I Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder, Only to be Desired by the Dragon King - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Cleaning the Pond — He took a deep breath, imitating Shen Youqing’s…

The dining hall was exceptionally quiet today. Only one person was seated—the son of the Minister of Rites, the one who had sent the wine.

Shen Youqing stood at the door for a good while, trying to remember the man’s full name. He vaguely recalled the surname was Wen. Wen… something-Shu?

He walked slowly to the dining table, pulled out a chair, and gave a polite greeting: “Morning, Young Master… Young Master Wen.”

Wen Shubai looked up at him briefly, gave a faint nod, and lowered his head to continue eating. He wore a moon-white silk robe with dark bamboo leaf patterns embroidered on the cuffs. Every movement exuded a gentle, scholarly elegance, though his features carried a persistent air of distant detachment.

Shen Youqing observed him secretly. This guy is truly the “handsome but silent” type. However, he wasn’t haughty. If you started a conversation, he would respond politely, but he preferred to remain silent whenever possible. His replies were usually truncated to two or three words. Shen Youqing found him quite odd. Could he be a bit socially anxious or something?

He thought this meal would pass in complete silence—each eating their own, then returning to their respective rooms without interaction. To his surprise, just as his chopsticks picked up a piece of green vegetable, a voice came from across the table.

“Young Master Shen.”

“Huh? Wh-what is it?”

Shen Youqing had been eating intently; the hall was so quiet that only the clinking of bowls was audible. This sudden voice, specifically calling his name, startled him so much he nearly choked on his greens.

Wen Shubai set down his chopsticks, wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin, and spoke in his usual flat tone: “Do you have plans after breakfast?”

Shen Youqing chewed hurriedly and swallowed. “Nothing urgent… Oh, right. I need to go back to the courtyard to scoop fallen leaves out of the pond. I just changed the water yesterday, but a lot of debris drifted in.”

He paused, then asked tentatively, “Do you… need something?”

He expected a request for a favor, but Wen Shubai remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, “May I join you?”

“Ah?” Shen Youqing was completely stunned, his porridge spoon hanging in mid-air. “Join me… to scoop leaves?”

Wen Shubai nodded. His gaze fell on Shen Youqing’s porridge, his voice remaining devoid of inflection. “I have nothing to do. I might as well lend a hand.”

Shen Youqing scratched his head. He was full of confusion but couldn’t really refuse. After all, the man had offered to help; it would be rude to shut him out. He smiled and said, “Then… of course! It’s just a bit of a hassle for you. I could actually finish it quite quickly myself…”

“It is no matter,” Wen Shubai interrupted, picking up his chopsticks to finish his meal.

“Alright then…” Shen Youqing rubbed his nose and agreed.

…

The two finished quickly, and Shen Youqing led Wen Shubai toward his courtyard.

The atmosphere during the walk was subtly awkward. Wen Shubai was naturally quiet, hands hanging neatly at his sides, eyes fixed on the bluestone path, his gait steady without a single wasted motion.

Shen Youqing, on the other hand, was a natural chatterbox who was currently forced to stay in character. He had to suppress the urge to talk, turning himself into a functional mute. The hallway echoed only with their footsteps—one slow and steady, one slightly hurried—creating an erratic rhythm on the stone.

Shen Youqing was dying of boredom. He stole a glance at Wen Shubai, who remained perfectly calm as if he were born for silence. This guy’s patience is terrifying, Shen thought with a sigh.

Finally reaching his gate, Shen Youqing felt a wave of relief. He pushed the gate open and smiled, stepping aside. “Here we are! The yard isn’t big, but it’s quiet. You’re welcome to visit often.”

“Okay,” Wen Shubai nodded. The response was brief, yet surprisingly decisive.

Shen Youqing: “?”

That was just a polite pleasantry! Why did he agree so readily? Dazed, he waved his hand. “Right, come in. I’ll go get the skimming net. Let’s clear those leaves first.”

The moment he entered his own territory, Shen Youqing’s nerves relaxed. He headed for the side room, not noticing that Wen Shubai, following behind, had a flicker of emotion in his normally placid eyes. Hidden within his wide sleeves, his hands had tightened into fists, his knuckles turning white.

Wen Shubai stood at the entrance, his gaze sweeping over the pond. He saw a wooden stool by the water and a few buckets in the corner. He let out a quiet, imperceptible breath to suppress a strange nervousness before stepping firmly into the yard.

In the pond, Feng Xiuyan—who had only just started resting—suddenly sensed an unfamiliar aura. His small eyes darted toward the gate. When he saw the moon-white figure, his silvery-white tail sank slightly.

The Wen boy? What is he doing here?

…

Shen Youqing emerged from the side room with a bamboo skimming net. He took two steps toward the pond and saw Wen Shubai standing by the gate like a wooden post.

He waved cheerfully. “Young Master Wen, come over! Make yourself at home, don’t be stiff!”

Wen Shubai nodded and slowly approached. But the closer he got to the pond, the faster his heart raced. He could feel his palms becoming damp; even his fingertips were trembling.

The legendary Dragon King… is in this very water.

As he neared, he caught a glimpse of a silvery-white shadow darting beneath the surface. A flowing, gauze-like tail flashed in the sunlight before vanishing.

Is that… the Dragon King?!

Wen Shubai’s heart leaped. His eyes were glued to the water, completely forgetting to look where he was walking.

“Watch out!”

Before Shen Youqing’s warning could finish, the usually poised Wen Shubai seemed possessed. His foot caught on the wooden stool by the pond, and he lunged forward, about to face-plant into the water!

Shen Youqing reacted instantly, thrusting the skimming net forward. The mesh happened to catch Wen Shubai right over his head, and Shen yanked back with all his might.

Splash! Wen Shubai didn’t fall into the water, but he landed hard on his rear on the ground. The net was draped over his head like a veil, leaving only two panicked eyes visible. He looked exactly like a trapped rabbit.

Shen Youqing stared for a second, then couldn’t help it—a “pfft” escaped his lips, followed by a full laugh.

The laughter snapped Wen Shubai back to reality. His face burned. He hurriedly pulled the net off his head, his ears turning beet red. He opened his mouth to ease the embarrassment, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw the little silvery-white fish poking half its body out of the water. A pair of dark eyes were staring at him intently, seemingly judging him.

The Dragon King is watching me!

Wen Shubai’s heart tightened. He scrambled to his feet, but in his haste, he tripped over the net lying on the ground, staggering and nearly falling again. Once he stabilized himself, he cleared his throat, trying to mask his shame with a cough. His voice was lower than usual: “I have shown Young Master Shen a laughable sight.”

“Are you okay?” Shen Youqing walked over, picked up the net, and handed it to him, patting his arm. “What happened? You almost dived in. Were you just dying to take a swim?”

Wen Shubai took the net. The cold bamboo pole helped him regain some composure. He avoided Shen Youqing’s eyes, looking down at the moss by the pond. “It is nothing. I simply didn’t see the path clearly.”

In the pond, Feng Xiuyan watched the flustered Wen Shubai, his tail flicking the surface and creating a small splash. What is wrong with this Wen kid? He knows candidates shouldn’t meet me like this during the selection process, yet he comes anyway. Tsk. How undisciplined.

Shen Youqing was still wondering about Wen Shubai’s weird behavior but didn’t notice the tension. He simply shoved the net into Wen’s hands with a smile. “Glad you’re okay. Here, use this. We’ll split the work: the leaves on the left are yours, and I’ll take the right.”

Wen Shubai’s grip on the net tightened. He couldn’t help stealing another glance at the water. The Dragon King was still watching. He took a deep breath, suppressed his nerves, and nodded. “Alright.”

Shen Youqing took his own net to the right side and dipped it in. The morning water was chilly. As the mesh touched the surface, the little black fish hiding under a leaf darted away.

Seeing Little Black’s timid reaction, Shen Youqing laughed. Once the fish was clear, he continued skimming. “Look, just do it like this. Not too much force, or you’ll splash yourself.”

As he spoke, he dumped a pile of leaves into a bucket and looked at Wen Shubai, who was still standing still. “Why aren’t you starting? Never done this before?”

Wen Shubai took a deep breath. He imitated Shen Youqing’s posture and slowly lowered the net. But perhaps because he was too tense or misjudged the weight, the net hit the water with a massive thwack, sending a huge splash upward. The leaves scattered, and his sleeve was instantly soaked.

“Whoa, easy, easy!” Shen Youqing laughed. “The leaves won’t run away. Why are you fighting them? Hahaha…”

Wen Shubai’s ears turned even redder. He softened his movements and tried again. This time, he successfully scooped up a few leaves, but as he moved to dump them in the bucket, his balance faltered. He wobbled, and half the leaves fell back into the water.

He bent over to try again, only to see Feng Xiuyan flick his tail—looking for all the world like he was mocking his clumsiness. Wen Shubai felt even more humiliated.

Shen Youqing, oblivious to the silent drama, was making great progress. He worked smoothly, occasionally chatting with the fish: “Little White, move over a bit. Don’t block me from getting these leaves.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Wen Shubai—standing on the other side—froze completely.

Little… White!!?