The Mad Villain Driven to Death - Chapter 20

Wan Jingyao had always feared his elder brother. Hearing him speak so abruptly, he didn’t think the other man was joking; it truly sounded like something Wan Shenghan would do.

Seeing Wan Shenghan carry Shen Zhaoxue away from the estate gates, Wan Jingyao couldn’t help but click his tongue. He wondered why his cousin, who used to be so dismissive and barely paid Shen Zhaoxue any mind, was suddenly so attentive.

For the sake of this Shen Zhaoxue, his cousin was even sending him away to a rural villa how was that any different from being expelled from the estate?

Hadn’t he bullied Shen Zhaoxue just like this in previous years? Why didn’t he see him standing up for Shen Zhaoxue back then?

Wan Jingyao curled his lip, but strange thoughts began to swirl in his mind. Earlier, upon hearing that Shen Zhaoxue had left the estate while blind, Wan Rong had been spewing curses, wishing Shen Zhaoxue would die outside and never return.

At that moment, he had felt something was wrong. Thus, without knowing what kind of mindset he was in, he had actually waited at the estate gates for over an hour.

Perhaps he was just worried that Shen Zhaoxue had really gone to the officials. Looking at his cousin’s current attitude, he likely wouldn’t let the matter be shielded.

Wan Jingyao felt a bit of regret. How could he have known that for a sickly person like Shen Zhaoxue, a drug with very mild toxicity would actually poison his eyes to such an extent?

If the officials truly investigated and convicted him of a crime, his reputation would be utterly ruined.

Wan Jingyao bit his teeth and caught up, tailing behind Wan Shenghan as he whispered, “Cousin, Shen Zhaoxue didn’t go to the government office, did he?”

Wan Shenghan’s tone revealed little emotion. “I found him outside the gates of the Dali Si.”

Wan Jingyao felt a chill run down his spine. He stammered, “He doesn’t have enough evidence right now. The Dali Si wouldn’t judge a case without looking at any proof, right? Then—”

Before he could finish, Wan Shenghan suddenly turned around and glanced at him, his gaze carrying an indifferent, icy chill.

Wan Jingyao froze in his tracks instantly, not daring to move forward any further.

Wan Shenghan had already entered the gate of the side courtyard. He kicked the door shut and carried Shen Zhaoxue into the room.

After placing him on the bed, he felt Shen Zhaoxue’s forehead again. He didn’t seem to have a fever, but his complexion was very poor, perhaps because his body was still in discomfort.

Shen Zhaoxue’s lips were slightly parted, his brow furrowed as he gasped for breath.

He seemed to be trapped in a nightmare. Wan Shenghan didn’t know what he was dreaming about and had no way to enter the dream; he could only gently pat his chest. “Shen Zhaoxue.”

Wan Jingyao was looking down at him. His face was a blur, impossible to see clearly, and it differed slightly from his memory.

Shen Zhaoxue was in a daze. The residual loathing in his body made him want to lunge forward and gouge out Wan Jingyao’s eyes and tongue.

He tried to take a step, but found he couldn’t move.

Then, he quickly realized he was likely dreaming.

This place was the entrance to the Wan Estate, the last time he stood there after entering the Palace.

He couldn’t control his body; he could only watch as his past self grabbed Wan Jingyao’s sleeve and said, almost pleadingly, “I want to see Wan Shenghan.”

“What right do you have to see my cousin? My cousin’s career was ruined by you! The entire Wan family suffered because of an ungrateful wolf like you. What face do you have to come here?”

Shen Zhaoxue felt his hands trembling uncontrollably. The fear and grief within that body in the dream surged up continuously, threatening to swallow his soul outside the dream along with it.

Shen Zhaoxue began to ditzily merge with that body that once belonged to him, feeling exactly what his past self felt.

A vast wave of guilt and pain drowned his reason. He merely gripped Wan Jingyao’s sleeve, his spine almost snapping, as he said softly and repeatedly: “He said he would come to take me away. I want to see him.”

“Stop dreaming like a fool here!” Wan Jingyao suddenly swung his arm, pushing Shen Zhaoxue so that he fell to the ground. He shouted, “Who would still want to see you? Who would want to take a burden like you along? Our Wan family’s wealth and glory were ruined all because of you! My cousin has long hated you to the core; how could he possibly come to see you? Get lost! Go back to your Palace and enjoy your easy life!”

Shen Zhaoxue felt pain everywhere in his body pain so intense he couldn’t straighten up, nor could he speak.

Tears dripped onto the back of his hand, mixing into the mud.

His chest was tight and he couldn’t catch his breath; his arms, which were barely supporting his body, shook violently.

After a moment, Wan Jingyao’s expensive boots, embroidered with gold-threaded patterns, appeared before his eyes, and then heavily stepped on his fingers.

He stepped very hard. The sound of bones shifting and acute pain instantly filled this entire fragile frame.

Shen Zhaoxue’s vision went white, and his ears buzzed with ringing; for a time, he couldn’t even hear what Wan Jingyao was saying.

The boundless pain lasted for a long time. When he regained consciousness, he was lying miserably at the entrance of the Wan Estate; Wan Jingyao had long since disappeared.

That closed gate became a nightmare that Shen Zhaoxue couldn’t shake for a very long time.

He lay on the ground for a while, lacking the strength to get up. He only raised his wrist with a trembling hand, seeing his swollen and distorted fingers.

Afterward, he lifted his eyes slightly and saw Chen Luo standing not far away, watching as if observing a play.

This trip out had been an unauthorized escape for Shen Zhaoxue. After being taken back to the Palace, he was confined for several days.

The fingers on his right hand had been crudely treated and wrapped in thick gauze.

He sat by the window, lost in thought. Everything around him was blurry, as if fading away with the passage of time.

Shen Zhaoxue stared blankly at the empty sky outside the window. Suddenly thinking of something, he reached down to his waist.

He felt nothing.

The place where the jade pendant used to hang was empty; the pendant had been lost at some unknown time.

Shen Zhaoxue stared blankly for a long while.

The dream vanished in an instant. The melancholy had been building in his heart for too long—so long that he thought he no longer cared—only to strike his chest fiercely at this moment.

Shen Zhaoxue suddenly rolled over and vomited a large amount of blood.

He could hardly distinguish reality anymore. He could see nothing, and his heart felt pained and sour. He was near madness; he didn’t even know who he had grabbed, only saying in a raspy voice: “Give it back to me—”

He broke down into agonizing sobs, heart-wrenchingly repeating over and over: “Give the jade pendant back to me…”

Outside the window, the wind moved the trees. In the latter half of the night, it began to rain—a pitter-patter as if to wash this entire world clean.

The physician left the side courtyard and walked toward the estate exit.

Wan Shenghan followed silently behind him. When they reached a deserted spot, the physician finally said, “Young Master Shen has been depressed for a long time, which has injured his heart vessels. If there is an opportunity, take him to live in the countryside for a while. Staying away from the people of the capital might help a great deal.”

“And the rest?”

“The rest can only be managed slowly with constant medication to see if it can be suppressed for a few more years. But in the end, it is not a long-term solution.”

The physician sighed. “The prescription must be adjusted as soon as possible. Young Master Shen’s body is unlike ordinary people; he has been weak since childhood. No one can say for sure how long it can be controlled. Eldest Young Master, you should make preparations early.”

Wan Shenghan’s expression did not change, as if he didn’t take it seriously, merely giving an “Mhm.”

The physician was a wandering doctor invited by the Wan family for their own pharmacy. He was elderly; Wan Shenghan had been treated by this doctor whenever he was ill as a child and trusted him greatly.

The physician had watched Wan Shenghan grow up, so he offered a few more reminders: “Regarding that gentleman named Zhang the Master of the house does not want the Eldest Young Master to have too much contact with him, and perhaps the Master has his reasons. He is, after all, an occultist, not someone from a medical background. It is best not to trust him too much.”

Wan Shenghan gave another “Mhm.”

He saw the physician out of the estate. Before he could return, someone from the Shanyue Academy suddenly came looking for him, saying the teacher had words to entrust to him.

Wan Shenghan looked toward the side courtyard, hesitated for a few breaths, then left the Wan Estate.

After the rainy night, the weather turned somewhat chilly. A cool breeze drifted into the room from the windowsill, making the bed curtains sway slightly and brushing against his face.

Shen Zhaoxue woke gloomily from his dream. First seeing the vast darkness before his eyes, a sudden panic seized his heart, but he quickly remembered—he was blind now.

He didn’t know if there would be any chance to cure it.

Shen Zhaoxue slowly sat up. Having been plagued by nightmares all night, his body was somewhat weak and listless; just sitting up had exhausted too much strength.

Shen Zhaoxue leaned against the bedpost, panting. He was groping around, trying to pull back the bed curtains, but someone beat him to it and lifted them for him.

His movements paused. He turned his face slightly and asked softly, “Who is it?”

Having just woken up, his cheeks were a bit flushed, making him look much healthier. His hair was a bit messy but still fell submissively behind his back and over his shoulders, framing his face and making it look small enough to be covered by a single hand.

Those vacant eyes turned toward him, his eyelashes fluttering gently. Suddenly, it was like a light feather drifting across the heart.

For a moment, Wan Jingyao actually forgot to speak. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. Then he heard Shen Zhaoxue say, “Eldest Young Master?”

He reached out his hand, looking as though he relied on Wan Shenghan immensely, groping to try and catch the other man’s hand.

Wan Jingyao didn’t have time to think and instinctively caught his hand.

Shen Zhaoxue coughed twice, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness as he said softly, “I seemed to vomit blood again last night, and my throat is uncomfortable. Could the Eldest Young Master please pour a cup of water for me?”

Wan Jingyao felt it was strange. Usually, seeing Shen Zhaoxue’s soft and submissive appearance always annoyed him, but seeing it now, that thought was gone. Instead, he really wanted to…

He really wanted to protect him a bit.

Wan Jingyao couldn’t help but wonder: Is this how my cousin usually interacts with Shen Zhaoxue?

He actually felt a trace of jealousy.

Lost in thought, and likely because he hadn’t received a response for a long time, Shen Zhaoxue requested again: “Eldest Young Master… is it inconvenient?”

Wan Jingyao really couldn’t take it anymore. He abruptly pulled his hand back, thinking he was truly possessed actually holding a man’s hand for so long without letting go.

He had originally come to see how badly Shen Zhaoxue was injured and to threaten him with a few words. Now, he suddenly felt there was nothing to say and rose to leave.

But when he reached the table, he suddenly changed his mind. He actually poured a cup of water for Shen Zhaoxue, returned to the bedside, and handed it to him.

Shen Zhaoxue sat blankly by the bed. Hearing the footsteps approach, he didn’t reach out to take it. Instead, he slightly tilted his face and opened his lips toward Wan Jingyao.