Nian Nian was ill today, had no food to eat, so pitiful.
A spring rain came down, finally extinguishing the fire at the noodle shop.
The Fang Family Inn had already been fully booked by Min Xuefei. All outsiders were cleared out, leaving behind only a few attendants like Shi Qing, Hua Yi, Duan Ming, and dozens of guards who surrounded and protected the inn. Second Young Master Min and Ji Hong had already sent pigeons, immediately summoning their men from nearby.
The fire in the west of the city was fierce and spread widely, leaving many injured. The authorities were alarmed and sent officials to inquire, but before they saw the person in charge, they were already frightened by the inn’s cold and grim atmosphere. They were then dismissed by just a few words from Second Young Master Min—after all, being the eldest legitimate son of Minister Min and a favorite in front of the emperor was enough to scare even the county magistrate into coming to greet him.
However, if the magistrate had known there was also a Marquis’s heir in the room, his legs might have gone weak, and he would have been unable to stand.
But these trivial matters were all left to Min Xuefei to handle. Aunt Xu and the others were being looked after by Elder Luo. Ji Hong, however, stayed by the bed, focusing solely on waiting for Yu Jinnian to wake up. Perhaps he had been frightened in his dream by his elder brother; even when Ji Hong closed his eyes, he could still see scenes of the fire. Now that they had escaped, only then did the fear set in, as if just a slight delay would have meant he would never see his young man again.
Ji Hong gently held Yu Jinnian’s hand, his gaze lingering on the boy’s back, which was wrapped in white cotton bandages. According to the medical apprentice responsible for dressing the wounds, the injury was two palms long, terrifying in appearance. But luckily, it was only a flesh wound, not deep, and with medicine to heal the skin, it would soon recover. However, it might leave an unsightly scar.
But compared to losing his life, this was already the luckiest outcome.
Outside, the rain continued to fall lightly. Ji Hong recalled Elder Luo’s advice to keep fresh air circulating, so he got up and opened a small crack in the window. Looking out, the streets were bustling with activity, carts and donkeys of all kinds moving in and out of the western part of the city, hauling planks and stones.
Other houses that burned partially would cry and wail, but after that, life would go on, repairs and rebuilding would begin. But the noodle shop had been completely reduced to ashes, not even a single door or window remaining. Ji Hong couldn’t bear to look, and he dreaded having to explain it to Yu Jinnian when he woke up. He had Min Xuefei handle things there for now and hired a guard to watch over the ruins.
After pulling his gaze back from the window, he took a wet cloth and gently wiped the boy’s face and hands. At that moment, Duan Ming knocked and said, “Your Highness.”
Ji Hong immediately asked, “Is there news of Shi Xing?”
Duan Ming glanced downstairs and hesitated, “It’s… Young Master Jiang has come again.”
The fire in the western city had people on edge, the noodle shop burned to the ground, and Yu Jinnian lay gravely injured and unconscious. Ji Hong knew something was off, but with Shi Xing missing, the only one who knew what had happened, he couldn’t help but feel agitated. He understood that Jiang Bingren was here to ask about Shi Xing’s whereabouts, and he could sympathize with the young master’s concern, just as he too desperately wanted to know what had happened last night.
Ji Hong waved him off, choosing not to see Jiang Bingren. Duan Ming exited the room, blocking the young master from charging upstairs. He sighed helplessly, “Young Master Jiang, it’s not that my master doesn’t want to tell you, but we don’t know where Shi Xing is either. Young Master Yu is seriously injured and unconscious, and we don’t know when he’ll wake up. Please don’t make this difficult for me.”
Jiang Bingren stopped, looking up at Duan Ming, who stood several steps above him. His eyes were red with stubbornness. Gripping the stair rail, he shouted irrationally, “At least Brother Nian is still alive! But what about my Shi Tou?”
Duan Ming didn’t know what to say, hesitating for a moment before he could only reply, “Young Master Jiang, no news is good news.”
Just as he finished speaking, a servant ran in, breathless, saying, “Gentlemen, the authorities have posted a notice. They found several male bodies near the outskirts of the city. Families are being asked to come and identify the dead…”
“What?!” Jiang Bingren nearly fell down the stairs. He stumbled his way down, muttering “Impossible, impossible” over and over again, yet his body was trembling. He hadn’t even seen the bodies, but his heart was already convinced it might be true. Tears welled up in his eyes, about to fall.
As he stepped out of the inn, he suddenly crashed into a solid body.
The person he bumped into said roguishly, “Where are you rushing off to?”
Jiang Bingren, already fuming, was about to lash out at the stench of the man, who reeked of sour and foul odors. He cursed, “Get lost, you stinking beggar! I’m going to identify—” Then, glancing up at the person, he froze in shock, his voice mechanically finishing the word, “bodies…”
The man spread his arms and caught him, asking, “Whose bodies are you going to identify?”
Jiang Bingren’s brows furrowed deeper and deeper until suddenly he burst into tears, burying his head in the man’s chest, “Shi Tou! Why do you stink so much…”
“I accidentally fell into a pigsty.” Shi Xing, unable to endure the head-butting, almost collapsed to the ground. He leaned against the inn’s door for support, clearly exhausted. He propped himself up with the scabbard of his sword, using his other hand to wipe the tears from Jiang Bingren’s face. Helplessly, he said, “Alright, little bud, I’m back now, okay? Stop headbutting me, it really hurts.”
It was only then that Jiang Bingren noticed that half of Shi Xing’s body was soaked in blood. Before he could even reach out to check the wounds, Duan Ming came running out in surprise, “Shi Xing?”
Shi Xing groaned in pain, “Fifth Brother…”
——
Jiang Bingren paced restlessly downstairs. Though a spoiled young master by nature, he still had the sense to understand what was happening. He knew Shi Xing’s abilities well, and anyone capable of training him would certainly not come from an ordinary wealthy family. As for that Young Master Ji upstairs, his status was self-evident.
Shi Xing was first Ji Hong’s bodyguard, and only secondarily his Shi Tou. This realization left Jiang Bingren feeling a little dejected.
The teacup in his hand grew cold, then warm, then cold again. His heart was troubled, worried about Shi Xing’s injuries. His pampered nature resurfaced, and he began to torment the inn’s servant, who soon couldn’t bear it anymore. In desperation, the servant simply moved the tea kettle in front of him, letting him brew his tea as hot or cold as he liked.
In the room upstairs, Ji Hong carefully avoided Yu Jinnian’s wound as he covered him with a thin blanket before coming out. He glanced at Shi Xing, whose body was half covered in blood, and frowned.
Shi Xing immediately said, “It was my fault for failing to capture the culprit alive.”
Ji Hong sighed and asked, “How’s your injury?”
Shi Xing touched his right arm and replied, “Your Highness, it’s just a flesh wound…”
“Do you know how Yu Jinnian got that knife wound on his back?” Ji Hong sat down at the table, where a three-legged stove stood. Min Xuefei must have found it for him, but instead of brewing tea, it held medicinal soup. In his hand, he fanned a small fan, Min Xuefei’s prized possession, though to Ji Hong, it was nothing more than a toy for stirring the fire.
Shi Xing nodded and explained in detail, “After you left last night, I heard some noise on the roof. Just as I was about to warn the young master, the attackers struck first, and I had no choice but to engage them. There were about six of them, all highly skilled, and they were quite difficult to deal with. I couldn’t protect the young master completely and was caught up fighting them. I noticed the knife wound wasn’t fatal and, concerned for the safety of the people in the noodle shop, I had to retreat while fighting, drawing them out to the outskirts of the city… In the chaos, one of them managed to escape. I wounded him badly, cutting off one of his hands and crippling one of his legs. Judging by the time, he must have set the fire after failing to kill the young master…”
“To have injured you so severely, they must not be ordinary thugs. Duan Ming, send someone to check if there’s a body among those recovered by the authorities missing a hand and a leg.” Ji Hong used small tongs to place charcoal into the stove. After Duan Ming acknowledged the order and left, Ji Hong turned to Shi Xing and said, “Stand up and speak. Did you see who they were?”
Shi Xing slowly stood, recalling, “They seemed to be elite guards, trained in both swordsmanship and archery. Their arrows were made of crow feathers with redwood shafts and silver tips. They only knew their mission and likely never saw their master’s face. Your Highness, actually, there’s something else…”
Ji Hong said, “Speak.”
Shi Xing glanced at the boy still sleeping on the bed and lowered his voice, “The attack was aimed at you, Your Highness. According to the interrogation, that group of men had been lurking around the noodle shop for days, but never found the right moment to strike. Last night, under the cover of darkness, you went out wearing Young Master Yu’s cloak, and he wore your clothes. That’s why they mistakenly thought Young Master Yu was you… One of them also confessed that after eliminating you, their next target was Young Master Min.”
Ji Hong paused, his hand that had been fanning stopping mid-motion. He was stunned. The fire in the stove singed the corner of Young Master Min’s precious fan.
Shi Xing hurriedly put out the flames, feeling guilty, “Your Highness, please… pretend I never said anything.”
When Duan Ming returned after carrying out his tasks, he overheard Ji Hong sternly ordering Shi Xing, “You left your post without permission. Go and accept your punishment.” Whether it was shock or dismay, Duan Ming immediately felt the need to kneel and plead for mercy on Shi Xing’s behalf. Dereliction of duty was a grave offense, and with Shi Xing already injured, another punishment could be life-threatening.
But before Duan Ming could kneel, Ji Hong tossed a jade token from his pocket. “You supervise the punishment. There’s no need to report back.”
Duan Ming caught the jade token mid-air. Realizing this was Ji Hong’s way of letting Shi Xing off the hook, he quickly thanked him for the pardon, grabbed Shi Xing, and left. Everyone knew their master was in a bad mood at the moment, so it was best not to provoke him. Leading Shi Xing downstairs, they bumped into an impatient Jiang Bingren. Duan Ming cleared his throat and said, “There aren’t enough men in the courtyard. The master has sentenced Shi Xing to fifty lashes. Young Master Jiang, could you administer the punishment?”
Jiang Bingren raised his head in dissatisfaction, “And who exactly are these people?”
Duan Ming pulled out the jade token, and Jiang Bingren immediately fell silent when he saw the rose pattern. Having read many unofficial histories and with an aunt who was a magistrate’s favored concubine, he recognized the significance of the token. He grabbed Shi Xing and dragged him into a room, poking his head out to say, “It’s just fifty lashes, I’ll handle it!”
As for what to use for the beating, that was entirely up to Jiang Bingren.
Duan Ming shook his head, pocketed the jade token, and went to check on Qing Huan and Ah Chun in the women’s quarters.
Inside the room, Ji Hong returned to sit by the bed. He knew he had lashed out earlier, but given the unpredictable situation, even someone as skilled as Shi Xing couldn’t have done much better. However, Ji Hong still found it hard to control his emotions, especially now that he realized the catastrophe was originally meant for him, but through a twist of fate, the young man had suffered in his place.
Before even returning to the capital, the boy had been injured because of him. Ji Hong leaned back against the bedhead, eyes half-closed, as his thoughts drifted back to the events of the previous night.
As he gently ran his fingers through the boy’s hair, he suddenly felt the young man, who had been asleep all day, stir. Yu Jinnian slowly woke up, dazed and unable to recall what had happened. His head ached, and his body was numb from lying down for so long. Instinctively, he tried to shift his position, but as he moved, it tugged at the wound on his back, causing him to hiss in pain.
Ji Hong immediately opened his eyes, staring at him nervously, wanting to ask if he was alright, where it hurt, or if he felt uncomfortable. But when the words reached his lips, he didn’t know how to say them.
Seeing Ji Hong’s stern expression, Yu Jinnian blinked and forced a smile. “Ah Hong, what’s wrong?”
The boy’s voice was soft, lacking strength. His face, usually rosy, was now pale, but his eyes remained bright, curved like crescent moons when he smiled, making it impossible to look away.
Ji Hong felt a pang of guilt. He should have known that unless they truly went into hiding at the ends of the earth, they would always be seen as a thorn in someone’s side, no matter where they were. It might have been better to reveal their identity early on to deter others.
“I’m sorry, Jinnian.” Ji Hong leaned down and embraced the boy, apologizing in a low voice, “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault.”
Yu Jinnian was still groggy, not understanding why Ji Hong was apologizing. After Ji Hong explained the situation and mentioned that Aunt Xu and the others were recovering in the adjacent rooms, the initial tension from waking up began to ease. He leaned closer to Ji Hong and drowsily muttered, “Isn’t that good… you’re safe, that’s good…”
Although he said he was fine, sweat began to bead at his temples. Of all the people in the room, he was the most seriously injured, yet he didn’t realize it. He tilted his head and smiled at Ji Hong. A breeze from the slightly open window brought in some rain, and because Yu Jinnian’s back was only covered by a thin shirt for ease of wound dressing, he felt cold and instinctively curled up closer.
Ji Hong stood up, closed the window, and took a pot of medicine from the stove. He strained a bowl of bitter, black liquid.
Yu Jinnian might have been a doctor, but no one said doctors had to be unafraid of bitter medicine. As a child, he’d often been sick, and though he drank more medicinal soups than he ever took pills, it didn’t mean he liked the taste. Seeing Ji Hong bring the medicine bowl over, he immediately pulled a face and tightly shut his mouth.
Ji Hong paused, then suddenly left the room. After a while, just as Yu Jinnian was about to doze off, Ji Hong returned with a small dish. “I asked Elder Luo, and he said we can add some honey to the medicine.”
As if honey could make such bitter medicine taste better! In fact, adding honey just made it taste even worse!
Yu Jinnian turned his head, unwilling to drink it.
Ji Hong looked down at him, feeling utterly helpless. He wished he could take the pain for him, bear the suffering in his place. But since the injury was on Yu Jinnian, no matter how much he wanted to spoil him, he couldn’t let him get away with not taking his medicine. Gently pulling the boy from under the covers, he coaxed patiently, “Be good, drink a little, and afterward, you can have some white cocoon candy.”
His gentle tone made Yu Jinnian give in. Reluctantly, he shifted over, lying on Ji Hong’s lap. With Ji Hong feeding him spoon by spoon, he slowly drank the medicinal soup. After a few sips, he hummed softly and muttered, “It hurts a little…”
Ji Hong held the bowl firmly, not letting his emotions show, though inside, it felt as if his heart was burning. He ached with every breath, but all he could do was offer some comfort, “After you drink the medicine, it won’t hurt anymore.”
Yu Jinnian was well-behaved, despite his earlier reluctance. Soon, he was quietly drinking the medicine. The small porcelain spoon clinked softly against the bowl as the bitter liquid gradually diminished. Once finished, Ji Hong placed a piece of white cocoon candy in his mouth. After that, Yu Jinnian rested his head on Ji Hong’s lap again. The medicine contained calming herbs, and it wasn’t long before Yu Jinnian, with the candy still in his mouth, started to drift off to sleep.
Sleep was good; it meant he wouldn’t feel the pain as much.
Ji Hong leaned closer, gently kissing his jawline and running his tongue over the boy’s lips, still sealed in a tight line. It was bitter.
Outside, the sky darkened. Duan Ming entered quietly, lighting a candle. Seeing both of them resting with their eyes closed, he remained silent, waiting by the side until Ji Hong woke. Only then did Duan Ming approach and whisper, “Your Highness, the meal is ready. Shall I serve it now?”
Ji Hong glanced at the sleeping boy in his arms, then at the pitch-black window, and asked, “What time is it?”
Duan Ming replied, “It’s already the hour of Hai.”
“The hour of Hai already? Serve it then.” Ji Hong carefully lifted Yu Jinnian’s head, placing it gently on a soft pillow before quietly getting out of bed. He didn’t want to wake him up, hoping the boy could sleep a little longer before the food was served. But he couldn’t let him sleep for too long either. From last night until now, he hadn’t had anything but medicine. If he kept sleeping, his body wouldn’t hold up. Standing at the table, Ji Hong thought for a while before ordering some of the heavier dishes removed, replacing them with lighter, more nourishing options for the wounds.
However, this was just an ordinary inn, and the village cooks didn’t know what foods were good for healing wounds. After the heavier dishes were removed, a long time passed before a strange assortment of dishes arrived: sesame oil pork liver, black-boned chicken ribs, and even brown sugar boiled eggs—a menu more suited for postpartum women.
Ji Hong felt a headache coming on. Only then did he remember that the only person who knew exactly what to eat for which ailment was the one currently lying in bed like a frostbitten flower.
His normally cold demeanor gave way to a rare flash of frustration—not at the mismatched dishes on the table, but at his own regret for failing to protect someone he cared about.
Ji Hong waved his hand, telling them to take the food away. Everyone watched him nervously. Duan Ming wasn’t sure what to do, but fortunately, Ji Hong wasn’t in the mood to make things difficult for them. He personally ordered a few of Yu Jinnian’s favorite dishes, instructing them to use less oil, light seasoning, and no spice. Relieved, the cooks hurried off to prepare the new dishes.
While waiting for the dishes to be served, Duan Ming said, “Young Master Min’s people have arrived. The inn is now entirely staffed by our own people, so Your Highness can rest assured.”
Ji Hong nodded. He reviewed the dishes on the table; if they were too plain, the young man wouldn’t enjoy them, but if they were too rich, they wouldn’t aid in healing. After some picking and choosing, he was still somewhat dissatisfied, but he didn’t trouble anyone further. He even rewarded the cooks before dismissing them. Duan Ming had also found two maidservants to attend to them, but Ji Hong declined. Others might not serve attentively; he felt more at ease doing it himself.
It wasn’t until the dishes were nearly cold that Ji Hong was willing to wake Yu Jinnian. But he was sleeping soundly, and being woken suddenly naturally made him a bit unhappy. Moreover, his whole body felt uncomfortable; he didn’t feel hungry, just sleepy, and didn’t want to eat anything. Ji Hong set a small table on the bed, served a little of each dish into small bowls, and coaxed him to eat a few bites. Even the soft flatbreads were cut into chess-piece sizes as instructed, just enough to fit into his mouth.
Ji Hong half-held Jinnian up, careful not to touch his wound. Using chopsticks, he picked two pieces of this dish and a few strands of that one, placed them into a porcelain spoon, and finally topped it with a piece of flatbread. Yu Jinnian didn’t need to lift a finger—just open his mouth and chew a few times.
Being served to this extent, even if Yu Jinnian wanted to be willful, he had to give him some face. So he leaned against Ji Hong’s embrace and let him feed him. After a few bites, he didn’t want to eat anymore. Ji Hong put down the dish, picked up a small bowl of milky white pork trotter soup, persuaded him to drink half of it, eat a piece of the soft skin from the pork trotter, and then let him rinse his mouth before allowing him to return to bed.
After being fussed over with eating and drinking for a while, Yu Jinnian didn’t seem as sleepy. But at this hour, others were already asleep, and he had nothing to do. So he asked in detail about the injuries of the others from the noodle shop. Ji Hong softly told him everything. They talked for almost half an hour, and after eating a bit more, he finally slept peacefully.
The door opened a crack as Min Xuefei passed by. He saw Ji Hong bending down, silently kissing the boy’s forehead, then whispering something in his ear that made the little doctor involuntarily smile.
Coming out of the room and seeing Min Xuefei standing nearby with folded arms, Ji Hong didn’t react much and merely thanked him.
Min Xuefei didn’t accept the gratitude. “You know how difficult things will be from now on. Not long ago, the people I sent out accidentally crossed paths with Lord Twelve’s men and were killed on the spot—that was a warning to us.” His gaze drifted toward the room. “Shuluan, in my opinion, some things are better let go of early. Letting go would be fulfilling for both you and him.”
Ji Hong also glanced back, seeing that Yu Jinnian was indeed sleeping soundly. Only then did he close the door and go downstairs with Min Xuefei. The inn was extremely quiet; all the staff were Min Xuefei’s trusted aides, so there was no fear of words leaking out. Ji Hong didn’t want to talk and was too lazy to explain. Yes, his family was illustrious, but aside from the prominent ‘Ji’ name above his head, he had nothing else.
He knew he couldn’t keep some things, so he had never sincerely tried to hold onto them.
Whoever wanted them could take them; after all, his life was snatched from his second brother’s hands. He felt guilty and didn’t want to fight. If others wanted his things, it was only right—he just considered it repaying a debt for his second brother.
Only today did he understand that the reason he could easily let go of some things was that he only liked them superficially and couldn’t dig out deeper feelings. If he endured, things could stay calm, and that was fine.
But this time was different. He wanted to protect someone, sparing no effort and by any means necessary. It wasn’t something that could be dismissed with a simple “forget it.”
Of course, he understood what Min Xuefei meant. Half a year ago, when he and Yu Jinnian had just met and weren’t deeply involved, perhaps he would have given up. In the past six months, Ji Hong hadn’t made much progress, except he learned one thing—that is, ‘greed.’ Once a person gets a little, they can’t bear to let go. He began to covet things that didn’t originally belong to him, to crave the warmth that had almost never appeared in his life.
To make him give up now was no different from cutting off the rope he was clinging to on a cliff.
Ji Hong gave a bitter smile. “Xuefei, it’s not that I don’t want fulfillment.”
It’s just that his fulfillment could only be achieved through Yu Jinnian.
Min Xuefei had always prioritized his passion for power over trivial romances. The only helplessness in his life was the Ji family’s Third Young Master before him, his childhood friend. He always advocated using power to intimidate and favored marriage alliances to consolidate Ji Hong’s influence. He didn’t oppose the existence of the young man named Yu but didn’t support it either—not because he had anything against Yu Jinnian, but purely because this matter was of no benefit to Ji Hong; not only was it unhelpful, but it would also become a laughingstock.
The two could live harmoniously and respect each other, but there was no need to make it a big deal, causing a storm and fighting to the death.
Therefore, he couldn’t quite understand the so-called unwavering affection.
The Ji and Min families were intertwined; pulling one strand could affect the entire situation. It wasn’t something Ji Hong could just abandon if he wanted to. In the palace, there was the Noble Consort; outside, Duke Li and Minister Min held great power. Back when the emperor ascended the throne as a young man, he had barely stabilized the situation relying on the Ji and Min families. Now, with distant threats like Lord Twelve and immediate ones like the Lu faction, none of them were easy to deal with. No matter which side weakened, these opportunists would rush up to tear them apart, and no one would end well.
Therefore, the Ji family couldn’t fall.
Precisely because of this, it also gave others the opportunity to scheme. Back then, they killed Ji Yan but allowed the young master of the Ji family to survive by luck. At that time, the emperor still needed the Ji family’s power and had to support them, allowing Ji Hong, the son of a concubine, to inherit. Now, over ten years later, the emperor’s foundation was solid, and those true culprits behind the scenes wanted to repeat their old tricks and bring down Ji Hong.
But this time, who knows where the emperor’s heart lies?
Ji Hong understood this principle, so he had done some things both openly and covertly. The methods might not have been ruthless, but enough to let people know that even without the legitimate eldest son, the Ji family wasn’t to be trifled with. Back then, Ji Hong was unaffected by external pressures, calm as ice; though he occasionally tolerated and retreated, he was steadfast. But now, he had opened a huge hole in this steadfastness himself, plainly telling others that if they had any sinister tricks, don’t hesitate to use them here.
If Yu Jinnian were a woman, it wouldn’t be a problem. At worst, he could bring him in as a concubine, shelter him in the mansion—what’s the difficulty? Who would be foolish enough to make trouble in Duke Li’s mansion? But the difficulty lies in that the one Ji Hong cares about is a real man. He can’t bring him in; he can’t marry him!
Min Xuefei felt that there would definitely be more headaches in the future.
“This matter cannot be easily let go,” Ji Hong said. Min Xuefei’s drifting thoughts were forcibly pulled back by these words. He didn’t say more, but Min Xuefei understood. If this matter wasn’t thoroughly investigated, there would be endless troubles in the future. But right now, the enemy was in the dark, and they were in the light. Although investigating the culprit was important, ensuring the safety of everyone in the inn was even more crucial. The two whispered for a while. Min Xuefei then left the inn to arrange various matters. Ji Hong, unable to stop worrying about the still ill Yu Jinnian, didn’t accompany him but returned to the room.
Ji Hong walked to the bedside, took off his outer garments, wearing only his inner clothes, and held the young man on the bed in his arms. Sleeping on one’s stomach was uncomfortable; Yu Jinnian, because he was injured and weak, was also running a fever, so he was very sleepy. He even cheekily snuggled closer to Ji Hong, resting half of his body on his chest before closing his eyes again.
Afraid of waking the little one in his arms, Ji Hong didn’t dare to move at all. After being still for about fifteen minutes, estimating that the young man was deeply asleep, he reached out and touched Yu Jinnian’s forehead to check his temperature.
It didn’t seem as hot anymore, and he had sweated a bit, feeling damp.
Unable to get out of bed because Yu Jinnian was pressing on him, Ji Hong directly lifted his sleeve to wipe the fine sweat on Yu Jinnian’s forehead. He then pulled the quilt up a bit to prevent him from catching a chill in his shoulders and suffering aches and pains later. The candlelight on the table flickered, wax dripping onto the candlestick one by one. Yu Jinnian slept soundly, but Ji Hong wasn’t sleepy at all. He gazed at the young man in the warm light, using his fingers to smooth out his slightly furrowed brows.
Even in his dreams, he’s frowning like this—it must still hurt a lot.
“Jinnian, the knife that cut you, the fire at the noodle shop… I will definitely find the people behind this and settle accounts bit by bit.” Ji Hong wanted to pull the person closer but didn’t dare to touch too much. He could only gently and slowly caress Yu Jinnian’s ear. But even just touching his ear made Yu Jinnian seem like he was about to wake up. Ji Hong quickly withdrew his hand, not daring to move again.
That night, the rain continued incessantly.
Near dawn, as the sky finally began to lighten, someone downstairs came running up to report.
They said Aunt Xu was about to pass away.