Chapter 38

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Though he had merely gone out and returned, Wen Biesang still felt that something was different.

Gong Wuchang walked ahead alone, his back seeming weary in both body and spirit.

When they were nearly at the sleeping quarters, Wen Biesang stopped. The three people behind him stopped as well.

“I’ll go stay with the Third Young Master Chang.”

No one had expected him to say something so astonishing, and Pang Qi did not even have time to cover his mouth.

Cheng Yun had already reached the entrance of the sleeping quarters. Now, with one hand resting against the door, he stopped silently.

Pang Qi asked softly, “Why do you want to stay with the Third Young Master?”

“Because his quarters are the largest and most comfortable place in the entire Crown Prince’s residence. Since I don’t like him, I shouldn’t occupy the best things that belong to him.”

Before Pang Qi could think of what to say, Cheng Yun spoke from ahead.

“Stay here.”

Wen Biesang was still looking at Pang Qi.

Pang Qi hurriedly said, “His Highness says you should stay here.”

Only then did Wen Biesang realize that Gong Wuchang had spoken just now. He walked over and stopped in front of him.

What met his eyes was a face cold to the extreme. His eyes were gloomy, his long brows drawn low. Sensing Wen Biesang’s gaze, he raised the corners of his eyes slightly, yet still looked heavy-hearted, like a flower singed by flames, full of the air of decay.

“Heh-heh.” Wen Biesang smiled first, and Cheng Yun’s eyelid twitched soundlessly.

Only then did Wen Biesang turn serious. “I don’t like you. Do you still want me to stay here?”

“…Yes.”

“But—”

“Come inside and talk.”

Cheng Yun interrupted him and lifted a hand. Pang Qi and Lou Zhaizi immediately stepped aside, while the latter tugged Qi Song away with him.

The two of them sat at the table. Wen Biesang set down his money pouch, then opened the box and took a thunderfire bomb into his hand, making his vigilance abundantly clear.

“Wen Biesang.” His expression remained cold. “One should show mercy whenever possible. No matter how much I like you, I cannot tolerate being insulted again and again.”

“When have I ever insulted you?”

“You needn’t keep mentioning it… I already know. You don’t like me.”

Wen Biesang nodded. “I wasn’t insulting you. I was only afraid…”

“I won’t forget.”

Cheng Yun exhaled. “What happened before was my fault. I can let today’s matter pass without holding it against you, but if you go too far, we’ll have no choice but to tear off all pretense.”

Wen Biesang pursed his lips, holding a thunderfire bomb in each hand.

Cheng Yun gave him a languid glance. His tone did not soften, but his words clearly changed. “Let me ask you this: Is my liking you a private matter?”

Wen Biesang nodded slowly.

“Then isn’t it rather excessive for you to keep telling other people that you don’t like me?”

Wen Biesang slowly lowered the thunderfire bombs, his eyes furtively sliding to the side.

Seeing that he understood his mistake, Cheng Yun softened his voice. “Even if you hate me, you still don’t want to become my enemy, do you?”

Wen Biesang lowered his lashes. The two walnut shells filled with gunpowder rubbed gently together in his hands.

“Be careful, or they’ll explode,” Cheng Yun said. “I swear I won’t hurt you. Put them away.”

Wen Biesang glanced at him, then pursed his lips hard and tossed the thunderfire bombs into the box.

The sharp clack of their impact made the space between Cheng Yun’s brows twitch again.

Unable to help himself, he asked, “You’ve never been blown up before?”

“Of course I have.”

“Was it your brain that got blown up?”

“No.”

“Was your brain something you were born with?”

“Mm.”

“…”

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He answered every question exactly as it was asked. Cheng Yun knitted his brows and tested him cautiously. “Do you truly have a brain ailment?”

“You’re the one with a brain ailment.” This time, it was clear that Wen Biesang was insulting him. “My mother says I’m exceptionally clever. Anyone who says I have a brain ailment is the one who truly has a brain ailment, and is usually not even one-tenth as clever as I am.”

“You said your father came to the capital to have your brain examined.”

“So my mother made him sleep in the cowshed for three days.”

“…”

Cheng Yun nodded. “There’s one more thing.”

Wen Biesang frowned, still looking displeased.

Cheng Yun placated him. “I think your mother was absolutely right. You’re merely different from other people; you don’t have a brain ailment.”

Wen Biesang’s expression eased. He gave a soft hum. “What is it?”

“You mustn’t tell Chang Xingzhu about what happened today.”

“Why not?”

“Do you want them to know that the two of us are extremely close?”

“No.” After saying that, Wen Biesang added, “When did we become extremely close?”

“Think about it. Isn’t it best for you to stay in the Crown Prince’s residence now? You can eat well, sleep well, and remain especially safe. From time to time, you can even go outside the city to test your mechanical sparrows. If that madwoman regains consciousness, you’ll be able to ask her about your mother in time. And if I manage to uncover Zhou Cangshu’s crimes, you’ll be the first to know.”

“…” Wen Biesang hesitated, then slowly nodded.

“And if other people learn that I like you, yet you continue staying in the Crown Prince’s residence, won’t they assume that you have feelings for me as well?”

That was easy enough to understand. Wen Biesang said, “I can—”

“You can tell everyone that you don’t like me.” Cheng Yun spoke slowly. “But wouldn’t it be troublesome to keep emphasizing it?”

“…” He nodded.

“If no one knows, won’t that spare you trouble and save you a great deal of explaining and suspicion?”

“Mm.”

“Is there any need to let Chang Xingzhu know about this?”

“No.”

He answered decisively, and Cheng Yun finally relaxed. “It’s late. Go to bed early.”

Wen Biesang was uncertain. “Do you really want me to sleep in your quarters?”

“If you suddenly go stay with Chang Xingzhu, won’t he ask why you moved out? Won’t he ask whether something happened between us? And then won’t you have to explain it to him? Isn’t he rather foolish? If he tells someone else, and that person tells someone else, won’t everyone ask you about it whenever they see you? And won’t you then have to explain it to everyone?”

He spoke rapidly and densely, giving Wen Biesang no time to digest his words, then continued, “If the matter gets out, I’ll certainly be delighted, because you can’t possibly explain it to everyone. Then countless people will think that you and I are destined to be together, and I’ll be very happy indeed. Do you want me to be happy?”

Wen Biesang’s pupils contracted. He immediately said, “No!”

Cheng Yun’s gaze was cold, yet a smile touched the corners of his lips. His voice was gentle. “Are you tired?”

Wen Biesang’s lashes trembled. Only after quite some time did he nod.

“Then go to sleep.” Cheng Yun put away his thunderfire bombs. “Would you like to bathe?”

“Will you peek at me?”

Cheng Yun’s voice turned icy. “No.”

Wen Biesang relaxed as he picked up his money pouch. “Then I won’t bathe.”

He returned to the bed and lay down. Cheng Yun let out a long breath behind him and went into the inner room. Suddenly, the bed curtains were pulled open again.

“You’re not allowed to sleep in my bed.”

“Wen Biesang, do you think I have no dignity at all?”

“What does your dignity have to do with it?”

“You’ve rejected me so many times. Do you really think I could continue liking you?”

Wen Biesang went blank. After a while, he said, “You don’t like me anymore?”

Cheng Yun’s gaze shifted slightly. “That’s right. I don’t like you anymore.”

Wen Biesang’s entire face seemed to crumple. Cheng Yun’s heartbeat inexplicably quickened, and he said slowly, “What is it? Are you unhappy?”

“Unhappy.”

“…You want me to like you?”

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“No.” Wen Biesang said, “But I want to see what you look like when you like me and feel especially unhappy because I don’t like you.”

…

You really are sick, aren’t you?

Cheng Yun abruptly sat down on the bed. “Move inside.”

Wen Biesang moved inward in disappointment. Cheng Yun loosened his outer robe and threw it outside, then said, “Farther in.”

Wen Biesang glared at him, looking furious.

Cheng Yun glared back, looking even more furious.

Just then, Wen Biesang suddenly leaned toward him and pushed him once with pursed lips.

Cheng Yun said, “…What are you doing?”

Wen Biesang shifted closer and pushed him again.

“You…” Cheng Yun had no choice but to move outward. “There. Is that enough?”

The scene suddenly seemed familiar. The little fiend was still dissatisfied and pushed him once more.

Cheng Yun instinctively rose from the bed. The little fiend sat upon it, staring at him without blinking.

Cheng Yun: “…”

He pointed at the bedding on the bed. “I—I’ll sleep on the floor. That should be acceptable, shouldn’t it?”

Wen Biesang said nothing. He reached out, gathered the bedding into his arms, and continued staring at him.

Cheng Yun’s breathing quickened. For no apparent reason, he remembered the dream he had not long after bringing Wen Biesang back to the residence.

“You—you’re not going to make me leave…”

He pointed outside. The little fiend watched him silently, neither speaking nor giving any instruction, yet refusing to yield.

Cheng Yun’s expression shifted several times before he finally said, “Wen Biesang, you should understand whose territory this is. If I leave…”

Wen Biesang moved to the edge of the bed and lowered both feet onto the step below. Cheng Yun instinctively retreated half a step.

The other man’s eyes never left him, making it perfectly clear that he would not stop until he got his way.

“…I’ll go.”

Cheng Yun grabbed his cloak and turned to leave.

The door of the sleeping quarters slammed shut.

Pang Qi had already gone to sleep. Only a few palace attendants remained on night watch in the courtyard. Cheng Yun dismissed them all, stood silently for a while, then slowly sat down on the threshold.

Snow began to drift through the night sky.

Wrapped warmly in the blankets, the little fiend closed his eyes. His breathing became even.

The dream descended once more.

Cheng Yun raised a hand and wearily propped his forehead upon it.

The night was still somewhat cold. He gently drew his cloak tighter around himself and lowered his long lashes in silence.

Early the next morning, as soon as there was movement in the courtyard, the Crown Prince awoke at once and hurriedly pushed open the door, reaching the inner room in two strides.

He lifted the bed curtains. The little fiend’s sleeping face was docile and harmless, his breathing soft, like a small, clean-furred animal in a greenhouse.

What a usurper of another’s nest…

Thinking this, he reached out. Just as his hand was about to touch him, his fingers suddenly curled inward.

So long as he gave Wen Biesang a logical enough reason, the man seemed willing to believe anything.

Once he was certain that Cheng Yun no longer liked him, he quickly returned to his usual manner. That morning, he even lingered in bed.

Cheng Yun was eating breakfast alone when Pang Qi hurried over.

“Your Highness… Is the Young Master still asleep?”

As if he had anticipated this, Cheng Yun asked, “What is it?”

“Chen Changfeng has brought several chests of fireworks and says he has something important to tell the Young Master.”

There was no need to say more. Cheng Yun already knew what it was.

The Xie siblings seemed to have come this time specifically because of Wen Biesang. Now that they knew he had returned from the Thunderfire Camp, they would have to meet eventually.

“He’s still asleep,” Cheng Yun said. “Ask whether he has eaten breakfast. Prepare some food first and entertain him with it.”

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