Chà Chà Novel

Once someone who had never experienced intimacy discovered how wonderful it could be, they might find it hard to stop for quite some time. Lan Tang was no exception, but Wen Sheng had truly had enough.

He had told himself countless times that he needed to change. Lan Tang was so clingy because he loved him. Still, being held so tightly in his sleep that he could not move was suffocating.

After several days of Lan Tang constantly seeking his company, Wen Sheng felt that if he did not do something, he would be completely worn out…

Fortunately, Lan Tang spent his days helping the king with affairs of state. It gave Wen Sheng a chance to spend some time apart from him.

The sea breeze was cool and pleasant, seeming to ease the soreness in Wen Sheng’s body. The boundless ocean held an irresistible attraction for him. There were many fishing boats along the shore, so he chose the one he liked best and paid to rent it for the afternoon.

Of course, Wen Sheng was not steering it himself. Balala controlled the boat; he only had to sit aboard.

The fishing boats here were small. By reaching out, Wen Sheng could dip his hand into the sea. The cool water made him want to throw himself into the ocean.

Would he spend this entire life longing for the sea at every moment?

The answer was yes. But Lan Tang was on land, and Wen Sheng would not return to the ocean. This was the final world. Once the mission was complete, he wanted to spend his time with Lan Tang and enjoy their last honeymoon together.

In his heart, a mission world with his lover by his side had already become a kind of honeymoon.

In a sense, he was not so different from the original Wen Sheng. Both were willing to restrain their instincts for someone they loved deeply, even the instinctive longing for the sea.

The original Wen Sheng had simply been less fortunate: the person he met had not been sincere.

If someone was willing to give up everything for you in return, then giving up a few things for them was not such a hardship.

Yan Shiqing could feel his outlook slowly changing after these worlds. Perhaps he had seen others do things he once thought foolish, only to realize that he, too, was willing to do them for Lu Yan.

Sunlight fell across Wen Sheng as the boat crossed the sea, yet strangely, it did not make him uncomfortable. Perhaps he was close enough to the water for its salty scent to surround him. Just as he began to grow sleepy, he spotted the island where the original Wen Sheng and Lan Zhai had once fallen in love.

It was a remote island, not particularly large but blessed with plenty of sunshine. Another small boat was moored there.

The island was not actually far from shore. It was, however, far from waters rich with large catches and far from the bustling town, almost at the edge of the kingdom.

Wen Sheng stepped off the boat. He wore an ivory outfit with simple patterns, though the fabric was unmistakably luxurious. Even selling the entire island would not pay for those clothes.

The island had many trees, but there was a clearing among them with a small wooden hut.

It was tiny. Without exaggeration, it might not even have been as large as the bathtub Wen Sheng used for seawater.

Wen Sheng walked slowly toward the hut, looking hesitant. He raised a hand to knock, but stood at the door for a long time without doing so. At last, he sighed, disappointment plain in his eyes, and took a bulging brown paper bag from inside his clothes.

He left the bag outside the door, then turned and departed the island.

As Wen Sheng sailed away, a man in coarse cloth emerged from behind the hut. His skin was somewhat tanned, but his handsome features were still discernible.

Lan Zhai held a small hand net containing a modest-sized sea fish that was still flapping about.

Why had Wen Sheng come here? How did he know Lan Zhai was on the island? Lan Zhai was puzzled, but for some reason he did not dare ask. He did not want Wen Sheng to see him, either.

Lan Zhai had been on the island for a month. He and Yun Yin had stayed here for a while before, so the first days after their return had not been too difficult. Now, though, something seemed different.

When mosquitoes and other insects bit him until he could hardly stand it, that strange fragrance was no longer there.

Back when he had stayed on the island before, Yun Yin had always carried an unusual scent. It had seemed able to drive mosquitoes and insects away.

The fish Yun Yin grilled and the fish soup he made no longer tasted as they had before. Even when the roar of the waves frightened Lan Zhai at night, Yun Yin could not soothe him.

During the time Lan Zhai had been blind, his fear had been so overwhelming that he often could not sleep. Back then, Yun Yin had stayed with him every night. He never entered the little wooden hut, though. Instead, he tied a length of string between their fingers. Whenever Lan Zhai grew frightened, he would tug at it, and Yun Yin would answer from outside. He would not leave until Lan Zhai fell asleep.

Now Yun Yin was with him constantly, yet Lan Zhai felt no comfort at all.

These small torments made each day on the island harder to endure.

But Lan Zhai told himself he must not regret his choice. Yun Yin had saved him, and Yun Yin loved him so much. As long as they were together, he could bear anything.

Lan Zhai dropped the small hand net onto the ground, his expression blank. He picked up the brown paper bag and opened it. There was a great deal of money inside, enough to last him a very long time if he did not squander it.

It would be enough to turn the shabby little hut into a proper house.

Lan Zhai gave a derisive laugh and was about to throw the money aside when a familiar scent reached him. It was faint, but he was certain he knew it.

When he had lost his sight, his other senses had grown remarkably sharp. He could not be mistaken. He raised the bag and the money to his nose. Up close, the scent grew stronger.

It was that scent…

The scent that had accompanied him on the island and made him feel safe…

But why was it coming from the bag and money Wen Sheng had left him? It should have been Yun Yin’s scent.

Lan Zhai stood stunned. Just then, the hut door opened with a shrill, irritating creak.

Yun Yin’s skin was in even worse condition than Lan Zhai’s. He had grown up on an island, and few people who spent their lives in seawater had particularly good skin. After being pampered in the palace for a while, his skin had finally grown smoother and somewhat fairer. But shortly after returning to the island, it had gone back to the way it was before. His face was still delicate, though, and he still had the gentle air of a little white flower.

Most men found it difficult to resist someone like Yun Yin. His looks were not exceptional, but his fragile air and apparent need for protection stirred their desire to protect him. The sense of being needed that he gave them was what they called love.

Yun Yin looked at Lan Zhai. He was about to smile when he spotted the thick stack of money in Lan Zhai’s hand. His eyes lit up before he could stop himself.

He knew Lan Zhai could not be foolish enough to bring nothing with him!!!

So he had secretly taken money after all. Judging by the size of that stack, Yun Yin would no longer have to live in this wretched wooden hut.

His face had been terribly dry lately. He had not used the palace’s moisturizing cream in a long time, and his skin was both dry and painful.

He had once been able to endure it. But after tasting a more comfortable life, returning to the old one felt unbearable—or rather, he simply refused to accept it.

Yun Yin could no longer conceal the gleam in his eyes. It looked greedy, even ugly.

Lan Zhai saw it, and a strange feeling arose in him. For the first time, he thought Yun Yin was not beautiful enough.

Yun Yin had once seemed so gentle and delicate. Why did he now look so… ugly?

Yun Yin quickly hid the greed in his eyes and put on a puzzled expression, but Lan Zhai had already noticed. He returned the money to the brown paper bag and said in a low, emotionless voice, “Wen Sheng brought this. Put it somewhere for now. We’ll give it back the next time they come.”

Give it back?

Yun Yin’s smile stiffened. He recovered quickly, nodded obediently, and reached to take the money. But Lan Zhai stepped around him, went inside, and put the bag in a drawer beneath the bed.

The hut was dim, lit by only one oil lamp. Lan Zhai felt deeply unsettled. He thought of Wen Sheng’s radiant figure in ivory clothes, and a strange feeling rose in him, so oppressive that he could hardly breathe. He tried to steady himself.

Yun Yin did not enter the hut. Instead, he picked up the fish from the ground. Behind the hut stood a makeshift kitchen with only one pot and a few basic provisions: firewood, rice, oil, and salt.

He had lived in such poverty for years. But now, the very sight of that pot made him feel sick.

He had been only one step away from staying in the palace!!!

Lan Tang had been about to plead on their behalf that day. Yet, for some reason, Lan Zhai had dragged him away instead!!!

Lan Zhai had lost his mind. He had given up being a prince and insisted on bringing Yun Yin back to this place!!!

And Lan Zhai had been so determined to show his pride that he had brought nothing with him. Yun Yin used to fish to support only himself. Now he had to feed Lan Zhai as well!!!

Lan Zhai could do nothing useful. Yun Yin looked at the fish in the small net, barely enough for two, and thought again of that large sum of money.

Wen Sheng had brought it…

Of course. Wen Sheng had been willing to come ashore for Lan Zhai. How could he stand by and watch him live in hardship?

With that money, they did not need to stay on the island at all. They could easily buy a small house on the mainland. Yet Lan Zhai wanted to give it back!!!

Wen Sheng had brought it of his own accord. Why return it?!

A month ago, Lan Zhai and Yun Yin had been lovers who claimed they could not live without each other. Now, separated by the walls of a wooden hut, they each had their own thoughts.

From that day on, something shifted between them. Most of the change came from Lan Zhai: he no longer wanted to share the kinds of intimacy lovers shared with Yun Yin.

Every few days, Wen Sheng came to the island and left something behind. Sometimes he placed it at the door. Other times, he did not even get off the boat, merely tossing it onto the shore.

Lan Zhai saw Wen Sheng only twice more, but received many things from him. Every single one carried that familiar scent.

Wen Sheng came again today. Unlike before, the weather was especially bad. Gusts of wind swept over the sea, raising large waves.

By the time Wen Sheng stepped off the boat, the wind was rustling through the island’s trees. He glanced at the scented item in his hand, tucked it a little farther inside the doorway, then turned to leave.

“Wen Sheng.”

The voice was terribly hoarse, as rough as sandpaper.

Wen Sheng looked back and saw Yun Yin standing a short distance away. His complexion was poor, and he could not hide his exhaustion or resentment.

Wen Sheng glanced around as though worried about something. When he saw no one else, he seemed to relax. He apparently had no desire to say a word to Yun Yin and merely watched him with cold eyes.

Yun Yin dropped what he was holding and walked toward Wen Sheng. In a harsh voice made worse by long disuse, he said, “You don’t need to worry. Lan Zhai is on the other side of the island.”

Yun Yin could tell Wen Sheng seemed afraid of running into Lan Zhai. The more afraid he looked, the happier Yun Yin felt. Everything that had happened to him was this merperson’s fault!!!

If Wen Sheng had not interfered, Lan Zhai would never have been driven from the palace!!!

“Wen Sheng, you seem so afraid of seeing Lan Zhai that you secretly help him like this. What are you afraid of? Seeing how thoughtful and attentive he is toward me? Or seeing how badly he’s living now and feeling sorry for him?”

“Oh, that’s right. You’ve seen him in far worse condition. At least he can catch a fish for himself now. When he was blind, you did everything for him.”

Yun Yin’s expression grew more unhinged with every word. He had tasted life at the very top, and he could not accept how far he had fallen.

Things were not supposed to turn out like this. He had taken Wen Sheng’s place because Lan Zhai was a prince, yet his circumstances had not improved in the slightest!!!

Wen Sheng regarded him coldly. As though he could not bear to look at him any longer, he turned to leave.

“I’ll give Lan Zhai back to you!!!”

Wen Sheng stopped and turned toward Yun Yin again.

Yun Yin knew Wen Sheng would not be able to walk away after hearing that.

“You went to all that trouble to drive me out of the palace. You just didn’t expect Lan Zhai to love me enough to leave with me, did you? Since you like him so much, I’ll give him back. But you have to give me money—enough to last the rest of my life.”

Two months on the island had been unbearable for Yun Yin. Lan Zhai had treated him well at first, but he had grown colder and colder. A man with neither money nor love left to give was of little use to him.

No one had come looking for Lan Zhai in two months. He probably could not return to the palace, and Yun Yin could no longer stand this life.

Wen Sheng’s expression darkened at once, anger entering his beautiful eyes. “He gave up everything for you. Now you’re going to abandon him for money?”

Yun Yin scoffed. “How is that abandonment? I’m only giving him back to you. You were the one who saved him in the first place. Without me, perhaps Lan Zhai could even return to the palace. But I can’t wait for him any longer.”

He had finally figured it out. He could not defeat Wen Sheng or stand against the royal family. Rather than live with Lan Zhai in poverty, with every small problem becoming a source of misery, he would take a large sum of money and live on his own.

At first, he had wanted to be queen. Later, he had decided being a prince’s consort would do. Now, all he wanted was money.

After all, he had done nothing to earn any of this. He had stolen credit for Wen Sheng’s deeds; anything he gained from it was something for nothing…