Suddenly, Su Ran grabbed his hand, the scorching heat of his touch searing through his skin. Ji Chun froze, momentarily stunned. "Do it!" He commanded in a hoarse voice, pulling his hand down. His weakened body collapsed into Ji Chun's arms, his fair, feverish cheek pressing tightly against his neck. Ji Chun's face flushed instantly, he couldn't bring himself to look directly at Su Ran, whose face was now buried in his chest. His heart raced, but Su Ran's grip on his hand seemed to steady his restless nerves. With his assistance, he finally found relief from his physical discomfort and drifted into a deep sleep.
Carefully, Ji Chun laid Su Ran on the bed and covered him with a quilt. He stood there for a moment, staring blankly at the marks left on his palm. It felt as though all his memories had been drained from his mind, leaving only a void. He no longer knew who he was. The sound of a knock at the door snapped him out of his trance. He grabbed a handkerchief from the shelf, wiped his hands clean, and opened the door just a crack. His expression was cold as he regarded the two servants standing outside, accompanied by a stranger. "What is it?" he asked curtly.
"This is Doctor Wang," one of the servants explained. "The Second Young Master sent him to check on Su Gongzi's condition."
"There's no need," Ji Chun replied coldly, showing no intention of letting them in. The servants and Doctor Wang exchanged uneasy glances but, seeing Ji Chun's resolute demeanor, had no choice but to leave. Ji Chun fetched a bucket of water from the well in the courtyard, washed his hands, and gazed at Su Ran's closed door for a while before retreating to his own room to rest.
The next morning, Ji Chun was jolted awake by the sound of clashing weapons and loud commotion in the courtyard. Rubbing his temples in irritation, he pushed open the door, his tired eyes scanning the scene. A tall, slender man wielding a sharp sword was lunging at Yun Ziyu, the Third Young Master of Liuyun Manor. Yun Ziyu leaped into the air, narrowly dodging the blade, then twisted his body and slashed at Su Ran's shoulder and neck. Su Ran sidestepped slightly, his palm forming a fist as he spun around and delivered a powerful punch to Yun Ziyu's back. Blood spilled from Yun Ziyu's mouth as he staggered. Before he could recover, Su Ran raised his sword, poised to strike him down.
"Stop!" Ji Chun and Yun Zizhuo, the Second Young Master, shouted in unison. Ji Chun feared the consequences if Su Ran killed Yun Ziyu, while Yun Zizhuo was desperate to save his younger brother. Hearing Ji Chun's voice, Su Ran hesitated, the sword freezing mid-air. Just as he began to lower the blade, Yun Ziyu seized the opportunity to launch a fierce attack from behind. Though his internal strength was formidable, the force of the blow still sent Su Ran stumbling forward, leaving him with minor injuries.
Su Ran's expression darkened, his eyes icy and menacing. A chilling smile crept across his face as he turned with inhuman speed, his hand closing around Yun Ziyu's throat. Yun Ziyu gasped, his legs flailing as he struggled in vain.
"Zi Yu!" Yun Zizhuo drew his sword, pointing it at Su Ran in panic. "Let him go!" His face was contorted with rage, veins bulging, his sword trembling slightly from the intensity of his grip. No one had ever dared to act so brazenly in Liuyun Castle.
"Oh? You want me to let him go?" Su Ran chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with disdain. "Who do you think you are? Liuyun Manora? Some insignificant sect. Ridiculous!"
"Enough!" Yun Zizhuo lunged forward, but Ji Chun grabbed his arm, stopping him mid-strike. Yun Zizhuo turned, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Ji Chun, are you turning against me?"
Ji Chun shook his head, his expression grim. When Yun Ziyu had attacked Su Ran, he had nearly intervened on Su Ran's behalf. But now, he hesitated, torn between loyalty and reason. "I beg you to let the Third Young Master go," he said firmly. "We can resolve this once we uncover the truth."
Su Ran released Yun Ziyu, tossing him aside like a ragdoll. "Oh? I haven't even begun to investigate Liuyun Manor's involvement in my assassination attempt, and now you want to prove your innocence?" he sneered.
"You're slandering me!" Yun Ziyu spat weakly, supported by his brother. "You've insulted Wanmo and now you're twisting the truth... despicable!"
Su Ran laughed coldly. "Insulting her? The Third Young Master has quite the taste, marrying a prostitute!"
"Zizhuo! Ziyu! What is the meaning of this?" Yun Ziang's voice boomed from the courtyard gate. The head of Liuyun Manor strode in, his face dark with anger. But when he saw Yun Ziyu's pale, injured state, his tone softened slightly. "Zizhuo, take Ziyu back to heal his wounds. If he causes trouble again, you'll bear the consequences."
"Yes, Second Uncle," Yun Zizhuo replied, lowering his head. As he left, he cast a disappointed glance at Ji Chun, who averted his eyes, a pang of guilt twisting in his chest. Just yesterday, they had rekindled their friendship, but now everything had unraveled.
"I hope you two will stay for a few more days," Yun Ziang said, bowing slightly to Ji Chun and Su Ran. "Once we uncover the truth of yesterday's events, Liuyun Manor will offer its apologies."
"Understood," Ji Chun replied calmly, clasping his hands in return. He knew Liuyun Manor wouldn't let this go until the matter was thoroughly investigated. And while he couldn't imagine Su Ran committing such an act—his pride wouldn't allow it—Yun Ziyu's accusations left him uneasy.
Without a word, Su Ran turned and strode back to his room, ignoring Yun Ziang entirely. The head of Liuyun Manor meant nothing to him.
Yun Ziang was a man who had weathered countless trials and tribulations, and Su Ran's disrespect did not faze him. If this matter involved Su Ran, Yun Ziang was prepared to defend the honor of Liuyun Manor at all costs—even if it meant sacrificing his family's wealth and the lives of thousands. However, if they had wrongly accused Su Ran and Ji Chun, he would ensure that Liuyun Manor offered a proper apology.
"In that case, I will investigate the truth as soon as possible. I'll take my leave now," Yun Ziang said, bowing to Ji Chun before turning to depart.
Ji Chun exhaled deeply, feeling utterly exhausted. He walked to the corridor outside Su Ran's room, where he heard his voice calling, "Come in." Stepping inside, he was immediately reminded of the events of the previous night, and a wave of guilt washed over him. His usually stern expression faltered, betraying a hint of embarrassment and discomfort.
"The woman last night was Wenshi, the courtesan from Huanxi Garden," Su Ran said casually, his fingers idly tracing the rim of a cup on the table. He didn't turn to look at Ji Chun as he spoke.
At the mention of "last night," Ji Chun's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't until Su Ran finished his sentence that he managed to calm himself. Reflecting on his words, he felt a pang of confusion. "Wenshi?" he asked.
"She was born in a brothel, yet within a month, she managed to marry the Third Young Master of Liuyun Manor and become his wife. Quite impressive, don't you think?" Su Ran's tone was neutral, making it difficult to tell whether he was praising or criticizing Wenshi.
When Ji Chun realized it was the same woman who had been pestering Su Ran that day, memories of their laughter and intimacy flooded his mind. The thought of what had nearly happened between them last night left him feeling unsettled. "So last night… how did you end up with her?" he asked, unable to hide the displeasure in his voice.
"She drugged my wine and deliberately provoked the servants to come to my room," Su Ran replied calmly, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "Ji Chun Dashi, since you've promised the people of Liuyun Manor to uncover the truth, I'll give you this one chance. But as for Wenshi… I'm not sure how much longer I'll let her live."
Ji Chun couldn't decipher Su Ran's thoughts, so he remained silent.
"The day after tomorrow," Su Ran said abruptly, his fingers stopping their rhythmic tapping. He turned to face Ji Chun, his gaze steady and resolute. "If Liuyun Manor hasn't uncovered the truth by then, I'll kill that loving couple. When that happens, Ji Chun Dashi, don't say I didn't give you face."
Ji Chun knew Su Ran well enough to understand that he would not tolerate any slight. If Wenshi had dared to plot against him, Su Ran would not let her off easily. But if the Yun family failed to uncover the truth, would he really stand by and watch Su Ran massacre Liuyun Manor? The uncertainty of what might happen next left him with no choice but to nod in agreement. While Su Ran was willing to hold back for his sake, it didn't mean his temperament had fundamentally changed. He knew better than to push his luck.
"Now that we've finished talking, I'll rest for a while. You may leave," Su Ran said, rising from his seat and walking toward the bed.
As Ji Chun stepped out and was about to close the door behind him, Su Ran's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Ji Chun Dashi, thank you for last night."
The door clicked shut, and Ji Chun hurried away, his heart racing. He had thought Su Ran hadn't noticed what happened last night, but his casual remark shattered that illusion. His most secret and difficult-to-acknowledge act had been mentioned so nonchalantly. He didn't know how to face him now. Over and over, he tried to convince himself that it had been nothing more than a simple act of assistance—nothing more.
That afternoon, Ji Chun stayed in his room, copying the Heart Sutra in an attempt to cleanse his troubled mind. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was quietly shifting between them.
When Su Ran woke up later, he opened the window and noticed a flare rising in the distance, followed by a plume of black smoke. He recognized it immediately—a distress signal from members of the Demonic Cult. His expression darkened. Whoever dared to target the Demonic Cult under his watch must have a death wish.
Without hesitation, he pushed open the door and rushed toward the source of the signal. As he left Liuyun Manor, he noticed someone watching the gates. A cold smile curled on his lips. They think they can trap me, Su Ran? How ridiculous.