Xenos slept until evening. He only opened his eyes when hunger woke him up.
The first thing that caught his eye was the sky, painted orange by the sunset. The clouds were colorful and beautiful.
He stared blankly for a while before turning his attention elsewhere.
At some point, a blanket had been placed over his body and a pillow under his head.
Beside him, a man sat with one leg bent.
His head was tilted slightly back, gazing at the distant sunset. The wind ruffled his black hair and his face was bathed in the glow of the evening sun. His features weren’t clearly visible but he possessed a magical quality that captivated Xenos.
The man seemingly noticed his gaze and suddenly turned to look at him.
In the lighting, he saw Xu Fengqing’s slightly curved eyes. This man was handsome and charming, especially dashing and elegant.
“You’re awake?”
The man’s broad, calloused hand gently caressed his cheek. It was somewhat rough yet exceptionally warm.
“Yes.”
Xenos struggled to sit up. He looked at the round, setting sun in the distance, somewhat unable to believe that he had slept from day to night.
Moreover, he slept very soundly without any dreams. It was as if he had just closed his eyes and opened them to find it was already this time.
“I can’t believe I slept for so long.”
He looked apologetically at Xu Fengqing. “Fengqing, I…”
Before he could apologize, Xu Fengqing leaned over and gently pecked his lips.
“Did you sleep well?” Xu Fengqing asked.
Xenos nodded blankly.
“Are you hungry?”
“Yes…”
Therefore, Xu Fengqing cleared away the weeds around him, created an open space and lit a campfire.
“I caught this in the grass this afternoon.”
He placed the prepared rabbit on the campfire. There was a cooking panel but occasionally having a barbecue like this in the wild was still a nice experience.
Xenos watched him intently grill the meat and couldn’t resist leaning over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Xu Fengqing glanced at him sideways, a smile on his face. “Wait a bit longer and you will be able to eat.”
“Yes.”
Xenos nodded. Then he rummaged through the storage capsule and took out a bottle of beer and two glasses.
Xu Fengqing couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. “You always carry beer with you?”
Beer and Xenos… In his past impressions, these two were completely unrelated.
“A little alcohol helps me sleep better at night.”
Xenos manipulated magic to skillfully create ice blocks.
Ice cubes fell into the glass with a clear sound. Then he poured the glass full of golden liquor, which looked crystal clear and particularly beautiful in the firelight.
Xu Fengqing’s eyes showed distress when hearing Xenos’ answer, but he quickly concealed it.
Over the years, Ah Xe had never brought up his insomnia. He clearly didn’t want Xu Fengqing to know, so Xu Fengqing respected his decision and didn’t ask about it.
“Fengqing, would you like to try some?” Xenos held up the glass to Xu Fengqing’s lips.
“This is a very famous beer from a tavern in the capital. It is refreshing and slightly sweet. It is especially enjoyable to drink with ice.”
Xu Fengqing gazed at the other person’s smiling face, opened his mouth and took a small sip. The cool liquor flowed down his throat to his stomach, bringing a touch of coolness yet also a strange heat rising within him.
“Is it good?” Xenos asked.
“Yes.”
Xu Fengqing withdrew his gaze and continued to stare at the fire.
The two of them sat side by side on the grassland as night fell. In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, it seemed that only the two of them and their blazing campfire remained.
One of them focused on grilling meat while the other sipped his bear. They listened to the soft chirping of insects and the crackling of burning wood, enjoying a peaceful and leisurely time.
Soon, Xu Fengqing finished grilling the meat. He drizzled it with sauce, sprinkled it with spices, and cut it into small pieces with a knife. Then he chatted with Xenos while eating the meat and drinking the ice-cold beer.
Fireflies flickered in the grass as night fell. They danced in the air, mingling with the starlight and the campfire swaying in the wind.
Xenos gazed quietly at the beautiful scenery, his purple eyes shining with a fluorescence brighter than starlight.
This wasn’t the first time he spent a night in the wilderness.
He went to the front lines at the age of eighteen. Conditions were harsh at that time. As one of the few water healers, he had a heavy burden and didn’t enjoy any preferential treatment just because he was the crown prince.
He ate and slept with the soldiers, fighting the interstellar beasts together. In such hard battles, more and more people gradually gathered around him.
They supported him, admired him and believed that under his leadership, Roland would eventually defeat the interstellar beasts and restore a peaceful life.
At that time, he had been full of vigor. He had the fearlessness and determination of a newborn calf.
However, that beast tide destroyed everything.
It also allowed him to experience what true despair was.
All those familiar faces had vanished. The warriors who firmly believed in him, the companions who followed him since childhood, sworn to protect him and Roland…
They kept their vow but he couldn’t bring them home.
In the end, they lost their lives and he lost them forever.
Xenos stared intently at the tranquil grassland and suddenly felt a profound sense of peace.
So peace had really been restored.
Had he now fulfilled his promise?
The greatest credit went to Snow but hadn’t his eight years of tireless effort made up for it to some extent?
“Ah Xe.”
A soft call from beside him interrupted Xenos’ thoughts. He turned his head and met Xu Fengqing’s eyes.
The man gazed at him with a calm look. He didn’t utter a word, but his gaze carried a firm and powerful strength that made Xenos feel at ease.
Xenos slowly leaned towards him, resting a head on his strong, broad shoulder. At this moment, he no longer hid the vulnerability in his heart.
“Fengqing, it is so good to have you here.”
The emotions he couldn’t process alone in the quiet of night finally found someone to share them with. That person didn’t need to do anything. Just being there was enough.
Xu Fengqing put down his glass, reached out and pulled Xenos into his arms, hugging him tightly.
Xenos pressed a hand against the man’s chest, listening to his vibrant heartbeat and felt time slow down. He was filled with a feeling called happiness.
“Are you still hungry?” Xu Fengqing asked him.
Xenos shook his head.
Thus, Xu Fengqing hugged him and they lay down together on the soft grass.
As Xenos nestled in his arms, he looked up and saw a dazzling galaxy before him, magnificent and breathtaking.
“So beautiful,” Xenos murmured. Then he suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, “We agreed this morning that we would go to the hot springs tonight..”
It wasn’t too late to go now, but lying on the grassland, feeling the evening breeze and looking at the stars was so comfortable that neither of them wanted to leave.
“Let’s go tomorrow,” Xu Fengqing said.
“Yes.”
Xenos nodded. Then he rolled over and started to move around with rustling sounds.
Xu Fengqing froze and reached out to press his hand down. “What are you doing?”
Xenos looked at him innocently. “I promised to help you today.”
“……”
Xu Fengqing felt obvious changes in his body. He had probably been holding back for too long. After already sleeping with Xenos, he couldn’t easily resist the teasing.
He looked at Xenos helplessly, placed a hand on his cheek and rubbed it. “Are you no longer sore?”
A blush spread across Xenos’ face but he still shook his head. “It is already healed.”
High-level elementalists were naturally resilient, especially water-based ones who possessed healing abilities. He had slept for so long during the day that he felt refreshed when he woke up.
Xu Fengqing nodded and casually released his shadow power, which created a defensive barrier.
The barrier also served as an invisibility barrier, making them invisible from the outside. Only the grass would be seen.
Then he took out a piece of cloth and spread it on the ground.
Xenos sat to the side, looking at Xu Fengqing and then at the silent and empty grassland. He thought about what was about to happen, and his cheeks and ears gradually became hot.
He might’ve initiated it but as the ruler of Roland and the former crown prince, he had been law-abiding for decades and had never done anything so crazy before.
Of course, this didn’t apply to the games.
Xu Fengqing spread out his picnic blanket and turned around to see Xenos looking to the distance. His expression was calm but his fair skin made the smallest blush stand out.
In the firelight, the bright red ears and neck were clearly visible to Xu Fengqing.
He thought for a moment. Then he opened the system store, took out a tent, set it up and extinguished the fire. After that, he pulled the stunned Xenos into the tent.
The tent had a small window at the top so they could still see the starry sky outside. However, it was much more secluded than sleeping under the open sky.
Xu Fengqing pulled Xenos onto his lap, tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and whispered, “Does this feel better?”
Xenos hugged him back, buried a face in his shoulder and softly hummed in response while feeling a tingling sensation in his heart.
This was the joy and happiness that came with having one’s needs noticed, valued and met.
“Ah Xe…”
Xu Fengqing called out to him , voice full of tenderness. His hand gently stroked the man’s smooth and beautiful long hair while his other hand wrapped around his waist.
Xenos closed his eyes, arms tightening around the man and wrinkling his clothes.
There were no lights in the tent, only the dim starlight shining down from above.
Xenos was tense and a bit nervous. Still, he felt a strange excitement growing in his heart as he listened to the chirping of insects and looked at the starlight overhead.
Xu Fengqing kissed his ear and gently coaxed him.
Xenos’ eyes grew hazy. He raised his head and took the initiative to kiss Xu Fengqing’s lips.
Two blurry figures were reflected in the tent, their robes slipping off their bodies one after another.
On the vast, deserted grassland, in the midst of the whistling wind and the chirping of insects, all sounds were concealed.
No one knew when a tent appeared deep in the grasslands or what enchanting story happened inside it.
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