Chapter 56
The night after the wedding felt like a completely different world.
Not the battlefield.
Not the prophecy.
Not the endless chase of fate.
Just… a small courtyard room lit by soft lanterns, shadows trembling gently against the walls.
And two people who suddenly didn’t know how to behave.
Zhuo Yichen sat very straight at first.
Too straight.
As if posture alone could protect him from the chaos of emotions he didn’t know how to name.
He kept adjusting things unnecessarily.
The cups.
The blanket.
The wedding wine jar.
Even the tablecloth.
Zhao Yuanzhou watched him with quiet amusement for a long time before finally breaking the silence.
“You’re going to rearrange the whole house before we even drink?”
Yichen froze mid-adjustment.
“…It’s not arranged properly.”
“It’s a house in the wilderness,” the demon replied lazily. “It’s barely standing.”
“That’s not an excuse for disorder.”
Zhao Yuanzhou chuckled.
“You’re really strict even on your wedding night.”
At that, Yichen finally turned.
And for the first time that night-
he looked slightly flustered.
“…There are rules.”
Zhao Yuanzhou raised an eyebrow.
“Rules?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“Like… etiquette.”
The demon leaned closer.
“On a night like this?”
Yichen immediately stood up straighter.
“Yes.”
The silence that followed was heavy… then Zhao Yuanzhou burst out laughing.
Not mockingly.
Just genuinely entertained.
Yichen’s ears turned slightly red.
“…Stop laughing.”
“I can’t,” the demon said between breaths. “You’re too cute right now.”
That word-
cute-
made Yichen look like he wanted to draw his sword again.
But instead, he just sat down very carefully.
And took the wine cup.
“…Drink.”
Zhao Yuanzhou finally composed himself and sat opposite him.
The wine was poured.
The traditional wedding cups were tied with a thin red string.
Everything felt absurdly ceremonial for a life that had never been normal.
They drank together.
Quietly.
At first.
Then Yichen coughed slightly.
Too strong.
Too fast.
Zhao Yuanzhou immediately reached out.
“You don’t have to force yourself.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re red.”
“That’s the wine.”
“It’s also your face.”
Yichen shot him a look.
“Don’t talk.”
Zhao Yuanzhou smiled.
“I like this version of you.”
“What version.”
“The one pretending not to be nervous.”
Yichen nearly choked again.
“…I’m not nervous.”
A beat.
The demon leaned forward slightly.
“Then why are your hands shaking?”
Yichen looked down.
Realized they were indeed shaking.
Then immediately put them under the table.
“…It’s cold.”
Zhao Yuanzhou hummed.
“Right.”
Silence again.
But softer now.
Less tense.
More… real.
After a while, Zhao Yuanzhou stood and walked closer.
Yichen didn’t move.
Not because he wasn’t aware.
But because he was.
Very aware.
The demon stopped in front of him.
Then gently reached up, brushing a loose strand of hair behind Yichen’s ear.
The touch was slow.
Careful.
As if afraid he might vanish if held too tightly.
Yichen’s breath caught slightly.
“…What are you doing?”
Zhao Yuanzhou smiled faintly.
“Checking if you’re still here.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“…You said that before.”
The words carried something deeper.
A memory of all the times fate had proven otherwise.
Yichen softened.
Then, quietly-
“I’m here.”
A pause.
Then he added, almost reluctantly:
“…Don’t look like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’ll disappear.”
That made Zhao Yuanzhou go still.
Then he slowly exhaled.
“…I can’t promise I won’t be afraid.”
Yichen stood up this time.
Closing the distance.
“Then be afraid while holding me.”
That simple sentence broke something in the demon’s expression.
The controlled calm.
The quiet restraint.
Everything.
He reached out and pulled Yichen into his arms.
Not forcefully.
Not urgently.
Just finally.
Yichen hesitated for a second.
Then slowly leaned in.
Resting his head against his shoulder.
The tension in his body eased bit by bit.
Outside, wind moved through the courtyard.
Inside, the lantern light flickered gently.
Zhao Yuanzhou spoke softly near his ear.
“…Today is mine.”
Yichen blinked.
Then, with a faint sigh-
“…You’re ridiculous.”
The demon smiled.
“I waited too long.”
That silence between them said everything else.
Yichen pulled back slightly.
Looked at him.
Then, after a pause that felt heavier than any battle-
“…Then take it.”
Zhao Yuanzhou froze.
Yichen’s voice softened, almost teasing now, to hide the embarrassment creeping in again.
“Just don’t make a mess of it.”
That earned a quiet laugh.
Then Zhao Yuanzhou leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.
Not hurried.
Not demanding.
Just a promise.
A seal.
A beginning.
Yichen’s eyes closed briefly.
And for once-
he didn’t argue.
Later, the wine was half-finished.
The lanterns dimmed.
The night stretched on in quiet warmth, filled with soft laughter, quiet words, and long silences where nothing needed to be said at all.
Not chaos.
Not loss.
Just two people learning, slowly, carefully-
how to stay.
✨✨✨✨❄️❄️❄️❄️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
The morning light crept in slowly, soft and unhurried, slipping through the thin curtains and landing across the bed like a quiet confession.
Zhuo Yichen stirred first.
For a moment, he didn’t move.
He was warm.
Held in Zhao Yuanzhou’s arms as if the world outside had simply stopped existing.
His fingers tightened slightly against the fabric beneath him, as though testing whether this was real.
It was.
A strange softness filled his chest.
Almost… happiness.
His eyes stung unexpectedly.
He blinked quickly, turning his face slightly away so the demon wouldn’t notice.
But even as relief settled in, a faint, sharp pain flickered somewhere deep inside his meridians.
A warning.A reminder.Yichen’s brows tightened slightly.
He didn’t react outwardly.
Just… endured it.
As always.
The pain faded again like a passing shadow, and he told himself it was nothing.
Just aftermath.
Just exhaustion.
He closed his eyes for a second longer-
and then quietly slipped out of the bed.
Zhao Yuanzhou woke up later to silence.
Too clean.
Too orderly.
Too Yichen.
He sat up slowly, hair slightly messy, eyes scanning the room.
The bed was neatly arranged.
The blanket folded.
And Zhuo Yichen-
already dressed.
Already sitting at the table.
Reading a book like nothing had happened at all.
The demon blinked.
“…You’re awake early.”
Yichen didn’t look up.
“Yes.”
“…How early?”
“Early enough.”
That ended the conversation.
Zhao Yuanzhou squinted slightly.
Something felt wrong.
Not dangerous.
Just… overly proper.
He got up and walked closer.
Yichen didn’t even react.
Still reading.
Straight posture.
Composed face.
Completely back to his usual strict self.
As if the entire night before had been carefully filed away under “irrelevant.”
The demon leaned over slightly.
“…You’re pretending nothing happened.”
Yichen turned a page.
“I am not pretending.”
“You absolutely are.”
“No.”
A pause.
Zhao Yuanzhou smiled.
“You’re scary again.”
That made Yichen finally look up.
“…I have always been like this.”
The demon laughed under his breath.
“That’s not what you were like last night.”
Yichen’s ears turned faintly red.
“Don’t mention last night.”
“Oh?”
“Don’t.”
Zhao Yuanzhou leaned back slightly, amused.
Then his eyes casually drifted-
and stopped.
On Yichen’s neck.
For a second, he froze.
Then his expression shifted into something dangerously entertained.
“…Ah.”
Yichen followed his gaze.
Walked to the mirror.
And stopped.
Silence.
Long silence.
Very long silence.
Several very obvious marks rested on his neck.
Dark.
Unmistakable.
As if the night had physically refused to be forgotten.
Yichen stared at his reflection.
Then slowly closed his eyes.
“…Shameless demon.”
He spoke very calmly.
But the murderous intent was undeniable.
Behind him, Zhao Yuanzhou immediately coughed to hide his laughter.
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Yichen turned slightly.
“That is not the point.”
Zhao Yuanzhou leaned casually against the doorframe.
“You liked it.”
Silence.
Yichen stared at him.
For a full three seconds.
Then-
“…Do you want to die?”
The demon raised both hands.
“Okay okay, I’ll stop.”
But the smile didn’t leave his face.
Yichen turned back to the mirror, fingers lightly touching the marks with absolute seriousness, as if evaluating a battlefield injury.
“…This is very visible.”
Zhao Yuanzhou walked closer, voice softer now.
“So what?”
Yichen didn’t look at him.
“I have duties.”
The demon tilted his head.
“And?”
“…People will see.”
A beat.
Zhao Yuanzhou finally laughed properly this time.
“Let them see.”
Yichen turned sharply.
“That’s not appropriate.”
Zhao Yuanzhou stepped forward, gently pulling him closer by the sleeve.
“Commander Zhuo.”
Yichen stiffened slightly.
“…What.”
The demon’s voice dropped, softer now.
“You’re allowed to look like someone who was loved.”
That made Yichen stop.
Completely.
The strict expression faltered for just a moment.
Just a moment.
Then he looked away.
“…Ridiculous logic.”
But he didn’t step back.
Zhao Yuanzhou smiled, quietly satisfied.
Outside, morning light brightened the courtyard.