SWHCBB 10

Chapter 10: You Need to Eat Well to Have Strength

The moment Jiang Chuang heard that Wen Jue had woken, he immediately got up and dashed from the back courtyard, his mind full of the surprise he had planned for Zhiyu.

As soon as he pushed open the door, the soft sound of water reached his ears. Without thinking, he followed the sound and walked straight behind the screen—only to freeze on the spot.

Ink-black hair flowed in the water, ripples lapping gently amidst the misty steam. Jiang Chuang couldn’t see what lay beneath the surface, only glimpses of snow-pale skin reflected on the water.

Wen Jue leaned against the side of the bathing tub, trying to keep his body hidden beneath the water. He gripped the wooden rim, lifting his head in the direction of the footsteps.

His cheeks were flushed from the warm water, even his fingertips tinged with pink. His jade-like face was still damp, without the usual elaborate adornments.

At this moment, Wen Jue reminded Jiang Chuang of when they had once fled together in their past life—barefaced, yet still capable of making him lose his soul with just a look.

His wet hair clung to his shoulders, and on his collarbones and upper arms remained the marks Jiang Chuang had left earlier. In the soft candlelight, all of it stirred Jiang Chuang’s imagination and desire.

Jiang Chuang couldn’t help but gulp. Damn, the storybooks weren’t lying—there really are fox spirits in this world!

Those dim, lifeless eyes added a layer of helplessness and fragile charm to that beautiful face, making it all the more seductive.

Yet the way his lips were pressed and brows furrowed clearly expressed his unease, snapping Jiang Chuang out of his daze and bringing him back to his senses.

After a moment of silence, Wen Jue finally heard the heavy breathing and asked tentatively, “Is that you, General?”

Jiang Chuang felt not the least bit ashamed of having barged in like a scoundrel. On the contrary, he stepped closer, brushing aside his damp bangs with his hand so he could steal a better glance beneath the water, shamelessly saying:

“Not the General—it’s your husband. Where’s Changning? Why isn’t he watching you while you bathe?”

Wen Jue seemed to relax, reaching up to clasp Jiang Chuang’s hand. What started as a defensive gesture turned into something more intimate. “I sent him away. I was just about to get up and dress when you barged in…”

He nuzzled Jiang Chuang’s palm with his face. Jiang Chuang nearly melted and leaned down to kiss the corner of his lips.

Wen Jue obediently let him kiss him with his eyes closed, even tilting his head up to rub noses. Jiang Chuang’s Adam’s apple bobbed twice as he fought to restrain himself. His voice came out husky. “Want me to help you get dressed?”

“Not bathing together?” Wen Jue’s lips curled faintly. He wrapped his fingers around Jiang Chuang’s forearm and murmured seductively, “I’ve heard… doing it in water feels different.”

At that moment, Jiang Chuang felt he had truly been wronged in his past life!

When he rescued Wen Jue back then, he was but a hollow shell—utterly despairing. Who knew what tortures he had suffered while imprisoned by the Third Prince? Jiang Chuang had arrived just in time, but Wen Jue had clearly been ready to die.

If Changning hadn’t sacrificed himself to save him, Wen Jue might never have lasted long enough for Jiang Chuang to arrive.

After being rescued, he couldn’t even be bothered to pretend. He was completely despondent.

Jiang Chuang, unable to bear seeing him like that, had tried to provoke him, saying, “Weren’t you the master schemer? What, can’t take it now? Or is this some act to get my pity so I’ll protect you longer?”

That finally stirred a response. Wen Jue slowly raised his head from his curled-up position, dead-eyed, and said something that nearly made Jiang Chuang explode.

“Sorry to disappoint you, General Jiang. You went to all that trouble to save a useless wreck. Even the last bit of charm I had has been worn away. I probably disgust you now. All your effort, wasted. Go ahead and abandon me—while my royal brother still doesn’t know.”

Jiang Chuang had nearly choked from rage. He had risked life and reputation to save him, only to have it turned into a cheap accusation of lust.

He stormed out and found someone to fight just to vent.

And now, Jiang Chuang truly felt he’d been wronged—wronged worse than Dou E!¹ Dou E is a virtuous and wronged woman who is falsely accused and executed for a crime she didn’t commit. Before her execution, she swears that strange signs will appear to prove her innocence. 《竇娥冤》 (Injustice to Dou E, also known as The Grievances of Dou E) by Guan Hanqing.

Who was the one being lusty? He had held back for three years while fighting and arguing with Wen Jue! And now here was a fox spirit deliberately teasing him every time they spoke, trying to make him lose control—and then playing the victim!

Jiang Chuang stared at that alluring face, took three deep breaths, then ruthlessly pinched his cheek. “Unless you want to faint in the tub, shut up and get dressed.”

Wen Jue’s smile froze. This wasn’t going according to plan… How had he held back?

Jiang Chuang turned away and didn’t look at him. He handed over a towel and clothes from the rack. Wen Jue had no choice but to take his hand and step out of the tub.

Jiang Chuang didn’t dare look. Just listening to the sounds of him drying off and getting dressed was enough to make his blood boil. Look? No way—if he looked, the night would be over.

But the little fox behind him wasn’t done. A hand slid onto Jiang Chuang’s back and then down to his waist.

“Husband… I can’t see. I can’t tie this properly. Can you help me?”

Jiang Chuang felt a tight pull below the waist, and after a long pause, he finally turned to look at him.

Wen Jue stood there in a thin inner robe, damp from the steam, clinging to his body. He clutched the sash, looking helpless and vulnerable.

Jiang Chuang gritted his teeth as he tied Wen Jue’s sash, then helped him into his outer robe and bundled him up in a thick cloak.

The whole process flowed smoothly like water. Jiang Chuang felt like he was just one step away from achieving sainthood in the flesh. Only after wrapping Wen Jue up tightly did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. He took his hand and led him to sit, then began gently drying his hair.

Wen Jue, on the other hand, wasn’t feeling nearly as triumphant. His mood had soured, and he’d grown quiet. Every tactic had failed—none had pushed Jiang Chuang into losing control, none had made him fall hopelessly in love again. Could it be… he really had to resort to drugging him again?

Once his hair was half-dry, Jiang Chuang took his hand and led him out of the room, his tone full of mystery. “Hungry, aren’t you? Come on, follow me!”

“What?” Wen Jue was confused.

“You’ll see when we get there!” If he wasn’t so dirty himself, he’d have carried him already. “Here, careful stepping over the threshold. Zhiyu, you’re amazing—so steady!”

Wen Jue couldn’t help laughing. “It’s just a doorframe, does it really deserve such praise?”

“You’re not like anyone else!” Jiang Chuang said proudly, unable to resist giving him a hint about the surprise he’d prepared.

“I woke up hungry, and figured you’d be too once you woke. But waking the cook at this hour would be too much trouble. So I…”

He stopped Wen Jue and, as Wen Jue reached forward, he felt a different kind of warmth ahead—and the delicious smell that made his mouth water.

“I caught two chickens in the back courtyard, plucked and seasoned them, wrapped them in oiled paper, then packed them in thick mud. After that, I built a pile of firewood shaped like a little mountain and left a hole in the center, like a cave! Once the fire burned down to glowing embers, I tossed the chickens in the cave and buried them under the hot coals. The residual heat cooks them slowly—makes the meat super tender and fragrant!”

“It’s something I learned in the army. When there’s no battle, we go hunting, and this was the best way to cook whatever we caught. The smell carries for miles! You’ve always been in the palace—I bet you’ve never tasted anything like this. You have to try it!”

Since Wen Jue couldn’t see the scene before him, Jiang Chuang led him to sit and began describing everything, even recounting some of the mishaps.

“You wouldn’t believe it—when I was catching the chicken, Chen Lin thought I was a thief. That guy must be blind—he kicked me straight away!”

Hearing that, Wen Jue frowned and reached out to feel Jiang Chuang’s chest. “You got hurt? Is it serious?”

Jiang Chuang laughed and caught his hand. “Of course not! What, you think your husband can’t even handle Chen Lin? I dodged, and tripped him while I was at it—he landed face first in the mud, hahaha!”

His laugh was so hearty that Wen Jue couldn’t help smiling too. “Cough, poor Chen Lin was just trying to protect the house.”

Jiang Chuang stared at that smile and felt a strange ache in his chest. It might’ve been the first time he’d seen Zhiyu smile like that—completely free of calculation, purely happy.

Wen Jue noticed the silence and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Chuang said gloomily, “You called him Chen Lin.”

“Hm?” Wen Jue blinked. “That’s what you call him.”

“But you… you’ve never called me by name,” Jiang Chuang said, voice full of grievance, like Wen Jue had wronged him.

In their past life, he’d always called him “General,” “General Jiang,” or “Husband,” but never his actual name. Later, once Jiang Chuang realized Wen Jue’s affection was all pretense, he got angry and stopped calling him Zhiyu—just “Fifth Prince” or “Your Highness.”

But when Wen Jue died in his arms, Jiang Chuang regretted it. Who said schemes didn’t contain real feelings?

Wen Jue pursed his lips, softened his tone. “Jiang Chuang—I know your name is Jiang Chuang.”

Jiang Chuang shook his head. “No.”

“Hm?”

He took Wen Jue’s hand and wrote slowly in his palm: “Yunchuan, my courtesy name.”

“Yunchuan…” It was the first time Wen Jue had heard it. He repeated softly, “Jiang Yunchuan.”

“It sounds so much nicer coming from you!” Jiang Chuang finally smiled again. He wanted to hug him, but remembering how dirty he was, he just squeezed his hand tighter. “Zhiyu. My Zhiyu.”

The baked chicken was ready. Jiang Chuang knocked off the dried mud with a stick, let it cool, then peeled away the oiled paper and placed it in a bowl. Every step he described aloud for Wen Jue, sparing no detail.

As Wen Jue listened, he pictured the motions in his mind—but in his imagination, Jiang Chuang’s face was always missing.

Once the chicken was ready and no longer too hot, Jiang Chuang brought a piece to Wen Jue’s lips. “Try it—good?”

Wen Jue took a bite. Juices burst on his tongue, rich and savory, perfectly seasoned. He nodded. “Delicious.”

Jiang Chuang finally relaxed. “Then it was worth getting pecked twice by the chicken!”

“You got pecked? Does it hurt?”

“Eh, just a bit. All Chen Lin’s fault. If he hadn’t tried to tackle me, the chicken wouldn’t have gotten the upper hand! I was the best hunter in the army, you know!”

Wen Jue laughed again and gently held his hand, soothing his fingers. “Here? Let me rub it. It won’t hurt anymore.”

Jiang Chuang’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Once we’re full and back in the room—and I’ve had a bath—we’ll finish what we didn’t earlier. As for… the water… next time, we’ll try it.”

The sudden mention made Wen Jue think back to his earlier disappointment. But Jiang Chuang’s words warmed his heart—it hadn’t been rejection. He was just worried about their empty stomachs…

Wen Jue smiled faintly. “I thought… you didn’t want to.”

Jiang Chuang exclaimed, “I do! I really do! But we have to eat first—need energy to do you, don’t we? And you need strength too if you’re going to take—” Crap.

Before he could finish, Wen Jue clamped a hand over his mouth. “Enough. You’re not allowed to say another word.”

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  Dou E is a virtuous and wronged woman who is falsely accused and executed for a crime she didn’t commit. Before her execution, she swears that strange signs will appear to prove her innocence. 《竇娥冤》 (Injustice to Dou E, also known as The Grievances of Dou E) by Guan Hanqing.