The Green Snake Sees Trouble

"YaYun… Why have you ignored the concubine this long?" Yu Zhong was trailing after Zhang YaYun like a hound. No matter if YaYun went to the outhouse or took a bath, the ox was by his side, prying into his private life – which had nothing to do with the damn gigantor, anyway!

YaYun was splitting by the seams with irritation. He had just left a meeting that had both dulled his soul and made him contemplate suicide. Now Yu Zhong was riding his ass with this, of all things!

"If you are so worried, you go to his side!" YaYun snapped, not caring that few of the servants walking by shot him surprised looks. The emperor sharing his concubines with his guards? Preposterous!

"that is not allowed," Yu Zhong said drily, and YaYun halted in his tracks. The sun was already making its way down towards the horizon. A light wind was rustling through the cherry blossom trees in the small yard before them, the petals fluttering to the ground, covering the earth in pastel pink.

"You would go if I allowed it?" YaYun snapped, shooting the ox a murderous glare, but the ox didn't even flinch.

"Of course not, don't be ridiculous, YaYun. I just pointed it out," Yu Zhong shrugged. "I still think you are acting childish over the matter. The fox seems nice. Not to mention, he is your type."

Well, YaYun couldn't deny that. Yating was his type alright, with the devastatingly seductive frame and beauty that rivalled gods themselves. But he had QingYu, who was as beautiful and alluring but so innocent, it stabbed at his heart. QingYu was so precious that with only a little pout, YaYun wanted to grovel at his feet and cater to the snake's every whim and demand.

"He is right, you know, YaYun," Wei KaiJun drawled as he walked over from behind the building, eating the apple in his hand. "The faster you make babies, the faster you can get back into being you."

"What… do you even mean?" YaYun growled as he wiped his hand over his face, the irritation making his head spin.

Wei KaiJun tossed the half-eaten apple in the yard as he grinned at YaYun. "You know, sink into that fox and fill him up until he gets pregnant."

"I know how to do the task! I meant the 'going back to being me' part!" YaYun raged, his cheeks burning from the words KaiJun could toss out so lightly in the middle of the day, in front of so many servants bustling back and forth.

"Well, back to the not brooding YaYun," KaiJun said, scratching his chin as he tried to put his thought into words. "You have been down lately, YaYun. It worries us."

"I just… need time to think," YaYun mumbled as he pushed away from the railing he had been leaning into and walked away. Yu Zhong tried to hurry after him, but Wei KaiJun held him back.

"Oi, just let him have a breather, ok?" The monkey said as he patted Yu Zhong over the chest and pushed him back. "You have been suffocating him with your presence enough for today, big guy."

-.-.-.-

Zhang YaYun didn't know how long he had been wandering his palace grounds. But somehow, no matter how aimlessly he thought he was walking, how deep in thought he was, his feet guided him always towards the White Lotus Hall. If he was honest with himself, that is where he wanted to go.

But now that QingYu's siblings seemed to have grown a dislike towards him, and QingYu himself unwilling to see him, he didn't know what he would do once he arrived at the White Lotus Hall.

Being torn over the matter, YaYun walked back and forth, unable to decide on whether he was to return to his study and drown himself in work. Or barge in the building and demand QingYu handed to him so he could ravish – no – speak to the snake. YaYun was quite sure the twin, LiangLin, would impale him with a stake if he tried to feel QingYu up this soon after the fox arrived at the palace.

Ah, but he really wanted to see QingYu. How many days since he saw the snake last? One was too many.

YaYun found himself walking along the walls of the White Lotus Hall, circling the area. Maybe he should climb the wall, sneak inside? Now that would just be shameless if he got caught. And what was he going to do once inside? Kidnap QingYu? Tempting, but too risky.

YaYun let out a deep sigh as he turned to leave back to where he had come from when the familiar scent of sweet roses and honey wafted his way, so faint he had barely noticed it.

QingYu.

YaYun halted, trying to pinpoint where the scent was coming from. Definitely not from within the walls of the White Lotus Hall, YaYun was sure of it. Was QingYu outside? Maybe he too was unconsciously searching for YaYun?

YaYun's heart surged at the thought as he followed the trail of the scent, to his surprise, guiding him away from the White Lotus Hall.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lan QingYu had been staying in bed for days now, unwilling to get up and face another day of defeat. He had seen the competition, and no matter how pretty he knew himself to be, Yating was just too much! Who in the world had such extraordinary features? He had never seen eyes that honey-coloured. It was surreal!

But laying in the bed this long wasn't doing him any good either. His body was becoming sore, and his skin grey from the lack of food and sunlight. He couldn't let his looks deteriorate, he needed the body and the face to earn money! Vanity pulled the green snake out of bed and crawling out to the sun.

The She siblings looked surprised seeing QingYu rise from his self-made grave and offered him supportive smiles before returning to their idle ways of wasting time. It mostly composed of LiYue dosing off at all places and times, while the rest still struggled with the Qi board game.

LiangLin seemed to plot something evil with LiAi, but QingYu was too tired to pay attention. He trailed along the edge of the lotus ponds, letting his fingertips drag over the walls of the area when a comforting scent called to him.

YaYun?

Thinking he was going out of his mind, QingYu took in a deep breath, letting a little shiver rake through his being. It was YaYun, he would recognize that scent anywhere. Why was YaYun here? QingYu would have thought that the emperor would have been keeping busy with that fox to remember his existence.

But here it was, his scent, so strong and inviting, QingYu wanted the claw through walls to get to him.

Suddenly, the scent grew weak, and a slight panic filled the green snake as he moved closer to the wall, until he almost pressed his body flat against the white stone. But the scent kept slipping away from his grasp, disappearing into the distance. Why did YaYun leave? They were so close just now, YaYun must have scented him too, right?

QingYu shot a quick look around him, and since none of the white snakes spared him any attention, QingYu did something he never thought he would do. He climbed over the wall.

Maybe he had been badly influenced by LiangLin. Perhaps it was his need to see the emperor, but QingYu dropped on the other side of the wall with grace and rushed after the waning scent.

Where was YaYun going?

QingYu had a terrible sense of direction, but he was sure this way wasn't towards YaYun's study.

The green snake came to a sudden halt when another scent mixed with YaYun's, throwing him off. It was familiar and yet, it made him feel nauseous. QingYu was now standing amidst the weeping willows, his steps softened by the tall grass surrounding him. A light wind brushed through the area, and for a moment, YaYun's scent grew so overwhelming, the green snake could feel his knees shake from the sensation.

But the second scent persisted, and the closer QingYu sneaked, the more sickening it became until he could feel his head pounding with a sharp, stabbing throb. What was this scent, and where did it come from?

He was about to step past a willow trunk when he caught sight of YaYun, accompanied by two other men. He quickly retracted behind the tree, his heart thumping in his throat. The second man he didn't recognize, but he would remember Yating, that pesky fox, even if he was burned to ash and gathered up in a jar for QingYu to see!

Peeking from behind the tree, QingYu watched as Yating snuck his arms around YaYun, bringing his lips closer.

QingYu didn't want to see it, witness the man of his dreams kiss someone else. He hated it with every fibre of his body as if they were set on fire, his body scorched with irritation, but he couldn't tear his gaze away.

Instead of leaning in and bringing their lips together, Yating hovered over YaYun's parted lips. Faint wisps of white fog pooled between the two before they were inhaled by Yating.

The life force, QingYu's fingers tightened over the bark. Yating was stealing YaYun's life force!

The green snake was about to jump the fox and bite down on that furry little bastard when YaYun's body suddenly drooped, lifeless, and into the other man's arms.

"What should we do with him, Yating?" The man said as he pulled YaYun's body upon his arms.

"Bring him inside. Since his highness doesn't want to come here out of his own will, I will force him." The fox chuckled as he brushed his delicate fingers over YaYun's cheek.

He dared to touch YaYun! QingYu was seething, so angry that his green scales became visible over his arms and fingers.

"Do you think we have the one?" QingYu heard the other man ask.

What Yating answered next sent chills down QingYu's spine, and the green snake hurried back to the White Lotus Hall. He needed LiangLin's help. He wouldn't be able to deal with this by himself.

"His life force tastes good, I bet his dragon heart will be delicious."