Xia smirked. "He was the masked man we met in Suikal," he whispered.
"what! really! I—I didn't even sense an ounce of demonic energy from him." Long exclaimed in shock. He could remember that man distinctly in his memory. He had a magnificent spiritual energy and looked almost ethereal. 'How could that person be a demon?' he thought with a frown.
Xia straightened out his frown with his thumb. "Oh, even I didn't. Maybe he is very good at hiding his powers,"
"It's not possible, though. Demonic aura is very hard to contain. Maybe….maybe he might be using some heavenly artifact to hide it," he vaguely guessed. "ah! the mask! It might be an artifact that hides his demonic energy."
"Hmm...." Xia mumbled. He nuzzled closer to his lover. 'But Why didn't he tell me that he's my father though? Did he not know? No, from his conversation with mum it looked like he was aware of our kinship.' he thought with a downcast face. Dark thoughts swirled around in his mind. 'Maybe he did not want me as his son. Maybe he did not like me. Maybe..."
Long firmly kissed his lips, bringing him out of his thoughts. Patting his back softly in a steady rhythm, he whispered, "I know what you are thinking,"
Xia peeked up with a skeptical glance. "What AM I thinking then?"
Long tapped the middle of his forehead and kissed small pink spot. "You're probably thinking why he didn't tell you when you guys fatefully met,"
"H—how did you..."
"I'm your dear-darling lover. How could I not know what's going on in that pretty head of yours?" Long whispered lovingly and rolled them over so that Xia was under him. His sight went to his snaked shoulders covered with his red marks. 'How much ever I eat he still looks delicious,' he thought, licking his lips.
Xia chuckled softly and pushed his face away. "My baby is intelligent," he cupped the back of his head and pulled him close to his heart. Patting his head, Xia softly hummed.
"I admit I'm not that bright. But I know how to read micro expressions. And I know how to read my lover the best," Long whispered, taking a bit of the delicious n*ipple right in front of his lips.
"oww," Xia pinched his lips and pushed him to the other side. "Don't bite so much. one day you might even bite a piece of me," he mumbled wiping the saliva from his n*ipple.
Lying on his side, Long pouted. "I am being rejected by my lover. Oh, how cruel. I just want to give you some loving," he said with a sad smile.
"Your puppy dog face won't work again. My hips already ache so badly. if you touch me one more time. I might just end up eating you," Xia threatened with a glare.
"aww baby, don't say that. Those words temp me even more," Long hugged his waist and slowly massaged his spine. "Is it okay now?"
"No, lower," Xia repositioned his hands closer to the dip of his spine.
With a naughty smirk, Long massaged him. "ahh, I can't reach your back. Why don't you roll over?"
The innocent little crayfish did not know the ploy of the mighty dragon. He simply nodded and turned over, laying on his stomach.
Smirking widely, Aotian climbed on top of him. He placed both his hands on his pale back and slowly started massaging his stiff muscles.
"Lower, Aotian," Xia softly moaned into his pillow.
Aotian complied. He slowly started massaging near the base of his spine. His naughty hands suddenly grabbed onto his two fleshy mounts.
"Long! What are you doing, huh?" Xia shouted glaring back at him.
"But I'm only massaging you, baby, see," Long whispered with an innocent expression. One of his hands massaged the base of his spine and his other hands slowly crept inside the duvet again, massaging his fleshy butt.
"Aotian, you stupid dragon! Get down," Xia wiggled around but the dragon firmly sat on top of his struggling legs. His struggles seized. Xia glanced back with a threatening glare. "Aotian, you better get down. Or else I will not let you touch me for a month,"
Long gasped. "I was only trying to distract you." he whispered and got down. He hugged him to his chest and caressed his head. "Don't have that serious expression baby, I will solve everything for you. And your father, I will ask him why he didn't reveal his identity,"
"No, don't," Xia replied immediately. "Let him tell me when he is ready." He whispered insecurely. Nuzzling his nose on his chest, Xia softly sobbed. "Aotian, I want to go home. To my mother," he whispered, wiping his snotty nose.
"Let's go home then," Long patted his back.
"Hmm," xia hummed and sat up. "Let's get dressed then," he dashed over to their clothes wardrobe and brought out the neatly folded clothes. His waterproof clothes and Long's black robe and red pants.
Both of them got dressed swiftly and rushed down. Downstairs they met Bao and the butler drinking tea and chatting about something. Noticing their entrance, Bao stood up respectfully.
"Master, do you want some coffee? I can make you some," Bao smirked, gesturing towards the butler. The butler nodded and went to the pantry.
"No!" Xia exclaimed, stopping the butler who was on his way. "Bao, I want to check the portal again," he said with a resolute expression.
Bao peered at him for a while and sighed. "I—I will take you there." He threw a worried glance at his butler and rushed over to the parking lot.
Xia cheerfully followed after him with his dragon in tow. "Long, Long, do you think the portal would be open today? Bao did say it would take almost three months or so. But I'm anxious. I saw my father opening the portal with just his hand. If we give him some hints that we are in this realm, he might open the portal from the other side," he said secretly to Long.
Boa whoso was walking in front, unintentionally heard their whispers. He fearfully wiped his sweat and glanced at his master. "Master, your father's here?!!"
"Hmm, I saw him. He was in the void realm. It looked like he was searching for me too," he added doubtfully. He was still doubtful if his father really was searching for him or not. But he wished hopefully that it was the case. 'My father huh...I'm gonna meet him then,' he thought as his lips rose in a small arc.
He cheerfully glanced at the fox demon in front of him. "Why are you sweating so much?" he said, handing him a pristine white kerchief.
Bao refused it. "I — isn't just quite hot today," he imitated a cheerful laughed and fanned his face.
Long who was observing his reaction became doubtful. "Why are you nervous?" he said, pulling his lover behind him.
"No! I'm…I'm not nervous at all," the fox demon said with a smile. His smile looked so abnormal that even Xia was able to guess his lie.
This time Xia pulled in front of him and glanced up at the demon. "What are you hiding from me?"
Bao glanced at him and shook his head. All of a sudden he knelt down and bowed deep so that his head hit the hardwood floor. "Master, I was wrong. Please forgive me. Ma—ster….Please don't tell your father. Please,"
Xia was obviously startled. He stepped up and tried to pull him off of the floor "get up Bao. Let's talk somewhere else." He pulled him up by his armpit but the demon was quite adamant. "I forgive you okay. I forgive you, now get up,"
Tearfully Bao gazed up at him. "No master. I don't deserve your forgiveness. Please punish me."
Xia sighed. He glanced at Long and gestured for him to do something. Long nodded and stepped up to the demon. With one hand, he grabbed his lapels and lifted him up. Bao remained limp as he softly sniffed. Long dragged him over to the sofa and carefully dropped him. "Now answer him will you. What did you do?"
Bao glared at him and humped. "I only answer to my master,"
Long growled loudly and clenched his collar tighter.
Noticing his mood swing, Xia patted Long's to back off. He squatted next to the trembling demon. "Bao, I think of you as my friend. I can forgive you for whatever you have done. But you have to confess. You have to tell me what you have done,"
Bao hesitantly nodded. "I—I lied,"
"What did you lie about?" Xia softly coaxed the info out of him.
"About the spatial rift, I lied...….. that it would open in three months. Master, I just didn't want you leave me master. I loved you, so I… I." he shouted.
Xia calmly grabbed his trembling shoulders and gazed deeply into his eyes. "Okay, calm down. I understand you were quite attached to my previous birth. But Bao, you need to understand, me and Hong Lian, we are two different people. I might look the same but I am not him."
"I… I know and I know I was wrong to keep you with me selfishly. But I loved you so much, master.. I wanted to be selfish just once."