When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 297: Innocent Bath

Chapter 297: Innocent Bath

cw: brief explicit content at the end

***

"How is it?"

Jin Jiuchi stopped eavesdropping and gave Shen Nianzu a thumbs up, causing water ripples to dance around him. "It went perfectly well, Nian’er," he grinned. "The two of them have reconciled with each other!"

"Hmph, they’d better be," Shen Nianzu let out a small scoff as he cupped the water with his hand and splashed it over his neck and shoulders. A contented groan escaped him as he relished in the soothing warmth. "Oh God, this feels so comfortable..."

Thanks to the torrential downpour, the temperature of the hot spring finally reached a delightful equilibrium – neither too hot nor too cold. White vapor spiraled from the bubble surface, casting a dreamy mist over their surroundings.

Jin Jiuchi leaned against the edge with both arms spread around him, basking in the breathtaking sight in front of his eyes.

The combination of the hot spring’s creamy water, the enveloping white mist and Shen Nianzu’s porcelain skin was fatally irresistible. This was clearly not the first time he had ever seen Shen Nianzu naked, yet Jin Jiuchi still found himself entranced by each and every movement of his, which seemed to be oozing with seductive allure that drew him in. Even the way he breathed and sighed looked extremely sexy.

The water gently flowed over Shen Nianzu’s form, caressing every curve and contour of his beautiful body. Perhaps it was the way wet strands of silver hair clung to Shen Nianzu’s fair and graceful nape, perhaps it was the delicate flush adorning his cheeks, or the ethereal sheen in his purple eyes. Whatever it was, Jin Jiuchi felt an indescribable dryness creep into his throat, and he swallowed involuntarily.

His gaze dropped to the bubbling water surface. Should he take a few sips to moisten his parched throat? But it tasted so disgusting though...

"What’s on your mind?" Shen Nianzu’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he raised his head to find that the jade doll had swum closer without him noticing, now within an arm’s reach. His fingers twitched against the moist rock as Shen Nianzu gently pressed the back of his hand against his cheek, his expression tinged with concern. "Are you feeling dizzy? Your face is a little red."

Jin Jiuchi’s gaze wandered to a particular droplet of water that glided along the column of Shen Nianzu’s neck to settle on the enticing curve of his clavicle. He felt strangely dazed, unable to distinguish if the warmth he sensed was from his own flushed cheeks or the jade doll’s gentle touch.

Shen Nianzu was anything but weak, his physique was lean and sculpted with a thin yet solid layer of muscles. Yet for some explicable reason, he looked extremely soft right now, as though water could be squeezed out of him with a single prod.

Jin Jiuchi inhaled deeply through his mouth, attempting to clear his mind. Alas, not only did he fail to abate the heat within him, his mind became more muddled instead. Oh no, Nian’er was right, he was really getting light-headed...

Before he could form any coherent thought, Shen Nianzu interrupted, saying, "Wait."

Jin Jiuchi felt Shen Nianzu’s dainty fingers grasping his jaw, tilting his head to the side. Then the area below his ear was gently rubbed. Amusement colored Shen Nianzu’s voice. "You still have dried blood here. Did you even scrub yourself properly?"

Jin Jiuchi’s heart skipped a beat. He knew that Shen Nianzu did not mean anything more when he did this, yet each touch that landed on his skin felt searing; ticklish and full of tease. He could feel it akin to a jolt of electricity that crawled down his spine. Before his mind could process it, his arms had come around the jade doll to pull him closer, while his head dropped to the crook of the jade doll’s neck, licking away the wet trail that had been distracting him so.

"I can’t see them properly. Do it for me, will you, Nian’er?" He murmured against Shen Nianzu’s warm and moist skin.

How strange. The water clearly tasted so foul and unpleasant when he drank it earlier, but through Shen Nianzu’s skin, it carried an indescribable tinge of sweetness that stirred the hunger deep within him. Unable to help himself, Jin Jiuchi latched his mouth onto Shen Nianzu’s neck again, savoring the sweet and fragrant taste of his skin.

"You... quit fooling around!" Shen Nianzu slapped him on the arm, a quiet gasp escaping his lips as the warmth of Jin Jiuchi’s tongue met his skin. Alas, when all was said and done, he had gotten somewhat accustomed to how touchy-feely Jin Jiuchi was. Adding on with the fact that he could spot more dried stains on Jin Jiuchi’s shoulders and back that required attention, Shen Nianzu allowed the man to cling onto him and merely chided him softly, "Don’t move, I’m going to scrub you a little."

With the back of Jin Jiuchi’s neck held firmly in one hand, Shen Nianzu scooped up a handful of the hot spring water and used it to rinse away the sticky bloodstains from Jin Jiuchi’s skin, earnestly helping to clean his boyfriend’s body.

And indeed, Jin Jiuchi no longer moved. He obediently kept his arms around Shen Nianzu’s waist and nuzzled his neck on Shen Nianzu’s neck, resembling a huge doggy who needed to be hugged whenever it was bath time. Somehow, the notion brought an amused smile to Shen Nianzu’s lips.

Conscious that they shouldn’t waste too much time inside the pool, Shen Nianzu quickened his pace while his gaze keenly swept over the powerful ridges of Jin Jiuchi’s back, seeking out any stubborn stains he might have missed. Exactly how Jin Jiuchi managed to accumulate them all over his body during the short time he spent fighting the zombies was something Shen Nianzu failed to fathom.

All of a sudden, Jin Jiuchi chuckled, prompting him to ask, "What is it?"

"Nuh-uh, it’s just that..." he huffed, his warm breath fanning Shen Nianzu’s sensitive skin. "Remember that time in the Temple of Anubis, Nian’er? I was the one who scrubbed you, and now it’s your turn. Don’t you think it’s funny how our position has swapped?"

Of course, Shen Nianzu remembered.

Although less than five months had passed, for some reason, he felt as if it had been half an eternity ago. Back then, he could never have imagined that their relationship would evolve into what it was today. Yes, he was secretly attracted to Jin Jiuchi and even took the advantage to ogle him on a few occasions, but the thought of taking it to the next level never even crossed his mind. For starters, there were too many uncertainties surrounding Jin Jiuchi’s mysterious background, and Shen Nianzu was not one to delve head-on into danger without regard to the risk and consequences.

But now, instead of spectating by the sidelines, he chose to confront those mysteries by Jin Jiuchi’s side...

Shen Nianzu’s face burned when he realized how cheesy he had become. What people said was right, love and lust was really capable of turning someone’s IQ into a minus! Clearing his throat, he patted Jin Jiuchi’s head and motioned for him to let go. "Alright, Xinxin and Noir must be waiting for their turn. Let us leave and—" he moved his legs, intending to climb out of the pool. But then, his knee ended up bumping into an extremely hard and thick length, pulling out a muffled groan from Jin Jiuchi’s lips.

In an instant, Shen Nianzu froze. "Y–Y–You..." he stuttered out in disbelief. Here he was having a simple and relaxing dip to relax his muscles, but Jin Jiuchi dared to get a boner?!

Jin Jiuchi tightened his hold around Shen Nianzu’s waist, not allowing him to leave. He raised his head and shot a disapproving look at the jade doll, "Nian’er, I’m having an innocent bath here, so why do you have to provoke me?"

Shen Nianzu: "..."

Oh, so it was his fault now?