After another two days of careful care, Murong Qiufeng finally recovered for real. His complexion was much rosier, and he looked more energetic.
“Here, this is the last bowl. Drink this, and you’ll be completely well,” the middle-aged man with the surname Bai said with a smile, holding a bowl of medicine as he entered. He glanced at Murong Qiufeng, who was quietly propped up on the bed reading.
He didn’t particularly like the rough and domineering Shangguan Ye, but this refined young man had captured his admiration—polite, obedient, patient, and quick to learn. A picture-perfect gentleman, though unfortunately, he had a natural nemesis.
“Uncle Bai, thank you for all your trouble these past few days,” Murong Qiufeng said, putting down his book and smiling with both apology and gratitude. He took the medicine Bai handed him, frowned slightly, and drank it.
Bai laughed heartily, waving him off. “It’s nothing. As a physician, saving lives is my duty.”
A cold snort interrupted. Shangguan Ye had entered, carrying bowls of medicinal porridge. He glanced at the middle-aged man with a sharp look, set the plates on the bedside table, and fed Murong Qiufeng some candied treats. Then, he handed the remaining medicine bowl to Bai, his tone frosty. “You can go now.”
Bai smiled wryly, touching his nose. He was used to it by now. He said to Murong Qiufeng, “Rest well, and don’t read for too long.”
“Mm, thank you,” Murong Qiufeng replied with a gentle smile.
Once Bai left, Murong Qiufeng turned to Shangguan Ye, frowning. “What’s the matter?”
Though domineering, Shangguan Ye was usually fair. He wouldn’t treat someone who had helped them so much with such coldness for no reason. There had to be another reason behind his behavior.
Shangguan Ye gave a small, wry smile and shook his head. “You’re sharp. Let’s not talk about that now—finish your porridge first.” He took Murong Qiufeng’s book and carefully fed him the medicinal porridge.
Murong Qiufeng ate the first bowl slowly, enjoying the bittersweet taste. He stared at Shangguan Ye for a long moment before letting out a quiet laugh.
Shangguan Ye looked up, puzzled, his brow raised as he sipped his own porridge.
Murong Qiufeng reached out, letting his fingers brush across Shangguan Ye’s jaw. The stubble was fine but scratchy. “Heh… like this, you look more like a general returning from the battlefield.”
Shangguan Ye squinted and smiled, rubbing Murong Qiufeng’s hand against his stubbled jaw. “Is that so? Do you like it?”
Murong Qiufeng withdrew his hand and shot him a look. Shangguan Ye, ever sly, leaned close and kissed him, deliberately letting his stubbled jaw brush against Murong Qiufeng’s lips. “If you like it, I won’t shave it off.”
“Stop it,” Murong Qiufeng pushed him away, though secretly he found the rugged look rather attractive. The stubble added a mature charm, giving Shangguan Ye a slightly wild, free-spirited aura, like a wolf running across the grasslands.
Shangguan Ye climbed onto the bed, leaning against the headboard, holding Murong Qiufeng in his arms, toying gently with his slender hands. He sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to control my temper from now on, won’t be so impulsive.” Seeing Murong Qiufeng sick these past days had been torture—for him and even more so for Shangguan Ye. If not for the lack of things to send, he would have already messaged Youxiang to rush here.
Murong Qiufeng sighed softly and replied, “No… it’s not your fault. I lacked resolve.”
Shangguan Ye held his hand a little tighter. After a pause, he said, “You already guessed, didn’t you?”
“Mm.” Murong Qiufeng leaned into his chest, closing his eyes. He spoke softly, a touch melancholy in his voice. “I can’t be sure if those people are my senior brother’s, nor if he’s secretly behind this case. But they are connected to the Mufeng Tower, or perhaps, they once belonged there and have since defected.”
“At first, I didn’t notice. It wasn’t until the insects left the corpse that I began to suspect. Everyone from Mufeng Tower carries a particular scent—usually undetectable, except to those who’ve taken special medicine. Every person entering Mufeng Tower must sit in a stone chamber for five days—not to train the mind, but to acquire this scent, for identification and to prevent infiltration.”
“Perhaps earlier, the insects had thrown me off, so I didn’t realize it.”
“Do you think it was him?” Shangguan Ye asked quietly after a pause.
Murong Qiufeng shook his head. “I don’t know. Senior Brother would never turn his people into puppets or allow anyone to. But if these were defectors, it’s possible… Yet I trust he never meant to kill me. Whoever these people are, it wasn’t under his orders.”
“Oh? So certain,” Shangguan Ye murmured, narrowing his eyes. “Then why were you so upset back then? If I’m right, you didn’t think that at the time, did you?”
Murong Qiufeng pressed his lips together. “Right, I suspected it then.”
“You suspected they were sent by Yun Feiyang, aiming at me and using you as a warning—to force you to choose between my safety and theirs. At that moment, you wavered, thought of leaving me…” Shangguan Ye’s words were casual but icy.
Murong Qiufeng sighed softly. “Sorry.”
“You fool, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m Shangguan Ye—I’m not soft. And if I can’t protect myself, how could I protect you? Trust me. I won’t let anything happen to you, nor to myself. Those who want my life are many, but look at me, still here. Trust me, okay?”
Murong Qiufeng squeezed his hand, nodding.
“Crack! Boom!” A massive stone shattered under a blow. A man in red rolled out from the debris, spitting blood, pale, struggling to wave away the rubble. His eyes reddened as he glared at the calm figure in white across from him. “Yun… Feiyang…”
“I said anyone can be harmed… except him. Looks like someone didn’t take that seriously,” Yun Feiyang said softly, his voice clear and gentle, carrying a trace of intoxication. His hair floated lightly around his white robe like an exiled immortal. Yet his calm eyes rippled with a subtle menace, like a placid lake disturbed by small waves.
Nearby, a few others watched with raised eyebrows, eager for the unfolding scene. Their gaze flitted between the two, some gloating, though deep down, they respected Yun Feiyang’s presence.
