Xingyu stirred awake, the gentle jostling of the carriage making his head
throb.
COLP. COLP. COLP.
The horses trotted over uneven ground, wheels creaking softly beneath him. His eyes fluttered open to the sight of his mother sitting across from him, her face pale and wet with tears.
“M-Mother…?” he croaked.
She looked up, startled, quickly wiping her eyes. “Xingyu! Oh thank the heavens—you’re awake.”
“How long… have I been asleep?”
“All night… and now it’s morning,” she said quietly, her voice quivering. “I thought… I thought you wouldn’t wake up.”
“I’m fine,” Xingyu mumbled, though his arms still ached where bruises bloomed under his sleeves. “How long have we been on the road?”
“Three hours,” she answered.
“Three hours?!” he sat up, eyes wide.
She nodded. “We still have a long way before we reach the king.”
The word “king” made something bitter rise in Xingyu throat.
CRRRRK!
The carriage wheels suddenly came to a stop, jerking him slightly forward.
“We’re stopping to eat,” his mother said, adjusting her veil. “A proper place. You need to eat something.”
The inn—a traditional Chinese teahouse-style restaurant—was warm and bustling, with lanterns swaying gently and the scent of roasted duck and steamed buns in the air. Xingyu stomach growled, reminding him how he haven eat breakfast.
They walked in. Xingyu, still clad in the elegant silk dress, corset hidden beneath his layers, moved awkwardly in the heels. Click—clack—click.
He turned a corner, eyes scanning the crowd, and smack!—he crashed into someone. Trays clattered, soup splashed, and dumplings flew through the air like missiles. SPLASH! Hot broth across crimson robes, staining the pristine white silk at the hems.
“I—!” Xingyu gasped, staggering back.
Xingyu looked up. The stranger.
He was beautiful.
His long, golden-blond hair cascaded down his back like threads of sunlit silk, glowing under the lantern light. His skin was pale, almost too perfect, his jaw sharp. He wore traditional red and white robes—delicate, ceremonial, yet intimidating. A golden phoenix pin gleamed on his collar.
The man glanced down at the spill, then up into Xingyu wide eyes. “It seems you’ve declared war on my lunch,” he said calmly.
Xingyu cheeks flared. “I didn’t mean to—!”
“I know,” he interrupted, bending gracefully to set the tray right. Clink. “But you should watch where you're going, my lady.”
“I’m not a—” Bai paused.
The man tilted his head, studying him. “Too stiff to be a lady. Too graceful to be a man,” he murmured.
Xingyu felt his heart thump-thump-thump against his ribs.
“Perhaps... you’re something in between?” he said softly, raising one eyebrow. “A beautiful riddle wrapped in silk.”
Xingyu gawked.
The blond man chuckled faintly, dusting off the tea-stained robe. “You owe me a robe. This one is silk from Ji Province. Rare and expensive.”
“I—I’ll pay for it,” Xingyu stammered, flustered.
“You?” the man said with a smirk. “You look like someone running from something. Not someone carrying gold.”
Xingyu lips parted, unsure how to respond.
Then the man leaned in, his voice dropping. “Careful, little dove. People around here eat secrets.”
And with that—whoosh—he turned, his golden hair flicking over his shoulder like firelight, and disappeared into the crowd.
To be continued.
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Comments
BL&Yaoi lover ♾
Now I’m curious, 🧐 who is the strange golden hair man? I have many questions running through my mind, like how is it that seems he knows about Xingyu (their interaction strikes me as odd. like he knows something. He knows who Xingyu is) and how he speaks, Seems all to ‘knowing’. possibly another spy for the king? maybe, or he is the KING 😲?! I don’t know, my mind is all over the place. I must read more (to get a better picture and to understand the golden haired man’s intentions) I want to read more.🥹
2025-07-23
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