Ethan Gu raised an eyebrow, his expression somewhere between a smile and a smirk. "Let me check for you then!" Uncomfortable? More like looking for an excuse to slack off again!
Maxwell Jing jumped up, his face full of indignation. "Ethan Gu, you heartless thing! You want to use me and toss me aside, huh? Dream on!" His posture and words were a vivid accusation of Ethan's shameless abandonment.
Ethan Gu rubbed his temples, a touch of helplessness in his voice. "Fine, I'll go!"
Maxwell Jing immediately beamed, planting a kiss on Ethan's lips and even caressing his cheek. He laughed, "Good boy!"
Ethan Gu narrowed his eyes, watching Maxwell Jing bask in his own triumph. "You seem pretty energetic to me!"
At those words, Maxwell Jing instantly went limp like a dead fish, collapsing in Ethan's arms. He spoke weakly, "I feel awful, I need to rest!"
The person who had been completely ignored by the pair was no longer bothered. He now sat in a chair, legs crossed, watching the show. Reaching for the wine jug on the table, he found there was still some left, so he unceremoniously poured it into his mouth, smacked his lips, and said, "No wonder you refuse to share a bed with me. Turns out you already have someone special!"
Maxwell Jing sized him up, stroked his chin, and mused, "You know, you're not bad looking. If you really have a thing for me..." He raised an eyebrow, his smile full of teasing ambiguity.
Noah Duanmu quickly waved his hands in alarm. "No thanks, I'm not that desperate!"
Ethan Gu shot Maxwell Jing a glance and snorted, "You're acting up again, aren't you?"
Maxwell Jing gave a fawning smile. "You know I'm not interested in men!"
At those words, Noah Duanmu eyed the two suspiciously. Is this what 'not interested in men' looks like?
Ethan Gu snorted coldly, ignoring the fact that they had an audience. He grabbed his clothes from the side, ready to get up. Maxwell Jing quickly pulled down the bed curtains, his face full of annoyance as he glared at Ethan.
Ethan Gu curled his lips in a meaningful smile. "You know I'm not interested in men either!"
Maxwell Jing twitched at the corner of his mouth—this was blatant revenge! He sighed, showing his helplessness, then proceeded to ogle Ethan as he dressed, eyes full of mischief.
Ethan Gu finished dressing, then pulled Maxwell in for a kiss, whispering a warning, "Watch yourself!"
Maxwell Jing returned the kiss with a smile, teasing, "Are you afraid I'll seduce you?"
Ethan Gu retorted, "Haven't you tried it before?"
Maxwell Jing blinked innocently, then declared proudly, "That's just my irresistible charm—can't help it!"
"Irresistible charm?" Ethan Gu sneered. "Maybe I should just castrate you first!" With that, he made a move to act.
Maxwell Jing quickly pulled the blanket around himself, staring at Ethan Gu in horror. "Isn't that a bit extreme?"
Seeing Ethan reach for his blanket, Maxwell Jing hurriedly said, "The Prince is still waiting!"
At that, Ethan Gu relented, but as he left, he didn't forget to toss back, "I'll deal with you when I get back!"
Watching Ethan Gu leave, Noah Duanmu raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Maxwell Jing, you're really hopeless!"
Maxwell Jing got dressed and sat at the table, laughing, "You're about to marry into the Cloud Guild—how much better can it get? And everyone knows it!"
Noah Duanmu was at a loss for words. Maxwell Jing narrowed his eyes at him and said, "Just say what's on your mind!"
Noah Duanmu raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "How did you know I wanted to say something?"
Maxwell Jing propped his head on one hand, scrutinizing Noah. "You look exactly like someone who wants to talk—so obvious I almost thought you were in love with me!"
Noah Duanmu twitched at the corner of his mouth, declaring, "I don't like men!" Then, more seriously, he asked, "What's the real relationship between the Ghost King's Manor and the Cloud Guild?" He wanted to know if the matter between Yun Fengqing and that man was just personal, or if it would escalate to a conflict between the two factions.
Maxwell Jing paused, his eyes flickering, then smiled. "Some things are better left unexamined. Don't forget, you're part of the Cloud Guild now! Yun Fengqing treats her people fairly, but only if you never betray her." The Princess Consort and Prince have similar principles, so it's not hard to figure out what kind of person she is.
Noah Duanmu frowned. So there really are unspeakable secrets between the Ghost King's Manor and the Cloud Guild!
Maxwell Jing sighed. "I find you tolerable, so I'll give you a word of advice: don't dig any deeper! I know you feel guilty now and care more about the First Manor, and that's not wrong, but..." Maxwell met his eyes and said softly, "Be careful not to let your concern turn into disaster!"
When Ethan Gu returned, he saw the two of them gazing into each other's eyes, exchanging silent emotions. He immediately pulled Maxwell Jing into his arms and said to Noah Duanmu, "The Prince wants to see you!"
Maxwell Jing didn't resist, leaning into Ethan's embrace with a secret smile. Ethan glanced at his smug face, a dangerous glint in his eyes—clearly, someone was about to get it again!
Damien Gray looked at the person before him without speaking, and Noah Duanmu remained calm and patient. Since Damien didn't speak, Noah simply waited in silence, showing no sign of restlessness.
In the end, it was Damien Gray who spoke first. He didn't have time to test Noah's patience—he was eager to return to the Cloud Guild!
"Noah Duanmu, I truly admire you!" he said, and it was no lie. If Noah hadn't joined the Cloud Guild, Damien might have recruited him into the Ghost Gate!
Noah Duanmu simply smiled politely. "Thank you!"
Damien Gray narrowed his eyes, a cold light flashing within. He didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "I'm only warning you—do nothing to harm the Cloud Guild! Otherwise, not only the First Manor, but even Muriel Yan will pay the price for your actions!" He wasn't Shangguan Mo, and Muriel Yan wasn't his to protect. He wouldn't show mercy. He was only polite because of Shangguan Mo, but if anyone hurt her, no matter who, the consequences would be severe!