Voyage With The Pirate King
Chapter 88 - Holding Hands

Who was he kidding? Even at the age of forty as long as it had something to do with Ji Yao he would undoubtedly act childish.

While the two ladies were having a lovely conversation, Rui Fei vanished on the spot and reappeared in the kitchen. The delectable smell of food and smoke filled the spotless kitchen.

On the built-in wok stove was a steaming pot of congee simmering. A sly smile appeared on his face as he grabbed a bowl and set it on a tray.

He had no idea how things work in a kitchen but at least he had some basic idea. It was just serving congee into a bow, right, so what could go wrong? He looked around for a ladle which he wouldn't have found so quickly if it weren't for how organised and immaculate this kitchen was.

He lifted the lid of the pot without much consideration but two seconds later he was yelping in pain. Yes, the mighty Huishe descendant was defeated by a hot lid. His dainty fingers were pulsing as they turned a bright red colour.

Because he had little time, he brushed it off and messily scooped out a spoonful of congee. He bit his lip looking at the droplets of congee on the tray. If Ji Yao sees this he might not want to eat it so he wiped it off with a cloth before replacing the lid on the pot.

He opened the lids of the two other woks on the stove and found stir-fried green beans and minced pork with chilli bean sauce. He tried to be careful this time and dished that up in other bowls.

Satisfied with his presentation he added a pair of chopsticks and pickled ginger before covering the dishes and carrying the tray out. Checking if the coast was clear he tiptoed out of the kitchen before Xiaoyu caught up with him.

He hadn't personally prepared the meal but it's the thought that counts, right? Yes sure, he had piggybacked the idea from his love rival but all is fair in love and war. He trotted over to Ji Wen's bedroom making sure to be careful with each step.

Forgetting this wasn't the middle of the night where he could just sneak in without knocking he slid the door open not even announcing his presence. Ji Yao was actually putting on his inner frock after washing the strong smell of the serpent's kiss away when the door was suddenly opened.

He turned his head around with dark eyes glaring at the disrespectful person who walked into his father's room like he was entering a toilet. Even in the bathroom, one had to knock but this idiot just strutted in like he owned this place.

Because Rui Fei was trying to be careful with the tray he didn't notice the menacing glare being sent his way. He only noticed when he placed the tray on the table and turned to look in Ji Yao's direction. He wanted to ask him, "How was your sleep?" but when he met that death stare and Ji Yao's reflection in the bronze mirror he swallowed back his words.

Ji Yao's inner shirt was open showing his tantalising milky skin with toned muscles, a sight this boy couldn't handle. He hastily averted his gaze his breath caught in his throat. This was too much stimulation for this boy who had just awakened. He felt an inexplicable heat rise from the pit of his stomach like a beast was roaring begging to be let out.

Ji Yao fastened his inner shirt and said, "Why didn't you knock," in a serious tone but if one listened carefully they could notice a hint of indulgence. He ambled behind the folding screen and dressed himself in blue robes embroidered with black patterns before emerging from behind the screen.

Rui Fei had been following his figure in his peripheral view as he struggled to calm himself down. To dispel the one-sided ambiguous tension in the atmosphere he urged Ji Yao to come over and sit down.

Ji Yao didn't refuse. He obediently sat down only to have a tray of appetising dishes served in front of him. He initially wanted to talk about the keystones and ask him if he wanted to come along but when he saw this he found he couldn't start the subject.

Usually, it was Aunt Mei who brought his food to him that is until Xiaoyu took over under Ji Wen's urging. Despite having told her several times that it wasn't necessary she was persistent and he found it difficult to refuse her.

What he didn't expect was that Rui Fei would also jump on that bandwagon and bring him food. He couldn't help but think this guy wanted something from him. That's because Rui Fei didn't look like that type that knows anything about the kitchen.

"What do you want?" asked Ji Yao as he turned his head to look at him. But just as he looked in his direction a slice of pickled ginger touched his lips making him freeze as he gazed into Rui Fei's eyes.

"It's good for the hangover now open up," replied Rui Fei choosing to ignore the question. Ji Yao should have rejected him just like the way he rejected Xiaoyu the other day but he found that he couldn't bring himself to especially when he was looking at him like that.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, Ji Yao noticed the burn on Rui Fei's fingers. Without much thought, he grasped Rui Fei's wrist and put down the chopsticks before studying the wound carefully. There was so much concern in his eyes that even he didn't notice. All he was thinking about was how Rui Fei got burnt because of him.

Rui Fei knew this wound was nothing to fuss about. With his constitution, it would be healed in no time but he especially loved the feeling of Ji Yao holding his hand. He was so awkward about it that his hand was stiff, not willing to make the slightest move lest Ji Yao misunderstands.

He felt giddy inside staring at Ji Yao who was reaching out for some elixir in his storage. He heard Ji Yao scolding him for being careless and that there would be some scarring if he doesn't get it taken care of but his head was somewhere else. His heart was beating fast and his thoughts going wild as he stared at those lips. He wondered how it would feel to kiss those soft lips. Would it be as nice as holding hands? A meteor might strike the earth at this moment but he won't ever want to let go of Ji Yao's hand.

A cool sensation spread from his hand to his heart as Ji Yao rubbed in the elixir making his heart beat faster. A powerful wave of courage struck him prompting him to lean forward.

Just one touch was all he wanted. A taste of this priceless fruit responsible for his restless nights. He was nervous but his courage surpassed his fear.. Taking a leap of faith he moved closer and closer to his dream.