Still Secretly In Love With My Enemy Today - Chapter 31

Chapter 31: 

 

In the evening, I decided I really needed to have a serious discussion with Xie Huaishuang about the number of beds in this house.

 

The objective reason was that since Xie Huaishuang could now see, he wouldn’t stumble around anymore. Nor did he need me to keep track of the time to apply medicine or administer doses in the middle of the night. I couldn’t find a single logical excuse for us to keep sharing a bed.

 

The subjective reason was that lying on the same bed, with his breath falling just inches away, I found my mind wandering more and more often.

 

“We probably won’t stay here much longer.”

 

I lit the lamp. As I looked up, I saw half of Xie Huaishuang’s face illuminated by the bright glow. His features appeared even more vivid than usual, like a painting where the ink hadn’t quite dried. I froze for a moment before forcing myself to continue.

 

“After we disrupt the Temple’s ceremony, we’ll usually stay for a day to lure their pursuers toward us, then lose them on the road.”

 

Xie Huaishuang, his vision clearer now, absentmindedly toyed with his earlobe while watching my lip movements. He nodded.

 

“Where to?”

 

Clenching my hands, I quietly observed his expression. “Down to Qingzhou, then a detour through Jizhou. We’ll shake the Temple there, and then… and then, where do you want to go?”

 

The lamp flame flickered. Xie Huaishuang’s gaze lifted, meeting mine for a long moment before he spoke. “Back to Iron Cloud City. Is that alright?”

 

I hadn’t expected that to be the answer.

 

“My master… mentioned a few things about Iron Cloud City to me once,” he said slowly. “It’s not that I don’t trust your word, I just want to see for myself what kind of place it truly is.”

 

“I understand.”

 

If he had rashly decided to work for Iron Cloud City based solely on a few of my sentences, he wouldn’t be the man he is.

 

But wasn’t his master that eccentric High Priest? When mentioning Iron Cloud City, besides calling us “heretics” and “scum,” what else would that man say?

 

“What did the High Priest tell you?”

 

“Not the High Priest,” Xie Huaishuang shook his head. “It was… the master who taught me how to use a sword.”

 

I never knew such a person existed. Xie Huaishuang lowered his gaze. “He was very good to me in the Temple. But I haven’t seen him in a long time.”

 

He didn’t seem to want to elaborate. He asked me again, “Can I go?”

 

“Of course… of course you can.”

 

I explained quickly, “My word carries weight in Iron Cloud City. Besides, you’ve improved our weapons and you’re helping us sabotage this ceremony. Any one of those things would be enough for anyone else to earn their place.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

I nodded. Xie Huaishuang smiled. “Are you coaxing a child?”

 

“Perhaps that’s enough for others, but my status is… too different. You’re planning to take all the heat yourself if trouble arises, aren’t you?”

 

I didn’t answer. Xie Huaishuang suddenly leaned in, his fingers lightly brushing past my cheek. The momentary contact sent a shiver through me.

 

“I will go back with you,” he said, his eyes curving slightly, the deep green glimmering in the lamp shadows. “But you must promise me: if things become truly difficult, do not force it for my sake.”

 

“…Alright.”

 

I looked down into his eyes; I could see a faint, blurry reflection of myself within them.

 

“I won’t force it. At worst, we’ll just live like we are now—find another place to stay. I’ll think of something else.”

 

I am a man of Iron Cloud City; that will never change as long as I live. But I like Xie Huaishuang; that won’t change as long as I live, either.

 

“Okay,” Xie Huaishuang blinked. “I’ll help you think of something when the time comes.”

 

We had veered off-topic again. I shook off the trance and circled back to the matter at hand.

 

“Anyway, we’ll only be here for five or six more days at most.” I pointed to the chair on the other side of the room. “Since you can see and don’t need medicine anymore, I’ll go sleep over there.”

 

Xie Huaishuang turned his head to look at the chair, then turned back with a frown.

 

“First the floor, now a chair. Do you hate sleeping in a bed that much?”

 

“No, I…”

 

“If you don’t hate beds, do you hate sleeping in a bed with me that much?”

 

Xie Huaishuang’s voice grew lower and lower. As he finished, his lashes trembled and his gaze dropped. I grew frantic. “No, that’s not what I meant…”

 

Since he wouldn’t look at me, I had to grab his hand and write it out in messy strokes again. Xie Huaishuang looked up. “Then why on earth do you want to sleep in a chair?”

 

Before I could speak, he cut me off. “You can’t say? Then you… well, you just hate me. I—”

 

“I don’t hate you! Not even a little! I won’t sleep in the chair, alright?”

 

Xie Huaishuang’s expression froze for a second. He stared at me. “Truly? You won’t sleep in the chair?”

 

“Truly.”

 

Before I could finish, I saw the aggrieved look on his face vanish instantly. I looked down and saw his other hand, which had been secretly clutching his sleeve, slowly relax.

 

He always does that when he’s nervous.

 

Staring at the now calm and composed Xie Huaishuang, I asked suspiciously, “Just now… you weren’t acting, were you?”

 

“What?”

 

Xie Huaishuang rubbed the tip of his nose and held out his hand. “I can’t see clearly. What did you say? Write it again.”

 

…

 

The shop that sells plum blossom tea cakes always has a long line. Early this morning, Xie Huaishuang was urging me to hurry out, saying they’d be sold out if we were late.

 

“Last night you said you wanted to tell me something. What was it?”

 

“It’s hard to explain in a sentence or two.” At this moment, Xie Huaishuang’s mind was entirely occupied by plum cakes. “I’ll tell you when we get back.”

 

Before, when he was blind, he could only taste if something was good or not. As for whether the pastry was deep pink or crimson, or how many petals were dotted on it, he had to rely on me to tell him. He loved these cakes and would always ask me in detail exactly what they looked like.

 

“Wait,” I reached out and yanked him back just as his right foot crossed the threshold. “Aren’t you cold?”

 

Xie Huaishuang looked indignant but let go of his earlobe, obediently took his outer coat, gave it a shake, and put it on.

 

“I’ve never met anyone more troublesome than you,” I muttered under my breath while he was busy dressing. “But what can I do? I still like you most of all. Does that even make sense?”

 

Xie Huaishuang was tying the small blue ribbons on his garment when his fingers suddenly faltered, resulting in a tangled mess of a knot.

 

He pulled at it but couldn’t get it loose. Fearing he’d get frustrated, I reached out to help him. The moment I touched his fingertips, he flinched back as if he’d been electrocuted.

 

What now?

 

I leaned down a bit to look into his eyes, only to find his gaze darting around almost frantically.

 

“What’s wrong?” I panicked. “Are you feeling unwell?”

 

“No, no…”

 

He shook his head blindly, his eyes lifting and falling, lifting and falling. His lashes fluttered rapidly like butterfly wings.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

As he turned hastily, he almost tripped over the threshold. I caught him, but before I could speak, he beat me to it, his tone rushed and a bit stiff.

 

“If we don’t go now, they’ll be sold out… talk when we’re back, talk when we’re back…”

 

Was he that curious about the plum cakes?

 

I admit they are delicately made—the pattern is said to imitate the plum blossom forehead makeup of young ladies—but could they really make Xie Huaishuang this impatient?

 

Xie Huaishuang grabbed my wrist and led me quickly across the morning cobblestones, the tassels on his hair ribbon swaying. I tried to explain, “They won’t sell out this early.”

 

He didn’t look at me, merely nodding, his pace not slowing in the slightest as the shadows of the trees flickered past us.

 

He couldn’t possibly like those plum cakes more than he likes me, could he?!

 

Outrageous. Absolutely outrageous. Damnable plum cakes.

 

Actually, when we left the house, it was barely past 7:15 AM. It was still quite early; I estimated there would be five or six people in line at most. But from a distance, I saw a crowd gathered around the corner of the pastry shop.

 

Could it be that Xie Huaishuang won’t get his damnable cakes today?

 

“It’s okay, maybe they made more than usual today,” I said, worried he’d be upset. “We’ll be able to get some.”

 

When I looked at him, I realized he didn’t look anxious at all. Instead, he looked dazed, as if his mind were elsewhere. He only snapped back when I nudged him. “What? What did you just say?”

 

…Why did it feel like I was the one who was more anxious?

 

“Oh… no rush. I’m in no rush,” I repeated.

 

Xie Huaishuang shook his head. “It’s fine even if we can’t buy any today.”

 

I was already prepared to pay someone triple the price to get a box, but as we got closer, I realized the people weren’t queuing for cakes. They were huddled around the corner of the shop’s wall.

 

What are they looking at?

 

Xie Huaishuang and I joined the queue. I saw an auntie squeeze out from the corner and join the line behind us. I asked, “Auntie, sorry to bother you, but what is everyone looking at over there?”

 

She sized me up. “Young man, are you from out of town?”

 

“Yes… just visiting. I heard the scenery here is quite nice.”

 

One of the reasons I chose Hengzhou was its famous scenery; many people come and go for short stays, so we wouldn’t stand out.

 

“No wonder,” she lowered her voice. “The Temple just posted a wanted notice yesterday. They say the criminal has fled here to Hengzhou.”

 

I glanced at Xie Huaishuang, feigning indifference. “Is that so? Is the reward high?”

 

“A thousand taels for a lead. That’s enough to buy three fine houses. You tell me if that’s high!”

 

“That much?” I acted surprised along with her. “Who are they looking for?”

 

“That lot from Iron Cloud City the Temple has been chasing for years. This time it’s that one called Zhu Pingsheng again—I’ve seen that name for years, how haven’t they caught him yet?”

 

“…”

 

Why was the Temple suddenly being so generous? They’d doubled the bounty on my head.

 

“They say this time is even more serious. That Zhu Pingsheng kidnapped a Temple official. The warrant was issued in the High Priest’s own name.” She gestured grandly. “They’ll pay any price to get that official back.”

 

Xie Huaishuang’s fingertips secretly hooked onto my sleeve.

 

I nodded. “Well, if anyone has a lead, they should turn it in quickly.”

 

“That’s the logic, but if you ask me, who are these warrants even for?” The auntie shook her head. “That portrait… tsk tsk, looks fierce, terrifying even. If the Temple can’t catch him, how could us ordinary folk ever run into him? I just feel sorry for that official he snatched. Who knows how he’s being treated…”

 

“That’s not necessarily true,” a young woman further back in the line suddenly spoke up. “I heard things in the Temple aren’t as good as they say. Maybe that official ran away on his own? Maybe…”

 

“Don’t talk nonsense!” The man beside her yanked her arm. “You read a few of those made-up stories and now you dare speak such rubbish? If the wrong person hears you, we’re all finished!”

 

The line fell silent. I glanced at Xie Huaishuang. He gave a very faint laugh and quickly mouthed a few words:

 

“It’s for my benefit.”

 

…

 

It wasn’t convenient to say more outside. Once the door was closed, Xie Huaishuang peeled off the thin disguise from his face and began to wash his hands slowly.

 

“It seems they know I’m alive, and they’ve figured out I’m in Hengzhou with you. They likely traced it through the Linlang Pavilion incident.” He flicked the water from his hands. “But they probably only know that much. If they knew more, they would have come to seize me directly instead of doing something that alerts the target.”

 

“So these warrants are for you to see?” I handed him a towel. “To let you know the Temple is looking for you and wants to ‘rescue’ you?”

 

“That’s the soft approach. As for the ceremony, I suspect it’s also a trap to lure me out—to let me see someone else taking my place. They undoubtedly think I would be filled with resentment, just like they would be.”

 

Xie Huaishuang dried his hands and laughed. “Quite a lot of effort.”

 

It was a lot of effort. And it seemed the Temple assumed Xie Huaishuang was living a life of utter misery under my capture.

 

—After all, the idea that I wouldn’t kill him, but would instead fall in love with him… if you had told me that two months ago, I would have been the first to call it absurd.

 

“It doesn’t matter.” The “miserable” Xie Huaishuang lowered his head to unwrap the oil-paper package. He pinched out a plum cake and placed it, quite satisfied, onto the plate we had spent a long time picking out together. “Instead, they’ve shown us their hand. In that case, perhaps… it’s better to go along with it.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I haven’t fully thought it through yet.” Xie Huaishuang’s fingertip touched the plum blossom pattern on the pastry. “I’ll tell you when I have.”

 

I nodded, watching him smile to himself.

 

“However,” he looked up at me with a mischievous glint, “why does your portrait, well… why does it look like that?”

 

“…”

 

“Can we just pretend we didn’t see it?” I really cared about my image in his eyes. “So, what was it you wanted to tell me before we left the house?”

 

Xie Huaishuang watched me finish the sentence, but then quickly lowered his head. He poked at the crust of the cake for a long time before finally speaking.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

Here we go again. I am the one living a miserable life here!