SC Chapter11

Xiao Ning’s hand was still dusted with flour. His fingers were long, strong, and distinct at the knuckles. The dough was slammed onto the board again and again, as if it had offended the person kneading it and was sworn to be beaten to a pulp.

This was his young master, whose ten fingers were not accustomed to manual labor.

Shen Yunjie suppressed a few low coughs, rolled up his sleeves, and stepped forward, “Young Master, let me do it.”

Xiao Ning smashed the dough onto the board and sneered, “You know how?”

Shen Yunjie carried Xiao Yuan to a nearby stool, had him sit, then scooped water from the vat to wash his hands. He lowered his eyes and said softly, “If Young Master teaches me, I will learn very quickly.”

A light rain pattered on the bluestone steps outside the door. There were few pedestrians on the street. Xiao Ning leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed as he watched Shen Yunjie knead the dough. The slightly oversized outer robe on Shen Yunjie made him appear even more slender. Those hands, which had previously only held a writing brush, were now stained with flour, oil, and sesame seeds. That person’s elegant features were now touched with a hint of everyday life, and Xiao Ning was momentarily lost in thought.

“Young Master, is this right?” Shen Yunjie put the kneaded flatbread into the oven, then lightly wiped the sweat from the side of his face with the back of his hand. Suddenly, his chin was tightly gripped by Xiao Ning.

Xiao Ning wiped the flour from Shen Yunjie’s cheek with his slightly cool fingers.

Shen Yunjie froze for an instant. A moment later, Xiao Ning released his hand, his expression still icy and aloof. He raised an eyebrow, lowered his voice, and sneered, “It seems, besides in bed, Lord Shen is quite quick to catch on to other things too.”

Shen Yunjie had already learned his submissive routine for Xiao Ning’s sarcasm by lowering his head, cast down his eyes, and remaining silent, with a look of passive acceptance, inviting humiliation. It filled Xiao Ning’s heart with both hatred and pain.

“Go wait in the backyard. Don’t let me see you.” Xiao Ning grabbed the wine pot from the table and took a large swig of strong liquor while gazing out at the long, empty street.

Shen Yunjie took off his outer robe and draped it over Xiao Ning’s shoulders. “It’s chilly in the rain, Young Master should take care of your health.”

The outer robe carried a trace of a cool scent, a distinct fragrance that belonged to Shen Yunjie. Feeling irritable, Xiao Ning snatched the robe and threw it onto the ground without a glance.

Shen Yunjie bent down to pick up the robe and placed it by Xiao Ning’s hand and dare not stay in his young master’s sight to annoy him any longer. Seeing his father walk towards the backyard, Xiao Yuan quickly hopped off the stool and followed him like a small shadow.

The backyard wasn’t large; there was an old well in the corner. Shen Yunjie told Xiao Yuan to play in the yard while he pushed open the kitchen door to see if anything needed tidying. There was only a thin layer of rice left in the vat and a few wilting vegetables piled in the corner. Shen Yunjie picked through them and managed to put together a meal.

Xiao Ning’s temper hadn’t yet cooled, but Shen Yunjie had already brought the food to the front room. Xiao Yuan was holding his small bowl and about to start eating when Shen Yunjie gently tapped his bowl with a chopstick, softly reminding him, “Xiao Yuan, you can’t start first.”

Xiao Yuan held his bowl and pitifully looked at the stone-faced uncle beside him. Xiao Ning frowned, picked up his chopsticks from the table, and casually moved a piece of food. Xiao Yuan’s eyes then instantly brightened. He turned to his father, and only after seeing his nod did he continue to eat.

From start to finish, Shen Yunjie didn’t take a single bite. He just watched Xiao Yuan eat his fill, wiped the child’s hands, and cleared the dishes from the table. Since waking up this morning, he had felt a slight fever in his forehead and a general weakness. He suspected there were torn wounds from below, making it uncomfortable to sit or stand.

Fortunately, due to the weather, Xiao Ning closed up the stall early and bolted the door. The sky was overcast and soon became completely dark. Shen Yunjie still took Xiao Yuan back to the inner room, gently patting and coaxing him to sleep.

While Xiao Ning stood in the outer room watching. The candlelight reflected on half of Shen Yunjie’s face, making it appear lustrous as jade, both cold and moving. When Xiao Ning finally snapped out of his trance, he had already reached out and gripped Shen Yunjie’s wrist in his palm.

Shen Yunjie quietly pleaded, “Xiao Yuan is asleep. Let’s go outside…”

Xiao Ning let out a cold laugh, bent down, and carried Shen Yunjie into the outer room bed. When he reached out to unbutton his clothes, Shen Yunjie visibly trembled.

“Scared?”

Shen Yunjie shook his head and said, “No. Young Master should enjoy yourself.”

Xiao Ning looked down at him and said mercilessly, “Shen Yunjie, the way you say those words makes you sound exactly like the lowest-class boy in a brothel.”

Shen Yunjie’s eyes stung, and he remained silently still.

Xiao Ning gently stroked Shen Yunjie’s soft, satin-like long hair and questioned him, “You’ve been busy all day without even a single drop of water to drink. Do you not want to live?”

“Young Master, I…” Shen Yunjie was interrupted by Xiao Ning before he could even explain.

“Go cook some porridge. If you don’t have the strength, how are you going to get through tonight? If Lord Shen can’t get out of bed tomorrow, don’t blame me for throwing you out into the street.”