Fu Liao felt a strange flutter in his heart.
As Xi Lingjian stepped closer and closer, this sensation grew increasingly intense, shoving aside all other instinctual warnings and leaving Fu Liao’s eyes fixed solely on the tall man closing the distance before him.
Not until a gust of wind carrying the heavy, rich scent of agarwood swept over did Fu Liao snap out of his daze, straightening his posture and pressing his back against the doorframe.
Xi Lingjian’s unstoppable momentum suddenly halted as he closely scrutinized the person before him, whose body was taut like a bowstring.
Stepping into the space Fu Liao occupied, he pushed a few paces further.
Fu Liao’s field of vision was instantly swallowed by shadow.
With a slight constriction of his pupils, he had no choice but to retreat a few steps to yield the space.
Repeating his previous tactic, Xi Lingjian pressed forward until Fu Liao was backed into the room.
Ji Liandu was huddled in a dead corner of the room, using the shadows and his slender frame to conceal himself.
Though his heart hammered wildly against his ribs, Fu Liao noticed that the chilly draft had been blocked out by Xi Lingjian.
The moment he stepped inside, the surrounding air grew noticeably warmer.
Fu Liao tightened his fur-lined outer robe, momentarily stunned.
“What is this? Has the Heir Apparent lost his voice just from getting caught in the rain?” A trace of faint amusement laced Xi Lingjian’s words.
Fu Liao simply continued staring blankly at him, causing the slight curve on Xi Lingjian’s lips to flatten unnaturally.
Seemingly realizing his own lack of decorum, Fu Liao covered it up with a few coughs.
“What brings Your Highness here?” he asked.
Ji Liandu had just arrived moments before, and Xi Lingjian had followed right on his heels.
Xi Lingjian had only just returned a short while ago, and his own conversation with Fu Yusu hadn’t taken much time either, wasn’t he arriving a bit too fast?
Or rather, was it too much of a coincidence?
It felt almost as if he were deliberately setting a trap to catch Ji Liandu in the act.
Yet if it were intentional, why bother going through the trouble of exchanging words with him for a while beforehand?
And bringing that grey wolf along besides.
Xi Lingjian wasn’t glancing around, and his expression lacked the glacial severity of their first encounter.
He didn’t seem to know that Ji Liandu had slipped away.
Furthermore, this time he had entered through the main gate, practically broadcasting to everyone that the Prince of Jing had arrived at the Marquis of Mingliu’s estate.
Fu Liao felt entirely uncertain.
This was Ji Liandu’s second escape, and he had fled straight to the home of his romantic rival, no matter how it was phrased, it looked impossible to explain away.
If Xi Lingjian truly was unaware, perhaps dropping hints to provoke his jealousy would allow Ji Liandu to pick up on something amiss.
Yet Ji Liandu’s sole focus right now was climbing the social ladder, if anything went wrong and he was discovered, the moment Xi Lingjian restricted his movements, even those fleeting expressions of genuine affection would be completely ignored by Ji Liandu.
He quickly reached a conclusion in his mind.
He could not let Xi Lingjian know that Ji Liandu was currently inside his room.
Fu Liao felt as though a heavy blow had struck his head, throbbing persistently.
Yet recalling their earlier conversation in the shadows, and seeing the person he had thought lost now standing right before him, a trace of unexpected joy bubbled up within him.
The misunderstanding from just moments ago finally had a chance to be cleared up.
Seeing Fu Liao’s complexion shift through several expressions, Xi Lingjian stopped whatever he had been about to say.
“I merely caught a glimpse of the Heir Apparent’s heroic stance along Pingguan Road and grew concerned for your health, so I came to check on you,” Xi Lingjian said calmly. “The Heir Apparent wouldn’t turn me away, would he?”
Leaning down, Xi Lingjian closed the distance with the predatory focus of an investigator examining his prey.
Startled, Fu Liao watched as Xi Lingjian raised a hand and tucked a stray lock of hair from his forehead behind his ear.
The gesture conveniently swept past just as a commotion broke out in the shadows, so exaggeratedly loud it felt almost intended to be noticed.
Only after the corner fell completely still did Xi Lingjian straighten up, using his other hand to tilt Fu Liao’s chin upward.
If this person could see what was happening behind him, he would surely grow suspicious, Xi Lingjian thought, increasing the pressure of his grip just enough to ensure Fu Liao had zero mental bandwidth left to spare for that corner.
Instead, his eyes caught sight of a harsh red mark tracing down the smooth expanse of Fu Liao’s neck straight to his collarbone.
The strange movement left Fu Liao struggling for breath, making it difficult to draw in the air hovering right before his face. His chest heaved violently, pulling at that bruised, darkened patch of skin.
One could tell at a glance that it had never been treated.
Xi Lingjian’s brow furrowed abruptly, and his hand dropped away, granting Fu Liao an opening to gather his wits.
He couldn’t help turning his head aside, raising a slender palm to shield his face.
Didn’t we just go through this a moment ago?
To Xi Lingjian, Fu Liao’s hesitant expression looked like sudden stage fright, and the faint reddish tint welling up around his eyes stung his own vision.
Why must Xi Lingjian say things like that?
It was as if he were performing a play for an audience.
Did he actually know Ji Liandu was right here or not?
For a fleeting second, Fu Liao felt thoroughly bewildered.
He realized he understood nothing about the dynamic between these two men, just as he realized he didn’t truly understand Xi Lingjian at all.
How could he even talk about improving their relationship?
Perhaps he was being far too simplistic. Romance was a matter strictly between two people, he should take this opportunity to talk directly with Ji Liandu instead.
Noticing the redness in Fu Liao’s eyes deepening, making him look like a child who had been bullied outside but dared not report it to his family upon returning,
His breathing seemed to grow increasingly labored, as though he might pass out at any second.
An uncharacteristically grave expression settled over Xi Lingjian’s face.
Just as he started to lean forward, Fu Pengfu’s furious roar interrupted him.
“Prince of Jing! What is the meaning of barging into my estate uninvited!”
Regaining his composure for a moment, Fu Liao let out a long exhale as he looked between the rushing Fu Pengfu and the icy glare Xi Lingjian shot back.
I’m just too exhausted and soaked from the rain, which is making my thoughts a bit chaotic, he comforted himself. Once I get some rest, everything will be fine.
“The Heir Apparent is a hero among youths, entirely to my liking, so I came to check on his health to ensure no protocols were broken,” Xi Lingjian said with an arch of his brow.
His voice lacked Fu Pengfu’s volume, yet it carried an oddly reassuring weight, its deep timber seemingly pinning down every lurking ghost and demon.
While relieved, Fu Liao couldn’t help feeling puzzled.
Fu Pengfu was also a member of the New Party, yet he showed zero warmth toward Xi Lingjian.
Even considering the duel, Fu Pengfu held a higher official rank than Xi Lingjian on paper, but he shouldn’t be acting this aggressively. Nor did Xi Lingjian seem to care about debating matters of etiquette with him.
Fu Pengfu currently held no official post, Fu Liao knew his father had briefly held a leisurely military title in the past, but finding it too troublesome, had voluntarily resigned. Nowadays, he lived comfortably off his peerage and Fu Yusu’s stipend, with no financial worries for the rest of his life.
There shouldn’t be any deep-seated grudge between him and Xi Lingjian.
Could it be that he had misunderstood the Marquis of Mingliu estate’s political stance all along?
That shouldn’t be the case either, otherwise Xu Jingyi wouldn’t have bothered approaching him.
As Fu Liao pondered this, he glanced up and caught Xi Lingjian staring right at him.
Seemingly provoked for no apparent reason, Fu Pengfu suddenly flew into a rage, tore the jade pendant off his belt, and hurled it straight at Xi Lingjian.
“You still have the nerve to ask how his health is!”
“Father!”
Fu Liao instinctively reached out to grab Fu Pengfu, only to be shoved aside by a sweep of his arm, sending him stumbling backward.
Already feeling unwell, he lost his footing completely, leaving him zero chance to steady himself.
Jarred back to attention by Fu Liao’s cry, Xi Lingjian lunged forward with one arm to catch him while using his other hand to bat away the flying jade pendant.
Fu Liao felt as though he had been snapped in half at the waist, coughing violently as he caught sight of a sharp gash sliced across Xi Lingjian’s neck by a shard of the shattered pendant.
“Your Highness!” Fu Liao gasped in shock.
A faint chuckle escaped Xi Lingjian’s lips as he looked toward Fu Pengfu. Though his expression remained blank, anyone familiar with him knew this was the prelude to true fury.
“Marquis of Mingliu,” he said levelly. “I came with the kind intent of checking on the Heir Apparent, yet you commit an offense against a superior. What is the meaning of this?”
Surveying the chaotic mess around him, Fu Pengfu’s wits rushed back, and his body began to tremble as he stepped backward.
“This, this is…”
“My lord!”
A servant scurried in in a panic, froze at the sight before him, and blurted out, “Someone is at the gates asking to see you, claiming to be Official Xu Jingyi from the Ministry of Rites. Should the Marquis first go…”
Shrinking his neck, the servant braced himself for the Marquis’s expected explosion.
“A civil official!” he bellowed. “What are civil officials coming here for? As if my estate isn’t chaotic enough already!”
Seeing Fu Pengfu about to refuse, and sensing the plummeting temperature of Xi Lingjian’s aura, Fu Liao quickly interjected, “Father! Official Xu is likely here to see me.”
Fu Pengfu cast a glance at him. “See you?”
“Official Xu was the one who sent me back to the estate,” Fu Liao weighed his words carefully. “He cares a great deal about me, he was even cheering me on this morning.”
Fu Pengfu’s reaction was genuinely rather strange.
Since his father seemed to hold neither faction in high regard, it might be worth figuring out which side he loathed more.
Grudgingly listening to his son’s soft-spoken reasoning, Fu Pengfu’s impatience waned just enough for the message to land.
Glancing over at Xi Lingjian, a sudden realization seemed to dawn on him.
“In that case, invite Official Xu inside,” he said hastily. “No, wait, I’ll go greet him myself. I’ll go greet him personally.”
With a disgruntled huff through his nose, Fu Pengfu moved with uncharacteristic speed, vanishing from the room a moment later.
Stealing a cautious glance at Xi Lingjian, Fu Liao unconsciously shifted his hand so it rested against the back of the man’s hand.
“Are you trying to soothe me?” Xi Lingjian’s voice drifted down from above.
Startled by the remark, Fu Liao immediately pulled his hand away, only to notice Xi Lingjian’s brow subtly lower.
“Your Highness… my father acted on a sudden impulse.” Fu Liao had no idea how to explain Fu Pengfu’s erratic behavior.
Xi Lingjian’s gaze grew increasingly frosty.
Turning away abruptly, he straightened his robes and stepped toward the door, ignoring the thin trail of blood still welling from the wound on his neck.
Realizing Xi Lingjian’s anger was only mounting, Fu Liao gritted his teeth.
He hurried out after him, grabbing the edge of his sleeve, only to be met by the harsh wind outside eager to bully him.
Overwhelmed by the draft that pried at every opening, chilling him straight to the bone,
Fu Liao curled inward to rub his eyes. When he opened them again, Xi Lingjian had turned back into the room.
“Sit back down.”
Without looking at him, Xi Lingjian seemed unwilling to gaze upon Fu Liao’s frail, weather-beaten state.
Right, Fu Liao thought. Martial men probably detest seeing people look so delicate, especially men.
Yet knowing Xi Lingjian’s temperament, the man should have stayed to mock him instead.
Just as a hypothesis formed in his mind, it was instantly dismissed.
“What else do you have to say?”
“Um…” Blushing slightly, Fu Liao softened his tone. “I’m sorry.”
Xi Lingjian’s fingertips paused as he turned to look at him.
“What are you apologizing for?”
His tone seemed to soften by a fraction.
A weight lifted from Fu Liao’s chest.
It really was because of that matter, Xi Lingjian has just been getting angrier about it.
“I spoke too hastily earlier, but that wasn’t what I meant.”
As Fu Liao racked his brain for how to clarify, he missed the trace of perplexity that had crept into Xi Lingjian’s eyes.
A moment later, Fu Liao spoke again.
“I never treated you merely as a tool to show concern for Ji Liandu.”
He spoke earnestly, fixing a sincere gaze on Xi Lingjian.
“It is true that I hope he finds happiness.” He slowed his pace, closely observing Xi Lingjian’s reaction.
Lowering his gaze, Xi Lingjian wore a complex expression, as if only just recalling which conversation Fu Liao was referring to.
With a soft sigh, he turned his head aside, intending to cut Fu Liao off.
Only to see Fu Liao gently lower his head, close his eyes, and voice a devout wish as if making a prayer.
“And I hope you, too, find what your heart desires.”