Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Translator: Silvery Butterfly VYhkssnxCCgheQOmowRzOxbZJcCvNd

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This completely different, unimaginable life was something Huai En had never experienced. It was like soaking in a warm spring, making him reluctant to leave. Every inch of his body was filled with a strange yet soft emotion. Seeing Xiao Bao’s mischievous smile, he felt like he belonged here, rather than in that dark, cold, hopeless past.FTXbABbHRjPHUjMCYDpbSemJynPLRo

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He was a bit flustered. As they neared Fengchuan, Zong Zheng Lihan would certainly take action once they left Fengchuan. If everything went according to plan, they would return to the Jin Mansion in Suzhou ahead of schedule. Then…..CLUxntDuuASaaetKsSsWVsnBnynIqC

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Watching Xiao Bao’s carefree smile, he felt momentarily dazed.zEXLjxLMeYlQDhjknbsrTwrcgkmtpP

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Noticing Huai En looking at him, Xiao Bao turned and smiled brightly, winking suggestively.ZZGtfcoGnSwbjeytSKsAOrWSibfKoV

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“Why are we slowing down?”wLKlkJSKCqpenjOKrFEtnwxYRoWPLf

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Huai En glanced at his buttocks.tTkWSXQfIIgVlPMabDdieuyYDFIwOQ

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“There’s no problem anymore. The medicine can heal even knife wounds, let alone just swelling. Besides…..” Xiao Bao patted the thick saddle under him and smiled contentedly, “Baby, you’re so thoughtful. You’re the best elixir in the world. I, your husband, feel strong and energized.”xCAaUTICaZvqIJVFyalkFlNzBLEnEz

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Huai En had almost grown accustomed to his shamelessness. That morning, Xiao Bao had clung to him in bed, refusing to get up, saying a slew of nauseatingly sweet things. The love-struck scenes described in books about men’s sweet talk were true, but Huai En couldn’t utter any of those romantic lines. They felt embarrassing to him, yet Jin Xiao Bao could say them without hesitation.itDkCDgWyJcVkNrgCQgfAvqXDyhdRz

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Seeing Huai En ignore him, Xiao Bao felt a bit disappointed. He loved seeing Huai En’s blushing, angry face, which always enchanted him.SGBMsfCqMzwKiPEheJHMXpDmuIfRJG

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Huai En looked at the sky and pointed ahead, “This road leads to Fengchuan, but we’ll camp in the mountains tonight and head to Fengchuan for supplies tomorrow.”cbKczYEtIhHIQnDqTcuGvTsfrqHUoX

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Xiao Bao, having finally had a good sleep, was disappointed to hear they would camp again but didn’t dare to object.TdIvtrcjyAoEdbZVoaoHkKaQfvplmx

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Seeing Xiao Bao’s expression, Huai En said, “Don’t worry. There’s a hot spring in the mountains, just an hour’s walk from here. The cave is very warm and more comfortable than an inn. It’s also very hidden, few people know about it.”PBOIRWpMwRQdQhBThTqSCgbHUrcKLm

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Hearing about the hot spring, Xiao Bao’s eyes lit up, “Great! I haven’t had time to bathe lately.” Thinking of bathing, Xiao Bao immediately imagined Huai En in the water, his excitement almost making him drop the reins.loVVNOqUgIfKNKfGoaUVDpaaXShGad

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In the secluded mountains, the two of them alone in a warm, hidden cave, Huai En undressing before him, revealing his white skin, hair cascading like silk, soaking in the steamy spring, smiling seductively. Then, he would undress and join Huai En, holding him, whispering sweet nothings, touching him… Oh, oh, ohhhhhhh!IpSFupemXEVEwTpauidpOiGvejKKmk

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This was too exciting and erotic!oavBAaUveAZesCzmIHAJmOwOHRhDkW

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Lost in his rosy fantasies, Xiao Bao’s mind was filled with vivid, sensual scenes, always featuring him and Huai En. He wished he could sprout wings and fly there immediately.NiswgdwFxbRYciSNTkUDlRyVYFYXeD

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Seeing Xiao Bao’s changing expressions, Huai En found him increasingly….. lewd…..gqBAbvZrpnOHmALKnnIhduhPZgrdDf

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A whip from Huai En brought Xiao Bao back to reality.eEToZALekkNYagdrWGniuJokcGHetF

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Rubbing his butt, Xiao Bao laughed awkwardly, “Let’s go quickly. It’s hard to walk the mountain roads in the dark.”JUMHovgsfwiIgepXPJqkmmcaQUtOuv

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Huai En glanced at him and led the way. Xiao Bao, watching his back, felt his dirty fantasies shattered by harsh reality.swVZbSAlrtNevujwfUdaILxHrXTEWV

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He remembered he was the one being dominated, not the other way around.manOIQTGASbqPmGxOfWoEUSyNAkFPW

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But thinking of being intimate with Huai En in the water, even if he was on the receiving end, made him look forward to it. Being close to Huai En was so wonderful that he didn’t mind some sacrifices. After all, in those moments, he could touch and kiss Huai En however he wanted, which wasn’t bad at all. This thought made Xiao Bao feel more at ease and excited again.jRFLeEGXWhiOVQfwlYGxmGfOASbPhD

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Huai En couldn’t fathom Xiao Bao’s complicated and conflicting thoughts. His own were simple and direct. The hot spring had miraculous healing properties, and he intended to have Xiao Bao there. Xiao Bao, constantly teasing him, made him feel hot and restless. He had endured long enough and couldn’t hold back any longer. In the hot spring, he could ensure Xiao Bao wouldn’t get hurt, and he could freely give in to his desires.EEpJxaRnPQMXrRydXlxGFIxZKnMnia

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Unaware that he was leading himself into a wolf’s den, Xiao Bao remained excited all the way.PpDUuWcYHcWQeKHJzAppWWerYPAXYw

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Suddenly, he asked, “Huai En, how do you know this area so well, leading us to Fengchuan without a map and knowing hidden caves?”gixipXrcARTfUoNHuadMneJLtVWfaQ

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“I’ve been here before.”LiZDaYkMoKEzeOgcECwQByFjvNxwUd

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“Oh.” Xiao Bao nodded.xWOywvunlCZndYnujPDqPZJBtTlAZK

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Xiao Bao wanted to ask what Huai En had come here for, but hesitated and ultimately didn’t ask.mqACVzILbmozbMhAHHGAlNhswXvEAD

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Huai En had never told him anything about himself. Xiao Bao would be lying if he said he wasn’t a bit disappointed, but he knew that Jianghu people often said “heroes never ask for their origins.” If Huai En didn’t want to say, it was natural. Xiao Bao dared not press him, fearing it would annoy him.SFsGJcDIpYZwyjZGMaBRJLsywXUXgN

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The further they went up the mountain, the worse the road became. In the end, they could no longer ride and had to dismount and lead their horses. However, for someone who had been swaying on horseback all day, walking was actually more comfortable.MTCoMFrEsmDACDZKDEqxqJaWqsRqLx

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As they went deeper, Xiao Bao felt as if he were walking through a cloud. The forest was so dense that, if he didn’t look carefully, he wouldn’t even see the path. He was deeply impressed by Huai En, who could navigate this seemingly identical landscape with ease, leading him through twists and turns. Little did Xiao Bao know, Huai En had been here no less than three times before and had left secret marks, making it easy for him to find the way.ThkwuQtDugoqFSehOXuFekMZvOazYp

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After a while, Xiao Bao began to tire, but he dared not breathe loudly for fear of being mocked by Huai En. Just when he was about to ask how much farther they had to go, Huai En spoke first, saying they had arrived.wsBLTXlVnHpydHQvgQTNtYYbjdkwoY

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Xiao Bao looked up and was taken aback. There was no cave, only some weeds and oddly-shaped rocks.PfcbEgVMcWOkthEOlLCfMzqgBDgntB

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Huai En tied the horses securely, then casually walked around the area. Suddenly, he drew his sword and, with a few swift strikes, cleared the chest-high weeds, revealing a large rock. Behind it, a dark cave entrance was faintly visible.fPzdEeHQupcZtzGrzzOAYDqKpxqFiE

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Huai En moved to the side of the rock, placing both hands against its surface.EXWlJtSBABNkKAlTPTnLOyJobNOnEy

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Xiao Bao saw that he was using his Qi and doubted that such a large rock could be moved. Just as he was about to ask if he needed help, Huai En exerted his strength, and the rock slowly moved, revealing the cave entrance behind it.GGuMzPWQdOTdCqWmZwzSZHSenziIpw

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Xiao Bao was dumbfounded.CdtnpWVYohAIFTtcGOfCGrTzxRHtkS

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Huai En peered into the cave, then turned back and said to Xiao Bao, “Come in.”fzvshizFTCRHIzowpdSFpKXvrUIqGQ

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Not a drop of sweat on him, as if he had just moved a small stool. Xiao Bao finally understood that his weight was probably like a sandbag to Huai En. No wonder Huai En could toss him around so easily.kJEuVhVPazxiiyuBJLdEnmzHkfQiYI

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This realization brought Xiao Bao to an even harsher truth: if he wanted to fulfill his wish of besting Huai En, it would only happen if Huai En let him. Otherwise, he would never succeed in this lifetime.lTTYhWXNFLGSEWGtGXZPqhUBzNVdot

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After entering the cave, they walked for a considerable distance in complete darkness, having to feel their way along the walls. The walls were wet and slippery, an utterly disgusting sensation, and the ground was very uneven. Xiao Bao gripped Huai En’s hand tightly, terrified.SaKjRniDOMKdLWckdYfenhfbJUGkak

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The further they went, the hotter it became. Gradually, a light appeared ahead, and after turning a corner, the scene opened up to reveal a natural stone cave.YHQvipApXzNwnGUHsrUmOIcktEIBXx

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The cave was hollow, with a visible patch of sky above. Some unknown scale-like objects on the stone walls reflected the faintest light, making the cave dimly lit but still visible. In the middle was a hot spring, with steam rising from it, a tempting sight for weary travelers.fpXCaXNQaBaANvOoxFcwAFkKsDgxeJ

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Xiao Bao was quite excited; it was his first time seeing a natural hot spring, and he found it remarkably magical. It seemed as if it belonged solely to them, which made him feel a sense of pride in sharing this secret with Huai En.AmihTnFDkZkRnnszRTDPiuGuQfMCTi

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The closer they got to the spring, the higher the temperature rose, and Xiao Bao even began to sweat.WzuPpsUWHrxkAWPyHYQbHVeOWjxBcP

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“This is such a great place. How did you discover it?” he asked.JgrhqDntGDNcbBCJNCWOKRXQIbDFvX

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Huai En, with his back to Xiao Bao, bent down to test the water temperature with his hand. “Hmm, the temperature is just right.”XLLtcivmlMCeaWwWYwkElctTaFHpfI

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Xiao Bao, feeling disappointed at being ignored, didn’t ask further.mfTENazFWzikOnekIUXqWvyrAdGXxh

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Huai En sat down by the spring, took out some dry rations from his cloth bag, and called Xiao Bao over. “Come and eat.”NwRiXrgqHONmBaDCBQXzNlxlVszLwz

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Xiao Bao quickly ran over and sat next to him.NCjvIOOugUJhxNcDJduuRTEexJRBOO

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The dry buns were hard to swallow. After one bite, Xiao Bao refused to eat more and focused instead on the large bag of venison jerky.oSzJJeDPGSMrKrSMAjhZNOlfelxZXD

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He noticed that Huai En was also chewing half-heartedly and eagerly picked up a piece of jerky, offering it to Huai En. “Come on, baby, open your mouth.”VIoNHVSaKVodwqsDkgACfVUXGehTIb

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Huai En obediently opened his mouth and took a bite, catching Xiao Bao’s fingers.jevlUbZeLgpmKYUrvuoluDzCjTnxby

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“Hey, hey, hey, watch what you’re eating.” The bite wasn’t hard, and Xiao Bao laughed as he tried to pull his hand back but couldn’t.VJbhVxbSvldGHpWsnynLTmLggrQqWr

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Huai En grabbed his hand, and Xiao Bao felt something soft and slippery teasing his fingers, like a tongue. Huai En’s dark eyes, deep like still water, stared straight at him, and even his brows seemed to carry a hint of desire.FloBfSimKSKAxBKBiFmjHFsLgITyfC

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Xiao Bao felt like he was about to explode.jqZElAADqHZDwTDnslEiZtEefEJVzJ

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