The Paranoid Male Lead’s "White Moonlight" Has Reborn - Chapter 27

Jiang Chaoyun ate the meat with a look of grievance, his expression bitter. When Han Jiangmu offered more, he refused to eat another bite, saying, “It doesn’t taste good. I won’t eat anymore.”

Hearing this, Han Jiangmu did not push him. He finished the meat in his own hand and remarked, “It really doesn’t taste that good.”

Jiang Chaoyun shot him a glance and then asked with a hint of awkwardness, “Why did you follow us again? Weren’t you supposed to stay at the Jiang Manor?”

Han Jiangmu replied, “Young Master, I’m not so desperate for a meal that I’d stay there.”

Jiang Chaoyun felt a flicker of happiness upon hearing this, though he also felt an indescribable embarrassment. He gave a cold snort and said, “Well, I don’t have any food to give you either.”

Han Jiangmu smiled slightly but said nothing.

Jiang Chaoyun reached out and gave him another push, saying with disdain, “Hurry up and get out. You’re filthy; you’re getting dirt all over my lambskin rug.”

Suddenly, Han Jiangmu grabbed Jiang Chaoyun’s hand.

Startled, Jiang Chaoyun didn’t even manage to pull his hand away immediately.

Han Jiangmu gently squeezed the center of Chaoyun’s palm. While the boy’s exposed wrists were slender, his hands were somewhat plump and soft; “warm fragrance and soft jade” was the only way to describe the sensation.

Han Jiangmu lowered his gaze, moved his fingers to Jiang Chaoyun’s wrist, and pressed down lightly in the manner of taking a pulse.

Jiang Chaoyun swallowed hard and whispered, “…What… what are you doing?”

Han Jiangmu said solemnly, “Taking your pulse.”

Momentarily speechless, Jiang Chaoyun waited a long while before saying, “You even know how to take a pulse? You really know a lot.”

Han Jiangmu replied nonchalantly, “When traveling the martial world, one must have some skills to make a living.”

If Jiang Chaoyun didn’t already know his true identity, he might have believed this nonsense. But being held by the wrist under the guise of a medical examination made him too embarrassed to pull away.

After a long time, seeing that Han Jiangmu was still “taking his pulse,” Chaoyun deliberately mocked him: “Is it that your skills aren’t up to par? You’ve been at it for so long and haven’t found anything?”

Han Jiangmu appeared to be diagnosing him, but in truth, his fingers were draped over the slender, warm wrist, his thumb nearly encircling it. His touch on Chaoyun’s fair, delicate skin was highly intentional. Yet, hearing the boy speak like this, Han Jiangmu couldn’t help but look at him sideways. Seeing his innocent and pure demeanor, Han Jiangmu’s lips curled up unconsciously.

Seeing his silence as a sign of guilt, Jiang Chaoyun pressed his advantage. “Doctor Ma finishes a pulse in half a moment. Have you still found nothing?”

Han Jiangmu said, “Young Master’s body is very good. Your qi and blood are sufficient, your yin and yang are in harmony. There is nothing wrong with you.”

Jiang Chaoyun gave an “Ooh” and said almost triumphantly, “Wrong! You’re completely wrong! It seems your medical skills really are poor.”

Looking at the boy’s expression, Han Jiangmu nodded slightly as if in agreement. “Young Master is right.”

Jiang Chaoyun withdrew his hand and tried to keep a stern face. “Get out quickly! I want to rest!”

Fearing he would be intimidated by Han Jiangmu’s gaze again, Chaoyun didn’t even look into his eyes this time.

Han Jiangmu lightly rubbed the fingers that had just touched Chaoyun’s wrist. He showed no reaction to the boy’s dismissal, obediently pushed open the carriage door, and stepped out.

Only after he left did Bixin dare to enter with the evening meal. She asked softly, “Young Master, did Guard Han say anything to you?”

Jiang Chaoyun replied, “He took my pulse, but he couldn’t diagnose a single thing.”

As he said this, Jiang Chaoyun felt that Han Jiangmu wasn’t all that formidable after all. With a body like his, the man actually claimed there was nothing wrong—if he truly practiced medicine, he’d be cursed as a quack.

Jiang Chaoyun’s meals were likely the best in the entire convoy. Even in these conditions, he still had to drink tonic soups and eat supplements. Consequently, his complexion looked much better than anyone else’s.

Indeed, without him noticing, his usually pale face had become somewhat ruddy. At a glance, he no longer looked ill but like a healthy youth.

After finishing his meal, Jiang Chaoyun went to see Lin Yuerong.

At that moment, Lin Yuerong was speaking with Han Jiangmu. Her perception of him was extremely complex. On one hand, Han Jiangmu had indeed saved Jiang Chaoyun several times, for which she was grateful. On the other hand, she was much more sensitive and intelligent than her son. Being from a noble family, her vision was broader than that of an average housewife. After reflecting on the events in Jiang Zuoling’s courtyard, she had sensed Han Jiangmu’s excessive concern for Jiang Chaoyun.

Most importantly, he was merely a guard, yet his sense of autonomy was too strong—strong enough to overshadow the masters of the house. Before the masters had even spoken, he had directly decapitated that woman!

These emotions converged into a deep sense of wariness.

Consequently, Lin Yuerong was very polite when speaking to Han Jiangmu. Since he possessed extraordinary martial skills and the convoy was escorting her dowry, she offered him a high salary of 100 taels for the journey. Furthermore, out of gratitude for what he had done for Chaoyun, she presented him with very generous gifts.

However, Han Jiangmu knew exactly what she was thinking with a single glance. He feigned ignorance, did not refuse, and calmly accepted the gifts. He then added, “The journey is long and the number of mountain bandits is unknown. 100 taels may not be enough.”

He actively raised the price. Hearing this, Lin Yuerong actually relaxed slightly and said magnanimously, “It was my oversight. How does 300 taels sound, Guard Han?”

Han Jiangmu nodded slightly. “Acceptable.”

Lin Yuerong was about to smile when she heard Jiang Chaoyun’s voice.

Her smile faded slightly, and she instinctively glanced at Han Jiangmu; his eyes didn’t even flicker, showing no significant reaction.

Lin Yuerong let Jiang Chaoyun in. Entering the tent, the first person Chaoyun saw was Han Jiangmu. The man’s height made him stand out like a crane among chickens, and his posture was so upright that he was always the first person noticed in a crowd.

Jiang Chaoyun hadn’t expected him to be there. The smile he had been wearing was instantly pulled back. He asked hesitantly, “What are you two chatting about?”

Lin Yuerong smiled again and said, “Nothing much. Mother wanted to hire Guard Han once more to protect us on our way back to Nanhua.”

Jiang Chaoyun gave an “Oh” and said, “I see.”

He sat down beside Lin Yuerong. With Han Jiangmu present, he felt a bit constrained. He asked, “Is the negotiation finished?”

Lin Yuerong said, “It’s all settled.”

Jiang Chaoyun then looked at Han Jiangmu, his eyes filled with a slight expectation—the expectation that he would leave quickly.

Han Jiangmu paused for a moment and then said tactfully, “Madam, please rest well. I shall take my leave.”

With that, he rose and departed.

Only then did Jiang Chaoyun breathe a sigh of relief. He leaned gently toward Lin Yuerong and asked, “Mother, you’re really going to keep hiring him?”

Lin Yuerong smiled. “His martial arts are excellent. With him guarding us, we’ll be safer.”

Jiang Chaoyun nodded. “His martial arts are indeed good.”

Lin Yuerong suddenly withdrew her smile and asked, “How is your relationship with Guard Han?”

Jiang Chaoyun replied, “It’s okay. He’s quite good to me.”

At this moment, he recalled his original goal after a long time. He bit his lip and said solemnly, “But I won’t let him be too good to me.”

Lin Yuerong: “?”

She was somewhat confused but didn’t press him. She warned him seriously, “In the future, do not get too close to Guard Han.”

Jiang Chaoyun nodded. “I know.”

Lin Yuerong couldn’t see through Han Jiangmu. When she brought up the salary today and saw he had some expectations, the weight on her heart lightened slightly; someone who desires something is always easier to manage and control. However, she still felt a bit uneasy. Thinking it over, it was perhaps because Han Jiangmu’s eyes hadn’t shown any joy even when she mentioned 300 taels.

In any case, she would take it one step at a time. Once they reached Nanhua, she could dismiss the guard early to avoid any future troubles.

After resting for the night, the convoy continued its journey. Jiang Chaoyun moved from the tent back to the carriage and took another nap, sleeping until lunchtime.

He usually didn’t exercise much and ate well, so he had naturally put on a little weight. However, he hadn’t gained weight anywhere else—only in his face. Consequently, the baby fat on his cheeks had become more rounded, and his skin was white with a healthy rosy tint. He looked more vibrant and lovely than he had during his pale and sickly days.

Looking at him, Lin Yuerong couldn’t help but ask Doctor Ma to check on him, rewarding the doctor with thick gifts as well.

Facing Lin Yuerong’s praise, Ma Wenfeng no longer possessed his previous self-confidence; he was still ashamed of his earlier misdiagnosis.

When he saw Han Jiangmu again, he didn’t have his former composure. Instead, he was apprehensive and uneasy.

Upon learning that Han Jiangmu had planted the Mother Ice Gu into his own body, Ma Wenfeng felt as though a sword was hanging over his head. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said, “Master, is this course of action not too aggressive?”

Han Jiangmu said indifferently, “What is aggressive about it? If your master cannot break the curse, I will send you and your master to the Yellow Springs (afterlife) with me.”

He then gave a slight smile, appearing quite gentle as he said, “With you and your master as companions, the journey to the afterlife won’t be lonely.”

Ma Wenfeng: “…”

Master, truly, don’t smile like that.

Ma Wenfeng felt the cold sweat on his forehead increasing. He forced himself to stay calm and said, “Master is mistaken. My master will certainly be able to break this curse. Please rest assured, Master.”

Only then did Han Jiangmu withdraw his precise, skin-deep smile and said coldly, “That is for the best.”

Planting the Mother Gu into himself was indeed aggressive. But to break the curse, the Mother Gu could not die, and the parasite required a host—so he had become that host.

Ma Wenfeng gave a bitter smile. “Master, rest easy.”

He said no more. His master, the Sage of Southern Glory, was omnipotent. A Gu made by a minor Gu-woman likely wasn’t overly sophisticated in its technique. Furthermore, they had brought the woman’s son, and both the Mother and Child Gu were present; breaking the curse was only a matter of time.

However, he couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. He felt Han Jiangmu cared too much for Jiang Chaoyun and had forgotten his own mission.

It truly fit the saying: One knows not when love began, but it has grown deep.