Seeing the young boy standing motionless, the middle-aged pufu bent her knees to apologize to Ah Da and Ah Er who were guarding the entrance of the courtyard. "Asking the two great brothers to let this old slave enter to send things. Before my family's eldest young master offends the Third Prince even more. This old slave is specially appointed to come to apologize."
Offending the Third Prince, not coming himself but instead sending an old woman without head and without face, this slap is really ruthless. 1 Let alone Ah Da and Ah Er letting her in, You Shu also wanted to stab her heart with a blade. No need to ask, the only person who had offended the Master previously was Wang Tian You, this old woman was Wang jia's bondservant.
What did Wang jia regard Master as? A lowly person where just carelessly sending an old servant is considered settling it? Although You Shu knew the other party only used the apology as an excuse, their true goal is to inquire about his past history. But he still felt very angry in his heart. He didn't dare to walk over and gathered a lot of pebbles on the spot. He threw them over one by one until that old woman covered her head and scampered off like a rat.
"Go away!" After a few laps, he finally picked up a brick at the corner of the table and unthinkingly threw it over. Not only did he shock that old woman to pissing her pants, Ah Da and Ah Er also lept a few big steps away, their hearts fluttering with fear.
"You Shu, look properly, don't hit your own people." Ah Da complained but his eyes were filled with laughter. In order to defend against falling out with a high official's fu, he could not raise his blade and kill people. But You Shu doing this had already vented enough of the fury in their hearts.
How could they drive away a visitor so childishly? Ji Changye had eyes and ears everywhere and was naturally very clear about the matters happening outside the courtyard. He lifted a chess piece but did not put it down for a long while. Finally supported his shaking head, he laughing lowly again and again.
"This little friend is very interesting. " Xuan Ming also smiled and looked profoundly at the youth a few times. 2
Driving away the old woman, You Shu continued nibbling on his pastry. An Incense stick's time later, people came to the outside of the courtyard again, but it was a young lady and a doddering old noblewoman. They announced their background and said that they were Wang Laofuren and Second Young Miss Wang. Since a titled senior of a high official's fu came to visit, Ji Changye had no choice but to go and greet the guests personally. Master Xuan Ming had originally planned to take his leave but stayed because his old friend gave him a meaningful glance. The two people accompanied the senior to sip tea and talk about Buddhism. 3
When the elderly lady walked by You Shu, he discretely felt the other party's pure probing gaze. He touched his beautiful face and already vaguely guessed the reason. Never meeting each other before when he was born but was able to recognise his face at a glance – it's probably because he looked too similar to his mother. And scrutinizing that young lady, she was also 50 to 60% similar to him.
Sitting with the elderly titled senior for a while, the young lady found an excuse to leave. Seeing the cleanly dressed fair-skinned youth under the shade with eyebrows like a painting, she pretended to be ignorant, "Which family's little young master are you? I feel that your face looks somewhat familiar." The Third Prince already recognised this person as his yidi so it's clear that his origins are not common. She must clearly inquire.
"I am from Ji Changye's house." You Shu originally didn't want to respond, but seeing the pair of ghost children sitting on her shoulders, one digging out her eye and one biting her throat, their expression absolutely malevolent. You Shu gained a spark of interest. However, the young girl seemed to be wearing something to ward off evil spirits, so the ghost children unable to do anything to her. Every time they bit into the skin, they were bounced off.
The young lady was stunned by this nonsense sentence, the sweet smile on her face slightlly distorting. Ji Changye who sat by and leaned on the window could hardly suppress a smile and could only press down the laughter that bubbled up after a long while. "I am from Ji Changye's house.". How is it no matter how he listens to it, it sounded so pleasing to his ear? He looked down, seemingly thoughtlessly stroking the corner of his mouth that had stuck up, his heart pondering for a long time.
After the young lady adjusted her stiff expression, she continued probing, "What I meant was, which family were you originally from? My mother is from Liangzhou, I see that your face is very similar, maybe we've come across each other somewhere before."
"Oh." You Shu nodded, picking up and slowly munching on a glutinous rice cake.
Oh what oh? Can you speak a few more words ah! Where can I steer the conversation to like this? The young lady itched to slap the table and stand up but tenaciously endured.4 This face is so unfamiliar yet so familiar, making her teeth itch with hate at a glance.
Composing herself, she forced a smile, "What's your surname? Where is your ancestral hometown? There are a lot of famous sceneries in the Capital, if you feel lonely, you can go out to play with my xiongzhangs. He always admires talented people and your age is similar to his while being far more talented than him. With your visit he's sure to be very happy."
Wiedling such unique looks, the young lady could always steer the direction of the conversation, but she never thought that she couldn't get even a few words out of him from start to finish. Except, unless this person really has a relationship with Wang jia, and also long knew his past history. But if he already knew, why didn't he go to Ganye Temple to visit Song-shi? According to reason, he is already the Third Prince's yidi, even if he couldn't deal with Wang jia, helping Song-shi return to the world would not be hard.
The young lady's mouth kept probing and flattering, but her heart repeatedly guessed.
"Who is your xiongzhang?" You Shu asked despite knowing the answer.
"My xiongzhang is Wang Tian You, the person who competed in essays with you previously. He could compose poems at 3, compose essays at 5, pass the Imperial exam at 9...." The young lady lifted her lower jay slightly, her expression arrogant. If it were not for xiongzhang being so bright and capable, Laotaiye and Laofuren wouldn't have agreed to force Song-shi out and supported mother as the main wife. Of course, such boasting also had the purpose of stimulating the young boy to observe his reaction. If he really was that debt collecting ghost and even knew his past, how could he endure having everything snatched away by a shu son? He was only 15 years old and should reveal some clues.
The young lady guessed right. You Shu really couldn't bear her boasting, but it really wasn't because of his past. You Shu's attitude towards life was very sloppy, it could be summarised as casual and simple. The only he couldn't stand was comparing his IQ with others. Who was he? He was the only 3 among millions of survivors who surpassed the mind ability users and was also the youngest with the greatest potential. The young lady could say anything, but she just cannot say how Wang Tian You was smart.
Hmph, to show one's skills before an expert, making a fool of onself! You Shu criticised in his mind, his lips couldn't help but to stick up and interrupted the non-stop talking young lady, "You should know, that sheet of composition earlier, was only something I made when I was playing a game at 6 years old."
The young lady seemed as if her throat was clutched by someone and her face flushed. She found it difficult to speak and could only coldly speak after a long time, "This gongzi, there should be a limit to jokes, don't you know that complacency leads to loss, modesty brings profit….."
"This phrase is exactly what I wanted to give to you. Complacency leads to loss, your xiongzhang has now lost absolutely amazingly, you should quickly buy some medicine to treat his internal injury. I saw him towering with rage after losing in competing with compositions, flinging his sleeves and leaving. Completely unappreciative of talent as you've said, but even more so being envious of people of worth and ability. You should know that there are countless able people under the skies, if he's always like this, he will sooner or later die from excess anger." You Shu earnestly nodded.
The young lady's temper rose up but the two little ghosts on her shoulder muffled their laughs, taking pleasure in other people's misfortune.
The old senior in the room took note of the two people's conversation, and heard those words. she was already resentful and embarrassed and immediately got up and took her leave. Ji Changye sent off the grandparent and grandchild and Master Xuan Ming then turned around to pinch the boy's pouting lip and brightly laughed, "My family's You Shu not only knows how to sweet talk, but also can choke people up very venemously. Tell me, how did this little mouth of yours grow, no wonder you like to eat sweet and spicy things, so this was the reason."
You Shu blinked, his expression very innocent.
———————–
However Wang jia's people had guessed when they returned or whatever moves they had made – You Shu did not care. His biggest threat at the moment was still the evil ghost. This time, the evil spirit hadn't appeared for 3 months straight already. Every time he disappeared, he would massacre ordinary people and would gain Yang Qi and resentment. When he returns, it would definitely be a life and death disaster.
You Shu didn't dare to be careless, he thought and thought, but still decided to lay his hands on the youth.
It was night and he was huddled in the corner of the bed pretending to sleep. Hearing the drumbeats of zishi (11pm to 1 am) hour, he secrcetly opened the quilt and sat cross-legged by the youth's side. He first approached to look at the other person's sleeping appearance and then extended a finger, lightly poking the other person's cheek and softly calling out, "Master, have you fallen asleep? Master? Master?"
Ever since he was plotted against, Ji Changye could never sleep soundly for a long time. He would wake up with even a little movement, and then he would toss and turn unable to sleep, but hugging the boy gave him an unprecedented sense of relief and could often sleep a whole night without dreams, rising at chenshi (7-9am). Even so, being poked twice by someone else, he couldn't help but to wake up. He originally planned to ask, but his curiosity was sparked by the boy's stealthy movements, promptly slowing down his breathing and pretending to be unaware.
The youth was the best at pretending. If he was unwilling, then no one would be able to get a single clue from his face. You Shu moved closer and closer, and very carefully observed for a long time and finally reached a conclusion — Master was sleeping deeply as always.
The boy's warm, hurried breath sprayed on his face, somewhat itchy and somewhat rough, causing Ji Changye to feel rather strange, his heartbeat speeding up.
You Shu's heartbeat was also very fast and his face was also very tangled. He naturally didn't dare to think of the dragon essense, but he has to suck in some dragon qi, otherwise when Master regains his status and begins to go to court, and would only leave the Capital after a month or two, the debt collecting ghost will have plenty of opportunities to kill him.
"I'm sorry, Master, I also don't want to do this." He put both his palms together and sincerely paid respect.
Ji Changye's heart felt very upset and couldn't help but to associate it with many schemes and intrigues. I'm sorry, You Shu actually wanted to do something that requires an apology to me? What the hell is he thinking of doing? Assassination? Don't tell me that I believed the wrong person this time? Monstrous fury and deep sorrow turned over in his mind, causing Ji Changye to once again experience what it meant to be heartbroken and hurt, to be so in pain as to not want to live. This was the child that he personally raised, the only dear one he recognised, just where did he let him down?
But at the next second, warm, soft, thin lips which brought the aroma of pastry with it covered his lips, making him instantly stiffen, his mind blanked.
You Shu was extremely nervous, so he didn't feel the youth's abnormality at all. He didn't know how to suck in the dragon qi. He hurriedly bumped it and separated and once again apologised, "Master, I'm sorry, I really don't want to do this." As his words fell, he slowly bent over towards the youth's fine lips.
Just bumping into it definitely won't do. "Sucking dragon qi", just as the name implied, he had to "suck". When he thought til here, the two lips already touched. You Shu's heart was beating like a drum but still firmly extended his tongue and pried a crack in the youth's teeth.
Ji Changye was already thoroughly muddled. When the boy's satin tongue bore into his mouth, he was completely unable to move and only had a single thought in his head — so sweet. Surpassing the sweetness from his imagination, sweeter than drinking a whole pot of honey!
You Shu entered the youth's mouth unimpeded and didn't dare to stir the other's tongue, so he merely lightly sucked the saliva in the youth's mouth. This could also be considered as dragon saliva, although there was a world of difference when it was compared with dragon essence – but the effect should not be much worse, right?
BLU: COUGH COUGH COUGH COUGH COUGH