Hot flashes

The night was as dark as ink, and the north wind, carrying snowflakes, whistled sharply as it beat against the tents of the Eagle's Beak Cliff camp.

Inside the central command tent, the charcoal fire had burned down to just dark red embers, barely maintaining a corner of warmth.

Zhou Heng could no longer hold on and, wrapped in a thick blanket, curled up on a makeshift bed set up on one side of the tent and fell asleep.

For days, he had been traveling with the army, organizing documents, and assisting with miscellaneous tasks. Although Xiao Jue had not assigned him any heavy tasks, the completely different pace of life and tense atmosphere still consumed a lot of his energy.

In his sleep, he unconsciously shrank into a warmer corner, only revealing half of his face.

Xiao Jue sat behind his desk, reviewing the last few secret reports and the plan for troop movements tomorrow by the flickering light of the oil lamp.

The rustling sound of his pen was regular and clear, forming a strange contrast with the sound of the wind outside the tent.

Occasionally, he would look up, his gaze passing over the flickering lamplight to fall on the raised shadow on the bed, lingering for a moment, and a barely perceptible curve would unconsciously relax between his hard brows.

After finishing the last document, Xiao Jue rubbed his slightly throbbing temples.

After days of planning and engaging in a long-distance battle with an opponent of Huo Yi's caliber, even he felt mentally exhausted.

He blew out the oil lamp, plunging the tent into darkness, with only the faint light from the embers of the charcoal brazier barely outlining the shapes of objects.

He took off his outer robe and soft armor, leaving only his thin nightgown, and walked to the bedside.

The bed wasn't big, and Zhou Heng took up almost half of it, fast asleep. Xiao Jue quietly watched him for a few seconds, then lifted a corner of the blanket and lay down.

The bedding carried Zhou Heng's unique, clean scent, as well as the warmth of the charcoal fire.

Xiao Jue turned to the side, his arm naturally wrapping around Zhou Heng's waist, pulling him closer to him.

Zhou Heng mumbled something in his sleep, seemingly feeling uncomfortable with the sudden restraint and heat source, and shifted slightly.

But the solid warmth and familiar scent from his chest behind him quickly relaxed him, and he even unconsciously leaned back to find a more comfortable position, his breathing becoming long and even again.

Xiao Jue gently rested his chin on the top of Zhou Heng's soft hair, the faint scent of soap lingering in his nostrils.

The body in his arms was warm, brimming with vitality, a stark contrast to the cold, bleak, and calculating world outside the tent.

A strange sense of tranquility enveloped him, and his nerves, which had been tense for days, quietly relaxed at this moment.

He closed his eyes, intending only to rest.

But with a soft, fragrant body in his arms, their breaths mingling, and their bodies intertwined, his dormant desires seemed to be quietly awakened by the tranquil night and the warmth of his embrace.

Her arms tightened unconsciously, and through the thin nightgown, her fingertips could feel the supple waistline of the body beneath her.

Zhou Heng seemed to sense something in his sleep, and stirred restlessly, letting out a soft moan.

The sound was like a feather, gently scratching at Xiao Jue's heart.

He opened his eyes. In the darkness, his vision gradually adjusted, and he could see Zhou Heng's peaceful sleeping face so close to him. His eyelashes cast small shadows under his eyelids, and his lips were slightly parted, completely unguarded.

A strong impulse, a mixture of possessiveness and some deeper emotion, swept over him without warning.

His kiss, with undeniable force and heat, landed on Zhou Heng's neck, where the skin was delicate and warm, and his pulse throbbed gently beneath his lips.

Zhou Heng was suddenly awakened from a deep sleep. His consciousness was still hazy. He only felt his body shaking and felt a hot and wet touch on his neck. A tingling sensation instantly spread throughout his body.

He opened his eyes groggily, and through his blurry vision, the first thing he saw was a man's stern, hard jawline and a slightly bobbing Adam's apple.

"Ugh..." he groaned in confusion, trying to struggle, but the arms around his waist felt like iron hoops, and the chest behind him was burning hot.

"Awake?" Xiao Jue's deep, hoarse voice sounded close to his ear, carrying the lingering sleepiness and an intense, husky tone.

His kisses didn't stop; they traveled up the curve of Zhou Heng's neck and into his sensitive earlobe.

Zhou Heng shuddered, fully waking up and realizing what was happening.

He sighed, his voice weak and feeble from waking up and inexplicable emotional turmoil: "Xiao Jue...where...where do you get so much energy?"

Xiao Jue paused for a moment, then pulled him closer into his arms, his hot breath brushing against his ear. "It's been a long time."

His answer was simple and direct, carrying a sense of entitlement and a hint of grievance.

Zhou Heng's face flushed instantly, and his heart pounded like a drum.

He wanted to retort, but the words that came out were replaced by a suppressed gasp—because Xiao Jue's hand had already slipped under the hem of his nightgown, his calloused palm stroking the skin on his waist, sending shivers down his spine.

"No...tomorrow..." Zhou Heng pushed him away in vain, but his strength was so weak that it seemed as if he was trying to refuse but actually welcoming him.

His body had long been accustomed to Xiao Jue's touch, and under the other's forceful yet skillful teasing, it quickly betrayed his will, becoming incredibly soft and sensitive.

"We'll talk about tomorrow's business tomorrow." Xiao Jue kissed his lips, silencing all his unfinished words.

The kiss was both irresistibly aggressive and strangely tender, lingering and sucking, conquering and robbing Zhou Heng of his remaining oxygen and ability to think.

Outside the tent, the wind and snow seemed to intensify, howling as if to tear the tent apart.

Inside the tent, however, the temperature was rising rapidly. The felt blankets were thrown aside, and the thin nightgowns were quickly stripped off and discarded in the cold night.

The two bodies were pressed tightly together, and the friction of their skin created tiny sparks and a scorching heat.

Zhou Heng was turned over and pinned down by Xiao Jue, face to face.

In the dim light, he could only see two dark flames flickering in Xiao Jue's deep eyes, undisguised desire and something deeper that made his heart tremble.

He reached out and weakly clung to Xiao Jue's broad shoulders, his fingertips sinking into the firm muscles.

"Cold..." he murmured.

Xiao Jue answered him with an even tighter embrace and even hotter skin.

He lowered his head and gently kissed Zhou Heng's brow, eyelids, and nose, before finally capturing his lips once more.

His movements were full of absolute control, yet revealed an indescribable tenderness in the details, as if he were handling a fragile treasure, yet longing to completely integrate it into his own bones and blood.

Zhou Heng's fingernails dug deep into Xiao Jue's back, but the pain seemed to only arouse the man on top of him more.

This completely engulfed Zhou Heng in a vortex from which he could no longer think.

The world is shaking, and consciousness is floating.

All she could hear was Xiao Jue's heavy breathing and her own off-key sobs, mixed with the howling of the wind and snow outside the tent, weaving together a magnificent yet chaotic symphony.

His body was repeatedly tossed to the peak and then crashed down. He could barely bear it and could only cling tightly to the man on top of him, like a drowning man grabbing onto a piece of driftwood.

Xiao Jue bent down, sweat dripping from his chin onto Zhou Heng's chest.

He whispered in Zhou Heng's ear, his voice hoarse and filled with intense desire and an almost savage possessiveness: "Mine..."

Zhou Heng was powerless to respond and could only be swept into an even more intense wave.

After an unknown amount of time, the storm finally subsided. Inside the tent, only the overlapping, rapid breathing of the two people and the last soft crackling of the embers of the charcoal fire remained.

Xiao Jue remained on top of Zhou Heng, not leaving immediately. Their sweaty bodies pressed tightly together, exchanging their excessively high body temperatures.

He lowered his head and placed a light kiss on Zhou Heng's sweaty forehead, the gesture carrying a lingering tenderness.

Zhou Heng was so tired that he didn't even want to move his fingers. His whole body ached and he was in a daze. He just wanted to fall into a deep sleep.

But one of them was still full of energy... a reminder that this "atrocity" was not completely over yet.

With his eyes closed, he used the last of his strength to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth: "Xiao Jue...you...beast..."

A deep, joyful laugh echoed overhead, vibrating against the chests pressed together.

Xiao Jue finally stepped back a little, pulled him into his arms, and covered their sweaty bodies with a blanket.

"Go to sleep." His voice returned to its usual calm, but with a hint of languor and satisfaction after a good meal.

Zhou Heng adjusted his position in his arms and fell asleep almost instantly.

This time, there was no frown in my dream, only a warm darkness and a reassuring atmosphere surrounding me.

Xiao Jue did not fall asleep immediately. By the dim light, he looked at the peaceful sleeping face of the person in his arms, his fingertips gently tracing the swollen lips from being kissed, his eyes churning with complex and indescribable emotions.

The sound of wind and snow outside the tent seemed to gradually subside. He tightened his arms, holding the person closer, and closed his eyes as well.