Shi Wuxie felt something hard press lightly against his waist, the touch gone in an instant.The crowd was packed tight, with nowhere to retreat. Chu Yunxi spun around quickly, leaving him with only his back.Shi Wuxie saw the back of his neck, flushed red, mere inches away.What's going on? Feverish again?The Ghostly Shadow's voice in his ear carried a note of reluctance. 【Yu Nu, I bet this kid's brain got scrambled when he was reborn—it's all mush in there.】【If you don't believe me, cut it open and see.】Shi Wuxie nodded slowly. "We'll try once his wound heals."Chu Yunxi had no idea that Shi Wuxie was currently discussing with a ghost in his head how to dissect him.The crushing crowd made him increasingly irritable, so he shoved through the people forcefully, turning sideways to carve out a path by brute force.He dragged Shi Wuxie along, squeezing all the way to a relatively open spot by the riverbank, finally breathing fresh air.Chu Yunxi bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath.The cold night wind flooded into his chest, gradually cooling his body down.Shi Wuxie stood to the side watching him for a while, and saw that the red on his ears was slowly fading."How are you? What happened just now?"Chu Yunxi's eyes darted around, and he placed a hand on his chest in a poorly disguised act, saying aggrievedly, "You bumped into my wound just now. It hurts."Not really. When that bump happened, he'd been too busy with his racing heart to remember any pain.Shi Wuxie's gaze fell on his chest. "Undo your collar. Let me check if it's bleeding through."Chu Yunxi hurriedly clutched his collar shut. "In broad daylight, in front of everyone—have you no sense of propriety?"Shi Wuxie raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "You're not a little girl. What are you afraid of?""I'm your wife. How could you bear to let others look at me?"Shi Wuxie fell silent.Shi Wuxie stared at Chu Yunxi in silence. A flicker of confusion passed through his eyes, then faded into indifferent apathy.Who knew what this person was thinking about this time.Forget it. Let him hurt for a while—he'll settle down soon enough.Chu Yunxi was still waiting. If Shi Wuxie would just say one more thing—anything like "Stop fooling around, the wound is what matters"—just one sentence, he would immediately offer "then kiss me" as the trade.That touch just now had been far too hasty. He hadn't even gotten a taste of it before dodging away.Thinking back on it now, what a huge loss!He clenched his fist in the dark.But after waiting a good while, all he got was Shi Wuxie's cool remark: "Since you mind so much, then bear with it yourself. We'll have the physician look at it when we get back."Chu Yunxi: ?"You're just letting it go like that?"Shi Wuxie looked baffled. "What else?"Chu Yunxi raised his voice. "Don't you care about me at all? Am I not your wife?"Shi Wuxie was puzzled. "I did care."He even paused to doubt himself, saying quietly, "Didn't what I just said count as caring?"The Ghostly Shadow lazily rolled his eyes. 【Don't bother with him. He's acting up again.】Chu Yunxi's lips drooped, and the breath that had just settled in his chest lodged itself right back up again.Just then came a "boom—crack—"Several muffled thuds, and brilliant light blossomed across the night sky.The crowd cheered: "Look! The fireworks are starting!"The two of them looked up.Beneath the night sky, a dozen fireworks burst open at once, dyeing half the heavens brilliant shades of red and purple, dazzling and splendid. Their light reflected on the river's surface, shattering into swaying spears of glow.On the far bank, the outlines of grey-walled buildings with black tiles appeared and vanished in the flickering light, their upturned eaves quietly set against the magnificent night.Cries of wonder and murmurs of discussion filled the air.Chu Yunxi's attention was drawn away by the dazzling fireworks. He watched for a while, but his gaze inevitably drifted back to Shi Wuxie's profile.A firework happened to bloom right above his head, its multicolored light illuminating half his cheek and his black hair. His handsome, refined features appeared sharp and clear in the shifting glow, then blurred and hazy again."So beautiful."The knot of frustration in his chest dissolved without him knowing why.Shi Wuxie's gaze followed a cluster of golden sparks drifting slowly down. Amid the commotion, he did not hear those words.In his mind, The Ghostly Shadow was hopping with excitement. [Yu Nu, do you remember how, every New Year's Eve, our family would set off fireworks—all night long?]Shi Wuxie gave a soft "Mm."Just then, a voice rang out from not far away: "Someone's fallen in the water!"The riverside grew even more tumultuous.Chu Yunxi and Shi Wuxie looked in the direction of the shout. Sure enough, several zhang from shore, in the middle of the river, a figure was thrashing violently."Hel—help! Glurg… he… help…" The cries came in broken bursts, mixed with sputtering. "Some… someone's trying… to kill me—!"Shi Wuxie's eyes sharpened, and he looked toward the opposite bank.There, among the shadowy crowds on the shore, a man dressed as an ordinary commoner was quietly raising his arm under cover of the crowd; a faint gleam of cold light flickered in his sleeve.But the moment his hand rose, two dark figures swooped down from the eaves above and slammed him to the ground in the blink of an eye.At almost the same moment, three other onlookers in the crowd across the river were seized by plainclothes officers who seemed to appear from nowhere, forced down onto their knees.In the confusion, one man leaped into the river, swam to the drowning person, grabbed him by the collar, and dragged him back toward the bank with all his strength.Chu Yunxi looked over from the riverbank, and by the bright lantern light on both shores, made out who had hauled the drowning man out. "Oh? Isn't that Pei San?"He blinked, and suddenly it dawned on him. He turned to Shi Wuxie and accused, "You didn't come out to stroll the temple fair with me—you came out to work a case?"Shi Wuxie glanced at him sideways, nodded frankly, and then started walking toward the opposite bank.Chu Yunxi hurried after him. "Your wife is injured, and instead of keeping her company, you're sneaking in overtime? Are you even human? You workhouse scab!"Chu Yunxi was always saying strange things, and Shi Wuxie was long used to it. He paid him no mind, simply striding quickly across the stone arch bridge to the other shore.The officers of the Court of Judicial Review had already dispersed the crowd, clearing a small open space. The four captured assassins were forced down onto their knees.Pei San carried the drowning man up onto the bank and dropped him on the ground.The young man's face was deathly pale. He trembled all over, coughing up water.Shi Wuxie looked at the four assassins and asked, "Who sent you?"Their leader lifted his head and sneered. "We take money to do a job. The job went south—my skills weren't good enough, and I'll own that! But get us to name our employer? Not a chance."The young man on the ground coughed and choked for a good while before catching his breath, then scrambled and crawled over to Shi Wuxie, his voice warped with fear: "My lord! I know! It's… it's because of the Second Young Master of the Marquis Anping's household! Someone wanted to kill me to silence me!"Chu Yunxi was taken aback. "What did you say?"The young man kowtowed to Shi Wuxie over and over. "It must have been you, my lord, who sent people to secretly protect me! Otherwise I would never have survived! I'll tell you everything! I only beg you to spare my life!"Shi Wuxie lowered his eyes to look at him. "Tell me everything you know, from beginning to end."The young man clutched at this last straw of hope and blurted it all out in a rush: "I'm a kitchen helper at Jubao Tower in charge of pastries. About ten days ago, someone came to Jubao Tower and gave me five taels of silver, telling me to add almond powder to all the peach pastries to be sold the next day. I was greedy for a moment, and I agreed.""Then the Second Young Master of the marquis's household had his accident, and somehow word got back to Jubao Tower that the young master had eaten our peach pastries that night… and that's— that's why he died! But I truly didn't know almonds could kill! I've been wronged!"The young man kowtowed even harder, his forehead swollen red and seeping blood."The shopkeeper was afraid of offending the powerful, so he ordered a strict investigation, saying he would find whoever tampered with the pastries and hand them over to the Court of Judicial Review! I panicked, terrified of losing my head, so I fled to Qingping Town, thinking I'd lie low until things blew over."He pointed a trembling finger at the assassins. "Who knew\… I'd barely been hiding a few days when these people found me and tried to kill me to shut me up!"When he finished, Chu Yunxi looked at Shi Wuxie again. "So this is the overtime you had to work?"Helping him investigate the case?Shi Wuxie nodded. After ordering the plainclothes officers to escort all the suspects away, he said to Chu Yunxi, "Last time, your brother was provoked by me. I was certain that with a guilty conscience, he would make a move. So I had people watch Jubao Tower and spread word of the cause of your death."Chu Yunxi rested his chin on his hand. "But this witness doesn't know who gave the orders. How does that prove it was my brother?"Shi Wuxie's gaze followed the assassins being led away. "If it truly couldn't be proven, your brother wouldn't have been in such a hurry to silence him."Chu Yunxi propped his chin on his hand. "Fair point.""So what do you plan to do next?" There was a note of gleeful interest in his voice, the kind that comes from enjoying a spectacle.Shi Wuxie turned to look at him. "That depends on you.""Do you want to blow this up, or let the matter rest quietly?"Chu Yunxi fell silent for a moment.The original owner of this body had been meek and timid his whole life. If it were him, he would surely have chosen to let the matter rest.But he wasn't the original owner.A sly glint flashed in his eyes. "Why, of course… blow it up."Shi Wuxie looked at him quietly, the corners of his flat, straight lips curving up almost imperceptibly. "As you wish."The next day, the two of them took their leave of the Countess and set off back to the marquis's residence.When she learned her son had been injured, Madam Liu was so anxious that her eyes brimmed with tears. While scolding Chu Yunxi for hiding it from the family, she hurriedly requested an imperial physician from the palace to come examine him.The physician examined the wound carefully and spent a good while gently reassuring Madam Liu, saying the injury was already well healed and so on. Only then did she set her mind at ease.Seeing that Chu Yunxi was out of danger, Shi Wuxie hurried off to the government office to attend to official business.Once he left, he was gone for another three days.That day, as soon as Chu Yunxi's stitches were removed, he couldn't wait to jog slowly around the courtyard.He was running, slightly out of breath, when suddenly a servant's respectful voice came from the doorway: "My lord has returned."Chu Yunxi's footsteps stopped abruptly. He turned and headed into the inner room, calling out in a lowered voice as he hurried along, "Ming Chan!"Ming Chan hurried in after him. "What do you need, Young Master?""Bring the medicine in." Chu Yunxi gave the instruction in a low voice while briskly removing his outer robe.Ming Chan withdrew, and before long returned carrying a bowl of medicine.Chu Yunxi strode over to the copper basin and splashed handful after handful of cold water on his face, repeating this several times until his cheeks, flushed from exercise, had been patted into a somewhat pale hue.Hearing footsteps approaching from afar, he quickly dried his face and slipped under the covers.When Shi Wuxie stepped into the inner chamber, he found Chu Yunxi lying weakly on the bed, eyes closed, his face pale.Ming Chan stood by the bed holding the medicine bowl, gently urging, "Young Master, it's time to take your medicine."Chu Yunxi, as if just awakened, slowly lifted his eyelids. He glanced at the thick, dark medicine, then turned away, his voice muffled. "It's too bitter. I don't want to drink it."Ming Chan: ?Wasn't it the Young Master who told him to bring it in?He hesitantly raised his eyes and saw Shi Wuxie standing quietly by the door. Recalling his master's earlier behavior, inspiration suddenly struck. He turned to Shi Wuxie and said, "My lord, perhaps you could persuade him? The Young Master has refused to take his medicine all day."Shi Wuxie walked over slowly and took the medicine bowl from Ming Chan's hands. "I'll do it."Chu Yunxi lay facing inward. Hearing the footsteps behind him, a hint of a smile quietly spread in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth, buried in the covers, unconsciously curved upward.The bedding behind him dipped slightly.Shi Wuxie's voice was cool and clear. "Drink your medicine. Good medicine tastes bitter."Only then did Chu Yunxi slowly turn over to face him. "No. I'm a delicate person—I'm afraid of pain and bitterness alike."Shi Wuxie pondered for a moment, then turned to call Ming Chan. "Bring some candy."The servant quickly brought some malt sugar candies.Chu Yunxi glanced at them and sighed faintly. "But it's so late already. Eating candy at night causes toothaches."Shi Wuxie looked at him quietly, showing not the slightest impatience, and asked sincerely, "Then what do you want?"Chu Yunxi propped himself up to a half-sitting position, leaning against the pillow, putting on a weak appearance. "Then… kiss me. That can count as the candy."Shi Wuxie explained earnestly, "A kiss won't make your mouth sweet."The corner of Chu Yunxi's mouth twitched, his face going blank. "Like you get a say."Shi Wuxie sighed silently, unable to understand why he was coaxing Chu Yunxi into taking his medicine. Wouldn't it be better to let the man dig his own grave?But when his gaze swept over the bandages wrapped around Chu Yunxi's neck, and the reddened skin around the wound faintly visible beneath the loosely open collar of his sleeping robe—his face, too, was deathly pale—He hesitated again.After a moment's thought, he said, "Fine."Chu Yunxi's eyes lit up.Then Shi Wuxie added, "But I have a condition."Chu Yunxi: "What condition?"Shi Wuxie's eyes darted around. "It's simple, really. I promise it won't put you in a difficult position."Chu Yunxi was somewhat suspicious. "Something that won't put me in a difficult position? Then why won't you say it now?"Shi Wuxie felt inexplicably a little guilty, but still forced himself to face Chu Yunxi directly. "Because I haven't thought of it yet. I'll bring it up when I have."Chu Yunxi raised an eyebrow. "You said it yourself—absolutely nothing that puts me in a difficult spot."Shi Wuxie nodded. "I promise."Chu Yunxi said cheerfully, "Fine."He only had two days to live anyway. By the time this little madman remembered, he'd already be back home.Before dying, he had to do everything he wanted to do to his heart's content!Though he hadn't quite figured out why what he'd miss most before death was Shi Wuxie's lips.But that didn't matter!So he picked up the medicine bowl and drained it in one gulp, then lifted his face with a beaming smile."Come on!"He waited with an inexplicable nervous anticipation, and saw Shi Wuxie lean down, raven hair cascading over his shoulders like a waterfall, a few strands resting lightly on Chu Yunxi's loosely open collar, the cool tips brushing faintly across Chu Yunxi's collarbone.A sharp, cold scent of medicinal herbs enveloped him as Shi Wuxie bent down.Chu Yunxi's breath caught.His heart, without warning, beat two paces faster.Shi Wuxie's gaze settled on his lips, lingering for a moment.This man's lips were exceptionally beautiful.Thin without being sharp, the lip line slender and flowing, curving up naturally at the corners into an almost-smile.He lowered his head and pressed a quick kiss to those lips.A touch, then apart.Just as he was about to pull away, his waist suddenly tightened. Chu Yunxi's hand pressed firmly against the small of his back, while his other hand gripped the back of his neck, leaving him unable to move.Before Shi Wuxie could react, the world spun, and he found himself flipped over and pinned down, sinking into the soft bedding.Then came a gentle sensation on his lips as he was taken into the other's mouth, sucked once, neither lightly nor heavily.And again.Shi Wuxie froze in confusion.…Weren't we agreed on just one?His pupils contracted as he stared into Chu Yunxi's eyes, mere inches away.The other's lashes were lowered, hiding most of the color in his eyes, only a thread of amber light spilling from those crescent-moon depths, reflecting the flickering lamplight.With his lips held captive, he could only mumble, "Isn't it… done yet?"But the moment he opened his mouth, a soft tongue swept across his lips, brushing against his teeth.A little bitter.The other's warm breath, carrying a pleasant fragrance mingled with the bitter tang of medicine, slipped into his mouth and nostrils together.His breath caught. "Yunxi… are you done yet?"The other lingered over his lips again and again, sometimes sucking, sometimes lightly pressing. Only when the repeated friction left his lips tingling and numb did he hear Chu Yunxi let out a soft intake of breath.Chu Yunxi lifted his eyelids, revealing eyes that were shimmering and hazy, and finally released him.He watched Chu Yunxi curl one corner of his mouth and extend a finger to wipe away the moisture."Mmm…" Chu Yunxi let out a satisfied sigh, narrowing his eyes. "So sweet."Though he couldn't understand how Chu Yunxi could taste sweetness from a mere kiss while he'd only tasted bitterness, Shi Wuxie couldn't be bothered to investigate.He didn't complain about Chu Yunxi's taking liberties. He simply straightened up, walked behind the screen to wash up and change clothes.He raised his eyes to the mirror.The person in the mirror, whose lips were always pale, now had them slightly swollen, stained a bewitching red. The color was startlingly vivid, like a red plum blossom suddenly blooming in the depths of winter.Shi Wuxie washed his face, changed into a sleeping robe, walked back to the bed, and lay down beside Chu Yunxi.He lay there primly and properly, just trying to fall asleep, when he sensed the person beside him turn over.He lifted his eyelids and glanced sideways to find Chu Yunxi looking at him."Aren't you sleeping?"Chu Yunxi stared at his lips for a moment, then said in a good mood, "No need for much sleep in life; after death, one sleeps eternally anyway."Shi Wuxie, for once, caught the joke, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.He turned around to face Chu Yunxi as well. "Since you're not sleeping, why not tell you my conditions?"Chu Yunxi was taken aback. "Didn't you say you hadn't thought of them yet?"Shi Wuxie's gaze flickered for an instant. "I've thought of them now."A faint sense of foreboding suddenly rose in Chu Yunxi.Then he heard Shi Wuxie say, "I've been observing you lately, and I've noticed you often lose focus, and your body keeps alternating between hot and cold.""Several physicians couldn't find anything wrong. I suspect it's a side effect of your rebirth—something ordinary methods can't detect."At this point, Shi Wuxie's calm eyes suddenly brightened, glimmering with curiosity and the thrill of inquiry."These past few days I've devised a method to observe the circulation within a person's body while they're unconscious. I guarantee it's safe and painless, but it requires cutting open your—""Silence." Chu Yunxi cut him off, his face blank. "That's your condition?"Shi Wuxie nodded."I refuse."Shi Wuxie frowned. "But you already agreed."Chu Yunxi: "You clearly said you would never make things difficult for me."Shi Wuxie showed not a trace of guilt on his face; if anything, he seemed to think it only natural. "All you have to do is lie down and take a nap. I'd say that's the least difficult thing in the entire world."Chu Yunxi sat bolt upright. "Can't you at least wait until I'm fully dead?"Shi Wuxie's eyes were clearly disappointed. "But it'll be a long time before you're fully dead."Chu Yunxi's eyes went wide with disbelief. "You can't even wait two days?!"Shi Wuxie tilted his head, bewildered. "What do you mean?"Chu Yunxi didn't want to hear another word from him. He huffily burrowed back under the covers, burying his head inside, his voice muffled: "In any case, I refuse!"The disappointment in Shi Wuxie's eyes was almost tangible as he glared unhappily at the back of Chu Yunxi's head. "A gentleman's word is his bond—"Chu Yunxi didn't even turn around. "I'm not a gentleman. I'm your wife!"Shi Wuxie fell silent.In his mind, The Ghostly Shadow angrily egged him on. [Yu Nu, this brat is going back on his word!]【Since he's being dishonorable, don't blame you for being unrighteous. Just secretly drug him! Yes, put it in his medicine bowl—no one will ever know.】Shi Wuxie stared at Chu Yunxi's back, his gaze turning slightly cold."Since you've agreed, it's no longer up to you."
Chapter 20
My Cold-Faced Wife Wants to Kill Me Again
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