Don’t Pick Up Boyfriends From the Trash Bin

Chapter 185 - The Domineering General & Charming Military Advisor (4): Bathe together, take advantage, a close friend’s heart

Translator: kiribold

Editor: sarah

Chi Xiaochi calmly said, “What makes you think so?”

Yan Yuanzhao was slightly stern. “Don’t worry about what Sixth Master thinks, Sixth Master wants to know what you think.”

Chi Xiaochi said nothing.

“When the Shi family comes to your generation, you are the only one who is outstanding. Your two cousins, one is a Confucian scholar, and the other compared to you, you can barely say that his aptitude is mediocre.” Yan Yuanzhao said, “If you are interested in that little servant, just play around, don’t take it seriously.”

At this point, Yan Yuanzhao felt that it was inappropriate and took the initiative to stretch out his hand to press the Go board down.

Chi Xiaochi was focused on sorting out the relationships and only gave him a faint glance.

Yan Yuanzhao said warily, “If I said this in the past, you would definitely have flipped the table. Why have you changed your personality today?”

Chi Xiaochi said indifferently, “I’m going to win this game, so what’s the point of flipping the table.”

Yan Yuanzhao was immediately agitated, “Sixth Master gave you the lead. How can you still win?”

Chi Xiaochi: “…Dare I ask when you gave me the lead.”

Yan Yuanzhao boldly pointed to where he dropped his stone. “Just now.”

Chi Xiaochi: “…”

Get out of here.

The feudal monarchy system was out of the world of Go.

After three rounds, Yan Yuanzhao was completely slaughtered by Chi Xiaochi.

It was getting late, and Yan Yuanzhao, still not finished, was thrown out of the general’s residence by General Shi on the grounds that “This minister has to go to bed early. Tomorrow, xiansheng has morning classes.”

When he got into the carriage, Yan Yuanzhao still refused to give up. “See, I let him win.”

Qu Ying was hesitant to say anything, “…Sixth Prince.”

Yan Yuanzhao went to check what kind of incense was burning in the incense burner of the carriage today. “What’s the matter?”

“Go is go, and wine is wine.” Qu Ying whispered, “Qu Ying is bold, don’t forget the purpose of your friendship with the young general in the first place.”

Yan Yuanzhao put the lotus petal-shaped bronze cover back in place, silent.

He pushed aside the beaded curtain with his golden silk fan and looked out.

In front of him was the plaque of the general’s mansion. The brilliance of “General Zhennan’s Mansion” has survived seven generations and never faded.

The “Great Wind, Virtuous Noble” in the library, the “Wavelight and Cloud Shadow” in the three gazebos, and the “Praise Loyalty” in the main hall. More than half of the plaques in the general’s mansion was his father’s calligraphy, written in his own hand and bestowed by himself. It was a great honor.

But from the appearance alone, the brick walls of the General’s Mansion were gray, not decorated with gold and jade, low-key and introverted, standing quietly outside the glorious royal city of Wangcheng.

The Shi family was the Yan family’s fortress and retainer for generations, loyal from the beginning.

He lowered the curtain and raised his voice, “Let’s go.”

After Chi Xiaochi was out of the scene, before he could catch his breath, another minor trouble came.

Ah Ling asked, “Gongzi, please clean your hands and have dinner.”

Tonight’s dishes were not bad. One yellow croaker soup, a boiled cabbage dish, a bean sprouts ham dish, a dish of steamed pork with vermicelli, a cup of three delicacies soup, and a small bowl of wontons. The soup was fresh, made from simmering black-bone chicken and bamboo shoots for a long time, skimming off the floating oil residue and choosing the clearest soup to cook with.

Chi Xiaochi glanced at the dishes and said, “Give one of each to xiansheng.”

While serving him the dishes, Ah Ling said, “It’s already been delivered. Xiansheng has a weak spleen and stomach, so this servant sent less meat that is intractable, and added one more bird’s nest.”

Chi Xiaochi stared at Ah Ling’s hand.

Ah Ling drew hot water, dipped a towel, wrung it out, and wiped Chi Xiaochi’s hands. “The things you have in mind, Ziling will do them all for you, please rest assured.”

The wiping made Chi Xiaochi lose his appetite. He raised the chopsticks and ate two bites. He felt it was a bit of a waste, so he said naturally, “You haven’t eaten either, eat together?”

Ah Ling smiled as if he was accustomed to such honor and favor. “Thank you, gongzi.”

Afterward, he quickly fetched spare bowls and chopsticks and stood to use the meal.

…It seemed that Shi Tingyun and Ah Ling were indeed closer.

In contrast, Ah Shu was more long-winded.

Ah Ling’s given name was Chu Ziling. Ah Shu was from the Bai ethnic group from Nanjiang, and his Chinese name was Li Yeshu. They obviously came from educated families, which showed how carefully his father chose the people around him.

Compared to Li Yeshu, who was possessed by the Tang monk, Chu Ziling was more clever and thoughtful in dealing with people. He was born with a pair of peach-blossom smiling eyes. His wordless smile was likable without being frivolous.

When the wonton soup in Chi Xiaochi’s bowl was almost finished, he added to it in a timely manner. His eyebrows were curved, and his good mood was evident just by looking at him.

Chi Xiaochi asked kindly, “What are you smiling about?”

Ah Ling said frankly, “Gongzi’s health has improved, so Ziling is happy.”

Chi Xiaochi took the bowl of soup. “Where did you go just now?”

“Gongzi is so concerned about Ziling, Ziling is very frightened.” Ah Ling laughed, “But please spare Ziling, gongzi. If Ziling was around, the Sixth Prince would definitely take revenge for the three stones in Go last time.”

Chi Xiaochi hummed and ordered, “Clean up the main bedroom. From now on, gongzi-shi will stay in my room.”

This made Ah Ling freeze. “Gongzi?”

Chi Xiaochi said righteously, “Recently, my father has been sending letters to report important information on the frontier, and I have many things to ask Xiansheng. Father instructed me to talk with him more often, and sleep with him on the same bed as a show of respect.”

“Yes. Ziling has taken note of all of it.” Ah Ling obediently responded, “It’s just Ziling alone, so the tidying up will be slower. After dinner, Ziling will send some people from the outer courtyard to help clean up.”

“Where’s Ah Shu?”

“Did you sleep so much you forgot?” Ah Ling said, “Ah Shu’s younger sister is doing housework in the Qi family’s house in the outskirts of the city. You specifically allowed Ah Shu to go visit her on the thirteenth of every month. Today is the day that Ah Shu visits his relatives. In order to look after your health, Ah Shu went out a few hours late. Before he left, he was still thinking of gongzi and said that he would go to the Turkic caravan to buy some meditation incense for you to use.”

Chi Xiaochi said nothing. He secretly remembered some key sentences, planning to go back in the evening to have a good conversation with his xiansheng.

But in the evening, Chi Xiaochi’s energy was completely hollowed out.

Moving was inconvenient for Gongzi-shi, so the eldest-gongzi had to serve him wholeheartedly, including grooming and bathing.

Lou Ying’s body was very thin. Due to the lack of sunlight, his skin was colorless, and his legs were always weak. He needed someone to support him in bathing. The wooden tub was too restrictive and inconvenient, so they went to the mansion’s hot springs.

The tattoo on Lou Ying’s face wasn’t anything glamorous, so they usually hid it and didn’t want people to know, so Chi Xiaochi specially dismissed the servants.

Everyone in the general’s mansion was trained to know what to say and what not to say, and at most, it was just silent disagreement.

It was said that this gongzi-shi had been bedridden for a long time and was afraid of light and cold. He lived away from people, but he also wore a veil at night, so he probably couldn’t be seen because of his appearance.

This body was relatively light. After carrying Lou Ying, who was clad in a bathrobe, into the water, Chi Xiaochi immersed himself in the hot springs and was a little dizzy from the steam that smelled of sulfur.

He asked Lou Ying, “Is it hot?”

Lou Ying sat at the pool’s edge, gently cleaning the tattoo on the corner of his eye. “It’s okay. My legs don’t feel anything, just a little numb.”

Chi Xiaochi took a deep breath quietly and tried to convince himself.

What’s this? A small stage.

When he was a child, he also went to the bathhouse with Lou-ge. To compare who could handle the heat better, he became dehydrated and almost suffered heatstroke in the steam room. In the end, Lou-ge found that his condition wasn’t right, so he took the initiative to admit defeat, carried him out, and bought a cold drink to place on his cheek to help wake him up. When he woke up, Lou-ge held the back of his neck with one hand, opened the can with the other, and fed him orange soda.

Chi Xiaochi’s heart softened at the thought. The light fragrance of orange soda filled his mouth, and he became more courageous, so he took the initiative to approach him and wipe his legs and back.

Chi Xiaochi was afraid that he would develop bedsores, so he lifted his legs, covered the key points, and carefully cleaned the heels of his legs.

The skin on his body was very fair, turning red when he rubbed it. Chi Xiaochi used very little force, afraid of hurting him, but as a result, rubbing his body turned into touching him.

…the air was filled with a gay atmosphere that even sulfur couldn’t suppress.

Lou Ying flexed his body, gritted his teeth, and endured it before clenching his fists and saying softly, “…hmm. It’s done.”

Chi Xiaochi felt he had done a good job, so he turned his head and said, “All washed up?”

Lou Ying tried his best to prop up one leg, blocking part of Chi Xiaochi’s sight. “For the time being, no need. I’ll bathe by myself for a while, you go wash up.”

Chi Xiaochi was also a little uncomfortable. He rubbed his face, which was reddened by the heat, and moved to one side, keeping a distance from Lou Ying so that he felt calmer.

After a long time, Lou Ying’s tense body slightly relaxed. He exhaled, turned sideways, and asked, “Who do you suspect?”

After Chi Xiaochi relaxed, he flicked the water for fun. “They all have faults.”

Yan Yuanheng’s temperament was too restrained. His thoughts weren’t difficult to guess, but no one knew what the consequences of his thoughts would breed.

Ah Shu, whose background was a bit awkward, would regularly go out, so he was worth paying attention to.

Lou Ying asked, “What about Ah Ling?”

Chi Xiaochi said, “To be seen. He practices martial arts, and there are traces of tape wrapped around his hands. I can’t see anything else, except that he is indeed Shi Tingyun’s favorite.”

He paused for a while. “Yan Yuanzhao…”

In his opinion, Yan Yuanzhao had no problems, but he was too close to Shi Tingyun like a brother. There was no estrangement, which was strange in itself.

Lou Ying moved at this moment.

He propped up on the edge with one hand, using the water’s momentum to float. He came to Chi Xiaochi, knelt precisely between his knees, and forced him to retreat irrevocably.

Chi Xiaochi choked.

But before his heart beat faster, Lou Ying said, “Yan Yuanzhao.”

He put his index finger against Chi Xiaochi’s temple.

Qu Ying’s conversation with Yan Yuanzhao in the carriage had reached his ears.

Lou Ying briefly explained, “When I met with him, I put something on him.”

After bathing, the two were hung up on business, and they returned to the room. During the way, they talked the whole time and summarized the current information.

Chi Xiaochi carried Lou Ying to the bed, placed him on the inside properly, and covered him with a thick quilt. Then he turned on the bed, blew out two candles, and rested beside him.

The day was still a little chilly not long after spring. Considering Lou Ying’s body, a furnace was added to the house.

Chi Xiaochi was a little hot, so he only covered his waist and abdomen with a quilt and thought about things with one hand behind his head.

Lou Ying was close to him, looked at his eyes shining in the dark, and said gently, “Is it hot?”

“Not bad.”

“Can I tell you something?”

Chi Xiaochi thought he had discovered something else. “Go ahead.”

“Actually, my legs haven’t lost all feeling.” Lou Ying turned sideways and added, “…at the root of my legs.”

Chi Xiaochi’s blood rushed to his head.

Lou Ying said, “If I can take care of you in the future, I will pay attention to this.”

While speaking, in the darkness, a cold hand reached out of bed, lightly grabbed Chi Xiaochi’s fingers, and gently squeezed.

“Your palms are sweating.” The voice in his ear had a smile that made half of his face numb, “Hot?”

Chi Xiaochi didn’t say anything. He tucked Lou Ying’s hand into his quilt and tried to pull his hand out after tucking him in, but the hand tightened as if refusing to let him go.

Chi Xiaochi pursed his lips, gritted his teeth, and gave him his hand.

Slightly sweaty fingers were hooked in one place.

The bones were hard, but the moist palm was soft.

Perhaps because of overthinking before going to bed, Chi Xiaochi closed his eyes and had chaotic dreams all night.

Chi Xiaochi walked alone in a hazy blood mist with an overwhelming smell of blood in his nostrils.

He stumbled through a city, wearing heavy shackles on his hands and feet, and the fingernails on both hands were gone, having been pulled out. He inhaled a breath, and all he exhaled was blood, which stung his throat with sweetness and astringence.

He knew this was the original owner’s dream, but he couldn’t see anything clearly, only the incessant chattering of people passing by his ears like the wind.

“Report! Rebellion in Nanjiang! General Shi Jinghong was killed by poison!”

“Gongzi…the general, he…”

“Yellow-mouthed little boy, can he lead the Beifu army? You don’t know how to command a whole army just by fighting in a war!”

Then came Ah Shu’s voice. “Gongzi has only been on the battlefield! It’s too difficult for him to lead the entire Beifu army…”

Ah Ling said, “I will be by gongzi’s side. Take good care of the home, I will come back with gongzi.”

Then came Ah Ling’s elated voice, “Congratulations gongzi, for your victory!!”

After that, there was a long silence.

He walked aimlessly through the blood mist step by step, thinking he was going to reach the end of the dream, until…

“Shi Tingyun, why do you think Sixth Master is making friends with you!?” He suddenly heard someone shouting hoarsely, “It’s just because your surname is Shi! Your surname is Shi!”

The loitering guest playing Go with him today. His voice was hoarse with a scalp-numbing determination. “…Do you think that I, Yan Yuanzhao, am still your close friend? No! Not from the beginning!”

The scene suddenly shifted, and the surrounding blood fog dispersed. Chi Xiaochi was sitting in a prison cell, looking down at the shackles on his wrists.

The cell door creaked open.

He turned to the door, and a gongzi in fine clothes walked slowly in front of him and knelt on one knee in front of him.

The Thirteenth Prince, Yan Yuanheng.

His hair was a little messy at the temples, and the corners of his mouth were stained with blood, as if he had just gone through a big battle.

Chi Xiaochi didn’t speak, just looked at him flatly, muttering words uncontrollably.

Yan Yuanheng didn’t say a word. He held the back of his neck and massaged it soothingly. Then, a sharp object pressed against Chi Xiaochi’s throat.

He struck extremely ruthlessly and quickly, cutting his throat with a knife, and blood spurted out instantly.

The pain of his neck being slit made Chi Xiaochi jump up from the bed in horror and turn to his side to dry retch twice. He struggled to the ground, threw himself to the desk, pulled a piece of paper, and recalled the murmuring in the dream with the remaining ink on the inkstone. With trembling hands, he copied every word of what Shi Tingyun said in the dream.

In the end, he threw away the brush, slumped on the chair, and took a sip of cold tea before calming down.

Lou Ying sat up from the bed. “What happened?”

Chi Xiaochi grabbed the rice paper, returned to the bed, and showed the paper to Lou Ying.

——“Little slave is lowly and dare not tarnish the prince’s golden body.”