CH 35

Chapter 35: The Two Of Them Were Extremely Close To Each Other, To The Point Of Overstepping A Boundary. 

“What? You went to look for me? When?” When Qi Ci heard Bian Zhonghua’s words, his eyes widened, and his face looked astonished.

Bian Zhonghua suddenly raised his hand and viciously smashed his fist against the wooden pillar of the corridor beside him. The wooden column produced a loud sound, and several cracks emerged from the heavy punch.

Qi Ci was so startled that he took half a step back, looking at Bian Zhonghua with a shocked expression.

Bian Zhonghua shrugged off his now red hand as if nothing had happened. Then he raised his head, swept away his indifferent attitude, and opened the door of the wing room with a smile: “Come in, it just so happened that Qin Yicang sent me ten jars of wine. We can get drunk tonight.”

If an ordinary person were to see the gloomy and uncertain nature of Bian Zhonghua, they wouldn’t dare take another step forward.

But when Qi Ci heard these words, he didn’t hesitate to follow Bian Zhonghua into the room.

Indeed, the ten jars of wine were neatly arranged in front of the round table in the wing room. Qin Yicang had really kept his promise.

Bian Zhonghua then picked up two jars of wine and put them on the table. When he saw that Qi Ci had stepped inside, he smiled and said: “Close the door.”

“Alright.” Qi Ci nodded and gently closed the door.

When Bian Zhonghua saw the way Qi Ci did everything he told him to do, it made him smile even more. As Bian Zhonghua rubbed his knuckles, which were red from smashing the wooden pillar, he pulled out the tiny wooden thorns from his skin and said: “Why aren’t you asking why I kicked you out a minute ago, but now I’m asking you to stay?”

“Because…” Qi Ci hesitated several times before he could guess: “It’s because you had a difficult mission today, so–”

Qi Ci’s words were abruptly interrupted, because Bian Zhonghua suddenly walked up to him.

The two of them were extremely close to each other, to the point of overstepping a boundary. Qi Ci retreated subconsciously, but his back leaned against the door frame, making him unable to escape.

Bian Zhonghua’s eyes were still curved in a smile. As he slightly leaned over, he stretched out his left hand and suddenly pinched Qi Ci’s cheek.

Qi Ci: “….?”

Bian Zhonghua wanted to tease Qi Ci at first, but after seeing Qi Ci’s angry and exasperated appearance, he immediately stopped Qi Ci from leaving by talking about something more serious.

Who would’ve known that Qi Ci would just stare at him with puzzled eyes, as if saying: ‘What are you doing? What are you pinching me for? If you have something to say to me, why are you pinching my face?’

The young man’s porcelain skin was extremely cold, probably because of the wind that had been blowing outside the wing room all night. The coldness permeated Bian Zhonghua’s fingertips, embedded in his blood and bones, traveling all over his body, until finally, it touched the ripples at the bottom of Bian Zhonghua’s heart.

Bian Zhonghua was lost in thought for a while, and it took him a long time to get his consciousness back. With a light cough, he pretended as if nothing had happened. He wasn’t pinching Qi Ci’s cheek anymore. Instead, he cupped his face. As he caressed the young man’s jaw, Bian Zhonghua forced Qi Ci to look him into his eyes, and with a serious tone of voice, he said: “Young Gongzi, do you know that in this Capital, as well as in your Residence, there are people who want your life?”

Then, Bian Zhonghua told Qi Ci what happened to him today.

After hearing Bian Zhonghua’s words, Qi Ci suddenly reached out to grab Bian Zhonghua’s wrist tightly, afraid that he would run away: “That man wasn’t me!”

Bian Zhonghua smiled: “Yeah, I know that now.”

Then, he added: “I won’t be fooled again.”

Qi Ci had already expected that the Capital would be a treacherous place and that the position of the throne would be in danger. But he didn’t understand why someone would pretend to be him to separate him from Bian Zhonghua.

When Bian Zhonghua saw Qi Ci’s doubts, he turned around and walked to the table, took out a small dagger from his bosom, and slowly scraped off the sealing on the wine jar: “Don’t think about it. It must have something to do with State Master Li.”

“State Master Li? Why?” Qi Ci didn’t understand.

When the sealing was finally scraped off, the sweet aroma of the wine could no longer be hidden. The fragrance was so strong and mellow that it spilled out of the window frame, making one feel immediately intoxicated under the moonlight.

Bian Zhonghua put the dagger away, and as the corners of his mouth raised in a smile, he explained: “It’s quite simple. If I’m your friend, and State Master Li makes a move on you, it will be the same as turning against me. State Master Li has always treated me well. Naturally, he doesn’t want to break his good relationship with me. At this point, it could be said that State Master Li and I share the same way of thinking.”