Chapter 21 (1/2)
Chapter 21: A Fallen Gentleman – Part 10
Translated by: Kestrel
Edited by: Ritpoppy
”Didn't you say you'd never come looking for me again?”
The door to the Ninety-Ninth Temple had been kicked open; Huai Yu was in his pajamas, his hair uncombed, leaning against the bedside with one hand as he lazily looked at the intruder standing in the doorway.
Ming ChangYan played dumb as he stepped into the room, ”Huh? I did? Did I say that? You must've misheard me!”
Huai Yu reminded him, ”Well water doesn't cross river water.”
(TN: This is technically what they've been saying all this time in regards to ”each minding our own business.)
This was translated by , any repost of this is stolen and if you steal our work I'm going to make you visit King Yama for awhile.
Ming ChangYan laughed, ”That's because there's no path between the two, all I have to do is dig one and they'll cross just fine!”
Huai Yu let out a humph, walking back to the bed, ”I'm going to sleep.”
Seeing that the situation wasn't going well, Ming ChangYan promptly jumped onto the bed before him, lying on it with his limbs spread out wide so as to forcefully occupy the entire s.p.a.ce as he fixed him with a stare, ”Just this once.”
Huai Yu said, ”Get off.”
Ming ChangYan put his palms together to beg, ”It's the last time.”
Huai Yu lifted the blanket and lay down on the outer edge, ”Do what you want.”
His indifferent att.i.tude was surprising enough to make Ming ChangYan stare blankly for a moment, before sitting up to half-kneel on the bed, ”What are you doing?”
Huai Yu had his back turned to him, and didn't reply.
Ming ChangYan crawled forward a bit on his knees, pulling off his blanket, ”Huai Yu, you really don't cherish old friends.h.i.+ps at all. I won't talk about you not being as well-behaved as you were when you were little, but to think you won't even offer me a tiny bit of help!”
Huai Yu acted as if he hadn't heard.
Ming ChangYan was left with no choice but to put his all into begging, ”Good Huai Yu, this is the last time, it was me who said the wrong thing that morning, it's my fault. Huai Yu, little Huai Yu, Huai Yu ge-ge!”
Huai Yu clicked his tongue, ”You're really bothersome.”
Ming ChangYan laughed at that, ”If you do this for me, I won't bother you anymore. Rejecting me just like that without even asking what I want, you're really hurting my feelings.”
Huai Yu said, ”It's nothing good regardless.”
Ming ChangYan said, ”Huai Yu ge-ge, if you help me out this once, I'll call you Dge from now on. Just look at me, that much older than you, yet here I am fawning all over you! Dge, Ge-ge, Huai Yu ge-ge!”
Huai Yu was moved by this, feeling a little pleased with himself. After listening to Ming ChangYan recklessly call him 'Dge' a few times, he was entirely satisfied. But all he did was listen, not speaking a word.
Ming ChangYan ignored his refusal, acting out a tearful display all by his lonesome, ”You're so cold-hearted, Huai Yu, you were never this cruel before, but now you aren't willing even to do me the teensiest little favor. In any case we're still old acquaintances, and as they say, there's three parts of affection when meeting each other – though since it's been so long since we last met, I guess I could count you as having two parts affection, you still shouldn't ignore someone when they're in trouble.”
”If you help me, from now on this ShaoXia will obey your every word. Ai, you little brat, haven't I moved you at all? The best fighter in the world is offering to be your little brother. From now on you're my Dge, if Dge tells me to go east, I will never head west!”
Ming ChangYan watched him with an impatiently anxious look on his face.
Huai Yu sat up and looked back at him, ”What are you going to do?”
Ming ChangYan immediately straightened back up, ”It's not what I'm going to do, it's what you're going to do.” He thought a moment before continuing, hesitating out of embarra.s.sment, ”The emperor wants me to serve him tonight.”
Huai Yu stared blankly for a second
Ming ChangYan let out a couple awkward laughs, fanning himself with a hand, ”It's seriously unbelievable! It's clear this ShaoXia's still as good-looking as ever, nowadays even the emperor's got his eyes on me. But you know, girls are fine and all but this, this man I, unfortunately, can't really enjoy.”
He threatened, ”Huai Yu, you've gotta help me. If you don't help me, then I'll just have to drag you down with me.”
Huai Yu frowned, doubtful, ”Drag me down?”
Ming ChangYan said, ”Of course. The emperor wants me to attend his bed, but I'm not going. I'll lie right here on your bed tonight, not even a lightning strike can get me to leave, so when the emperor comes looking tomorrow morning and finds me here at your place, we'll both end up behind bars.”
Huai Yu stared at him for the s.p.a.ce of almost half an incense stick before finally getting out of bed and putting on a coat. Seeing him show a hint of softening, Ming ChangYan cupped his hands and said with a smile, ”Many thanks, Huai Yu Dge! This little brother can't thank you enough!”
”Stay here, don't go running around.”
Ming ChangYan immediately nodded his head, ”I won't run a step, I won't move even if you try to drive me out!” He rubbed his arms, ”I'm real cold, let me huddle under your blanket for a bit.”
Huai Yu was gone for a quarter of an hour; it wasn't until Ming ChangYan was about to fall asleep that he finally returned.
”How'd it go?” Ming ChangYan leapt out of bed, ”What'd you say to the emperor? Does he still want me to attend him?”
Huai Yu shot him an indifferent glance, ”Not anymore.”
Ming ChangYan was bursting with joy at those words, and reached out to put an arm around Huai Yu's shoulders in a moment of excitement. But his current height was really not the greatest; he couldn't reach Huai Yu's shoulders even standing on his tiptoes, and had to jump just to barely reach. Ming ChangYan resentfully gave up, pulling back his hands. But to his surprise, he'd only pulled back halfway when Huai Yu suddenly reacted, grabbing his wrist and frowning, ”Your fingers?”
Ming ChangYan's hand twitched slightly as he suddenly realized, ”Oh, I accidentally cut them when peeling a pear today.”
Huai Yu said, ”You cut all ten fingers at once?”
Ming ChangYan pulled his hand back, but the other gripped it even harder, preventing him from doing so.
He said with a smile, ”The knife was too sharp, it couldn't be helped.”
Huai Yu towered over him, giving him a measuring look as he said, ”I don't like being tricked; try redoing your explanation.”
Ming ChangYan let out a laugh, ”Alright, let me have some tea first. I'm thirsty, all this talking's dried my throat.”
Huai Yu said, ”Get it yourself.”
Ming ChangYan lifted his hand and shook it a bit, ”Let go of my hand first, do you need to hold it so tight, I'm not going to run away.”