The sun hasn't even risen yet our beau is already awake. His hands are occupied with making spring rolls, dumplings, and of course, his favorite wonton noodle soup. Today is the 3rd day of June, Yin Wenyan's birthday.
Although he's been awake for a couple of hours now, he's still not done preparing the food. It is because he's been extra careful not to create unnecessary sounds that may awaken the still asleep birthday celebrant.
After Yin Wenyan came to see Xu Zhengming in his bookstore, the former emperor declared something bold. He stated that since this beau pulled him back to life from Death's grip, the oh-so-great Xu-xiansheng should take responsibility. In other words, Yin Wenyan just wanted to live the rest of his life with him.
Just like his brother, Yin Renshu, Yin Wenyan refused to go back to the imperial palace. According to him, he had enough of the heavy responsibilities and political matters. Well, after everything he's been through, he deserves to receive eternal peace with his beloved. And so, the whole responsibility is being dumped to their sister, Empress Yin Xiulan.
In the present, they are residing in a small house in Xu Zhengming's hometown which is located in the Southern Region. Actually, this place is a little distant from the imperial palace and Wan Moli Hua Place, plus they're busy with their own lives so the triplets rarely see each other. In fact, the last time they see each other was five years ago. Yes, surely time flies when you get busy and can't get track of time.
Anyway, it's already sunrise when Xu Zhengming got the table ready. Compared to their birthday banquets in the imperial palace, of course, what he prepared doesn't even equal to 25% of that. Now that he thinks about it, he feels anxious. Too bad, he doesn't make much money from writing. Also, he doesn't want to use Yin Wenyan's money as a noble, much more the money that Yin Wenyan makes from hunting and any other jobs he feels like doing so.
Well, what's the harm? He already made something like this last year. It was not much too but Yin Wenyan seemed to appreciate it.
Xu Zhengming slowly comes into their bedroom, making sure he's not making a noise that may awaken him. When he got close enough, he leans closer to his ear and speaks in a low and soft voice, "Your majesty, the sun has risen. It's time for you to wake up."
"Mn. I'm already awake." Yin Wenyan replies with his eyes closed.
This made Xu Zhengming puff a laugh. He knows him very well. He knows that Yin Wenyan is just talking in his sleep. After two years of living underneath the same roof, and sleeping on the same bed, Xu Zhengming knows that Yin Wenyan is a deep sleeper. Whatever noise is around him has a big possibility that it will just take part in his dream.
Mingming tried so hard to suppress his laughter. After regaining his composure, he continues to speak to the other. "Okay. If you're truly awake, can you tell who am I?"
The sleeping one is quick to respond as if he's very certain of the answer. "Court Lady Han."
"Pfft... no. This is your eunuch. Eunuch Xu." Xu Zhengming lost it. He can't control his laughter anymore that he has to cover his mouth with his hands.
"Eunuch Xu..." Still with his eyes closed, the former emperor repeated. Then he slowly gained his consciousness in their reality. He opens his eyes only to see the laughing Xu Zhengming. Then he thought to himself: this beau, he got no poise and he lacks the elegance of a grown-up man. Even so, he still managed to look effortlessly alluring.
"No, I'm not calling you that for a while now." Yin Wenyan pulled Xu Zhengming and made him roll back to the bed. He even took a good hold of him, wrapping his arms and legs around this beau. "You're already my male wife and I call you Ming'er." His pair of phoenix eyes narrow as he makes a face similar to that of a child that's throwing a fit. "You made fun of me again."
Defeated, Xu Zhengming made a lazy smile. "If you're already awake, then get off the bed."
However, instead of rising from the bed just like Xu Zhengming told him to do so, he snuggles closer to the other. His hold of him even got tighter as if he never got enough of this beau throughout these years. "Let's stay like this for a little longer."
"No, you need to get up." Our Mingming struggles to at least free himself a little. He cupped Yin Wenyan's cheek as he looks at those obsidian-black eyes. "Let's make this day memorable. It's your birthday."
"..." Yin Wenyan blinks twice. Without palace duties, he usually lost track of the date. "Already?"
"Yes." Xu Zhengming smiles sweetly at him and slightly pulls him closer so that he can plant a little kiss on the tip of the other's nose. "Happy birthday, Wenyan."
"I see." From the looks of it, it seems Yin Wenyan finally realized it. He just forgot his own birthday! "Since it's my birthday, you should do me a favor. Stay still." An unusual mischievous smile draws on his lips as he rises from his position. He tops over Xu Zhengming, pinning this beau's both wrists down.
"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Mingming panicked. He knows what the other is planning to do, and no, they must not do it now. "I prepared something in the kitchen. It will go cold soon if we won't consume it now."
"How about heating it later? Hmm?" Yin Wenyan suggested.
Xu Zhengming thought, not a bad offer but still, he woke up early just to prepare those. And they'll end up heating those again? He even slept late last night to finish today's portion of work. The great Xu-xiansheng didn't sleep for only four hours just to have his prepared food treated like this.
"Aiyah. That won't do." Even after expressing his disapproval, Yin Wenyan still leans closer to him. "Wenyan? Are you listening to me? Wenyan. Wenyan!"
They're only just about a couple of centimeters away before their lips could meet. Xu Zhengming's chest pounds louder than usual. After two years, Yin Wenyan can still make his heart skip a beat. The tips of their nose touch each other. Just a little bit more and they'll have a taste of their sweet love. But then a loud knocking on their main door sounded. The knock was so loud as if the person knocking is enraged.
Yin Wenyan clicks his tongue. "Who is it that dares to disturb us so early in the morning."
Xu Zhengming seized the chance and pushes Yin Wenyan a bit. "Perhaps it's an urgent matter. We better take a look before the door breaks."
"Tch... If this isn't urgent, pray for this person's soul." With a dark expression on his face, he gets out of the bed and headed towards the poor door.
Of course, Xu Zhengming follows behind him. If he can't stop his husband in time, he'll just pray for this person's poor soul as soon as possible.
As soon as Yin Wenyan opens the door, they see a figure of a woman wearing a black cloak. She also has a company with her. It's a young man about fifteen years of age. He's also wearing a cloak.
The woman slowly takes off the hood that's hiding her face as she speaks in a proud tone, "Bow down before her ma---" She didn't manage to finish her line when Yin Wenyan shuts the door closed without even saying a word.
"Hey! Why are you closing the door?! That's her majesty the empress! Your sister!" Xu Zhengming holds Yin Wenyan's shoulders and shakes him violently.
Acting like what he did was no big deal, Yin Wenyan casually replies. "I am already being nice to her. You don't have to pray for her soul."
"But..." Mingming didn't finish his sentence when Yin Wenyan covers his mouth with his palm.
In a low voice, he speaks, "Let her be. Let's get back to where we left." He then picks up Xu Zhengming, carried him in his arms, and brings him back to their bedroom.
Meanwhile, Prince Liu Cheng's composure is still intact, unlike the empress. "Your majesty, I don't think your dear brother wants to see you."
Gritting her teeth she annoyingly opens her fan and tries to cool herself down. "I don't care if he doesn't want to see me. I traveled so far just to greet him on our birthday and this is what I receive in return?! I didn't even get a greeting!" She sneered. This holy weapon of hers doesn't help her calm down at all. Upset, she continued to complain. "He only went away from the palace for two years and now he's acting like Renshu! Such a pain in the neck."
The prince remembered an important detail. Even though his adoptive mother is enraged, he still feels like speaking his thoughts. "Speaking of. Isn't her majesty's other brother, Sect Leader Yin, also coming? Perhaps it's better to wait for him."
Being reminded of his more annoying brother, her majesty can't help but roll her eyes. "I bet he's still sleeping. Waiting for him is such a waste of time." She then shifted her attention to the other matter. "Wenyan! Xu Zhengming! If you don't open this damn door, I'll make your entire house fly! I am not kidding! Do you want to fight me? I'm willing to have a death battle with you!"
Prince Liu Cheng continued to open his thoughts to the empress. "I don't think it would be a waste to wait for the esteemed sect leader, your majesty. You may be able to gain the upper hand against Prince Yin Wenyan but doesn't it give you a more chance of winning if you join forces with the former emperor?" The empress indeed paid attention to him but her pair of phoenix eyes are glaring at him. And so, the prince is quick to defend himself. "Just an opinion, your majesty. Please don't be angry with me."
"This young man is right." A series of footsteps came approaching. A couple of two men in white robes are walking in their direction.
"Shizun! Wang-shifu!" Empress Yin Xiulan, as well as Prince Liu Cheng clasp their hand and bow their head to pay their respects.
"Happy birthday to our Empress!" Zhao Yangguang greeted her with full of smiles.
"Happy birthday, Xiulan." Wang Junjie also greeted him in his usual plain expression.
"Ah-Jie, my child has become the ruler of the empire." Zhao Yangguang elbowed the other. "I couldn't be more proud."
As usual, Wang Junjie has the same response whenever Zhao Yangguang claims someone else's child. "She's not your child."
"Shut up."
"Shizun is exaggerating it." Empress Yin Xiulan laughs. "Renshu and Wenyan became the ruler before me."
"But it hits different. From Princess General to her majesty the empress." He winks at her majesty. Then his attention shifted to the young man that the empress brought with her. "Is this his highness the crown prince?"
"Yes, this is Liu Cheng." She puts her hand on the young man's shoulder, like a mother proudly introducing her good child.
"I see." Zhao Yangguang nods. "But why is his surname Liu? Wasn't his real surname Murong? And your surname is Yin, not Liu. Where did it come from?"
"It's a long story, shizun." The empress forced a laugh. She doesn't really want to talk about it now. "But really, I am bothered by his future. The new set of committees for the inner court is still not very much in favor of him to be the next emperor. They say, he doesn't have the blood of the Yin Clan running through his veins."
As an outsider, Zhao Yangguang can't really do much about this matter. He could only give a piece of advice as an elder. "Young man, don't be disheartened by some discouragements. Earn merits, and you'll be worthy of becoming the emperor of the ninth generation."
The young gentleman clasps his hands and responded to the elder, "I will keep your words, Senior Zhao."
"Looks reliable to me though." Zhao Yangguang said to the empress. "Well then, where are Wenyan and Ming'er?"
Empress Yin Xiulan steps aside and leads her shizun to the closed entrance. "The door is yours to wreck, shizun."
"Wait! I'm opening it! Geez, we just fixed this last week!" Xu Zhengming hurried to the house's main entrance, fixed his clothes, and opened the door. He goes out to welcome everyone.
"Ming'er! I missed you! I hope you have jasmine tea here." Zhao Yangguang waves.
Xu Zhengming, "Yes, I have. Wenyan sometimes asks for it so I kept some. Please come inside everyone. I prepared some dishes but it's not much. And happy birthday, your majesty."
"Thanks. I hope your husband didn't forget that it's my birthday too." From the looks of it, the empress seems still annoyed.
"Of course not! He's waiting for all of you inside. Come, come!"
It was Xu Zhengming who remained last so that he can close the door. He was about to enter their small house when a familiar voice sounded.
"It's my birthday as well. Would you not greet me?"
"Ren--- Sect Leader Yin... you came." Xu Zhengming steps outside.
After he left the Wan Moli Hua Palace in Mount Penglai, Xu Zhengming never saw him again. They also never had any communication since then.
With a lazy smile, he responded. "Xiulan forced me to come. She said she'll cause havoc in our sect if I didn't show up."
Truth to be told, the empress never forced him to come. She just simply told him that she's coming. Even though it's been a while since the last time they saw each other, Empress Yin Xiulan isn't that insensitive. She knows Yin Renshu has a thing towards Xu Zhengming as well. The fact that it was his own brother who took his favorite person away from him must have hurt a lot.
She isn't wrong actually. In fact, until now... now that he sees this beau again, he can't help but fall for him all over once more. And it hurts knowing he'll never be by his side again. It hurts that he can't fulfill his promise to make him the first-ever male empress. It's funny... but he can't understand why his chest tightens whenever he thinks about it. It was him who first asked him to live peacefully like this but who is it he's with now? Sometimes, he thinks, if ever he met him first... would Xu Zhengming come with him instead?
"And also..." Sect Leader Yin added. "Renshu is fine. Just like the old times."
Xu Zhengming nods. "Happy birthday, Renshu. Come, everyone's inside."
Mingming was about to enter the house to lead the other inside but Yin Renshu stops him. "Xu Zhengming..."
Suddenly, Yin Renshu felt nervous. He isn't sure if it's because he finally called his name after five long years... or maybe it's because he's afraid of how the other will answer the question he's been meaning to ask for a long time now. But one thing is for sure. If he can't ask him this now, he doesn't think he'll have another chance to do so. It may be just one question but it will require a lot of courage for Yin Renshu to ask.
Xu Zhengming, on the other hand, patiently waits for his next words.
"Xu Zhengming. Are you..." He took a deep breath and said it. "Are you happy now?"
Four words, one question. But it bears a lot of unsaid messages. He already asked. Whatever answer he gets, there will be no regrets.
"..."
Xu Zhengming is silent for a while. Even though he's dumb sometimes, he knows there's something else behind that question. He doesn't want to hurt anyone but he can't think of any other ways to say the truth to him.
"Yes." Xu Zhengming nods, then looks at him in the eyes. "Yes, I am."
"I see." Yin Renshu smiles weakly. "That's great. I'm glad to hear it." A sharp needle seems to pierce through his chest. But it's okay, he knew it would turn out this way. "I've always wished the best for you... because you deserve it." Unfortunately for him, he's not the best for this beau.
Xu Zhengming was a whole volume of his story but he, on the other hand, he is just a part of this beau's chapter.
"Let's join them inside, shall we?" Xu Zhengming said which Yin Renshu agrees with a nod.
---
Author's Note:
Thank you for reading this far! *Mingyan sends virtual hugs*
If you have found this novel in other websites (since this is a non-exclusive novel), You'll notice that this is the original last chapter of My Full-time Servant/Lover. But if I have a lot of time and enough motivation, I might add some chapters here. :D
Tell me your what if's in this story in the comments (e.g. what if Liu Chen didn't die? But be sure to include spoiler warning. lol.). Who knows? Maybe I'll right a chapter or two about it. :)