Futile Devices Scans

Every section of the residence had its own rules and miscellaneous duties, and the library was no exception. They had to rise before dawn each day to wipe the bookshelves, sweep the floor, and dust the books. In winter, they also had to remove the frost. The library housed many precious volumes, so burning charcoal inside was strictly forbidden. If the frost was left untouched for even a single day, it would form a thick layer by the next morning and become extremely difficult to remove.

The weekly airing of the books to eliminate damp and musty odors was even more exhausting. The library held an enormous collection, the steward was particular, and the supervisor naturally enforced equally strict standards. Every book had to be opened and its pages slowly turned one by one until each had been thoroughly aired. Although this was officially a weekly task, they were severely understaffed and possessed far too many books. As a result, the three of them could only air a portion every day. It took approximately one week to finish the entire collection, after which they had to begin again the following week.

At the end of each month, the supervisor would personally oversee their repair and rebinding of damaged books and the updating of the catalogue. Although there were rarely many changes from one month to another, every last detail still had to be recorded thoroughly and carefully.

The sky had only just begun to brighten when Ning Xuan carried a towering stack of books outside. Although he had not slept all night, his entire outlook on life, values, and worldview having been overturned in an instant, he showed no signs of exhaustion apart from the two dark circles beneath his eyes. He did not even yawn.

Not far from the corridor outside the library lay the lotus pond. During summer, lotus flowers bloomed across the water, while lush flowers and grasses flourished along the banks in brilliant shades of red and purple. In the distance stood an elegant pavilion shaded by towering trees. Sitting beneath their cool canopy to admire the scenery would have possessed a charm all its own. At that moment, however, Ning Xuan had no mind for elegance or scenery. The instant he saw the lotus pond, his entire body stiffened and every goose bump snapped to attention. An intimate, moonlit image immediately appeared in his mind, accompanied by the endless echoes of gasps and moans in his ears…

Although he had passed through this place many times, Ning Xuan now felt unbearably awkward. The events of the previous night remained vivid in his mind. He glanced at the artificial rock nearby, then at the place slightly to his right, and edged toward the rock as though electrocuted, seeking a small measure of security.

It was only an illusion. An illusion! I must have been so deprived of love and the comfort of a soft, fragrant woman lately that I had that sort of erotic dream. The protagonists may have been a little strange, but that is completely beside the point!

Ning Xuan shook his head vigorously and forced himself to recover his spirits. Lowering his eyes and focusing solemnly upon his work, he devoted himself to the mountain of tasks awaiting them that day while imagining the delicious food that would fill his stomach at noon.

“We’ve been looking everywhere for you. Why did you run out here alone?” Qing Zhu suddenly slapped him from behind.

“There’s still so much work today. If we don’t begin early, we’ll miss our meal again later,” Ning Xuan replied, ignoring the inexplicably brilliant smile upon Qing Zhu’s face.

“You’re unusually diligent today. Why don’t I ever see you moving this quickly normally?” Qing Zhu muttered.

By then, the sky was already fully light. Mo Qi, the last to emerge, was also carrying a large stack of books. Seeing the two men crouching on the ground and whispering together, he unceremoniously kicked the empty-handed Qing Zhu. “Stop fooling around and go carry your books.”

Qing Zhu yelped in pain, covered his aching backside, and slunk away resentfully.

The sun rose high, and the residence gradually became livelier. Although the library remained a place that few people visited, cheerful voices could be heard throughout the gardens. Madams and young masters from the various courtyards admired flowers and drank tea with refined elegance, while busy servants hurried about everywhere.

The three mechanically repeated the same sequence of opening books, airing them, closing them, and carrying them in and out. The bored Qing Zhu did not allow himself to remain idle, instead choosing precisely the most unwelcome subject and whispering gossip to Mo Qi. Normally, Qing Zhu and Ning Xuan were clearly the pair most inclined to fool around together, but the dark expression on Ning Xuan’s face that day practically declared that all idlers should stay away. Even the thick-skinned Qing Zhu was forced to retreat. Unfortunately, his talkative nature could not tolerate silence, so he turned to Mo Qi and shared the gossip he had only recently heard.

“I heard the master took in a new young gentleman a few days ago. Apparently, he’s exceptionally beautiful. The master even had a room specially prepared for him in the western wing, and the steward personally led people there to furnish and decorate it. According to Pei’er from Madam Liu’s quarters, the master has been doting on him terribly these past few days. He has ignored Madam Liu entirely for quite some time.” Qing Zhu spoke with tremendous enthusiasm. Mo Qi listened without the slightest interest, while Ning Xuan, who did not wish to hear but was forced to anyway, abruptly shuddered.

Ning Xuan was a modern person who had received higher education, so naturally his thinking was not so stubborn or inflexible. It was not that he could not accept the fact that male love was widely acknowledged and accepted by society. There was simply always some distance between ideological acceptance and confronting reality. What had shocked him was merely being treated, without the slightest warning, to an extremely authentic live erotic performance. His innocent little mind still belonged to an age that required gradual progression.

“Mm.” Mo Qi gave a brief sound to indicate that he had heard, while his hands continued working without pause.

“I heard that the moment this young gentleman entered the residence, he became the sole recipient of the master’s favor. Not only does the master eat and sleep with him, but they also go everywhere together without the slightest attempt at concealment. That instantly overturned every jar of vinegar belonging to the madams and young gentlemen in both the eastern and western wings. Apparently, everyone serving in the front courtyards is nervous these days.” The more Qing Zhu spoke, the more animated he became. “It seems I truly possessed great foresight when I escaped that troublesome place early. Look at me now—free and comfortable over here, while also getting to watch those arrogant maids and servants who normally stick their noses into the sky suddenly tuck their tails between their legs. It’s so entertaining!”

“That wasn’t foresight. You were thrown out,” Ning Xuan retorted, unable to continue listening. For some unknown reason, he felt uncomfortable all over if he did not bicker with Qing Zhu at least a few times every day.

“Oh? You’ve learned to eavesdrop now? I was having my own conversation. What does it have to do with you?” Qing Zhu snorted and fired back.

Eavesdrop…

Dark clouds instantly gathered across Ning Xuan’s face once again.

“If it’s something that must be said while hiding behind a wall, then kindly lower your voice. You sound as though you’re desperate for everyone beneath Heaven to hear you,” Ning Xuan replied without courtesy.

After exchanging several barbs, Qing Zhu became genuinely excited. He leaped three steps at once to Ning Xuan’s side, threw an arm around his shoulders, and grinned lewdly. “Aren’t you curious about what that young gentleman looks like? Just look at how completely he has captivated our master.”

“How different can one man look from another? As long as his nose and eyes are positioned where they belong, they should all look more or less alike. Look at yourself, then look at Mo Qi. Even if he isn’t exactly the same, I can still imagine seventy or eighty percent of it,” Ning Xuan said dismissively.