Chu Xinian was a person full of shrewdness and cleverness. He enjoyed meticulously planning everything he did. Xie Jingyuan’s direct words stunned him on the spot, his pupils constricted, unsure of how to respond.
“…”
Neither of them spoke. The sounds of insects outside echoed, as moonlight silently filtered into the room, casting a soft glow across the floor.
The silver mask lay silently on the brocade quilt. Xie Jingyuan discreetly reached out and grasped it, leaving a red mark on his palm from the sharp edge, betraying his unconscious nervousness.
He stared at Chu Xinian, his breathing ragged as he spoke in a tone only they could hear, softly asking, “Chu Xinian, do you dare…?”
Chu Xinian remained motionless.
At that moment, a slight sense of regret arose within him. Perhaps he shouldn’t have rushed to check on Xie Jingyuan’s condition. Now he was in a predicament, unable to move forward or backward.
System’s words echoed in his ears again.
Don’t develop feelings for the mission target.
Don’t develop feelings for the mission target…
Time passed minute by minute, and Chu Xinian made no move. He did not leave, nor did he comply with Xie Jingyuan’s words. It seemed like he was caught in a struggle between heaven and man.
Xie Jingyuan tightly gripped his wrist, his voice a little heavier this time as he lowered his gaze, “Chu Xinian…?”
“…It’s getting late. General, you should rest early.” Chu Xinian replied, closing his eyes.
In the end, he hardened his heart. He did not dare to look at Xie Jingyuan and gently released his frozen hand before turning around and walking out of the inner room. His white outer robe lightly brushed against the carpet, making a soft sound.
“Chu Xinian!” Xie Jingyuan suddenly uttered his name in a cold tone, his chest heaving irregularly, carrying a hint of sinister and coldness when heard up close.
Chu Xinian unconsciously stopped his steps, but could not help but turn his head to look at him. However, he could only see that most of Xie Jingyuan’s figure was hidden in the darkness, his outlines blurred and indistinct.
Chu Xinian thought he would say something, but Xie Jingyuan remained silent, bowing his head, his expression imperceptible. After a while, a mocking laugh escaped his lips, sounding quite sharp in the silent night.
He appeared to be laughing at others, but it sounded as if he was laughing at himself. The mask he held in his hand was almost deformed from the pressure.
“…It’s nothing, sleep.” After a while, Xie Jingyuan uttered these words. The dim night covered his mocking expression. He lifted the bed curtain, blocking everything in sight, and lay down on the bed that still retained a trace of warmth. He covered the scarred side of his face and closed his eyes in silence.
Chu Xinian, for some reason, felt a piercing pain in his heart, as if a dull knife was cutting him. He slowly returned to the outer room, looking somewhat lost and bewildered.
Xie Jingyuan likes me…
After days of confusion, Chu Xinian finally came up with this answer. To say he wasn’t surprised would be inaccurate, but to say he was too surprised also seemed inaccurate. He sat on the edge of the couch, unconsciously touching the jade pendant on his neck, thinking about his feelings toward Xie Jingyuan. However, he was not an expert in such matters.
Chu Xinian encountered something he could not understand for the first time in his life. After pondering for a while without finding an answer, he could only call System, “System”.
[Ugh, why are you bothering me in the middle of the night?]
System awoke from its dormant state, its diamond-like body instantly appearing before Chu Xinian’s eyes, emitting a radiance that not even the sun could match.
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.
Chu Xinian, for the first time, did not find it blinding. Speaking to himself, he said, “Tell me, how can a person understand his own heart?”
System was somewhat perplexed at this question: [What, what?]
Jte Wlcljc tjv ab gfqtgjrf la lc j wbgf rajcvjgv kjs, “Lbk mjc P xcbk ktfatfg P ilxf rbwfbcf bg cba?”
System thought, how would I know? I’ve grown up not knowing my dear little diamond. But he didn’t want to look bad in front of Chu Xinian, so he cleared his throat and provided some guidance: [If you can’t see him in the future, will you feel sad?]
Jte Wlcljc rjlv cbatlcu, “…”
System, not realizing how foolish he was being, continued to inquire: [If he ends up with someone else in the future, will you feel heartache?]
Jte Wlcljc obecv la tjgv ab lwjulcf remt j rmfcf, jcv tlr olcufgalqr ecmbcrmlberis alutafcfv jgbecv tlr xcff.
Finally, System asked: [Is he special to you?]
Jte Wlcljc ofii mbwqifafis rlifca.
Vsrafw kjlafv rlifcais obg j ktlif, qgfqjglcu ab rjs rbwfatlcu ktfc Jte Wlcljc wbalbcfv obg tlw ab rabq.
His pristine white attire never touched the dust. Now, amid the complex thoughts that had suddenly become clear during the previous questions, Chu Xinian smiled. His inky black hair cascaded down his shoulders, resembling a celestial being banished to the moonlight. With a determined tone and a deep voice, he said, “Now I know the answer, thank you.”
#Brother, are you sure you understood that very quickly?#
System had prepared a lot of questions, but he didn’t have the opportunity to voice them. He leaned closer to Chu Xinian, and only now did he realize a crucial question: [So who do you like?]
Chu Xinian remained silent, turning his head to look silently at the inner room. He thought that Xie Jingyuan should have already fallen asleep by now. It would be better to talk to him tomorrow…
Finally, he lay down on the sofa, covered himself with the blanket, and settled down to sleep.
System’s face was filled with horror as he reacted belatedly to what was happening. In a panic, he exclaimed: [Wait! Dear Host, don’t go to sleep yet! Tell me who you like first!]
Please, please don’t let it be Xie Jingyuan!!!!!
With his eyes closed, Chu Xinian hinted in a soft voice, “People and stones are different.”
Stones do not develop emotions, but people do. Even if it is the same object, wearing it for a long time can evoke feelings. Moreover, they spend every day together.
System did not have time to think about whether Chu Xinian was referring to his stone-hearted nature. With tears in his eyes, he threw himself on the edge of the pillow: [Host, please! Don’t develop feelings for the target, it will affect my performance!]
Chu Xinian mumbled, “I know, you have told me so many times.”
But…
What does your performance have to do with me?
You agree, don’t you?
＃System self-destructs on the spot＃
Although the night was quiet, both the person inside the room and the person outside spent a sleepless night, each harboring their thoughts. Early the next morning, when it was time to attend the Palace banquet, Chu Xinian wanted to say something to Xie Jingyuan several times, but never found the opportunity.
Xie Jingyuan had already aroused the Emperor’s suspicions and had to keep a low profile. After all, no one knew what might happen at the banquet, and going there would only get him into trouble. Still, he went.
The four-horse carriage swayed as it made its way to the Palace. The wheels rolled on the bluestone floor, producing a metallic sound.
Xie Jingyuan sat inside the carriage, dressed in a luxurious black robe, looking even more gloomy and desolate. He was still wrapped in a thick cloak, covering his lips with a handkerchief. From time to time, a suppressed cough escaped him, and a pale sickness could be seen between his brows.
He remained expressionless, not speaking to Chu Xinian, not even glancing at him. His attitude was colder than the mask on his face.
A low table was placed inside the carriage, and Chu Xinian poured a cup of hot tea, gently handing it to Xie Jingyuan’s frozen hand, “General, have some hot tea.”
Chu Xinian wore his usual smile, perhaps even deeper than usual. With his white robe and jade belt, he exuded an ethereal charm capable of charming half the young women in the Capital. However, Xie Jingyuan did not look at him, closed his eyes, and withdrew his hand.
Chu Xinian was stunned. Holding the porcelain cup, he unconsciously played with it, guessing that Xie Jingyuan might be angry. But should he discuss this matter in the carriage? It did not seem appropriate.
He put down the cup and hesitated for a moment, then took the initiative to take Xie Jingyuan’s hand. Although they had held hands before, it had been an innocent act driven by ignorance. This time, the meaning was different.
Xie Jingyuan’s thin eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his instinct was to shake off Chu Xinian’s hold. However, Chu Xinian firmly grasped his fingertips and refused to let go. In a deep voice, he asked, “General, are you angry with me?”
Xie Jingyuan did not reply, his eyes narrowed, fixed on Chu Xinian. Menacingly, his expression was a mixture of indiscernible emotions, “Chu Xinian, you don’t want your hand anymore?”
He tightly squeezed Chu Xinian’s hand. With a slight movement, he could easily break his bones.
Chu Xinian was good at reading people’s hearts, and naturally, he understood that Xie Jingyuan would not hurt him. The latter had not even exerted the slightest force. He let Xie Jingyuan cling to him and suddenly smiled. He unexpectedly asked, “Since when did the General like me?”
This sentence was like a bolt of lightning falling from the sky, causing Xie Jingyuan to let go of him as if he had been electrocuted.
Chu Xinian kept his cool and shook his sleeve, wanting to break free from Xie Jingyuan’s restraint. He had no less than twenty ways to do it. Look, the other person had let go of him.
He asked again, “Since when did the General like me?”
Xie Jingyuan tensed the corners of his lips upon hearing this. He wanted to put on a cold, mocking expression but failed. A burning anger suddenly flared in his gloomy eyes, “Who said this General likes you!”
He hadn’t realized how obvious his true feelings were, how frightened and nervous he looked.
Chu Xinian stared at him momentarily, then leaned closer to Xie Jingyuan, pressing him against the carriage wall. Their noses touched, their foreheads pressed together, and as he spoke, his breath was scorching, causing a slight sting, “If the General doesn’t like me, why did you kiss me?”
From the beginning, it was Xie Jingyuan who kissed Chu Xinian, so he lost.
Faced with this situation, naturally, he could only end up losing, unable to come up with an answer that would save his face no matter how much he racked his brain.
Xie Jingyuan’s face stiffened, and he could not find the words to speak. He narrowed his eyes, his expression defiant, “So what if I kissed you? If this General wants to, he does it without needing your permission.”
The words he uttered were truly unreasonable and disrupted the atmosphere.
Chu Xinian could not help but chuckle at his words. He wondered why he had not found Xie Jingyuan so interesting before. He touched the cold mask on Xie Jingyuan’s face and slowly spoke, ”Hmm…. If it was someone else, of course not, but if it’s the General…”
Xie Jingyuan instinctively turned his face away from his touch, feeling that half of his scarred face was very annoying, an embarrassment that couldn’t be concealed even by the mask. His fingertips closed into a fist, slowly clenching. Remembering the events of the night before, he felt even more ashamed.
He did not think that Chu Xinian would say anything good.
However, Chu Xiniann’s voice was low as he continued, “If it’s the General, naturally, nothing is forbidden…”
Xie Jingyuan paused in his words, looking at Chu Xinian in surprise, not understanding the meaning behind that statement. Before he could say anything, the carriage suddenly stopped, and a voice sounded from outside, “General, we have arrived at the Palace gates.”
Xie Jingyuan’s train of thought was interrupted, and he felt agitated.
Chu Xinian glanced outside, raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, and thought that there was no hurry. He returned to his seat, firmly grasping Xie Jingyuan’s hand again, this time with a firm grip, and smiled, “General, let’s get off the carriage.”
Xie Jingyuan was still unsettled by what was just said and was led out of the carriage by Chu Xinian in a daze.
The Palace gates were heavily guarded, and guards carefully checked civilian and military officials entering the banquet to see if they were carrying weapons. No one, not even high-ranking officials such as Qin Daoyan, Minister of War, or Xie Jingyuan, a General, could be exempted from this rule.
Chu Xinian allowed the soldiers to search him without resistance, thinking that Emperor Yan was as suspicious as described in the original plot. His behavior was polite, and he possessed a remarkable temperament. After his outstanding performance at the previous banquet, he attracted the attention of the civil and military officials attending the banquet.
Jin Ruhai also attended the banquet, dressed in a crimson robe, exuding a majestic aura. He showed no signs of being particularly close to Chu Xinian in front of everyone, merely nodding his head slightly in greeting as they passed each other.
Chu Xinian smiled faintly and returned the gesture, their gazes meeting in the air, silently conveying a message that only they knew.
Chu Xinian did not hesitate to show his closeness with Xie Jingyuan in front of the others. They walked side by side, appearing harmonious and intimate.
Xie Jingyuan’s mind was in confusion, still thinking about Chu Xinian’s words from earlier. Even after taking a seat, he could not calm his thoughts. Unfortunately, with so many people present, it was inconvenient to ask questions, so he had to temporarily suppress his curiosity.
Chu Xinian had come today to observe. He wanted to observe Emperor Yan’s appearance, see if the persona of Zhou Wenchen, the commander of the Imperial Guard, had changed, and, of course, most importantly, deal a killing blow to Qin Daoyan.
Xie Jingyuan hated Qin Daoyan.
This was Chu Xinian’s conclusion after secretly observing for a long time. Although he had yet to discover the exact reason, it wouldn’t hurt to eliminate one of Xie Jingyuan’s archenemies. It may even lessen the degree of blackening from the other party.
Chu Xinian could not help but look up and stare at the crimson-robed official in front of him. The man had white temples, a tanned face, and a black patch over his right eye, making him stand out among the guests. It was Qin Daoyan.
Qin Daoyan’s gaze was sharp, piercing like a knife as it fell on Xie Jingyuan.
Chu Xinian smiled and gently stroked Xie Jingyuan’s hand under the table, whispering in a voice only they could hear, “How about I take care of this person for you, General?”
Xie Jingyuan had once considered killing Qin Daoyan but had failed. With hundreds of loyal subordinates protecting him day and night, it was difficult to eliminate him. He could only wait for the right opportunity. Meanwhile, Chu Xinian chose the simplest method, using someone else’s hand to kill.
Xie Jingyuan might not be able to kill Qin Daoyan, but Emperor Yan would.
Xie Jingyuan looked at Chu Xinian, feeling as if, unknowingly, this person had unearthed many secrets from him, “When did I ever say that I wanted to get rid of Qin Daoyan?”
Chu Xinian remained silent and pointed towards the Crown Prince who had just taken a seat, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips, “Even if the General doesn’t want to, the Crown Prince surely does.”
On the day the Crown Prince left the Palace to pay his respects, all his aides were killed by Qin Shuang, and he narrowly escaped death. With new grievances added to old grievances, it would be strange if he did not want to kill Qin Daoyan.
Xie Jingyuan’s deep gaze rested on Qin Daoyan, mixed with indescribable emotions, feeling as if even the scorching Sun could dispel the chilling atmosphere.
He held the cup on the table, raised it to his lips, closed his eyes, seemingly recalling some long-forgotten memories, and said, “Chu Xinian, if Qin Daoyan is eliminated today, half of my life will belong to you.”
Chu Xinian paused in his words, thinking that Xie Jingyuan had an old grudge against Qin Daoyan. He smiled and asked, “What would I do with half of your life? General, why don’t you tell me how I can get the other half?”
As they were talking, the characteristic voice of an eunuch suddenly sounded from outside, “The Emperor arrives!”
OH HO HO HO JUST KISS BA
I was so disappointed they didn’t kiss like my face just dropped 😭😭
+1 kiss kiss fall in love!!
My lovelies please just get along 😞
Haha ” what I would do with half of your life?” This reminds me of Winry and Edward’s (from fullmetal alchemist) confession ❤❤❤