Pei Ji quietly waited for his response, though inwardly he felt exceptionally anxious.
Judging by the ending from his past life, even when things like this happened, the little mute had treated him just as before, deep in affection and never changing.
Yet now that he had been reborn, so many minute details had unexpectedly shifted along with it, leaving him daring not to blindly trust that the other man’s affection remained the same. After all, what he had done was truly excessive.
He Zhile, however, gently shook his head. He originally wanted to use hand gestures at him, but then remembered that the other disliked watching him sign. He silently lowered his head, unable to say more and not daring to say more either.
“What is it? Say whatever you want to say. Do you feel uncomfortable with me being here? Shall I call Chun Jian in to relay your words? Or I can read lips as well. Lift your head and look at me, move your mouth, and I will know what you want to say.” Pei Ji gripped his wrist, wanting him to continue speaking, even if it meant continuing to sign.
But the little mute dared not.
He could not trust a man who glared at him and treated him with cold indifference every single day, and who this time had left him behind alone in the palace to suffer and be worn down.
The more he thought along these lines, the more aggrieved he felt, and tears slipped out uncontrollably, landing directly upon the web of Pei Ji’s thumb.
It felt like being cut by a blade.
“Yuan Rong!” Pei Ji roared, seizing the token from his waist and tossing it to the hurried servant who had just entered. “Take my token and go into the palace to fetch an imperial physician. Go quickly!”
Damn it all, what on earth was wrong with his wife?
Yuan Rong dared not disobey, caught the token, and turned on his heel to leave.
“Don’t be afraid. I am having him go into the palace right now to bring an imperial physician to treat you. That estate doctor is old and dim-sighted anyway, he should have been chased off long ago! Is your body hurting terribly?” Pei Ji looked at him with a heart full of ache, asking as he picked up a round fan from the side to fan him. “Judging from Chun Jian’s meaning, you wanted ice. I will have people send ice over shortly. We have plenty of it at home, use all you want.”
It was just some worthless trinket. If it could coax a smile from him, he would even go chisel the ice himself.
He Zhile still shook his head, still refused to use his hands, and would not raise his head to move his lips either, simply letting his tears dry in the air, remaining as silent as if he did not even exist in this room.
This sort of behavior was terribly annoying, and he knew it himself.
Yet when they had first married, he had done all these things, and every single time he had been scolded and reprimanded by Pei Ji. Having once been bitten, he was a man who grew wise by one bitter experience. Having suffered losses before, how could he dare not learn his lesson?
If it were this exact moment in his past life, seeing him act so difficult to serve, Pei Ji would have long since left with sarcastic sneers, refusing to spare him even a single glance. How could there possibly be such patience now?
Yet the man right now had more patience than anyone could ask for.
The little mute had already been conditioned by the He family into a timid and jittery disposition; any slightest disturbance would throw him into a panic. If he were to show impatience with him now, he truly would not be worthy of being human.
“Chun Jian, come in.”
Chun Jian walked before him with lowered eyes and a submissive demeanor, addressing him respectfully yet indifferently, “Fourth Master.”
Pei Ji lifted his eyelids to glance at him, ignoring his attitude, and said calmly, “I have something to say to the Zhengjun. You stay right here and relay the words.”
Having said that, he lowered his head once more to look at He Zhile, making his voice as gentle as possible as he smiled: “Today’s matter was my fault. Are you truly unwilling to forgive me? Then trust me one more time, alright? The boat is already built, let us get along well from now on. How about that?”
He Zhile knew that since he had called Chun Jian all the way in, he was dead set on hearing a response, so he would give one.
The Pei family held immense power, and Pei Ji was his husband besides. No matter how many conflicting thoughts twisted through his mind, he still did not dare truly disobey his words.
Besides, if he said he held no expectations at all, he would not even be able to fool himself.
He raised his hand and made a few gestures. Before Pei Ji could even ask, Chun Jian simultaneously relayed, “The Zhengjun says yes.”
“What a jumble of movements. Lifting a hand and scratching twice means yes?” Pei Ji found it somewhat hard to believe, yet still clumsily imitated his appearance and made the gestures. “Pretty simple. Since you can write anyway, teach me every day so it will be easier for us to get along.”
He Zhile quickly glanced at him and immediately lowered his head again, nodding gently under Pei Ji’s burning gaze.
A look of joy bloomed across Pei Ji’s face, and he wished he could pick him up and spin him around, only managing to suppress his utterly undignified excitement with a light cough.
He continued chattering away, “I noticed how desolate it is here, and the Qing Courtyard is just an annex anyway. Tomorrow I will have the servants move all your things back so we can live together. It will be easier for me to take care of you. Furthermore, not many people serve here, which is not convenient for your recovery.”
“No need,” Chun Jian suddenly spoke up.
Pei Ji let out a light, impatient click of his tongue, his gaze toward him carrying a trace of coldness. Do not think that just because he was the little mute’s personal servant, he would not dare lay a hand on him.
Chun Jian wore an expression of complete innocence: “It was the Zhengjun who said no need.”
Pei Ji hurriedly lowered his head again to look at the little mute, only to see his hand truly making a resistant, waving motion. He felt somewhat displeased.
His own Zhengjun naturally had to live in his main courtyard. Annexes and such things should not even exist.
He would just flatten this lousy annex later.
“The annex is not good; it is not nearly as spacious as my main courtyard. Besides, which couple newlywed does not have the legal head wife eating and sleeping together with the master?” Pei Ji coaxed with patient persistence.
He Zhile shook his head slightly, slowly making a few gestures, and even cast a timid, lingering look at Pei Ji after he finished.
This man truly had never once placed him in his eyes. Just days ago, those exact words he had spoken had somehow been completely forgotten by him.
At that time, he had clearly told him with absolute righteousness to never even dream of gaining his heart, had said he would never treat him as his true Zhengjun, and had even declared he could not bear to look upon this disgusting face of his and told him to hide away. Which was why he had hurriedly moved into this annex on the very second day of their marriage.
And because of that, no other servants dared to follow him over.
After all, this was the Pei residence, not somewhere He Zhile had any say.
And now, the man himself was finding this place undesirable.
Chun Jian said indifferently, “Our young master says it is very quiet here. Hiding away here to live out his days in peace is fine. He will not go around causing unhappiness for others.”
These words certainly were not the little mute’s original intent.
Yet since Chun Jian was a fiercely loyal sort, this attitude was undoubtedly meant to vent grievances on the little mute’s behalf. If he really dragged Chun Jian down to be beaten with planks, the little mute would probably never be good with him for the rest of his life.
Yet it was precisely because of these words that Pei Ji was also reminded of his own past actions.
Damn it.
He cursed himself silently in his heart.
“Ah,” He Zhile shook his head at Chun Jian, his gentle gaze carrying a hint of disapproval. How could one speak like that?
Chun Jian lowered his body in a bow, his tone turning somewhat sincere and respectful: “Reporting to the Fourth Master, thanks to the Madam’s care, he said there is no need for anyone to go to the front hall for meals these days, so this servant is heading to the small kitchen now.”
“Are you chasing me away?” Pei Ji’s sharp brows pressed downward. Even without saying anything else, it made people sense a dense, murderous chill.
Chun Jian immediately knelt and kowtowed: “This servant would not dare.”
Seeing this scene, He Zhile could not help but grow nervous. Chun Jian was the only person who was good to him; he did not want to lose even him.
At this thought, he also gently pulled away from Pei Ji’s hand, dragging his injured and aching body as he prepared to get out of bed. If he also knelt and begged for mercy, Pei Ji probably would not beat Chun Jian to death.
“What are you doing?” Pei Ji was startled by him, quickly tightening his grip on his wrist while wrapping his other arm around his injured back to support his lower waist. “You are injured, what are you moving around for?”
“Ah!” He Zhile looked at him anxiously, his bright eyes full of entreaty and submissiveness. Realizing their eyes had met, he once again lowered his head timidly.
He would be hit.
That single glance melted Pei Ji’s heart completely. If there had been an ice container nearby, it probably would have melted right along with it.
“I am not angry, I am not angry, do not panic.” Pei Ji hurriedly broke into a smile, turning his gaze toward Chun Jian. “Tell the kitchen that I will be dining here as well. They will come handle things. You may withdraw.”
Naturally, he could not disobey Pei Ji’s orders, nor did he dare continue sticking his neck out with a haughty attitude, lest he end up implicating his young master in painful pleading.
Once Chun Jian left, only the two of them remained in the room.
He Zhile felt rather uncomfortable. To begin with, he had never spent time alone like this with a man, let alone the fact that Pei Ji was his husband, and right now, the man was pressed closely against him, his hand not even letting go.
“Ah.” He Zhile let out a soft sound.
“What is it? Are you uncomfortable sitting like this? I will help you lie down on your stomach. The bed here is far too wretched anyway. Tomorrow I will have some good ones sent over for you. If you will not come to the main courtyard, me coming over here to your place is just the same.” Pei Ji carefully supported him down to lie on his stomach, continuing his endless chatter.
He Zhile did not know what scheme the man was plotting this time. With his limbs currently uncoordinated, he truly could not withstand Pei Ji bullying him.
He carefully settled onto his stomach, terrified that Pei Ji might act maliciously and press down on his wound.
Noticing his cautiousness, Pei Ji simply assumed the wound was hurting and could not help muttering about Yuan Rong: “The Pei residence is so close to the imperial palace that even walking should have gotten him there by now. To drag it out this long! I will settle accounts with him when he gets back!”
“Ah.” He Zhile gently shook his head. The estate doctor had already examined his injuries, so why bother going all the way into the palace to fetch an imperial physician, not to mention causing Yuan Rong to be beaten and scolded.
“You do not want me to discipline Yuan Rong?” Seeing him nod, Pei Ji could not help letting out a light click of his tongue. “You are awfully protective of him. Just now, when your little servant was trying to chase me out, why did I not see you being protective of me?”
He Zhile carefully tugged at the hem of Pei Ji’s robe, a look of slight embarrassment on his face as he shook his head at him.
I am not being protective of Yuan Rong.
How could he think of him that way? Saying he was fond of a male servant was this not deliberately humiliating him?
Unable to bear looking at this timid demeanor of his any longer, Pei Ji quickly grasped his hand, enclosing it within his palm to rub and knead it. “Alright, alright, I misspoke. Being protective of me is always allowed, right?”
He Zhile nodded gently; his heart did ache for him.
“Why are you so obedient.”
“Sir, the imperial physician has been brought here.”
Before Pei Ji could finish praising him, Yuan Rong arrived with the physician in tow.
The imperial physician had already examined him upon leaving the palace, and the estate doctor had looked him over upon returning to the manor as well. Both had agreed that it was merely a surface flesh wound without damage to the tendons or bones, and that it would heal fine with careful recuperation.
The imperial physician stated, “The weather is gradually growing warmer now, so you must pay attention to the wound on your back. Try your best to keep it away from moisture, and do not use ice for the time being.”
Pei Ji quietly listened to him finish, then signaled Yuan Rong with his eyes, prompting the latter to immediately escort the physician out.
Hmph, those old fogies coming straight out of the palace.
“You heard him too. No ice for the time being. I will fan you myself tonight, alright? Shortly I will have them bring my things over so we can live together here conveniently. How does that sound?”
He Zhile hesitatingly gave a slight shake of his head. In his current state, it was entirely inconvenient to wait upon his husband, so how could he ever let his husband wait on him?
Pei Ji directly ignored his head shake and chuckled, “I knew you would think it was a good idea too.”