After the Pitiful Little One Seduced the Feudal Big Daddy - Chapter 13

Unlike in his memories, “Father” did not embrace him back this time. However, this was enough to set his mind at ease. Almost instantly, a heavy drowsiness washed over him. Xie Yunqing burrowed deeper into his father’s embrace, desperately drawing in his warmth, and then fell into a deep, sound sleep.

After falling asleep, Xie Yunqing initially felt as if he were falling. But this time, he didn’t land in a swamp, but in a pool of warm water. The warmth washed over his body, cleansing the greasy, sticky sensations of his nightmare. Finally, it transformed into a hand that gently brushed his cheek, leaving him with an immense sense of peace.

Unconsciously, Xie Yunqing nuzzled against the palm of that hand, murmuring in his sleep, “Father…”

He didn’t know how long he slept before he was awakened by Pei Xuan’s voice. Opening his eyes and seeing Pei Xuan’s face, he couldn’t immediately process what had happened. He had clearly been studying in the library; how had he fallen asleep?

“Yunqing, you nearly scared me to death again,” Pei Xuan said with a piteous face. “How can studying even result in you getting hurt?”

Hurt…

Xie Yunqing’s memory remained a blur. From the side, Cui Ji let out a long sigh and explained resignedly, “It is already the next day. We aren’t entirely sure what happened yesterday either.”

“All we know is that you apparently fainted in the library. It was the Chancellor’s personal attendant who brought you back. He told us you hit the wall and injured yourself, but it’s already been treated. He said you must rest well these next few days and not wander about.”

The Chancellor!

Fragmented memories suddenly rushed back like a tide. Xie Yunqing remembered that because of the sudden torrential rain and his recent recollections of his ten-year-old self, he had fallen into a nightmare where he couldn’t distinguish between reality and illusion. The process was still hazy; he only remembered that at the end of the nightmare, his father had come to save him again.

Father… Father… Father…

His father couldn’t possibly be here. Then, the “Father” he had clung to yesterday… who exactly was it? Xie Yunqing gave an involuntary shiver.

He opened his mouth. “…Why would it be the Chancellor’s attendant who brought me back?”

Pei Xuan looked puzzled as well. “Yeah, I’m curious too. Why did he get involved with my brother? I remember he usually doesn’t like meddling in ‘idle affairs’.” He immediately felt the wording was inappropriate and gave Xie Yunqing a sheepish smile. “I don’t mean that you are an idle affair. It’s just that for my brother, everything besides state business and official duties is an ‘idle affair’.”

“Hmm…” After pondering for a moment, Pei Xuan still couldn’t figure it out, so he asked Cui Ji, “What do you think?”

Cui Ji didn’t want to answer at first. But seeing the uncertain and fearful look on Xie Yunqing’s face, he eventually spoke up: “There’s no need to keep guessing.”

“Even if it was the Chancellor’s attendant, it doesn’t necessarily involve the Chancellor himself. Perhaps they were just passing by, or fetching something for the Chancellor, and happened to find Yunqing fainted and did a good deed.”

“Right!” Pei Xuan nodded vigorously and patted Cui Ji’s shoulder. “As expected of you! That makes total sense.”

Cui Ji snorted coldly and brushed Pei Xuan’s hand off, not acknowledging the compliment. However, Xie Yunqing remained uneasy; after all, Pei Xuan and Cui Ji didn’t know about the “Father” incident.

He hesitated for a moment and asked softly, “Then, where is the Chancellor now?”

“Why are you asking about my brother?” Pei Xuan’s eyes widened, but then he understood. “You want to thank his attendant, right?” He shook his head. “My brother has already returned to the Chancellor’s Manor. Wait until next time; the next time he comes back, whether you’re here or not, I’ll thank him for you.”

The Chancellor was gone. Xie Yunqing suddenly felt at ease; perhaps he really was overthinking. Just as Pei Xuan said, the Chancellor wouldn’t meddle in such matters, so there was no need to worry about having offended him.

But… the Pei residence was not a place where he should linger. Thus, Xie Yunqing proposed to Pei Xuan that he wanted to return to the Imperial Academy to recover.

Pei Xuan refused immediately, but he couldn’t withstand Xie Yunqing’s persistence this time. Finally, he compromised, letting Xie Yunqing stay for two more days until Physician Liu declared his injuries were no longer an issue before sending him back.

Physician Liu’s medical skill was indeed brilliant. Even though Xie Yunqing had hit the wall again, after two days, the pain in his body had completely vanished. With the physician’s consent and after a formal farewell to Old Madame Pei, Xie Yunqing returned to the Imperial Academy.

Pei Xuan did not return with him, saying he wanted to stay home for one more day. Cui Ji also returned to the Cui residence first, intending to return to the academy a day later as well.

The moment he stepped into the dormitory, even though Xie Yunqing wasn’t particularly sensitive to the attitudes of others, he immediately sensed a difference in his roommates’ behavior. However, he didn’t investigate or take it to heart, focusing solely on his studies.

It was early morning when he returned. After attending all the lectures and finishing his coursework, it was evening once again. Xie Yunqing originally wanted to go to the library to review the policy essays from the past few days, but the sky suddenly turned gloomy. Still reeling from his recent experience, he didn’t dare stay out alone in the rain and changed direction back toward the dormitory.

Dark clouds had gathered over a tall tree in the distance. Xie Yunqing glanced up instinctively and saw Yu Chen staring at him with a sinister expression. Yu Chen was dressed in deep black robes, standing not far away.

Unlike Pei Xuan and Cui Ji, Yu Chen lacked that innate, noble youthful spirit. He wasn’t ordinary or mediocre, but he had an aura Xie Yunqing couldn’t quite describe. If he had to put it into words, being stared at by Yu Chen made one’s skin crawl like being watched by a venomous snake.

Perhaps it was the word “pitiful” used by Pei Xuan that had left such a deep impression, but in this moment, Xie Yunqing suddenly remembered the rumors regarding Yu Chen’s background. Though Yu Chen was now the only son of the Yu clan of Yingchuan, it hadn’t always been that way. He originally had two older brothers, and Yu Chen himself was the child of a mistress, initially unacknowledged by the clan.

It was only a few years ago, after his two older brothers died suddenly one after the other and the main branch had no other sons, that Yu Xiu acknowledged him. Shortly after he was brought back, his biological mother died of illness. Others whispered that the “illness” was merely a cover, and that the legitimate wife could not tolerate Yu Chen or his mother; unable to harm Yu Chen, she had killed his mother instead.

Hearing such a story, he truly did deserve Pei Xuan’s description of “pitiful.”

Xie Yunqing might have felt for him, but he lacked the status to do so. Facing Yu Chen, his only option was to avoid him; otherwise, more trouble would surely follow. But he hadn’t taken more than two steps before he heard Yu Chen call his name.

Xie Yunqing resisted the urge to look back. With a sudden burst of unknown courage, he pretended not to hear and ran toward the dormitory.

Upon reaching his room, he found several of Pei Xuan’s attendants waiting at his door with a large pile of items. Xie Yunqing was stunned. He asked why they were there and if Pei Xuan had returned. The leader replied that Pei Xuan was still at home, but they were sent by him and Old Madame Pei to deliver some things.

Xie Yunqing didn’t know how to react and dazedley let them in. Once inside, the attendants efficiently set to work, tidying his bed, his desk, and his small storage cabinet. His roommates, perhaps feeling the room had become too crowded, left one by one.

Once they finished organizing, they began placing numerous items some familiar to Xie Yunqing, many not onto his bed, desk, and shelves. Eventually, there was so much that it wouldn’t all fit. They produced several new shelves and set them up next to his desk.

By the time they were done and took their leave, Xie Yunqing finally snapped out of it and tried to stop them, telling them to take the things back. The head attendant replied that these were daily necessities and study materials prepared by Pei Xuan, and new clothes from Old Madame Pei. They were only following orders and hoped Xie Yunqing wouldn’t make things difficult for them.

Xie Yunqing instinctively felt it was strange; during his days at the Pei residence, Pei Xuan hadn’t mentioned sending so much. But then again, given Pei Xuan’s impulsive nature, it wasn’t impossible. He could only accept them for now, planning to return everything when Pei Xuan arrived the next day.

However, he had just sat down when the door knocked again. Thinking the attendants had returned, he rose and opened the door without any defense.

But this time, standing outside was Yu Chen.

Without waiting for Xie Yunqing to speak, Yu Chen walked straight in, surveying the room with a scrutinizing gaze. Then, he gave a sinister smile. “Everything is different now that you’ve climbed onto Pei Xuan. So many things—many are more precious than what I have.”

Xie Yunqing knew he came with ill intent and didn’t engage. He only said, “I will return them. Also, Academy Rule 151: students are not permitted to enter another’s dormitory without an invitation. You… you should leave.”

Yu Chen was momentarily stunned, then he smiled again, his expression more meaningful than before. “What? Using the rules set by the Pei family to pressure me?”

Xie Yunqing didn’t want to argue, so he lowered his head. To his surprise, Yu Chen walked right up to him. For every step Yu Chen took, Xie Yunqing took one back. Finally, he was backed into a corner with nowhere to go.

He tried to push Yu Chen away, but Yu Chen grabbed his wrist and used his other hand to pinch his chin. Instantly, a chill ran through Xie Yunqing. No matter how cold or mocking Yu Chen had been before, he had never laid a hand on him. Furthermore, in this moment, Yu Chen’s gaze filled him with deep fear and disgust a different kind of fear than before.

Xie Yunqing reacted and began to struggle violently, but he was no match for Yu Chen’s strength. The effort even aggravated his injuries. In an instant, the pain made him lose his strength, and he broke into a cold sweat.

As if admiring Xie Yunqing’s futile resistance for a few seconds, Yu Chen tilted his chin up, forcing him to meet his gaze. Yu Chen’s eyes felt almost physical slimy and damp like a snake’s tongue, licking over his face bit by bit.

“How long do you think the passion of someone with Pei Xuan’s background lasts? When you’re eventually tossed aside once he’s bored, you’ll learn that life can be worse than death. You would have been better off choosing me from the start.”

Yu Chen leaned down, his face nearly touching Xie Yunqing’s lips, his breath hot against his skin. “At least in the end, I could find a good place for you.”

Gathering strength from somewhere, Xie Yunqing suddenly shoved Yu Chen away, actually managing to knock him back a step. Then, he ran for the door without looking back. But he hadn’t gone far before Yu Chen caught him again, pinning his arms and slamming him against the door.

Yu Chen hissed through gritted teeth, “You dare run? I was only going easy on you before; don’t think I won’t actually touch you.”

As he spoke, he actually moved to kiss him. Xie Yunqing jerked his head to the side, fighting and struggling with everything he had. But it was still useless. A sense of despair washed over him. Every part of his body felt as though it were being burned by fire or cut by knives.

Suddenly there was another knock on the door from outside.

Yu Chen’s movements paused. Xie Yunqing seized the opportunity, broke free, and yanked the door open, rushing out. Strangely, there was no one outside the door or even in the dormitory courtyard. But Xie Yunqing didn’t stop to think; he just ran blindly in one direction.

He ran until he was exhausted, and looking up, he found he had run into the courtyard of “The Great Personage.” Everything was silent; besides the sound of his own breathing, there wasn’t even the chirp of an insect. The sky was now completely dark.

Xie Yunqing leaned against a pillar in the gallery, dazed for a moment, perhaps longer. Inexplicably, he walked to the end of the hall, stopping before that particular wing. It was pitch black. The Great Personage wasn’t there. And this time, he hadn’t brought the outer robe with him. Yet he stayed there for a long time.

Looking up again, the moon was high. Thinking that Yu Chen must have left and his roommates must have returned, Xie Yunqing began walking back toward the dorms.

As he reached the lake, he heard faint, abnormal gasps the painful groans of someone who, like him, was injured. Xie Yunqing hurried toward the sound. Rounding the lake, he found a person lying in a strange position in the water pavilion.

By the moonlight, he could see the person’s clothes were in disarray, and their exposed skin was covered in purple bruises not ordinary injuries. Even though Xie Yunqing was inexperienced, he had heard the scandalous talk of others.

Shocked, he ran to the person’s side and knelt down. Leaning in, he asked urgently, “What happened? Are you alright? Don’t be afraid, I’ll go get the proctor!”

The person seemed to be in great pain, gasping for a long time without being able to form a single coherent word or sentence. Xie Yunqing realized what was happening and quickly took off his own outer robe, draping it over them.

He moved to stand up to find the proctor, but just as he moved, the person called out: “Don’t… don’t… go…”

Xie Yunqing paused. Though he didn’t understand why, he followed the request and returned to the person’s side. He tried to soothe them: “Please don’t be afraid. This isn’t your fault. The proctor will help you find justice. I… I will also do my best to help.”

But the person grabbed his hem and shook their head with difficulty. “I’m fine…”

Xie Yunqing felt a rare sense of urgency, and for some reason, his eyes grew damp. He took the person’s hand. “How can you be fine? Someone must have bullied you, right?”

In the moonlight, Xie Yunqing saw the person actually smile. There was a hint of gloom in their eyes, as if they were mocking themselves or simply stating a fact: “No… no one bullied me.”

After gasping for breath a few more times, they seemed puzzled and tilted their head slightly, asking Xie Yunqing, “Why… are you sad?”

Xie Yunqing didn’t know how to answer. He only insisted, “I’ll take you to the physician first, then we’ll find the proctor and the Chancellor.”

“I will definitely help you.”

But the person still refused. A moment later, they gripped Xie Yunqing’s hand back, sounding hesitant:

“You are Xie Yunqing… right?”