lu Yan had left on his arm. "Marquis of the North, the person isn't even in your household yet. Who are you putting on this show for?"
Lu Yan gritted his teeth and said, "Marquis of the Southwest, you'd better mind your own business! I know exactly what I'm doing. You don't need to worry about it!"
"I don't want to interfere either, but it seems that Young Master Shen isn't willing to sit here?" Chen Luo smiled, pulling his hand out of Lu Yan's grip. Then he looked at Shen Qingfeng standing behind Lu Yan and asked loudly, "Young Master Shen, am I right?"
Shen Qingfeng looked at Chen Luo indifferently, saying nothing.
Hearing this, Lu Yan stiffened slightly. He saw Chen Luo's gaze pass over his shoulder towards Shen Qingfeng, but he didn't dare to turn around to see Shen Qingfeng's expression at all.
"Go back to your seat!" Lu Yan took a step to the left, directly blocking Chen Luo's view of Shen Qingfeng. His eyes were full of determination as if he had forced these words out between his tightly clenched teeth.
"Humph." Chen Luo let out a soft laugh. He was a rather frivolous person. In fact, he wasn't really interested in getting involved in the mess between Lu Yan and Shen Qingfeng. But as an on - looker, he was happy to watch. So he stood on his tiptoes, and his gaze once again passed over Lu Yan's shoulder towards Shen Qingfeng standing not far away. He said, "Young Master Shen, I almost forgot to tell you. The seating arrangement for this banquet was personally decided by King Xia Jie. You should serve your future husband well."
"Shut up!" Lu Yan pushed him away. Chen Luo had gone too far. He knew that Shen Qingfeng was in love with Xia Chuli, and he knew that Shen Qingfeng had knelt in the snow all night to beg the king to cancel the marriage. Yet he deliberately provoked Shen Qingfeng!
Lu Yan's first reaction was to quickly turn around and look at Shen Qingfeng. He thought that Shen Qingfeng would either leave in a huff or make him look bad in front of everyone like he did in the River and Mountain Hall that day. But Shen Qingfeng looked calm. He just gave Chen Luo a disdainful glance, then turned around and sat down in his original seat.
Lu Yan stood there stunned until Chen Luo came closer and patted him on the shoulder, joking, "Marquis of the North, I've got some good news for you."
Lu Yan turned to look at him, with the anger still in his eyes.
Chen Luo laughed and said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is sitting at the table next to yours."
Lu Yan's pupils shrank sharply!
"Qingfeng—" It was Xia Chuli's voice. Lu Yan looked up suddenly and saw Xia Chuli running quickly to Shen Qingfeng's side. He knelt down behind Shen Qingfeng at once, passing his hands under Shen Qingfeng's armpits and hugging him tightly in front. Then he rested his head on Shen Qingfeng's shoulder and whined, "Why have you lost so much weight?"
"I'll gain it back slowly. Don't worry." Shen Qingfeng still had a calm expression, but he didn't struggle out of Xia Chuli's embrace.
Lu Yan stared blankly at the two people hugging each other. Something inside him broke, and then it gradually fell off the high - built wall of his heart like broken tiles, falling to the ground and shattering into pieces.
"The maids in the palace sent me some osmanthus cakes stored in the ice cellar. Come to my palace later and have some?" Xia Chuli rubbed his face against Shen Qingfeng's as usual, pressing himself closer to Shen Qingfeng. Every time he did this, Shen Qingfeng would respond to him or turn his head to kiss his cheek. But today, Shen Qingfeng rarely made any move. He just gave a faint "um".
"And the fur cloak you left in my palace. The temperature has dropped recently. You used to wrap yourself in it at this time. Should I send someone to bring it to you later?" As if feeling that Shen Qingfeng didn't respond much, Xia Chuli slowly brought his face closer to Shen Qingfeng's. His thin lips were getting closer and closer to Shen Qingfeng's face.
"Tsk tsk tsk." Chen Luo put his forearm on Lu Yan's shoulder in a "brotherly" way and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Marquis of the North, what are you afraid of?"
What was he afraid of?
Lu Yan's eyes trembled slightly.
Shen Qingfeng was like a thorn in his heart and a lingering poison in his teacup. He had silently kept Shen Qingfeng in his heart since he first met him fifteen years ago. Lu Yan had lost count of how many times he had dreamed of Shen Qingfeng over the years. In his dreams, it seemed to be a kind of self - comfort. He rarely dreamed of Xia Chuli. Every time he dreamed of Shen Qingfeng, it was just Shen Qingfeng and himself.
In the dreams, they were entangled in the bed and kissed in the soft curtains. But the more addicted he was to the dreams, the more painful he was when he woke up.
Shen Qingfeng loved Xia Chuli. He let go and fulfilled him. But while satisfying Shen Qingfeng, he buried the thorn in his own heart deeper.
Lu Yan had fought his way through all these years, growing from a young lad to a young man approaching his thirtieth birthday. Fifteen years, fifteen springs and autumns, fifteen winters and summers. The "poison" named Shen Qingfeng had long since seeped into his blood. Once he could numb himself with distance and war, but all his suppression and forbearance finally collapsed the moment he saw Shen Qingfeng in person.
Just like when King Xia Jie asked him if he was willing, he couldn't say no.
Lu Yan knew that this was his last chance.
There was no more, never again.
Even if he had to reject the marriage, even if Shen Qingfeng would hate him, this was the only thing that could comfort him after fifteen years of suffering.
He loved Shen Qingfeng.
Almost desperately, almost compassionately.
He didn't want to let go anymore, Lu Yan thought. He wanted to be a little selfish.
"Look at your waist. Why have you lost so much weight..."
Xia Chuli's hand was getting closer and closer to Shen Qingfeng's waist. Lu Yan's eyes were bloodshot with rage. A surge of anger rose from his heart. He suddenly stepped forward, grabbed the back of Xia Chuli's collar and threw him onto his own seat with a strong pull. "Xia Chuli, I've already said that he is my wife!"
Xia Chuli was dizzy from the fall, and Shen Qingfeng was also startled. Before he could even look at Lu Yan, he felt a strong arm wrap around his waist and pull him into Lu Yan's arms. Then his face hit Lu Yan's broad and firm chest again.
"Lu Yan! You—" Before Shen Qingfeng could finish his words, Lu Yan's hand suddenly stroked the back of his head and pressed him deeper into his arms.
The words that Shen Qingfeng wanted to say got stuck in his throat all of a sudden, and he couldn't make any more sounds. Because he could clearly feel that Lu Yan's body was trembling slightly.
In a daze, Shen Qingfeng saw again the back figure that cried hoarsely in the fire.
So desperate and painful.
Shen Qingfeng lowered his eyes. The hand that was on Lu Yan's chest and was about to push him away seemed to suddenly lose its strength and was now resting on Lu Yan's chest like a lover's.
... Lu Yan, how can I face you?
He didn't push Lu Yan away. Lu Yan's trembling body gradually calmed down. He lowered his head and looked at Shen Qingfeng's profile that was so close. The surprise in his eyes flashed by and was then filled with some glistening light.
"Shen... Qingfeng..." Lu Yan moved his hands upwards. At this moment, he seemed to be crazy and was eager to see Shen Qingfeng's face clearly.
However, just when his hands were about to touch Shen Qingfeng's cheeks—
"His Majesty the King is arriving—"