Entering the sanctuary hall together, the Grandmaster and Han Yijun hurried towards Chi Cheng. The younger male staggered, barely managing to keep his balance; feeling his left leg tremble under the force of the hand fan.
'I probably should not have tried to deceive her…' Chi Cheng clenched his teeth.
His mother was not too fond of deception, especially when it involved her sons.
Chi Yulan dismissed the Grandmaster and his nephew with the firm thrust of her fan in their direction, immediately halting them in their tracks. Pointing towards Han Xuelian specifically; her gaze narrowed glaringly.
"You, wait." She ordered sternly. Then, flicking the fan in Han Yijun's direction, she nodded. "You help me take him to his quarters so I can assess his injury."
Han Yijun complied eagerly, approaching Chi Cheng to offer him support. The shorter male eyed him furiously, refusing to receive his assistance despite his deteriorating condition.
"Don't be stubborn…" Han Yijun whispered through clenched teeth. "Your mother is watching." Reaching for Chi Cheng's arm, he gripped it firmly.
The forceful gesture made Chi Cheng stiffen, his body coursing with a glacial wave as if all the warmth had dissipated.
He didn't like Han Yijun's touch. It made him sick.
'This bastard…' Chi Cheng cussed internally, opposed to the idea of being in the arms of the very same wretched man who only lusted after him, seeking satisfaction for his carnal desires. 'I've had about enough of you. I will make you pay for what you did.'
Noticing his older brother's distress, Chi Weiran gripped Han Yijun's wrist. His hold tightened with each second that he eyed the Grandmaster's nephew suspiciously.
"I don't know what relationship you have with my brother…" Chi Weiran hissed, careful to avoid his mother's hearing while she was engaged in conversation with the Grandmaster. "But he doesn't like you touching him and neither do I." He flicked off Han Yijun's arm, recalling the way he dragged his older brother into the training courtyard a few days ago.
The Grandmaster's nephew retracted his hand, the area around his wrist throbbing. If Chi Weiran had used any more strength than he intended to, he didn't doubt that his wrist would have shattered instantly.
"Brother, I will carry you myself." Chi Weiran's predatory expression softened when he looked back at his older brother, his brows drawing together with concern.
"This injury should be trivial for a warrior but perhaps I am weaker than I thought…" Chi Cheng sighed with disappointment, but he lifted a hand to stop his younger brother. "He will carry me." Chi Cheng gestured to the Grandmaster, earning him his mother and Han Xuelian's attention.
"Why?" Chi Yulan raised an eyebrow, tapping her fan on her palm. "Forget it, one of you just do what I asked you to"
Baffled by Chi Cheng's bold request, a confident order rather, Han Xuelian sauntered towards him. The Grandmaster lifted him with sheer ease, not uttering a single word. Yet, he did find it uncharacteristic of himself to obey an order without taking a blow to his pride.
Not even his Majesty, the esteemed Emperor could easily command his every action.
So why did he not feel enraged or exasperated by Chi Cheng's words? Or was he still subconsciously keeping the letter's words in mind and simply avoiding doing anything that would earn the wrath of the younger male's father?
'It is even more strange that I fear that man…' The thought didn't settle well with the Grandmaster, certainly 'fear' of anyone in general was an immediate strike to the grandeur beneath his name. 'No… I'm simply just responsible for what happened to you because I didn't take better precautions during the archery test. Yes… this is just guilt.'
Chi Cheng's lips curved victoriously when he caught Han Yijun visibly flaring with anger, as if his ex-lover's chest heaved with disbelief and his fists clenched at his sides from how intimately Chi Cheng clung to his uncle.
'I was going to put this behind me, Han Yijun…' Chi Cheng's lips flattened. 'But it's disgusting and unbearable with how you think I'm still something you can handle as you please… I will make you miserable without fail.'
Gazing down at Chi Cheng, Han Xuelian witnessed the emerald hue in the younger male's eyes flicker with a tint of red briefly before it vanished. The feeling was subtle, but an underlying sinister intent surrounded Chi Cheng the moment he spitefully looked at Han Yijun.
'You're definitely hiding more than just your physical abilities…' The Grandmaster noted.
However, he set such thoughts away for a later time of leisure. Escorting Chi Cheng back to his room with Chi Yulan and Chi Weiran trailing behind, he laid him down on the bed.
"You shouldn't have pushed yourself…" Han Xuelian propped the pillow up behind Chi Cheng's back for comfort. "Don't you dare move again?"
Chi Yulan witnessed the familiar exchange between the Grandmaster and her son, clearly opposed to them interacting with each other since she decided Han Xuelian was not trustworthy enough.
She caught a glimpse of the tense exchange between Chi Cheng and Han Yijun a few moments ago, it worried her that their friendship might have deteriorated due to some interference.
"I want to speak to my son alone," Chi Yulan stated, interrupting them.
"This is my room." The Grandmaster declared, folding his arms. "You are under my estate's rules and there is a limit to how much you can demand here."
"It's presumptuous of me to ask…" Chi Cheng reached for the Grandmaster's hand. "Please listen to my mother's request; I promise I'll obey you from now on."
The word 'obey' was a sweet temptation that Han Xuelian was willing to give into. He liked it when Chi Cheng listened to him without defying him.
"Very well." The Grandmaster considered for a moment, realising he had no valid reason to refuse Chi Cheng, especially when the younger male looked at him so pleadingly. He abruptly pulled his hand away. "I will attend to my affairs and return later." He nodded to both of them, receiving a bow from Chi Weiran as he took his leave of the room.
'I must have angered him…' Chi Cheng assumed, lowering his head.
Seating herself beside the bed along with Chi Weiran, Chi Yulan's penetrating gaze never left her eldest son. Folding her arms and crossing one leg over the other, her affectionate tone from earlier took a threatening turn.
"Now, you're going to tell me exactly whose blood you drank and why, Ah-Cheng."