Lu Xiao had clearly overestimated Qian Jinye’s composure.
Qian Jinye had only spoken carelessly, saying things he never truly meant. He never imagined that Lu Xiao and his people would actually dare to harbor such treasonous thoughts.
He stared blankly at Lu Xiao, at a complete loss for words, while Lu Xiao quickly noticed his strange expression. So that was it, this young master had only been joking, teasing him without any real intention behind his words.
No matter how childish Qian Jinye could sometimes seem, he had helped his father manage the Qian household for many years.
He was not ignorant of the truth that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Yet Lu Xiao was a man of the Mingzhu Institute, one of the Emperor’s most trusted aides.
How could someone in his position even think of betraying the throne? Wasn’t that outright rebellion?
By all logic, Qian Jinye should have been glad. After all, the Emperor had been suppressing the Qian family for years, and now, someone was finally standing up against him.
But instead of feeling relief, he felt nothing but dread. What if they failed? What would happen to Lu Xiao then?
He could not bear to imagine it. After all, meeting someone like Lu Xiao felt like a rare stroke of fate, a blessing earned from lifetimes of virtue. If he lost him now, he doubted he would ever meet anyone like him again.
Seeing the tension written across Qian Jinye’s face, Lu Xiao felt a pang of regret. Perhaps he should have tested the waters before speaking so directly. Yet if two people shared the same bed while harboring suspicion in their hearts, that would be far worse.
“Brother,” Lu Xiao murmured, his fingers absently twining through Qian Jinye’s soft hair. “Our enemies are the same. Help me, and do not worry about the rest, all right?”
The gentle brush of fingers against his hair made Qian Jinye feel ticklish, almost dizzy. His thoughts began to blur, his resistance fading under Lu Xiao’s quiet persuasion.
“Lu Xiao, I, of course I’ll stand by you. The Qian family is my responsibility, and that dog of an emperor, I’ll curse him a thousand times if I must. But can you promise me one thing? Promise me you’ll protect yourself. Please. I’m really scared.”
Qian Jinye spoke like a small, defenseless creature bearing its soft belly, his trembling words clawing softly at Lu Xiao’s heart. Lu Xiao fell silent.
Could he promise his own safety?
He could not.
The enemy still hid in the shadows, and though he could uncover what lay in plain sight, there was so much he did not know. He could not even tell Qian Jinye the truth, that the Qian household was already in grave danger. There was no way he could guarantee anything, not yet.
Lu Xiao’s mind flickered back to that strange, ominous letter he had received. The uncertainty in his chest grew heavier. Had he, in another time or place, already made a promise to Qian Jinye? He did not know. But if he had, then this time he was already breaking it.
At the very least, he had to get Qian Jinye out safely. He had to make sure everyone in the Mingzhu Institute escaped alive.
Seeing Lu Xiao’s long silence, Qian Jinye also fell quiet. Both of them knew they stood on unsteady ground, unable to find comfort in words.
“Go to sleep, Lu Xiao,” Qian Jinye whispered softly beside his ear. Nothing in the world could ease one’s burden faster than dreams.
Something about his voice carried a strange, gentle magic. Lu Xiao’s eyelids grew heavy, his mind drifting. Still holding Qian Jinye close in his arms, he lay down beside him and slowly fell into slumber.
They were woken not long after by the piercing cry of a baby. The sound was sharp, desperate, echoing through the night, soon followed by a chorus of terrified screams.
Lu Xiao tightened his arms around Qian Jinye, holding him still, waiting.
Then, as suddenly as it began, the noise died away. Silence swallowed the room, deep and unnatural, as though nothing had ever happened. But Lu Xiao knew better. He knew it had begun.
He had not expected it to start so soon. It seemed even a single night’s peace was a luxury they could not afford.
Slowly, he loosened his hold on Qian Jinye. The latter jolted, eyes wide in fear, still unsure what was happening, watching Lu Xiao for a cue.
There would be no more rest that night. Lu Xiao pulled on his outer robe and shoes, crept to the door, and listened closely. No sound came from beyond it.
After a long moment of thought, he turned back to Qian Jinye, drew in a deep breath, and pushed at the door.
It did not move.
A chill ran down Lu Xiao’s spine. Something was terribly wrong. Whoever had orchestrated this had already found them. Realizing their plans might be ruined, the enemy had decided to trap them inside and let them die here.
“Jinye, come help me push the door,” Lu Xiao said, his face grave. His tone was no longer gentle, there was no time for that now.
Qian Jinye didn’t argue. Though still confused, he instinctively obeyed.
“One, two, three.”
Both men threw their weight against the door. It didn’t even tremble. It was as if it had been reforged into solid steel.
Now even Qian Jinye’s expression darkened. This was one of the guest rooms he had personally overseen during renovation, he knew exactly what materials had been used.
The door was crafted from fine-quality wood, expensive but certainly not indestructible. There was no reason it could withstand the full strength of two grown men without so much as a splinter.
Clearly, brute force would get them nowhere.
They sat back down, trying to think of another way out.
From the moment Qian Jinye woke up, he had felt something strange about that door. It had looked off somehow, subtly wrong. Now he finally understood why. The lock was reversed.
They had locked the door themselves, earlier that night, to keep intruders out.
Now the lock had turned against them. The world outside was sealed away, and they had drawn a prison around themselves.
When the guest rooms were first designed, the doors had been installed facing the corridor, with the lock meant for the outside. But now, someone had swapped them, turning the lock inward to trap those within.
Qian Jinye remembered instructing the carpenter at the time, he had insisted that the outer carvings be ornate, displaying the wealth and refinement of the Qian family, while the inner side should remain simple and understated, so guests would not feel overwhelmed by luxury.
Now, staring at the door, he realized that very choice had become their undoing.
After all, it was only a guest room, not his own chamber, so Qian Jinye had never paid much attention to how it was built. It was nothing like the opulent splendor of his personal quarters, and for that reason, he didn’t immediately notice what was wrong.
When he finally realized it, he hurried to tell Lu Xiao. Without even noticing it himself, Qian Jinye had begun to rely on Lu Xiao completely. More than trusting his own judgment, his first instinct now was to ask Lu Xiao what to do.
Outside the door. The thought struck Lu Xiao at once.
If the lock was on the outside, then there must be a key somewhere. And if there was a key, there had to be a spare. Of course, he didn’t have a copy of the Qian residence’s spare keys, but with the young master himself standing right there, what did he have to fear?
Feeling a small glimmer of hope, Lu Xiao’s spirits lifted slightly. “Brother, you have the spare key, don’t you? Once we open the door, we can get out of here.”
Qian Jinye’s eyes brightened as he realized the same thing. Without wasting a moment, he reached toward the spot where he usually hid the spare key.
The room was silent except for the faint crackle of the candle flame. Then Qian Jinye slowly raised his head, his lips moving, saying something that made Lu Xiao’s face turn completely pale.
Usually, before going to bed, Qian Jinye would hand his clothes to the servants for washing. But earlier that evening, a hurried young attendant had accidentally splashed wine on his robe, forcing him to change into another.
The spare key, of course, was tucked into the pocket of his original robe. The same robe that servant had taken away.
Lu Xiao froze, his mind reeling. So it had begun long before night fell. From the very start, everything had been carefully laid out. What a perfect trap, luring them right into the snare.
Just when they’d caught a flicker of hope, it vanished in an instant.
Lu Xiao pressed a hand to his forehead, exhaustion and frustration mingling within him. At last, he sank down to the floor, closing his eyes for a moment.
Qian Jinye’s heart twisted with guilt. If only he had been more cautious, if only he had paid attention, Lu Xiao would not be sitting there looking so defeated.
The candlelight flickered weakly, its glow growing dim and unsteady. Qian Jinye picked up the small pair of scissors beside the candlestick and carefully trimmed the blackened wick. The flame leapt up, bright and steady once more, casting warm light across the room.
Lu Xiao’s eyes wandered absently across the floor, unfocused. But when the light grew stronger, something beneath the bed caught his attention. A faint glimmer of metal reflected the candlelight.
Without a word, he reached under the bed and pulled something out.
Qian Jinye’s eyes widened the moment he saw it. It was the spare key. How could it be here, under the bed?
It made no sense at all, but they had no time to ponder the mystery.
“Why are you standing there? Hurry, open the door, Lu Xiao!” Qian Jinye urged anxiously, afraid even a moment’s delay might bring disaster.
But Lu Xiao didn’t move. He stood frozen, his expression unreadable.
Strange, too strange. Why would it leave them a key? Unless… unless whatever had locked them in no longer cared if they escaped. Unless its purpose was already fulfilled.
Qian Jinye couldn’t stand waiting any longer. Seeing Lu Xiao hesitate, he snatched the key out of his hand and turned it in the lock.
The door creaked open. Qian Jinye leaned forward cautiously to peek outside, and immediately stumbled back, his face draining of color.
“Lu… Lu Xiao. Outside. The trees…”
“Trees?” Lu Xiao’s brows furrowed. “What about them?”
He stepped forward and shielded Qian Jinye behind him before pushing the door wider. At first glance, the courtyard looked as it always did, the trees still stood tall beneath the night sky. But as his eyes adjusted, his stomach turned cold.
The leaves had changed. What should have been soft green foliage had transformed into grotesque shapes, twisting and curling like the tentacles of some enormous sea creature.
A few of the strange tendrils were playing with something round and glimmering between them.
They looked like pearls, but far too bright, each one glowing softly like a night pearl. If not for their size, Lu Xiao would have thought they truly were luminous pearls torn from the depths of the imperial treasury.
“Lu Xiao, wait, don’t go out yet. I… I’ll grab something to defend us with.”
Qian Jinye’s voice trembled as he spoke. The sight before him had clearly shaken him deeply. His steps were unsteady as he staggered toward the table, fumbling to open a drawer.
Lu Xiao understood perfectly what was happening. It was the same kind of paralyzing dread he had once felt when he first looked upon that painting of the ancient god. He could not, in good conscience, let Qian Jinye handle anything sharp or dangerous while in that state.
He followed him quickly, keeping a close eye on every move.
Qian Jinye rummaged through the drawer with shaking hands until he found a small packet of flint stones. He clutched it tightly and tucked it into his chest.
“It’s here again… it’s finally here…” he murmured under his breath, his voice hollow, eyes unfocused.
Lu Xiao’s concern deepened. This wasn’t the reaction of someone frightened for the first time. This was the voice of someone who had seen this before.
Could it be that the strange occurrences haunting the Qian residence weren’t new at all?
“Jinye? Brother? Can you hear me?” Lu Xiao reached out carefully. “Why are you holding that flint? Give it to me, all right? You might hurt yourself.”
But Qian Jinye acted as if he hadn’t heard a word. He held the packet even tighter, refusing to let Lu Xiao take it.
Lu Xiao sighed helplessly. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Qian Jinye, gently stroking his back, his voice low and soothing. Bit by bit, he felt the tension leave the man’s body.
The blankness in Qian Jinye’s eyes slowly faded. He blinked and instinctively leaned closer, burying himself against Lu Xiao’s chest as though seeking warmth.
“Lu Xiao… it looks just like it did ten years ago,” he whispered, his limbs trembling, his entire body soft and boneless, melting into Lu Xiao’s embrace.
Lu Xiao’s heart skipped a beat at those words. Ten years ago? That would have been when the Emperor had just ascended the throne.
So there was a connection after all.
Before he could think further, the man in his arms began to sob. The sound was small and broken, filled with old pain. Panic flickered through Lu Xiao’s chest, he had no idea how to comfort someone like this.
Qian Jinye clung desperately to his sleeve, tears spilling freely. “Mother… She locked me and my brother inside the house. Then she took the flint, and she ran straight out there, toward that thing. She never… never came back.”
His tears soaked through Lu Xiao’s robe, warm and damp against his skin. Lu Xiao’s heart ached as he gently stroked Qian Jinye’s hair.
The memories were surfacing again, dark and suffocating. It was no wonder his body had reacted the way it did.
But the thing outside was far too dangerous. If it lingered long enough, it could harm more than just them. As much as it pained him, Lu Xiao knew he had to make Qian Jinye face it, to recall exactly what had happened back then. Only the truth could save them now.
He steeled himself and lifted Qian Jinye’s chin, forcing him to meet his gaze.
“Brother,” he said softly but firmly, “tell me. What was that thing?”
The air grew thick, heavy with dread.
“That thing…” Qian Jinye repeated faintly, confusion flickering across his face. His brows furrowed as if searching his own mind for an answer.
“What… what was it again?” he whispered, his voice barely audible, as if the very memory refused to come forth.
✦ ✧ ✦
Nycreth
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
We have reached the inevitable coffee solicitation.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · The beginning of the tragedyChapter 2 · Don’t forgetChapter 3 · Look at it directlyChapter 4 · Whom are you trying to seduce?Chapter 5 · TeaseChapter 6 · Sleeping in the same bedChapter 7 · Internal locksChapter 8 · Tampering The rules…Chapter 9 · Black LotusChapter 10 · FledglingChapter 11 · There are no horses in the stable.Chapter 12 · Water-oil separationChapter 13 · The cost of backtrackingChapter 14 · It got biggerChapter 15 · Was it a mouse?Chapter 16 · Too fieryChapter 17 · Administer medicineChapter 18 · Tracing the PearlChapter 19 · A KissChapter 20 · Ge, Kiss meChapter 21 · Ten Thousand Deaths Without RegretChapter 22 · Endless CorridorChapter 23 · CowardChapter 24 · GoodbyeChapter 25 · Back toChapter 26 · It’s is me, Not MeChapter 27 · VictimChapter 28 · Crossed CupsChapter 29 · IntuitionChapter 30 · ChangeChapter 31 · DifferentChapter 32 · ErrorChapter 33 · Mind Your Own BusinessChapter 34 · WanderingChapter 35 · EmbraceChapter 36 · LoveChapter 37 · UnrestrainedChapter 38 · Asking Over a DrinkChapter 39 · As BeforeChapter 40 · SatiatedChapter 41 · A Change in the WindsChapter 42 · A’SuChapter 43 · Welcoming the BrideChapter 44 · GossipChapter 45 · WeaknessChapter 46 · Wedding NightChapter 47 · Brother QingChapter 48 · FadingChapter 49 · Lying LowChapter 50 · CaressChapter 51 · OnceChapter 52 · The Hidden PassageChapter 53 · MotherChapter 54 · FlawlessChapter 55 · ProphecyChapter 56 · EtherealChapter 57 · DecipheringChapter 58 · The TrapChapter 59 · Stone StatueChapter 60 · ChessChapter 61 · AssassinsChapter 62 · The National Preceptor?Chapter 63 · Please return my belongings to me.Chapter 64 · I’m not that desperate.Chapter 65 · No wayChapter 66 · No turning backChapter 67 · I told you, get out of the wayChapter 68 · Still became a monsterChapter 69 · Let’s end thisChapter 70 · Why do you look so much like him?Chapter 71 · One wanted to kill, two stopped himChapter 72 · Unless, the people at Mingzhu Academy are keeping it from himChapter 73 · FraudChapter 74 · Don’t look back, Lu XiaoChapter 75 · It’s coldChapter 76 · Kill MeChapter 77 · We are even marriedChapter 78 · Gege… I Love YouChapter 79 · “It” had arrivedChapter 80 · Wake Up!Chapter 81 · How Nostalgic….Chapter 82 · You already Promised meChapter 83 · Their TerritoryChapter 84 · Jokes were JokesChapter 85 · What you dream was realChapter 86 · Did you cry?Chapter 87 · What’s wrong, young Master?Chapter 88 · No, I only ever said it to youChapter 89 · Honey, Please let me go.Chapter 90 · What are you pretending to be, a gentleman?Chapter 91 · It’s just a shoddy trick to fool people, but I like it anywayChapter 92 · Ge, I did it voluntarily, it’s no useChapter 93 · You little BratChapter 94 · Gege~ please have mercyChapter 95 · Hearing Lu Xiao come in, he patted the seat next to himChapter 96 · Stop fooling around, let me kiss youChapter 97 · “I want…” “Want what?”Chapter 98 · Gege, watch closely how I get youChapter 99 · Little Eleven, how about we talk to ‘it’ first?Chapter 100 · Had it gone mad?Chapter 101 · I will make my decisionChapter 102 · Tsk, how indecentChapter 103 · You are the creator of my original worldChapter 104 · The world is not your toy, go back to where you came fromChapter 105 · He was a boy with snow-white hair and a handsome faceChapter 106 · Haven’t seen you for a long timeChapter 107 · TYRBL Extra: 1Chapter 108 · TYRBL Extra: 2Chapter 109 · TYRBL Extra: 3Chapter 110 · TYRBL Extra: 4