Xu Hang asked Shen Jingmo, “Didn’t you go with your family?”
“…Maybe I’m the only one who’s ever truly considered it… treating them as family.”
When Shen Jingmo said this, his eyes became moist. He couldn’t help but tremble, his upper teeth rubbing against his lower teeth involuntarily.
“In truth, when you were still young, I didn’t tell you everything. I had long been estranged from my biological father and never really cared about finding my ancestral roots. What truly made me decide to leave… was because of a man.”
Xu Hang’s eyes suddenly widened.
But Shen Jingmo was likely too frightened—he couldn’t bring himself to go on after just the first few words, and his voice faltered as his throat tightened uncontrollably.
It seemed that saying one more word would be like letting him be tortured again, it was a life worse than death.
Finally, he lay back down and wrapped himself tightly: “I’m, I’m sleepy…”
“Go to sleep first if you’re sleepy. Come home with me tomorrow. I have plenty of rooms.” Xu Hang didn’t force him. He covered him with a quilt, lit a calming incense, and gently patted Shen Jingmo’s back until he fell asleep before turning off the lights and leaving.
If there is a grudge, it must be avenged, and of course, if there is a favor, it must be repaid. This is the basis for Xu Hang’s actions. Since he came to Hezhou, Shen Jingmo was the first person who treated him well.
He must remember that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring of water.
He needs to investigate it carefully.
————
When Duan Yelin went to Jinyan Tang for breakfast that morning, the first thing he heard—news that immediately made him frown—was that Xu Hang had taken someone in.
First, he was told the person was a man, which already displeased him; then he learned that this man had been brought back to Jinyan Tang, which irritated him even more. But when he heard that Xu Hang had stayed up all night taking care of him, he lost all patience and threw his chopsticks aside.
Xu Hang had just put on his clothes in the room when Duan Yelin pushed the door open, pinched his chin, and kissed him.
Come to think of it, the two of them hadn’t been intimate for a long time already. Duan Yelin was very fierce at first, and his tongue went in, going back and forth without letting go.
His upper lip was bitten lightly, which made it look even more cherry red. Duan Yelin was not kissing but tasting.
Xu Hang’s head was tilted back by him, their breaths intertwining. In the early morning haze, before his senses had fully awakened, he was caught off guard—half-forced—by Duan Yelin’s sudden intensity.
Xu Hang pushed Duan Yelin hard and wiped his mouth: “Why are you so jealous early in the morning?”
He knew what Duan Yelin was up to even just by using his toes to think.
But Duan Yelin wasn’t really angry, he was just using this as an excuse to get jealous.
“Who told you to bring a man back? Tell me, what’s his name? If you don’t, I’ll go check it myself.”
Xu Hang was pleased to hear that: “I was even afraid that you wouldn’t check it. That’s great. Then go ahead and make sure to check it thoroughly.”
Duan Yelin laughed at his words and asked, “What do you mean by that?”
So Xu Hang briefly talked to Duan Yelin about it. Duan Yelin originally thought that Xu Hang was just kind-hearted and picked up a homeless person, but he didn’t expect that what he heard later was a little strange.
He would end up being hunted down—or at the very least, offending someone of considerable status—and that wouldn’t be a grudge easily resolved.
Duan Yelin paused for a moment before saying, “Judging by your attitude, it’s clear you’re set on handling this yourself. In that case, I’ll have someone keep a discreet eye on Jinyan Tang over the next few days—just to make sure you don’t get into any trouble.”
The two of them then went to the front hall to have breakfast together. When they finished and were rinsing their mouths with tea, Chan Yi came in and said that Shen Jingmo had fallen again when he got up in the morning, so Xu Hang ordered two more people to look after him.
Duan Yelin couldn’t help wondering, “How old is he? Why does he need you to take care of him like this?”
Xu Hang explained, “Teacher Shen is blind now, so it’s naturally different.”
“Wait a minute,” Duan Yelin suddenly remembered something. “What did you just say? The person you saved was a blind man?”
Xu Hang nodded.
Duan Yelin’s face straightened up.
Xu Hang noticed something was wrong and asked, “What did you know?”
Duan Yelin didn’t want to say it, but Xu Hang was concerned about this matter, and he would not give up until he said it. “The Chief of Staff’s two children took the earliest train today to Hezhou for a banquet at the Japanese Consulate. I asked Qiao Song to go to the railway platform to meet them. You know what they mentioned to me as soon as they set foot on the ground in Hezhou City?”
Xu Hang’s eyes tightened, feeling that what was coming next was not good.
As expected, Duan Yelin said, “They said that a disobedient servant had escaped from their home and most likely returned to Hezhou City and asked me to help catch him. They didn’t mention any other characteristics, just that—he was blind.”
With a sharp crack, Xu Hang slammed the teacup onto the table, shattering the white porcelain lid and sending tea splashing across the surface.
“This is a lot easier. I don’t have to bother anyone to check it out. They just came to the door.”
Duan Yelin wiped Xu Hang’s wet hands with a handkerchief: “Maybe it’s a coincidence.”
Xu Hang said sarcastically, “How can there be so many coincidences? And you didn’t hear them say that a servant was lost? If they’re lost, then so be it. With their family background, would they still need a blind servant? I’m afraid it’s just an excuse.”
Duan Yelin tapped the table with his index finger. “It’s hard to say. The Chief of Staff sending his own men here probably means he’s trying to join forces with the Japanese to contain me. So, maybe you really did pick the right person. If he’s truly connected to the Chief of Staff and he’s with us now, it’ll be much easier to handle whatever comes next.”
“He can’t be dragged into your mess.” Xu Hang glared at him.
“I understand, I understand.”
After having the tea, they went to share it with Shen Jingmo in Manyue Garden.
Xu Hang wanted to take Shen Jingmo to the hospital, but Shen Jingmo rejected him as if Xu Hang wanted to kill him, so he had to give up.
Chan Yi trimmed Shen Jingmo’s hair, which had grown too long and unruly, then combed it neatly. She left it a bit longer at the temples, just the way she preferred.
Now he was wearing the moon-white Changshan newly made by Xu Hang, sitting upright on a stone chair in the courtyard, squinting his eyes as if listening to the wind. It was as if time had been reversed, and he was still the same as before.
Shen Jingmo no longer likes staying in the room. He especially likes sitting in the yard. He feels much more at ease when basking in the sun.
He had obviously only recently become blind, because the way he walked last night and his habit of subconsciously using his eyes to look for sounds proved that he was not yet familiar with the invisible world.
Xu Hang walked in: “Are you used to it?”
Shen Jingmo heard the sound and tried to stand up but was held down by Xu Hang. He smiled faintly and said, “Your place is naturally the best. Sorry to trouble you.”
“You don’t have to be so polite to me, Teacher.”
“How can I be called a teacher? Besides, I have never taught you…” Shen Jingmo felt that he was not worthy of being addressed as such by Xu Hang. “I was really too frightened last night, and that’s why I was rude. I didn’t scare you, did I?”
Xu Hang shook his head, but thinking that Shen Jingmo couldn’t see, he immediately said, “You forgot that I am a physician. I only feel friendly when I see patients.”
When Shen Jingmo heard his joke, he was about to laugh, but his chest hurt and he started coughing.
Xu Hang gently reassured him, letting out a deep sigh. “Your body is severely blood deficient. There’s no color in your veins. Chan Yi even has to give you hot water to keep you from shivering, even though it’s the middle of summer.”
He had only spoken half of the truth. Now, not only did he frequently break out in cold sweats and suffer from muscle weakness, but his breathing had become shallow, his pulse rapid yet weak, and he was prone to fainting and sudden shocks.
He wanted to make Shen Jingmo understand what he meant, so he took the initiative to speak so that he could help him. But Shen Jingmo finished coughing, hesitated, and changed the subject.
“Look, Xiao Hang,” He picked up something on the table and showed it to Xu Hang like he was presenting a treasure. “Chan Yi bought me a bamboo stick and sunglasses, and I even joked with her that if she bought me a table and a sign, I could go out and tell fortunes.”
He’s still the same. Teacher Shen is afraid of causing trouble to others. He is the kind of person who will apologize first when someone steps on his foot, he is good at swallowing his anger.
What happened?
If he wants to know, he’s afraid that he will probably have to ask the new guests that just came to Hezhou City.
