CH 14.1

Lou Muge took the stone statue back.

It was quite heavy.

He pushed the door of the Tao residence open and found Tao Zhai standing in the courtyard, wearing a thin garmer. His long hair was loosely tied, and his skin was so white that it almost blended in with the moonlight. He was staring straight at Lou Muge.

Lou Muge raised an eyebrow imperceptibly. He stroked the particularly heavy stone statue in his arms, and asked, “Are you waiting for me?”

Ning Shaosi stopped beside him and raised his eyes at Tao Zhai.

Tao Zai did not answer, but his eyes was brimming with suppressed viciousness. He turned around and slammed the door into the room, leaving behind a rather ferocious scowl.

Wen Changchu frowned and said directly, “Since we have found their flaws, we might as well just lift their nests tonight.”

“No.” Lou Muge was totally unaffected, though, and only said, “Le’ts sleep for now and talk about it tomorrow.”

He tilted his head and yawned. After returning to his room, he took out the stone statue and put it next to the bell, and fell asleep. Ning Shaosi stood by the side for a while, and after he heard his steady breathing, he realized that he truly fell asleep.

He took out a luminous pearl and placed it on the table to provide a soft lighting. He then squatted down and gently took off Lou Muge’s shoes, tucked the man into the quilt, and then lay down.

Wen Changchu was disdainful after watching his series of actions. He inwardly snorted, Bootlicker.

Then he stretched out his paws and put his head on them to sleep comfortably.

The next day, Lou Muge woke up at almost noon. He took his time getting up and stretched his back, squinting sleepily while starting to put on his clothes.

He took off the robe he wore for several days and changed into his usual clothes, an apricot-colored duanao with two sleeves tied tightly in a circle of silk. He topped it off with a black waistcoat with snow white rabbit fur designed around the sleeve edges.

He wore a pair of dark-colored trousers underneath and also tied the bottom ends with silk to prevent the wind from blowing in. When putting on his shoes, he saw a pair of black-soled cloud-printed boots with gold stamping at the edge of the bed. He surveyed his own black boots, then kicked the pair aside in disgust and lifted the black boots on his feet.

With his long hair tied up high with a ribbon, he picked up the bell on the bedside table and strung it with a silk rope on his wrist. After this series of actions, he opened the door and walked out.

Wen Changchu and Ning Shaosi were both under the eaves, quietly watching the blind Tao Ming, who was sweeping the snow in the courtyard. Hearing the sound, they turned around and saw a handsome young man come out of the house.

Lou Muge looked up at the sky. Fluffy snow was swirling in the air endlessly, while a nip in the air blew wantonly. Tao Ming stood in the yard with a broom. With a dark hat covered with snow on his head, he kept sweeping.

Tao Zhai stood on the opposite of the eaves, staring at his brother. He was expressionless and motionless.

Ning Shaosi turned towards him and reached him in a couple of strides. His gilded black robe made him as white as snow, and his delicate facial features even more conspicuous in the snow. A mere smile made him incredibly stunning.

Lou Muge looked at him a while longer before focusing on Tao Ming. He asked in a whisper, “How long has he been doing this?”

“He started when the snow fell,” Ning Shaosi replied warmly.

Lou Muge watched him standing in the yard, sweeping the accumulated snow. He couldn’t help asking, “The snow isn’t stopping. Even if he cleans it, it will pile up sooner, so why bother?”

Tao Ming stopped and looked toward Lou Muge. His blind eyes masked his mood, but his voice was cold and cheerless, “Young Master Lou, I’m not sweeping snow.”

Lou Muge tilted his head, somewhat puzzled.

He stretched a hand atop his hat and instantly filled his palm with snow. The snow, however, didn’t turn into water droplets. He added, “What I’m sweeping is the sin hidden under the snow.”

Lou Muge was even more confused. Before he could speak, Wen Changchu, who was originally lying, suddenly transformed into a human and squatted on the ground, blowing a long breath at the ground.

All of a sudden, a gust of wind swept the snow. The snow that fell on the ground was instantly swept away, enveloping the sky in white.

Wen Changchu examined the empty ground: “There is nothing.”

Note:

This should be how a duanao costume looks like