“The ceremony is complete—” Nian-ger’s eyes shone brightly, and he was so excited his voice nearly cracked. “Off to the bridal chamber!!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a man shouted excitedly, “Let’s go play pranks on the newlyweds! Let’s go play pranks on the newlyweds!”

Yan Xiaoyu looked up nonchalantly and recognized them as Yan Shaocheng’s friends.

There were countless guests from out of town, but the villagers dared not join in. A few standing nearby even took a few steps back in unison, afraid of being mistaken for part of the same group.

Yan Erlang usually wore a sullen expression, but today he was finally showing a bit of a smile; one could guess why. A night of spring passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold—at a time like this, who would…

If he messes up this good thing, how can he still come out ahead?

And as for Yan Xiaoyu—don’t be fooled by his smile right now. If he gets provoked later, who knows what kind of trouble he might cause! We can’t let that happen—we really can’t!

The villagers hesitated to go along with it; they all looked at each other, saying nothing.

Yan Shaocheng, however, was afraid others wouldn’t dare to tease his younger brother, so he hurriedly chimed in, “Let’s go play a prank on the newlyweds!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than someone gave him a hard twist—so hard it made him wince in pain, wanting to cry but unable to. Yan Xiaoyue glared at him, her cheeks puffed out with anger: “How could you do that?!”

Yan Shaocheng was at a loss for words—partly amused, partly exasperated. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leaned close to her ear, and whispered soothingly, “Don’t worry, Yue’er. Your brother won’t come out on the losing end.”

After reassuring Yan Xiaoyue, he turned to egg on the young people in the room: “Daxizi, a little fun won’t hurt—come on over!”

Nian-ger, overjoyed, tugged at the others: “Brother Tiao, Sister Yan, let’s go!”

With these two leading the way, Yu Sanlang and the others lost their fear and followed close behind, looking as though they couldn’t wait to see the spectacle unfold.

Yan Shaoxuan’s gaze was somber; he shot his older brother a glance but said nothing, simply shielding Yan Xiaoyu as they walked toward the backyard.

Once inside the bridal chamber, Yan Shaocheng led the group in their antics: one moment he’d have Yan Shaoxuan recite love poems; the next, he’d make the Fulang drink the cup-sharing wine; and then he’d dangle red dates for the couple to eat… 

Though their tricks were many, they couldn’t stump the newlyweds.

For Yan Shaoxuan, composing poetry was a piece of cake;

The jujube swayed back and forth, with a circle of onlookers gathered around. If it had been anyone else, they would likely have been both shy and timid, teased for quite some time, but Yan Xiaoyu was exceptionally quick-witted and caught on immediately.  As for the ritual of sharing a cup of wine, in Yan Xiaoyu’s eyes, it was even more of a piece of cake.

He loved to have fun; when the crowd cheered him on, he outdid them all. Sharing a meal from the same pot and drinking from the same cup, he didn’t show the slightest hint of unease. Everyone stared in astonishment, secretly marveling at how impressive this young man was.

Yan Xiaoyue stood by, watching her younger brother not get the short end of the stick—only then did she finally relax.

Yan Shaoxuan had initially resented his older brother’s meddling, but seeing Yan Xiaoyu’s eyes crinkling with laughter, he let it slide. Yan Shaocheng knew when to draw the line; after the commotion died down, he took his men and left.

Yan Xiaoyu had been acting completely uninhibited earlier, but once the wedding pranksters had left and the room suddenly fell silent, he didn’t know where to put his hands or feet.

Yan Shaoxuan felt his face grow warm: “Ahem, I’ll go check if they’ve really left. We don’t want anyone eavesdropping outside the door.”

“Huh?” Yan Xiaoyu froze for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. “Who’d dare eavesdrop on us doing, you know… I’d break their legs!”

Yan Shaoxuan glanced back and saw the ger sitting on the bed, a longan still clutched in his hand, his cheeks puffed out. Though his face wore a fierce expression, to Yan Shaoxuan, he looked utterly adorable, and for some reason, his heart melted.

“Someone’s outside.”

Yan Shaoxuan’s voice was low and hoarse. As soon as he finished speaking, he walked step by step toward Yan Xiaoyu.

Despite his young age, Yan Xiaoyu was well aware of what was about to happen.

The door blocked out the sounds of the guests drinking and laughing. Inside the room, two red candles burned, casting a soft glow on the red silk canopy—the shifting light and shadow created an inexplicably enchanting atmosphere. In the candlelight, Yan Shaoxuan looked so handsome he seemed otherworldly.

As their eyes met, Yan Xiaoyu’s heart pounded like a drum, and he turned his face away in panic.

“Xiaoyu.” Yan Shaoxuan sat down beside him and reached out to remove the hairpin from his head. His jet-black hair suddenly cascaded down, and Yan Xiaoyu lowered his head to touch his hair, his eyelashes cast downward, appearing almost demure to Yan Shaoxuan.

The rosy hue on his lips sent Yan Shaoxuan’s heart reeling; he could hardly contain his emotions and felt an intense dryness in his throat.

They were sitting so close that they could smell each other’s subtle fragrance. Yan Xiaoyu felt the thigh pressed against Yan Shaoxuan’s was unusually warm, which helped him calm down.

But as someone of modern age—and a year older than Yan Shaoxuan—he was in no mood to show any weakness.

“Let me help you take your hair out of the bun.”

After Yan Xiaoyu finished speaking, he sat up to remove the hairpin from Yan Shaoxuan’s hair, but the man’s lustful gaze made his cheeks flush crimson.

Blushing, he leaned forward recklessly. Just as he managed to pull the hairpin out, he pulled him into his embrace. 

A scorching kiss landed on his lips, and Yan Xiaoyu reflexively arched his back before closing his eyes. The kiss left his body weak with desire; he slid upward, unable to resist the temptation…

The candlelight flickered. As they shifted on the bed, two brass hooks clinked together, making a crisp sound.

…entwined, inexplicably tender.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

After a night of passion, Yan Shaoxuan—who was usually so disciplined and proper—found himself insatiable that night. It just wasn’t enough; he only wanted to be closer to his beloved, even closer…

Fortunately, Yan Xiaoyu still had plenty of stamina; he indulged his desires, granting every wish.

The next morning, bright sunlight streamed through the window, casting the glow of red gauze onto their entwined bodies. Yan Xiaoyu squinted against the glare; just as he stirred, he was pulled back into Yan Shaoxuan’s embrace.

Yan Shaoxuan’s shirt was half-unbuttoned; his chest pressed against Yan Xiaoyu’s fair cheek. His voice was low and hoarse, yet tinged with a sense of satisfaction: “Don’t move.”

Yan Xiaoyu opened his eyes dazedly and pushed him away slightly: “It’s so hot.”

Yan Shaoxuan lowered his head and rubbed it gently against his forehead, then tossed the light blanket covering them both aside. “It’s not hot anymore.”

Yan Xiaoyu giggled, “Yan Erlang, you’re such a clingy one!”

Yan Shaoxuan stiffened. “You were the one who chased after me back then. We’ve only been married for a short while, and already you’re complaining that I’m too clingy?”

Yan Xiaoyu laughed so hard he could barely catch his breath. After a long moment, he soothed him, “If you want a hug, go ahead—I don’t mind!”

Yan Shaoxuan pulled him into his arms, took another deep sniff at his neck, and said casually, “Now that we’re married, shouldn’t we change how we address each other?”

Yan Xiaoyu rolled onto his back, beaming as he flashed his two little fangs. “So what do you want me to call you? Husband? Sir?”

Yan Shaoxuan’s lips curled upward involuntarily. “If that’s what you want to call me, I’m all for it.” 

“Hahahaha!” Yan Xiaoyu couldn’t hold back any longer. “You’re dreaming!”

Laughing until he was doubled over, he took another nibble on Yan Shaoxuan’s chin. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Yan Shaoxuan let out a muffled groan and felt something unusual beneath his hips.

“Was last night not enough?!” Yan Xiaoyu’s eyes widened. “You’re trying to get away with it again!”

Yan Shaoxuan’s face flushed crimson, and though he felt deeply embarrassed inside, he put on a calm front: “It’s early morning, and I’m with you—it’s only natural to have a reaction.”

The room fell silent for a moment as their gazes met. Yan Shaoxuan placed one hand on his waist and ran the other over his back. As if under a spell, Yan Xiaoyu slowly leaned forward.

In an instant, the young man with delicate features found himself pinned beneath the tall man. Their kisses grew deeper and deeper, gradually drawing them back into the passionate entanglement of the previous night. They clung to each other tightly, unable to tear themselves apart.