Zhou Yan X Jiang Lingxin (Witty and Unconventional Top X High-and-Mighty, Business-Focused Bottom)
(Shizun’s heart is made of stone; only read if you can accept this setting.)
The moon rose as the night deepened. The stars were spread across the sky. Pushing open the window, they looked across a lake. Across the way, brothels and pleasure houses echoed with the cawing of crows and the chirping of orioles, a faint scent of red sleeves drifting through the air. The clear liquor was strong as it went down. Half-drunk, Zhou Yan leaned against the window lattice, idly watching the flickering shadows opposite, nodding his head off to the sound of silk strings and bamboo flutes.
Suddenly, a splash echoed from the lake, and several black figures streaked past, leaving the decadent night undisturbed. Zhou Yan raised a finger to extinguish a candle in the room.
A wisp of blue smoke rose, then all was silent.
In an instant, a soaking wet black figure pressed close while a cold blade resting across Zhou Yan’s neck.
Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow and remained motionless. Sseveral extremely light footsteps sounded outside. By the sound, he knew they must possess profound internal martial arts. As the commotion outside grew distant, the blade against Zhou Yan’s neck trembled, its cold light briefly wavered, and then it fell limply between his fingers.
After a short, muffled groan, the black figure who had been holding him collapsed into his arms.
Zhou Yan instinctively reached out to catch the person by supporting the cold, slender, and resilient waist. A faint smell of blood mixed with a cool fragrance immediately entered his nostrils. The moonlight suddenly appeared, illuminating the face of the person in his arms. Zhou Yan looked down and summarized, “A beauty, I’ll save him.”
When Jiang Lingxin woke up, the first thing he saw was the person next to him.
Zhou Yan was sitting sideways on the edge of the bed while casually twirling a delicate, jade-colored token on his long fingers. Seeing that he was awake, Zhou Yan chuckled softly. His brows were broad, his eyes were clear and handsome, while his dark irises sparkling with light.
Jiang Lingxin suddenly sat up, pressed his hand to his chest, and let out a low cough. A hint of metallic sweetness surged in his throat, which he swallowed without showing any emotion. He reached out and said coldly, “Give it back to me.”
Zhou Yan retracted the Tianyi Division token into his palm, pulled open his own collar, and dropped it inside. He even patted the chest beneath his collar, looking very exasperatedly at Jiang Lingxin.
Jiang Lingxin’s face darkened slightly. Before he could speak, he saw Zhou Yan retrieve a sword from beside him and start playing with it. The sword was thin like a willow leaf, emanating coldness. Jiang Lingxin could no longer hold back and reached out to snatch his beloved sword back, but Zhou Yan suddenly flipped the long sword, executing a clean sword flourish, before pressing it tightly against Jiang Lingxin’s pale, slender neck.
“Cough…” Jiang Lingxin splayed his five fingers on his chest to suppress the cough, forcefully enduring the burning pain in his lungs.
“Don’t move.” Zhou Yan’s eyes curved like a new moon. He smiled and said, “I sealed your internal energy. You are no match for me now.”
Jiang Lingxin’s expression was icy. His voice was hoarse when she said, “What do you want?”
“It was you who came uninvited. I, upholding the compassionate heart of a physician and saved your life. However, I heard that people from Tianyi Division are ruthless in their actions, so I temporarily sealed your internal energy while you were unconscious.” Zhou Yan used the tip of the sword to lift Jiang Lingxin’s sharp, delicate chin, speaking in a frivolous and unrestrained manner: “My apologies, beauty.”
Jiang Lingxin lowered his eyes to conceal the killing intent within. He said, “We met by chance. Thank you for your help. Please return my beloved sword and token.”
Zhou Yan wondered aloud, “Don’t people from your Tianyi Division value repaying kindness?”
“What do you want?” Jiang Lingxin’s expression was calm.
“For those in the martial world, of course, it means pledging oneself to…” Zhou Yan’s sword tip flickered, directly hooking open Jiang Lingxin’s collar. The snow-white undergarment immediately slipped down his shoulder. Before the clothing could fall completely, Jiang Lingxin reached out and grabbed the blade. The thin sword was sharp, instantly cutting his palm and oozing scarlet blood.
Zhou Yan was startled. He released the sword hilt, reached out to seize Jiang Lingxin’s wrist, and frowned: “Why are you gripping it! Let go quickly!”
Jiang Lingxin let out a cold laugh and released his hand.
Zhou Yan looked down, only to see the skin and flesh of Jiang Lingxin’s palm turned outward with blood surging out and soaking the brocade quilt.
“Hey, you…” Zhou Yan couldn’t find any cloth for a moment and could only tightly cover his palm with his hand, saying, “Being so easily provoked is truly boring.”
“Since it’s boring.” Jiang Lingxin felt the warmth coming from the back of his hand, which was a little novel. He was willing to speak a few more words: “Then let me go.”
Zhou Yan used his blood-stained finger to gently point to Jiang Lingxin’s chest and said, “Look.”
On Jiang Lingxin’s chest was a faint imprint of a half-bloomed lotus flower.
“You provoked someone from the Gonglian Sect? There are only a handful of people in the world who can cure this Seven Star Lotus Poison. You’re lucky; there’s one right in front of you.” Zhou Yan considerately pulled up the undergarment that had slipped from the beauty’s shoulder for him as he said, “So, are you sure you want to leave?”
Jiang Lingxin couldn’t leave. Zhou Yan had taken his token and the sword he cherished, his inner strength was gone, he was poisoned, and outside waited a group of people who wanted him dead. Staying by Zhou Yan’s side was, ironically, the safest option.
Aside from being a little annoying, there was nothing wrong with him.
Jiang Lingxin had injuries in his lungs and would wake up and sleep intermittently. Zhou Yan seemed to have found some amusement, often coming to his bedside to chat when he had nothing else to do.
“Does your Tianyi Division recruit subordinates based on looks?”
Jiang Lingxin turned over and faced away from Zhou Yan, refusing to talk to him.
Zhou Yan pulled a lock of Jiang Lingxin’s soft black hair and playfully braided it. “Are you married?”
Jiang Lingxin closed his eyes, pretending he was dead.
“So you’re not then.” Zhou Yan felt bored after rambling for a while. He reached out and poked Jiang Lingxin’s back. A pair of beautiful butterfly bones was visible beneath the thin undergarment. “I know your injury hurts and you can’t sleep. Isn’t it better for me to talk to you?”
No sooner had Zhou Yan finished speaking than Jiang Lingxin suddenly flipped over and grabbed his collar. Zhou Yan was suddenly yanked forward, stumbling straight into him, their necks brushing in an unintentional embrace. Zhou Yan’s mind went blank after seeing cool fragrance, a snowy-white neck.
Jiang Lingxin’s voice was slightly hoarse, his thin lips icy cold, as he pressed close to Zhou Yan’s ear and said, “Shut up.”
Letting go of Zhou Yan’s collar, Jiang Lingxin lay back on the bed, his long, elegant brows drawing together slightly before he closed his eyes in exhaustion. He left Zhou Yan alone, his face flushed red and speechless.
After Jiang Lingxin’s breathing steadied and he drifted into sleep, Zhou Yan quietly unbraided the small braid he had secretly woven. He gently pulled the quilt up over him, then stepped outside with the wine pot in hand. Standing in the wind, he took three heavy swallows, trying to calm his wildly pounding heart.
When the Seven Star Lotus Poison first flared up, Zhou Yan placed charcoal basins all over the room. The hot room made one sweat on the forehead. Even so, Jiang Lingxin was still so cold that his lips were pale and his whole body was shaking.
Zhou Yan borrowed two more quilts from the innkeeper and bundled them over Jiang Lingxin.
“Are you still cold?”
Jiang Lingxin gripped the bedding, not saying a word.
Zhou Yan lifted a hand to his forehead, his palm touching a chilling cold. Jiang Lingxin, however, only felt the warmth of that hand resting against him. When Zhou Yan pulled his hand away, he instinctively reached out and tightly grasped it.
Zhou Yan was stunned. After a moment of hesitation, his expression gradually softened. He tilted his head and whispered, “Alright, I’ll help you, pull the quilt open a bit.”
Jiang Lingxin was forced into a state of semi-consciousness by the chill. He did as he was told and lifted the quilt, and in the next instant, Zhou Yan pulled him into his arms, a wave of warmth wrapping around his whole body.
The warm palm slipped in through Jiang Lingxin’s loose collar and gently pressed against his heart. A pure, gentle internal energy surged from the palm, continuously cleansing his icy meridians.
“It’s not that I intentionally sealed your internal energy…” Zhou Yan looked down at the person in his arms, who was shivering from torment, and explained in a low voice, “The truth is that your cultivation method clashes with this poison. If it weren’t temporarily sealed in your core, the poison would kill you when it flares up.”
Jiang Lingxin heard the words intermittently, his mind full of sluggishness. He subconsciously gravitated towards the warmth, burying his face in Zhou Yan’s chest and letting out a low hum.
Zhou Yan was woken up by a slap. The person who struck him was both swift and ruthless. If not for a lack of strength, his face would have immediately swollen on one side. Even so, five distinct finger marks were unceremoniously imprinted on his handsome face.
“!!!” Zhou Yan was speechless. His eyes widened as he bolted upright in bed.
Jiang Lingxin slowly pulled up his collar while suppressing the killing intent in his eyes, and gave Zhou Yan a cold glance.
Zhou Yan came back to his senses, laughed angrily, and said, “You… I kindly helped you survive the poisoning. How much internal energy did I expend last night, and this is how you treat me?”
Jiang Lingxin’s pale lips slightly pursed, and he gave a cold laugh.
Zhou Yan put on his clothes in a huff, rubbed his messy hair, and said, “Fine, fine, I shouldn’t have bothered with you. I should have just let you freeze to death.”
Jiang Lingxin watched as Zhou Yan put on his clothes, tied his belt, and picked up the wine gourd on the side, ready to leave. Only when he reached the door did Zhou Yan turn back and say, “The outside is full of people from the Gonglian Sect. You’d best not go out.” With that, he genuinely ignored Jiang Lingxin and left by himself.
Jiang Lingxin naturally would not go out. With his injuries unhealed and no means of self-defense, going out was tantamount to seeking death. Therefore, he could only wait in the inn for the Zhou Yan, who might or might not return.
He waited for most of the day. When Zhou Yan returned, Jiang Lingxin was dozing with his eyes closed on the bed. His long, thick eyelashes cast a small shadow. His sleeping face made Zhou Yan think of a lone plum blossom wrapped in snow beneath a cold moon. What a pity, Zhou Yan thought, such a beauty had such a terrible temper.
“Don’t sleep, get up and eat.” Zhou Yan nudged the person on the bed.
Jiang Lingxin turned over, turning his back to him and paying him no attention.
Zhou Yan said, “What are you pretending for? The two apples in the fruit bowl on the table have been gnawed down to the cores. You’re hungry, so get up quickly.”
Jiang Lingxin only felt a slight itch in his palm and wanted to hit someone again.
Zhou Yan’s voice suddenly softened as he said, “Alright, I didn’t intentionally leave you here. I went out to scout the situation. That’s why it took a while. I brought you food from the Zuixiang Lou. It won’t taste good once it gets cold. Be good and get up quickly.”
Jiang Lingxin was silent for a moment but eventually got up. Zhou Yan considerately draped clothes over him and served him tea, food, and porridge, then watched him eat without saying a word.
“The outside is full of people from the Gonglian Sect. There are even the Nine Eccentrics of the Market among them. The roads out of the city are all ambushed. Are they certain you are still in the city?” Zhou Yan swung his crossed leg and sighed, “How exactly did you provoke them, forcing seven of the ten sect leaders to search for you in the city?”
Jiang Lingxin silently swallowed the last mouthful of porridge, lifted his eyelids, and said, “It’s none of your business.”
Zhou Yan scoffed. His fingertip swept across the corner of Jiang Lingxin’s lips, wiping away a bit of rice, and said, “The poison on you can’t be delayed.”
