TPATTHU Chapter 48
by VolareOn the way back, Xiao Zhinian suddenly thought about how Shen Zhejiang addressed Zhao Xiaosi, feeling it was a bit too affectionate. So, he asked, “Why does Teacher care so much for Zhao Xiaosi?”
Shen Zhejiang didn’t hide anything and said directly, “He once studied under my sect, learning to read and write.”
Xiao Zhinian’s tone was so sour it could make teeth fall out: “With his little brat self, what big words can he know? He’s not even as good as me.”
Shen Zhejiang said, “Although his talent doesn’t match yours, he’s more diligent and hardworking than you. At a young age, he can recite ‘Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng.’ When you were his age, you hadn’t even learned all the characters in the Three Character Classic.”
“That’s because I wasn’t—”
“Cough cough! Cough cough cough!”
A heart-stopping cough interrupted Xiao Zhinian.
Shen Zhejiang couldn’t hold on any longer and coughed uncontrollably in the street. His serious illness hadn’t healed, and he had been busy for a long time because of Zhao Xiaosi’s disappearance, not having rested well. His old ailment relapsed.
Xiao Zhinian’s expression changed drastically. He immediately swept Shen Zhejiang up in his arms and rushed towards his home. Passing by the Han residence, he remembered Han Weiwei and rushed in without a word.
“Lord Xiao?”
Han Weiwei was placing a small stool in front of the kitchen, bending over to pick vegetables in a basin, but was startled by the sudden appearance of Xiao Zhinian, almost knocking over the basin.
“Cough cough!”
Han Weiwei heard the cough and saw the person he was holding in his arms, and couldn’t help but exclaim, “What happened to Mr. Shen?!”
Xiao Zhinian’s expression was grave, and he said concisely, “It happened suddenly on the road. Saving him is the priority.”
“Let’s go inside and talk.”
Half an hour later, Han Weiwei pulled out the last needle, put it back in the needle kit, and let out a long breath. She had finally stopped Shen Zhejiang’s coughing.
Xiao Zhinian stood by the bed, relieved to see that he had finally quieted down, and asked urgently, “What exactly is going on? Why is my teacher’s coughing so frequent?”
Han Weiwei put the needle kit into the wooden medicine box, her beautiful eyes filled with solemnity: “Mr. Shen’s foundation is weaker than the average person. In addition, he was injured last time and overworked, which touched the root cause.”
“Cough… I’m fine.”
Shen Zhejiang’s face was very tired. He sat up, signaling Xiao Zhinian not to worry.
But Han Weiwei said, “Mr. Shen also needs to pay attention to his own condition. I don’t know who you two are tormenting. You can’t have a moment of peace, running to my daughter’s house every other day.”
Shen Zhejiang sensed something, and a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes.
Xiao Zhinian was afraid that Han Weiwei would reveal something, so he immediately said, “Thank you, Miss Han. I will definitely repay you in the future.”
“Forget it, let my daughter boil medicine for Mr. Shen. Lord Xiao, remember to drink your medicine too.”
“…”
Now it’s over.
Xiao Zhinian couldn’t clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
Sure enough, as soon as Han Weiwei left, Shen Zhejiang immediately began to question him, his face dark: “So you’ve been at Miss Han’s house for the past few days, is that right?”
“Uh… let me explain.”
Xiao Zhinian had to explain everything to Shen Zhejiang in detail. To avoid him misunderstanding anything, he added at the end.
“I was dizzy, what could I have done? I’ve been keeping myself pure for Teacher, I definitely haven’t been flirting around!”
Shen Zhejiang: “…” Forget it, what’s the point of being angry? It would only make him seem petty.
If he continued to fuss over such things, he would suffer even more when Xiao Zhinian had a palace full of concubines in the future.
Thinking like this, he couldn’t help feeling a little stifled.
After they had both finished their medicine, and after a night of tossing and turning, Xiao Zhinian and Shen Zhejiang bid farewell to Han Weiwei and returned home, already very sleepy.
“Teacher, get some sleep. I’ll watch over you here.”
The night was thick, and the coolness spread like an ocean.
Xiao Zhinian couldn’t help but yawn, covering Shen Zhejiang with the quilt. Just as he was about to get up and blow out the candle, he felt his sleeve being tugged.
Thinking that Shen Zhejiang still had something he wanted him to do, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Shen Zhejiang rarely relied on others. Perhaps it was the thought that Xiao Zhinian would sooner or later divide his love for him among others that was at play. He gripped Xiao Zhinian’s finger, which gradually became hot, and said awkwardly, “…Come up here, you’re tired too.”
With a creak, the bed legs sank a few inches.
Xiao Zhinian didn’t say anything, and didn’t even bother to blow out the candle. He squeezed into Shen Zhejiang’s bed, which could barely fit one person.
The bed was too small, and their bodies were close together, almost in a tight embrace, like two wandering souls comforting each other, burning and warming each other.
Xiao Zhinian rested his chin on the top of Shen Zhejiang’s head. The fragrant scent of medicine relaxed his tense body, and he closed his eyes peacefully, his voice becoming very soft, almost a murmur: “Zhejiang…”
“Mm, I’m here.”
Shen Zhejiang responded to him.
“Zhejiang.”
“…I’m here.”
Xiao Zhinian called Shen Zhejiang’s name tirelessly, and fortunately Shen Zhejiang was very patient, answering him again and again without getting tired.
The wooden window was blown open by the night wind, and the only candlelight on the table suddenly went out, plunging the room into darkness.
However, at this moment, it was not silent.
“Zhejiang, I want to go back to the Capital City.”
Xiao Zhinian’s voice was as light as a dreamlike murmur.
Shen Zhejiang’s fingertips paused slightly, and he moved closer to Xiao Zhinian: “You’ve been out of the palace for a long time, you should go back.”
The various events of the past month flashed before Shen Zhejiang’s eyes like a revolving lantern. He hadn’t realized how long it had been, it seemed Xiao Zhinian was truly tired.
“Let’s go back together… okay?”
This time, Shen Zhejiang couldn’t give an immediate answer. He was silent for a long time, so long that he could hear Xiao Zhinian’s even and shallow breathing.
Xiao Zhinian had fallen asleep.
But Shen Zhejiang was still awake. He tilted his head up in Xiao Zhinian’s arms, just able to touch Xiao Zhinian’s chin.
Moonlight poured in, and he saw that Xiao Zhinian wasn’t sleeping very peacefully, and his eyebrows were always furrowed.
What did you dream about?
Shen Zhejiang wanted to ask him, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
So he reached out from under the quilt and placed it on Xiao Zhinian’s furrowed brow, rubbing it lightly.
If he were in Luo City, he could boldly touch Xiao Zhinian. No one here knew about his past with Xiao Zhinian, but the Capital City was very different.
What’s more, he had promised Han Zitang that he would never step into the Capital City again.
Full of worries, he couldn’t sleep all night.