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墨書 Inktalez
This summer was particularly hot. The Dragon Palace, usually a cool refuge, could not escape the oppressive heat. Everyone inside wore a sheen of sweat, and beads of glistening perspiration dotted their noses. Lin Qingmo, dressed in a light blue shirt, had no qualms about leaving his collar open, exposing his chest. He fanned himself with his sleeve as he approached the wooden cupboard, opening its door to find it empty except for a small white porcelain bottle standing alone.
He picked up the bottle and shook it; there was only half a bottle left. Sitting down on a stool, he noticed Xi'er sprawled out on the floor in a big "V" shape, surrounded by several bottles of varying sizes. Its eyes were bloodshot, and to Lin Qingmo, it seemed as if there were several Xi'ers before him. He bent down beside it and asked, "Xi'er, are you drunk? You should go back to bed." Xi'er gave a lazy chuckle, burped, and drawled, "It's so hot... I just want to drink some wine to cool down... cool down..."
Lin Qingmo sighed. At that moment, Dodder Princess waddled over with her chubby little legs, holding a plate of glistening grapes. She squatted beside Xi'er and respectfully said, "Boss, eat some grapes." Then she looked up at Lin Qingmo and added, "Crown Princess, eat some grapes."
Lin Qingmo shook his head with a smile and picked up the half-empty bottle from the table, sniffing it through the cloth stopper—there was no scent of alcohol. He asked Xi'er, "What’s in this bottle?" Upon seeing the bottle of midnight wine, Xi'er seemed to wake up halfway. Its fur had grown back longer and more beautiful than before. Shyly brushing its long eyelashes with its wings and turning its head away, it finally said, "Um... I don’t know what it is."
Lin Qingmo took a sip; it was sweet and refreshing. He couldn't help but drink a few more sips. Just then, Ao Yan rushed in from outside, calling out "Wife!" as he grabbed Lin Qingmo's hand and pulled him toward the exit urgently.
"What's going on? What's wrong?" Lin Qingmo asked repeatedly as he was dragged along. Ao Yan just smiled without answering and led him up to the surface of the sea.
The sun poured down like boiling water. Lin Qingmo shielded his face with his sleeve and squinted at Ao Yan. "Where are we going in such a hurry?" Ao Yan grinned mischievously and leaned closer to whisper mysteriously, "You'll know when we get there." He brought Lin Qingmo to a small island they often visited.
The island's edge was surrounded by wide stretches of dry sand beach, with a circular grove of dense trees in the center. Two willow trees stood tall with lush branches and leaves. Ao Yan loved willows; he said they looked like visible winds—soft and charming. The two trees stood like an archway with a path between them.
The branches intertwined overhead to form a green canopy through which fragmented sunlight filtered down like twinkling stars. The light that couldn't squeeze through fell like petals onto the ground below—a carpet of fallen stars that Ao Yan and Lin Qingmo walked upon.
Before reaching the center of the grove, Lin Qingmo spotted a pond shaped like a duck egg that had been dug out at some point. The smooth walls of the pond resembled white jade. Scattered around its edge were several Monthly Roses in soft pinks, creamy whites, and vibrant reds—delicate and beautiful. Lin Qingmo stopped in excitement and asked tremulously, "How... how did these flowers survive?"
Ao Yan replied proudly, "With Immortal Dew. Wife, you like them; this is just a small thing." Suddenly he scooped Lin Qingmo up into his arms and walked toward the pond. As they got closer, Lin Qingmo saw an enormous water lily floating on the surface—its petals unfurled like they were touched by moonlight—a shimmering blue hue. The emerald water beneath resembled a giant lotus leaf cradling it gently. A few red koi peeked out from below but quickly darted back into hiding when startled.
Ao Yan jumped onto the lily pad in the center of the pond while still holding Lin Qingmo tightly. He fell backward into the soft yellow petals of the flower beneath them. As they landed, it felt as if the world had turned upside down; Lin Qingmo felt flustered and disoriented. Meeting Ao Yan's wicked grin made him struggle to get up but was held down firmly instead.
Ao Yan leaned down to kiss Lin Qingmo's chest softly while mumbling incoherently, "Isn’t this tempting me? Do you like this pond, wife?"
Lin Qingmo nodded slowly as he watched Ao Yan exerting so much effort to please him; he felt both touched and pained by his devotion. Ao Yan lifted himself slightly and traced his fingers along the kiss marks down to where they met at Lin Qingmo's heart—a lotus imprint left behind: "Wife, it's all my fault; if I hadn't treated you that way back then, you wouldn't have gone with your mother or encountered that wicked Plum Blossom Fairy who harmed you."
"It's alright," Lin Qingmo reassured him as he held Ao Yan's hand tightly. "If she truly wanted to harm me, there would be no escaping it; if not today then tomorrow she would have her chance. But thanks to my mother giving me this Thousand-Year Cold Jade—it has become my heart now. Without it, I would have died long ago."
Their eyes met; flames ignited within Ao Yan's golden gaze that seemed to melt Lin Qingmo away entirely. In a hoarse voice filled with longing he said: "Wife, this pond and these flowers are all for you—the lotus bed is prepared just for you! What will you give me in return?"
Lin Qingmo smiled shyly as warmth crept across his cheeks; closing his eyes he opened himself up to him.
As clothes fell away in Dragon Palace's secluded space—Lin Qingmo's skin had become fairer than before; now smooth like flowing water slipping through Ao Yan's fingers. As he opened his legs wide for him to see—Ao Yan’s gaze fixed intently on him before breaking into a gentle smile: “The lotus blossoms are even more radiant under the sun.”
Flustered yet playful, Lin Qingmo kicked at Ao Yan’s shoulder from where he lay among soft petals—a feeble kick devoid of strength accompanied by light-hearted complaints: “What nonsense is this? Stop talking rubbish.”
Ao Yan feigned innocence despite being utterly enchanted by him; squinting playfully he teased: “Wife! Tell me what you want.” With that he nudged against him teasingly.
“Get off!” Lin Qingmo pushed himself up trying to rise again—“You’re getting too greedy.” But Ao Yan merely tilted his chin up with a mischievous grin: “That’s not for you to decide.”
Suddenly the lotus sank beneath them causing Lin Qingmo to lose balance again and fall back down once more; another sinking motion allowed streams of water to seep through gaps between petals while terrifyingly red koi attempted to swim through those openings—each baring sharp teeth glinting ominously.
Panicking now clinging tightly around Ao Yan’s neck—Lin Qingmo couldn’t calm himself despite knowing deep down that Ao Yan would never hurt him; instinctively tightening his grip around him while shutting his eyes tight he cried out: “Husband! I want... I want... I want...”
With one last sharp cry their bodies intertwined completely.
After two hours of intermittent passion—Lin Qingmo lay flushed against Ao Yan’s shoulder biting down hard before finally succumbing to exhaustion and drifting off into sleep contentedly while Ao Yan lazily brushed aside strands of hair sticking to Lin Qingmo’s forehead.
At that moment darkness enveloped them as strong winds began stirring ominously—it seemed a storm was brewing outside; losing interest in further playtime—he wrapped Lin Qingmo snugly within his clothing before heading back towards Dragon Palace.
After being tormented intermittently for about two hours, Lin Qingmo turned bright red and bit down hard on Ao Yan's shoulder before exhausting all his strength and falling asleep. Satisfied, Ao Yan lazily brushed aside the strands of hair sticking to Lin Qingmo's forehead. At that moment, the sky darkened, and a strong wind began to blow, signaling an approaching storm. Losing interest in playing, he wrapped Lin Qingmo tightly in his clothes and returned to the Dragon Palace.
A month passed, and inexplicably, Lin Qingmo began to vomit everything he ate, accompanied by dizziness and drowsiness. Initially, he didn't pay much attention to it, but the symptoms persisted. Worried, Ao Yan summoned the Turtle Prime Minister. After taking Lin Qingmo's pulse for a while, the Turtle Prime Minister chuckled and said, "Congratulations, Your Highness; the Crown Princess is pregnant." "Ah—" Ao Yan and Lin Qingmo exclaimed in unison. Ao Yan was excited while Lin Qingmo was bewildered. "Wife, wife—" Ao Yan tightly grasped his hand, unable to contain his excitement as he squeezed it painfully. Noticing Lin Qingmo's belly, he gently caressed it. Lin Qingmo felt a wave of irritation and swatted his hand away before turning to retreat to the bedroom.
Although they often joked about "you give birth, I give birth," when it actually happened, he felt at a loss. He was a man but found himself inadvertently playing the role of a woman in his relationship with Ao Yan, submissive beneath him. Now he possessed the innate ability to bear children like a woman. What difference was there between him and a woman now? He felt out of place, caught between two worlds like a monster. The thought alone was terrifying.
As if sensing Lin Qingmo's turmoil, Ao Yan approached quietly but not cheerfully; he was careful not to disturb Lin Qingmo and provoke a stronger reaction from him. He timidly moved closer and reached out to touch Lin Qingmo's fingertips but was brushed off. "Wife," Ao Yan softly called out, pausing before continuing, "If you don’t want this little pork bun, we can just not have it..." Suddenly standing up, Lin Qingmo interrupted him firmly: "No! I won’t keep it." Ao Yan's expression dimmed slightly but still held Lin Qingmo's hand and coaxed gently: "Alright, if my wife says no, then we won't have it. Men are different from women; in the immortal realm, male couples rely on their spiritual power for reproduction—not to turn men into women but to fulfill the desire for children between partners."
Afterward, one day Lin Qingmo inadvertently overheard Xi'er say: "The Parent-Child River only has one use; male couples only have one chance to conceive. No matter how high your spiritual power is or how superior you are to mortals, you cannot break the rules of yin and yang or use it endlessly." This made Lin Qingmo hesitate. This hesitation lasted several months as his belly gradually grew larger. Ao Yan dared not provoke him and cautiously joked: "Wife has a general's belly now." The large belly felt like a watermelon attached to Lin Qingmo; it couldn't be shaken off no matter where he went and made him tired with aching back and waist. It was flesh that grew from within him; he watched as it expanded little by little. It felt like fleeing from war with a precious treasure wrapped in his burden—more valuable than life itself—making it hard to let go. Thus, he often unconsciously expressed affection: "Why is this little guy so heavy? My waist is about to break under his weight. I wonder if my mother felt this heavy when she was pregnant with me."
Ao Yan nuzzled against his belly like a puppy and said sweetly: "When he comes out, I’ll spank him for making his father suffer so much. Here, wife, eat some lychee." "Come on, let me massage your legs." "Here, wife; let me wash your feet." Under Ao Yan's careful pampering, Lin Qingmo was finally ready to give birth.
Due to Ao Bi’s suicide, Ao Qin had been gloomy as she regarded Ao Bi as her precious jewel. The atmosphere in the Dragon Palace had been quite somber until now when new life was about to arrive; everyone was filled with anticipation.
With fire burning beneath his feet, Ao Yan paced anxiously back and forth in distress. Inside the room, Lin Qingmo’s muffled groans sounded like dull knives cutting through him. Grabbing one of the Clam Spirits coming in and out, he asked: "Why can't I go in? My wife isn't even a woman." The Clam Spirit shook off Ao Yan's hand and replied: "My good prince, stop tangling with me here. You would only cause chaos by going in. Just stay outside calmly; with the Turtle Prime Minister inside, everything will be fine." Xi'er and Dodder Princess also dared not speak; they quietly sat beside Ao Yan.
Ao Yan slumped back into a redwood chair and listened intently to Lin Qingmo’s cries; whenever he called out in pain, Ao Yan clenched his fists as if sharing the effort with him. Looking at his own protruding belly, Lin Qingmo took a breath and whispered hoarsely: "It hurts so much... Is this how much pain my mother felt when she gave birth to me... so painful." Nearby, a Clam Spirit wiped away the sweat that nearly obscured his eyes with a hot towel. The Turtle Prime Minister chuckled: "Giving birth is painful for women; how much more so for you as a man? Using spiritual power against nature to bear children will only be more agonizing. But remember—this is the only time; there won’t be another."
In a daze, Lin Qingmo thought bitterly: “I must make Ao Yan experience this pain too; let him suffer.” He raised his hand and bit down on his wrist; amidst the dual pain came a loud wail of “Wah—wah wah wah...” as Little Pork Bun was born. Cleaned up in the prepared bathtub and wrapped in a small blanket afterward, one of the Clam Spirits exclaimed: “Oh dear! Young Prince is so heavy! Look at those chubby arms and legs! His little face looks just like His Highness...”
One Clam Spirit rushed out shouting: “Your Highness! The Crown Princess has given birth! It’s a Young Prince!” But Ao Yan immediately asked: “How is my wife?” The Clam Spirit replied: “Both mother and child are safe.” After saying that, they blocked Ao Yan from rushing inside again: “It’s chaotic in there right now; wait until we tidy up before you go in. Soon enough we’ll let the wet nurse bring out Young Prince for you to see.”
The wet nurse happily carried Young Prince out and called out: “Your Highness! Come see Young Prince! He looks just like you did when you were little—just fatter and heavier.” The bundled baby had stopped crying; though his features were still blurry at such a young age, being chubby made them appear even more recessed with plump cheeks and tightly clenched little fists as if pouting in defiance. Ao Yan stared blankly at him murmuring: “Little Meat Bun... Little Meat Bun... Let Father hold you! After waiting so long finally here you are.” With that unintentional remark came Little Meat Bun’s name.
Every day in the Dragon Palace echoed with Clam Spirits calling out “Little Meat Bun” or “Little Meat Bun Prince.” On the night Little Meat Bun was born, he traveled through several places first going to Great-Grandfather Ao Qin’s palace then on to Grandmother Ao Zheng’s estate by Dongting Lake.
Little Meat Bun loved singing most of all; often heard humming “woo woo woo” or “ah ah ah” entertaining himself without responding when asked what he was singing—he would just continue on with his tune. After being fed well he'd sing some more instead of playing with others—usually singing one line before nibbling on his toes. Sometimes lost in joy or thinking he sang well enough he'd laugh heartily while clapping for himself as a reward.
On that day, he curled his legs up to his mouth, exposing the two pink cheeks beneath his open-crotch pants, completely oblivious to the world around him as he focused on singing, "Woo woo woo, ah ah ah." Lin Qingmo scratched the soles of his feet and asked, "Little Meat Bun, what are you singing about?" He glanced at Lin Qingmo, rolled his eyes in response, and ignored him, continuing to sing without a care. He was being quite disrespectful to his father. Ao Yan chuckled and said, "Let me handle this. Wife, watch me." Ao Yan pinched his bottom and asked, "Little Meat Bun, if you won't tell your father, why not tell your father king what you're singing about?" Little Meat Bun kicked his legs and flipped over, lying face down on the bed with his entire bottom facing Ao Yan, refusing to respond. Lin Qingmo held back a laugh. Meanwhile, Xi'er rolled on the ground, clutching her belly and laughing out loud: "Hahaha..." As a result, poor Xi'er ended up with her fur all pulled out.
After all, unlike ordinary children, Little Meat Bun had grown quite a bit before even reaching one year old. Although he couldn't walk yet, he crawled at lightning speed. The wet nurse would sometimes turn around only to find him missing.
Ao Yan held Lin Qingmo as they sat on the edge of the bed, whispering sweet nothings in his ear: "Wife, it’s been over a year... over a year." Lin Qingmo replied, "It's daytime now; let's talk about this tonight." Ao Yan shook him playfully and insisted, "I want it now; I want it right now." He nuzzled his cold nose against Lin Qingmo's neck and casually lowered the bed curtain.
Outside, overlapping shouts could be heard: "Little Meat Bun! Little Meat Bun! The prince!" Lin Qingmo panicked and said, "Little Meat Bun is missing again. I need to go find him." Ao Yan pouted in dissatisfaction and said, "Even if he runs away, he can't escape from Dragon Palace. Have you forgotten about me since having Little Meat Bun?" With no other choice, Lin Qingmo sighed inwardly and lay back down, allowing Ao Yan to do as he pleased. Suddenly he blurted out, "I want to be on top. You promised me once that I could be on top." Ao Yan paused for a moment; his hands that were unbuttoning Lin Qingmo's clothes stopped briefly before continuing. With a cheeky grin, he said, "What I said was definitely just sleep talk; you must have remembered it wrong."
Lin Qingmo gritted his teeth and said, "Ao Yan, why are you getting more shameless? You're already a father." Ao Yan responded nonsensically: "Wife, Little Meat Bun still doesn't have a name. Let's give him one. Grandpa and Mom both said we could choose ourselves. How about we give him your surname Lin?" Lin Qingmo's attention was diverted as he replied, "My father must be busy having more children outside; the Lin family isn't lacking in heirs. Besides, my father is heartless and ungrateful; he doesn't deserve for his grandson to carry his surname. Let's give him your surname Ao instead." Ao Yan suggested, "Then let's call him Nianxiao. Ao Nianxiao. I always feel guilty towards Lin Xiao. Plus, he has deep feelings for you..." Just as they were talking, Ao Yan found an opportunity and entered Lin Qingmo.
Lin Qingmo let out a low cry of pain but soon became emotional himself and began to moan softly.
Suddenly there was movement under the covers that resembled waves rising and falling. At the same time, a distinctive voice rang out—woo woo woo, ah ah ah; woo woo woo, ah ah ah. Lin Qingmo was so startled that he clung tightly to Ao Yan's chest with a flushed face. Quick as lightning, Ao Yan pulled the curtain tight around them. Then they saw a small meatball poke its head out from under the covers, calling out in a baby voice: "Dad... Dad... Milk... Milk..." As it spoke, it lunged into the space between them on their chests with its little hands grasping at both of them while calling out for milk: "Milk... Milk..." Taking advantage of their momentary daze, it bit down once and then licked them both. "Ah—" they both exclaimed as they were jolted awake by the bite. Looking down at the bite marks on their chests, Ao Yan quickly put on some clothes and lifted up Little Meat Bun who was still searching for milk on Lin Qingmo's chest before suddenly calling out: "Xi'er! Come out."
"Hehehe..." Xi'er shyly crawled out from under the bed with her hands behind her back and an embarrassed smile on her face. "Take Little Meat Bun outside," Ao Yan instructed. Xi'er agreed and made amends by calling Dodder Princess from outside; together they carried the little meatball off to find the wet nurse. When they looked back at Lin Qingmo again, he had already buried himself under the covers and refused to come out no matter how much Ao Yan tried to persuade him.
Little Meat Bun clapped his hands in self-reward and laughed gleefully—time for milk!
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