The mountain Xiao Xunrui had made his temporary residence was a mountain filled with pear trees. At this moment in time, the flowers were in full bloom. As Wuma Huan passed by under the trees, he couldn’t help but reach out to lightly touch one of the flowers.
“Do you like pear blossoms?”
Wuma Huan looked at Xiao Xunrui.
“I like them too,” Xiao Xunrui grinned. “I especially like when the petals blanket the floor. It looks especially nice.”
“I like pears. They’re hydrating,” Wuma Huan said in amusement.
Xiao Xunrui scoffed. “I was asking you about the flower, but you commented on the fruit.”
“What’s so pretty about them? I know something even prettier.”
Xiao Xunrui’s brows furrowed. “What is it?”
“It’s you.”
Xiao Xunrui’s quizzically expression was replaced by a look of exasperation. “Aren’t you tired of saying stuff like that? We’ve been traveling for a week, and you’ve been saying that kind of thing for a week.”
“I’m being sincere,” Wuma Huan said as he followed Xiao Xunrui up the steps.
“Then I sincerely ask you to stop.”
“Why? You don’t like it?”
“It’s so cringey!” Xiao Xunrui shuddered. “How do you not cringe when you say something like that?”
“I don’t cringe because it’s true.”
“There you go again,” Xiao Xunrui rolled his eyes.
“I’m serious,” Wuma Huan chuckled.
Xiao Xunrui glanced back at Wuma Huan. “Can’t you compliment something other than my appearance?”
“Like, what?”
“For example…my smile?”
“You haven’t smiled at me very much.”
“Then, my laugh.”
“Have you laughed?”
“…My voice.”
“It’s like an oriole.”
“Do you like orioles?”
“They’re pretty.”
“Again with that descriptor,” Xiao Xunrui sighed.
Wuma Huan watched Xiao Xunrui from behind and smiled. “You don’t like it?”
“If you want to compliment me, find something other than my appearance to compliment. I don’t understand things like beauty in appearance.”
“Then, if you were to compliment me, what would you say?”
“Your voice,” Xiao Xunrui answered without any hesitation. “And your laugh. Both are nice.”
“Really?”
Xiao Xunrui glanced back at Wuma Huan. “I don’t even need to see you properly to hear you’re smiling. You asked for an example, so I’m just giving it to you.”
“Mn, thank you.”
Xiao Xunrui rolled his eyes and turned back to face the front.
“Actually, I could compliment you on many other things,” Wuma Huan said. “Though, I don’t want to scare you off.”
Xiao Xunrui raised a brow. “You’re not going to say something about how I have nice bone structure, do you?”
“Not at all.”
“Then, what?”
“I’ll tell you when I’m all better.”
Xiao Xunrui’s steps faltered. He frowned. For some reason, he felt uncomfortable with that statement.
“So, what? When you’re about to leave?”
“Mn. That way, if you dislike me, you won’t have to wonder how you’ll kick me out of your house,” Wuma Huan chuckled at his own statement.
Xiao Xunrui’s chest felt even more stuffy. “Isn’t it just some compliments? Why would I kick you out?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Wuma Huan resisted the urge to take a step back. He smiled. “Nothing like that. I just walk slowly.”
Xiao Xunrui clicked his tongue. He got up on his tip-toes and waved his hand above his and Wuma Huan’s heads. “What’s the point of growing so tall if you’re not going to put those legs to good use? Look, I’m so much shorter than you, but I can still walk faster!”
Wuma Huan chuckled. “That’s true. I should learn from you and take wider steps.”
Xiao Xunrui rolled his eyes and began walking again. “I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic.”
“I would never be sarcastic to you, Gege.”
Xiao Xunrui’s steps slowed until they matched Wuma Huan’s. He glanced at the young man. “Let’s walk together. It’s weird to have you just walking behind me.”
“You don’t have to slow down to my pace,” Wuma Huan said.
“Well, I want to. Since you can’t speed up, I can just slow down,” Xiao Xunrui said. “It’s more fun to walk together.”
Wuma Huan’s gaze filled with a faint longing that he quickly suppressed. “You’re very nice to me.”
“It’s just because you’re a patient.”
“Mn. I know.”
Xiao Xunrui frowned slightly and snuck a glance at Wuma Huan. “When we get back, I’ll write a letter to my shizun.”
“Alright.”
“We’ll get you all patched up and then you can go do whatever you want to do,” Xiao Xunrui said. He turned to Wuma Huan excitedly. “Once you’re better, what’s the first thing you want to do?”
Wuma Huan glanced at Xiao Xunrui. “Once I’m better, the first thing I’d do is get my revenge.”
Xiao Xunrui frowned. “That shouldn’t be the first thing you do. You’d still be too weak at that time.”
“If I don’t do it once I’m better, I’m afraid I would never do it.”
“Why’s that?”
Wuma Huan chuckled. “Because, the more time I spend here, the less I want to care about anything else.”
Xiao Xunrui’s heart hammered against his chest. “Well, you have a golden core, so you could easily join a righteous sect once you’re better. You don’t have to…go back.”
Wuma Huan’s smile faded slightly. He glanced at Xiao Xunrui. “That would be nice, wouldn’t it?”
“It would! If you don’t want to join any of the stuck up sects in Xianping, Jianshi has a bunch of nice ones. Have you heard of Screeching Sparrow Sect? The sect leader there is scary, so no one dares to mess with them. Not only that, the people there are quite kind,” Xiao Xunrui said.
“You think they would accept me?”
“Of course! Jianshi is filled with cultivators who were abandoned or wrongly prosecuted,” Xiao Xunrui said. “You probably fall into one of those two categories, right?”
“If I went to Screeching Sparrow Sect, would I see you often?”
“Me? Um…well, not really. I travel around a lot these days,” Xiao Xunrui said honestly. “But I could visit.”
Wuma Huan smiled, but his heart soured greatly. “That sounds like it would be nice.”
“Doesn’t it?” Xiao Xunrui grinned. “I hear they have pear trees over there too. You could eat all the pears you want as well.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Xiao Xunrui’s smile faded as soon as he turned away. Although Wuma Huan said this, he knew that he didn’t mean it.
Once they arrived at the small hut, Xiao Xunrui hurried to write a letter to the Hall of Impartiality.
Wuma Huan took a seat nearby and watched Xiao Xunrui’s concentrated expression.
Even something so mundane was cute. He smiled to himself and sat in silence until Xiao Xunrui was done. When Xiao Xunrui returned from sending out the letter, he stood in front of Wuma Huan with crossed arms.
“Alright! Let’s go through some house rules.”
Wuma Huan sat up attentively.
“First, don’t leave this place without telling me first,” Xiao Xunrui said. “Second, don’t do any house chores. If there’s something bothering you, tell me and I’ll deal with it. Third, if you’re in pain, tell me right away. Fourth, any medication I give you, you drink.”
Wuma Huan’s brows furrowed. “Just that? I can do chores. I’m not tha—”
“I’m your doctor, so you have to listen to what I say. If I don’t think you can do chores, then you better not touch any chores.”
Wuma Huan pursed his lips. He looked at Xiao Xunrui’s determined expression and felt his heart flutter. “Alright. I’ll listen to you.”
“It’s good that you’re obedient,” Xiao Xunrui said. “Now, if only you’d tie up your hair properly.”
Wuma Huan lazily lulled off the side of the chair. “It’s so tedious. I wish I could just cut it all off.”
“And look like a heretic? No way,” Xiao Xunrui grabbed Wuma Huan by the wrist and tugged him from the chair. “Come on. I’ll help you tie it.”
Wuma Huan glanced at the slender hand around his wrist and obediently followed him. “Will you do my hair from now on then? It’s annoying when it gets in my face.”
“Petulant,” Xiao Xunrui scoffed. “You should just do it yourself!”
Despite saying this, Xiao Xunrui was quite gentle as he brushed a comb through Wuma Huan’s hair. Wuma Huan resisted the urge to lean back and melt into the other man’s embrace. He nearly shivered at the touch of Xiao Xunrui’s fingers against his scalp.
“There, all done,” Xiao Xunrui said happily. “Look! Now your much more handsome.”
Wuma Huan glanced at the mirror beside them. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but he didn’t quite care about his hair. His gaze was concentrated on the man behind him.
“Thank you, gege.”
“Mn!” Xiao Xunrui smiled at his own handy work. The single streak of black hair had been tied into a small braid, lining his head and meeting the rest of the ponytail at the end.
Although Xiao Xunrui didn’t understand beauty in people, he really felt that Wuma Huan was more handsome. For a moment, the smile on his face stilled.
Wuma Huan, who had been watching him this entire time, turned and looked up at Xiao Xunrui.
“What’s wrong, Gege?”
“…Nothing,” Xiao Xunrui averted his gaze.
“Gege, you can tell me what’s wrong,” Wuma Huan said gently.
Xiao Xunrui’s fingers mindlessly fiddled with Wuma Huan’s hair. His gaze was concentrated on the silvery locks. “It’s nothing worth mentioning.”
Wuma Huan leaned back slightly, his head just barely resting on Xiao Xunrui’s chest. “Alright, then. I won’t keep prying.”
Xiao Xunrui met Wuma Huan’s gaze. The purple irises seemed to draw him in, like the churning depths of an ocean.
“I was just thinking…it would be nice if not everyone was equally as ugly,” Xiao Xunrui mumbled.
Wuma Huan’s eyes widened.
“I bet if I could tell the difference, I would think you’re…handsome,” Xiao Xunrui continued, his voice wavering. Xiao Xunrui felt a light weight press against his chest. He averted his gaze. “That’s all.”
Wuma Huan smiled. “That’s a very high compliment, coming from you.”
“But you’re still ugly.”
“Mn. I understand.”
“It was just me theorizing,” Xiao Xunrui untangled his hands from Wuma Huan’s hair.
Wuma Huan gripped the end of Xiao Xunrui’s sleeve before he could run off.
“What do you want, ugly?”
Wuma Huan turned his hand to grasp Xiao Xunrui’s wrist. He tugged the older man a little closer and placed a light kiss on the back of his hand.
Xiao Xunrui’s fingers twitched. “What does this mean?”
Wuma Huan released Xiao Xunrui. He stood. “Thank you for tying my hair, Gege.”
Xiao Xunrui’s cheeks warmed. “That’s how you thank me? Then, when I cure you, what are you going to do?”
“I would devote my entire life to you,” Wuma Huan smiled.
Xiao Xunrui felt his heart stutter for a moment. He took a step back and scoffed. “Stop kissing up to me. I’m not going to work any harder just because you say these things.”
Wuma Huan laughed. “I know. Doctor Xiao is a professional.”
Xiao Xunrui glared at Wuma Huan. “I could kill you too!”
“At least you’re honest about it.”
Xiao Xunrui sighed in exasperation. “Whatever. I don’t want to deal with you anymore.”
Wuma Huan’s bright laughter followed Xiao Xunrui out of the room.
It took another two days for a reply to come back from the Hall of Impartiality. When it arrived, Xiao Xunrui had been in the kitchen, with Wuma Huan sitting just out in the courtyard. He took the letter from the bird and read it over. His expression darkened slightly from the contents he read.
Seeing this, Wuma Huan smiled. “He doesn’t know how to cure it either?”
“No, it’s not that,” Xiao Xunrui tucked the letter away. He smiled at Wuma Huan. “There’s a few herbs I’ll need to go out and get tomorrow. You just sit tight for a week and I’ll be back.”
“…A week?”
“Mn!” Xiao Xunrui nodded. “Once I come back, we’ll set you onto the path of recovery! Don’t worry about it.”
Wuma Huan rested his chin against his palm. “Gege, you wouldn’t be lying to me, would you?”
“Why would I lie to you?” Xiao Xunrui clicked his tongue. “What would I get from a cripple like you if I lied to you?”
Wuma Huan’s smile rested lazily against his face, but his eyes didn’t betray any fluctuation of emotion. “You can tell me if there’s no hope for me.”
Xiao Xunrui felt a burst of irritation. “I already said that I could cure you—why are you so excited to go and die? Is living not good? I thought you wanted to eat pears! I’m sorry to tell you this, but you’ll have to wait till the end of spring to eat these. Or is it you just don’t want to be indebted to me so you don’t have to marry me? That’s nothing to die over. Just say you don’t want to an—”
“I want to.”
Xiao Xunrui’s mouth hung open stupidly. “W-what?”
“More than anything, I want to,” Wuma Huan said. “If anything, I would say that’s my biggest reason to live.”
Xiao Xunrui was speechless. He felt his face heat up as he stared at Wuma Huan. He loudly cleared his throat. “You…don’t talk to strangers like this! Since you’re so good-looking, you don’t know if someone would actually trick you into marrying them!”
“But you said I was ugly.”
“You said you were handsome, didn’t you!? Stop using my words against me!”
Xiao Xunrui huffed and ran back into the kitchen.
Wuma Huan’s smile grew only for a moment before it melted away again. He rested his cheek against the stone table and stared blankly at the warm light coming from the kitchen.
Since his injuries had healed, the feeling of the parasite gnawing away at his golden core became more prominent. Xiao Xunrui estimated a few years, but Wuma Huan felt that he would only live a few more months. If that were true, then he should quickly return to Fengya and…and what?
Get revenge? Skin that bastard alive? What could he do in this state?
If there was no way to cure him, then he could only wait for…
But he didn’t want that either.
He had lived eighteen years of his life, and this was the only blip in his existence that he wanted to live. It was odd. Maybe it was the change in environment. Fengya was always icy and cold, after all. Here, in Xianping, the weather was much warmer. It was spring and there were actually flowers blooming. Nothing was withering and the skies were always clear. At night, he could see the moon clearly. It was almost as if it was close enough to touch.
Wuma Qiongling’s fingers dug into his palm.
He wanted to get revenge on those who humiliated him. He wanted to live. But, most of all, he wanted to live here, where pear blossoms would sometimes come into full bloom, where the food was always hot, and where he didn’t have to be scared of the cold.
If he was doomed to die in the summer, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just live out his days here with that person.
“Hey, ugly, eat something first before you take medicine again.”
Xiao Xunrui’s irritated voice interrupted Wuma Huan’s thoughts. He watched the young doctor walk over to him. The closer he got, the more concerned his expression became.
The hot bowl of noodles was hastily set aside. Xiao Xunrui knelt down in front of Wuma Huan and took his wrist.
“Are you okay? What’s the matter? Is the parasite acting up again?”
Wuma Huan felt the warm fingers against his wrist and shook his head. “It isn’t.”
Xiao Xunrui frowned. “What do you mean it isn’t? It totally is! Here, sit up and let me—”
“Gege,” Wuma Huan interrupted Xiao Xunrui’s next words.
“What?” Xiao Xunrui glared at the younger man. “What nonsense do you want to spout now, hm?”
“What’s your favorite season?”
“…What?”
“Your favorite season. Do you like cold seasons or warm seasons?”
Xiao Xunrui’s eyes widened slightly. “…I like mild seasons. Like autumn.”
“So, you like autumn,” Wuma Huan murmured.
“I do. There’s also a place near where I grew up that had a forest of maple trees. Whenever it became autumn, the leaves would turn red. I like visiting that place every autumn,” Xiao Xunrui stood. He pulled Wuma Huan upright and pressed his hands onto his back. “Let’s go see the red leaves this year.”
Wuma Huan paused. “Together?”
“Wasn’t that just an invitation?” Xiao Xunrui scoffed. “Do you not want to?”
“…I want to.”
Xiao Xunrui nodded in satisfaction. “Then, once the pears come into fruition, we’ll pick them and make some delicious pear dishes. Then, during the summer, we can go to the bamboo forest where it’s cooler. In autumn, we’ll go see the red maple leaves. In the winter…hm…”
“In the winter?”
“In the winter, we can make snow people,” Xiao Xunrui nodded. “Then next year, we can do it all over again.”
“There’s a next year too?” Wuma Huan chuckled.
“Or else, what? Do you think life just ends after this year?” Xiao Xunrui rolled his eyes.
“I mean, there’s a next year where the two of us are together?” Wuma Huan asked.
Xiao Xunrui fell silent. He listened to the way his own heart hammered against his chest and keenly felt the iciness beneath his fingers.
“Of course, there is,” Xiao Xunrui said decisively. “Even if we become busy next year or even later this year, we can just meet up again, can’t we?”
Wuma Huan chuckled. “We can.”
“Do you not want to?”
“I want to. This year and next year and the year after that—it would be nice if I could see you in every season after that too.”
Is there anything more beautiful than inspiring an “ugly” patient to want to live through all the seasons 😊