The White Moonlight Turns Out to Be a Black-Hearted Lotus - Chapter 6

“My wife is of a gentle and lovely temperament, modest and polite to everyone. Where exactly is your dissatisfaction?” Ji Yuanhui raised an eyebrow, casting a sidelong glance at him. “Why such a huge reaction?”

“Haha.” Zhou Shining felt a layer of goosebumps rise across his skin, and he rubbed his arms vigorously. “You’ve lost your mind; you’re having delusions again. He is gentle? He is modest? And you asked him to come over at a time like this—do you want him to use that needle-sized heart of his to obsess over the fact that the two of us were alone just now? To wonder what secrets we were whispering?”

Ji Yuanhui disagreed: “Aren’t you overthinking it?”

“Wait until he silently kills me because he thinks I’m having an affair with you—then you’ll be satisfied.” The more Zhou Shining thought about it, the more his skin crawled. “No, no way. He can’t see me alone with you. He’ll definitely find a way to kill me.”

Zhou Shining’s tone didn’t sound like a simple dislike of someone; beneath the resistance, there seemed to be a hint of… fear?

To be so afraid of what Pei Xu might do to him—it was as if he had already been threatened or warned by Pei Xu before.

Ji Yuanhui sensed something was off: “Why are you so certain Rongrong would think that way?”

Zhou Shining’s expression flickered with a moment of unnaturalness before he quickly forced himself to look calm. As if to bolster the credibility of his words, he raised his voice in a show of hollow bravado: “Your wife hates me with a passion. Even a pig could see it! Only a lunatic like you would think he and I share some sort of ‘brotherly affection.'”

Ji Yuanhui narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. “Blood relatives, after all—broken bones are still connected by the tendons.”

“Blood relatives, my ass!” Zhou Shining suddenly snapped. “You’ve been full of bad ideas since you were a kid. You know perfectly well that he and I don’t get along, don’t you?”

“What? I’m being framed!” Ji Yuanhui looked shocked. “I’m just a military man who only knows how to fight. How would I understand these schemes and intrigues? Do you two actually have a personality clash? I truly didn’t know before.”

The acting was a bit hyperbolic, but it was enough to deal with Zhou Shining.

“Either you’re acting, or you’re just stupid and blind. Was there ever a single day of peace when he and I were your study companions back then?” Zhou Shining remained skeptical and continued his accusation. “Don’t try to smooth things over here. I just can’t stand that fragile look of his—like he’ll tip over if the wind blows. He’d fall ‘sick’ and take leave at the drop of a hat, leaving me alone to finish all your schoolwork!”

Ji Yuanhui rubbed his nose and looked at the sky. “It was hard on you back then, but… having poor health isn’t his fault.”

Zhou Shining gave a cold laugh. “Even if you didn’t know before, you should know now. He and I don’t get along. I won’t see him. Farewell.”

Ji Yuanhui didn’t try to force him to stay. “Take care. I won’t see you out.”

Pei Xu estimated that Ji Yuanhui should be finished with his business, so he walked unhurriedly from the front hall through the inner corridor toward the study. He walked very slowly, as if he didn’t want to encounter anyone on the way.

After a few steps, the cawing and croaking of a bird rang out. Pei Xu stopped, a smile touching his face. He extended an arm, and a bird landed on his wrist.

It wasn’t a parrot, nor was it a thrush. It was a crow, pitch-black all over.

Zhou Shining was walking in a hurry, terrified that if he moved too slowly, he would run into Pei Xu.

But things often happen exactly as one fears. The two of them collided.

Zhou Shining skidded to a halt, his gaze falling upon the crow on Pei Xu’s wrist. He swallowed hard, instinctively touching his eye socket.

Pei Xu noticed him as well. His lips curled into a smile as he turned and gave a very proper, polite bow. “Cousin.”

“Uh, yeah…” Compared to Pei Xu’s calm composure, Zhou Shining was restless and looked quite awkward. However, his eyes couldn’t help but follow that crow.

Pei Xu noted this. He tilted his head slightly to look at the crow, which had now hopped onto his shoulder. “Is Cousin looking at him? This is Xiao Wu. He’s a very good little bird and can understand human speech. Would Cousin like to pet him?”

As he spoke, Pei Xu moved his wrist—where Xiao Wu had hopped back to—closer to Zhou Shining. Zhou Shining was so frightened that he covered his eyes and scrambled back several steps, nearly falling over.

“Don’t bring that thing over here!” Zhou Shining raised his arms to tightly shield his face, his voice verging on a sob. “Take it away! Get it away!”

The sound of flapping wings filled the air. Pei Xu’s voice was quick with apology and concern. “Xiao Wu has flown away. I am so sorry, truly sorry. Xiao Wu is so small; I didn’t think Cousin would be afraid of him. Cousin kept looking at him, so I thought Cousin liked him…”

Trembling with lingering fear, Zhou Shining lowered his arms slightly. Seeing that the bird had indeed flown off, he caught his breath and suddenly felt the sting of humiliation. He flushed red and tried to save face with angry bluster: “I… I’m not afraid of little birds! It’s just that I once saw a vicious crow peck a person’s eyes out and eat them! So… so I was just being cautious!”

“I’ve heard that only those who have committed the karma of a foul tongue are punished by crows pecking out their eyes and tongues. Has Cousin done something bad, or spoken ill of others behind their backs?” Pei Xu wore an expression of slight shock, asking him with utter sincerity. “Otherwise… why would you be so afraid?”

Zhou Shining felt guilty under his gaze, and his heart grew cold. He began to babble nonsense, answering irrelevant questions. “I—I have some urgent business. I have to go.”

Pei Xu smiled. “Such a rush. Won’t you stay for a cup of tea?”

Zhou Shining waved his hands frantically. “No, next time. We’ll talk next time.”

With that, he fled as if his tail were on fire, seemingly terrified that Pei Xu would continue to detain him.

Watching his frantic departing figure, Pei Xu instinctively tilted his chin up slightly and let out a soft chuckle.

So cowardly.

His Highness doesn’t like the cowardly, nor does he like the stupid.

When Pei Xu arrived at the study, Ji Yuanhui saw at a glance that he was in a good mood.

“What mischief have you been up to?” Ji Yuanhui raised an eyebrow. “You look so happy.”

Pei Xu lowered his gaze, his smile gentle. “Your Highness is joking.”

[Zhou Shining shouldn’t be coming back for a while.]

[Things can be quiet for a few days.]

That voice was still there…

Ji Yuanhui felt that either he had seen a ghost, or he had pretended to be a normal person for so long that he had finally gone mad.

He had seen things like soul-capturing arts and other eerie secrets in storybooks, but he had never believed in ghosts or gods.

But now, he had no choice but to believe. The voice continued:

[Why did His Highness suddenly go quiet?]

[His Highness isn’t looking at me. Is His Highness daydreaming?]

[Why would His Highness rather daydream than look at me? Is there something wrong with me?]

Suddenly, a clatter echoed as porcelain struck the table. Ji Yuanhui’s hands moved faster than his brain, and he grabbed Pei Xu’s arm.

“Are you alright?” Ji Yuanhui had moved quickly; the tea overturned by the sleeve had only splashed onto Pei Xu’s lapel, not his skin. Still, he pulled the man’s arm to check him over, worried. “How could you be so careless? Did you get burned?”

[Ah… His Highness is finally looking at me.]

[Wonderful. Look at me some more.]

Ji Yuanhui’s movements stiffened as he checked Pei Xu’s condition. He looked up into Pei Xu’s face.

“I’m fine.” The lapel of his outer robe was wet with tea. Pei Xu lowered his eyelashes to avoid Ji Yuanhui’s gaze, looking both guilty and helpless. “It’s my fault. I’m clumsy and have caused Your Highness worry.”

Yes, the corners of his mouth haven’t moved, but his eyes are smiling. He’s done something bad again.

It was intentional.

He could suddenly hear what Pei Xu was thinking.

Though even if he couldn’t hear his thoughts, he could have guessed most of it.

Once, to pass the time, he had kept a cat. If the cat scratched the food bowl, it was hungry; if it tugged at your clothes, it was bored; if it kept meowing incessantly, it was in heat.

There wasn’t much difference between humans and cats. They were both living creatures. They all needed to eat when hungry, felt fear when lonely, and couldn’t help but want to be close to the person they liked when they reached a certain age.

But Ji Yuanhui was still a little angry. Feeling lonely is normal, wanting attention is normal—but it shouldn’t come at the cost of hurting oneself.

He had been fast enough to pull him away this time, but what about next time?

What if next time he “accidentally” cut his hand, “accidentally” sprained his ankle, or “accidentally” ate something wrong…

Just thinking about it made Ji Yuanhui’s heart ache. The boy already had poor health, yet he didn’t know the first thing about taking care of himself. He didn’t know how he had developed this notion that “only by being hurt will I be cared for.”

Ji Yuanhui ordered a servant to bring a change of clothes and handed them to Pei Xu. “Go change. When you’re done, I have something for you.”

Pei Xu went behind the screen to change out of the tea-soaked clothes. By the time he emerged, the table had been cleared, and an exquisite wooden box sat by Ji Yuanhui’s hand.

Seeing him come out, Ji Yuanhui pushed the box toward him. “Open it and see if you like it.”

Pei Xu opened the box. Inside lay a dagger.

Ji Yuanhui said, “Pick it up. Draw it and take a look.”

The scabbard, inlaid with red rubies, was pulled away to reveal a blade that was sharp and bright enough to serve as a mirror.

Pei Xu’s heart trembled slightly, and a faint blush of excitement rose to his face.

[So beautiful…]

Most people who met him thought he would like elegant things like ancient texts or the pipa. Few knew that he actually liked archery and weapons.

Pei Xu’s entire attention was captured by the beautiful dagger. He didn’t notice at all when Ji Yuanhui walked up behind him, circling him to gently hold his wrist.

“Let’s try it…” Ji Yuanhui held his wrist and thrust downward. The dagger easily sank an inch into the edge of the table. Ji Yuanhui turned his head to look at him. “Is it comfortable to use? Do the inlaid gems suit your taste? If there’s anything you don’t like, I’ll have the craftsman change it.”

“There is nothing I don’t like. It’s very beautiful…” Pei Xu’s eyes were bright, and he tilted his face up to look at him submissively. In the next moment, a soft warmth pressed against Ji Yuanhui’s cheek. Pei Xu quickly lowered his head, his eyes finding nowhere to rest, and whispered with reddened ears: “Thank you, Your Highness.”

Ji Yuanhui’s mind went blank for a second, his expression momentarily stunned.

Good heavens, this was the first time Pei Xu had initiated a kiss since they were married.

He had never felt shy when kissing Pei Xu, but Pei Xu kissing him once actually made him realize what it felt like to be embarrassed.

Ji Yuanhui scratched his hair, unable to suppress the upward curve of his lips despite several attempts. He balled his hand into a fist and placed it over his mouth to hide his smile, forcing himself to appear calm. “If you like it, carry it with you. Use it for self-defense.”

The anger from moments ago vanished instantly. He just wanted his beloved to look at him. What wrong has he done? He’s still young; it’s inevitable that his methods might be a bit improper. I just need to guide him properly.

So Ji Yuanhui thought, touching the cheek where Pei Xu had kissed him.

But a verbal warning was still necessary.

Ji Yuanhui controlled his expression, pressing down the smile that kept trying to rise, and cleared his throat twice. “The handle is what you hold. The blade is meant to strike an enemy. Don’t be foolish enough to touch it yourself, do you understand?”

Pei Xu put the dagger back into its scabbard and placed it in the box. “Your Highness can rest assured. I will be careful.”

“You don’t just need to be careful with the dagger. You need to be careful drinking tea, careful walking…” Ji Yuanhui said. “If you ‘accidentally’ hurt yourself again on purpose, I won’t care, no matter how piteously you cry.”

[He saw through it? How is that possible?]

[He must be bluffing.]

Pei Xu’s gaze drifted. “I don’t understand what Your Highness is saying…”

Feeling both annoyed and amused, Ji Yuanhui opened his palm and pinched Pei Xu’s cheeks between his thumb and forefinger, giving them a little shake. “You play dumb the moment I say something you don’t want to hear, hmm?”

Pei Xu blinked, wanting to argue, but his cheeks were held by Ji Yuanhui, and he couldn’t make a sound.

He looked like a rabbit being picked up by its ears.

Ji Yuanhui couldn’t help but laugh at the comparison. He released Pei Xu. “I’ve been having nightmares lately—dreams about some… not very good things.”

He paused, then added: “Very scary things.”

Pei Xu widened his eyes and stared at him intently. “Does Your Highness feel fear too?”

“I do. I feel fear, even if I know it’s a dream, after I wake up.” Ji Yuanhui’s voice softened, becoming very gentle, as if carrying a hope. “Cherish and love yourself well. Rongrong must live a long, long life.”