After hearing Xiao Yi’s explanation, Gu Master Mo Ru breathed a sigh of relief, only for anger to surge up again. He viciously planted a kick on Xiao Yi’s backside.
“Since there was nothing important, why were you acting so flustered?”
Covering his butt, Xiao Yi looked at Gu Master Mo Ru fearfully. He tossed the letter in his hand toward him and then stumbled as he ran out the door.
Gu Master Mo Ru cast a disdainful glance at Xiao Yi’s retreating figure. A man as suave and dashing as himself had somehow ended up with such a rash and careless disciple.
Thinking this, Gu Master Mo Ru opened the letter in his hand.
“Hahaha…”
After only a single glance, he laughed so hard he could barely close his mouth. The smile on his face clearly carried the smug delight of a petty victor.
Hearing the commotion behind him, Sun Ye felt thoroughly annoyed. He wished he could kick that secretly gloating fellow right out of the room.
Poor Xiao Yi, meanwhile, had already run off to who knew where in order to avoid another round of Gu Master Mo Ru’s punches and kicks.
“Ah, what fate! Heaven truly intended for me to go see that beauty. Tsk, tsk…”
Gu Master Mo Ru could not help recalling what he had seen earlier, recalling the beauty nestled in the Mountain King’s embrace. He still felt somewhat unwilling to accept it. But after being frightened by Xiao Yi earlier, most of his original frustration had already faded. Everything else was fleeting clouds; only the person by one’s side was truly important.
With that thought, Gu Master Mo Ru walked toward the bed.
Hearing the approaching footsteps, Sun Ye closed his eyes irritably.
Gu Master Mo Ru placed his fingers on Sun Ye’s wrist and checked his pulse. Discovering that the poison had penetrated rather deeply, he quickly took an antidote from his robes and brought it to Sun Ye’s lips.
Sun Ye swallowed it directly. The movement was swift, almost completely instinctive.
A strange smile spread across Gu Master Mo Ru’s lips. He leaned down toward Sun Ye and intimately rested his chin on Sun Ye’s shoulder.
“How come you’re no longer rejecting me?” Gu Master Mo Ru asked softly.
Sun Ye replied blandly, “Too troublesome.”
Gu Master Mo Ru slowly slid his hand to Sun Ye’s chest, then followed the opening of his loose collar and gradually slipped his hand inside his clothes, leisurely exploring the firm, taut skin beneath.
“So this is acceptable too?”
Sun Ye’s eyes flew open, and a sharp, piercing gaze shot fiercely toward the man clinging to him.
Not only was Gu Master Mo Ru unafraid, he found himself quite entertained by Sun Ye’s expression. What he hated most was Sun Ye’s stubborn temperament, yet it was also what he loved most about him. If Sun Ye had been like those boys he had once easily coaxed into complete obedience, Gu Master Mo Ru would never have invested so much effort in him.
People truly were hopelessly perverse.
Gu Master Mo Ru continued teasing Sun Ye. At first he merely wanted to see him become annoyed, but once his hand settled there, it felt as though it had been glued in place and simply would not come away.
Sun Ye felt an itchy numbness spread across the skin of his chest. Whenever Gu Master Mo Ru’s hand brushed over those two sensitive buds, the sensation became even more maddening.
“Have you had enough?” Sun Ye finally shouted.
Although the shout was weaker than usual, Gu Master Mo Ru could still hear the uncontrollable anger within it. Chuckling softly, Gu Master Mo Ru said to Sun Ye, “Do you know? I went to Miwu Mountain today. The bandit chief there got married. Guess what I saw?”
Sun Ye did not answer, so Gu Master Mo Ru asked again. Knowing that if he remained silent the nuisance would simply continue pestering him, Sun Ye reluctantly forced out a reply. “A beauty.” “How did you know?” Gu Master Mo Ru stared at him in astonishment.
Sun Ye glanced at Gu Master Mo Ru and suddenly felt he was unbelievably foolish. Letting out a snort, he said lightly, “Every time you go out, isn’t it to look at beautiful people?” A faint smile appeared on Gu Master Mo Ru’s lips. He simply draped his entire upper body across Sun Ye and gently turned his face toward himself.
“How can you say that about me? Appreciating beauty is a man’s natural instinct. Don’t you enjoy looking at attractive people as well? If not, then why were you so determined to go back and find the Third Prince?”
The moment Gu Master Mo Ru brought up that matter again, the anger in Sun Ye’s heart immediately reignited, and the dark clouds on his face thickened further. “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. I was only joking.” For once, Gu Master Mo Ru showed genuine concern, trying every possible way to make the man beneath him forget the thoughtless remark he had just made.
“By the way, something happened today that has been bothering me terribly. That bandit chief married a wife as beautiful as a flower and precious as jade. And this wasn’t ordinary beauty. Even Hun Ruo, the most beautiful woman in the world, would instantly lose her radiance standing beside her.”
Gu Master Mo Ru spoke with great enthusiasm, but Sun Ye’s expression was one of complete disdain. “I’m not joking. That woman was so beautiful it was ridiculous. After only a few glances, I felt I could hardly bear it. To pair someone like her with a bandit chief is truly a terrible waste.”
Sun Ye’s expression gradually grew serious as he unconsciously looked toward Gu Master Mo Ru. “What did she look like?” This was the first time Gu Master Mo Ru had seen Sun Ye show interest in something he said, and he could not help feeling surprised.
“What did she look like?… Well… she was simply beautiful. If you asked me to picture her now, I honestly couldn’t recall her appearance.” Sun Ye’s heart immediately began pounding wildly. A sudden intuition seized him. Grabbing Gu Master Mo Ru’s arm, he urgently asked, “Was the bandit chief’s wife a man or a woman?”
Gu Master Mo Ru gave Sun Ye an amused look and teased, “Have you ever heard of someone’s wife being a man?” Sun Ye’s eyes darkened, and he seemed to lose some of his spirit. His mood only grew heavier. “However…” Gu Master Mo Ru continued, “I did feel that her voice carried a somewhat masculine quality, and she had remarkable strength in her hands. But I didn’t examine her body closely. At first glance she was obviously a woman. What man could possibly be that beautiful?” “Young Master Xue is that beautiful,” Sun Ye said quietly.
Gu Master Mo Ru looked at Sun Ye. Seeing the suspicion and tension in his eyes, he cautiously asked, “You’ve heard the rumors about Mu Xueshi?” Sun Ye stared directly at him.
“You already knew about this?” Under Sun Ye’s unwavering gaze, Gu Master Mo Ru could only answer helplessly, “Yes. But I was afraid that if I told you, you’d become impulsive and do something foolish again. Besides, they’re only rumors. There are countless stories circulating about Mu Xueshi right now. Some say the Third Prince hid him away. Others say he was abducted. No one knows which version is true. Even if you knew, what could you do? It would only give you more worries. For all we know, Mu Xueshi could be lying obediently in the Third Prince’s arms right now, enjoying the scenery.” “That’s impossible. If that were true, His Highness would never allow such rumors to spread. I know His Highness too well. The reason he hasn’t openly ordered a search is because he’s afraid the matter will grow larger. Young Master Xue definitely isn’t with His Highness anymore.” As he listened, Gu Master Mo Ru silently cursed his loose-lipped disciple.
Much of Sun Ye’s strength had already returned. He began trying to push away the half of Gu Master Mo Ru’s body draped over him.
“You mean the peerless beauty I saw today might actually have been Mu Xueshi?”
“There’s a ninety-percent chance. If anyone else looked like that, they would have caused a sensation long ago. Do you really think someone with that appearance could remain hidden until now? I think that bandit chief disguised Young Master Xue as a woman to conceal his identity.”
After hearing Sun Ye’s reasoning, Gu Master Mo Ru pondered it himself and muttered quietly, “That woman’s behavior really was rather strange. The moment I entered, she grabbed my arm with all her strength, yet she never said a word.”
The more Gu Master Mo Ru spoke, the more convinced Sun Ye became. Grabbing him tightly by the collar, he demanded, “Then why didn’t you realize it at the time? What use is saying all this now that you’ve already come back?” Gu Master Mo Ru looked utterly aggrieved.
“How was I supposed to know it was Mu Xueshi? I’ve never seen Mu Xueshi’s true appearance. Besides, the person standing before me was a woman, and such a beautiful one at that. How was I supposed to think that far?”
After hearing those words, Sun Ye could no longer remain in bed. Most of his strength had already returned, and his urgency only amplified it. With a shove, he pushed Gu Master Mo Ru aside and immediately got out of bed.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Gu Master Mo Ru stepped directly in front of him. Sun Ye looked coldly at the man before him and said, “You already know.” Gu Master Mo Ru grabbed hold of Sun Ye’s body, and his gaze slowly turned sharp and severe. Sun Ye did not answer, so Gu Master Mo Ru asked again. Knowing that if he remained silent, this troublesome man would likely keep asking endlessly, Sun Ye finally forced out a reply. “A beauty.”
“How did you know?” Gu Master Mo Ru looked at Sun Ye with a face full of surprise.
Sun Ye glanced at Gu Master Mo Ru and suddenly felt that he was foolish beyond words. Snorting lightly, he said casually, “Isn’t every trip you make for the sake of looking at beautiful people?” A smile appeared at the corner of Gu Master Mo Ru’s lips. He simply pressed his entire upper body onto Sun Ye and gently turned his face toward himself with one hand.
“How can you say that about me? Admiring beauty is a man’s natural instinct. Don’t you enjoy looking at beautiful people as well? If not, why were you so desperate to go back and find the Third Prince?”
The moment Gu Master Mo Ru brought up the matter again, the fire in Sun Ye’s heart was instantly reignited, and the dark clouds on his face grew heavier and heavier. “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. I was only joking.” A rare trace of urgency appeared on Gu Master Mo Ru’s face as he tried every possible way to make the man beneath him forget the careless remark he had just made. “By the way, something happened today that left me feeling terribly frustrated. That bandit chief married a wife as beautiful as a flower and precious as jade. And not just ordinarily beautiful. Even Hun Ruo, the most beautiful woman in the world, would instantly lose her brilliance standing beside her.” Gu Master Mo Ru spoke with great enthusiasm, but Sun Ye wore a look of complete disdain. “I’m not joking. That wife was so beautiful it was absurd. I only stood there and looked at her for a few moments, yet I already felt I could barely endure it. To pair someone like that with a bandit chief is truly a waste.”
Sun Ye’s expression grew serious, and he unconsciously looked toward Gu Master Mo Ru. “What did she look like?” It was the first time Gu Master Mo Ru had ever seen Sun Ye show interest in something he said, and he could not help feeling surprised. “What did she look like?… Well… she was simply beautiful. If you asked me to think about it now, I honestly couldn’t recall what she looked like.”
Sun Ye’s heart began pounding wildly. A sudden premonition seized him. Grabbing Gu Master Mo Ru’s arm, he urgently asked, “Was the bandit chief’s wife a man or a woman?”
Gu Master Mo Ru looked at Sun Ye with an amused smile and teased, “Have you ever heard of a wife being a man?” Sun Ye’s eyes darkened. Some of the spirit seemed to leave him, and his mood became even heavier.
“However… I did feel that her voice carried a somewhat masculine quality, and her grip was remarkably strong. But I didn’t inspect her body closely. At first glance she was clearly a woman. What man could possibly be that beautiful?”
“Young Master Xue is that beautiful,” Sun Ye said quietly. Gu Master Mo Ru looked at Sun Ye. Seeing his tense expression and the suspicion filling his eyes, he cautiously asked, “You’ve heard the rumors about Mu Xueshi?” Sun Ye stared directly at Gu Master Mo Ru and asked, “You had already heard about this?”
Pinned beneath Sun Ye’s unwavering gaze, Gu Master Mo Ru replied helplessly, “Yes, but I was afraid that if I told you, you’d do something foolish on impulse again. Besides, they’re only rumors. Right now there are stories about Mu Xueshi everywhere, and none of them agree with each other. Some say the Third Prince hid him away, while others say he was abducted… No one can tell which version is true. Even if you knew, what would it change? It would only bring you more worry. For all we know, Mu Xueshi could be lying obediently in the Third Prince’s arms right now, enjoying the scenery.”
“That’s impossible. If that were the case, His Highness would never allow such rumors to spread. I know His Highness too well. The reason he hasn’t ordered a search is because he’s afraid of making the situation larger. Young Master Xue definitely isn’t by His Highness’s side anymore.” While listening, Gu Master Mo Ru silently cursed his big-mouthed disciple. Much of Sun Ye’s strength had returned by now. He began trying to push away the half of Gu Master Mo Ru’s body resting on top of him.
“You mean the peerless beauty I saw today might actually have been Mu Xueshi?” “There’s a ninety percent chance. If anyone else looked like that, they would have caused a sensation long ago. Do you really think someone that beautiful could remain unknown until now? I think that bandit chief disguised Young Master Xue as a woman in order to conceal his identity.” After hearing Sun Ye’s reasoning, Gu Master Mo Ru thought it over himself and muttered softly, “That woman’s behavior really was rather strange. The moment I entered, she grabbed my arm with all her strength, yet she never said a word.” The more Gu Master Mo Ru spoke, the more convinced Sun Ye became. Grabbing him tightly by the collar, he demanded, “Then why didn’t you realize it at the time? What use is discussing it now that you’ve already come back?”
Gu Master Mo Ru looked utterly wronged. “How was I supposed to know it was Mu Xueshi? I’ve never seen Mu Xueshi’s true appearance. Besides, the person standing in front of me was a woman, and such a beautiful one at that. How could I possibly have thought that far ahead?” After hearing those words, Sun Ye could no longer remain in bed. Much of his strength had already returned, and his urgency only made him more determined. With a shove, he pushed Gu Master Mo Ru aside and immediately got out of bed.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Gu Master Mo Ru stepped in front of him.
Sun Ye looked coldly at the man before him and said, “You already know.”
Gu Master Mo Ru grabbed hold of Sun Ye and his gaze gradually became sharp.
“I won’t allow you to go.”
“I have to go. If I don’t rescue Young Master Xue myself, then I’ll report this matter to the Third Prince. Since I know about it now, I can’t simply stand by and ignore it.”
“And even if you save him, what then? Do you think the Third Prince will thank you? Not only will he not thank you, he may very well continue trying to kill you. Why put yourself through that?”
“And even if that’s true, what does it have to do with you? I’m not trying to save Young Master Xue to atone for my past mistakes.”
“Why are you always so merciful to everyone else, yet so harsh on yourself?”
…
Their gazes collided in midair and silently confronted one another. Both were utterly resolute, neither willing to yield even a single step.
“If you don’t let me go, I’ll resent you for the rest of my life, until the day I die.”
Those harsh words struck like thunder. Gu Master Mo Ru felt an indescribable ache in his heart. Of all the people Sun Ye treasured so deeply, had any of them ever treasured Sun Ye in return? And if one day he himself fell into danger, would Sun Ye become this anxious over him?
“Fine. I’ll go back myself and find a way to bring that ‘wife’ out. There are too many bandits there, and they won’t be easy to deal with. Besides, I have some friendship with that bandit chief and don’t want to resort to underhanded methods. If I bring the person back and it really is Mu Xueshi, then we’ll count it as you having saved him. After that, you can do whatever you want…”
Gu Master Mo Ru’s words stirred Sun Ye’s emotions for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.
“There’s no need. I’ll go myself. I don’t need you harming a friend.”
“I’m not as kind-hearted as you are. We’re not sworn brothers or anything. What’s wrong with falling out with him?”
“There’s still no need.”
“You don’t get to decide that.”
Seeing Gu Master Mo Ru preparing to tamper with him again, Sun Ye took a deep breath and suddenly moved closer.
Gu Master Mo Ru had been expecting Sun Ye to make a run for it, so this unexpected action caught him completely off guard. What Sun Ye did next nearly made his heart stop.
Sun Ye’s lips merely brushed against Gu Master Mo Ru’s before quickly pulling away.
“I’m counting on you,” Sun Ye said quietly as he looked at him.
Gu Master Mo Ru had met countless people in his life, yet this single kiss from Sun Ye left him so stunned that his mind went blank.
He kissed me? And he kissed me first? He didn’t accidentally lose his balance, he wasn’t drugged, and nobody forced him to do it…
Even if he was asking for a favor, he still kissed me first…
Gu Master Mo Ru was so blissfully dazed that he lost consciousness without even realizing it.
Sun Ye had not expected the drug to take effect so quickly. Earlier, he had smeared the sleeping drug onto his own lips and secretly swallowed the antidote beforehand. The sleeping drug itself had been stolen from Gu Master Mo Ru while the latter wasn’t paying attention back on the bed. Gu Master Mo Ru often carried it on him and always tried to make Sun Ye take it before going out.
This is called giving a man a taste of his own medicine, Sun Ye said silently to Gu Master Mo Ru in his heart.
Searching Gu Master Mo Ru’s body, Sun Ye found quite a few medicine bottles. Whether he recognized them or not, he stuffed them all into his sleeve. Then he quickly disguised himself as Gu Master Mo Ru and strode out the door.