The Paranoid Male Lead’s "White Moonlight" Has Reborn - Chapter 36

The feeling was so vivid that Jiang Chaoyun desperately wanted to withdraw his hand. However, Han Jiangmu’s palm pressed firmly against the back of his hand, his fingers assuming a coercive posture. For a moment, he was trapped in a dilemma between that broad, thick palm and those handsome cheeks.

Jiang Chaoyun’s gaze fell upon Han Jiangmu’s high, straight bridge of the nose. He pursed his lips slightly, and as if bewitched, he actually pressed his fingertips down slightly, touching the cool, white, and flawless skin of Han Jiangmu’s cheek.

The skin on Han Jiangmu’s face was somewhat cool. Jiang Chaoyun felt as though he were stroking a piece of warm, smooth jade. Because Han Jiangmu had closed his eyes, the boy’s courage grew, and he dared to look closely at the man’s face.

From this angle, he could clearly see Han Jiangmu’s eyelashes. Such a man actually possessed long eyelashes; they weren’t very dense, but each was distinct, lining the edge of his thin eyelids and casting a shadow over the cool white skin below his eyes. This softened his sharp features and revealed an immense handsomeness.

It was a strange feeling. Jiang Chaoyun’s chest heaved heavily, and his breath became short and shallow. He felt as though all other sounds had faded away, leaving only the sound of his own breathing in his ears.

Jiang Chaoyun couldn’t help but think: My breathing is so heavy; surely Han Jiangmu can hear it? He also felt his heartbeat was magnified, causing him an indescribable bashfulness.

It was then that Han Jiangmu slightly lifted his eyelids, his gaze settling on Jiang Chaoyun’s face. At this distance, they were close enough for Han Jiangmu to see the fine downy hair on Jiang Chaoyun’s face—close enough to take in all of his beauty.

Jiang Chaoyun’s skin was very fair, possessing a warm softness nurtured by the water towns of Jiangnan. It was tinged with a blush that seemed to seep from the flesh like a ripening fruit; one felt that a single bite would cause the juices to spray.

Particularly now, those beautiful, clear eyes—which were obviously lost in thought—refocused. Seeing the man staring at him, his thick eyelashes trembled, and he shyly averted his gaze. The charm that flowed from his eyes at that moment easily brought to mind peach blossoms beginning to bloom in the spring breeze. Tender, green, and at their prime.

The corners of Han Jiangmu’s lips tilted up slightly. This smile, like the one before, softened the sharp edge in his eyes and revealed the spirit and light a person of his age should have. He gripped Jiang Chaoyun’s hand and moved it away from his cheek. Guiding the boy’s hand with his own fingers, he touched the white fingertip to the bridge of his nose, then followed the bridge downward, finally settling on his lips.

Jiang Chaoyun was startled by the soft sensation against his fingertip. He instantly snapped to his senses, withdrew his hand, and retreated several steps in confusion.

Han Jiangmu asked as if nothing were wrong, “Why has the Young Master stopped touching?”

Jiang Chaoyun’s face was crimson. He shot the man a glare, pursed his lips, and remained silent. Seeing that his face was truly very red, Han Jiangmu suppressed the malice hidden in his bones and knew when to stop.

The two sat in silence for a while. Once Jiang Chaoyun felt his emotions had stabilized, he finally spoke—but the moment he did, he was startled to find his voice had become somewhat raspy, sounding unlike his own: “…Why haven’t you left yet?”

Han Jiangmu looked at him quietly, then truly stood up to leave. Seeing him actually going, Jiang Chaoyun couldn’t help but call out, “Wait.”

Han Jiangmu turned his head slightly to look at him. “What are the Young Master’s orders?”

Jiang Chaoyun opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say. Han Jiangmu waited for him patiently. After a long while, Jiang Chaoyun said softly, “I haven’t washed my hands yet.”

Han Jiangmu realized and said in a low voice, “Even if the Young Master hasn’t washed his hands, they are very clean.”

With a boom, Jiang Chaoyun’s cheeks burned crimson. Before he could look at Han Jiangmu again, the man had already turned and strode away. Jiang Chaoyun fell back onto the stool, his legs weak. That restless heart in his chest felt as if it had been struck by something; its beating actually became slow.

When Bixin entered, she saw Jiang Chaoyun sitting on the stool in a daze, his face flushed. She was startled and hurried forward to touch his forehead. “Heavens, it’s so hot! Young Master, have you come down with a fever?”

Jiang Chaoyun also felt his head was a bit dizzy and for a moment wondered if he had caught a cold and developed a fever. Thus, when Bixin went to invite Master Xun for him, he did not stop her.

It wasn’t until Xun Ziyang arrived in a hurry and confirmed he was physically sound that Jiang Chaoyun realized he had been thrown into utter chaos by a few mere words from Han Jiangmu. He no longer felt like himself! This Han Jiangmu was truly terrifying!

By every logic and reason, he should not have any further involvement with this Han Jiangmu! Jiang Chaoyun made up his mind. That night, he directly locked his windows and doors, giving Han Jiangmu no opportunity to enter his inner chamber.

When Han Jiangmu arrived that night and was turned away at the door, he surprisingly didn’t panic and left calmly. This continued for several days. Instead, it was Jiang Chaoyun whose heart was a mess, feeling deeply conflicted. He didn’t understand why he was reduced to such a state by a few casual words, as if his every emotion were controlled by the other.

He didn’t understand, and he didn’t want to understand. He instinctively felt that if he truly understood this matter, there would be no room for turning back. But he only had a few years of life left; only by expecting nothing could he spend the remainder of his time in peace.

With this thought, his heart slowly settled.

Soon, Jiang Chaoyun reached his eighteenth birthday.

Since it was his first birthday at the Lin household, the Lins decided to hold a grand celebration, inviting all the prestigious families of Nanhua. The Lin family was indeed a prominent clan in Nanhua, possessing the influence to summon a crowd; their willingness to hold this celebration for Jiang Chaoyun showed they truly considered him one of their own.

The weather on this day had warmed significantly. Even the snow on the cedars had melted. The courtyard was filled with puddles of melted snow, and from early morning, servants were diligently sweeping away the water to keep the courtyard clean and tidy.

During these days, Jiang Chaoyun could truly feel a difference in his body. He was no longer as sensitive to the cold. Sometimes when he removed his warm jade for a bath, his skin remained warm. He also slept much less than before, and his time for activity had increased relatively.

However, the medicine he drank was even more bitter—bitter than the medicine Dr. Ma had prepared. He had to drink it every day. To hide the medicinal scent on his body, he had Bixin scent his inner and outer garments with incense. But the medicine Master Xun gave him now was so pungent that even incense couldn’t cover it.

Jiang Chaoyun felt that even his breath would carry that extreme bitterness. Having his birthday at such a time was, one might say, a bit unfortunate. Bixin had embroidered a pocket inside his sleeve, filled with various preserved fruits to suppress the bitterness at the back of his tongue.

Having been used to drinking medicine since childhood, he didn’t find it too hard; he was merely worried others would find him distasteful. Only after eating a fair amount of preserved fruits and feeling that his breath no longer smelled of medicine did he dare to step out.

He was still wearing the white fox-fur cloak Han Jiangmu had hunted for him. It was very thick; while it had been just right before, it was now a bit hot. Nevertheless, he did not take it off.

When he reached the front hall, he instinctively looked around but did not see Han Jiangmu. He felt a bit of loss, his fingers twitching as he realized he hadn’t seen Han Jiangmu for half a month. Though he had intended to avoid him, could this Han Jiangmu truly be so stoic as to not come and see him?

Jiang Chaoyun didn’t know that his heart’s pool had long been stirred into ripples by that man surnamed Han. Perhaps because of this ordeal, there was an indescribable quality to him now. Like a flower in spring—though fragile and small, the moment it blooms is always incredibly moving.

And Jiang Chaoyun, at this moment that even he couldn’t explain, arrived at his own unique flowering period.

This change naturally didn’t escape Lin Yuerong’s eyes. At first, she only felt that Jiang Chaoyun’s eyes were shimmering and his cheeks frequently flushed with a faint blush, revealing a certain charm. However, upon closer look, she could feel his distraction; his gaze was wavering as if searching for someone.

She felt a flicker of doubt but said nothing, only arranging for Jiang Chaoyun to sit. During a break, she called Bixin over to ask about his situation.

Bixin said honestly, “Nothing has happened with the Young Master lately, Madam. It’s just… that Guard Han Jiangmu. You already dismissed him; why is he still wandering around the Lin Manor?”

Hearing Han Jiangmu’s name again, Lin Yuerong’s expression changed slightly. She once again recalled what Han Jiangmu had done in Jiang Zuoling’s courtyard. Was his intense concern for her son normal? Even if she took Jiang Chaoyun far away to the Lin Manor, he could follow; even if she dismissed him, he could find a way to stay…

Thinking of this, Lin Yuerong’s expression became extremely dark. She had a very bad premonition—a premonition so terrible she didn’t even dare think about it further, as it was already causing her heart to burn. If she dwelled on it, the consequences might be more than she could bear.

Lin Yuerong returned to the banquet, listening to the noble ladies praise her son while she forced a smile in response.

It was at this moment that a commotion came from outside. A maid ran in out of breath, her face filled with surprise, and whispered in Lin Yuerong’s ear: “Madam, someone has brought many birthday gifts for the Young Master. Please come out and see.”

The Lin family and the guests walked onto the steps and saw a tall, robust man who spoke with a voice like a booming bell: “This servant comes by my master’s command to present birthday gifts to Young Master Jiang. Congratulations to the Young Master on becoming a year older today; may the Young Master have many more days like this, year after year!”

With that, he pulled out a fire starter and lit the grey fuse of a massive black object nearby.

With a sizzle, the fuse was quickly ignited and burned through. Immediately, the black object spat out fireballs one after another, which shot up into the black sky with lightning speed. Then, those clusters of fireballs exploded into one magnificent firework after another.

Everyone cried out in surprise, “What is this?!”

However, the frequent sound of the explosions drowned their cries under the cover of night. The brilliant fireworks lit up the entire sky; the scene was so beautiful that the cries of surprise gradually faded as everyone watched the exquisite beauty in silence.

Once the fireworks had burned out, the robust man said with a smile, “This was the first gift my master presented to Young Master Jiang. Here is the second.”

With that, he pulled away a black cloth, revealing a cage inside. Within the cage sat an animal with black and white fur.

The man said, “My master says Young Master Jiang is worthy of the best treasures in this world. Therefore, the second gift is the Holy Beast of Western Shu—the Iron-Eating Beast (Giant Panda).”

Everyone couldn’t help but be shocked.

The shock and awe in Jiang Chaoyun’s eyes faded slightly, replaced by a sense of bewilderment and loss.

It… it was Han Jiangmu again?