I like you too, I like Young Master Ji.
After finishing a private meal with Ji Hong, Yu Jinnian began processing the purple-skinned garlic he had bought earlier. The purple-skinned garlic was large, full of plump cloves, tightly packed, and had a strong aroma, making it the best kind of garlic for making Laba Garlic. Now that the twelfth lunar month had arrived and Laba Festival was approaching, various tasks came piling up uncontrollably. Yu Jinnian was already busy from dawn until late at night and hadn’t been intimate with his beautiful lover in a long time. And today, a gingerbread man had barged in, so he couldn’t even hope to enjoy a quiet moment with Ji Hong.
He peeled the purple-skinned garlic, planning to buy some fresh rice vinegar tomorrow to soak the jade-colored Laba Garlic. He and Ji Hong peeled the garlic clove by clove, washed them in water, and set them out in a shady place to air dry naturally.
Meanwhile, Jiang Bingren still hadn’t come out of the room, and Shi Xing had exhausted his good words outside the door, apologizing until his mouth was dry, yet he hadn’t managed to move Young Master Jiang even slightly.
Yu Jinnian brought a bowl of light fish soup to soothe Shi Xing’s throat and overheard him through the door crack, saying, “Alright, stop crying. It’s all my fault. Come out and hit me if you want. However much you’re hurting, hit me that much. I promise I won’t make a sound!”
“What did you do to bully him?” Yu Jinnian handed over the bowl of fish soup. Seeing how thirsty Shi Xing was, drinking it all in one gulp, he took the bowl back. “You shouldn’t sit here waiting either. Go eat something or chat with your Young Master Ji. With Young Master Jiang’s temper, he won’t come out anytime soon.”
“Wasn’t it just a moment of anger… a reckless mistake?” Shi Xing sighed deeply. Not wanting to head out front, he instead grabbed two cold buns from the kitchen, paired them with two plates of small pickles, and sat in the courtyard, eating quickly in the cold wind with a bowl of milky soup. As he ate, he suddenly remembered, “Young Master, could you prepare something for Ya’er as well? I saw a ham hanging in your kitchen, and he likes to eat that.”
Yu Jinnian shook his head, “He can’t eat that right now. I’ll make him some soft porridge instead.”
At the mention of “soft,” Shi Xing suddenly realized something, looking down at the half-eaten bun in his hand with difficulty swallowing it. “I heard you’re skilled in medicine. So, that thing… is it really that uncomfortable?” he asked awkwardly.
Yu Jinnian was both amused and annoyed. Although he disapproved of some of Young Master Jiang’s antics, he did feel a bit sorry for him in this situation. “Do you want to try it? Otherwise, how could a pampered young master like him, who’s always so lively even after being punished by his father, cry for an entire afternoon after just one mishap?”
But feeling sorry was one thing—Yu Jinnian couldn’t help but take some pleasure in the situation. Curious, he quietly asked Shi Xing, “You didn’t know he’s a notorious playboy? Even if you didn’t know, you must have heard something, right? So, tell me, what made you decide to mess with him?”
Shi Xing looked troubled. “Everything was fine, but somehow it got exposed. He got angry and said he was going to spend the night on Qingliu Street. I thought he was just bluffing, but he really went there and even booked two top courtesans!”
Feigning illness to gain sympathy, only to be exposed—how could the person not be angry? It’s a wonder he didn’t beat you up! Yu Jinnian listened with great interest and couldn’t help but ask at the crucial moment, “So, did he really sleep with the courtesans?”
Shi Xing glanced at him, dissatisfied. “Of course not. When I found him, he was sitting on a bed playing cards with someone, with the loser drinking and removing a layer of clothing. When I walked in, he was half-dressed, drinking from a shared cup. I don’t know what came over me. Just the thought of him fooling around with others made me furious. I lost my temper, carried him back to the Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant, we argued, and then…”
Yu Jinnian sighed, “Ah, so you slept with him.”
Shi Xing scratched his head in agony. “Can you please stop saying those two words?”
“You did it, so why are you afraid of people talking about it?” Yu Jinnian stood up, dusting off his clothes, fetched some clean water from the well, and headed to the kitchen to cook porridge for Jiang Bingren. He used top-quality japonica rice, which was fragrant and easy to soften, simmering it slowly over low heat, adding some sesame powder and locust flower honey for sweetness. He also had a large chunk of pork leg left, so he cleaned it, boiled it over high heat, then simmered it with a few plump mushrooms until it was soft and tender.
Although Jiang Bingren had been “messed with,” he still needed proper nutrition. After crying for an entire day, he needed something filling. He couldn’t eat anything hard, so Yu Jinnian decided to make some meat floss to go with the porridge.
By this time, Ji Hong, who usually liked to read or practice calligraphy in his room, had nowhere to go since the room was occupied by the young master. So, he came to the kitchen to watch Yu Jinnian cook. He had heard Jiang Bingren’s cries earlier, and with a slight frown, he stirred the porridge and asked, “Did Shi Xing break the rules and injure Young Master Jiang? Is the injury serious? Has it been bandaged?”
“Huh?” Yu Jinnian was startled, staring at Ji Hong for a while.
“What are you looking at?”
Yu Jinnian clicked his tongue and shook his head, unable to shatter Ji Hong’s innocence. He mumbled, “There is an injury, but it’s not the kind that needs bandaging. Besides, this is a complicated matter. Even they haven’t figured it out yet, so don’t make things worse for them.”
Ji Hong said, “How is it complicated? Our family’s guards have strict rules. Hurting someone without reason is a serious crime. There are clear rules for punishments and offenses. If my second brother finds out about this, he won’t let it go easily.”
“Well, your family doesn’t have a rule against ‘stabbing’ someone without reason, right? Even you, a noble young master, have led the way in that. Shouldn’t you be setting an example?” Yu Jinnian muttered softly, pulling Ji Hong back when he was about to go confront Shi Xing. “Alright, alright. Just listen to me. It’s not your time to intervene yet. Let me handle this mess.”
At noon, Duan Ming, who had gone out shopping with Qing Huan, returned. He carried many things with both hands, while the young girl behind him only carried some light vegetables, likely because he had taken the heavier items from her. Despite walking all the way, he was only slightly sweating and didn’t seem too tired. Excited, he brought the things to the backyard, only to be startled when he saw an old acquaintance sitting there: “Shi Xing?! You’re here too! When did you arrive?”
Shi Xing looked up, a pained expression on his face. “Fifth Brother, help me!”
Duan Ming: “…”
The last time Shi Xing had come, it was in the middle of the night, and Duan Ming hadn’t been at the store, so they hadn’t crossed paths. Now, after half a month, Shi Xing had put on some weight at the Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant and was finally reunited with Duan Ming, although he looked far from happy.
The two sat down to talk, while Yu Jinnian called Qing Huan over and wrote out a prescription. He listed two liang each of borax and dragon bone, half a liang each of fritillaria, borneol, and cinnabar, and one jin of talcum powder, all to be ground into powder by the pharmacy. He also instructed her to buy half a jin of bitter ginseng and, on the way back, one jin of pork fat and a bottle of sesame oil.
Jiang Bingren was both ill and injured, but it wasn’t something you could openly discuss. The young master valued his reputation and would rather endure the pain than ask a doctor for help, which is why he had come to Yu Jinnian. So, Yu Jinnian, playing the role of a countryside doctor, had already thought ahead, saving him from any long-term consequences.
The previous medicinal ingredients were for making Jiu Hua Ointment. The pork fat would be melted and mixed with the medicinal powder, then left to cool and applied to the wound to reduce swelling, relieve pain, prevent infection, and promote healing. It was especially effective for treating external hemorrhoid pain and swelling. As for the bitter ginseng, it was used to prepare a medicinal bath to help the wound heal and improve circulation. There was no need to mention the sesame oil, as Yu Jinnian had already thought of every detail. Although the wound didn’t feel too bad right now, it would become quite uncomfortable during the healing process over the next couple of days. Applying some sesame oil would make things more bearable, whether for sleeping or using the toilet.
Just preparing all these random items already gave Yu Jinnian a sense of shared sorrow, as if he were the one injured, even though it wasn’t his wound. He became so anxious that he couldn’t even look Ji Hong in the eye and began avoiding him when walking around, thinking to himself, “None of you are decent people.”
After the ointment was mixed and set aside to cool, the porridge reached a perfect consistency. Yu Jinnian took out the boiled pork leg, trimmed off the fat, and kept only the lean meat, shredding it bit by bit with his hands and the back of a spoon until it became fine threads of meat.
Next, he heated a pan, added yellow wine, sugar, and five-spice powder, and finally a ladle of soy sauce, stir-frying it all with the shredded meat.
This meat floss, which looked like a simple snack, required quite a bit of effort to make. The meat had to be lean leg meat, with not a trace of fat left. The texture of the meat floss depended entirely on the cook’s skill—whether the meat was shredded finely enough affected how soft it would be when eaten. The stir-frying process required constant attention; a moment’s distraction could ruin the whole thing.
For a wounded young master, Yu Jinnian certainly put in a lot of effort.
Once the sauce was fully absorbed and the meat floss had dried and fluffed up, he scooped it out and stored it, ready to be eaten anytime. In the cold weather, this jar of meat floss could last quite a while, and it would be a great side dish for porridge or rice for days to come.
With the porridge, side dishes, and ointment ready, Yu Jinnian carried them on a tray and knocked on the door.
There was no response. Yu Jinnian said, “It’s me. He’s not outside.”
After a long pause, there was finally some shuffling inside, and the door latch clicked. In the courtyard, Shi Xing, who had been talking with Duan Ming, instantly tensed up like a predator ready to pounce, staring intently at the door as if he was prepared to rush in and snatch his prey. However, when the door opened just a crack, revealing Young Master Jiang’s pale, round face, Shi Xing’s heart clenched. How could this be the once-arrogant and pampered Jiang Bingren?
Shi Xing managed to restrain himself, not going over to cause trouble. He watched as Jiang Bingren let Yu Jinnian inside, and then the door slammed shut with a bang, as if sealing the wall around Shi Xing’s heart.
After closing the door, Jiang Bingren, with a tear-streaked face, shuffled back to bed like an old man, dragging his feet and holding his waist. He flopped down, face first, not making a sound, resembling a dead body.
Yu Jinnian carried the tray over. “Want some porridge? Sesame honey japonica rice porridge, paired with freshly stir-fried five-spice meat floss. It’s smooth and tender, incredibly fragrant! No one else has any—it’s just for you!”
“I don’t want it,” Jiang Bingren mumbled.
“There’s also fish soup with milk. Want a bowl?”
“No,” Jiang Bingren remained unmoved.
When dealing with patients, Yu Jinnian was always patient. He asked, “Then what would you like to eat? I can make something for you. People need food, no matter how angry they are. Besides, you’re occupying our bed. Where are Ah Hong and I supposed to sleep?”
Jiang Bingren stubbornly refused to get up, wishing he could just turn into a stone to avoid going out and seeing that beast again. “You… you can go to Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant. There are plenty of rooms there, sleep wherever you want!”
Yu Jinnian, exasperated, said, “At least tell me where you’re uncomfortable. I’ve prepared some medicine. Come over, and I’ll explain how to use it. You should start using it today to avoid unnecessary suffering.”
“You don’t know where I’m uncomfortable?” Jiang Bingren finally lifted his head a bit, sneaking a glance at Yu Jinnian. Seeing that Yu Jinnian wasn’t mocking him, he sat up cautiously. His backside still hurt, so he couldn’t sit directly on the bed and remained in an awkward, twisted position. After crying in the room for so long, his hair was a mess, strands sticking to his face, highlighting the redness under his eyes. In a small voice, he asked, “When you sleep together, does it hurt this much every time? How do you bear it…”
His expression was serious, as if he genuinely wanted to discuss this issue with Yu Jinnian.
Yu Jinnian was momentarily stunned, wanting to say that they hadn’t reached that stage yet. But seeing Jiang Bingren so pitiful, he feared that telling the truth might make him cry again, so he braced himself and lied, “Ah, yes, it’s very painful at first. But you get used to it. You need to use ointments, sesame oil, and the like. You’re always flirting with both men and women, so you must know this, right…”
Jiang Bingren had assumed that since others made a living doing such things, it must be easy and enjoyable. He thought that even if he had been taken advantage of, he could just treat it like a playful encounter. But he hadn’t expected it to hurt so much! Hearing Yu Jinnian admit to the pain, he felt a little better, realizing that he wasn’t the only one suffering.
Yu Jinnian seized the moment to give him some heartfelt advice: “Young Master Jiang, I’m not trying to scold you, but after spending all this time taking advantage of others, now that someone’s done it to you, you must understand how much it hurts, right?”
Jiang Bingren looked at him with suspicion. “When have I ever taken advantage of anyone?”
“Jiang Bingren, don’t tell me…” Yu Jinnian suddenly fell silent, astonished. He lowered his voice and asked, “Then where did your reputation for being a flirt come from? Don’t tell me that every time you went to places like Yicui Pavilion or Shihua Garden, you just played cards with the girls?”
The young master finally understood what Yu Jinnian was implying, and his face instantly turned red as he defensively retorted, “Who said that? I’ve seen things!”
Yu Jinnian pressed, “You’ve only seen things?”
Jiang Bingren, unable to withstand Yu Jinnian’s probing gaze, finally gave in, pouting. “Those people… they’re ugly. They’re not as good-looking as me. Why should I do anything with them? Isn’t it enough to just look at their faces? Isn’t playing cards fun? They’re much more interesting than the people outside!”
Yu Jinnian: “…” So it was all because no one else looked as good as him. How narcissistic.
Ha, interesting, truly interesting. The notorious “little crab” of Xinan County, Young Master Jiang, who supposedly had no boundaries when it came to food or romance, turned out to be all talk and no action. He had the desire but not the courage, spending his time in brothels playing cards, drinking, and chatting with pretty faces, instead of indulging in any actual debauchery.
“What’s wrong with liking beautiful people!” Jiang Bingren still felt justified. “Besides, I only think about it. I just like to talk and sometimes look at those picture books. It’s not like I actually force anyone. Look, I like you, and I like Young Master Ji too. But I’m just secretly liking you both. Have I ever forced either of you? Unlike that beastly scoundrel! He really hurt me!”
Yu Jinnian retorted, “In your dreams. Ji Hong is mine!”
Jiang Bingren: “…I wasn’t even trying to compete with you.”
Jiang Bingren rubbed his aching back while cursing outside, calling Shi Xing all sorts of names like “scoundrel” and “bastard.” Meanwhile, Shi Xing, who was eavesdropping at the door, hung his head in shame. After getting his fill of cursing, Jiang Bingren realized he was a little hungry, and the pain had become numb, so after some hesitation, he asked Yu Jinnian for some porridge. The fragrant sesame honey porridge, topped with five-spice meat floss, smelled delicious and tasted sweet. Before long, he had emptied the bowl in just a few bites.
Wanting more, he looked at Yu Jinnian with pleading eyes, but Yu Jinnian refused, knowing that eating too much would only cause Jiang Bingren more discomfort later.
After eating, knowing how much Jiang Bingren enjoyed games, Yu Jinnian took out a handful of pearls and gold beads, placing them in separate tea cups. Then he drew a grid on a piece of paper, let it dry, and laid it on the bed. One side held the white pearls, the other the gold beads, and he taught him how to play Go-Moku.
Young Master Jiang, with his red eyes, quickly forgot his troubles at the mention of a new game. He lay on the bed, engrossed in learning it. Being new to the game, he lost a few rounds before grasping the basics, but once he understood it, he became addicted, eager to play more. He played with Yu Jinnian from dawn until dusk, his determination growing stronger with each loss.
While the two young men were playing inside, unaware of the world outside, two others were anxiously waiting by the door—one elegant as the wind, the other frazzled and impatient, each concerned about their beloved.
Ji Hong glanced down at the guard crouched by the door and asked, “What exactly did you do?”
Shi Xing didn’t dare lie to his master, but he was too embarrassed to explain it plainly. After hesitating for a while, he stammered, “It’s… um, putting something… into something else, you know…” As he spoke, he made a hand gesture with his left thumb and forefinger forming a circle, while his right index finger passed through it. He whispered, “Yeah, like that…”
Ji Hong frowned, clearly confused, as if encountering something he couldn’t comprehend for the first time.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Yu Jinnian lit a calming incense near the window. Jiang Bingren had been fussing all day, and with his injuries, he was quickly fatigued. After playing enough, Yu Jinnian persuaded him to apply some ointment. Jiang Bingren initially cooperated, secretly slipping off his clothes to apply the ointment himself. But for some reason, he suddenly cursed, “Beast! Bastard!” and threw himself onto the bed in tears, sobbing, “You knew to use oil and ointment! All he knew was to torment me—he’s a beast!”
Yu Jinnian: “…” And here we go again.
After a while of crying, Yu Jinnian, like a doting mother, comforted Jiang Bingren until he finally exhausted himself and drifted off to sleep, still clutching a few of the pearls they’d used as game pieces. Yu Jinnian, ever frugal, wasn’t about to let even one bead go missing. As he carefully pried the pearls from Jiang Bingren’s hand, the young master grabbed his sleeve in his sleep, mumbling with a frown, “You’re the most interesting… be with me…”
Yu Jinnian quietly replied, “But I’m already with someone else!” As he tucked Jiang Bingren in, his eyes inadvertently caught sight of the pale skin under his slightly open clothes, where a few blue and red marks could be seen. The sight of these marks, a reminder of the reckless indulgence from the night before, sent a shiver through him. Quickly, he picked up the cups of gold and white beads and tiptoed out of the room. As soon as he opened the door, a figure rolled in at his feet.
Shi Xing hurriedly stood up, pulling Yu Jinnian aside to ask in a whisper, “How is he? Are his injuries alright?”
Yu Jinnian nodded toward the room, “He’s asleep. Luckily, there’s no fever. But he refused to use the ointment I made. Here, you take it back with you. It’s for external use—convince him to at least apply some. There’s also bitter ginseng in the kitchen. Have him sit in a warm bath with it every day. And try to keep him from moving too much these next few days. Have the kitchen prepare soft foods for him.”
After finishing his instructions, Yu Jinnian, sounding like an elder, gave Shi Xing some heartfelt advice: “Don’t bully him anymore. He’s just a lonely, stubborn kid who talks tough. He hadn’t even experienced romance before, and you went and ‘crushed the flower with a heavy hand.’ Poor thing! Look at him now—he cried himself to sleep.”
Shi Xing understood, and his face lit up with joy. He straightened his clothes and quietly went inside. When he reached the bed, he saw the small figure curled up under the blanket, his face pale, with red-rimmed eyes like a little rabbit. His once-proud face now showed no sign of that arrogance, only a soft, weak expression as he slept.
In that moment, Shi Xing felt a pang of guilt.
Last night had been a total accident. He had lost his temper, his mind clouded with anger, while Jiang Bingren, having drunk too much, had only half-resisted. And so, things had happened. By the time morning came, it wasn’t until Jiang Bingren’s scream had snapped him out of it that he realized what had occurred.
Shi Xing carefully picked him up, being mindful not to touch any sore spots. Though Jiang Bingren stirred slightly in his sleep, shifting to find a more comfortable position, he didn’t fully wake up, instead nestling his head into Shi Xing’s shoulder and continuing to dream.
The two unlikely companions slipped away into the night, leaving Yu Jinnian to finally reclaim his own comfortable bed. After putting fresh bedding on, he flopped onto it and happily rolled around a few times, relishing the soft warmth.
As he rolled from one side of the bed to the other, a broad hand suddenly caught him by the waist, stopping him from tumbling off. Pulling the blanket from his face, Yu Jinnian looked up to see Ji Hong standing by the bedside. The warm light from the lamp flickered, and the room was still filled with the lingering scent of calming incense. Feeling at ease, Yu Jinnian grinned and scooted closer, ready to play another game of Go-Moku with him.
Ji Hong held a golden bead between his fingers, his fair hand contrasting with the golden piece, casting a gentle glow. Yu Jinnian was entranced by the sight, his heart filling with joy. Just as he leaned in for a kiss, Ji Hong suddenly asked, deep in thought, “What does it mean to put something inside something else, and why would it cause injury and bleeding?”
“Huh?” Yu Jinnian froze, alarmed. “Who taught you that?!”
Ji Hong: “Shi Xing.” As he spoke, he demonstrated the hand gesture Shi Xing had used, making a circle with one hand and miming with the other.
Yu Jinnian dodged the question, pretending not to understand, though his ears turned red with embarrassment. Inside, he cursed Shi Xing a hundred times, thinking, *He’s already corrupted Bingren, now he wants to corrupt me too.* But out loud, he muttered, “I don’t know. What does that even mean? Forget about it, let’s just sleep! Tomorrow’s the seventh day of the lunar month, and we still have to go shopping for New Year’s supplies and prepare Laba porridge.”
Ji Hong wrapped his arm around the young man, “Alright.”
Feeling content, he didn’t press the matter further. After all, this would be their first New Year’s festival spent together, and for the first time, Ji Hong found himself eagerly anticipating the holiday.