SC Chapter12

Shen Yunjie was wrapped in Xiao Ning’s outer garment, yet he was completely naked underneath, it’s a deliberate act by Xiao Ning to humiliate him. Since he could remember, he had been raised by Jiang Lingxin to be the successor of Tianyi Division. Everyone in the division had respectfully addressed him as “Young Division Master.” Later, he went to Prince Wujing Mansion, where he and Xie Junyi maintained a superficial master-servant relationship, though everyone privately knew how fond the young heir was of Shen Yunjie, so naturally, no one slighted him.

Shen Yunjie had always been gentle and dignified, but Xiao Ning insisted on seeing him disgraced and wretched. Shen Yunjie had no choice but to awkwardly clutch the voluminous outer robe and go to cook porridge. There wasn’t much rice left, barely enough for two bowls. The thick portion was served to Xiao Ning, leaving a thin, watery gruel for himself.

“Young Master.” Shen Yunjie blew on the porridge to cool it and handed it to Xiao Ning.

The kitchen was tiny, with only one clean stool. Xiao Ning sat there and pulled Shen Yunjie into his lap.

“Did the Tianyi Division decide they didn’t want you anymore? Why did they let you run off to suffer here?” Xiao Ning’s fingers easily slipped under the loose outer garment.

Shen Yunjie suppressed his shivers and fed the porridge to Xiao Ning’s lips. “I am no longer a member of the Tianyi Division.”

Xiao Ning took the spoon, swallowed the warm porridge, and said indifferently, “Would the Tianyi Division let you go that easily? Tell me, what price exactly did you pay?”

Shen Yunjie’s chest tightened, and he nearly dropped the bowl. “Nothing. It was my master’s sentimentality that let me go.”

“Shen Yunjie, you had better not lie to me,” Xiao Ning said sharply. “If I find out you’ve lied to me again, I will never look at you for the rest of my life.”

Shen Yunjie stared blankly at Xiao Ning for a moment and then said, “If I lie to Young Master again, may I meet a wretched end.”

Xiao Ning lowered his head, bit Shen Yunjie’s smooth, long neck, and whispered, “Don’t feed me anymore. Drink it yourself. Otherwise, you won’t even have the strength to cry out later.”

Under Xiao Ning’s watchful eye, Shen Yunjie forced himself to finish the porridge, though a day of low fever had completely destroyed his appetite. After swallowing the bowl of gruel, he nearly vomited it all. It was late, and Xiao Ning couldn’t see Shen Yunjie’s pale face and the cold sweat covering his brow. He pressed Shen Yunjie against the kitchen door by using one hand to lock both of Shen Yunjie’s wrists above his head. Shen Yunjie dazedly leaned his forehead against the door panel. The outer robe behind him was lifted, while Xiao Ning’s hand gripped his waist.

The unhealed wounds were abruptly stretched open again. The sudden, intense pain almost made Shen Yunjie collapse to the floor, but Xiao Ning caught him with one arm and pressed him tightly against the door.

“Bear with it.” Xiao Ning frowned, unable to understand why Shen Yunjie always looked as though he was on the brink of death.

Shen Yunjie’s fingers desperately clawed at the door crack. The old door panel creaked loudly from the impact, the sound painfully clear in the night. After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Ning caught Shen Yunjie as he slowly slid down and lifted him up.

Shen Yunjie’s sweat-dampened hair stuck to his pale face as he lay exhausted in Xiao Ning’s arms. Xiao Ning carried him to the well in the courtyard and had him sit, then drew water to wipe him clean. Shen Yunjie was tiredly wrapped in the scantily covering robe, his waist marked by bruised finger marks.

Xiao Ning wet a cloth, lifted Shen Yunjie’s face, and asked, “Feeling aggrieved?”

Shen Yunjie shook his head.

The cloth in Xiao Ning’s hand traveled from Shen Yunjie’s chest down to his abdomen. “You chose to stay with me. This is the kind of life you’ll have from now on.”

Shen Yunjie looked up at him, hesitating to speak.

“What do you want to say?”

Shen Yunjie bit his pale lower lip and gently advised, “Although Young Master is young, excessive indulgence will also damage to your health…”

Xiao Ning threw a ladleful of icy well water over Shen Yunjie. He tossed the ladle aside, glaring at him with restrained anger and said, “Wash yourself.”

Shen Yunjie knew he had angered Xiao Ning again and dared not say more. Enduring the cold, he took off the outer robe, bent down, cupped water in his palms, and trickled it over himself. He sat there by the well with his outer robe spread beneath him. The water soaked his pale body, making his long hair look like dark ink plastered to him. In moments, he was shivering from the cold.

“Enough.” Xiao Ning kicked the bucket aside and bent down to pick the person up, then walked towards the room.

In the small courtyard next door, just beyond the wall, a dark figure was crouched in the weeds. He peered through a palm-size dog hole with his crimson eyes, gloomily watching the backs of the two people…