TPATTHU Chapter 51
by VolareXiao Zhinian naturally didn’t dare to be careless when applying the medicine for Shen Zhejiang.
Once everything was done, he placed the medicine bottle on the table and, unexpectedly changing his previous behavior, carefully folded Shen Zhejiang’s clothes layer by layer, and fastened his belt.
Shen Zhejiang was a little unaccustomed to this. At this moment, Xiao Zhinian’s soft whispers drifted into his ears.
“I will find Zhao Xiao Si for you. You don’t need to worry. If you need anything, just tell Huai Wu to do it. You don’t have to do everything yourself.”
“Okay.”
Shen Zhejiang nodded.
Xiao Zhinian continued, “Also, eat more meat. Teacher is too thin. It feels bony to the touch.”
As he spoke, he took the opportunity to pinch Shen Zhejiang’s waist, which didn’t have much flesh on it, but he didn’t use much force.
Shen Zhejiang was annoyed, his face slightly flushed. He pushed away his hand and said, “You say it’s bony, but you still touch it. Let go.”
Xiao Zhinian said with a grin, “If Teacher is not convinced, you can pinch back. I’ll let you do whatever you want.”
This rogue grabbed Shen Zhejiang’s fingertips, folded them together, and pressed them against his chest, guiding him down his body.
It must be said that Xiao Zhinian had an excellent figure. Even when he was wearing clothes, one could see hints of it: broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He didn’t appear bulky, but rather tall and heroic. Not to mention that he wasn’t wearing anything now, revealing a large expanse of honey-colored, healthy skin. Every part of his body was perfectly toned, and it felt firm and tight to the touch. Especially the two deeply concave dimples at the small of his back, which were truly intoxicating.
The strong masculine charm evoked Shen Zhejiang’s memories.
Although he was drugged that night at Chunyi Brothel and his mind was hot, he still had some awareness. Amidst the chaotic ups and downs, he vaguely remembered the warm touch he had groped, and the beads of sweat that had slid down Xiao Zhinian’s face, dripping into his unfocused pupils…
Shen Zhejiang couldn’t help but blink his eyes.
“Does Teacher like it?”
A sentence startled Shen Zhejiang.
The tips of his ears, along with his face, flushed crimson.
Shen Zhejiang abruptly pulled his hand back. Every inch of his fingertips that Xiao Zhinian had touched felt as if it had been burned by fire, making his whole body surge with heat. He rebuked, “Shameless!”
He didn’t know if he was scolding Xiao Zhinian or his own trembling heart.
Xiao Zhinian chuckled and said in a teasing tone, “Is this all it takes to be shameless? I have even more shameless things to do. Would Teacher like to try them?”
“You!”
Shen Zhejiang was so angry that he was about to explode. He raised his hand to hit him.
Xiao Zhinian suddenly hugged him tightly, his eyes darkening, but his expression was incredibly affectionate as he rubbed the side of Shen Zhejiang’s face and said, “Alright, wait for me to come back and then you can hit and scold me. You can do whatever you want. I won’t fight back or talk back.”
Shen Zhejiang seemed to sense his change as well and abruptly stopped his movements.
For some reason, he felt that Xiao Zhinian was hiding something from him, as if he was determined to do something with an uncertain future.
“Okay,” he heard himself say, “Be careful.”
“It’s getting late, I…”
Xiao Zhinian was taken aback.
A sour, wet feeling gradually welled up in his eyes. He reached out and placed his hand on the back of Shen Zhejiang’s head, which was buried in his chest, and stroked it very gently.
He could feel the temperature of Shen Zhejiang’s lips and teeth. He was biting him, right over his heart.
It didn’t hurt, but it was warm. He could understand Shen Zhejiang’s meaning.
Shen Zhejiang wanted him to remember.
Come back.
Where the heart finds peace, I will always be here.
At the moment of separation, he licked it reassuringly.
Xiao Zhinian felt his scalp tingle. He took a deep breath and barely suppressed the impulse to pounce on Shen Zhejiang.
Shen Zhejiang raised his head, his eyes already a little red. He said, “Xiao Zhinian, I’ll be here, not going anywhere, waiting for you.”
“Okay, I will never break my promise.”
–
In the blink of an eye, five days had passed.
Shen Zhejiang had not received any news about Xiao Zhinian. He was uneasy and couldn’t sleep a wink.
He was afraid that Xiao Zhinian’s promise would be as unreliable as before.
Huai Wu also didn’t know where Xiao Zhinian had gone. He was clearly out looking for someone, but he had lost himself as well.
“Go out and inquire again, see if the government has any news about Xiao Zhinian.”
This was the second time in his life that Shen Zhejiang was restless and couldn’t sit still. The first time was when the Shen family had an accident, and the second time was this time, when Xiao Zhinian had disappeared without a trace.
He paced back and forth in the courtyard, and saw Huai Wu just entering from the gate, saying these words.
Huai Wu was carrying an oiled paper bag. This was what Xiao Zhinian had instructed him to do before he left, to bring Shen Zhejiang different local snacks from Luo City every day to relieve his boredom.
Huai Wu said, “His Majesty has mobilized government officials to search for him. If there is any news, Yang Shihui will definitely send someone to report it. This subordinate has also inquired, and the city is calm, nothing major has happened. Teacher doesn’t need to worry so much. This is sweet potato cake from the street in the south of the city, it’s still hot.”
Shen Zhejiang was in no mood to eat pastries right now. He shook his head and said, “You keep it and eat it. You’ve been running around these days, it must be tiring.”
Huai Wu took out another bag from somewhere and said embarrassedly, “His Majesty left this subordinate a thousand taels, originally to be left for Teacher to spend, and told this subordinate to watch over the spending. This subordinate couldn’t help but buy a portion for himself as well.”
Shen Zhejiang said, “It doesn’t matter. If there’s anything you want to buy, just spend it.”
“Does Teacher really not want to try it? It smells so good.”
Huai Wu tore open the oiled paper bag, revealing the snow-white pastries inside, each one round and elastic, sprinkled with coconut flakes, very beautiful.
Shen Zhejiang had no appetite and declined, “No need.”
“If Teacher continues to be so depressed, when His Majesty comes back and sees it, he will definitely scold this subordinate. Teacher should at least try one.”
“…Alright.”
Shen Zhejiang picked up one of them, but he couldn’t taste anything.
On the contrary, Huai Wu had never tasted such pastries before. He quickly finished a bag. Seeing that Shen Zhejiang wasn’t eating either, he didn’t want to waste them, so he opened the other bag.
Just as he was eating with relish, the wooden door was kicked down with a bang, raising a cloud of dust. The pastries that Huai Wu didn’t have time to cover up were covered with a layer of fine sand.
“Who is it! How hateful!”
Huai Wu stuffed the oiled paper bag into his sleeve, indignant. He was about to argue when he saw a group of people wearing uniforms with the character “Yai” (Ya, meaning “government”) written on them rush in, surrounding Shen Zhejiang and him in the center.
Blades were drawn and held in front of Shen Zhejiang.
Huai Wu stared warily at these uninvited guests.
“Shen Zhejiang kidnapped Zhao Family’s young master. The evidence is solid. Take him away for this magistrate!”
Governor Yang stroked his mottled white beard as he leisurely strolled from outside to the threshold, lifting his toes to scrape the mud off the soles of his shoes on the threshold.
The threshold was the facade of a family’s home. By doing this, Governor Yang was undoubtedly humiliating Shen Zhejiang.
Shen Zhejiang’s face gradually turned cold: “…”
Huai Wu pointed the tip of his blade at Yang Shihui and said sharply, “You dare!”
“Even the Son of Heaven is subject to the same laws as commoners. This magistrate is acting according to the law. What wouldn’t I dare?” Governor Yang flicked his sleeves and sneered, tsking twice, full of disdain. “I didn’t expect it, Shen Zhejiang. You look so refined, but you actually did such a shameless and despicable thing. It must have been planned for a long time. The depth of your scheming is simply a disgrace to us scholars.”
Huai Wu said, “That’s a bunch of nonsense!”
Shen Zhejiang, of course, wouldn’t admit to something he hadn’t done. He said in a cold voice, “Without evidence, how will you convince the public?”
Unexpectedly, Governor Yang gave him a cold look, as if he had already anticipated that he would say this. He waved his hand and said, “Who said there isn’t any? Bring it up!”