Did I just pluck a star from the sky?
Yu Jinnian’s first thought was, “As expected,” but he didn’t feel any relief because of it. The man in red didn’t have an outstanding appearance, yet he wasn’t ordinary either. Compared to Ji Hong and even Bai Haitang, he was slightly less impressive. His clothes weren’t particularly luxurious, and he had a gentle demeanor, making him seem like someone without sharp edges.
However, his face appeared somewhat pale. Was it his natural complexion, or was it the cold weather? Yu Jinnian was meeting him for the first time, but for some reason, he felt uneasy. He found himself staring at the man and forgot to speak.
It was the young man beside the man in red who cheerfully exclaimed, “Brother Ji!”
Yu Jinnian removed his cloak, draped it over his arm, and was about to go behind the counter to fetch a tea jar and brew tea. These people didn’t seem ordinary, likely friends of Ji Hong, so Yu Jinnian couldn’t afford to embarrass Ji Hong in terms of hospitality. Unfortunately, his small noodle shop, no bigger than a palm, didn’t have any fine tea to offer.
In a quick decision, he brought out some osmanthus tea he had dried earlier, planning to brew it with five-spice ginger powder to warm them up and dispel the cold.
However, just as he took out the tea jar, Ji Hong ignored the young man and turned to take Yu Jinnian’s hand, leading him to the backyard. He whispered, “Your clothes are all wet. Go change them first. There’s no need to personally attend to them.”
Yu Jinnian stared at him dumbfounded, “But…”
“Brother Ji, is it really you?” The young man was dressed in narrow-sleeved riding attire, in a near-dark green color with gold and silver thread trimming. He wore a pair of silver wrist guards adorned with red agate and yellow jade in a peony pattern, and his ivory belt buckle gleamed. His waist alone had two jade pendants, making him look a hundred times more opulent than the man in red. It seemed like he wanted to hang all kinds of decorations on himself. When he stood, his attire clinked noisily. “Second Brother didn’t lie to me!”
Yu Jinnian suddenly realized why the young man looked familiar. Wasn’t he the one who blocked Ji Hong on the street a few months ago, scaring Ji Hong into claiming his surname was Wang?
Ji Hong still paid him no attention, merely saying, “Sorry, it seems you’ve mistaken me for someone else. My surname is Wang.”
Yu Jinnian: “…” He thought to himself, “They’ve already come here. There’s no point in resisting anymore, is there?”
The man in red seemed to find it amusing as well. Propping his elbow on the table, he leaned slightly to watch them and laughed out loud, “Haha! Shulan, even if there were someone in the world who looked exactly like you, I could tell at a glance which one is the real you.”
His tone was familiar, and he acted casually in front of Ji Hong, without the slightest formality. Who exactly was this man?
The young noble in fine clothes added, “I said he looked alike, but who would’ve thought it was actually him!” He raised his hand and knocked the heads of the two guards behind him, “You two even said I was hallucinating! That was clearly Brother Ji!”
The two guards covered their heads and scurried away. Meanwhile, Yu Jinnian was sent by Ji Hong to change clothes. After dressing as quickly as possible, he emerged with a towel over his head. He saw Ji Hong standing with arms crossed nearby, a lazy expression on his face as he watched the group. Ji Hong’s lips curved slightly as he spoke, “Xuefei, what are you doing here?”
Min Xuefei, with one hand holding the mischievous Min Mao, cheerfully responded, “I came to see you.”
“Now that you’ve seen me, quietly go back!” Ji Hong said as he lifted the curtain, ready to leave.
Despite Ji Hong’s firm tone, Min Xuefei wasn’t angry. Instead, he frowned pitifully, playing the role of a humble supplicant. “It’s almost New Year’s Eve. Are you really going to let me spend it all alone in the wilderness? Besides, we’ve braved the wind and snow to get here, and we haven’t even had a cup of hot tea yet. Aren’t you being a bit too heartless, Uncle Luan?”
Min Mao, too, didn’t want to leave just yet. His eyes followed Ji Hong intently, and if not for Min Xuefei holding him back, he might have thrown himself onto Ji Hong. With Min Xuefei playing weak, Min Mao shamelessly joined in, “Yes, Brother Ji, don’t chase us away. We could’ve come earlier, but we rushed too much and suffered through wind and frost. And Second Brother—”
“Does rice cake soup not shut your mouth?” Min Xuefei shot him a look.
Min Mao quickly covered his mouth and lowered his head to eat the rice cakes in silence.
Min Xuefei continued, “We encountered some mishaps on the way, which caused the delay.”
Ji Hong seemed ready to say something, but the words turned into a helpless sigh. He muttered, “No need for this. You know I can’t do anything to you, and I won’t chase you away. But I’m only here thanks to Mr. Yu’s care. He is the host, and I am the guest. If you want to stay, you’ll have to find lodging elsewhere.”
Just then, Yu Jinnian sneezed loudly, the sound startling in the quiet hall. In an instant, everyone’s eyes turned toward him. Yu Jinnian had been trying to stay out of the way, keeping a low profile, but today, for some reason, the sneezes just kept coming, one after another, until he had sneezed three or four times in quick succession.
He covered his nose and looked at Ji Hong, his eyes teary from the sneezing.
Ji Hong touched his hand, finding it not too cold. Worried, he said, “You might be coming down with something. Go rest inside. I’ll make you some ginger tea.”
“It’s fine,” Yu Jinnian said as he headed toward the kitchen, “There are guests from afar. I should prepare some food.”
“They’re hardly guests. Listen to me.” Ji Hong gently wrapped his arm around Yu Jinnian’s waist and led him to a room before turning to the kitchen to boil water.
Min Xuefei followed him, observing the small backyard, which was no larger than a woodshed in the Ji residence. A timid little girl, who appeared to be from a neighboring household, clung to the doorframe, watching them with wide eyes. Snow fell in the courtyard, and Min Xuefei, in his red clothes, stood out like a red star that had fallen from the winter sky. Entering the kitchen made the space feel even smaller. He looked down at Ji Hong, who was splitting firewood, and frowned, “What are you doing?”
Ji Hong: “As you can see, I’m splitting firewood.”
Min Xuefei’s frown deepened, “I know that. What are you doing it for?”
Without looking up, Ji Hong replied, “Splitting firewood to boil water and make ginger tea. You’ve braved the wind and snow, so I’m sure you’ll need it.”
This was clearly not the answer Min Xuefei wanted. He looked slightly exasperated and bent down to take the firewood from Ji Hong’s hands, “I thought you were upset with me for playing power games behind your back, which is why you claimed to be ill and fled to this remote southern place for a break. If that’s the case, I apologize.”
He pulled away a piece of wood, but Ji Hong calmly picked up another, stoking the fire until it burned brightly. The water in the kettle began to boil, and Ji Hong sliced a piece of old ginger, adding it along with three spoonfuls of honey and four or five red dates into the kettle. He then covered it to let it simmer. He worked skillfully, and afterward, he reminded Min Xuefei to step back, cautioning him against getting burned by the flames.
Min Xuefei retreated three steps, his voice hoarse after a long silence. “Are you upset with me?”
“No,” Ji Hong replied, his face calm and devoid of any anger. He was always like this. Min Xuefei often showed up uninvited, whether to watch the snow by the fire or to play chess under the lamplight. Even when Min Xuefei secretly took his poems to the Qingluan Poetry Society for a laugh, Ji Hong never got mad. At most, he would half-heartedly scold him, “See the guest out.”
In Ji Hong’s dull life, Min Xuefei could be considered the only friend with whom he could have intimate conversations, and also the only person allowed into his study without being thrown out. However, if anyone tried to eat in Ji Hong’s study, especially something that left crumbs, even Min Xuefei would be unceremoniously kicked out.
The two had very different temperaments. Ji Hong wasn’t interested in anything; even if it rained knives outside, he couldn’t be bothered to take a look. Min Xuefei, on the other hand, was always smiling, adept at navigating social situations, and kind to everyone, yet his kindness hid ulterior motives. Strangely enough, despite their differences, they got along well.
The water in the kettle had been boiling for a while. Ji Hong fetched a white porcelain teapot, poured some red date and ginger tea into a small pot, and handed it to Min Xuefei. “Here, be careful, it’s hot.”
Min Xuefei held the teapot, thinking that since Ji Hong still warned him to be careful, perhaps he wasn’t that angry after all. So, he cautiously asked, “Shulan…”
Before he could finish, Ji Hong interrupted, “That red outfit of yours is really an eyesore.”
“…” Min Xuefei was speechless. Here he was bringing up old grievances again.
The Ji and Min families’ matriarchs were close friends before marriage, sworn sisters, which is why Min Xuefei spent much of his childhood playing at the Ji estate. Like Ji Hong, he used to follow behind Ji Yan, Ji Hong’s second brother, wherever he went. But while Ji Hong was shy and disliked by his stepmother, only able to quietly wait in the garden every day for his brother, Min Xuefei was different. As the legitimate son and grandson of the Min family, he was always treated like a golden treasure. What Ji Hong didn’t dare to do, Min Xuefei did. He openly followed Ji Yan like a tail. Back then, Ji Yan was a prominent figure among the young noblemen of the capital, and Min Xuefei had said more than once that he wanted to be as remarkable as Ji Yan when he grew up. But less than a year after he made that vow, Ji Yan met with misfortune.
Unable to live up to his aspirations, Min Xuefei instead adopted Ji Yan’s style and temperament, imitating him about 60-70%. Every winter when it snowed, Ji Yan would don a bright red robe, standing in the snow like a vibrant plum tree. So Min Xuefei also wore red, and after doing so for many years, it became a habit. Although Ji Hong would sometimes glance at him, he had never expressed any discontent, so Min Xuefei didn’t think much of it.
Now, looking down at his red outfit, Min Xuefei couldn’t help but feel like Ji Hong wasn’t just saying his clothes were an eyesore, but that he himself was, too.
It truly felt like he’d shot himself in the foot with that red outfit. He said, “Third Brother wrote to me, saying he saw someone in a small southern town who looked just like you. I suspected you weren’t really sick. If you were, you wouldn’t have even shut me out. As soon as I got word of you, I set out immediately, afraid of missing anything… and yet, this is how you treat me?”
Ji Hong, who had intended to take another teapot to the young man in the room, slammed the pot down hard upon hearing Min Xuefei’s words. “Why do you think I treat you this way, Min Ji? Don’t you understand?”
Min Xuefei froze. When they were children, he was called “A Ji”; later, as they grew older, he was called “Xuefei,” but Ji Hong had never addressed him by his full name before. Stunned, Min Xuefei held the teapot and stared at Ji Hong. Ji Hong hadn’t said much, but already, guilt gnawed at him, forcing him to keep up his gentle smile.
“I know you mean no harm with your political maneuvering, which is why I’ve never said anything. But Min Ji, you’ve gone too far,” Ji Hong said coldly. “I’ve always treated you as a friend, so no matter what you did, I didn’t care. Even if you said you needed my hand or half my life for your career, I would give it to you without complaint.”
“But you know I hate being manipulated. Do you think I didn’t know you accepted the imperial scholar’s challenge without telling me? That you made a bet with the emperor, or that I didn’t understand who you were matchmaking for? Is it Princess Rongyu or Princess Zhaohua? You took me for a fool… so eager for the emperor to arrange a marriage for me?”
Min Xuefei could no longer force a smile. Weakly, he tried to argue, “I didn’t…”
Ji Hong sighed. “Enough, Xuefei, we shouldn’t argue over this. Go ahead to the front, Min Mao is still waiting for you.” He reached out to take the teapot, but Min Xuefei stepped forward, blocking his way. While Min Xuefei didn’t resemble Ji Yan physically, after imitating Ji Yan for so long, there were moments when he unconsciously mirrored him. For a brief moment, Ji Hong felt like he was really seeing his second brother, but he quickly found it amusing.
At least Ji Yan, in his calm moments, was gentle, and in action, he was free-spirited. He never resorted to these desperate, forceful tactics to assert his authority.
“Fine.” Ji Hong stepped back. He wasn’t one to argue, so he surrendered first. “It’s my fault.”
“I wasn’t trying to manipulate you, and I didn’t intend to.” Min Xuefei, desperate to clear his name, was slowly losing the little warmth he’d borrowed from Ji Yan. “Ji Shulan, why don’t you understand? The court is full of treachery. So many are waiting for Master Ji to fall, and others are eager to snatch your title. You’re just an illegitimate son. Even with the emperor’s favor and the title of heir to Duke Li, what can you do? Can you hold onto it without power or influence?”
“You need to stand firm, only then will you get everything you want. Princess Zhaohua and Princess Rongyu grew up with us. Either one could secure your position. The princesses have feelings for you, and the emperor is willing. When the time comes, a single poem on the Qingtai stage could solidify the bond, creating a celebrated love story. What do you lose? Ji Shulan is too proud, too aloof, disdaining to mingle with the powerful or to flatter others. Fine, I, Min Ji, will run around for you, pulling strings. I don’t want your hand or your life. How can you call that manipulation?”
Min Xuefei, breathing heavily, finished his argument, his chest rising and falling. “Shulan, don’t be so ungrateful and blind.”
Ji Hong quietly watched him and then said, “Sorry, you’re right.”
Min Xuefei, thinking he had finally gotten through, relaxed slightly, only to hear Ji Hong say, “But the things I want, I’ll get myself. The things I need to protect, I’ll protect on my own. I don’t need anyone else to fight for my future. You can think of me as ungrateful.”
The two stood in silence until a sudden, loud sneeze came from outside.
Ji Hong looked up and saw a corner of a garment peeking out from behind the kitchen door. He walked out to find a young man standing against the wall as if being punished, holding a small tea jar. Min Xuefei followed, and in the brief moment, he had already calmed down, returning to his usual gentle and composed demeanor. He smiled graciously, as if the argument in the kitchen had never happened.
The young man smelled strongly of sandalwood, not an unpleasant scent, but in this cold weather, any smell made his nose itch. The chill in the air was enough to make his nose tingle, and upon catching a whiff of Min Xuefei’s scent, he sneezed loudly, as if expressing his dislike.
Min Xuefei didn’t mind, but the boy wobbled slightly with the sneeze, and Min Xuefei’s gaze was drawn to the trembling knife bell at the boy’s waist.
For a moment, Min Xuefei’s eyes froze. He looked at Ji Hong in disbelief.
The young man, oblivious, said, “I came to bring you the tea jar. I made some ginger powder. It’s more convenient than brewing fresh ginger.”
“No need, the tea’s already brewed,” Ji Hong replied, taking the tea jar.
Min Xuefei said nothing, his face turning pale. His lips pressed tightly together, and he forced a smile, muttering, “I’ll come back tomorrow,” before turning to leave. The young man wanted to stop him, thinking that since it was already late, and many shops were closed, finding a tavern would be difficult. But before he could say anything, Ji Hong had already pulled him inside.
In the front, Min Mao came looking for Ji Hong, hoping he’d write a poem on his clothes. As he waited expectantly, he saw his second brother walk out, looking grim. Min Mao, ever cheerful, excitedly asked, “Where’s Third Brother?” only to receive a dark look from Min Xuefei, who rubbed his aching temples and muttered, “Third Brother, Third Brother—you might as well change your surname to Ji.”
Min Mao was actually quite happy at the thought. After all, he was an insignificant figure in the Min family. If he could live with Third Brother Ji, he’d be overjoyed. But while he thought that, he couldn’t say it out loud. He was counting on his second brother’s influence to get closer to Third Brother Ji, so he quickly flattered, “No way, Second Brother is my real brother.”
Min Xuefei was somewhat comforted, but when Min Mao stood on tiptoe, peering toward the back courtyard, he couldn’t help but ask, “Where’s Third Brother? Why hasn’t he come out?”
“…” Min Xuefei almost coughed up blood from frustration. What a heartless little brat.
Inside, the young man held a cup of ginger tea and rubbed his nose. “I think I’ve caught a cold,” he said. Before Ji Hong could reply, he added, “That man seems close to you. I’ve never seen you argue with anyone before… It’s quite rare. Is he from the capital? What’s his name?”
“Min Ji, Min Xuefei. He’s an old childhood friend of mine,” Ji Hong said, without much to hide. He hadn’t brought it up before simply because he selfishly wanted to preserve the peace in his life. But with Min Xuefei’s arrival today, Ji Hong realized that some things don’t just go away by not mentioning them. He squatted beside the bed and helped the young man remove his shoes and socks. As expected, his feet were cold as ice, likely because the wet snow had seeped into his shoes, causing him to catch a cold.
“How did you not notice your feet were wet?”
Yu Jinnian mumbled something, then gave a sluggish “oh” after a long pause, clearly out of sorts.
Ji Hong wrapped his feet in a small blanket and held them to warm them. After a while, he glanced up at the boy, who sat there like a stone statue, silent and stiff. With a sigh, Ji Hong asked, “How much did you hear outside just now?”
Yu Jinnian slowly emerged from his petrified state and responded calmly, “Probably everything…”
Ji Hong: “Were you frightened?”
Yu Jinnian chuckled, “I can handle it. I’m used to shocks.”
Despite his words, he promptly resumed his statue-like behavior, looking more like someone struck dumb than someone who had nerves of steel.
All the talk about the emperor, princesses, the heir to Duke Li, challenges from the imperial scholar, and the poetry contest on Qingtai—all of it felt like something from another world. Yu Jinnian thought back to the Yang family, who had suddenly begun treating Ji Hong with such reverence, and to the mysterious lines of poetry that had appeared in his old Qingluan poetry collection. He had even wondered if Ji Hong was a fan of the Qingluan poet. Who would have thought Ji Hong was the poet himself!
Yu Jinnian also remembered how he had once said that the Qingluan poet was probably some hideous recluse, and now he wished he could take those words back, swallow them, and hide them deep within. How had Ji Hong felt hearing that? Had he secretly laughed at him?
It wasn’t that Yu Jinnian couldn’t handle the situation. After all, he had experienced dying and coming back to life—surely the most fantastical event imaginable. What were these few revelations in comparison? However, he suddenly felt overwhelmed by the flood of new information. It was like a cup overflowing, and he could only watch helplessly as the water spilled out. His mind felt blank, unable to absorb it all, leaving him dazed.
Ji Hong stood up, cupped Yu Jinnian’s face in his hands, and vigorously rubbed his cold cheeks. The boy’s face had been chilled by the wind, and the warmth from Ji Hong’s hands finally brought some color back to his pale skin, restoring a bit of life. Yu Jinnian snapped back to reality and looked up at the man in front of him, lamenting, “I never thought you were such a noble figure. Have I stolen a star from the heavens? Or maybe not even a star, but someone else’s moon.”
Ji Hong was indifferent. “Whatever it is. If you’ve taken it, it’s yours. If you like it, keep it. If you don’t, throw it away. You can make it a lantern, a decoration, anything you want. It’s no big deal.”
Yu Jinnian laughed out loud, but there was no real joy in his laughter. He was not someone who could hold his feelings in, especially not in front of Ji Hong. Just looking at him made Yu Jinnian feel like countless butterflies were fluttering in his chest. Right now, his mind was buzzing, and he couldn’t stop thinking about how much he liked this person. But, suddenly, he lost his confidence and muttered, “I want to keep it, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to.”
This person was far too high above him, so high that even if he reached out with all his might, even if he stood on tiptoe, he wouldn’t be able to touch him.
This concern had never crossed Ji Hong’s mind. He only worried that Yu Jinnian might be scared, might retreat or shy away. Cupping the boy’s face again, he leaned down, gently tapping Yu Jinnian’s lips with his fingers as he smiled. “As long as you want it, nothing will be out of your reach. A little demon from the heavens afraid of not being able to hold onto someone?”
Yu Jinnian smiled at his words and opened Ji Hong’s palm, drawing something inside it.
“What’s this?” Ji Hong asked.
“A curse,” Yu Jinnian made up, smiling mischievously. “Aren’t demons supposed to cast curses? If you ever try to run away, I’ll recite the spell and make you forget all about those princesses. You’ll only remember me. I’ll tie you up, lock you in a cave, and make you listen to me chant spells every day.”
Ji Hong laughed along with him, finding the idea of being locked in a cave surprisingly appealing. “How does the spell go?”
“Come closer, and I’ll tell you.” Yu Jinnian weakly beckoned him. Ji Hong leaned down, and as soon as he did, Yu Jinnian pounced, pushing him down and whispering in his ear. Ji Hong, confused by the sudden bite on his ear, was about to protest when the whispered words reinvigorated him. Flipping them over so that he was now on top, Ji Hong demanded, “Say it again?”
Yu Jinnian refused. He stared intently at the man above him, reaching out to touch his nose and eyes, as if verifying that this person was real and not some paper-mâché figure. The tension between them grew thick, and Yu Jinnian murmured softly, “You’re the one with no home, the one at death’s door, the one brilliant and unmatched, and the one out of reach. What else belongs to you? Say it now so you don’t scare me a second time.”
Ji Hong thought for a moment. “For now, that’s it. I’ll add more as I think of them.”
“I’m just afraid you’ll remember some earth-shattering secret later, like that you’re actually an immortal sent here to undergo a trial,” Yu Jinnian teased, rolling out from beneath Ji Hong and reaching for his shoes, only to be pulled back. He playfully scolded Ji Hong to stop, worried that if this went on, with so many people still around outside, things might get out of hand.
But Ji Hong merely stopped him from putting on his wet shoes and fetched a dry pair to help him into.
“Don’t listen to anything those people outside say, especially Min Xuefei. He’s good at manipulating people,” Ji Hong said, holding Yu Jinnian’s foot and giving it a squeeze. The ticklish sensation spread from his foot, leaving his leg limp in Ji Hong’s hands. Unable to pull away, Yu Jinnian listened intently. “Trust me. Listen to me.”
“I know, just stop squeezing,” Yu Jinnian muttered, curling his toes in embarrassment.
As soon as Ji Hong let him go, Yu Jinnian jumped out of bed, only to be pulled back for a quick kiss. Despite having overheard so much, Yu Jinnian’s mind had only been troubled for a short while, and he quickly put it aside. In contrast, it seemed like Ji Hong was the one who was more rattled, constantly pulling him back as if to make sure everything was still the same.
Yu Jinnian, a little exasperated, kept reassuring him with the words Ji Hong wanted to hear. Meanwhile, a gap had opened in the window, and a single eye peered in, watching eagerly. “Ji… Third Brother?”
With a loud crash, Ji Hong picked up a nearby object and hurled it across the room, slamming it into the window frame. The person outside let out a yelp, covering their eye and howling in pain.
Yu Jinnian turned around, puzzled. “What happened?”
Ji Hong calmly replied, “Don’t worry about it. He’s not well.”
The two of them eventually left the room, only to find Min Mao sitting alone in the front hall with a black eye. Yu Jinnian figured it was time to prepare dinner, and one or two more pairs of chopsticks wouldn’t hurt, so he asked where the other person had gone. Min Mao, his mind entirely focused on how to ask Ji Hong for a poem, absentmindedly pointed outside.
“Just now, I saw Second Brother rushing out, saying he was going to find an inn.”
Yu Jinnian remarked, “It’s the New Year. All the inns that are supposed to be open are full, and the rest are closed. Where is he going to find one?”
Min Mao, still preoccupied with Ji Hong, waved dismissively. “Oh, don’t worry about him. My Second Brother’s resourceful. Even if the entire city has no rooms, he’ll sweet-talk his way into one. He’s better than any fortune-teller.”
So that’s why Ji Hong said he’s good at manipulating people?
Yu Jinnian had felt something off about Min Xuefei earlier but couldn’t quite place it. Now, looking outside at the snow-covered ground, he saw a set of footprints leading away from the door. Curious, he ran out to investigate.
The street was empty, and there was no sign of Min Xuefei. Yu Jinnian squinted, scanning the area, and suddenly spotted a patch of red in the distance, like a piece of silk discarded in the snow, melting into a puddle. He took a closer look and his eyes widened in alarm. He bolted back inside, shouting, “Ah Hong! Min… what’s his name again? Min’s… his brother! Oh no, your brother’s melting!”