The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 43

From sunrise to sunset, the evening glow set the western sky ablaze, casting the earth in a fiery orange-red hue.

Lin Huaiyu had slept for a long time and woke up in the evening. He had been curled up in the carriage, and as soon as he moved, a dull ache shot through his waist.

He frowned and let out a soft groan. Su Yang, who was beside him, immediately leaned over. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Su Yang’s tone was urgent, his expression serious, as if he would rush into fire or water at the slightest hint of Lin Huaiyu’s discomfort.

Lin Huaiyu propped himself up with effort and sat up. “My back aches from lying down all day.”

The carriage was no match for the recliner in his courtyard. Even though Su Yang had padded the carriage with soft cushions, it still felt uncomfortable.

Before Lin Huaiyu could rub his own waist, Su Yang pulled him into his embrace. Leaning against Su Yang’s chest, Lin Huaiyu felt the man’s hand reach around to his side. A low voice sounded in his ear. “Does it hurt here?”

Su Yang began gently massaging Lin Huaiyu’s waist. Feeling weak and uncomfortable, Lin Huaiyu couldn’t be bothered to dwell on whether Su Yang had broken his promise or not.

He shook his head slightly. “No, a little to the side.”

Following his words, Su Yang moved his hand to the back of Lin Huaiyu’s waist and pressed gently. “Here?”

Lin Huaiyu hummed in agreement, letting Su Yang use a soothing touch to ease the discomfort in his waist.

“We’ve been traveling all day. Let’s find a place to rest,” Lin Huaiyu said, no longer wanting to lie in the carriage. Traveling during the day was one thing, but if he had to sleep in it at night, he feared he might not make it to Great Chu before collapsing in the carriage.

Su Yang lifted the carriage curtain and peered outside. “There’s a small town ahead. We’ll stay there tonight.”

Lin Huaiyu nodded. “Alright.”

As the carriage entered the town, Su Yang stood up first. Just as he was about to carry Lin Huaiyu, Lin Huaiyu looked up at him. “I can walk on my own.”

Su Yang smiled sheepishly and withdrew his hand, stepping out of the carriage first.

Lin Huaiyu then leaned out, and Su Yang reached up to help him down.

The two of them walked toward the inn.

“Waiter, two of your best rooms,” Su Yang said as he led Lin Huaiyu into the inn. The waiter at the counter stared at them, his eyes wide.

He handed two room tokens to Su Yang and said, “Sir, the best rooms are five taels each.”

Su Yang placed the silver on the counter. “And bring us a few dishes.”

“Right away, sir. Please have a seat,” the waiter said, quickly taking the silver.

Lin Huaiyu sat down first and waited for Su Yang to finish ordering. From the next table, he overheard someone drinking and chatting. “Isn’t the rain-praying ceremony tonight? You’re engaged to the Zhou family’s second daughter, and you haven’t even met her yet. This is your chance.”

Another person chuckled shyly. “We already arranged to meet tonight.”

The first person laughed heartily. “Oh, so you’ve already made secret plans?”

The other quickly replied, “It’s not secret. We are engaged, after all It’s just that the rule about not meeting before the wedding is truly frustrating.”

The other person also said, “Indeed, every year, lovelorn men and women can only meet their intended spouses during the Rain-Praying Ceremony, or they might take a fancy to someone at the ceremony and send a matchmaker.”

Su Yang finished ordering and walked over to Lin Huaiyu. Seeing Lin Huaiyu lost in thought, he asked, “What are you looking at, Teacher?”

Lin Huaiyu replied, “There’s a Rain-Praying Ceremony here tonight.”

Su Yang glanced at Lin Huaiyu and raised an eyebrow. “Teacher wants to see it?”

Lin Huaiyu didn’t answer. He wasn’t particularly fond of lively events, and the Lin residence was somewhat remote. But since he had already left Jiangnan, he thought that for the rest of his life, he should see more of the sights he had never seen before and experience different customs and cultures. Although Xia Yu Town was still in Jiangnan, it was almost at the border. He had truly never heard of the Rain-Praying Ceremony. Indeed, every place had its own unique customs.

Su Yang watched Lin Huaiyu lower his gaze in deep thought and smiled. “I’ve never heard of the Rain-Praying Ceremony either. I wonder if it’s similar to the sacrificial ceremony in the capital. Why don’t we go see it tonight?”

Lin Huaiyu looked up at Su Yang.

Su Yang’s expression stiffened, realizing he had brought up something he shouldn’t have, and quickly fell silent.

The sacrificial ceremony he had deceived Lin Huaiyu, pretending it was an enthronement ceremony for an empress. He wanted Lin Huaiyu to feel anxious and jealous about his “enthronement” and also wanted to see Lin Huaiyu in wedding attire, radiant in red.

Several dishes were served on the table, all to Lin Huaiyu’s taste. Lin Huaiyu didn’t eat spicy food; he preferred sweet and sour flavors, especially sour ones. Su Yang had specifically chosen a few dishes prepared in sweet and sour styles.

Su Yang picked up food and fed it to Lin Huaiyu, reluctant to let him lift his own chopsticks.

Lin Huaiyu glanced at him and said, “Let’s go see it. I’d like to experience the Rain-Praying Ceremony too.”

Su Yang’s eyes lit up, and the corners of his lips lifted. “Alright.”

At night, the bright moon hung high in the sky, and Xia Yu Town was ablaze with lights. Lanterns throughout the town were all lit, and the streets were bustling with people, even the road outside the inn crowded.

As soon as Lin Huaiyu stepped out, he was nearly swept away by the crowd.

He frowned but hadn’t yet moved when his hand was taken.

Lin Huaiyu turned to look. Su Yang, who had been behind him, had grabbed his hand and quickly moved to his side, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “This way, we won’t get separated,” he explained.

Lin Huaiyu glanced at him and silently agreed.

The two walked side by side through the crowd until they reached the Rain-Praying Ceremony.

The so-called Rain-Praying Ceremony was a superstitious ritual where a shaman performed rites, believing that sincerity would bring rain.

Watching the process, Su Yang chuckled softly. “So this is how ridiculous I looked during the sacrificial ceremony.”

Lin Huaiyu’s lips curved slightly. “You don’t believe in these things, so of course you find it ridiculous. But in their eyes, sincerity reaches the heavens. They believe, so it’s not ridiculous.”

Su Yang looked at Lin Huaiyu. Amidst the myriad lights, Lin Huaiyu shone brighter than the flames.

“You smiled,” Su Yang said, gazing at him with a smile, as if he had discovered a treasure.

He had finally seen Lin Huaiyu smile again.

Lin Huaiyu looked up, his smile fading. “What does it have to do with you?”

Su Yang’s smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly composed himself and continued accompanying Lin Huaiyu through the lantern festival.

Suddenly, a flower struck Su Yang’s chest. He paused his steps, and a lovely young woman walked toward him. She held another flower in her hand, looked at Su Yang, and asked, “Which family’s young master are you?”

Su Yang raised an eyebrow and countered, “What do you want?”

The girl extended the flower in her hand toward Su Yang and said, “I’ve taken a liking to you. I’ll send a matchmaker to your home tomorrow to propose marriage.”

Su Yang chuckled softly, glanced at Lin Huaiyu beside him, and replied, “I already have someone in my heart.”

The girl’s face fell with disappointment. “Ah… alright then,” she said regretfully.

Lin Huaiyu turned and walked away.

Su Yang’s hand felt empty. He quickly pushed through the crowd to catch up. “Old Huaiyu.”

Lin Huaiyu halted. “What did you call me?”

Su Yang smiled. “Didn’t you say you no longer acknowledge me as your student? Since we’re no longer teacher and disciple, isn’t it fitting for me to call you Huaiyu?”

Truthfully… he didn’t want to call Lin Huaiyu “teacher” in public anymore. He had long grown tired of it.

He wanted everyone to know they weren’t just teacher and student or rather, they were more than that.

Lin Huaiyu gave Su Yang a deep look. “Don’t regret this.”

Su Yang blinked and swiftly changed the subject. “Back in Jiangnan, you mentioned you had someone in your heart. Who is it?”

Lin Huaiyu sneered and deliberately said, “Someone gentle and obedient.”

Su Yang’s smile stiffened, but he pressed on. “I’m gentle and obedient too. Could your beloved be me?”

Fireworks exploded in an instant, filling Xia Yu Town’s night sky with dazzling bursts of light. The crowd, carrying lanterns, formed a river of light. They gazed at each other amidst the glowing stream.

Lin Huaiyu lowered his eyes and whispered softly, “Unfortunately, my heart doesn’t have room for so many people.”

The myriad lights reflected in Su Yang’s pupils instantly dimmed.

Lin Huaiyu turned and headed toward the inn.

The ceremony was over, and the lantern festival was nearly ending. If they didn’t rest soon, they’d be traveling by carriage again tomorrow.

Su Yang followed behind Lin Huaiyu until he entered his room and closed the door, leaving Su Yang outside.

Su Yang sighed softly toward Lin Huaiyu’s room before turning and walking to the neighboring one.

Once inside, Lin Huaiyu swayed unsteadily and quickly leaned against the table for support.

He could feel his body growing weaker. Just walking for a short while had brought waves of dizziness crashing over him.

He struggled to reach the bed and lay down, waiting for the dizziness to subside.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open. Someone had slipped into his room under the cover of night.

Lin Huaiyu frowned slightly but didn’t speak immediately.

The person gradually approached, stopping by the bedside and murmuring, “Why aren’t you covered with a blanket?”

Hearing the voice, Lin Huaiyu relaxed. Why had Su Yang come to his room again?

The blanket was tucked over him, but Su Yang didn’t leave. Instead, he sat by the bed, watching him intently. Even with his eyes closed, Lin Huaiyu could feel the intensity of that gaze.

After a long while, Su Yang still hadn’t moved. Lin Huaiyu finally opened his eyes and asked, “What do you want?”

Su Yang was taken aback, not expecting Lin Huaiyu to be awake. “Did I wake you?”

Lin Huaiyu replied calmly, “I wasn’t asleep.”

Su Yang responded with a hum and explained, “Even though we’re just separated by a wall, I’m worried something might suddenly happen to you. I’d rather stay in the room to keep an eye on you. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything I’ll just watch over you.”

Lin Huaiyu said irritably, “If you watch me, I can’t sleep.”

Su Yang felt a bit awkward, then stood up and walked over to sit at the table. “How about I sit here? Is that okay?”

Lin Huaiyu shot him a glance and said, “Get farther away.”

Su Yang had no choice but to stand up again and move to the doorway. “Then, how about here?”

Lin Huaiyu pursed his lips. No matter how far Su Yang stood, that gaze still lingered on him distance made no difference.

He could only say coldly, “Either go back to your own room or lay out a bedroll on the floor and lie down. Stop staring at me.”

Su Yang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and willingly gathered a quilt to make a bed on the floor.

The Emperor of Great Yong reduced to sleeping on the floor of an inn no one would believe it if word got out.

Yet Su Yang smiled as if he had just conquered the world.

Lin Huaiyu, no longer feeling that burning gaze, finally closed his eyes and settled into a peaceful sleep.

After a while, he heard a muffled whisper from below: “Huaiyu, who exactly is the one you love?”

“Is he from the capital? Or from Jiangnan? When did you meet him? Was it after you left the capital?”

“How gentle is he? How obedient? Can he be gentler than me? More obedient than me?”

“Then why did he disappear? Did he abandon you? Or…”

Lin Huaiyu couldn’t take it anymore. “Get out.”