The Male Lead Always Thinks My Script is Wrong - Chapter 31

The wind whistled past his ears. Ji Shinian gripped Xiao Shu’s sleeve as the two of them landed lightly in the back alley of the Shiquan Restaurant. Behind them, the gap in the formation snapped shut in a flash.

Ji Shinian let go and brushed off some non-existent dust. He began walking toward the main street, his tone light and airy. “Done! Let’s go back and get some sleep.”

Xiao Shu followed silently at his side, his black robes blending almost perfectly into the night.

It was late. The typical bustle of Tianshui Bank felt as though it had been smoothed over by the moonlight. The sizzling, greasy scent of street food from earlier had been scattered by the night breeze, replaced by a weary, subtle atmosphere unique to the late hours, mixing dust with the faint scent of flowers. The music from the brothels had fallen silent and the streets were mostly empty, save for the occasional murmur of drunken chatter and the crisp clink of cups from hidden taverns.

As they walked, Ji Shinian suddenly stopped in front of a camel milk stall that was about to close. The milk warming in the pot released a rich, thick aroma, its slightly yellowish hue looking particularly inviting.

“Two bowls, extra sugar,” he said to the yawning vendor before Xiao Shu could even react.

“Coming right up.”

The vendor generously filled two large ceramic bowls. Ji Shinian took his and, too lazy to find a seat, simply squatted on a stone step by the road and began to sip. The warm white liquid slid down his throat, bringing a sense of genuine comfort.

Xiao Shu didn’t touch his bowl. He stood beside Ji Shinian, looking down at him. “That invitation you took, why?”

Here we go again. Ji Shinian didn’t even look up, mumbling through a mouthful of milk, “I told you, didn’t I? I’m afraid of you becoming an illiterate fool and embarrassing me.”

You’re just a kid, why do you ask so many questions?

“Is that so,” Xiao Shu replied softly, his voice devoid of emotion. He sat down on the step as well, keeping a moderate distance. He turned his gaze toward the end of the long street. “I am currently nothing more than a guard. Whether I live or die, whether I am brilliant or dull, is there any reason for it to matter to you?”

His tone was still submissive, even carrying the respect expected of a subordinate, but the inquiry beneath his words was like a shard of ice under a dark current, trying to pry something open.

Ji Shinian set down his bowl. Even though Xiao Shu’s face was hidden under a disguise, the contours of his brow and eyes usually appeared gentle and harmless. Now, separated by a stream of cold moonlight, Ji Shinian felt as if he could glimpse the man’s true, peerless, and untamed face, a visage that was extremely cold and distant. For a moment, he squinted his eyes as if trying to see through the illusion, or perhaps just playing the part of a domineering master. “Are you questioning me?”

“No.”

“Then why ask? All that talk about living or dying, I saved your life, so you’re naturally my person. If I want you to do something, you do it. That’s my reason. It has nothing to do with whether being smart or dull is important!”

Xiao Shu turned to look at him. Something deep within those dark eyes flickered for a fraction of a second, moving too fast to catch. He gave an extremely light laugh. “Then what about your talent?”

“If he wants it, he can try and take it.”

Under the faint frost of the moon in the cold alley, Ji Shinian sat on the ground and looked up at the waning moon. He muttered with total indifference, “It’s not a big deal anyway.”

“If someone else asked, would you give it to them too?” Xiao Shu’s voice rang out softly, like a feather brushing against a sensitive spot.

“Sure. Didn’t he say any wish could be granted for a price?” Ji Shinian laughed. He turned to meet Xiao Shu’s gaze, saying frankly, “If I can afford the cost and he can withstand the weight of it, why not?”

In truth, it had been a very long time since he had intentionally thought about his life before he “emerged from the ground.”

As a wanted criminal personally designated by the Sword League, his past was a tangled mess of mysteries. That was only natural. Ji Shinian had gone from being a physically weak high school student to a young miss whose cleverness now sparked suspicion in others. The ten years in between felt like being submerged in water. He only had to open his eyes to treat his past failures as a dream.

However, as he spoke, the emptiness that had haunted him since he woke up began to peel away. It followed his memories, threatening to knock him off balance. It was like walking on a shallow beach, even if you close your eyes and forget where you are, the tide of failure still climbs up your ankles and soaks your hem.

He couldn’t deny that there was a trace of twisted, pathetic joy in his words. After all, in exchange for the “gift” of being able to act on behalf of the Four Qi Lords, he had endured a nightmare that lasted years.

The night was too quiet. Once the gates of emotion were opened, they rushed out like a flood, competing to pour from his throat.

“Do you know of Zhuang Chengyu?”

“Who?”

Ji Shinian rested his chin on his hand and said slowly, “Just think of her as a chance encounter of mine. Zhuang Chengyu is my master. She is an expert in the art of Gu.”

“Your power comes from Gu?”

“What kind of logic is that? I hate bugs the most,” Ji Shinian couldn’t help but rub his arms. “Even if I didn’t hate them, the art of Gu was long ago ruined beyond recognition by the Deceptive Arts. Cultivating that would be no different from seeking death. I’m mentioning my master only to tell you that she is the last Gu Master left in the world. Most of the so-called secret methods I possess were passed down from her. If the owner of the Shiquan Restaurant wants this talent, he’ll have to find a way to invite her old self out of hiding.”

“A Gu Master can give someone talent?”

“What are you thinking? There are all kinds of talents in this world. Who’s to say being ordinary isn’t a talent? But if one is obsessed with power and wants what I have, the owner of the Shiquan Restaurant won’t be able to handle it. The true master of this power passed away years ago. As for the price, I’m afraid only my master could find a way to pay it back in this day and age.”

Xiao Shu asked, “Then where is your master?”

Ji Shinian blinked. “In my heart.”

****

Xiao Shu was not a good confidant. But as Ji Shinian stared at Xiao Shu’s face, which seemed incapable of showing anything other than gentleness, he felt a strange, impulsive urge to provoke a reaction from that indifference.

He tilted his head and leaned toward the man, waving a hand and asking suspiciously, “Hey, weren’t you curious? Why aren’t you saying anything now that I’ve told you?”

Xiao Shu watched him quietly as he grew animated, but he didn’t answer. After a long pause, he lowered his eyelashes slightly, concealing all emotion, and replied submissively, “Understood. This subordinate knows.”

He even updated his vocabulary! Ji Shinian hadn’t expected this person to remain so unmoved after such a bombshell revelation. His hand froze in mid-air and he sneered, “Xiao… Song Huaiqiu, don’t you think you’re a total fake?”

Xiao Shu didn’t change his expression, agreeing smoothly, “Indeed, a brilliant observation.”

He acted like a virtuous man being harassed, using his sleeve to push Ji Shinian’s hand away. He turned to the stall owner and said, “Boss, is this camel milk supposed to have—”

“I’m not drunk, I’m perfectly sober!” Ji Shinian lunged forward like a spreading eagle to cover Xiao Shu’s mouth. To ensure this “Protagonist” couldn’t dodge, he even borrowed a bit of Huoxiang’s power to quickly pin him down.

Their current posture looked like Ji Shinian was forcing himself on him, but Ji Shinian was entirely oblivious. He smugly gripped the man’s shoulder while muffling his mouth. “I told you you were fake, why are you trying to change the subject? Do you think I’m going to skin you alive or something?”

Xiao Shu didn’t struggle, likely realizing the disparity in their current strength. Ji Shinian’s plain face was reflected in his dark pupils. He didn’t open his mouth, but his voice rang out directly in Ji Shinian’s mind:

[Fine. So, aside from being ‘fake’, what else?]

Voice transmission was a common yet somewhat useless skill among cultivators. Except for world-shaking experts, most people abandoned it because the skill’s range was tied to one’s cultivation, and it was restricted by the flaw of only allowing a higher-level cultivator to transmit to a lower-level one. Now, with one in the “Enlightened” stage and the other acting as a “Mortal,” voice transmission worked perfectly.

It had been a long time since Ji Shinian experienced this. He shook his head and said seriously, “Also, you don’t have to be so kind.”

[Kind?]

“Yes.”

Seeing that Xiao Shu wasn’t going to run, Ji Shinian let go. The feeling of his palm against the other’s lips was honestly a bit strange. He clapped his hands and said seriously, “Of course, I don’t mean ‘kind’ in the conventional sense. I just think you don’t need to suppress yourself for the sake of your reputation. You shouldn’t wait until all the sad, painful, and hateful things build up before letting them all out at once. If you hate something, argue. If you’re angry, vent it. If you’re in pain, cry. All of that is perfectly normal!”

Ever since he arrived, he felt Xiao Shu lived like a puppet. Back as an anti-fan, he had insulted the author in a dozen different ways and argued with netizens, but now that he was actually in the book, those insults felt like punching cotton. He was starting to feel a bit bad for the guy.

Ji Shinian thought optimistically: Maybe I can even lead the protagonist back to the right path…

When that day comes, the birds will fly high and the fish will leap in the sea. Would Xiao Shu even care about the minor bullying from a “cannon fodder” young miss like him?

Thinking of this beautiful future, Ji Shinian returned to reality with a satisfied look, only to see Xiao Shu unhurriedly taking a silk handkerchief from his storage bag under the moonlight. He began to meticulously wipe the lower half of his face.

Ji Shinian: …

Xiao Shu crushed the handkerchief into powder, letting it drift away in the wind. Only then did he turn to Ji Shinian with a slight smile. “Thank you for the guidance, Miss. I will work hard at it.”

His kindness was totally wasted! Ji Shinian grabbed the other untouched bowl of milk from the stall and shoved it into Xiao Shu’s hands, saying crossly, “Drink it! Don’t waste my money!”

He stopped looking at Xiao Shu, stood up abruptly, and began marching toward the Elegant Residence. Most of the colorful lanterns had gone out, leaving only a few dim, long-burning lamps swaying in the cool night breeze. His silhouette stretched out thin and long under the fading light, looking a bit lonely, yet he kept his back ramrod straight.

Xiao Shu held the lukewarm bowl of milk but didn’t drink. He watched Ji Shinian’s back a silhouette that looked almost like it was fleeing in embarrassment and the faint curve of his lips slowly deepened.

He stood up, placed the bowl gently back on the vendor’s busy counter with a soft clink, and then began to walk, following at an unhurried pace.

The long street was silent, leaving only the sound of two sets of footsteps, one following the other, clear yet distant, gradually merging into the deeper darkness of the night.