SWHCBB 35

Chapter 35: Becoming My Little Husband’s Kept Man

After listening to Jiang Chuang’s fragmented retelling, Wen Jue clung to him in silence for a long time. Jiang Chuang gently stroked his hair, murmuring with emotion, “Royal Sister is truly bold and brilliant. Her skill and strategy are unmatched. She reasoned and appealed to His Majesty so well, she nearly moved him to tears.”

Wen Jue didn’t respond. Jiang Chuang tried various ways to praise him again, but still got no reaction.

He gently pushed Wen Jue back to take a look and discovered tears quietly streaming down his face. Once caught, Wen Jue hugged him tightly again, burying his face in Jiang Chuang’s chest as he wept, trying to deceive himself.

“Why are you crying?” Jiang Chuang coaxed him softly, patting his back. “No more crying, no more. Really, how can my Zhiyu cry so much and exhaust himself? Your health’s already fragile!”

Wen Jue bit down hard on his lower lip but still couldn’t hold back a sob. “… I miss Mother Consort…”

Seeing him cry, Jiang Chuang’s own eyes turned red. “Why all of a sudden? Did something remind you of her?”

Wen Jue just shook his head and kept crying.

Jiang Chuang’s tears also began to fall as he held him tight. “I miss my parents too… Poor folks worked all their lives and never had peace, passed away so young…”

The more he spoke, the more choked up he got. “My father was so skilled, could do anything. My mother was amazing, knew everything. They were both good people, anyone who met them would say, ‘How did such honest, kind folks like Uncle and Aunt Jiang end up with a monkey like Jiang Chuang?’”

Wen Jue’s sorrow was interrupted and he looked up, bursting into a smile through tears. “What are you saying?…Who calls themselves a monkey?”

“They said I used to bounce around all over the place like a little monkey.”

Jiang Chuang sniffled, gazing at Wen Jue’s tear-streaked face, vulnerable yet breathtaking, and suddenly burst into exaggerated sobs. “My parents don’t even know how impressive I’ve become! And I’ve married such a stunningly beautiful wife!”

Wen Jue lightly punched him, amused. “You’re the one who’s the ‘wife!’ I’m not giving birth to some big fat baby!”

Jiang Chuang stopped crying and looked at him pitifully. “I can’t give birth either! That’s not exactly a learnable skill!”

“Then let’s not have one!” Wen Jue chuckled through his tears. “If you could, would you?”

Jiang Chuang cupped his face, gently wiping away his tears with his thumb. “No. Having you is enough! I just want to take care of you, on the bed, off the bed, all of it. Take care of you until our hair turns white. When I can’t take care of you anymore, I’ll just stay with you and wait for death!”

Wen Jue nodded, heart melting into syrup. He no longer doubted the sincerity of Jiang Chuang’s words, and instead teased him: “What kind of general cries like that? Aren’t you ashamed? Wailing like a kid!”

“I don’t cry like this in front of anyone else! Why be ashamed in front of you?” Jiang Chuang grinned, nuzzling into him. “Besides, if I didn’t bawl like that, you’d just keep crying. It’s bad for your health! What if Divine Physician Bai comes back, then I’d be wronged for sure~”

He was so clingy, Wen Jue couldn’t help pushing him away. “What kind of comfort is this? It’s terrifying!”

But Jiang Chuang only hugged him tighter, puffing up his cheeks and acting adorably exaggerated. He couldn’t resist kissing him like a woodpecker, then solemnly declared, “I even kiss like this, aren’t you scared?”

Always playing the fool to make him laugh. Wen Jue leaned in and bit his chin, but flinched back at the feel of stubble. “It’s your fault! You didn’t offer your cheek, so I bit the wrong spot, your stubble scratched me!”

Jiang Chuang touched his chin. There was indeed stubble.

He muttered, “You’ve been sleeping this whole time. I didn’t feel like shaving. I was afraid you’d wake up and not find me nearby.”

Wen Jue argued, “Changning’s always there. How would I not find you?” He pinched Divine Chuang’s nose. “You’re just lazy! Miracle Physician Bai said my eyesight will definitely recover. Once I can see again, if you’re scruffy and ugly, I might not want you anymore!”

Jiang Chuang stiffened. That… really might happen. He’d been slacking on his training, eating less, his muscles were shrinking…

If this kept up, when Zhiyu regained his sight, with Jiang Chuang’s looks, his humble background, and a devoted, powerful sister like the Princess. What kind of man couldn’t he have? Why would he stay tied to one tree?

Wen Jue tugged his ear. “Why so quiet?”

Jiang Chuang tensed his body, and his muscles instantly became rock-hard. Wen Jue, now squished against him, felt suffocated. “Hey–hey! What are you doing?! Let go! I’m going to suffocate!”

Jiang Chuang slowly relaxed, eyes serious. “I’ve decided I’m going to increase my time at the training grounds. I’ll keep my physique in top shape at all times, so that the moment you open your eyes, you’ll be completely smitten!”

The room went silent. Wen Jue’s expression turned strange. Then he started trembling, and when Jiang Chuang looked confused, he suddenly burst out laughing, head resting on Jiang Chuang’s shoulder, laughing uncontrollably.

It was the first time Jiang Chuang had seen him laugh like this, so unrestrained, without the slightest trace of sorrow or caution. His brows curved, eyes crinkled with tears of joy.

This version of Zhiyu no longer seemed burdened by a shadowy past or weighed down by guilt or calculation. This was the Zhiyu who gave himself wholeheartedly.

Jiang Chuang hugged him tighter, his eyes starting to burn again.

When the laughter finally faded, Wen Jue murmured, “Idiot.”

He poked Jiang Chuang’s muscles. “Other people train to win battles. Only you train to maintain your looks. Sounds like you’re my kept man. But who has kept men this huge?”

Jiang Chuang scratched his head. “A kept man it is, then. If that makes you happy, I don’t mind being yours. But you can’t have anyone else!”

“You’re not a kept man!” Wen Jue finally found the right spot and kissed his cheek lightly, making Jiang Chuang feel like a newborn. “You’re my husband!”

After the kiss, he covered Jiang Chuang’s face to stop any retaliation, absolutely genius Wen Jue!

“I was thinking about Mother Consort earlier because of Royal Sister…” Now that he mentioned it again, Wen Jue wasn’t as emotional. With a smile on his lips, his blank eyes seemed filled with stars. “I’ve never seen what Mother looked like. But I always imagine she must’ve been someone truly exceptional. Otherwise, how could I have such a wonderful Royal Sister? She and I rely on each other, she takes care of me just like another mother.”

Jiang Chuang smiled with him. “Then it sounds like you were thinking about your sister earlier. Once you feel better, should we visit the Princess’s residence? I used to be a little scared of her, but she loves you so much. She can’t be that scary.”

Wen Jue hesitated, then his cheeks turned faintly pink. Before Jiang Chuang could ask, he said, “Forget it. If I want to see her, better she come visit me instead. She has a lot of kept men in her residence. They wouldn’t dare touch me, of course, but it’s still uncomfortable. I’d rather keep a little boundary.”

Jiang Chuang had heard about the Princess Chenyu’s collection of kept men, they weren’t just handsome and elegant, but had illustrious family backgrounds, refined temperaments, and brilliant minds.

And when she tired of one, she’d simply replace him. Yet despite that, sons of noble families still competed for the chance to serve her.

Wen Jue lowered his head, his face blushing.

What he’d really wanted to say wasn’t that.

What he meant was…

“Yunchuan… you’re one of the most important people to me, too.”