Mu Jiao Long sat alone in the quiet, dust-scented atmosphere of the home book archives facing Mu Yu. Sunlight filtered dimly through the high, latticed windows, illuminating motes of dust dancing above the towering shelves. He was seated at a heavy, dark wooden table, ostensibly studying. However, he merely turned the pages of the open book—a dense volume on regional history—with a restless, unconscious motion. His eyes scanned the text blankly, his mind miles away, his body present but his thoughts consumed by something far more pressing than the words on the page.
Mu Jiao Long looked over at the table where Mu Yu was marking the accounting books, and he asked, "Uncle Yu, did Ah Lan say why he is coming home next spring?"
Mu Yu replied, "He was waiting to pick a flower that only blooms in midwinter, so he would not return until the following spring."
Mu Jiao Long frowned, his concern genuine. "What about Changming? I feel sorry for him after wasting so much time."
Mu Yu offered a solution. "Well, if Wang gongzi doesn't mind, I can have your uncle Li teach him a different needle technique to make up for the time he has lost."
Mu Jiao Long's face lit up. "Really?"
"Really."
Mu Jiao Long stood up eagerly. "He will be happy; I will tell him!" He rushed out of the room.
Inside the guest room of Wang Biming, Wang Bo had packed their bags and was sitting at the foot of the bed. He looked at Wang Changming, who was clearly disappointed by the news of the delay. Wang Bo tried to coax him. "Gongzi, when Mu er gongzi comes back, we can come back again."
Wang Changming sighed heavily. "I don't know when I will have another chance to escape from the Wang Manor."
Wang Bo stated the practical reality. "But gongzi can't stay in someone else's house for a year. Also, when we ran out of the Wang Manor, we didn't bring a lot of money. Fortunately, we still have money left because we can stay here for free until now."
Wang Changming frowned, resigned. "Forget it..."
"When shall we leave?" Wang Bo asked.
"The day after tomorrow," Wang Changming replied sadly.
Mu Jiao Long walked into the room happily. He chuckled, "Changming, Uncle Li agreed to teach you another acupuncture technique!" He sat in front of Wang Changming, grabbed his half-drunk teacup, and drank the remaining liquid in one fell swoop. He put down the cup, looked up at Wang Bo, and saw two packed bags. "Changming, why is your bag packed?"
Wang Changming looked at Mu Jiao Long with heavy eyes. "Jiao Long, I will leave the day after tomorrow."
Mu Jiao Long stared, his happiness instantly draining away. "To where?"
"I'm going back home," Wang Changming stated simply.
"Is the Mu acupuncture technique that important to you?" Mu Jiao Long demanded, his voice bordering on madness.
Wang Changming affirmed, "You know my purpose for staying here is to learn the Mu acupuncture technique."
Mu Jiao Long shouted, his voice cracking with rage. "That's it?!"
"Yes."
Mu Jiao Long grabbed Wang Changming by the collar, his eyes frantic. "You prolonged your stay because of the Mu acupuncture technique? Speak!"
Wang Changming glanced pointedly at Wang Bo. "Lao Wang, leave us."
Wang Bo slowly walked away and closed the door.
Mu Jiao Long shouted again, his grip tight. "Speak!"
Wang Changming slowly removed Mu Jiao Long's hand from his collar. "Jiao Long, don't do this. I can't find any reason to stay. I can't be your guest forever."
Mu Jiao Long pleaded, his voice ragged. "Stay for me! Huh? Stay for me..."
"In what position?" Wang Changming countered, pushing Mu Jiao Long away. "A friend? Or a brother?" Wang Changming looked at him, his eyes stinging with tears. "Jiao Long, let's face it. No matter how much we want to stay with each other, it will never happen, because we are both men. Should we stop while we still can? If we continue, we both know that in the end, we will only cause each other pain. Let fate take its course, because fate is undefeatable in any story."
Mu Jiao Long was devastated. "Why did you give up so easily?"
"We both know that we can't go against our fathers' words," Wang Changming whispered.
Mu Jiao Long stared at Wang Changming, his face contorted with pain and anger. His lips trembled. After a long silence, he let out a painful scream that tore from his lungs and rushed frantically out of Wang Changming's room.
Mu Jiao Long was not among the Mu elders when they ate dinner that night.
Mu Jian spoke to Wang Changming. "Wang gongzi, Ah Lan won't be back soon. You can stay and wait."
Wang Changming thanked him, confirming his departure. "Thank you, Mu xiansheng, for your great hospitality. We will leave the day after tomorrow." Wang Changming looked around the table. "Where is Mu gongzi?"
Mu Jian slammed his hand hard on the table in frustration. "This son of mine! He refuses to follow his family tradition and join the martial arts circle!" He coughed heavily. "I'm sorry."
Mu Yu tried to calm him. "Don't be angry."
Mu Jian looked at Mu Yu. "Did you prepare the matchmakers?"
Mu Yu nodded. "I have already, but Jiao Long always refuses to go."
Mu Jian's decision was final. "Let the matchmakers bring the young ladies to our house this time, and I will make sure he chooses a wife!"
Mu Jiao quickly intervened. "Jian didi, your heart condition is not good, don't be angry, don't worry."
Mu Jian waved a servant over. He asked, "Where is gongzi?"
The servant replied, "Some women in the nearby village are missing. Gongzi followed the law officers to rescue those women."
Mu Jian stood up, slamming his hand down hard on the table again. "Absurd!" He continued coughing violently.
Mu Jiao ordered, "Take master away!"
After dinner, Wang Changming found the servant and asked him, "Did Mu gongzi tell you when he will be back?"
The servant shook his head. "No. Normally gongzi will not tell us anything, because he is afraid that his actions will affect the health of the master."
Another servant rushed in from behind and bumped into Wang Bo, knocking both the servant and Wang Bo to the ground. Wang Changming quickly helped Wang Bo up.
Wang Bo complained, his voice sharp with frustration, "What's wrong with you?"
The hurried servant was breathless. "Not good."
Wang Changming demanded, tense, "What's not good?"
The panicked servant reported, "Those law enforcement officers who went with gongzi were found dead outside Yao Village."
Wang Changming immediately rushed out of the back door, leaving Wang Bo shouting, "Gongzi, come back!" Wang Bo grabbed a servant's hand. "Where is Yao Village?"
The servant quickly answered, "Four hours' walk from here."
Wang Bo left swiftly through the back door. He walked into the open-air market anxiously, asking people for directions to Yao Village. Suddenly, someone grabbed Wang Bo by his left shoulder. Wang Bo spun around, his voice trembling as he recognized the figure. His lips shook as he uttered, "Chief..."
Wang Zedong looked coldly at Wang Bo. "Where is he?"
Wang Bo, worried about Wang Changming's safety, decided to mislead his chief. "Cheng Village, collecting medicine."
Wang Changming saw two men, each carrying an unconscious woman on their shoulders, and another man leading them with a sword. Wang Changming hurriedly hid behind a tree, and suddenly a hand covered his mouth. He struggled to turn around, but it was Mu Jiao Long. After the three men left, Mu Jiao Long finally let go of Wang Changming's mouth.
Mu Jiao Long asked, his voice strained, "What are you doing here?"
"I heard that the law enforcement officers are dead, so I came," Wang Changming said.
Mu Jiao Long confessed, his body visibly shaking. "I am dying, too. My body feels very hot. I used my internal energy to slow down the poison from traveling too fast in my bloodstream."
Wang Changming quickly grabbed him. "Let's leave here." He helped Mu Jiao Long, and the two slowly left the road.
After walking for nearly an hour, they found an abandoned small temple. Wang Changming placed Mu Jiao Long in front of a small Buddha statue and quickly examined him.
Wang Changming asked, urgently, "Jiao Long, how long have you been poisoned?"
"About ten hours ago."
Wang Changming commanded, "Remove your robe. I will use the needles to help you."
Mu Jiao Long stripped, and Wang Changming began applying the golden needles along his twelve principal meridians. "Wait just a minute," Wang Changming said. He stood up, walked to the door, closed it as much as possible, and returned to Mu Jiao Long's side.
Suddenly, Mu Jiao Long felt a rush of heat all over his body. With a surge of force, all twelve needles flew out of his back. He was consumed by hot flashes and cold sweat. He looked up at Wang Changming, his voice cold and accusatory. "What did you do?"
Wang Changming began to remove his shoes, then his robe. Tears fell down his face. "Jiao Long, I don't have an antidote. Only in this way can I save your life." His robe fell to the ground.
Mu Jiao Long choked out, his voice rough. "Changming... Stay away... from me..."
Wang Changming knelt in front of him. "This is an arousal poison made in Tibet. You will die within two hours. Let me help you. When I know that I can help you, I will try my best. I can't just watch you die."
Wang Changming lowered his head and kissed Mu Jiao Long. He reached out and grabbed Mu Jiao Long's member, stroking him rapidly. After a few strokes, Mu Jiao Long released into his hand.
Mu Jiao Long continued to kiss Wang Changming, the two young men gasping in the old temple. Mu Jiao Long picked up Wang Changming and placed him on the dirty table. He looked down, his heart pounding, and began to kiss Wang Changming's lower abdomen slowly. Then he slowly, inch by inch, inserted his member into Wang Changming's backside.
Wang Changming groaned in pain, clutching the table tightly. He knew that if he didn't endure this, Mu Jiao Long would die. He closed his eyes, enduring the pain, letting out moans and groans as Mu Jiao Long began to thrust.
Holding Wang Changming's thin waist, he continued thrusting. He looked up and met the gaze of the Buddha statue. He used his internal strength to strike a corner of the pedestal, causing the statue to turn and face the other way. Only then did Mu Jiao Long begin to accelerate his thrusting.
Wang Changming cried out. "Jiao... Long... slow down! I can't stand it! Don't thrust too hard!" He continued to moan. When Mu Jiao Long was about to climax, he thrust faster. Wang Changming begged in agony. "Please... slow down... ah... I... can't... take... it... any... more... ah..."
Mu Jiao Long ejected inside Wang Changming. He held onto Wang Changming's waist, his member still deep inside. Suddenly, his member began to swell, becoming fully erect again and filling Wang Changming's back entrance completely.
Mu Jiao Long whispered excitedly, "I'm sorry, Changming... I want you more..." He began to thrust again.
Inside the quiet darkness of the old temple, the sounds of their passion filled the air, mixing into a raw, undeniable chorus. The soft, involuntary moaning of Wang Changming mingled with the deep, heavy breathing of Mu Jiao Long. The dominant sound was the continuous, rhythmic slapping of flesh against flesh, accompanied by the strained, regular creaking of the old wooden table beneath their weight, a frail testament to the intense desire consuming the two young men.