The Paranoid Male Lead’s "White Moonlight" Has Reborn - Chapter 2

Bixin had no idea how shaken Jiang Chaoyun truly was. She continued prattling on about that guard, Han. “That Guard Han is exceptionally tall. When he came to our courtyard last month, I saw him—he was even taller than the peach tree outside our house! His martial arts are incredible, too. On his first day at the manor, he pinned Old Man Liu to the ground. He’s only eighteen; he’s truly a young man of great promise.”

Jiang Chaoyun didn’t know what to say, so he replied dryly, “Is that so?”

“It is,” Bixin said. “I heard that at his age, he hasn’t even taken a wife yet.”

Jiang Chaoyun asked, “How do you know? Did he say so himself?”

Bixin had only mentioned it in passing, but seeing Jiang Chaoyun’s curiosity, she didn’t think much of it and revealed more details about Guard Han’s situation. “When men chat, they have no reservations, so naturally they dare to ask anything. Guard Han is thin-skinned, so he probably just told them everything. Speaking of which, Guard Han has had a hard life. To be so young, yet both his parents are dead; he wandered and struggled alone for years before arriving at our manor.”

Bixin stopped there. She remembered that when Guard Han first arrived at the Jiang Manor, he caused quite a stir. Many maidservants couldn’t resist sneaking a peek at him. The reason was simple: Guard Han was strikingly handsome. His eyes were like bright stars, his nose as straight as a carved gallstone, and he possessed a spirited, dashing aura. With such a tall stature and masculine bearing, he could undoubtedly charm any woman.

In the Kingdom of Yan, fairness was considered the standard of beauty. Many men intentionally cultivated pale skin to appear elegant and refined, unlike common folk. Although Guard Han spent his days exposed to the sun, he never tanned; his skin was even fairer than that of some ladies hidden away in their inner chambers. Perhaps for this reason, he possessed a very unique temperament. Coupled with his poised and generous manner—devoid of any vulgarity or crudeness—not only were the maidservants smitten, but even some young misses were infatuated, often seeking opportunities to see him.

Jiang Chaoyun didn’t notice Bixin’s obvious daydreaming. In truth, he was also somewhat distracted. Touching the white fox-fur cloak around his neck now gave him a very uneasy feeling.

He wanted to take it off, yet he was loath to part with it. After a moment’s thought, he found a way to justify it—Han Jiangmu had hunted the white fox and sent it to his courtyard, so he surely must have received a reward for it.

There was no need to be overly polite with Han Jiangmu.

Only after thinking this did Jiang Chaoyun feel a bit more comfortable, though he understood in his heart that he didn’t have much time left.

His body was destined not to last long; no one could snatch a life back from the Heavens. What he could do, however, was maximize the meaning of his rebirth—by making Han Jiangmu loathe him.

If he had previously harbored any lucky thoughts that Han Jiangmu had only been at the Jiang Manor for two months and should have no intersection with him, the gift of this white fox was now very telling.

Jiang Chaoyun calculated carefully for a while, feeling a spark of motivation. He could no longer delay.

Bixin tucked a carved hand-warmer into his hands and pressed down the edges of his cloak, ensuring not a single gust of cold wind could penetrate before she felt at ease following him out the door.

Jiang Chaoyun was the legitimate eldest son of the first branch of the Jiang family. Because he was his parents’ first child, they doted on him excessively, even though he lived a sickly existence where every day might be his last.

He first went to see his mother. His mother’s background was much higher than that of the Jiang family; she was the legitimate daughter of a prestigious clan. High-born and possessing an extraordinary aura, she easily wielded the power of the Jiang family’s matriarch. Within the Jiang household, her word was final, second only to the elders and the Master of the house.

Because of her status as the Matriarch, she maintained a stern posture, but in private, she was never stingy about being a devoted mother.

Upon seeing Jiang Chaoyun, Madam Jiang Lin’s expression—which had just been reprimanding the steward—immediately turned kind and gentle. She dismissed the steward, reached out to take Jiang Chaoyun’s hand, and said distressedly, “Why are your hands so cold? Why aren’t you wearing more?”

As she spoke, she shot a sharp look at Bixin. Bixin was too frightened to speak. Jiang Chaoyun showed Madam Jiang Lin the clothes beneath his cloak. “Mother, I’m not cold.”

There were several thick layers beneath the cloak, wrapping his body airtight. He truly wasn’t cold; it was simply that his constitution was such that his body temperature always seemed a few degrees colder than a normal person’s.

Madam Jiang Lin did not listen and ordered more charcoal to be added, increasing the heat in the room by another fifty percent.

In the past, he always felt slightly uncomfortable or even burdened by such excessive maternal love. But perhaps because he had already visited the Hall of the King of Hell once, his mindset had changed. Looking at Madam Jiang Lin again, a sense of deep attachment welled up within him.

He sat down leaning against her, a flicker of an obedient smile touching his lips as he said, “Mother, I’m hot.”

Madam Jiang Lin said seriously, “That is still better than being cold.”

Jiang Chaoyun said no more. Madam Jiang Lin spoke to him gently about his lessons; in truth, there wasn’t much to say. Even if he didn’t study, his parents wouldn’t force him.

Compared to these trivial matters, she was more concerned about his health, her words carrying a hint of blame for him coming out.

Jiang Chaoyun acted spoiled with her, and the matter was dropped. However, he knew his body was truly failing. Even a slight chill would trigger a violent cold affliction. This ailment made his entire body icy, as if he were placed in an ice cellar, making breathing difficult. He truly was like a candle in the wind, looking as though he might be extinguished at any moment.

Every bout of cold illness was a wander near the gates of hell, exhausting not only his own vitality but also his parents’ lifeblood.

Jiang Chaoyun’s gaze fell upon the white hairs hidden in Madam Jiang Lin’s tresses, and he couldn’t help but feel dejected.

Madam Jiang Lin kept him for lunch and, taking advantage of the strong midday sun, sent people to escort him back.

Jiang Chaoyun obediently followed Jingrou, his mother’s head maid, toward his own courtyard. However, before they were halfway there, Jiang Chaoyun said to Jingrou, “You can go back, there’s no need to escort me further.”

Jingrou hesitated, but Jiang Chaoyun emphasized, “I really don’t need an escort, and Bixin is here.”

Seeing Jiang Chaoyun’s firm expression, Jingrou finally complied. She instructed Bixin to take good care of him before turning to leave.

Once Jingrou was out of sight, Jiang Chaoyun turned to Bixin and asked, “Where is that Guard Han?”

Bixin blinked, sounding hesitant. “Young Master, why are you asking this?”

Jiang Chaoyun tilted his chin up and said, “I want to see him.”

Bixin said disapprovingly, “At this time, Guard Han shouldn’t be on duty. But that place is full of rough men; if you go there abruptly and get hurt, it won’t be worth it.”

Jiang Chaoyun replied, “I’m not made of porcelain; I won’t just break. Hurry and take me there, I want to see.”

Because of his poor health, his parents granted his every request. This had resulted in a hidden streak of willfulness in his character. It wasn’t usually obvious, but it surfaced when he wanted something—and right now, if he said he wanted to see, he had to see.

Bixin had no choice but to lead him there with a bitter face. However, after walking only a few steps, Jiang Chaoyun suddenly recoiled. He stopped Bixin and, after a moment of silence, said, “I’m not going to look. I want to go back.”

Bixin: “…”

She didn’t think much of it and instead felt relieved. She said happily, “That’s for the best. Young Master, you don’t know—those guards aren’t very refined. Even in winter, they smell of sweat. They’re always messing around in that courtyard with wild chickens and deer to eat, making everything stinky, even though the manor provides meals…”

Bixin’s face could not hide her disdain for the men’s quarters. Jiang Chaoyun thought sluggishly: That must be truly difficult for Han Jiangmu then.

No matter how destitute he was now, he was still a Prince, after all.

As Jiang Chaoyun and Bixin returned to the central courtyard, he stopped again, looking down at the koi swimming slowly beneath the bridge, lost in thought once more.

Jiang Chaoyun perhaps didn’t know that he possessed a natural quality—perhaps it was his fragile, breakable beauty, or perhaps it was his aura, as clear and cold as snow-water—regardless, he always attracted attention easily.

On a winding corridor a short distance away, a tall youth stopped in his tracks. With a slight glance, he noticed Jiang Chaoyun’s presence.

Beside him, Old Man Liu saw him stop and looked in the direction of his gaze. He remarked, “That’s Young Master Yun, isn’t it? Coming out on such a cold day… if he catches a chill, tsk.”

The youth watched that somewhat delicate figure from afar, saying nothing.

Seeing him continue to stare, Old Man Liu was about to say something when the youth suddenly stepped out and walked toward the Young Master.

Old Man Liu was startled and hurried to catch up.

Bixin looked at the koi below and saw nothing special. Worried that Jiang Chaoyun would stay outside too long and be affected by the cold, she couldn’t help but urge, “Young Master, let’s go back.”

Jiang Chaoyun said sluggishly, “No, I want to watch a bit longer.”

Bixin suppressed her worry and stayed with him to watch the koi in the water.

Jiang Chaoyun asked, “How long do you think these koi can live?”

Bixin hesitated before answering, “I’ve heard they can live for several decades.”

Jiang Chaoyun murmured to himself, “They live longer than me.”

Bixin’s heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Jiang Chaoyun take another step forward, almost leaning his entire body against the railing. It was at that moment that a hand suddenly appeared behind him, grabbed his collar, and yanked him backward.

Jiang Chaoyun was pulled so hard his toes almost left the ground, and his neck was squeezed tight. However, the hand quickly released its strength. “It is very dangerous here.”

Jiang Chaoyun rubbed his neck and turned around to see a very handsome face.

The owner of that handsome face had eyes like black obsidian, and the light scattered within them was as bright as the stars at night.

Jiang Chaoyun was momentarily dazed by the sight of his face and asked unconsciously, “There’s a railing, how is it dangerous?”

Han Jiangmu looked at those beautiful eyes—pale and clear like water in the sunlight—and turned his head slightly. He reached back to draw a black scabbard and gave the dark red railing a light tap. With a “crack,” the wood splintered. Quickly, the crack spread, the entire section snapped, and it crashed into the water, sending up a large splash.

Jiang Chaoyun: “…”

Han Jiangmu said, “This railing has been hollowed out by insects, so it is dangerous.”

A faint blush appeared on Jiang Chaoyun’s fair, tender cheeks. He coughed softly and said, “Thank you.”

Bixin was also filled with lingering fear. “Guard Han, it’s lucky you were alert. I had no idea this railing had rotted like this.”

Han Jiangmu said calmly, “Be careful next time.”

Jiang Chaoyun froze for a moment, his gaze falling on Han Jiangmu’s face again. He asked in disbelief, “You are Han Jiangmu?”

Han Jiangmu’s eyes met his, and his lips curled into a slight arc. He said, “Yes, Young Master.”

Jiang Chaoyun felt a shiver of dread. He subconsciously covered his face and cried out, “You aren’t allowed to look at me!”

Han Jiangmu was very tall, a full head taller than Jiang Chaoyun. Hearing this, he only lowered his head slightly, looking at the hands covering Jiang Chaoyun’s face.

Jiang Chaoyun was refined and beautiful, and his hands were no less so. They looked white and soft, with shallow dimples at the base of his fingers and translucent pink nails. They were a very beautiful pair of hands.

Han Jiangmu’s gaze swept over them meticulously, as if he wanted to trace the shape of his hands into memory, before he asked, “Why can’t I look at you?”

Old Man Liu coughed, intending to pull Han Jiangmu away, but Han Jiangmu shot him a look. There was a spine-chilling calmness in those eyes, and beneath that calmness seemed to lie a cold, sharp warning.

Old Man Liu, who prided himself on being a reliable man who had weathered many storms, was frozen in place by that single glance.

Jiang Chaoyun remained silent, so Han Jiangmu asked once more, “Why can’t I look at you?”