After the Pitiful Little One Seduced the Feudal Big Daddy - Chapter 7

At the moment he heard Cui Ji and Pei Xuan urging him to drink the medicine a cloud emerged in Xie Yunqing’s mind.

It was like a cloud his mother had pointed out to him long ago while they sat in the courtyard. Xie Yunqing’s thoughts became sluggish, and his breathing slowed. He remembered how, at that time, his mother had told him that just before he was born, a single cloud had suddenly drifted across an otherwise cloudless sky, stopping before her window and refusing to dissipate until he entered the world.

As if by divine inspiration, his mother decided to name him “Yunqing” (Cloud-Noble).

Truthfully, back then, he hadn’t fully understood the meaning of her words. He only remembered that the hands holding him were warm, and the look in her eyes as she watched the cloud was exceptionally tender.

Later, on the day she left him, she had held him once more. Pointing to a cloud that had drifted by at some unknown moment, she told him she was not leaving; she was simply going to live within the clouds, where she would accompany him from the heavens as he grew. From then on, Xie Yunqing developed the habit of looking up at the clouds from time to time, imagining his mother was within one of them, watching him in return.

That was until one day, his younger brother somehow overheard the reason why he liked to gaze at the sky. His brother and a group of children ridiculed him, saying his mother was long dead and could never live in the clouds. Xie Yunqing forgot how he had reacted. Likely, he hadn’t reacted at all. But from that day forward, he stopped looking up.

Yet the clouds did not vanish from his life. They appeared in his dreams whenever he was lonely, sad, or in pain. They also surfaced in his mind during those rare moments when he felt a spark of happiness, joy, or warmth.

So, at this very moment, did the appearance of the cloud signify pain or warmth? Xie Yunqing had no answer for now, because the cloud in his mind soon vanished—it was so fleeting that it was almost instantly dispersed by the panic and anxiety in his heart.

When he finally regained a sliver of reason and prepared to request to leave, he heard that the Dowager of the Pei family wished to see him. This truly left him completely at a loss.

Though he knew little of the capital’s great families, he knew that the Pei clan of Hedong was illustrious today not only because of the all-powerful Chancellor Pei, but also because of the Dowager. She was the Grand Princess of Yanguo, the paternal aunt of the current Emperor.

Years ago, when Chancellor Pei’s parents passed away, the Grand Princess had immediately petitioned the Emperor to abandon the etiquette of the Princess’s Manor and move into the private Pei Residence to personally raise her two grandsons. This move had stabilized the Pei family’s standing in an instant, ensuring that no other clan—nor even the imperial family—would look down upon them. It could be said that without her sacrifice, no matter how gifted Chancellor Pei was, it would have been difficult for him to leave the capital at age fifteen to succeed his father in Yu Province without any worries at home.

Moreover, while she was no longer intimately involved with imperial affairs, she remained the highest-ranking member of the imperial clan; no one dared show her anything but the utmost respect. And now, such a noble lady was saying she wanted to come and see him.

“Yunqing! Yunqing! Can you hear us?”

Xie Yunqing struggled to respond, giving a soft “Mhm.” Only then did he realize his wrist hurt. His brow furrowed slightly.

“Pei Xuan, you’re squeezing him too hard,” Cui Ji’s voice sounded helpless.

“Ah!” Pei Xuan let go immediately and stood up, yielding his spot by the bed to Cui Ji. “Cui Ji, are you trying to scare me? I clearly wasn’t using any force!”

Cui Ji didn’t bother replying. He paced to the bedside, leaned down, and asked softly, “Does your left shoulder still hurt?” He paused and added, “There’s no need to endure it; just tell us the truth.”

Xie Yunqing was unable to think clearly. He followed Cui Ji’s lead and focused on the sensation in his shoulder, then shook his head. “It doesn’t hurt much anymore.”

“That’s good. The herbal soup must be working,” Cui Ji straightened up. “Pei Xuan and I had Mother Qin step out just now because we wanted to discuss something with you. Although the Dowager offered to come to you, it wouldn’t be proper for an elder to do so. We thought that if you’re not in pain, it would be better to join us in accompanying her for the evening meal. Physician Liu also mentioned that walking is good for blood circulation and would benefit your recovery.”

“Are you willing?”

Xie Yunqing remained dazed, as if he couldn’t quite understand Cui Ji’s words. Cui Ji continued, “Don’t worry. The Dowager is a kind person and is very fond of the younger generation. You needn’t be too constrained; just treat her as you would an elder of your own family.”

“Yes, yes!” Pei Xuan nodded like a chick pecking at grain. “My grandmother is wonderful. Every time I get into trouble and my brother refuses to forgive me or wants to punish me, I just go and cry in front of her, and I’m instantly fine!”

Cui Ji couldn’t help himself. He rolled his eyes yet again. “Is that something worth bragging about?”

“I’m not telling an outsider,” Pei Xuan replied dismissively.

Cui Ji, defeated by him, took another deep breath and looked back at Xie Yunqing. “But if you truly aren’t willing, it doesn’t matter; the Dowager will not take offense.”

Xie Yunqing finally understood. Naturally, he wanted to refuse. He wanted to leave this place he shouldn’t have stepped into and these people he shouldn’t have contacted as quickly as possible. Yet for some reason, just as when they had urged him to drink the medicine, he found he couldn’t say no.

Why refuse? a small voice asked in his heart. Why must you always refuse the kindness of others?

Try it. Just try it.

That voice grew stronger. At the very least, he didn’t want to disappoint the two people before him who were being so good to him.

“…Alright.” Xie Yunqing’s eyelashes trembled incessantly, but he gave a slow nod.

“Wonderful!” Pei Xuan cheered. He turned toward the door. “I’ll go tell Mother Qin.” He didn’t return immediately, seemingly delayed by a conversation with her.

Only Xie Yunqing and Cui Ji remained in the room. Cui Ji seemed to hesitate, a rare moment of indecision. After a short while, he spoke. “You might be wondering why Pei Xuan is being so good to you.”

Xie Yunqing’s unfocused eyes instantly sharpened. He looked at Cui Ji and blinked, appearing very eager to know.

Cui Ji actually smiled whether because of Xie Yunqing’s expression or the words he was about to say. “Actually, I don’t know either.”

Xie Yunqing’s eyes widened, and he let out a tiny gasp of “Ah.”

Cui Ji burst into laughter. “I’m not lying; I truly don’t know.” He showed a rare bit of boyish mischief. A moment later, he stopped laughing and looked toward the door. “He’s just like that. He rarely considers the ‘why’ behind what he does; he simply does what he wants to do.”

“But you needn’t worry or feel insecure about it.” Cui Ji sighed, though his lips remained curved upward. “He’s the type where once he’s decided on a person or a thing, it’s very hard for him to change his mind.”

Cui Ji looked back at Xie Yunqing with an air of encouragement. “So, from now on, at least in front of him, you don’t need to be afraid. His kindness toward you is not only sincere, but unlikely to change. Just… don’t let him down.”

Xie Yunqing opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something. But before he could, he was interrupted by Pei Xuan, who came charging back in.

“Yunqing, Yunqing!” Pei Xuan crowded Cui Ji out of the way. “I just asked Mother Qin, and she said Grandmother doesn’t have any new clothes that would fit you.” He signaled for two servants to bring something forward. “So I had them find some of my own clothes that I’ve never worn. See which ones you want to wear today.”

After saying this, he suddenly raised his hand and used it to measure Xie Yunqing’s face, then turned and measured Cui Ji’s. He scratched his head. “That’s strange. Aren’t the three of us about the same age? How is Yunqing’s face so much smaller than ours? It’s only the size of my palm.”

“His height isn’t too different, but he’s far too thin; he can’t wear my new clothes at all.” Pei Xuan looked distressed. “Mother Qin said he can only fit into the clothes I wore when I was twelve or thirteen.” He looked seriously into Xie Yunqing’s eyes. “You must eat too little, that’s why you’re so thin, right?”

Cui Ji sneered, “Maybe it’s just that you eat too much?”

Pei Xuan actually thought about it for a long time before answering hesitantly, “Not really… I haven’t turned into a fat ball like the boys of the Ruan family. Physician Liu said I’m just very sturdy.”

Cui Ji closed his eyes, looking like he never wanted to speak to Pei Xuan again. But Pei Xuan was oblivious to the “complex” expression on his friend’s face; he happily grabbed Cui Ji’s shoulder. “Yunqing definitely won’t know how to pick clothes. You love dressing up and have good taste you pick for him.”

Before Cui Ji could react, Pei Xuan lunged back to the bed. “Yunqing, you have no idea how thorough I’ve been!”

“I already sent word to Officer Zhu that we’ll return to the Academy once your injury is healed. Don’t worry about your studies; there are several tutors in the residence who can teach you if you wish, and someone from the Academy will bring over the notes from the lectures. As for living here, my courtyard is huge and has plenty of rooms. We have everything you need. You just need to focus on recovering.”

After bragging, Pei Xuan grew a bit bashful. He looked at Xie Yunqing with earnest eyes. “So, Yunqing, you must stay for a while longer, okay? I will definitely take good care of you…”

“He just doesn’t want to go back to the Academy,” Cui Ji remarked while picking through the clothes, not missing the chance to undermine him.

“Cui Ji! You’re measuring the stature of a great man by the yardstick of a small one!” Pei Xuan practically jumped up, shouting. “I truly just want him to get better. After all, the Academy is no place to nurse an injury!”

Cui Ji gave a couple of cold laughs and pushed Pei Xuan aside with the chosen clothes. He handed them to a servant and signaled for him to help Xie Yunqing change, while continuing to tease: “I never realized you used to have clothes with rabbit patterns. Luckily you never wore them, otherwise I would have laughed my head off.”

“Laughed your head off? You were still losing your baby teeth back then!” Pei Xuan countered. He looked at the clothes with a bit of wonder. “I truly haven’t seen this piece; it must have been made and then put aside because it didn’t suit me.” He looked at Xie Yunqing and his eyes lit up. “Cui Ji’s taste really is good; this looks perfect for you.” He turned and nudged Cui Ji. “Let’s go out first. We’ll come back once he’s changed.”

As he left, he suddenly turned back to the servant. “Be extremely careful. Do not touch his left shoulder, and do not let him move it.”

The door clicked shut, and the warm, lively energy vanished. The room became exceptionally quiet.

Everything around him finally became clear. From the silk quilts and bed hangings to the desks and armrests; from the incense burners and jade vases to the screens and bead curtains. Even the sandalwood shelves filled with various treasures, and the pillars and beams whose every detail was exquisitely carved…

This was the lifestyle of the great clans that Xie Yunqing had only ever glimpsed in paintings. Now, it was real and right before him.

Xie Yunqing was not used to such an environment and sat in a dazed stupor. Since coming to the capital and the Academy, it wasn’t as if he’d had no chance to contact these noble houses—there were sudden invitations or paths of social climbing offered to him. Even though these chances were always nearby, Xie Yunqing never wanted to approach them. Yet now, he had woken up right in the middle of it.

He didn’t know how to conduct himself. The soft reminder from the servant brought him back to his senses. He still wanted to refuse at the very least, he didn’t need someone to wait on him but then he remembered Cui Ji’s words: Don’t let Pei Xuan’s kindness go to waste.

But was a single punch really worth such treatment?

In his bewilderment, the servant moved quickly. Avoiding the injury, he gently helped Xie Yunqing sit up, then stand. Within moments, the clothes were changed, and the servant quietly retreated.

Pei Xuan and Cui Ji returned quickly. For some reason, upon seeing Xie Yunqing, both of them were momentarily stunned. Cui Ji was the first to recover, clearing his throat. “It’s nearly time; let’s go.”

On the way, the usually talkative Pei Xuan was strangely silent. He kept glancing at Xie Yunqing, looking like he wanted to say something but was too shy. Cui Ji, after offering a few instructions on the etiquette for meeting the Dowager, also stopped speaking.

Xie Yunqing followed quietly behind them. Aside from walking, he made no extra movements, resembling a jade puppet controlled by strings. It wasn’t until they passed through an exquisite moon-gate, leaving Pei Xuan’s courtyard and entering the deep, winding corridors of the residence, that the strange and marvelous sights forced him to look around.

Unlike his hometown, every brick and tile here looked like a masterpiece of craftsmanship. A pavilion every five steps, a terrace every ten; the overlapping eaves radiated an aura of luxury. It was also different from the Academy. Besides the refined and solemn buildings, every step revealed a different view. Walking through it was like strolling through a lush garden of plants and stones; his eyes couldn’t take it all in.

Xie Yunqing’s footsteps grew heavy. Suddenly, passing a stone pool as clear as a mirror, he saw his own reflection mingling with several fallen leaves on the water. In a daze, he felt as though he too were one of those fallen leaves tiny, insignificant, and ignored within this palace-like residence. He had merely wandered in by mistake and had no place here. He felt even less than those leaves; he had no surface of water to support him.

Xie Yunqing suddenly felt a wave of shortness of breath and chest tightness.

He was nearly unable to breathe.