Chapter 52#

Taking Down That Gentleman (15)#

As soon as Yuci spoke, Shen Jue clearly felt the person above him stiffen.

After a moment, Sang Xinghe lifted his head, his peach-blossom eyes cold and detached. “I’m not in the mood for a walk. If Island Master Yu has such leisure, feel free to go on your own.”

Seeing Sang Xinghe’s reluctance to cooperate, Yuci couldn’t help but glance at Shen Jue.

From his current angle, all he could see was a silhouette; nothing more.

He didn’t want Shen Jue to see him as a laughingstock, so his gaze darkened slightly. “Xinghe, aren’t you tired of staying cooped up here day after day?”

Sang Xinghe lowered his head again, brushing his lips against the pale nape of the person beneath him. “Not tired at all. With him here, why would I be bored? Or else all your efforts, Island Master Yu, would be wasted.”

Shen Jue, feeling the intimacy of Sang Xinghe’s gesture, couldn’t help but raise a hand to press against the other’s chest, trying to push him away. Sang Xinghe caught Shen Jue’s hand and subtly winked.

He wasn’t sure if the words on the chessboard had been smudged by Shen Jue’s clothes, but it was best to be cautious.

Yuci caught sight of their little exchange and felt that Shen Jue’s reaction only confirmed his suspicions. Was Shen Jue already so infatuated with him? As for Sang Xinghe’s refusal to comply, it irritated Yuci. For the first time, he found Sang Xinghe utterly ungrateful.

“Sang Xinghe, are you coming out or not?” Yuci’s voice dropped low.

Sang Xinghe’s reply was blunt. “No.”

“You—!” Yuci was fuming, too angry to care that Shen Jue was still there. “Sang Xinghe, don’t turn down a kindness. This is the Ten Deadly Islands. You will listen to me, or I’ll have your shabby sect annihilated right now.”

At those words, Sang Xinghe’s expression shifted sharply. He lifted his head and stared at Yuci.

“Yuci, go ahead and try.”

Sang Xinghe was an orphan, raised by the head of the Heavenly Net Monastery. As the senior disciple, he always prioritized his sect above all else, and nothing infuriated him more than threats against it.

Yuci had faced countless rejections from Sang Xinghe, and now he was even angrier. He thought he had been good to Sang Xinghe. Yes, he had crippled Sang Xinghe’s martial arts, but he was making amends—sending people to find rare medicines to restore his power, even putting Sang Xinghe’s needs first in everything.

Yet Sang Xinghe wouldn’t even give him a decent expression.

He was nothing like the once-commanding Island Master of the Ten Deadly Islands anymore.

Yuci gritted his teeth, his gaze on Sang Xinghe filled with displeasure. “Sang Xinghe, I’ll ask you one last time: are you coming out or not?”

“Then I’ll give you my final answer too: unless I’m leaving the Ten Deadly Islands, I will never step out of here.” Sang Xinghe’s voice was icy.

Hearing this, Yuci slammed his palm into a nearby vase. It shattered, scattering fragments across the floor. His effeminate, handsome face still held fury, and the hand beneath his sleeve trembled slightly as he struggled to control his emotions.

Shen Jue startled at the sound of the vase breaking and turned to look at Yuci.

The moment he did, Yuci’s gaze locked onto him.

Seeing Shen Jue staring, Yuci felt humiliated and snapped, “What are you looking at? You want to lose those eyes?”

Sang Xinghe frowned. “Why are you yelling at him? He didn’t do anything to you.” He reached out and covered Shen Jue’s ears. “Don’t listen.”

Yuci curled his lips in a cold smirk. “Tsk, how considerate of the great Sang.” Without warning, he lunged at Sang Xinghe. With only half his internal energy restored, Sang Xinghe was no match for Yuci. After a few exchanges, Sang Xinghe was forced back repeatedly. Yuci gave a cold laugh and yanked Shen Jue to his side.

“Sang Xinghe, since your medicine seems to have worn off tonight, there’s no need for this dwarf to stay here anymore.” Grabbing Shen Jue’s arm, Yuci dragged him away. Sang Xinghe took two steps after them but stopped, clutching his chest in frustration.

Yuci pulled Shen Jue out of the room and released his arm, turning to glare at him coldly.

Moonlight poured down like water, coating Yuci’s dark robes in a silver sheen.

Shen Jue met Yuci’s gaze. Before he could lower his head, Yuci spoke.

“Don’t think Sang Xinghe is protecting you. Back at that broken sect of his, he protected his ugly junior sister the same way.” Yuci snorted. “The way he treats you now is just the same old tricks he used before.”

Shen Jue looked at Yuci in confusion.

Shouldn’t Yuci be punishing him? Why was he badmouthing Sang Xinghe?

It sounded like badmouthing, at least.

Seeing Shen Jue staring at him like a dumb goose, Yuci raised an eyebrow. “Short and stupid—who would ever like someone like you?” He paused, then added, “Of course, you have good taste, but you’d better give up that hope.”

Shen Jue frowned almost imperceptibly.

So this was a challenge—telling him to stay away from Sang Xinghe?

Too bad he couldn’t do that.

Suddenly, Shen Jue heard a noise from behind the building. His gaze flickered, and the next moment, he shook his head at Yuci.

Yuci was taken aback. For some reason, his face flushed slightly. “You dare shake your head? Why can’t you give up?”

This little dwarf was so… arrogant!

He’d told him to let it go, so why wouldn’t he?

Shen Jue couldn’t speak, so he simply shook his head at Yuci again.

Yuci choked. After a moment, he glared viciously at Shen Jue. “Fine, do what you want. It doesn’t matter anyway—liking him is useless.”

Because he would never return that affection.

Yuci silently swore again in his heart, then turned and walked away, satisfied. After a few steps, he suddenly looked back.

Shen Jue was still standing there, debating whether to continue discussing leaving the island with Sang Xinghe. Caught off guard by Yuci’s gaze, he collected himself and followed.

In Yuci’s mind, Shen Jue was heartbroken, too stunned to even move. Now, after one glance from him, he’d obediently trailed along.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. How pitiful.

Seeing someone more pitiful than himself, Yuci’s heart, wounded by Sang Xinghe, inexplicably healed. Not only that, but he also felt a secret pride.

The two walked one after the other, their thoughts worlds apart.

Shen Jue was calculating how to leave the island when he absentmindedly followed Yuci all the way to the latter’s courtyard. By the time he noticed, he was already standing at the gate. Yuci had long realized Shen Jue was following him and had been curious to see how long the dwarf would keep it up. He hadn’t expected him to be so shameless as to come all the way here.

Yuci turned and glared at Shen Jue. “Aren’t you going back to sleep? What, you want to give me a massage?”

Hearing this, Shen Jue recalled something.

There were two routes off the island. One was guarded by the Ten Deadly Islands’ disciples—too risky for him and Sang Xinghe to escape under their noses. The other was a secret passage known only to successive island masters. It was booby-trapped and required a ring worn by the island master to open.

But Shen Jue had never seen a ring on Yuci. When he was a spirit, he’d always followed Sang Xinghe, so he’d never paid attention to Yuci’s accessories.

If the ring wasn’t on Yuci, it must be in his room.

With that in mind, Shen Jue nodded at Yuci.

Yuci clicked his tongue. Just look at that longing gaze—the dwarf was truly head over heels for him. “You really want to massage me that badly?”

Shen Jue paused, then opened his palm and wrote, “Island Master works hard every day. A massage could help you sleep better.”

Reading the words, Yuci felt his suspicions fully confirmed. He studied Shen Jue for a moment, then curled his lips slightly. “Fine, go ahead.”

This little dwarf could cure his insomnia, so he’d reluctantly accept the favor. But nothing more.

With Shen Jue’s massage, Yuci quickly fell asleep. Shen Jue sat on the bed, scanning the sleeping Yuci from head to toe. Where could that ring be hidden? He first focused on Yuci’s neck. Yuci’s collar was high, making it impossible to see if there was a cord underneath. Perhaps the ring hung around his neck.

Carefully, Shen Jue reached out. The moment his fingers touched Yuci’s collar, the other’s eyes snapped open.

Yuci grabbed Shen Jue’s hand, his gaze far too sharp for someone who’d just woken up. He looked at Shen Jue’s slightly changing expression and snorted. “What are you doing?”

Shen Jue had already removed his mask, so even the faintest flicker of emotion was visible to Yuci.

Seeing his hand caught, Shen Jue’s heart sank. But before he could come up with an excuse, Yuci suddenly released him.

“Don’t let it happen again.” Yuci folded his arms behind his head. This little dwarf was too bold, trying to undress him.

Shen Jue withdrew his hand. He didn’t understand why Yuci was being so lenient, but after a moment’s thought, he offered a smile.

When Shen Jue smiled, a small dimple appeared on the left side of his mouth—usually invisible.

It was the first time Yuci had seen that dimple. He froze for a second, then turned his face away, saying coldly, “Smiling so much at night—are you trying to attract ghosts?” Still feeling a strange tightness in his chest, he turned back and growled, “What are you still doing here? Get back to your own room.”

Shen Jue had no choice but to get off the bed. But since Yuci was sleeping on the outer side, he’d have to climb over him.

As he tried to step over, Yuci suddenly bent his knees, apparently not wanting Shen Jue to touch him. Shen Jue lost his balance and started to fall. Seeing this, Yuci reached out to catch him.

He pulled Shen Jue into his arms with a yank.

Shen Jue crashed into Yuci’s embrace, his face pressed against the other’s chest, his nose full of the scent of soap from Yuci’s robes.

As soon as he’d pulled him in, Yuci regretted it. He immediately tried to push Shen Jue away, but the dwarf suddenly hugged him tightly.

Shen Jue’s arms wrapped firmly around Yuci’s waist, as if unwilling to leave his embrace.

Yuci froze, his eyes darting around in panic.

What was he supposed to do now?

Just then, a knock came at the door.