Hot flashes

"Young master..." The woman turned around, her eyes sparkling, and began to untie her belt.

Zhou Heng was terrified. In a moment of quick thinking, he yelled, "My head hurts! I'm so drunk!" He staggered to the bedside, grabbed the quilt, and covered himself completely, curling into a ball. He mumbled, "I'm going to sleep! Don't bother me!"

The woman stood there stunned, probably never having seen anything like it before.

She walked to the bedside and gently nudged the bundle wrapped up like a silkworm: "Young master? Young master? It's uncomfortable to sleep like this, let me help you undress..."

A muffled murmur came from under the covers: "Cold... Don't move... I'll just sleep like this..."

The woman was both amused and exasperated, and tried to lift the covers: "It's warmer when two people sleep together, young master..."

"Don't touch me!" Zhou Heng clutched the blanket tightly from inside, his voice sharp with embarrassment, "I like sleeping like this!"

The two were struggling against each other through the blanket, one trying to pull it off and the other holding on tightly, creating a comical yet awkward scene.

Just then—

"Bang!!!"

With a loud bang, the door was kicked open from the outside! The bolt snapped, and wood chips flew everywhere!

The woman beside the bed screamed in fright, released her grip, and turned around abruptly.

Zhou Heng also peeked half his head out from under the covers in fear.

At the entrance, Xiao Jue stood dressed in black casual clothes, his face ashen, his eyes gleaming with a chilling light that seemed to solidify into tangible ice blades.

Behind him were several pale-faced, trembling guards from the Prince's mansion, and... those scholars who should have been "enjoying themselves" in other rooms, but were now huddled in a corner like quails, their faces ashen.

The air in the room froze instantly.

Xiao Jue's gaze, like a poisoned arrow, first swept coldly over the disheveled woman whose face had turned pale.

"Get out." The word was low, but it carried a chilling aura.

The woman had never seen such a terrifying aura before. Her legs went weak, and she almost collapsed. She stammered, barely able to speak, "Yes, yes..."

He practically scrambled through the doorway beside Xiao Jue, disappearing into the corridor as if fleeing, his hand still trembling as he closed the broken door behind him.

"Bang." The door was ajar and made a soft sound.

Now, only Xiao Jue, Zhou Heng, and a few unlucky guys trembling like leaves remain in the room.

Xiao Jue then slowly shifted his gaze to the person on the bed whose head was only half visible, whose face was as pale as paper, and whose eyes were filled with extreme panic.

When Zhou Heng met his unfathomable eyes, which were churning with terrifying rage, he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head. His limbs and bones instantly turned icy cold, and even his teeth began to chatter uncontrollably. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the corner of the blanket.

It’s over.

These two words, like a death knell, rang out loudly in his blank mind.

The journey back was the longest and most agonizing one Zhou Heng had ever experienced in his life.

Without saying a word, Xiao Jue grabbed his arm and shoved him into the carriage. The movement seemed steady, but the force was so great that Zhou Heng's wrist bones ached.

He then got into the car, sat down opposite Zhou Heng, and closed his eyes.

The carriage started and moved smoothly, but the interior felt like it was filled with invisible ice crystals, making Zhou Heng's blood almost freeze.

He secretly glanced at Xiao Jue. The other man's jawline was taut, and the vein on his forehead throbbed. Even with his eyes closed, the oppressive aura of impending storm was almost enough to burst the carriage apart.

Zhou Heng's calves began to weaken and tremble uncontrollably. He desperately tried to close his knees together to control the embarrassing trembling, but to little avail.

Even more terrifying was the commotion outside the carriage—those unlucky fellows who had taken him to "Qunfang Pavilion" were being escorted by the Prince's guards, staggering and running behind the carriage.

After finally arriving at the Prince's residence, Xiao Jue opened his eyes as soon as the carriage came to a stop.

Those eyes were dark and unreadable, revealing no emotion whatsoever, yet they were more chilling than anger.

He got out of the car first, then turned around and pulled Zhou Heng, who was still stiff inside, out of the car.

"Your Highness..." Zhou Heng's legs went weak and he almost knelt down.

Xiao Jue didn't give him a chance to talk nonsense. He gripped his arm like an iron clamp and dragged him into the mansion.

Upon seeing this, the servants and guards along the way all lowered their heads in horror, held their breath, and dared not even breathe loudly.

Zhou Heng stumbled as he was pulled along, almost being half-dragged through corridors and courtyards, heading straight for their usual living quarters.

"Bang!"

Xiao Jue kicked open the bedroom door and slammed it shut, sending dust flying from the beams. The loud noise startled the night birds in the trees in the courtyard, who scattered in all directions.

The sound of the bolt falling was like the gavel striking a final verdict.

Zhou Heng was thrown off, staggered back a few steps before regaining his balance, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to explode.

He watched as Xiao Jue turned around and approached step by step. His tall figure was backlit by the faint light coming in from outside the door, his face shrouded in shadow. Only his eyes shone with a terrifying brightness, fixed intently on his face.

The will to survive instantly overwhelmed everything!

Zhou Heng practically lunged forward, throwing himself headfirst into Xiao Jue's arms without a care in the world. He wrapped his arms tightly around Xiao Jue's lean waist, buried his face in his chest, and began to apologize and try to appease him, his voice trembling with sobs.

"Ah Xiao! My husband! I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!" he said, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, soaking the fabric of Xiao Jue's shirt. "I... I was instigated by them! I didn't do anything! Really! You're the only one in my heart! Heaven and earth can bear witness! The sun and moon can attest to it!"

He pulled out all the stops, calling out all the nicknames they used to tease each other in private, nicknames that even he himself found nauseating, and showering out sweet words like they were free: "I swear! I just had a little to drink and listened to a song!"

That woman… I pretended to be asleep the moment she touched me! I was wrapped tightly in the blanket! Look, I'm all dressed perfectly!

He tried to prove his "innocence," his voice trembling uncontrollably, "I just... I was just curious... I'll never dare to do it again! If I ever go to a place like that again, may I... may I be struck by lightning! May I suffer a terrible fate..."

Before he could utter the last word "death," a large hand gripped his chin tightly, forcing him to raise his head.