Drunk on Madness - Chapter 16

In the courtyard of Hanqiu Residence, the four of them finished their lunch.

Li Xiang cleared the dishes and left the room, leaving the three men in a tense standoff.

Su Mo was the first to break the silence: “Don’t tell Xiangxiang that I beat up Chen Bolin.”

Gu Ci said disapprovingly, “Weren’t you quite the hero when you hit him today?”

Su Mo showed no reaction, so Gu Ci patiently continued, “Didn’t we agree last night to hold our ground for now? Charging in to hit someone in front of so many students, how impressive. Aren’t you afraid they’ll report you to the academy supervisor?”

Su Mo’s eyes were full of disdain. “Let them. He was the one who bullied my person first.”

Zhou Mingxuan’s deep pupils shimmered faintly as he asked, “Did Xiangxiang confess to you?”

The corner of Su Mo’s lips twitched slightly as he replied slowly, “Yes.” His voice was devoid of warmth.

After a long pause, seeing that Su Mo didn’t want to elaborate, Gu Ci couldn’t wait any longer and asked, “And then? What did she confess? Just say it already.”

Su Mo hesitated for a moment before answering, “Chen Bolin went to her yesterday, claiming to be her cousin, and brought up some past experiences. As for the leverage you mentioned, I promised her I wouldn’t tell anyone. All I can say is that it definitely doesn’t conflict with the interests of Yan Prince’s Residence.”

Seeing his reluctance to discuss it further, Zhou Mingxuan didn’t press for details. Gu Ci, still puzzled, finally asked, “Then why were you so impulsive today, going straight to beating him up?”

Su Mo gave him a meaningful look for a few seconds before replying, “I don’t like the look of him. Is it wrong to hit him?” Gu Ci felt a slight chill under Su Mo’s gaze and quickly said, “No, of course not.”

“Hmph.” Su Mo scoffed lightly, unable to stand men who had improper thoughts about Li Xiang.

And so, several peaceful days passed. Li Xiang didn’t go to meet Chen Bolin as agreed, and at first, she felt uneasy. Later, when news of Su Mo’s beating reached her, she finally understood why Chen Bolin hadn’t come to cause trouble for her.

If Chen Bolin could use this matter to threaten her into leaving today, he could use it to force her to do something else tomorrow. Rather than being controlled by him, it was better to lay everything out in the open. As for the outcome, it depended on whether the person she chose would stand by her side. After all, if those who cared about her knew this “leverage” and were willing to accept her, then it would no longer be leverage.

Meanwhile, Su Mo was summoned by the academy supervisor for bullying a fellow student. Despite Zhou Mingxuan and Gu Ci’s efforts to speak on his behalf, the supervisor still punished him by making him copy the academy rules fifty times.

The group of close friends immediately set to work after class, sitting properly in the room and helping him copy the rules. Seeing them punished because of her, Li Xiang joined in copying as well. Fortunately, Su Mo’s handwriting wasn’t particularly neat, so Li Xiang’s mediocre calligraphy skills came in handy.

As she copied, Li Xiang also learned some uncommon characters. After half a month, her brushwork began to look quite decent.

One day after dinner, they continued copying the academy rules as usual.

Li Xiang tidied the desk, ground ink for Zhou Mingxuan, and then returned to her seat to keep copying.

Su Mo, watching her copy yet another book by noon, said with concern, “Xiangxiang, take a break. You’ve been copying all afternoon, don’t strain your eyes.”

Without looking at him, the corner of Li Xiang’s lips lifted slightly as she replied slowly, “It’s fine. With everyone working together, we’ll finish in a few more days.” The faint yellow lamplight cast shadows over her long lashes, revealing a touch of innocence in her focused expression.

A trace of tenderness flickered in Su Mo’s eyes as he said, “But seeing you like this pains my heart.” His words left the three people in the room stunned.

Li Xiang had never expected Su Mo to say something so sentimental in front of so many people. Flustered, she scolded, “What nonsense are you spouting again? Focus on your writing.”

Gu Ci remarked with a sarcastic tone, “Oh, so now you know how to feel heartache. Why don’t you spare some for me and Brother Mingxuan?”

Hearing this, Su Mo set down his brush, rolled up his sleeves, and said, “Come here, I’ll show you some heartache right now.” With ink-stained hands, he reached for Gu Ci’s shoulders.

The two tumbled into a playful scuffle, pulling and shoving, instantly livening up the atmosphere. Watching them, Li Xiang couldn’t help but smile, her eyes crinkling with amusement.

Baiyun Town Market

It was the first day of the month, and the market bustled with vendors from nearby areas. Li Xiang and Qingzhi had come out to shop. Su Mo was supposed to join them, but he had been unexpectedly summoned by the academy supervisor for a talk. Qingzhi had urged them to leave without waiting for him.

The two first wandered around the stalls at the street corner, browsing jewelry and rouge. After picking out a few items, they headed to the bookstore.

Lately, due to their book-copying work, their consumption of ink, paper, and brushes had skyrocketed. Fortunately, Qingzhi helped carry some of the purchases.

They then stopped by Banri Xian for a short break. It was Qingzhi’s first visit, and she took an immediate liking to the place. The two leisurely watched the koi fish in the pond while nibbling on snacks. Time flew by, and soon they packed a few pastries to take back.

Not long after leaving the town, a powerful neigh drew their attention. A tall, chestnut-red horse stood there, its carriage unadorned. Before Li Xiang could react, she recognized the person in the carriage but it was too late to avoid him. Chen Bolin grabbed her arm, dragged her into the carriage, and with a crack of his whip, sped away.

Their newly bought items scattered across the ground. Qingzhi stood frozen in shock. By the time she snapped out of it, Li Xiang had already been whisked away in the carriage, disappearing in the distance. Qingzhi chased after them for a few steps before quickly gathering some of the dropped items and rushing back to the academy.

The carriage jolted violently as its wheels rolled over rough stones, making it impossible to sit steadily. Inside, Li Xiang’s heart pounded, her forehead beading with cold sweat. From time to time, she touched the small knife hidden in her sleeve, a precaution she had taken after her last encounter with Chen Bolin, just in case.

After what felt like an eternity, the carriage finally came to a stop. The curtain was slowly lifted by a pair of pale, elegant hands. Chen Bolin stood there, his collar slightly disheveled, sleeves rolled up, his gaze icy as it settled on Li Xiang.

A flash of malice crossed Chen Bolin’s eyes. “Get down,” he ordered before turning away. Li Xiang steadied her breathing and slowly stepped out of the carriage.

They were at a dilapidated temple, its half-crumbled clay Buddha barely holding together. The altar was covered in dust and straw, the air thick with the musty scent of earth.

Chen Bolin’s brow furrowed slightly, his lips curling into a mocking smile. “Does this feel familiar? You stayed in a place like this for so long back then.”

Li Xiang’s eyes darkened with impatience. “Young Master Chen, our last meeting was rushed, and I didn’t have the chance to explain properly. I am not your cousin.”

Chen Bolin scoffed in disbelief. “Still lying to my face?”

Li Xiang retorted, “That night, it was just the two of us in the quiet. I only wanted to escape your harassment especially since you were the one who made inappropriate advances and spoke crudely. Any woman in that situation would have hit you. Now, what do you mean by kidnapping me?”

Chen Bolin’s dark eyes flashed with a sharp glint. “Then how do you explain Su Mo hitting me in front of the entire academy? If you’re not Sister Yan, why would Su Mo beat me up?”

Li Xiang felt an inexplicable chill creeping up her spine. “You scared me that day, so of course I told him.”

Chen Bolin’s gaze gleamed ominously in the shadows, his sharp eyes sweeping over Li Xiang. “I don’t believe a word you say. I only trust what I see.” His expression darkened slightly as he chuckled lowly. “Strip. Let me see for myself, and then I’ll believe you.”

Li Xiang’s palms turned ice-cold at his words, her hair standing on end. She trembled uncontrollably, enveloped in a freezing wave of terror. Desperate, she glanced toward the door and made a dash for it. But before her fingers could touch the latch, a large hand seized the back of her collar.

“Rip!” The sound of fabric tearing echoed. Seizing the moment, Li Xiang pulled out a small knife and slashed at Chen Bolin’s arm.

Seeing she had missed, she struck again. Unarmed, Chen Bolin could only dodge repeatedly.

Li Xiang, after all, was a woman. After several attempts, she was panting heavily. In a final desperate move, she aimed for his abdomen, but Chen Bolin sidestepped lightly. Though she missed his vitals, she still managed to wound him.

Clutching his injured stomach, Chen Bolin lifted his hand and saw blood. A shadow of cold ruthlessness flickered in his eyes. Finally losing patience with her resistance, he backhanded her across the face.

Li Xiang staggered, her fingers trembling so violently that the knife clattered to the ground. She collapsed onto the floor but immediately scrambled to retrieve the blade. Before she could, Chen Bolin stomped on the knife and kicked it away.

From somewhere, he produced a coil of rope and bound Li Xiang to a pillar, her hands tied tightly behind her back.

Tears welled up in Li Xiang’s terrified eyes, her voice quivering uncontrollably. “You bastard! If anything happens to me, Su Mo will never let you go!”