Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play-Chapter 967 - 942: Bathhouse Rubdown
Fang Chuning’s worries were justified. Xie Jue had been working day and night these past few days, and his eye ailment indeed relapsed. When he was resting in the bath, the hot steam rose, and when his whole body and mind relaxed, he clearly felt a slight pain in his eyes. Upon opening them, his vision became a bit blurry. The night had already fallen, and only a single lamp was lit in the room. Xie Jue had long been accustomed to such weak vision at night. During the time when the Marquis Mansion was falling, he could hardly see anything at all at night—a terrifying relapse of his condition. At that time, he thought he might become blind.
He was both anxious and fearful, worried that he’d truly become blind and become a burden to Xie Xun, holding him back in the future. Therefore, he was determined to take good care of his eyes and absolutely prevent any further issues. Later on, his condition would relapse intermittently. After Xie Xun ascended the throne, the Imperial Hospital attended to Xie Jue’s ailment, indicating signs of recovery. When Fang Chuning encountered trouble in Sannan, under the blow of that event, there were again signs of weak vision, but Xie Jue, driven to despair, did not mention a word of it to anyone. Now, in Pingnan County, being overly fatigued has shown some signs again.
The door was pushed open, and Xie Jue thought it was a servant coming to add water, saying indifferently, "No need to add water here."
The footsteps were light; it was Fang Chuning.
Fang Chuning brought three sets of new clothes for Xie Jue, which he had purchased today at a clothing store. Both Xie Jue and he traveled lightly. The robbers had pawned off or discarded their supplies, and those few sets of luxurious clothes had been worn through, making it impossible for Xie Jue to wear them again. He had only two or three sets of clothes to rotate. During their busy time at the prefecture, no one was observant enough to notice the Prince’s inadequate clothing, and what they prepared might not suit Xie Jue’s taste.
"It’s me. I bought you three new sets of clothes and brought one new set for you." Fang Chuning placed the clothes in the wardrobe, taking out a set of white silk garments. The new clothing made by the Pingnan County’s tailor shop wasn’t as luxuriously refined as those in the Capital City, but Fang Chuning had selected the best. Xie Jue, known for his finicky tastes in food, clothing, and shelter, hoped Fang Chuning would like them.
With his memory restored, he found fewer taboos and, carrying the clothes, crossed the screen separating the bathroom from the main bedroom. A shelf stood along the wall, on which Xie Jue’s clothes were hung. Steam filled the bath barrel, with two buckets of hot water nearby, prepared by the servant beforehand. If the water cooled, they could add more water and some more hot water.
Xie Jue sat naked in the bathtub, his long hair spread out, half submerged in the water, his sideburns damp from the steam. When Fang Chuning entered, Xie Jue quietly pulled the towel draped over the bathtub onto the water surface to slightly block Fang Chuning’s view.
Xie Jue’s skin had always been very fair, a complexion difficult to tan, smooth like jade. His cheeks were subtly reddened by the steam, with fair face and red lips, wide shoulders and long arms, evenly proportioned and tall. The towel floated half-submerged, adding a hint of allure. Since losing his memory, Fang Chuning kept his distance from Xie Jue, adhering to the principle that a gentleman does not gaze on impropriety. He hadn’t seen Xie Jue in such a sensually charming state for a long time. In that moment, the original intent of asking about clothes forgotten, his throat went dry as he fixedly gazed at the refined, handsome face of Xie Jue. His eyes seemed glued to his skin, sweeping from the red lips, gliding down the slender neck, landing on his mist-dampened collarbones, and shoulders, the urge in his throat becoming harder to endure.
Though vulnerable, Xie Jue was not blind and knew Fang Chuning was standing nearby, unsure of how long he’d been watching, yet he made no sound.
He could feel the burning heat of Fang Chuning’s gaze.
Fang Chuning still suffered from memory loss, and Xie Jue felt it was somewhat improper for him to keep staring.
"You’ve been watching for so long; are you planning to help me scrub my back?"
Forgetting entirely his role as someone with amnesia, Fang Chuning responded, "...Sure, happy to serve the Prince."
Xie Jue, utterly flabbergasted, "..."
Fang Chuning licked his lips, hung the new clothes on the shelf, and took hold of the saponins and bathing stones. Xie Jue opened his mouth to speak, but it was too late. Fang Chuning genuinely took it upon himself to scrub his back. Xie Jue’s back skin, never exposed to moonlight, was smooth and lustrous. Fang Chuning’s hands, accustomed to gripping guns and swords, were thick with calluses. The friction of those calluses against Xie Jue’s skin sent shivers through him, bringing about a reflexive response.
Just as he was about to evade Fang Chuning’s hands, without fully understanding why, Fang Chuning held his shoulders pinned against the bathtub, leaned in, and whispered into his ear, "Prince, are you feeling shy?"
"Did you...remember something?" Xie Jue, remarkably perceptive, replied, his voice hoarse with emotion, and Fang Chuning too was slightly startled and parted the towel covering the water surface to glance down, raising his eyebrows knowingly.
"I recalled a few things!" Fang Chuning, at a glance from Xie Jue, didn’t stare further out of consideration for Xie Jue’s shyness. "It seems I used to bathe you like this before, didn’t I?"
Indeed, it was true!
In Beiman, the bitterly cold weather meant people were wrapped in thick winter garments and usually wouldn’t bathe until summer. Bathing in winter could lead to freezing to death. But given Xie Jue’s nature, he found ways to keep comfortable. After marrying, the two would often ponder such small matters. In those harshly cold conditions with little to occupy them, it was only natural their desires turned elsewhere, with energy often spent in amorous play.
Now, though Xie Jue’s focus wasn’t on how much Fang Chuning had remembered, feeling awkward, he urged him, "Leave!"
Fang Chuning chuckled softly, purposefully blowing against his ear, "Prince, are you sure...you don’t need my help?"
"Get out!"
"...Oh!"
Fang Chuning deliberately brushed his calloused fingers over Xie Jue’s shoulder skin, a touch of regret, "What a shame."
After setting down the items, he left with a smile. Xie Jue’s face flushed as if on fire, not primarily out of embarrassment but from vexation and humiliation, provoked so easily, yet Fang Chuning appeared unfazed, which mildly irked Xie Jue.
...
Fang Chuning sat on the bed and closed his eyes, reciting the Heart Clarity Spell multiple times, slowly pacifying the surging memories and rising desire in his heart. If it weren’t for his ulterior motives, wanting to prevent Xie Jue from uncovering his intentions too soon, he truly wouldn’t have given up on Xie Jue so easily. After all, given the favorable situation and timing, neither he nor Xie Jue had properly found release, and for Xie Jue’s temperament, self-serving would be rare.
Within the screen came the sound of water, interspersed with breathless gasps, bringing heat to Fang Chuning’s own breaths. He recited the Heart Clarity Spell several more times, until the sounds gradually quieted.
How torturous!
Fang Chuning shifted his focus away from Xie Jue, looking for something to distract himself from dwelling on those matters. Shortly thereafter, he noticed the dark lighting in the room and lit several more lamps, illuminating the room as if daylight.
When Xie Jue emerged from behind the screen, Fang Chuning was about to make a jest but suddenly his expression changed.
