ITF Chapter96

The bed curtains were only pulled halfway in their haste. Different from his restraint and caution back in the capital, and different from his dominance and insolence when they first reunited, the Luo Congye of today seemed entirely unlike his usual self.

Within his chaotic mind, Bai Heting scraped together an adjective that was as fitting as possible.

Clinging.

Pushing against Luo Congye’s shoulders, he tilted his head away slightly and said hoarsely, “Stop kissing me.”

The half-drawn curtains allowed a murky firelight to spill through, yet Bai Heting’s skin remained luminously white with a layer of pale pink surfacing atop that snowy fairness. Luo Congye kissed away the moisture on his lips, then moved to kiss his faint brows, the tear mole beneath his eye, the bridge of his upturned nose, and finally back to those pale red, thin lips.

Even though they had embraced like this countless times before, for some unknown reason, he actually developed an illusion that this was his very first time embracing this person naked. He cradled Bai Heting’s face in both hands, bringing their eyes level and their lips almost touching, then asked in a low voice as if needing absolute certainty, “You really like me?”

Without a shred of mercy, Bai Heting reminded him, “You said you would only ask once.”

Luo Congye was left utterly speechless.

A wave of belated regret rushed straight into his heart. He had indeed spoken those words; just to secure an unadulterated answer, he hadn’t left himself even a single path of retreat.

But with these kinds of words, how could hearing them just once ever be enough?

He exhaled a long, vexed sigh and lowered his head once more, only to be pushed back at the waist.

Bai Heting warned, “Stop rubbing against me.”

Luo Congye ignored General Bai’s warning, leaning in and nuzzling against his body a few more times in a sticky, affectionate manner.

“I want to make love with you, yet I don’t want to…” Having said that, as if finding it ridiculous himself, he let out a low chuckle. “Is that a bit strange?”

It was very strange, Bai Heting thought.

But what made him feel strange was something else entirely. He actually understood Luo Congye’s inexplicable words.

Luo Congye had made him understand love. Yet the very person who made him understand love was incapable of understanding how special he himself was.

What a hassle.

He clamped a hand around Luo Congye’s throat, pushing his face a bit further away, and said to him with a perfectly serious expression, “When the suppressants lost their efficacy, Bei Chenzhou told me to find a Beta to help me get through my heat.” Fearing he wouldn’t understand, he added one more line, “A Beta is safe.”

Having said this much, Bai Heting spoke no further, merely glaring with a pair of clear eyes as he looked at Luo Congye with absolute gravity.

The meaning written there seemed to say—I’ve already spelled it out to this extent, you should understand by now, right?

But this explanation was spoken in a truly roundabout manner. Luo Congye’s brain had only just rounded the very first corner when Bai Heting lost his patience entirely.

“That year during the autumn hunt,” those long, slender fingers tightened slightly out of irritation, and his pacing quickened significantly, “did you honestly think I would ride the same horse with someone else? When have you ever seen me share a horse with another person? You absolute stu—”

Luo Congye suddenly pulled Bai Heting’s hand away, using his lips to seal General Bai’s unoriginal lecture.

That tongue, so often sharp with biting remarks, tangled with his without hesitation.

Bai Heting did not shove him off this time; his long legs folded naturally, and his hands came up to tightly encircle Luo Congye’s neck.

The meaning written there seemed to say—Since you understand, cut the nonsense.

Luo Congye, however, raised his head once more.

Pressing his forehead against Bai Heting’s, he looked down at him and asked as if talking to himself, “What should I do?”

Seeing that he was spending all this time failing to get down to business, Bai Heting was just about to flare up when he heard him continue, “With you like this, I don’t want to leave.”

Bai Heting was suddenly struck dumb.

The hands wrapped around his neck slid down across the Alpha’s broad shoulders, and the desire within those peach-blossom eyes gradually dissipated.

Luo Congye regretted ruining the atmosphere, but since the words were already out, there was no way to gloss over them easily. He rolled off Bai Heting, lying on his side next to him, and explained, “After Zhong Maoru was pardoned, there were quite a few grand lords who followed his example. You have no idea how lively it has been these past few days.”

He didn’t need to mention the progress of events; Bai Heting had already guessed the rough outline long ago. Staring up at the canopy of the bed, he quickly recovered his composure.

“Did not a single one of that pack of useless fools in the palace foresee this obvious outcome?” He sneered softly.

Luo Congye said, “They didn’t have a better choice. The moment Zhong Maoru seized that piece of land, the ending was already set in stone.”

Bai Heting turned his head to look at him. He had to admit that Luo Congye was right; if Zhong Maoru were to lead his army to reinforce the front line, the situation of the war would instantly undergo an earth-shattering transformation.

The king’s pardon of Zhong Maoru’s offense looked, on the surface, like the Zhong family had finally bowed to the royal household. In truth, however, it was Zhong Maoru who had offered the royal family a dignified way to step down and preserve its face.

“Besides, he also gave them some intelligence they wanted,” Luo Congye said, the corner of his lips curling as he raised an eyebrow at Bai Heting. “Half true, half false intelligence.”

Bai Heting’s expression turned grave once more.

Luo Congye did not explicitly state the contents of the intelligence, but judging by his intentionally relaxed demeanor, that information clearly had everything to do with either himself or the Urdan people.

Felt somewhat uneasy under his steady gaze, Luo Congye reached out to wrap an arm around his shoulders, gently massaging the top of his shoulder.

“I know right now isn’t the absolute best timing. The fewer uncontrollable forces there are, the greater our chances of victory. We ought to wait until those minor nobles are swallowed whole and stripped clean in their private wars before seeking a better opportunity.” He paused, a hint of hesitation creeping into his tone as his voice dropped a fraction lower. “But I don’t want to wait anymore. I want to bring all of this to a complete resolution before the spring flowers bloom. Am I being a bit irresponsible by doing this?”

Bai Heting sat up against the head of the bed, falling into a brief silence. After a moment, he spoke slowly, “Not necessarily.”

Luo Congye looked up at him, somewhat surprised.

Weighing his words, Bai Heting said, “To turn the tide around, they need funds and reinforcements. All of this requires time to negotiate. Leaving the enemy with too much breathing room isn’t necessarily a good thing.”

Yet the edge of his words suddenly shifted focus, “But winter is not a suitable season to wage war. The weather is far too cold, and the supply lines stretch too long. You’re marching straight into your own death.”

Hearing this, Luo Congye said nothing, sitting up from the bed as well.

“Are you thirsty?” He asked abruptly.

Bai Heting nodded, and Luo Congye walked barefoot across the floor over to the table, poured a cup of liquor, and walked back.

“Therefore,” he handed the cup to Bai Heting before tossing out a mysterious, riddle-like line, “I am going to fight this war on our own turf.”

Bai Heting used the liquor to moisten his throat.

He did not know where the “our own turf” Luo Congye spoke of referred to, but seeing how full of confidence he was, he did not press further, merely handing the cup back to him.

Luo Congye, however, had zoned out and failed to take the cup.

“But I have one more concern,” he said, keeping his head lowered, his brows tightly furrowed as though caught in an inner struggle. “To separate Zhong Xiao and Lin Qian at this moment feels far too cruel.”

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