Demon Consort Runs into the Beijing Crown Prince - Chapter 49

If the car ride lasted any longer, Chu Muyun suspected Lu Hanzhang would devour him whole, bones and all, right there in the back seat.

Lu Hanzhang was unusually fierce today, radiating a volatile anger. His palm, calloused from handling weapons, slipped beneath Chu Muyun’s coat, reaching the bare skin beneath his sweater and undershirt. First, it rubbed against his lower back, then slid downward, his fingertips pinching into the tender flesh, leaving a sharp sting.

“Ugh… it hurts…”

Lu Hanzhang ignored his protests, kissing him roughly. The pressure from his hand was intense, the pain mingling with a tingling numbness.

“Think carefully,” Lu Hanzhang growled. “Is there anything you’re hiding from me?”

“No… ugh, I’m not hiding anything…” The Little Demon Consort struggled to recall, his mind racing. But then, Lu Hanzhang seemed to pluck a button from his trench coat—rough-edged and imperfectly round.

“If you can’t remember, then just swallow it.”

“Ugh…”

Chu Muyun had swallowed much larger things before, making this button seem tiny in comparison, yet its presence was overwhelming.

The meal was over.

Chu Muyun’s legs felt weak as he leaned on Lu Hanzhang’s arm to get into the car.

Even in the private dining room, surrounded by exquisite dishes, he couldn’t bring himself to eat properly.

Though Lu Hanzhang maintained a calm demeanor, Chu Muyun sensed his lingering anger. He dreaded what might happen later at the hotel—tonight would surely be wild…

The little shell trembled slightly, still faithfully cradling the pearl.

Waiting for the pearl diver to cut through flesh and pluck it free.

“Eat more,” Lu Hanzhang said, his tone surprisingly gentle. “You’ll need energy for later.”

“Mhm.”

Chu Muyun obediently ate, his leg secretly hooking around Lu Hanzhang’s beneath the table, unable to stay still.

Lu Hanzhang raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Chu Muyun took a few more bites before setting down his chopsticks, “I’m full.”

“Let’s go,” Lu Hanzhang said, rising.

“To my hotel?” Chu Muyun suggested, taking the initiative. He still had things in his room.

“Alright.”

Half an hour later, Lu Hanzhang followed Chu Muyun into the hotel where he had been staying during his film shoot.

“I bought some lychees. I just… suddenly wanted to eat them with you!” Chu Muyun retrieved a gift box from the room’s mini-fridge. Since it wasn’t lychee season, he had to buy frozen ones. He had thawed them beforehand, hoping they would be refreshingly sweet and jelly-like.

Chu Muyun placed the box on the small round table by the window, unwrapped it, and peeled a lychee, “Here, let me feed you.”

He held the fruit to Lu Hanzhang’s mouth. Lu Hanzhang bit into it, accidentally taking Chu Muyun’s finger along with it. His expression was slightly odd, “Is this just… a normal way to eat them?”

“Huh? Isn’t that how you’re supposed to eat lychees?”

“…” Lu Hanzhang said, “You should take a shower first. I’ll feed you later.”

“Oh, okay. Boss, can I take that button out now?”

“Go ahead.”

“Mmm~”

Chu Muyun slipped into the bathroom, stripped off his clothes, and turned on the shower.

Hiss…

The mother-of-pearl button lying in his palm truly had a pearlescent sheen.

He washed thoroughly, scrubbing every inch of himself until his pink skin glowed beneath the steaming water.

While Chu Muyun was showering, Lu Hanzhang got up and opened the door to the room.

A delivery robot stood in the corridor, carrying the mixed fruit basket he had just ordered. Lu Hanzhang took it out and closed the door.

The basket contained cherries, grapes, green grapes, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, and melon balls.

When Chu Muyun returned to the bedroom wearing a bathrobe, he immediately noticed the fruit basket on the round table. His stomach tightened involuntarily, and he swallowed hard.

Lu Hanzhang looked at him, “Take it off.”

“Mmm…” Chu Muyun stood before him, untied his bathrobe, and let it fall to the floor.

His body suddenly felt lighter as Lu Hanzhang lifted him onto the round table, his legs dangling over the edge.

A cool sensation touched his collarbone. Lu Hanzhang fastened a lavish fruit-themed necklace around his slender neck, its clusters of vibrant gems resembling blooming flowers.

Then came the wrist, adorned with a matching bracelet. Rubies, sapphires, and emeralds carved into intricate floral and leafy patterns glittered against his bare, pale skin, transforming him into a decadent, sensual sculpture.

Chu Muyun had secretly checked the market prices for similar jewelry. Lu Hanzhang had casually brought over jewelry worth tens of millions of US dollars, stuffing it into his trench coat pocket. Chu Muyun had assumed he’d have to go home to even touch it.

If it weren’t Lu Hanzhang standing before him, Chu Muyun would have immediately searched Taobao to see how much such an extravagant piece would cost in Yiwu. Though Chu Muyun had been poor his entire life and hadn’t handled real jewelry much before meeting Lu Hanzhang—even his four-leaf clover necklace was a replica—he had owned many such pieces in his previous life. The brilliant luster and substantial weight could only mean it was genuine.

As Chu Muyun’s mind wandered aimlessly, Lu Hanzhang finally produced a brooch.

It was stunning, with a unique design: a tiny diamond-encrusted basket overflowing with sweet berries carved from colorful gemstones.

Wait a minute, a brooch… but I’m not wearing anything right now…

Remembering the sharp metal pin on the back of the brooch, Chu Muyun trembled slightly.

“Ugh… it’ll hurt…”

Lu Hanzhang’s warm hand covered Chu Muyun’s chest, gently rubbing it in a soothing manner. Chu Muyun closed his eyes, bit his lip, and his eyelashes trembled. He resolved to endure it, thinking, Just a little longer, and it’ll be over…

At that moment, Lu Hanzhang’s hand moved to Chu Muyun’s hair, tucking a strand behind his ear like a hairpin. Chu Muyun’s black hair was slightly longer than usual, but still far too short for a historical drama.

Lu Hanzhang’s voice sounded close by, a rare hint of amusement breaking through the evening’s heavy atmosphere, “Are you afraid?”

“J-just a little…” Chu Muyun opened his eyes and murmured softly, “I’m scared of the pain…”

“Sometimes I regret not being twisted enough,” Lu Hanzhang said, his eyes darkening and his voice low. “I can’t bear to hurt you.”

Chu Muyun immediately smiled, “You’re perfect just the way you are. I love you like this…”

“Hmm.”

Lu Hanzhang picked up a chilled lychee from a nearby gift box, its cool touch lingering. He slowly peeled away the rough skin, saying, “The jewelry set I gave you is called the Fruit Pouch, or the Fruit Basket. Do you remember the brooch from earlier? Now it’s your turn to be the Fruit Basket.”

He looked up at Chu Muyun, pinching the peeled, translucent white flesh between his fingertips. His tone brooked no argument, “Come here. This is your punishment for not telling the truth.”

“Oh…”

Under Lu Hanzhang’s sharp gaze, Chu Muyun obediently complied.

“I washed it thoroughly… very clean… mmm.”

He swallowed.

The Demon King himself had peeled a lychee and fed it to him, though the icy chill made him shiver.

The foreign sensation grew stronger. The earlier mica button paled in comparison as he swallowed one bright, round fruit after another, each bite making him feel increasingly full and stretched.

Haaah… I’m going to burst…

“Are you juicing yourself?” Lu Hanzhang’s voice carried a hint of anger as his slender fingers became stained with bright red strawberry juice. The fruit’s delicate skin had already been crushed. “Can’t you even manage to be a proper Fruit Basket?”

“Mmm… I’m sorry,” Chu Muyun whimpered, the corners of his eyes flushed crimson and his gaze misty with tears. “I tried so hard to hold the fruit… I’m such a bad Fruit Basket…”

He pitifully pressed his fingers against his swollen belly, trying to force down more fruit, but he was already stretched to his limit. Even the slightest movement caused crushed pulp to seep out, leaving vivid, glistening trails across his pale skin.

“It’s… it’s full. I can’t hold any more…”

The fruit platter was nearly empty, only a few pieces remaining at the bottom.

“Finish it.”

“Okay…”

He ate everything. The Fruit Basket was completely stuffed, its milky-white surface stained with vibrant fruit juice.

“So full, Boss… so full… Mmm. The bad Fruit Basket can’t hold any more… it’s going to burst.”

He watched Lu Hanzhang lower his head, biting the green grape that was about to fall out and swallowing it. His scorching lips and scalding breath brushed fleetingly against his delicate skin.

“It’s full. Now it’s your turn to feed me,” he commanded coldly.

“Mmm…”

The lavishly jeweled, voluptuous, and decadent little Fruit Basket strained to push out the remaining grapes, one by one, to feed his golden lips.

“Not only are they crushed, but they’re also coated in your own juices,” Lu Hanzhang frowned, holding a grape between his teeth as he kissed him, passing the pulpy mixture of fruit and liquid into his mouth. “Taste for yourself.”

The sweet fruit juice was tainted with the cloying, fishy sweetness of honey.

“I’m sorry… I’m still not very good at being a Fruit Basket.”

Smack! Lu Hanzhang slapped his butt hard, “Unacceptable.”

“Ugh…” The slap made the crushed fruit feel even more mashed.

“Nothing left?” Lu Hanzhang asked after a while.

“Th-there’s still some, but the rest are mostly shapeless… just fruit pulp now…”

Chu Muyun, the Fruit Basket, cupped the face of the man before him with both hands, pleading sweetly, “It really can’t come out. Let me go wash up, okay~?”

“No.”

In an instant, the substandard Fruit Basket was gripped by the waist and tossed onto the bed, helplessly transformed into a cream-filled puff pastry.

Much later.

The little puff pastry was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open, but he stubbornly fought off sleep, wrapping his arms around his King’s neck and coaxing him in a sugary tone, “Are you still angry? Don’t let anger linger overnight, okay? It’s bad for your health. Let’s talk it out~ Is it because of Han Jin? I kept it from you, but… I did recognize him. Maybe he just doesn’t remember me.”

“But,” the Little Demon Consort swore vehemently, “nothing really happened between us! Our past memories aren’t exactly pleasant! I’ve only ever had you these past years. If I’m lying, may I…”

Before he could finish his oath, Lu Hanzhang silenced him with a kiss.

“Mm, I believe you. I forgive you.”

Lu Hanzhang bit his lip hard again, “Next time, don’t hide anything from me.”

“Okay, okay, okay! I promise!”

“When did you figure out the answer?” Lu Hanzhang pressed.

“Long ago… even before I became your Fruit Basket,” the Little Demon Consort giggled. “But I enjoy being punished by you, so I didn’t say anything back then.”

Lu Hanzhang gazed into the seductive, fox-like eyes that tilted upward at the corners. He couldn’t help but utter two words he’d only ever thought to himself before, never daring to speak aloud, “…Truly bewitching.”