GHLCS Chapter30

Xu Hang arranged a room for Duan Zhanzhou and his group at the farthest corner of Qiyuan because he thought they were noisy. But since they were only staying for two or three days, Duan Zhanzhou didn’t really mind it that much.

 

After taking a bath, Xu Hang thought of the youth who had just been injured, so he took out the scar-removing cream and wanted to give it to him.

 

He is an easygoing and kind-hearted person, but if he had the chance to start over, he would certainly not be so enthusiastic.

 

Because when he walked to the youth’s room and passed under the window, he heard strange and familiar noises.

 

The sound is oppressive, dull, sticky, and ambiguous, occasionally mixed with the sound of people’s skin touching, tables and chairs shaking, and the rustling sound of clothes rubbing against each other.

 

In the quiet of the night, such a sound is truly irresistible.

 

By chance, the youth’s door was slightly open. He hesitated briefly but still approached quietly, took a quick glance, and his pupils constricted instantly!

 

The youth was lying on the table in the room, clutching the dark-patterned tablecloth with both hands and biting his clothes. Behind him was Duan Zhanzhou. The two of them were like animals stacked together. The shaking caused the kerosene lamp on the table to flicker, and their shadows on the wall also flickered.

 

They were sweating and in a daze.

 

Duan Zhanzhou even had his eyes closed, his hand movements were very strong, and it was obvious that the youth was in pain.

 

Just as Xu Hang’s eyes burned at the sight of the pale bodies, the resilient youth suddenly lifted his gaze and looked directly at him!

 

There was no shame, no pleading, nor fear, he just looked at him with those clear eyes. With just this one look, Xu Hang knew that this matter was no longer new to him.

 

Xu Hang even saw a hint of teasing in those eyes, so much so that the scars at the corner of the youth’s mouth made him look like a clown.

 

He hurried away after putting the scar-removing cream on the ground.

 

When he returned to the room, his face was still a little stiff. Duan Yelin noticed something was wrong, so he hugged him to the bed and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you sleepy? Or are you cold?”

 

Xu Hang shook his head, bit his lower lip, put on his pajamas, and prepared to go to bed. When he sat on the bed and lowered the bed curtains, he casually asked, “Who is that… youth?”

 

“Why do you ask that?”

 

“Your cousin seems to despise him. If he hates him so much, why does he still keep him around?”

 

Duan Yelin thought he was just being sympathetic, so he lay down on the bed and explained, “Do you remember Zhanzhou’s wife who died right after they got married?”

 

“Cong Wei?” Xu Hang vaguely remembered this name.

 

“Yes, that’s her brother, Cong Lin.”

 

At first, although Cong Wei and Duan Zhanzhou’s marriage was arranged by their parents, it was Duan Zhanzhou who personally approached the Chief of Staff and requested to marry his goddaughter. Logically, this meant Duan Zhanzhou must have had deep feelings for Cong Wei. Now that Cong Wei was gone, even if he didn’t treat her family well, he shouldn’t go as far as to mistreat her brother. But from what he had just witnessed, Duan Zhanzhou clearly despised Cong Lin.

 

Seeing Xu Hang’s confusion, Duan Yelin sighed and continued, “Because Cong Wei was killed by Cong Lin.”

 

How sensational!

 

Xu Hang’s eyelashes trembled. He didn’t expect there would be such a confusing story: “He killed his own sister?”

 

“Yes. When we questioned him about his motives afterward, he simply claimed he was drunk—but he hadn’t touched a drop that day. Zhanzhou initially wanted to kill him, but Cong Wei’s dying words and the Chief of Staff’s favoritism spared Cong Lin’s life. That incident dragged on for quite some time, and given Zhanzhou’s temper, you can imagine the outcome. In the end, though Cong Lin survived, he was punished by being forced to swallow charcoal as a warning. The wounds on his mouth come from that time, and his voice is likely hoarse from the burns to his throat. Although he’s still alive, Zhanzhou keeps him close, treating him like a servant—an outlet for his anger.”

 

This whole situation is truly unbelievable, with too many aspects that simply don’t add up. Xu Hang can’t shake the feeling that something about it is deeply strange.

 

Seeing this guy’s frown, Duan Yelin couldn’t help but kiss him, then hugged Xu Hang and covered his mouth. After kissing for a long time, he let go: “I don’t care about his affairs, you shouldn’t think too much of it either.”

 

He changed the angle a little and kissed him again. He didn’t stop until Xu Hang’s face turned red. He buried his head in his chest and panted, “I’m going to go on a long trip in a while. Take care of yourself.”

 

“En.” Xu Hang never asked Duan Yelin where he was going or what he was going to do.

 

Duan Yelin bit open Xu Hang’s shirt button with his mouth: “I’m going to Shucheng.”

 

Xu Hang’s whole body stiffened for a moment. Duan Yelin bit his collarbone and licked it. “What specialty do you want?”

 

There was silence for a long time, so long that Duan Yelin thought Xu Hang was lost in thought, so he bit his chest. Xu Hang snorted softly, then spoke: “No. I don’t need anything.”

 

Duan Yelin smiled and wrapped himself in the quilt with Xu Hang.

 

The next morning, when he opened the door, he could smell the fragrance of newly blooming peonies in the yard. Chan Yi came in happily, holding a pot of peonies she had dug from the yard, and said, “Head of the Household, the peonies in Qiyuan are in full bloom this year!”

 

The peony was in full bloom, its petals a blend of pink and yellow, resembling the green stems and the golden silk of its stamens. It was indeed more splendid than in previous years. Xu Hang bent down and smelled it, “It’s rare for peonies like this to bloom in Hezhou’s climate.”

 

Chan Yi placed the flower pot in the room and said, “I have never seen peonies better than this. Has the Head of the Household seen any?”

 

“The peonies in Shucheng are the finest. Each flower holds two colors, and there are many varieties—Heluo Fenchi, Guifei Chuyu, Bingshan Xianyu… When the whole city is in full bloom, their fragrance far surpasses that of osmanthus.” Xu Hang smiled, as if momentarily lost in memories.

 

“You’ve got me itching to go see it with my own eyes someday!”

 

Xu Hang’s eyes immediately turned lonely: “You can’t see it anymore… it’s gone.”

 

Before Chan Yi had the chance to ask Xu Hang why, she saw Duan Yelin and Duan Zhanzhou coming in, so she hurried to set the table.

 

Duan Zhanzhou yawned repeatedly, as if he didn’t sleep well last night.

 

Duan Yelin said to him, “What? Are you not used to the bed?”

 

“I’m not so used to the bed…” Duan Zhanzhou wiped his eyes and said to Xu Hang, “Is there something wrong with the door of your room? I clearly closed it last night, but when I woke up this morning, it was still open.”

 

Xu Hang gave him a strange look: “Which room’s door are you talking about?”

 

“What do you mean which one? Isn’t it the one you assigned to me?”

 

Duan Yelin patted Duan Zhanzhou on the back of his head. “It’s already generous of us to let you sleep, and yet you’re being so picky.”

 

When the two of them went to the dining hall to have breakfast, Xu Hang was about to go to the medical hall first. When he passed the main hall, he saw Cong Lin standing in the middle of the hall, staring at the painting of the Flying Swallow in Fire in a trance.

 

A few purple marks could be seen on his skin at the edge of his high collar.

 

Hearing the footsteps, Cong Lin turned around. The two looked at each other, with many unclear meanings in their eyes.

 

“Are you doing this voluntarily or forced?” Xu Hang suddenly asked.

 

Hearing Xu Hang’s question, Cong Lin smiled and bowed to Xu Hang. Then he took out the empty box of scar-removing cream from his arms and put it back in Xu Hang’s hand, bowed again, and walked out.