My Husband Is A Stranger (BL)

The gods were stirring.

Rui did not want to believe it. He told himself that the flickering light, the phantom whisper, the strange tension in the air were nothing more than his imagination. But deep down, he knew the truth.

Something ancient was shifting, something that had remained silent for too long.

And he was at the center of it.

The Emperor's Unrelenting Pursuit

For the past few days, Rui had done his best to avoid Li Yuan. He buried himself in scrolls and court discussions, in the structured monotony of palace life. He thought that if he placed enough distance between them, his mind would settle.

He was wrong.

Li Yuan was not a man easily ignored.

Rui felt his gaze in the throne room, steady and unyielding. He felt his presence in the halls, never far, always lingering at the edge of his awareness. It was as if the emperor had decided that Rui was a battle yet to be won, and Li Yuan did not lose battles.

Tonight, that pursuit took a more direct form.

Rui had gone to the lotus pavilion, seeking solitude beneath the moonlight. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of blooming orchids, and for a moment, he let himself breathe.

Then, footsteps.

Rui tensed even before Li Yuan spoke.

"You've been avoiding me."

Rui turned slowly. Li Yuan stood at the pavilion entrance, dressed in his usual dark robes, his golden eyes catching the lantern's glow.

"I have been busy," Rui replied, his voice even.

Li Yuan stepped closer. "Busy avoiding me."

Rui exhaled, shifting his gaze to the water. "What do you want from me, Li Yuan?"

The emperor was silent for a long moment. Then—

"I want the truth."

Rui frowned. "The truth?"

"About that night. About what you fear." Li Yuan's voice was softer now, but no less firm. "You act as if you despise my pursuit, yet your eyes tell a different story."

Rui's heart clenched.

He did not deny it. He did not have to.

Li Yuan reached for him then, fingers brushing against Rui's wrist. It was the lightest of touches, but it sent a shiver through Rui's entire body.

"You told me to respect your wishes," Li Yuan murmured. "Then tell me. Is this what you truly want?"

Rui knew what he should say.

He should pull away. He should push Li Yuan back with cold words and sharper glares. He should sever this thread before it could entangle him further.

But instead, he hesitated.

And in that hesitation, Li Yuan closed the distance.

A Warning from the Beyond

The wind shifted.

It was subtle at first, just a faint breeze rippling across the pavilion. But then—

The lanterns flickered. The water in the lotus pond trembled. A soft hum filled the air, like a voice just beyond hearing.

Rui's breath caught.

Li Yuan felt it too. His grip on Rui's wrist tightened, his golden eyes darkening as he scanned the space around them.

Then—

A whisper.

"He has awakened."

The voice was neither male nor female, neither loud nor soft. It came from everywhere and nowhere, curling into their ears like smoke.

Rui stiffened. "Who's there?"

Silence.

Then the wind died, the air settling as if nothing had happened.

But something had changed.

Li Yuan turned to Rui, his expression unreadable. "What do you know of this?"

Rui shook his head, still staring at the rippling water. "I don't know."

But that was a lie.

Somewhere, deep in his bones, he did know.

Something was watching.

Something was waiting.

And this was only the beginning.