Just as Si Shen was about to finish his bath and was getting out of the wooden tub, Xiao Yu returned. In a panic-stricken haste, Si Shen let out a startled yelp, like an unmarried woman surprised by an intruder in her bath.
Hearing the cry, Xiao Yu's lips curled into a soft, teasing giggle as she approached the screen. "Has Master Si Shen finished his bath? Xiao Yu can help you with your robes."
"No need! No need at all!" Si Shen stammered, his face flushed with embarrassment as he scrambled for the nearest robe. In his haste, he didn't even bother to dry himself, wrapping the cloth around his body in a frantic blur.
How troublesome. Si Shen cursed inwardly.
It was one thing to play along with her games to gather information, but getting tangled in her antics was an entirely different matter. A cold sweat trickled down his back as he backed into a corner, hiding behind the screen that separated the bathing area from the bed of the guest room. As he racked his brain on how to get out of this situation, a cold, authoritative voice sliced through the tension.
"Why are you making such a commotion in his room?"
Si Shen almost cried in relief at the sound of Xue RenJie's voice.
My savior has come to save me!
As he exhaled a silent breath of gratitude, he heard Xiao Yu's voice tremble as she hurriedly tried to explain herself to the stern Second Master Xue.
"This servant... I was just here to serve Master Si Shen—please, have mercy—"
Xue RenJie's gaze fell upon the silhouette of Si Shen, cowering behind the screen in the far corner, clearly hiding from Xiao Yu. His eyes narrowed, and he fixed Xiao Yu with an icy glare.
"He has already said there is no need, leave."
Xiao Yu, thoroughly frightened by the reprimand, bowed low and fled from the room with the speed of the wind, vanishing without a moment's hesitation.
Si Shen waited for a beat, his heart still racing. As he finally dared to step out from behind the screen, he gave Xue RenJie a sheepish smile.
"I was scared shitless, thank you… for saving me."
"If you were really scared, you shouldn't have played along-" Xue RenJie's voice trailed off as he turned around, his gaze falling upon the sight of a freshly bathed Si Shen, only half-dressed in his outer robes.
The robes hung loosely around Si Shen's waist, the ties barely securing them, leaving his well-defined chest exposed—muscles rippling beneath the skin, with solid abs visible as the fabric shifted. His long, slender legs peeked out beneath the hem, pale and smooth, while his bare foot rested lightly upon the cool wooden floor. Xue RenJie's eyes widened as the realization dawned: Si Shen wasn't wearing anything underneath his robes.
Heat climbed Xue RenJie's cheeks, but Si Shen remained oblivious, his chatter continuing without pause.
"But you see, she was giving me useful information! Like how Madame Ye is sick. I was planning to share all the juicy gossip with you after my bath," Si Shen grinned, "How was I supposed to know she would be so eager to—"
Si Shen stopped mid-sentence, his robes beginning to slip down his shoulders as he moved, revealing more of his smooth skin. Xue RenJie's gaze snapped to the floor, his face now flushed.
"Could you please... get dressed?" Xue RenJie's voice was strained.
Si Shen froze at the sudden interruption, a perplexed expression crossing his face. He raised an eyebrow, ready to retort, but as he caught the subtle shift in Xue RenJie's demeanor—his eyes averting, his posture tense—he realized just how little he was wearing. Gosh, he had been so shocked by Xiao Yu's antics that he totally forgot about his clothes. But then again, they were both men. What was there to be embarrassed about?
With a nonchalant shrug, Si Shen continued adjusting his robe, now realizing the situation. "It's just you and me, RenJie. What's the big deal?"
Xue RenJie stiffened, still unable to look directly at Si Shen. "Get dressed," he repeated, his voice firmer now, betraying a faint undercurrent of frustration.
Si Shen grinned mischievously, but obediently pulled his robes back into place. He couldn't help but chuckle at the flustered second master. With a light chuckle, he turned and made his way behind the screen to finish dressing, biting back the words that threatened to slip out.
The silence in the room stretched as Si Shen pulled himself together, donning his robes with a swift, practiced motion. By the time he stepped back out from behind the screen, fully dressed, he found Xue RenJie sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room. A neatly arranged lunch was laid out before him, the fragrant aroma of the food mingling in the air.
Xue RenJie's posture was impeccable, as always, though his face still carried the remnants of his earlier flush. His gaze was fixed on the table, but the tension in his shoulders seemed to have softened as if the awkward moment had passed.
Si Shen surveyed the spread with mild surprise, "we are dining together?"
Xue RenJie raised an eyebrow, "do you have a problem with that?"
Si Shen's eyes twinkled with amusement as he made his way over to the table. "Of course not, I will always welcome the company of Master Xue during meal times.
Shuffling his feet over to the table, Si Shen's eyes widened in delight at the spread before him. "What a feast! As expected of a vessel family of a rich family." He sat down quickly, eager to dive into the meal, picking up his chopsticks with a practiced motion and patiently waiting.
It was a habit from when he was young. Back when Si Shen was living in his maternal home, he was always taught to wait for their elders to start the meal before the younger could touch their food. If any members of the family broke the rule, it was a punishment of whipping or a few days of starvation.
Si Shen learned this lesson the hard way. After a few harsh whippings and starving spells, the rule became etched into his very being. To this day, he couldn't bring himself to eat until someone else had started, no matter their age.
Xue RenJie watched him for a moment, his expression unreadable, before picking up his own chopsticks. Without a word, he carefully placed a piece of meat, drenched in fiery chili oil, into Si Shen's bowl.
Si Shen hesitated, eyeing the meat warily, unsure how to politely refuse without seeming ungrateful. The spice was enough to make him pause.
Xue RenJie noticed his apprehension and asked with a raised eyebrow, "You cannot take spice?"
Si Shen sheepishly grinned, but not wanting to disregard Xue RenJie's good intentions, he picked up the meat. "I won't waste little brother's kindness," he said, before biting into it.
At first, the spice wasn't as intense as he expected, and he opened his eyes in surprise. "It's not as spicy as I thought—" He was interrupted as the heat kicked in, seemingly delayed, and a fiery burn hit his throat.
A violent cough ripped from Si Shen's chest, his face turning red as tears sprang to his eyes. The spice, now full force, seemed to settle like fire in his throat, choking him.
Xue RenJie shot up in alarm, rushing to Si Shen's side with a look of concern on his face. He gently patted Si Shen's back, his voice laced with worry. "Don't eat it if you can't take it," he said, his face tinged with guilt.
Si Shen continued coughing, his chest heaving as he grabbed for a cup of tea, desperate to wash away the heat. He took a gulp, only for another coughing fit to seize him, his face a deep shade of red as he sputtered. "It didn't look so spicy," he muttered between coughs, still blinking away the tears.
Xue RenJie handed him the cup again, his brows furrowing slightly at Si Shen's distress.
Si Shen gingerly wiped the sides of his eyes, his tongue still tingling and numb from the onslaught of spice. He had never had a good tolerance towards spice and prefers moderate seasoning. The spice that had nearly choked him reminded him of something from one of the punishment levels of the spiritual realm. A thought crossed his mind, perhaps he should bring some of this back for them to compare.
His musings were interrupted when Xue RenJie softly blew on the surface of the newly poured tea before handing the cup to him. Si Shen's gaze lingered on the cup for a moment before shifting to Xue RenJie's face. Isn't that action too doting? Si Shen can cool his own cup of tea, thank you very much.
Xue RenJie seemed completely unaware of Si Shen's thoughts. With an unhurried gesture, he placed the cup carefully into Si Shen's hands, his other hand resting lightly on Si Shen's back, rubbing soothingly.
Is this his fatherly instinct? Is he treating me like a child right now?
Si Shen's brow furrowed slightly, an odd feeling stirring within him. He obediently sipped the cooled tea, grateful for its relief, as the burn of the spice began to subside. Xue RenJie was unaware of his thoughts as he sat back down on his seat before piling Si Shen's bowl with all sorts of non-spicy food.
Gesturing for him to start eating, Si Shen resumed his meal and chatted with Xue RenJie about small topics. He noticed that Xue RenJie would always put dishes onto his plate as though he could not stand Si Shen's plate being empty and Si Shen accepted it without comments.
Since he wants to pamper me, I shall enjoy the pampering.
Si Shen grinned as Xue RenJie placed another piece of vegetable into this plate. "If you continue doing this, I'll get used to it."
Xue RenJie paused for a moment, his eyes flickering briefly toward Si Shen before continuing with his task. Without a word, he placed a piece of fish onto Si Shen's plate, his motions deliberate and calm.
"If I get used to this," Si Shen teased, eyeing the almost full plate in front of him, "you'll have to feed me like this every meal from now on."
Xue RenJie glanced at him, his expression as calm as ever. "It's an offering," he replied bluntly.
The words hit Si Shen like a sudden gust of wind, leaving him momentarily speechless. Offering? He blinked, trying to process what Xue RenJie had said. Technically, Si Shen was the Death God. There was nothing particularly wrong with offering food to the Death God, but Si Shen had never actually eaten an offering before.
Even the jasmine tea given to him by Xue RenJie was never intended to be drunk, simply a gesture of respect. As Si Shen mulled over this, he missed the soft hint of a smile that briefly tugged at Xue RenJie's lips. It was there and gone in an instant, but for some reason, it made Si Shen feel more conflicted.
"An offering," Si Shen repeated quietly, a smile tugging at his lips despite the conflict stirring inside him. "Then I shall accept your offering." He picked up his chopsticks, his movements slower than usual as he reflected on the strange complexity of the moment.