SWHCBB 67

Chapter 67: Prince Jin, Please Rub This Minister’s Chest~

“Your eyes are swollen like walnuts from crying!” Jiang Chuang teased as he dabbed away the tears beneath Wen Jue’s eyes with a handkerchief, coaxing him like a child.

Wen Jue had only just stopped crying, but the moment Jiang Chuang spoke, his heart ached all over again. And once it did, the tears began falling anew.

Startled, Jiang Chuang quickly caught them with the handkerchief and carefully soothed him, “It’s my fault, my fault! Not swollen at all, our Xiao Wen Xiao Yu looks as lovely as ever!”

That was, of course, a total lie. Wen Jue’s eyes really were swollen, but his tearful, aggrieved expression as he looked up at Jiang Chuang, his whole face flushed pink, nose red, and eyes red and puffy, it was so adorably pitiful it nearly knocked Jiang Chuang out cold with the cuteness.

“Don’t cry anymore. If you keep going, your head will hurt, your face will swell, and it’ll ache all over! What did you dream about? Tell your husband, I’m here.” Jiang Chuang wrapped him in his arms, one thick arm encircling his waist, the other gently wiping his tears. All the muscle that usually made him feel like a fortress now softened, forming a wall of flesh for Wen Jue to lean into.

The great General Jiang, who was always stern and unapproachable in front of others, now spoke gently, comforting the person in his arms with quiet care.

Candlelight flickered. Outside the window, the sky was pitch black, even the moon had vanished. It was the dead of night.

Their movement had stirred the bamboo wind chime hanging on the bed frame, making a soft muffled sound. Under the blankets, their warmth mingled. A book they’d been reading together before bed still rested on the nightstand, and both their boots sat by the bed.

Jiang Chuang had intentionally misread a character in the book earlier, turning a serious line into something indecent. Wen Jue had kicked him in exasperation, while Jiang Chuang grinned triumphantly.

The room was filled with signs of shared life, so warm, so full, completely unlike the cold, lonely dream. Wen Jue gradually stopped crying. He realized he could see again. He was no longer that blind man fumbling in the dark. That alone made the grief seem not so crushing anymore.

Seeing him finally pulling out of his sorrow, Jiang Chuang sighed in relief and helped him sit against the headboard. Just as he released him and was about to get up, Wen Jue grabbed his hand.

His voice was still hoarse and choked from all the crying. “Where are you going?”

Jiang Chuang dutifully answered, “To get a clean damp cloth to wipe your face, then pour you a cup of water, and find some face cream to soothe your skin. After crying so much, your face will hurt if we don’t take care of it.”

He listed each little task clearly, then smiled and asked playfully, “Anything else you want to ask, Prince Jin?”

Wen Jue shook his head, simply staring at him in a daze as he got up, soaked a clean cloth, and returned to wipe his face. His touch was impossibly gentle, his expression full of concentration.

“Yunchuan,” Wen Jue called softly.

Jiang Chuang looked up. “What is it?”

Wen Jue held his hand as it wiped his face and asked uncertainly, “You’re not a dream, right?”

Jiang Chuang chuckled helplessly, “Silly, you can’t tell the difference between dreams and reality anymore? Do you want me to tell Changning tomorrow so he can sort it out for you?”

Wen Jue didn’t reply. His mind was gradually clearing. He let go of Jiang Chuang’s hand, accepted the cup of warm water he handed over, and drained it in one go. Only then did he realize how thirsty he was from crying. He handed the cup back. “I’m still still thirsty.”

He drank three full cups before he finally felt like himself again. But the lingering emotions from the dream left him quiet. He didn’t speak again until Jiang Chuang finished applying cream to his face and climbed back into bed to hold him.

“You cried so hard just now—it scared me. What did you dream about?” Jiang Chuang ran his fingers gently through his hair. Even such a small action was soothing for Wen Jue.

“I dreamed… dreamed…” Wen Jue tried to say it, but the words caught.

What had he dreamed? The fragmented scenes grew fuzzier and fuzzier. The more he tried to remember, the less he could recall. Eventually, he couldn’t describe a single piece of it.

“Can’t remember?” Jiang Chuang comforted him. “It’s okay. If you can’t remember, then don’t force it. Just a dream.”

Wen Jue nodded anxiously. But that dream had felt so real, so real it felt like the truth.

“I think… I dreamed you were gone, and I was all alone.” Wen Jue could only describe the feeling. “It was so, so scary. I’m just glad it was a dream…”

Jiang Chuang held him tighter, his lips brushing Wen Jue’s hair. “Dreams always mean the opposite. You think I’d ever leave you? Come on, use your brain, that had to be a dream.”

Wen Jue finally smiled. Even though it had only been a dream, waking up from it felt like being given a second chance.

As the fear faded, what remained was relief and joy. “Mhm!”

Jiang Chuang grinned. “You had that kind of dream, doesn’t it mean you really like me? You’re scared I’ll leave, huh, Wen Xiao Yu?”

Wen Jue nodded again and again, this time without any shyness. Instead, he hugged Jiang Chuang tighter and kept nodding.

“Are you a chick pecking rice?” Jiang Chuang laughed, tipping his chin up. Half teasing, half demanding, he said, “No, nodding isn’t enough. Say it! Quick! Do you like Yunchuan? You can’t bear to be apart from Yunchuan even for fifteen minutes?”

That… sounded like something from the dream.

Wen Jue punched his chest with a huff. “Don’t push your luck!”

Jiang Chuang clutched his chest and dramatically cried out, “Ah! It hurts! His Highness Prince Jin hits so hard!”

Even though he knew Jiang Chuang was acting, Wen Jue didn’t call him out. He just laughed and gave in, “Yes, yes, I like you, I can’t leave you. Happy now?”

Jiang Chuang lowered his gaze to sneak a peek, then whined pitifully, “Not enough. Prince Jin has to rub my chest, blow on it, or I might not recover from the pain all night!”

Wen Jue bit his lip, trying not to laugh, then gave up. “Fine. Then suffer all night. I’m going to sleep!”

He rolled over, only to be pulled back and wrapped tightly in Jiang Chuang’s arms. Jiang Chuang whispered next to his ear, “Prince Jin, you’re so heartless. Don’t even care if I live or die.”

Wen Jue stifled a laugh, eyes wide with feigned innocence. “I do care. But if I really rub and blow on it for you, I’m afraid I’m the one who won’t survive the night.”

That dream had worn him out. And crying afterward had left him exhausted. He didn’t want to do any more “exercise.”

Jiang Chuang fell silent, then planted a firm kiss on his cheek. “Fine, fine. I’ll let you off for now. Sleep!”

He blew out the candle and hugged Wen Jue close again as he closed his eyes.

Wen Jue placed his hand on Jiang Chuang’s arm around his waist, then suddenly said, “No matter where you go to fight in the future, no matter how long it takes… I’ll go with you. Okay?”

“…What?” Jiang Chuang opened his eyes.