Chapter 7

Jiang Chu Ting returned to the Nine Heavens. He had something on his mind, sitting absentmindedly at his desk with a scroll in hand, completely unaware that Wei Jia had been won over by various delicacies and had become much closer to Pei Jing. He also didn’t notice that an extra bed had appeared in his room.

It wasn’t until bedtime that he noticed.

The room wasn’t small, but the extra bed was placed not far from his own, positioned vertically. If both of them lay down, they could easily see each other.

Jiang Chu Ting turned his head to look at Pei Jing, who had followed him in. It was obvious that this was his doing.

“Xiao Jiu, you…”

Pei Jing smiled happily and said, “Master, from now on, I’ll sleep in the same room as you. With you by my side, I won’t have to worry about anything going wrong while I practice.”

Jiang Chu Ting knew he wanted to feel more at ease while practicing, so he didn’t respond immediately.

Although Pei Jing was willing to call him “Master,” he was, after all, a prince, born into nobility. Acting according to his own will without others’ consent was a habit ingrained in him, and he didn’t see anything wrong with it. After a brief consideration, just as Jiang Chu Ting was about to speak, Pei Jing took a step closer, hugged one of his arms, and rested his chin on his shoulder. His originally clear voice was now low and soft, with a hint of coquettishness: “Master, you won’t refuse, right? I asked Wei Jia, and he often sleeps with you, even on the same bed. We’re both your disciples, you can’t play favorites.”

As he spoke, his warm breath brushed against Jiang Chu Ting’s ear and neck. Jiang Chu Ting, feeling sensitive, tilted his head to avoid it and tried to push him away, but Pei Jing only hugged him tighter, emphasizing again, “Wei Jia can hug you, you can’t play favorites, Master!”

Jiang Chu Ting said helplessly, “Wei Jia is still young, he’s different from you.”

“I’m only a few years older than him. How is it different? You can’t treat us differently.” Pei Jing suddenly realized, “Oh, I get it. You’re worried I’ll misunderstand you like Mo Lin did, right?”

It seemed he really knew everything. Jiang Chu Ting remained silent.

Pei Jing’s smiling eyes fixed on his lowered lashes, promising, “Don’t worry, I won’t be as foolish as him. I just want to stay by your side to feel more at ease. I’ll be very obedient, please let me stay, okay?”

For some reason, an image of Lin Zhi tugging at his sleeve and pleading flashed in Jiang Chu Ting’s mind.

After a moment of distraction, he moved his lips, and the words that finally came out were, “As you wish.” After all, in two months, he would be leaving the Nine Heavens.

True to his word, Pei Jing practiced for a while without any issues and then went to sleep on his own, not disturbing Jiang Chu Ting’s peace.

The next morning, Jiang Chu Ting woke up but didn’t open his eyes immediately. He felt a gaze that was impossible to ignore.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked towards Pei Jing. Pei Jing was sitting by the bed, hands resting at his sides, smiling brightly at him, “Master, you’re awake.”

Jiang Chu Ting returned a faint smile, “Mm.”

What started as a relationship where neither was sincere was now becoming more genuine.

The two of them washed up and dressed, leaving the room one after the other. Mo Lin gave Jiang Chu Ting a strange look, as if he wanted to say something but didn’t. Jiang Chu Ting didn’t know what he was imagining, so he turned his head away indifferently. Mo Lin ultimately said nothing and went downstairs.

Jiang Chu Ting’s injuries were almost healed. He took his sword to his usual spot to practice, but he found it hard to focus that day. After a while, he stopped and stood by the babbling stream, staring at the small stones in the water.

“What are you looking at? Are there any fish?” Pei Jing’s voice sounded beside him.

Jiang Chu Ting turned to glance at him, having already sensed his presence while practicing.

“There’s nothing there.” Pei Jing looked down for a moment, then turned to study him, asking, “Master, what’s wrong? You seem different after coming back.”

Jiang Chu Ting was taken aback, “Do I?”

Pei Jing asked with concern, “Did you encounter any trouble?”

Of course, Jiang Chu Ting wouldn’t discuss such matters with him, so he smiled, “No, just something I need to take care of.”

Pei Jing eagerly offered, “What is it? Can I help?”

“It’s nothing major.” Jiang Chu Ting paused and said, “In a while, I’ll just go down the mountain.”

Pei Jing’s smile faded, and he frowned unhappily, “Going down the mountain again? When? For how long?”

Jiang Chu Ting didn’t answer directly, instead saying, “Even if I’m not here, it won’t affect your detoxification.”

“How can it not affect me!” Pei Jing widened his eyes, speaking with conviction, “Without you, I’ll miss you from time to time, won’t eat well, won’t sleep well, and will just keep hoping for your return. Even if I can soak in the medicinal spring, the effect will be affected, and my recovery won’t be as fast.”

It was the first time Jiang Chu Ting heard such straightforward words from his disciple. Although he knew there was some exaggeration, he couldn’t help but feel his ears heat up, slightly uncomfortable as he avoided Pei Jing’s bright, burning eyes, looking elsewhere before gently saying, “I’ll go down the mountain in nine days. If nothing unexpected happens, I’ll be back in two days.”

“Two days…” Pei Jing reluctantly nodded, “Alright, I’ll wait for you to come back.”

Time passed quickly, and the day before Jiang Chu Ting was to go down the mountain, Pei Jing seemed to have received some news and sent a few personal guards, including Mo Lin, out on errands.

That night, Pei Jing lay on the bed, his gaze lingering on Jiang Chu Ting, “Master, go handle your matters without worrying about me. Really, go ahead.”

He was clearly being insincere, just one step away from saying, “Master, stay and help me, don’t go down the mountain.” But having already promised Lin Zhi, Jiang Chu Ting couldn’t break his word, so he advised, “Try not to practice or use your skills these two days, and nothing will happen. Wait for me to come back, or for Mo Lin to return.”

“How can I neglect my practice?” Pei Jing turned over and lay down, no longer looking at him, his low voice echoing in the room, “I’ll be careful myself. If you can come back on time, I shouldn’t have any problems.”

Jiang Chu Ting sighed, “Just in case, I’ll have my third senior brother come over. If I’m delayed and can’t return, and Mo Lin isn’t here, you can ask him for help.”

After a long pause, Pei Jing gritted his teeth and hummed in response.

The next morning, Jiang Chu Ting donned a mask and went down the mountain. He found a place to take a Disguise Pill, changed his clothes, and couldn’t help but touch his face lightly, then slowly slide his hand down.

No matter how he disguised himself, he was still himself, unable to change. He just hoped that after today, Lin Zhi would never discover the true identity of “Chu Ran.”

Jiang Chu Ting went to the meeting place, but before he reached the agreed-upon restaurant, he suddenly saw a dark figure fall rapidly from a height, crashing heavily onto the street, blood splattering.

It all happened so suddenly. Someone had jumped.

The surrounding people were startled by the commotion, screaming and scattering, while the braver ones gradually gathered around, though not too close. Jiang Chu Ting hurried over, crouched down to check the person’s breath, and found he was already dead.

The deceased was a young man, and perhaps he had endured a lot of pain before dying, as his face was still twisted in a grimace, his eyes wide open, looking somewhat terrifying.

More people gathered around, murmuring and discussing. Jiang Chu Ting stood up and looked up, seeing a three-story building with a lavish architectural style, extending to the entrance via a dozen steps. A plaque hung at the entrance—Changhuan Garden.

It was a fairly large brothel. One of the windows on the third floor was open; he must have jumped from there.

Given the scene, Jiang Chu Ting initially speculated that the man might have been forced and chose to die to prove his resolve. But this thought was quickly dismissed.

Listening to the discussions in the crowd behind him, he learned that the man was a male courtesan at Changhuan Garden and had been there for many years.

One of the onlookers, who seemed to be a regular visitor and knew a lot about the place, began explaining loudly to others, and Jiang Chu Ting listened intently.

“He had some strange illness and hadn’t seen clients for months. My friend said it seemed like something was growing in his stomach, causing him to scream in pain all day. He probably couldn’t afford treatment and was suffering too much, so he chose to die. What illness? Who knows? I’m not a doctor.”

Jiang Chu Ting’s gaze shifted, noticing that the man’s abdomen was indeed oddly protruding, not like gaining weight or a woman’s pregnancy, but as if there was some deformed hard mass inside.

In the meantime, people from Changhuan Garden hurried out, and officials arrived, dispersing the onlookers.

Jiang Chu Ting also got up and walked away slowly. His hearing was sharp, and after walking a distance, he overheard one of the officers talking to a colleague, mentioning that a similar incident had occurred at another brothel over a year ago. Another male courtesan had the same strange illness, with something growing in his stomach. Unable to bear the pain, he had poisoned himself.

Jiang Chu Ting had already walked far but couldn’t help looking back. Someone was taking the body away, the blood on the ground glaringly red.

It seemed like nothing was wrong, yet there was a persistent feeling that something was amiss. As Jiang Chu Ting pondered, he heard light footsteps approaching from behind. Upon hearing a familiar low chuckle, he sheathed his slightly drawn sword.

Jiang Chu Ting continued walking, contemplating whether it would be better to naturally turn and greet him or to pretend to be startled by his presence.

There was no time to think further, as a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist from behind. He was embraced.

Lin Zhi’s cheerful voice rang out, “Chu Ran, you finally came!”

The gesture was too intimate, and Jiang Chu Ting’s body instinctively trembled, as if startled. He didn’t reject Lin Zhi but felt awkward for him, so he discreetly disentangled his hands, turned to face him, and smiled, “Am I late?”

“No, no, I just came too early and was eagerly waiting for you.” Lin Zhi, with his graceful and upright figure, wore a narrow-sleeved purple outfit. His short black hair was tied with a ribbon, his skin was flawlessly fair, and his smile was radiant, with sharp canine teeth and a youthful, carefree demeanor.

As he spoke, his bright black eyes remained fixed on Jiang Chu Ting’s face, with an indescribable focus and sincerity. It was as if he wasn’t looking at a face but at something particularly precious. He said, “But Chu Ran, you need to be more vigilant. Even if you’re deep in thought, you should be aware of your surroundings. I deliberately made my footsteps heavier, and you didn’t notice, even getting startled by me. If it were someone with ill intentions, you’d be in danger.”

Jiang Chu Ting showed a slightly receptive expression, nodding, “Thank you, I was indeed a bit distracted earlier. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Lin Zhi watched him for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. Jiang Chu Ting didn’t understand why he was laughing, his gaze showing a hint of confusion, “What’s so funny?”

Lin Zhi’s eyes, originally filled with laughter, now held a touch of sadness as he said, “Why are you thanking me so formally? Don’t be so polite and distant with me, okay? Can’t we interact like we did when I was a child?”

As he spoke, he suddenly leaned in close, and Jiang Chu Ting could see himself clearly in Lin Zhi’s clear eyes. Not knowing what he intended, his mouth tightened slightly, but his face remained calm.

Lin Zhi took his hands, placing them on his own face, studying him as he asked, “Don’t you like me like this? Or do you prefer my face from when I was a child, covered in sores? If that’s the case, I can go roll around where I fell back then, and I’ll surely look the same. I…”

His words grew more outrageous, and Jiang Chu Ting frowned, interrupting him, “Nonsense!”

“I’m not joking; I’m serious.”

Seeing that he was indeed serious, Jiang Chu Ting felt both angry and confused, sternly saying, “You can’t be so willful.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you, but…” Lin Zhi rubbed his face against Jiang Chu Ting’s warm palm, his eyes filled with deep, intense attachment that was almost impossible to meet directly, “Chu Ran, I could never forget you. Now that I’ve finally seen you again, please don’t be so cold to me, okay?”

The Lin Zhi before him intertwined with the one who had once angrily called him a “dead cut-sleeve,” leaving Jiang Chu Ting feeling confused once more.

Meeting his sincere black eyes, Jiang Chu Ting’s chest rose and fell, and he ultimately gave in, slowly raising a hand to ruffle his hair, sighing softly, “Silly child.” After all, it was likely the last time he’d see him, so he might as well grant his wish.