TAMW CH17

The kraft paper bag was only the size of a palm. It was only by the light of the streetlamps outside the car window that the packaged cake inside could be seen.

Perhaps because the cream had just been whipped, the edges of the pink flowers on top were delicate and sharp. A gentle touch of a fingertip revealed it was soft, spongy, and carried a rich, sweet fragrance.

Yuqing looked at the cake, then at Zhou Xiao outside the car, feeling a genuine urge to laugh from the bottom of his heart.

Zhou Xiao reached out and snatched the cake back, awkwardly turning his head to look at a passing rickshaw. “Change your clothes before you eat.”

“Alright,” he answered softly.

Zhou Xiao’s shoulders were very broad; by turning his back, he practically blocked the entire car window. The light inside the car grew even dimmer as Yuqing changed into the long gown in the dark.

His figure was very slender, and because his arms and legs were long, his clothes usually had to be custom-tailored by a master. Surprisingly, this piece fit him perfectly.

“I’m changed.” Yuqing tapped him on the back.

Zhou Xiao then handed the cake back to him, almost like a reward for changing his clothes properly. It felt a bit like a child who had done something wrong buying a gift to coax someone into being happy—awkwardly silent, clumsy, yet possessing a certain attentiveness that made one feel thoroughly warmed.

Yuqing did indeed love sweets, and since he was feeling a bit hungry, he poked a pink flower bud with his finger and popped it into his mouth. The rich sweetness suited his taste perfectly.

Yuqing smiled gently, the mole under his eye trembling like a star along with his expression. “Young Master, it’s sweet.”

Zhou Xiao raised his eyebrows with a hint of smugness, but his tone sharply turned into a cold snort. “So ignorant.”

“It’s true, Yuqing rarely eats these things. The pastry shops in Baizhou don’t have them.”

“Only Western restaurants do.” Zhou Xiao used a long, slender finger to wipe the corner of his mouth. “You have no manners when you eat.”

Yuqing hadn’t noticed the cream on the corner of his mouth. After being wiped, he secretly pursed his lips. “Pardon my lack of manners…”

“What manners do I need?” Zhou Xiao wiped his hand on his pocket, casually climbed into the car, rummaged around for something near his seat, and tossed it over from the front. “Take this.”

“Hmm?” Yuqing set down the kraft paper bag and examined the slips of paper.

Cheques.

Zhou Xiao slammed his foot on the gas pedal. “Buy whatever you want to eat. Stop acting like you’ve never seen the world. The old man might mistreat you, but I’m not as stingy as he is.”

Yuqing couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from curling up.

After smiling for a while, he gently lowered his eyes to look at the cream cake in his hands. Only then did it dawn on him, and he touched his cheek and the corner of his mouth in disbelief.

He had always loved to smile, smiling at everyone he met, but it seemed he hadn’t truly smiled from the bottom of his heart just because he found a certain thing—or a certain person—interesting in a very long time.

Upon returning to the Peace Hotel, Zhao Fu was indeed waiting on the first floor like a lapdog.

As soon as Yuqing mentioned he needed to take his medicine, Zhao Fu nodded hastily and went to borrow the hotel kitchen to brew it.

When Zhou Xiao returned to the room and saw his pillow on the sofa, he was instantly furious.

While Yuqing was drinking his medicine, he could hear the man throwing things around outside. The sound of a water glass slamming onto the table was so loud it seemed ready to shatter the wood.

Zhao Fu knelt beside him and asked softly, “Young Madam, are we returning? We’ve managed to contact Mr. Smith.”

Yuqing pursed his lips, tipping the medicine bowl until it hit bottom. “Does he have time?”

“He’s free. He can set off the day after tomorrow.” Seeing Yuqing glance outside with some concern, Zhao Fu added, “I’m afraid the Old Master’s illness cannot be delayed.”

Yuqing nodded, taking the date Zhao Fu offered. Just as he brought it to his lips, he said slowly, “We will leave the day after tomorrow.”

“Zhao Fu!” Zhou Xiao squeezed in from the living room, clutching a pillow. “Who allowed you to come in wearing shoes? Can’t you see your precious Young Madam has to take his shoes off when he enters the room? If you dirty the carpet here, selling you wouldn’t even cover the cost! Get out!”

Zhao Fu kept his head down and didn’t move. He clearly only listened to Yuqing. The pillow didn’t hurt when it hit him, but his silent stubbornness only made the other man even angrier.

“Go make the arrangements,” Yuqing said, putting down the date and patting his shoulder.

Zhao Fu quietly left.

“Why are you getting angry with him?” After setting the date aside, Yuqing picked up the cream cake from the paper bag again with renewed interest.

Seeing him lick his lips, Zhou Xiao’s anger dissipated somewhat. He sat down on the other side of the bed. “He has no manners. Why didn’t you scold him? What right does he have to question me?”

Yuqing choked slightly on his words, thinking to himself: You were just fine a moment ago. Who knows what provoked you? Your temper really is a bit eccentric.

Zhou Xiao seemed to make himself angry all over again, sitting huffily on the edge of the bed.

Yuqing silently finished his cake, rinsed his mouth, got into bed, and asked curiously, “Are you…”

“That brat Zhao Fu sat all over the outside,” he interrupted.

“Hmm?”

“He was waiting for you on the first floor the whole time. Who knows if his pants were on the floor or in a pile of hay? The sofa is dirty. Why should I have to sleep in a dirty place?”

Yuqing opened his mouth, genuinely unsure of what to say.

Then, he watched as Zhou Xiao lifted the blanket, slid in, and lay flat on his back, speaking in a tone of immense magnanimity: “I’ll make do and share with you for one night. I’ll get a new room tomorrow.”

Yuqing laughed. “Then I’ll have to wrong the Young Master.”

When the bedside lamp clicked off, the room plunged into darkness.

Yuqing’s breathing was almost entirely silent, and Zhou Xiao lay as stiff as a brick. The two were unusually quiet.

“Have Smith take a look at you too,” Zhou Xiao said into the dark.

Yuqing replied, “It’s an illness I carried from the womb. I’m afraid it’s hard to cure. I’ve managed to survive these past years by drinking medicine.”

“Survive?” Zhou Xiao seemed not to understand, letting out a sigh. “When will there ever be an end to surviving in that grand mansion?”

Yuqing asked, “So, is this the reason you don’t like being in the Zhou family?”

Zhou Xiao gave a quiet “Mn,” murmuring, “I suppose.”

Yuqing rolled over, resting his cheek against his palm, carefully tracing the silhouette of Zhou Xiao’s profile. “Is the Young Master willing to tell me about it?”

“With your knowledge, even starting from scratch here in Shenzhen, you’re willing to build a railway. Why refuse to return to Baizhou?” Yuqing’s voice was faint. “Father has not treated you poorly.”

Before Zhou Xiao returned home, Yuqing had even been incredibly jealous of this Eldest Young Master, desperately wishing he could take his place. His privileged background allowed him to do whatever he pleased; he didn’t have to worry about food or clothing while studying abroad, and he had servants to accompany him. Even if he didn’t want to inherit the family business upon returning, for his sake, his Father was even willing to adopt a son, marry him off, and offer support.

With such heavy backing, why did Zhou Xiao still want to leave?

The Zhou family’s First Madam had died long ago. The remaining concubines knew their place, never overstepping the rules, obediently spending their twilight years in their own small courtyards. Though decaying and declining, it was also stable and peaceful.

Zhou Xiao turned on his side as well, the two looking at each other in the darkness. Even though there was no light, they could both see the shimmering gleam in each other’s eyes.

He stroked Yuqing’s long hair. “I don’t want to.”

“Just like today, if I had gone with the flow, naturally everyone would have been happy, but it was against my original intentions.”

“Yuqing, listen to me. Leave the Zhou family. The world is vast; go wherever you want to go.”

Yuqing shrugged, smiling faintly. “You have ambitions and ideals. Surely the world must have room to tolerate someone like me, who only wishes to live a quiet, dutiful life.”

Zhou Xiao remained silent.

Thinking of the Zhou family, thinking of the First Madam who raised him, always sent a chill down his spine.

Seeing that he looked preoccupied, Yuqing placed his soft, slender hand gently over the back of the man’s somewhat rough palm.

“Since you do not wish to, Yuqing will manage everything at home for you. Please set your mind at ease, Young Master.”

Yuqing’s voice was soft and cottony, like a small green sprout just emerging after a spring rain. Having him by one’s side brought only a sense of relaxation.

And yet, this very Yuqing was trapped in the Zhou residence by the old man’s life-saving grace. He had kept the old man company for many years.

That damn old man sure knows how to fucking enjoy himself!

Zhou Xiao grew angry again, his chest heaving up and down. Yuqing, thinking he had a heart condition, hurried to soothe him.

Yuqing pressed his ear to his chest. “It’s beating so fast.”

The tickle of Yuqing’s long hair against his face melted Zhou Xiao’s anger away, and the two lay back down properly.

Yuqing was indeed exhausted. How could his frail body withstand everything that happened in the car? After taking his medicine and falling asleep, his breathing was very shallow.

Propping himself up on one arm, Zhou Xiao slowly leaned in close to Yuqing’s face, whispering, “You really are foolish.”

With such a frail body, he actually intended to stay in the Zhou family and shoulder everything for his sake.

Yuqing was truly foolish.

But Zhou Xiao had seen many movies, and they always said love makes people blind and foolish. Yuqing was like a dutiful wife who mistakenly believed that managing the household well would make her husband turn back to her. Such a person would only blindly suffer grievances.

He couldn’t quite bear it. Yuqing was so soft, so well-behaved, so obedient…

Zhou Xiao slowly breathed in the scent of the hair at his forehead; it was the fragrance of jasmine.

He lowered his eyes to look at the contours of his face, gently brushing a strand of hair against Yuqing’s cheek. Knowing he hadn’t woken up, he then lowered his head and took his lips. Like a thief in a rush, he anxiously pried open Yuqing’s lips, not even pausing to kiss his cheek, hurriedly sucking on those sweet, fragrant lips.

Yuqing clearly hadn’t smoked jasmine and mint leaves for a long time, yet it was as if he had been steeped in the scent for so many years that the fragrance seeped right into his bones.

“Mmph…” When his tongue pushed inside, Yuqing let out a soft hum.

Zhou Xiao felt utterly parched. Inside those soft lips was not only the taste of jasmine, but also the lingering bitter trace of medicine, and the sweet richness of cream…

How could a man smell so incredibly good?

Yuqing was completely exhausted. When his legs were pushed slightly apart, he just remained docile, as if he could be easily manipulated by anyone.

Zhou Xiao didn’t go too far; he merely touched him carefully.

He knew Yuqing was very obedient. In the past, whenever Yuqing slipped him drugs, he would always get angry. Now, terrified of making him mad, Yuqing no longer dared to drug him, yet he still held onto his essence inside him… reluctant to let it out.

He loved his things to this extent.

Yuqing really did like this thing. He was truly born to be his wife. He feared that anyone else would play with him endlessly, and would never give him freedom or a little bit of love the way he did.

After all, Yuqing was already very satisfied with even this much affection.

Yuqing’s breathing was shallow, and Zhou Xiao leaned in to listen closely. Propping himself on his arm, he placed his ear near Yuqing’s nose. The warm breath drilled into his ear like a slithering snake.

Zhou Xiao was no longer clear on what exactly he was doing. His internal organs were all burning, and the tingling sensation in his ear was so addictive it was driving him insane.

Yuqing, Yuqing…

Ruan Yuqing…

The Ruan family.

Zhou Xiao truly wished everyone in the world were dead. Zhao Fu, Jiang Mao—they should all just go to hell.

When this thought surfaced, Zhou Xiao himself was startled for a moment. He sat up instantly, his chest trembling. Seeing Ruan Yuqing’s lips, swollen from his sucking, his head buzzed loudly.

What was he doing?

Was he crazy…?

No matter how much he pretended, the physiological reaction was impossible to hide.

He was hard.

Simply because of…

Zhou Xiao felt like a bastard. He was too compassionate; when Yuqing fell in love with him and relied on him, he would even feel guilty if he didn’t give something back.

Ashamed of his own soft-heartedness, he turned over in a huff and went to sleep.

Waking up the next morning, Yuqing felt utterly uncomfortable all over.

He had felt slightly better before sleeping, but now his arms were exceptionally sore, and his mouth was swollen.

Zhou Xiao had left early. The banks were closed today, but the man never explained his actions to Yuqing, nor did Yuqing think much of it.

Zhao Fu arranged a meeting for him with Dr. Smith and prepared a large quantity of medicine, intending to set off directly for Baizhou the next day. But Mr. Smith’s schedule was packed; he only had three days before the school term started. Factoring in travel time, the schedule was exceedingly tight, leaving them with only about a day to spend in Baizhou.

Yuqing had never been away from home for so long. He feared his Second Uncle was already turning the Zhou residence upside down.

Zhao Fu bent down to pack everything. “Young Madam, are we bringing this smoking pipe?”

Yuqing sat in front of the mirror to comb his hair, but his arms were too sore, so he set the wooden comb down on the vanity.

Zhao Fu quickly came over to comb it for him. “Did you not sleep well yesterday?”

“Mn…” Yuqing let him massage his temples. “Did you ask around?”

“I did. Jiang Mao is indeed the new Section Chief, but… I heard that on the outside, he…”

“Hmm?” Yuqing kept his eyes closed. “Go on.”

“I heard he partnered with the coal mine bosses to issue loans, using the pretext of lending to the mining sites. Once the loan is issued, the mine backs out, and the time in between is enough for the interest to roll over twice… The previous Section Chief Wang used to do the exact same thing.”

Yuqing roughly understood the situation; this mine was a complete trap.

Shenzhen had the best coal mines in the entire province, but those controlling the mines hiked up the prices at will. Shenzhen clearly had the most coal mines of any city, yet ironically, it was also the place where the most people froze to death every winter. It was too expensive for the commoners to afford, and coal from the outside couldn’t get in.

So, was Zhou Xiao really trying to transport the coal out to give the commoners a better life?

What lofty ambitions…

“Should we warn the Young Master?”

Yuqing couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “He doesn’t need it.”

Zhao Fu looked down at Yuqing submissively, a flash of jealousy crossing his eyes. In all his years serving Yuqing, he had never seen him make that expression.

The Eldest Young Master really was born with everything…

“Go fetch a pen and paper.”

They were leaving in a hurry and could only leave a letter.

[Young Master, my departure is hasty. Unable to stop worrying about Father, I can only return first. Please take care of yourself. Regardless of whether the Young Master likes the Zhou family or not, Father only wishes for everything to go smoothly according to your heart’s desires. If things do not go as you wish, Yuqing remains at home, quietly awaiting the date of your return — Yuqing.]

According to his heart’s desires…

Zhou Xiao returned late in the night, rolled in exhaustion, only to find not a single shadow—just this piece of paper indicating his departure.

Zhou Xiao sat on the bed, his eyes dark and deep, the letter crumpled in his palm several times over.

Waiting outside the door, Deng Yongquan listened to the sound of things being smashed and thrown inside, his heart pounding in fear.

“Young Master…” He knocked on the door.

“Get lost!” Zhou Xiao smashed tables and chairs inside. “Get lost!”

Deng Yongquan wondered what on earth this was all about. Wasn’t it just that the Young Madam left without saying a word? If someone didn’t know better, they’d think he packed up the money and ran off.

When the Young Madam came, he wasn’t happy; now that he’s gone, he’s still not happy.

The Young Master was always unhappy, truly…

Zhou Xiao sat on the bed, looking at the mess all over the floor, not knowing where his anger was coming from.

Yuqing hadn’t taken his smoking pipe.

The dates he didn’t eat yesterday were still there—sweet, soft, fragrant dates.

Zhou Xiao ate a date and lay on the bed. The scent of Yuqing still lingered in the blankets. He picked up the crumpled letter once again and scrutinized it.

His gaze settled on the last few words.

[Quietly awaiting the date of your return]

Nothing about Yuqing’s demeanor yesterday suggested he was planning to leave. It must have been Zhao Fu whispering in his ear, coaxing him to go. Yuqing was just soft-hearted; even as he left, he couldn’t bear not to give him an explanation, leaving this letter behind.

Sooner or later, Zhao Fu would have to die. A dog of a servant like that, who inverted right and wrong, lazy and greedy, whispering in his ear—he had to die!

Zhou Xiao regained some clarity and went to the bathroom to wash his face, washing away the stench of blood on his body.

He still hadn’t spit out the date pit in his mouth.

He wanted to eat dates.

__

Author’s Note:

Yuqing: Since you hate me, out of sight, out of mind. Don’t be unhappy, Young Master [Thumbs Up]

Brother Date-pit: Ahhhhhhh— (Yelling, screaming, throwing a massive tantrum) Die, all of them must die!! Came back from killing people only to find my wife is gone [Melted] Ahhhhhh (Continues throwing a massive tantrum)

Yuqing sneezes in the car.