[BL] Eternal Spring

第二十一章

A/N  Happy November! I'm back from the dead (lol late halloween joke but I swear I was supposed to update four days ago). Anyways, I might disappear again after this update but I swear I'll come back...eventually. I'm so busy T-T. This chapter was definitely rushed with shit editing (still got more work to do *cries*) but it's longer so I hope y'all still enjoy~ :0

Things were not so fortunate the next morning. In the chill of the early dew, Liu Qingyuan abruptly woke, muscles tense and aching from the cold. It wasn't hard to endure but the pain in his shoulder seemed to drill deep into his bones. The king's slumbering form was still curled against his back but the chill was more pain-filled than cold. Liu Qingyuan closed his eyes briefly, his forehead clammy. His chest felt stuffy, like his lungs were filled with cotton.

Liu Qingyuan shifted, sitting up in hopes that it would relieve the feeling. Unexpectedly in the next second, he felt a surge in his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. There was movement behind him and Liu Qingyuan hurried to wipe the crimson from his chin. "Qingyuan?" a sleepy voice sounded from behind him.

"...I'm fine."

"Let me see." His voice was suspicious. Liu Qingyuan shifted away from him.

"I'm fine. We should head out early."

"Ai- let me see!" Liu Qingyuan turned his face for only a split second, but Jiang Zhilan saw a small smear of blood by the corner of his mouth. "You! You actually spit blood and still dared to hide it!"

"I'm fine," Liu Qingyuan repeated. "It was congealed blood." The king's eyes turned sharp.

"You're still poisoned. Who knows what side effects there are." Angry and wide awake, Jiang Zhilan stood up, crawling up the cave's opening and brushing aside a damp sheaf of plants. He peered out. "It looks clear..." Liu Qingyuan pushed himself up, momentarily hearing his heartbeat loud in his ears. It was okay though, he wasn't going to die...

"Let's go then." Jiang Zhilan still looked uncertain but he followed Liu Qingyuan out anyway. In the dim light of dawn, Liu Qingyuan looked around suspiciously. It all seemed too easy and yet, staying in that hole would lessen their chances for survival. Especially because he didn't know what had been on that poisoned arrow. Even now, the relief he'd felt last night was gone. The sensation of tens of thousands of pins made it hard to move, but still, he forced himself to walk. They travelled for a while, struggling through the brush from their injuries.

"Ah!" The king's leg tripped over a root, his leg injury flaring in pain, and lost his balance. Liu Qingyuan grabbed him quickly.

"..."

"Ah..." He said, a little embarrassed. "Just lost my footing." They continued on, but Liu Qingyuan noticed his growing limp.

"Do you need to take a break?"

"No, no. I think we're almost there." His leg trembled, giving out under him. Liu Qingyuan caught him by the waist, pulling him to sit on an overturned tree. He kneeled down, pulling up the king's pant leg despite his protests. The wound had bleed through the gauze. Liu Qingyuan hesitated for a while then said,

"I'll carry you."

"Ah, wait!" Jiang Zhilan blocked his guard's arm. "You're...injured too...Also why does it have to be you carrying me..." Liu Qingyuan wordlessly turned around and crouched. "..."

"Hurry up."

Jiang Zhilan bit his lip, slowly climbing onto his back. Liu Qingyuan stood up suddenly, hoisting him higher on his back. "Watch...watch your hands." Liu Qingyuan shifted his grip, the muscles of his injured arm trembling. With his injury, he could only hold him like this... They continued walking, watching as the sun rose in the sky and began to dip down. It was mid-afternoon when a tower appeared, with a few small buildings at its base. "Put me down," Jiang Zhilan lightly patted his shoulder. Liu Qingyuan let him down, discretely clutching his arm. Jiang Zhilan squinted into the distance. "That should be the outpost..." The two of them approached the tower. Although their robes were tattered, dusty and bloody, Jiang Zhilan reckoned that his people should be able to recognize him right...?