Xiao Yingchun hadn’t expected the merchant to suddenly rebuff her. She quietly sat down, observing him without revealing her thoughts. His face was hidden almost entirely behind a golden beast mask, his belt decorated with priceless Lantian jade —more than enough in value to purchase this entire ship. Judging by his wealth, he was likely a powerful figure, perhaps nobility incognito.

Though his features were obscured, his sharp jawline and piercing, clear eyes beneath dark lashes hinted at his imposing presence. He watched her with guarded, wary eyes, but she was undeterred.

She could see clearly his wariness and scrutiny towards her.

However, she didn’t care.

Having been sold into the brothel at a young age, the exquisite dancing skills that earned her fame in the capital came at a heavy price. Navigating the tumultuous world of pleasure, she understood better than anyone that people are no different from fireworks in the sky—bright and free while alive, but ultimately illusory.

When those thugs forced her into a corner, she bravely faced death. Seeing a rare, promising young man like him, she felt no reason to hesitate.

Her gaze lightly swept over Zhao Chuo, and as she lowered her head slightly, a subtle smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

No matter the outcome or who tried to intervene, she would at least give it a try.

*

Only Zhao Chuo noticed this smile.

Meanwhile, Fang Lingyuan and Li Cheng'an were passionately debating whether the men on the pleasure boat should receive a three-month or six-month sentence under the garrison regulations. Zhao Chuo, sitting before Xiao Yingchun, momentarily stiffened.

He glanced at Fang Lingyuan.

Fang Lingyuan was in the midst of a heated argument with Li Cheng'an: “The garrison regulations state that if there is no actual harm or loss, the focus should be on deterrence.”

Li Cheng'an countered, “But didn’t Madam Xiao almost drown? Clearly, this is attempted murder.”

“Don’t speak recklessly; to claim murder, you must confirm that they actually pushed her into the river,” Fang Lingyuan insisted firmly.

“A mere three months? Should we really let these thugs off so easily?”

“Act according to the law. After so many years in the Sixteen Guards, haven’t you learned that? If you want to act on impulse, you should have given up your official seal and become a wandering hero…”

Unable to win the argument, Li Cheng'an turned to Xiao Yingchun.

“Madam Xiao, you wouldn’t want those people to go unpunished, would you? Three months? At the very least, they should be made to suffer for what they did.”

He shamelessly tried to pull the victim into his camp to speak on his behalf.

Immediately, both his and Fang Lingyuan's gazes fell on Xiao Yingchun.

Xiao Yingchun lifted her eyes to look at Fang Lingyuan, her autumn-like gaze both innocent and resolute, softly saying, “I’m fine; the general can handle it according to the law. I’m already fortunate to have been saved by the general today; I don’t dare to ask for more.”

Her stance flipped the situation, leaving Li Cheng'an speechless, while Fang Lingyuan’s eyes lit up with delight, almost breaking into applause.

“You see? Miss Xiao is so principled!” he exclaimed to Li Cheng'an. “Miss Xiao understands the regulations better than you do; just look at yourself!”

Li Cheng'an was practically ready to jump out of his skin.

Meanwhile, with soft, affectionate eyes, Xiao Yingchun gazed at Fang Lingyuan, a resilient smile forming at the corners of her lips, her dimples appearing just right.

“The general flatters me; what do I know?” she said gently.

Fang Lingyuan raised an eyebrow at the frustrated Li Cheng'an, clearly enjoying his discomfort.

Li Cheng'an was indeed smart, and Fang Lingyuan had his own ideas about how to teach him a lesson. Grinning, he took the opportunity to praise Xiao Yingchun further, “Miss, you’re too modest. You don’t know, this brat…”

“Ahem.”

At that moment, a soft cough interrupted his words.

Zhao Chu slightly furrowed his brows, pressing his fist against his lips, a hint of annoyance flashing across his face. After being pushed into the water by Zhao Jin years ago, he suffered from a high fever for two days, leading to a lingering cough triggered by cold air.

He despised the marks left on him by this illness, suppressing the coughs that flared up over the years until it became a habit few knew about.

However, earlier...

He found the woman's behaviour particularly annoying. Focused on Fang Lingyuan's reaction, he momentarily lost control and coughed out loud. Given his dual identities, such a habit was dangerously revealing.

Suppressing his discomfort, he raised his head to look at the group he had interrupted with his cough. In the past, he would have easily brushed off similar situations.

But as he lifted his gaze, he locked eyes with Fang Lingyuan, who looked back with clear and genuine concern. In those eyes, Zhao Chu saw his own reflection, devoid of anyone else.

Fang Lingyuan looked at Zhao Chu. He noticed him covering his mouth, but then he couldn’t help but cough again, followed by another violent fit.

“What’s wrong?” Fang Lingyuan quickly asked.

Zhao Chu lowered his hand to respond, but he was seized by a fit of harsh coughing, making his shoulders shake. He looked pitiful, pale, with a hint of red in his eyes.

Xiao Yingchun, sitting across from him, was stunned. She watched as the tall, silent man’s eyes filled with tears in just a few moments, glimmering as if on the verge of spilling over.

But as he looked up, he met her gaze, which was cold and calm, yet held a sense of condescension.

This person… How could a grown man employ such tactics?

Meanwhile, Fang Lingyuan remained oblivious to their silent exchange. Seeing Zhao Chu cough so violently made him panic.

Was he alright? He knew Zhao Chu had lingering health issues and couldn’t be exposed to cold air.

The first time Fang Lingyuan saw him was in winter, looking frail and about to be blown away by the wind. It was careless of him to have taken Zhao Chu’s outer robe on the deck earlier...

In a hurry, he grabbed the cup of warm Dianhong tea beside him and handed it to Zhao Chu, asking, “Did you catch a chill?”

Realizing his tone was too familiar, he quickly added, “Young Master Zhu?”

Zhao Chu, still coughing, turned to see the cup of tea. He paused slightly.

Even Fang Linyuan himself hadn't noticed that it was the cup he had just used.

Eventually, Zhao Chu managed to stop coughing, taking the cup with his slender, pale hand. “It’s nothing,” he said, his voice low and slightly hoarse. “Just caught a bit of wind on the deck.”

His voice was soft as he looked at Fang Linyuan.

Xiao Yingchun, who was opposite, instinctively clenched the handkerchief in her grip. She had underestimated this man; she hadn’t expected him to employ such tactics. But the way he looked at the general, with his fox-like eyes sparkling with tears, was captivating—who wouldn’t be enchanted?

Xiao Yingchun couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for him, realizing that even if he was faking tears, the charm he exuded was something she couldn’t master even after three more years of training.

On the other hand, Fang Linyuan was taken aback. He thought Zhao Chu couldn’t handle the cold, yet he had been blocking the cold wind for him just moments ago.

Seeing Zhao Chu feign nonchalance while clearly holding back tears, trying to reassure him with his gaze, Fang Linyuan felt conflicted.

It was as if a cold, menacing serpent lay coiled in front of him, seemingly unfazed by the light rain and chilly wind that barely bothered it, yet he could see the droplets seeping into its damaged scales.

The serpent trembled but still used its frigid eyes to convey the message: “I’m fine.”

How could Fang Linyuan bear this?

But he couldn’t lose his composure in front of others. After looking at Zhao Chu for a moment, he forced himself to say, “Drink some tea to warm up. Once we’re on shore, you can see the doctor.”

Zhao Chu nodded silently, then cleared his throat a couple of times, bringing the teacup to his lips.

Logically, he should have looked up and shown off to Xiao Yingchun.

But the warm rim of the cup touched his lips, just like it had touched Fang Linyuan’s earlier.

Zhao Chu's heart burst into flames.

In that moment, all his schemes and hidden motives vanished completely.

He pretended to drink but was so lost in thought that he didn’t even realize if he had actually taken a sip or not.

As he set the cup down, he lowered his gaze and, as if by accident, his fingers lightly brushed the rim, feeling as if he were touching Fang Linyuan's lips through the warm porcelain.

A tingling sensation spread through him.

*

The boat docked, and the crew set up the footbridge for them to disembark. One by one, they stepped onto the shore.

Zhao Chu climbed into the carriage waiting at the edge of the dock.

Fang Linyuan, leading a squad of the Sixteen Guards, had to escort the criminals back to the garrison, bidding Zhao Chu farewell at the dock.

“Don’t forget to see the doctor, young master,” Fang Linyuan reminded him before leaving.

Zhao Chu nodded through the carriage window.

As the carriage set off, he sat upright, watching the dock’s lights fade into the distance.

On the empty road at night, he slowly raised his hand and removed the fierce beast mask.

The Sixteen Guards had long since departed, and the sounds faded away. Zhao Chu lowered his eyes, quietly observing the golden beast in his hand, which reflected a dim glow in the lantern light.

What had he just done?

He had been competing with a courtesan, trying to flaunt himself in front of Fang Linyuan.

He had brought up his long-despised old affliction before Fang Linyuan just to make his gaze linger on him a moment longer, hoping to appear a hundred times more captivating than that courtesan.

It felt as if he were selling his own flesh.

He should have felt ashamed, yet when Fang Linyuan turned his gaze to him, he felt like a thief who had stolen treasure, unthinkingly experiencing a vile sense of joy.

A faint light from beyond the curtain illuminated the window, and the beast’s head in his hand cast his reflection—just for a moment, it fell into his eyes.

He saw in the reflection of the mask what seemed like the concubines from his father's palace, eagerly waiting for the rain and dew, their brows furrowed with resentment, yet painstakingly embellishing their sorrowful expressions to appear splendid and radiant.

Zhao Chu tightened his grip on the mask.

He knew what those women’s fates would be and clearly understood the source of their tragic lives.

Did he struggle to climb out of that mire just to become one of them?

Zhao Chu stared at the mask for a long time, as if facing an evil spirit.

After a moment, he slammed the mask down onto his knees.

Impossible.

What love? It should all be fake. At this point, he was likely just confused by Wu Xinghai's mad words, entangled in this illusory thing called love, to the extent that he truly saw himself as Fang Linyuan's wife, as his subordinate.

Zhao Chu’s hand resting on his knees gradually relaxed.

Fortunately, he was usually clear-headed and rational; even if he occasionally stumbled, he would quickly realize it.

The carriage moved quietly through the empty streets at night, the sound of wooden wheels rolling over cobblestones clear in the silence. Zhao Chu lowered his eyes, taking a deep breath amidst that cold, hard sound.

He threw open the carriage curtain, and the icy night wind rushed in, whipping his black hair into a frenzy.

He let the cold wind envelop him completely, commanding his heart to calm down and reclaim his ability to think rationally.

This was it; there could not be a second time. He should have the dignity of a person, and the calmness he had cultivated over the years. His energy should be used for more important matters, and those lies and disguises should not be used to deceive a man.

In his heart, he recited like a mantra, the voice within him becoming eerily calm under the cold wind.

Yet his hand resting on his knee unconsciously fiddled again.

That was the spot where he had touched the cup’s rim on the boat earlier.

After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes, feeling as if his heart had become still water, as if he had regained a state of peace.

This should be what he desired, yet for some reason, he felt an inexplicable melancholy.

As if he were forcing himself to part with something extremely important.

What was so important? Merely to prune away the useless branches that sprouted from his heart, preventing them from draining his energy like parasites…

Zhao Chu’s hand on his knee fiddled again.

Tap, tap.

Suddenly, his previously unmoving heart thumped once.

Then a second time, a third… increasingly rapid and clearer.

Zhao Chu abruptly realized it was the sound of hooves from outside.

Turning back through the raised curtain, he saw a dark red steed in the night. The person on the horse was wearing his robe, the white sleeves and flowing garments billowing in the night.

But the person seemed unaccustomed to wearing such clothes, the sleeves tangling with the reins. As he galloped, he tugged at his arms and sleeves, leaving traces on his shoulders.

That person entered Zhao Chu’s sight just like that.

In an instant, he crashed into Zhao Chu’s heart.

He felt the branch he had forcefully severed from his heart growing wildly again, wrapping around him in a frenzy, quickly suffocating his heart, which had just been cleared of all impurities.

He had clearly resolved to maintain his dignity and composure, to stop exhausting himself trying to entangle and attract him...

The voice inside Zhao Chu stumbled and panicked, its breaths becoming erratic. It nervously warned him, yet grew weaker and more chaotic.

Zhao Chu uncontrollably started coughing; by the time he tried to suppress it, he was already biting down on his teeth.

He had always handled such things with ease...

Until that person pulled the reins, the steed whinnied and trotted up beside his carriage.

He saw Fang Linyuan's worried expression upon noticing him.

“Why did you take off your… mask?” Fang Linyuan lowered his voice cautiously for the second half of his question.

Please don’t beg for my gaze...

Then Fang Linyuan asked again, “How do you feel now? Are you still coughing?”

Zhao Chu looked at him, feeling the voice inside him constricting around his throat, questioning whether he should even toss away the last shred of dignity, leaving it at Fang Linyuan's horse's feet, begging for him to trample it.

His response was just two faint, suppressed coughs, as if his bones had already been frozen by the cold wind for a long time.

He no longer wanted his dignity.

*

Fang Linyuan did not hesitate to climb into the carriage.

The driver was one of Zhao Chu's subordinates, efficient and cautious, so Zhao Chu could trust him, and Fang Linyuan felt at ease.

Once inside, he took off his outer robe and wrapped it around Zhao Chu: “You can’t be exposed to the cold wind. Why are you dressed so lightly? I’m fine and not afraid of the cold; why do you have to shield me... Let’s go back and have Juan Su check on you, brew some medicine, and rest afterward.”

He had held back a lot of words on the boat, and now they all poured out at once.

Zhao Chu lowered his eyes, lost in thought, and after a moment, he coughed a few more times.

“I’m fine,” he said. “Why are you here?”

Fang Linyuan scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed, and replied honestly, “I guessed you probably wouldn’t go outside to see the doctor... so I had Li Cheng'an take the others back, and I found my way here along the road to the manor.”

At this point, he paused and asked, “But won’t you be followed like this?”

Zhao Chu shook his head. “I have people handling things in the dark.”

Fang Linyuan nodded halfway, then realized something was off: “Then why didn’t they stop me?”

Zhao Chu turned to look at him and paused before saying.

“They know you,” he said.

Fang Linyuan didn’t quite understand what he meant, but Zhao Chu clearly knew what he was doing. Since Zhao Chu was still sick, he didn’t ask further.

Sitting beside Zhao Chu, he could feel the cold emanating from him... no wonder this person was always colder than others, like a snake or lizard.

He looked at Zhao Chu.

He himself didn’t know why he had chased so far late at night, just because he was worried about Zhao Chu returning home alone while sick.

But now, seeing Zhao Chu looking somewhat weak and out of sorts, Fang Linyuan felt that it was only right for him to come and keep him company.

After all... someone like Zhao Chu probably truly understood the pain of being in the cold, which was why he would use his body to shield him from the cold wind.

Fang Linyuan found himself at a loss for words. After a long moment, he turned to Zhao Chu and gently asked, “Are you still cold?”

Zhao Chu actually didn’t feel much cold.

The earlier wind had made his bones ache but had also cleared his mind. Now, with Fang Linyuan sitting beside him, he could feel the vibrant warmth and the brightness of Fang Linyuan’s gaze.

It seemed he was beginning to feel the cold again.

After a moment, he shook his head and said to Fang Linyuan, “Don’t worry.”

Fang Linyuan observed Zhao Chu for a while, then gently blinked.

For some reason, he suddenly recalled the first time he had met Zhao Chu. He had draped his robe over Zhao Chu, but Zhao Chu had returned it, saying it was his and he didn’t want it.

Fang Linyuan remembered that for a long time, his wish had been to openly drape his robe over Zhao Chu again, so he would no longer feel so cold.

Today... it seemed his dream had come true in a different way.

...This sense of confusion was too strong.

Fang Linyuan was startled and quickly turned his gaze away.

What was he thinking... perhaps he had frozen his brain in the cold river.

*

Fang Linyuan remained silent for a moment, and when Zhao Chu turned to look at him again, he found that Fang Linyuan had already closed his eyes and fallen asleep.

It was understandable; after a busy day and swimming in the river, he must have been exhausted.

Yet he had still chased after Zhao Chu’s carriage despite his fatigue.

Zhao Chu lowered his eyes to look at him.

Just then, the carriage turned a corner, tilting the cabin to one side and causing Fang Linyuan to lurch toward the compartment.

Zhao Chu immediately raised his hand to block Fang Linyuan’s forehead from hitting the carriage.

Fang Linyuan’s forehead gently bumped into Zhao Chu’s palm.

Zhao Chu furrowed his brow slightly and looked out the window, just as he felt a weight against his shoulder.

Fang Linyuan had leaned in closer, resting against him.

Zhao Chu’s shoulder tensed.

Like a clay statue, it took him a moment to regain control of his body, and he slowly lowered his head.

He saw Fang Linyuan’s dark hair nestled against him, appearing obedient. The hand that had been blocking the compartment now encircled Fang Linyuan’s back.

The despicable thief had accidentally stumbled upon a treasure.

Zhao Chu unconsciously tightened his arms around Fang Linyuan, stopping just half an inch from his shoulder, encircling him lightly.

He feared waking him since he was cradled in his arms.

This thought made Zhao Chu's throat involuntarily constrict, and for a moment, Fang Linyuan's breath felt like a warm wave washing over him.

His heartbeat seemed to echo in his ears—loud and chaotic, flooding him with adrenaline.

Even the lush vines of emotion in his heart rustled in response.

What dignity, what calmness? Even the palace concubines, who spent their days staring into the void, wouldn’t waste a lifetime waiting for nothing; what must it take for them to long for such precious favour?

Fang Linyuan moved slightly in his embrace.

He seemed to be sleeping soundly, smacking his lips and nuzzling against Zhao Chu's shoulder as if seeking comfort.

In that moment, the thief wished to surrender his dignity and even his life to him, allowing him to trample on it, to crush it completely.

As long as he could remain here, leaning against him, cuddling closer.

He might be crazy, but it was understandable.

After all, who could ever have the fortune to steal the warmth of a radiant sun into their embrace?

 

--

The author has something to say:

Zhao Chu: I’ll go collect my bonus from the account office tomorrow.

Driver: ??? What’s the boss laughing about? Is he going to pay me before silencing me?

 

Translator : DarNan