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Chapter 5




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Just chugging along…
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The bandages on Ye You’s head were wrapped by Wenren Heng extremely attentively, leaving only his eyes and nose visible and everything else tightly covered up. Every time he moved, it looked like he had a snow-white lantern on his head. So the moment he entered, he attracted the attention of everyone in the establishment.
This kind of attention actually felt faintly familiar to Ye You and so he paid it no mind. Perfectly composed, he calmly looked at his Senior Brother.
The innkeeper was the closest to them and so he heard the “lantern” say that at night he was going to bed the young sir next to him, the one who was as beautiful as jade and half-a-head taller. Thinking that, regardless, since this tableau was coming from the willpower of a disabled man, it was still somewhat touching, the innkeeper silently stepped back, not daring to disturb them.
“Innkeeper,” Wenren Heng’s voice didn’t change a bit and repeated what he said when he entered, “Give us one room.”
“…Yes.” The innkeeper’s mind was awash with speculation, though on his face he simply agreed and took out a key, motioning for a waiter to show them their room. Only when they had walked far enough away did the innkeeper drop his gaze with a sigh.
The staircase was a dark black, and with each step, muffled sounds echoed from it. Wenren Heng walked in the front and, upon seeing the edges of the steps painted with a thin layer of copper, lifted up the corners of his mouth.
Was that to disgust me?
No, he should also be trying to sound me out. He wanted to see what kind of reaction I would have. What is he suspecting?
Wenren Heng’s thoughts rapidly turned in his mind. Walking slowly into the guest room, he surveyed the arrangements and found them mostly satisfactory. He instructed the waiter to bring up food and then took out a towel and the Hundred-Grass Dew.
Ye You understood at once and immediately untied his belt, waiting for the other to unravel his bandages.
Sitting by the side, Wenren Heng patiently applied the medicine. Sensing that Ye You was constantly looking at him, he finally looked up and said, “Tonight, you sleep on the inside, and I’ll sleep on the outside.”
Ye You laughed. “Senior Brother shouldn’t pretend that he didn’t hear all the things I said before.”
A series of complicated expressions flashed across Wenren Heng’s face, and Ye You took the opportunity to push him down. Calmly, Wenren Heng asked, “So what you said about liking men is true?”
Ye You said, “Naturally.”
Wenren Heng didn’t fall for the trap. “Naturally it’s true or naturally it isn’t true?”
Ye You raised a brow. “Which one does Senior Brother want it to be?”
Wenren Heng sternly said, “Whichever one doesn’t matter. You’re still my Junior Brother. Don’t have such wild flights of fancy, just sleep easily tonight.” Seeing that his Junior Brother still wanted to talk, he sighed. Patting Junior Brother’s shoulder in a “there, there” gesture as if to placate a rowdy child, he said, “Don’t worry, your Senior Brother is highly skilled in martial arts; you won’t be able to defeat me. If something really does happen, I can easily and accurately hit your acupuncture point and put you to sleep.”
Ye You, “…”
Wenren Heng carried the bearing of a “good Senior Brother” and earnestly educated him, “Right now you’re covered in wounds. Remember not to indulge in your desires, and also drink less alcohol. Everything can wait until after you have recovered.”
Ye You played the lovable child, with even his voice sweeter than usual. “I understand, Senior Brother.”
Wenren Heng made a soothing sound in acknowledgement and, after he had finished taking care of his Junior Brother’s wounds, said, “Put your clothes back on. I’ll go hurry the waiter along and also ask for some hot water on the way.”
He stood up and left. It was only until he had gone downstairs and turned a corner that he finally put his head down and laughed.
It was at this moment that the waiter was carrying the food upstairs. Upon seeing Wenren Heng approaching, the waiter could not help but stop in his tracks.
When Wenren Heng heard the waiter, he immediately contained his laughter. As he cheerfully passed the waiter, he also relieved the tray of its contents, leaving it empty. Right as the waiter was about to explain the delay with their food, this young sir suddenly pressed a significant tip into his hands. He stared and stared, and was immediately touched. What luck, to have encountered such a noble client, with not only a good temperament but also a generous disposition! Definitely a world apart from the usual stingy and coarse clients!
Wenren Heng unhurriedly walked back to the room to eat with his Junior Brother. His Junior Brother’s attitude was the same as before, but as he couldn’t see the smallest spark of qi from the other, he concluded that he definitely could hold out once it was dark.
The sky quickly darkened. Candlelight flickered. A pale light filtered into the room through the window screens. And the surroundings also gradually turned quiet. While taking off his clothes, Wenren Heng saw the jade pendant and immediately paused to give it to his Junior Brother.
That jade pendant was immaculately pure-white, with a black rope tying it. The moment it was held by Wenren Heng, it looked luxuriously beautiful. Ye You had wanted to see this jade pendant that had apparently been found on his body for a long time now. When it was brought over, he asked, “What?”
“Take it,” Wenren Heng said quietly, “I originally carved it for you.”
Ye You asked, “You don’t think I’m too ill-omened?”
Of course Ye You was simply asking for the sake of appearances. If this little problem could stump Wenren Heng, then he wouldn’t be Wenren Heng.
As expected, in the next moment Wenren Heng was explaining, in an unchanging tone, that he had previously seen a pair of Disciple Brother who were especially intimate which, in turn, reminded him of his own Junior Brother. Thus, he wanted to carve a jade pendant and mournfully and desolately climb up the mountain by himself during the coming year’s Grave-sweeping[1] to bury it in front of the gravestone.
“…” Ye You made a small sigh. This was his second time thinking that meeting this kind of person after he lost his memory was a sign that his luck was bad, and it also seemed all too easy to forget the good things in his life, truly senseless.
Ye You had no sooner asked his Senior Brother if the other had erected a cenotaph for him, then he began examining the jade pendant. The design of the jade pendant was really strange. He searched his mind for it, not remembering exactly which jade pendant he had seen with the same design. After he couldn’t help but rub it a bit, he suddenly got an epiphany, saying, “An angelica flower[2]?”
Wenren Heng turned his eyes, a flame of warmth in their depths, his bearing becoming even gentler. But although his appearance warmed the heart, Ye You nevertheless felt that there was something deliberately unspoken and indistinct that Wenren Heng was keeping within himself. He hadn’t had the chance to speak before hearing Wenren Heng say, smiling, “Yes, an angelica.”
Ye You completely didn’t bother to investigate his suspicions, not even lifting an inquiring brow. He simply stored the jade pendant away in his clothes and then calmly went to bed to rest.
 
It was monsoon season, and while it was still clear skies during the day, at night, the pitter-patter rain ran down again. Wenren Heng silently opened his eyes, listening to the long and steady breathing of the person beside him, smelling the faint scent of Hundred-Grass Dew that had permeated in the air. He turned over to look at his Junior Brother, waiting for a number of breaths to determine that his Junior Brother was really asleep before letting out a sigh of relief and pressing on the other’s sleep acupoint.
Ye You’s head turned, and he sank into a deeper sleep.
Sitting up, Wenren Heng first checked Ye You’s internal energy. After, he simply sat on the bed and looked.
The bandages on Ye You’s head had been removed before going to bed. His half-beautiful face gave off an indistinct silhouette. Wenren Heng stared at him and reached out his hand, wanting to touch. Right before he could do so, a thought seemed to flit through his mind, making him hesitate, and he ground to a halt.
The night air seemed to be weighed down with a certain heaviness, everything flowing exceedingly slowly. Wenren Heng’s hand seemed to suspend for half an eternity before he finally moved, using only his index finger to rub his cheek and gently kneed his forehead for a brief moment.
It’s only when he’s asleep that he’s well-behaved… Wenren Heng thought in his heart. He tucked him in before getting off the bed.
A soft creaking sound could be heard from the door before everything once again returned to peaceful silence.
The two eyes that Ye You had tightly closed suddenly opened, and he patiently laid on the bed for a while longer before unhurriedly getting up — if Wenren Heng had seen this all happening, then his usual calm appearance would’ve definitely taken a darker shade. After all, he had definitely pressed this person’s acupuncture point and, by all rights, Ye You shouldn’t be awake at all.
In fact, Ye You himself was also very baffled.
He had been awoken by a burst of qi, but upon seeing that it had hit his sleep acupoint, he immediately feigned sleep so as to see what Wenren Heng was up to, and so he had been pretending up until this moment.
He rubbed the cheek that Wenren Heng had rubbed and considered for a moment whether or not he wanted to chase after him. After some time, he thought of a good idea and cheerfully put on his clothes and opened the door.
Outside was standing a man in black clothes who, upon hearing movement, had hastily turned around, which then led to Ye You bashing him in the face with the door.
Ye You, “…”
The man in black, “…”
When did this man come up? Was it when he fell asleep or just now? Since he was so silent, could he possibly be Wenren Heng’s bodyguard? Ye You’s thoughts spun in circles as he stood silently staring.
The man in black had his head smacked blank by Ye You and so, for a while, simply stood waiting with a foolish look on his face. Only when it became apparent that Ye You wasn’t speaking did the man pull himself together and took the initiative to issue a greeting. “Is the young sir awake? Our Sect Master had business to take care of outside, but he’ll return as soon as he’s done. Young sir should sleep first.”
As if he hadn’t heard him, Ye You continued to stare.
The man in black quickly figured out that there was something wrong with the person in front of him. Right as he was about to ask, however, he suddenly remembered the phenomenon of “sleepwalking” and was stunned. Very carefully, he stammered out the question, “Young sir, y-you… can you hear what I’m saying?”
Ye You didn’t answer and simply walked away.
The inn was arranged with verandas, and a fence laid a few steps ahead. The man in black stared blankly as the other stared down below before jumping in fright and quickly running over to his side, afraid that Ye You will fall. But he didn’t call out because he had heard never to wake someone forcefully from sleepwalking or else that person will become an idiot.
Ye You turned his head to look at him. “Do you know me?”
The man in black was pleasantly surprised. “No, I don’t. Young sir, you’re awake?”
Ye You’s tone didn’t change and he asked again, “Do you know me?”
“…” The man in black wanted to cry. Awake, my ass! He was still sleepwalking!
He silently shook his head.
Ye You approached and examined him from up close. The man in black could only back away, back almost hitting the bright red wooden pillars behind. Looking at his face, the man in black was so nervous he almost forgot to breathe. However, right at this moment, Ye You suddenly showed his hand and rapidly hit several of the other’s acupoints.
The man in black, “…”
The man in black couldn’t speak and could only stare with his eyes wide. His first reaction was that he had been betrayed. However, when he looked closely and saw that Ye You’s face still looked the same as before, he immediately felt a profound sense of guilt for suspecting such things.
Ye You didn’t want to waste any more time, so he turned around and headed back into the room. Thinking that the other was finally going back to bed, the man in black felt his heart grow lighter in relief before remembering his own predicament. He started worrying if something would happen to him during this time, but he didn’t have to worry for long because a certain someone quickly returned, carrying Wenren Heng’s dagger and pulling it out with a swish.
The man in black, “…”
While the man was staring at him witless with fear, Ye You used the dagger to pat his shoulder and, strangely, asked, “Why haven’t you left yet?”
The man in black, “…”
If I could’ve moved, I would’ve already run far away by now!
“Not leaving is also fine…”  Ye You lifted his head, showing a bloodthirsty smile. In an instant, his whole body overflowed with a dense aura. Holding the dagger in his hand, he slowly brought it up to the other’s neck and repeated, “Not leaving is also fine…”
The man in black, “…”
Fucking hell, save me, Sect Master!
Of course, Ye You wasn’t really going to kill him. After scaring him for a bit, Ye You dragged him away, preparing to mess with Wenren Heng a bit.
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[1] 清明 Otherwise just known by its pinyin, ‘qingming’. Chinese “holiday” for sweeping (read: cleaning) the graves of one’s late family/friends.
[2] 芷木花 I think he’s referring to this flower though I can’t be sure.
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I don’t know why but this chapter fought me every step of the way. There were so many sentences that made me go, “Man, how can I possibly convey this in English?” And then work suddenly got busy so. :T Hopefully I get my groove back next chapter.
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