Chapter 10: Watch Me Pet You Bald, Kid

The dog could only hear Su Jinshi’s voice but couldn’t see her. It tilted its head, its large canine face filled with curiosity and confusion.

“Wow, such a majestic and strong wolfdog, and it’s trying to act cute!” Su Jinshi couldn’t help but exclaim.

“What does ‘acting cute’ mean?” Shen Shilang asked, unfamiliar with the term.

“It’s…” Su Jinshi pondered for a moment before explaining, “when someone deliberately makes a cute gesture or expression to appear endearing.”

Shen Shilang chuckled lightly, “Well, since you’re here now, I won’t begrudge you a meal. You can stay.”

“Woof!” The dog barked happily.

“Then why don’t you name it?” Su Jinshi suggested. “It looks so majestic and handsome; you should give it a powerful name. How about ‘General’?”

She had asked Shen Shilang to name it but ended up suggesting one herself.

Shen Shilang replied helplessly, “Have you forgotten whose house this is?”

Naming a dog ‘General’ here would be an insult.

Under the dog’s expectant gaze, Shen Shilang said, “How about we call it Youmi?”

“Youmi?”

“‘You’ as in ‘to have’, ‘mi’ as in ‘rice’,” Shen Shilang explained. “It had porridge and steamed buns this morning. Following me, it won’t go hungry anymore. It will have rice and food.”

“Who would’ve thought a scholar like you would give such a straightforward name,” Su Jinshi remarked, though she liked the meaning. In modern terms, ‘Youmi’ could also mean ‘wealthy’.

Shen Shilang petted Youmi’s head, “A simple name means an easy life. I just hope it stays healthy and lives as long as possible.”

With the dog named, Su Jinshi recalled the steward’s earlier behavior and the servants’ laziness, asking, “Those four servants, they’re just for show?”

“It’s always like this,” Shen Shilang replied, accustomed to it.

“How can Madam Wei still do such underhanded things? She’s the mistress of the house and comes from a noble family,” Su Jinshi frowned.

The steward’s actions were clearly under Madam Wei’s instructions; otherwise, he wouldn’t dare act on his own. With General Wei often away, Madam Wei managed the household, and the steward knew whose orders to follow.

It was indeed hard for General Wei to be aware of these things. Even if he came to check on Shen Shilang, if Shen Shilang didn’t say anything and Wei Zhaoxian saw servants in the courtyard, he wouldn’t suspect they were temporarily assigned.

Shen Shilang smiled faintly, “Why bother with her? She knows nothing.”

Only Wei Zhaoxian knew about his background. Wei Zhaoxian wouldn’t tell anyone about his situation, not even his closest confidants. That would only increase the risk.

“In Madam Wei’s eyes, I’m probably just an illegitimate son brought back by General Wei,” Shen Shilang’s slightly curved lips held self-mockery.

“She…” Su Jinshi was speechless. “You don’t look anything like Wei Zhaoxian!”

“Besides, her ruining your reputation like this…” Su Jinshi continued, “Even if Wei Zhaoxian tells others you’re his nephew, people will surely guess you’re an illegitimate child. Moreover, with the servants in your courtyard changing so often, rumors outside must say you’re both illegitimate and difficult to serve. Worse still, there might be more extreme speculations that the replaced servants weren’t incompetent, but killed by you. Your reputation outside must be that of a violent person.”

Shen Shilang was somewhat surprised that Su Jinshi had thought so much on his behalf.

A fleeting smile crossed Shen Shilang’s lips, “Don’t worry, I don’t have a violent reputation outside. Otherwise, it would be detrimental to my imperial examinations.”

“You don’t?” Su Jinshi was genuinely shocked. “With Madam Wei’s behavior, how could she let you off?”

She had noticed Madam Wei’s inappropriate actions in just two days. How could she pass up such a good opportunity?

“This is thanks to Wei Jianming,” Shen Shilang’s lips curved slightly. “Thanks to him boasting to others about how he bullies me at home, how I’m so meek and timid in front of him, not daring to breathe. Add to that my average performance in the county-level exam – though I became a Xiucai ^[1]This is a term from the imperial examination system in ancient China. A xiucai was someone who had passed the imperial examination at the county level. It’s roughly equivalent to a … Continue reading, my ranking wasn’t great – so I have a reputation of being a good-for-nothing outside.”

“How could a good-for-nothing like me dare or deserve to throw tantrums or act violently in the Wei family?” Shen Shilang said.

Su Jinshi blinked and couldn’t help asking, “Is this why you don’t fight back when Wei Jianming bullies you at home? I just saw you sparring with Wei Zhaoxian. Even injured, you could block several of his moves. If you weren’t hurt, you could probably go a few rounds with him, right? He’s the great General of Guide ^[2]Great General of Guide (归德大将军): (Guìdé) was a prefecture in ancient China, located in what is now Henan Province. The title 归德大将军 (Guìdé Dàjiāngjūn) likely refers to a … Continue reading. With your martial skills, you could easily handle ten Wei Jianmings, couldn’t you?”

That Wei Jianming was clearly just a useless playboy.

“Let me guess, firstly, you don’t want to reveal that you know martial arts, in case you need the element of surprise at a crucial moment. Secondly, you want to maintain a low profile and use Wei Jianming’s mouth to build your reputation as a good-for-nothing. A coward’s reputation might not sound good, but it doesn’t affect the imperial examinations and is much better than being known as violent and unpredictable.”

Shen Shilang shook his head lightly, “I never thought the person who understands me best would be a female ghost I’ve only known for two days.”

“You’re the ghost. I told you I’m not a female ghost,” Su Jinshi said irritably.

“Oh, then you’re a ghostly temptress,” Shen Shilang shook his head helplessly.

“Hmph!” Su Jinshi thought to herself, I’ll let you off for now since you’re injured. Once you’re healed, watch me pet you bald, kid.

Shen Shilang was unaware of Su Jinshi’s playful intentions. At this moment, he felt quite content. It turned out having someone to share with was so refreshing, even if that someone was a ghost.

Su Jinshi, having cheered herself up, said to Shen Shilang, “But to maintain a low profile and your reputation as a good-for-nothing outside, you allow Wei Jianming and Wei Ruyan to beat and scold you here. Isn’t that too great a sacrifice?”

Shen Shilang looked out the window, the faint smile on his lips fading, his jade-like face turning cold as ice, “If life were too comfortable, I fear my desire for revenge might fade.”

Shen Shilang looked down at his wounds and sneered, “This is fine as it is. The occasional pain… Let me remember that this little pain is nothing compared to that night when the Shen family was massacred -my grandfather and grandmother, mother, second uncle’s entire family, and even my nephew who had just turned one, all died with the agony of having their throats slit and stomachs cut open.”

“I heard my father was tortured before being strangled to death,” Shen Shilang said, his eyes red. “His body, I don’t know where it was thrown. The bodies of my family, elders and children alike, I don’t know where they were discarded.”

Su Jinshi felt as if something had lodged itself in her throat, choking her with sourness and bitterness until she could no longer speak.