The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

Shen Yu never imagined that Shang Junlin would do this for him.

Unable to grab onto the sheets underneath him, Shen Yu felt like he was in the eye of a storm, tossed high up and unable to come down. The flowers outside the window were in full bloom, their branches reaching into the room, shyly closing their petals.

After a long time, Shang Junlin let him go, his Adam's apple rolling as he swallowed.

In a daze, Shen Yu saw this scene and waves of shock rose in his eyes, causing him to forget what he was about to say. Shang Junlin shifted his body upwards, finding Shen Yu's lips and leaning in. Shen Yu turned his head to avoid it.

Shang Junlin grabbed his face, a storm brewing in his eyes.

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"Your Majesty hasn't brushed his teeth..."

"Why are you still being picky about your own things?" Shang Junlin laughed.

Shen Yu didn't reply, nor did he give him a kiss.

Shang Junlin left a trail of kisses on Shen Yu's cheeks and neck, his heart itching with desire. He got up and rinsed his mouth with water, then leaned back in.

"Is it okay now?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he kissed Shen Yu's lips accurately.

"Ah Yu, I want you."

With the sound of sucking, the man's voice was low and dangerous. Shen Yu struggled, his body was extremely weak, and he couldn't escape from the man's shackles.

"Mmm..."

A place that had never been touched was suddenly visited by someone, causing Shen Yu to frown with unease.

The man's kiss left his lips and moved to his eyebrows and eyes. "Ah Yu, relax."

Shen Yu couldn't relax and his body became as tense as a wire.

Shang Junlin tried a few times but Shen Yu couldn't adapt, causing both of them to sweat profusely.

Shen Yu bit his lip to ease the discomfort. Due to the pain, the color faded from his face, leaving only red lips, fair skin, red eyes, and tightly furrowed brows.

The kiss moved to his neck, and Shang Junlin took a deep breath, holding back his desire.

Earlier, Shang Junlin had worried that Shen Yu might not be able to easily accept him, but he did not expect it to be so difficult when it came down to it.

After his hand left, Shen Yu felt somewhat relieved. He reached out and touched the sweat on the man's forehead. "Your Majesty, you need to take care of yourself."

"A Yu, how could you be so heartless?" Shang Junlin frowned, pulling himself closer to Shen Yu.

Shen Yu was firmly held by the man, and his heart trembled. He turned his face away and did not look at Shang Junlin.

Pressing his thumb against Shen Yu's rosy lips, Shang Junlin's voice became low and hoarse. "Ah Yu, can we change to another place?"

Shen Yu pursed his lips.

"Ah Yu, you even despise your own things. I won't force you. Besides here," Shang Junlin pointed to Shen Yu's lips, his gaze darkening, "there are other places where you can help me."

"I'm afraid you'll have to work a bit harder today."

After saying this, Shang Junlin kissed Shen Yu's lips again.

This time, the action was both urgent and fierce, and Shen Yu was thrown up by the rolling waves again. His tightly clasped fingers were forcibly separated, and his fingertips were invaded as they interlocked with Shang Junlin's.

As the sky gradually darkened, Shen Yu was dragged out of his half-asleep state by the man's actions several times. He was so tired that he could barely move, but Shang Junlin was still in the mood for more, over and over again.

He had no restraint.

Shen Yu couldn't remember when he fell asleep, but when he woke up again, it was already bright outside.

He felt refreshed, probably because he had been washed, his clothes were dry, and the bedding had been changed. Shen Yu moved and felt a sudden soreness all over his body.

"Hiss--"

Last night, Shen Yu wanted to kick the man off the bed, but every time he stretched his foot, he would be caught by the man who would play with him a few times. Shen Yu had no choice but to let him.

Shen Yu didn't know about others, but he knew that Shang Junlin's energy was definitely not something a normal person could have. Last night, he may have been stimulated, and it took longer than usual.

It was not just exhaustion. Shen Yu rubbed his sore wrists and tried to sit up.

Shang Junlin walked in with hot porridge and saw Shen Yu trying to sit up.

The young man's face was flushed, his eyes were dull, and his lips were especially rosy, with a layer of water shine, like a ripe fruit, tempting people to pick it.

In his movements, his thin clothes slid off, revealing mottled skin.

Shang Junlin hurried over to the bed and put the porridge aside, helping Shen Yu to sit up.

"Are you hungry?"

Shang Junlin timed it right to bring the porridge back, and Shen Yu had just opened his eyes.

"A little bit." Shen Yu looked exhausted after almost a sleepless night.

Knowing that he liked cleanliness, Shang Junlin asked a palace maid to bring hot water.

After washing up, Shen Yu put on his outer clothes and moved to the soft couch. He didn't feel very comfortable all over his body, and his mood was not very good.

Shang Junlin fed Shen Yu spoonfuls of porridge until he finished it all. Seeing that he was still feeling unwell, he asked, "Do you want to sleep a little longer?"

Shen Yu didn't want to sleep anymore.

Shang Junlin accompanied him for a day, and in the evening, he was called away by a minister for a meeting.

Shang Junlin hesitated to leave and Shen Yu pushed him gently, "Your Majesty, you should go attend to your official duties."

Shang Junlin had no choice but to leave.

When he returned, Shen Yu was already asleep on the soft couch under the candlelight. Shang Junlin stared at his face for a while, then gently lifted him up and put him on the bed.

Perhaps he was too tired from the previous night, Shen Yu did not wake up even though he was being moved around.

The next day, Shen Yu was still feeling unwell. Shang Junlin called for the court physician to check on him.

After examining Shen Yu's pulse and glancing at Shang Junlin, the court physician lowered his head and carefully chose his words.

"If you have something to say, just say it," Shang Junlin held Shen Yu and kneaded his fingers with one hand.

The court physician took a deep breath and said in a calm tone, "The Noble Consort's body has not fully recovered yet. You need to exercise more restraint in your sexual activities."

Shang Junlin's hand movement paused.

"...I understand."

After the court physician left, he shook his head while thinking on his way back. "His Majesty has really been working hard."

Shen Yu remained ill for three days before finally recovering on the fourth day.

"Have you heard any rumors about entering the harem these past few days?" Shen Yu brewed himself a pot of tea and asked Mu Xi.

"No, Your Majesty gave those families with such intentions a warning, so they are at least pretending not to have any such thoughts." As for what they really think in their hearts, Mu Xi agreed with what her young master said. She could hardly be bothered with what was in their minds.

Since Shang Junlin had resolved the matter, Shen Yu no longer asked any more questions.

"Your Majesty, a swing has been set up, would you like to go for a ride?" Mu Xi suggested, seeing that Shen Yu was feeling better today.

Shen Yu had been staying indoors for a few days and felt that he should go out for a walk.

The swing was hung from an old tree, which had many branches and leaves, blocking the sunlight from overhead. Shen Yu took a book of miscellaneous notes and read it slowly as he swung.

"Who dares to trespass?"

There was a loud noise outside, and Shen Yu pulled himself out of the book, asking, "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Mu Xi looked confused. "I'll go check it out."

After a while, Mu Xi came back, looking a little uneasy. "It's a woman, she's making a fuss about seeing the emperor."

The establishment of a new department for the Independent Ministry of Labor had already been put on the agenda, and Shang Junlin had been busy with this matter recently, currently in a meeting with the Prime Minister and others.

"Did she say why?" Shen Yu put down his book.

"No," Mu Xi shook her head. "She wasn't summoned, and the guards wouldn't let her in. She insisted on coming in, so I had her sent away."

Even in the palace, seeing the emperor was not something you could just do as you pleased. Shen Yu and Shang Junlin's residence was heavily guarded, and if there was no summons, the guards would not let anyone in.

Ordinary people wouldn't dare to barge in for no reason and disturb the emperor, it was a serious crime.

Shen Yu got up from the swing; "Take me to see."

Before he even got close, Shen Yu heard the woman's gentle voice. This voice gave him a sense of familiarity, and when he got closer, it was indeed the person he had met a few days ago.

After that day, Shen Yu ended up worse off for his trouble and was nearly caught. Seeing this person now, he suddenly felt a faint pain somewhere.

That day, besides not getting in, he had done everything he shouldn't have, and in the end, Shen Yu was so tired that he couldn't even lift a finger.

"What's going on?" Shen Yu coughed lightly, interrupting the confrontation over there.

"Your Highness." The guard bowed and saluted. "This woman said that His Majesty had left something with her, and she wants to return it to His Majesty in person, but she wasn't summoned, so I couldn't let her in."

"How could His Majesty have left something with you?" Shen Yu looked coldly at the woman standing outside.

The woman bit her lip. "I met His Majesty at Hidden Jade Pavilion that day, and the thing was lost there."

"If you give me the item, I will deliver it to His Majesty for you," Shen Yu said. He had no intention of letting the woman in, as she clearly had impure intentions toward the harem.

"I can't. I must personally hand the item to His Majesty," the woman stepped back, her eyes turning red.

"What is your intention, to return the item or to see His Majesty? If it is the former, give me the item, and if it is the latter, I advise you not to waste your effort," Shen Yu squinted his eyes. The woman's intention was obviously the latter.

She had been waiting in the woods until late at night but did not see anyone. The next day, she heard that His Majesty was furious and warned against any improper thoughts toward the harem. She then accidentally found the jade pendant that had fallen from His Majesty. At that moment, she realized that her opportunity had come.

She had heard that Noble Consort Shen in the palace was a very capable person. Her brother had warned her not to mess with this person if she failed to achieve her goal. But she did not expect that the Noble Consort would be so direct in speaking to her.

As he looked into her clear eyes, it seemed like all her scheming was laid bare.

"How can you slander me like this, I just want to return the jade pendant that His Majesty left with me. I have no other intention," the woman denied her hidden motives.

"Jade pendant? His Majesty left the jade pendant with you?" Shen Yu's expression was unreadable, and the woman felt a bit uneasy but still nodded.

"No wonder. His Majesty lost a jade pendant a few days ago. It turns out that you picked it up." It had just been casually hung around his waist, so he did not care when it was lost. It was only when Shen Yu noticed that he was missing a jade pendant that he realized it was lost.

"Since it is a lost item, there is no need to retrieve it. However, it is His Majesty's personal item, and it is not appropriate for it to be in the hands of outsiders. Mu Xi, take the jade pendant," Shen Yu said.

Mu Xi walked up to the woman, ignoring her struggles, and took the jade pendant back, handing it to Shen Yu.

Shen Yu did not even look at it and threw it on the ground, instantly shattering it into pieces. "Things that have been contaminated by others should be destroyed."