After My Emperor Fanfiction Was Discovered – CH33

Chapter 33: Colliding at the Heart 

Han Min was used to staying up at night and sleeping until the sun was high.

Though sometimes he would nap over the desk, most of the time he was awakened by nightmares.

Tonight’s dream felt even more real—it was at the Duke of Gong’s mansion.

The sky was ablaze with fire, stretching across the horizon, and Fu Xun carried him out.

Then he woke up.

He realized something was poking uncomfortably against his chest.

Oh, he remembered.

Last night, unable to sleep, he had simply taken down the long sword that hung in front of the bed and hugged it.

The sword belonged to Fu Xun. Hugging it wasn’t particularly comfortable, but somehow he eventually fell asleep.

After a rare sleep, Han Min wanted to linger in bed a little longer, so he didn’t open his eyes.

He had slept poorly, curling into a ball under the blankets, his head even tucked beneath the pillow. He reached up, pulled the pillow closer, and rubbed his face against the pillow—and something else nearby.

But the feeling was… off.

Groggily, Han Min groped around twice. Something hooked his fingers and held his hand.

He jolted awake—and saw a hand on his bed.

He quickly sat up and drew the long sword.

The other person withdrew their hand and flipped back the bed curtain.

“What are you doing?”

It was Fu Xun.

The sword rang sharply. The two of them faced each other in silence. Han Min felt embarrassed; Fu Xun, however, had a slight smile on his face.

Han Min hid the sword behind him, tucking it into the blanket.

He thought he was doomed—Fu Xun had seen him hugging the sword while asleep.

Still half-asleep, he reasoned he could still save face. As long as he hid the sword and didn’t admit it was the one Fu Xun had given him, Fu Xun couldn’t tease him.

Fu Xun sat at the edge of the bed, flipping through a book, watching him fumble secretly under his gaze.

He chuckled: “Awake?”

Han Min tucked the longsword into the blanket, sat up straight, smoothed his hair, and asked casually, “Hmm. What is Your Majesty doing here?”

Fu Xun glanced behind him and reminded him, “It’s not hidden properly; the tip of the sword is sticking out.”

Han Min looked back. Sure enough, a portion protruded.

He silently moved back a little, grabbed the corner of the blanket with his back hand, and tugged at it twice.

Fu Xun kindly reminded him again: “The hilt is sticking out now.”

Han Min scooted forward slightly, grabbed the blanket, and covered the hilt—covered again!

Fu Xun asked once more: “Are you really awake?”

Han Min nodded firmly: “Of course.”

Then he yawned into his hand.

Rubbing his eyes, he asked: “Your Majesty, did you come for something?”

“No. Eunuch Yang said you were sleeping hugging a sword, so he asked me to check.”

Han Min was startled: “R…really?”

“He was afraid you might accidentally cut yourself while sleeping.”

“I won’t, I’m careful.”

“The moment I arrived, you held my hand.”

Han Min’s first reaction was denial, but thinking carefully, he realized that wasn’t impossible.

After all, last night he had even told the system that Fu Xun was kind and that he wanted to sleep with him.

And now Fu Xun had come of his own accord. Han Min felt it was likely he would “lose control.”

So he sincerely admitted: “Sorry, did I trouble you?”

Fu Xun countered: “You didn’t drool on the sword, did you?”

Han Min was stunned, then immediately defended himself: “This is the first time. I only hugged it half the night, and I never—”

Fu Xun obviously didn’t believe him, just watching.

Han Min fell silent—any further explanation would be useless.

He wiped his face, got out of bed, and put on shoes.

He grabbed the clean clothes on the side, planning to change behind the screen.

Unintentionally glancing back, he saw Fu Xun flipping through the blankets, looking for the sword.

Han Min quickly softened his stance: “Don’t take it back. You’ve already given it to me, how can you take it back?”

Fu Xun ignored him and pulled the sword out. He glanced at it: “You’re not afraid of hurting yourself in your dreams?”

Han Min gave up on changing and sat in front of him in his snow-white robe: “I’ll be careful. I barely sleep anyway. If I get hurt, it’s my own fault. I won’t hug it tonight, just don’t take it—I really won’t sleep otherwise.”

Fu Xun’s expression turned serious: “Weapons carry too much killing intent. You’re already physically weak. No.”

Han Min flopped onto the bed: “Then I won’t sleep. I’ll be the first official in Great Qi to die suddenly.”

Fu Xun paused, then finally said: “If you can’t sleep at night, you can come find me.”

“I won’t.” Han Min stomped angrily: “Wen Bianzhang will scold me.”

Fu Xun said nothing more.

If Han Min couldn’t sleep, he would come eventually.

Fu Xun held the sword and stood: “Physician Liang is outside to check your pulse. You…”

Fu Xun lowered his eyes, pressed the sword hilt against Han Min’s slightly open robe, and nudged upward: “Go put on your clothes properly.”

Han Min, still grieving over losing the sword, watched helplessly as Fu Xun took it away.

He flipped over: “System, how am I supposed to sleep tonight?”

Remembering last night’s grievance about his off-key singing, the system suggested: “Go ask him to sing. He said you could. The emperor’s singing will definitely be better than mine.”

“You know he’s the emperor, not a singer.”

Han Min lay on the blanket, groaning softly.

—

Physician Liang  arrived as usual to check his pulse.

The old doctor stroked his beard, taking Han Min’s pulse.

He shook his head and said, as he had many times before: “How can this do? You’re still young. You can handle it now. But when I’m gone and no one helps you, what will you do?”

Han Min was sneakily reaching for snacks on the table.

Physician Liang  smacked his hand away, feigning anger: “Pulse-taking, no eating.”

Han Min glanced at the pastries and leaned his head on his hand: “You can’t force everything. I’ll try my best. If I really can’t survive—”

He quickly stuffed a pastry in his mouth, swallowing the last words vaguely.

“Then you won’t survive.”

Physician Liang clearly hadn’t heard, just asked: “What do you dream about?”

“During the house raids. Sometimes I dream of kneeling on the steps, sometimes in prison. Most often, I’m in a dark room.”

Han Min scratched his head: “I feel like whenever I close my eyes, it’s exactly like being locked in that dark room, and I can’t sleep.”

Physician Liang withdrew his hand and took the pulse cushion: “Then what are you afraid of? The dark, or the Duke of Gong?”

Han Min quickly denied: “I’m not afraid of the Duke of Gong.”

He paused, then whispered: “But I don’t know… what exactly I’m afraid of.”

Physician Liang  patted his head compassionately.

—

Fu Xun took the sword back. That night, Han Min was not sent back to bed until very late by Eunuch Yang.

He knew clearly he couldn’t sleep. He didn’t know why he was afraid—he just couldn’t sleep.

Han Min lay flat on the bed, clutching the blanket, staring at the bed curtains.

He sniffled: “System… I’m still a little scared.”

The system sighed: “Want me to sing for you?”

Despite the fear, Han Min firmly refused: “No.”

The system, suppressing anger, continued suggesting: “Go to Fu Xun.”

“Too late now, that’s not good.”

“What’s going on between you two? Sometimes he’s nice, sometimes he seems to like teasing you.”

“I don’t know.” Han Min scratched his head. “Maybe always bickering over small things, relying on each other for big things.”

Thinking carefully, he realized it was accurate.

In Yong’an, in Tongzhou—it was always like this.

But tonight, he couldn’t tell if his sleeplessness was a big problem, or a small one, or whether he could ask Fu Xun for help.

Han Min threw off the blanket and got up: “Let’s go for a walk.”

The system sighed: “Fine, fine.”

He put on his clothes and opened the door.

Eunuch Yang, asleep outside, wasn’t awakened. Han Min quietly slipped out.

It was early March; the night air was still chilly. Han Min wrapped himself tightly and walked along the corridor.

He found a random spot to sit.

The system attached itself to a small sparrow, which landed on his shoulder, chirping.

Han Min sat on the railing, unlucky enough to be in the wind.

The breeze lifted his hair; one shoe even slipped off. He ignored it and glanced down.

After a while, listening to the sparrow’s chirping, he felt sleepy. Leaning against a column, his eyes half-closed.

The system hurried: “Don’t sleep here—”

Before it finished, someone shooed the sparrow away, patting his shoulder: “Why are you here?”

Han Min looked up: “Fu Xun, I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk.”

“Too late. Go to sleep.” Fu Xun added thoughtfully: “Go to the main hall. I’ll sleep with you.”

Han Min’s face lit up, and he climbed over the railing: “Okay…”

Lanterns swayed under the eaves. Fu Xun lowered his gaze, noticing his feet: “Shoes?”

Han Min responded, jumped down, picked up his shoes, and happily followed, correcting his expression when Fu Xun looked.

Fu Xun, out of sight, smiled helplessly.

To make sure Han Min could see it upon waking, Fu Xun hung the long sword in front of the bed.

Han Min lay properly on the bed, the faint scent of musk lingering: “Your Majesty, can I have the sword again?”

Fu Xun blew out the lamp and lay beside him: “No.”

Outside, clouds cloaked the moon; everything was pitch-black.

Han Min was grateful to be with Fu Xun.

Completely at ease.

He tugged the blanket, closed his eyes, ready to sleep.

Just as sleep approached, he recalled Physician Liang ’s question: what was he really afraid of?

Why, with Fu Xun present, was he no longer afraid?

Han Min thought a while, then whispered: “Your Majesty, when you interrogate the Duke of Gong, can you take me to watch?”

In the dark, Fu Xun opened his eyes, throat moving lightly: “Why would you go?”

“This morning, Physician Liang  asked what I was afraid of. I couldn’t answer. I thought, maybe if I go see, it won’t be as bad as I imagine. Maybe I won’t be afraid.”

After a pause, Fu Xun replied: “I’ll go with you tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Sleep.”

“Mm.”

Han Min wrapped himself in the blanket and closed his eyes.

After a while, he heard Fu Xun’s breathing even out, indicating he had fallen asleep.

Han Min whispered: “Most importantly, thank you for saving me from that dark room.”

Fu Xun’s breath faltered. Then he turned, stretched out, and pulled Han Min into his arms.

Han Min, caught off guard, bumped his forehead against Fu Xun’s chest.

Ouch.

Author’s note:
Min Min: quietly thanking him while he sleeps.
Old Fu: How can I sleep like this?! Super alert!