The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 57: This Seat Listens to You Play the Zither Again

To everyone's surprise, although Chu Wanning was clumsy at making dumplings, the finished products were surprisingly good. With his slender fingers, he shaped plump and adorable dumplings that were arranged neatly on the cutting board.

All three disciples couldn't help but stare in astonishment.

"Our Master actually knows how to make dumplings..."

"Am I dreaming?"

"He even makes them well."

"Wow..."

Their whispers did not escape Chu Wanning's sharp ears. He pursed his lips, and his eyelashes fluttered. Though his face remained expressionless, the tips of his ears had turned slightly pink.

Xue Meng couldn't resist asking, "Master, is this your first time making dumplings?"

"…Mm."

"How could you wrap them so beautifully?"

"…It's just like building a mecha, only with a few folds. What's so difficult about that?"

Mo Ran gazed at him across the wooden table, gradually losing himself in thought.

In his previous life, the only time he had seen Chu Wanning make any kind of dough-based food was after Shi Mo's passing. That day, Chu Wanning went to the kitchen and slowly wrapped up the wontons that Shi Mo used to excel at making.

But before they could be cooked, Mo Ran, overcome by grief, had knocked them all over the floor. The pristine wontons scattered everywhere.

Mo Ran didn't remember whether those wontons were flat or round, beautiful or ugly.

He only recalled Chu Wanning's expression back then—staring silently at him, his cheeks still dusted with flour. He looked so unfamiliar, somewhat lost, even foolish…

Mo Ran had assumed Chu Wanning would be angry, would lash out. But in the end, Chu Wanning said nothing. He simply bent down, head lowered, and picked up each dirtied wonton one by one, gathering them together before personally discarding them.

What had Chu Wanning been feeling at that time?

Mo Ran didn't know; he hadn't dared to think about it, nor did he want to. In truth, he was afraid to.

The dumplings were ready, carried back to the kitchen by the little snowman, who had cooked them according to tradition. Chu Wanning had placed a copper coin inside one, as was customary; whoever ate it would have good fortune.

The snowman soon returned with the cooked dumplings on a wooden tray, accompanied by a dish of spicy and sour vinegar sauce.

Xue Meng said, "Master, you should eat first."

Chu Wanning didn't refuse. He picked up a dumpling and placed it in his bowl, but instead of eating it, he took three more, giving them in turn to Xue Meng, Mo Ran, and Shi Mo.

"Happy New Year," Chu Wanning said softly.

His disciples were taken aback for a moment before they all burst into laughter. "Happy New Year, Master."

It was truly coincidental that the very first dumpling Mo Ran bit into contained the copper coin. He hadn't been prepared at all and nearly chipped a tooth.

Looking at Mo Ran's pained expression, Shi Mo chuckled. "Ah Ran will have good luck in the new year."

Xue Meng scoffed. "Pfft, what rubbish luck."

With teary eyes, Mo Ran protested, "Master, you aimed too precisely at this dumpling. It's just the first one, and I've already gotten..."

Chu Wanning said, "Speak properly."

Mo Ran replied, "I bit my toe in my shoe."

Chu Wanning: "..................."

Rubbing his cheek, Mo Ran took a sip of tea offered by Shi Mo and finally recovered. He joked, "Haha, could it be that Shifu deliberately tripped me because you remembered which dumpling had the coin?"

"You wish," Chu Wanning said coldly, then lowered his head to continue eating.

But perhaps it was just Mo Ran's illusion, but he saw Chu Wanning's face seemed to flush slightly under the warm candlelight.

After the dumplings, the head chef's sumptuous dinner was soon served plate by plate, with heavy servings of chicken, duck, fish, and meat filling the table.

As the Hall of the Lady of the Bridge became increasingly bustling, Xue Zhengyong and Madame Wang sat at the head of the table, while little snowmen delivered generous red envelopes to ward off evil spirits to each guest.

One small snowman kept bumping into Chu Wanning's knee, with Shi Zhouan's stone-like eyes fixed on him.

Chu Wanning was slightly taken aback. "Me too? Why?"

He took the red envelope and opened it to find a valuable gold leaf inside. He was speechless for a moment, then looked up at Xue Zhengyong, only to see that vulgar man grinning at him while raising his wine cup in a distant salute.

How silly.

But he also found Xue Zhengyong truly... truly...

Chu Wanning stared at him for a while, unable to resist a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He raised his own cup, toasted the Master, and drained it in one go.

Later, he distributed the gold leaves among his disciples. After three rounds of drinking, the performance on stage continued, and the mood at their table finally warmed up.

Mainly because the three mischievous kids seemed less intimidated by him now.

As for Chu Wanning, he had always been able to drink without getting drunk.

"Master, Master, let me read your palm?"

It was Xue Meng who first lost his senses due to alcohol.

He held Chu Wanning's hand up to his eye, examining it closely. If he hadn't already downed three cups of alcohol, he wouldn't have dared to be so disrespectful, even with ten times his courage.

"Long life line but fragmented – your health doesn't seem optimal," Xue Meng muttered. "You're prone to illnesses."

Mo Ran laughed heartily. "Pretty accurate."

Chu Wanning glared at him.

"The ring finger is long – Master, you have great fortune in accumulating wealth."

"The heart, head, and life lines all stem from the same source, and at the end of the heart line, a branch dips into the head line, indicating a willingness to sacrifice for love..." Xue Meng stared blankly for a moment before suddenly looking up and asking, "Is this real?"

Chu Wanning's face had turned ashen. He gritted his teeth and said, "Xue Ziming, I think you've grown tired of living."

Unbeknownst to himself, the drunk Xue Meng remained oblivious and even gave an innocent smile before continuing his inspection. He then muttered, "Oh, and look, there's an island formation on the heart line, right under the ring finger. Master, your judgment of people might not be that sharp... perhaps you're blind to the truth..."

Chu Wanning could no longer endure it. With a fierce tug, he pulled his hand away and turned to leave, his sleeves flaring.

Mo Ran nearly died from laughter, holding his stomach and chuckling for quite some time. When he finally met Chu Wanning's icy, menacing gaze, he forced himself to stifle his laughter, but his ribs ached from the effort.

Chu Wanning thundered, "What are you laughing about? Is there something amusing?"

Just as he was about to storm off in frustration, his sleeve was tugged on by Xue Meng. Instantly, Mo Ran's smile vanished, for Xue Meng, dazed and disoriented, had pulled Chu Wanning down onto him. He buried his face in Wanning's embrace, his arms wrapped around his waist, his forehead pressed against the hem of his mentor's garment, intimately nuzzling against it with utmost affection.

"Master..." The soft, mellow voice of a young boy, tinged with a hint of playful coquetry, "Please don't leave, come now, have one more cup."

Chu Wanning appeared as if he were choking on his words.

"Xue Ziming! You... You're being utterly reckless! Let go of me at once!"

To everyone's surprise, the tiny snowman on stage suddenly scurried down, indicating that Elder Greedy Wolf's sword dance had ended. According to the schedule, it was now Chu Wanning's turn.

This was a disastrous turn of events. All eyes were now on Chu Wanning, who, after Xue Meng's drunken antics, had dared to cling to Elder Yu Heng's waist and act coquettishly in his embrace. The disciples were utterly stunned; some even held their chopsticks upside down, unable to take their eyes off the corner where this scene unfolded.

Chu Wanning: "............"

The atmosphere became incredibly awkward. Elder Yu Heng didn't know whether to stand or sit, and could only freeze in place while Xue Meng clung to him.

After a long silence, Mo Ran suddenly let out a dry laugh. "Hey, Xue Meng, you're already grown up, why are you still acting like a child?" He reached out to pull Xue Meng away. "Get up, don't lay on your Master like that."

Xue Meng wasn't intentionally being coquettish; had he been sober, he would have slapped himself for it. But in his current state of intoxication, it took Mo Ran quite some effort to pry him away from Chu Wanning.

"Sit up straight and tell me, what's this number?"

Xue Meng looked at the single finger Mo Ran held out and frowned before answering, "Three."

Mo Ran: "............"

Unable to resist, Shi Mo chuckled and joined in, "And who am I?"

"I'm Shi Mo," Xue Meng replied with an annoyed roll of his eyes.

Mo Ran joined in the fun, "Then who am I?"

Xue Meng stared at him for a moment before saying, "You're a dog."

"......" Mo Ran seethed, "This isn't over between you and me, Xue Ziming!"

Suddenly, at the neighboring table, a disciple who was either daringly bold or equally inebriated pointed at Chu Wanning and jovially called out loud, "Young Master, tell us, who is he, eh?"

Xue Meng's alcohol tolerance was indeed poor; he could barely sit upright and leaned on the table, propping his cheek with one hand as he gazed at Chu Wanning with half-lidded eyes for a long while.

Chu Wanning: "..."

Xue Meng: "..."

Chu Wanning: "..."

Xue Meng: "..............."

After an extended silence, just as everyone assumed that Xue Meng was succumbing to the effects of the alcohol and dozing off, he suddenly broke into a smile and reached out to tug on Chu Wanning's sleeve again.

"Immortal Big Brother."

The four words rang clear and distinct.

The crowd of disciples: ".................................."

"Ahem."

Someone giggled, and soon everyone else followed. Even though Chu Wanning's expression was grim and his temper notorious, the law of numbers worked in their favor. They knew he wouldn't be able to strike every single one of them with his divine sword, Tianwen. Thus, the normally solemn Hall of Mother Nian erupted into laughter, with whispers and jests circulating amidst the food and drinks.

"Haha, Immortal Elder Brother."

"Elder Yu Heng is so handsome, he truly resembles an immortal."

"If I may say something cliché, every time I see him, I can't help but think of a phrase."

Someone asked, "What phrase is that?"

"Remove three feet of snow from your body, and no one in this world would match your pure white attire."

"…Well, then you really are quite cliché."

Chu Wanning's face turned from pale to green, then black. He decided to pretend composure and act as if he hadn't heard anything.

After all, he was accustomed to others' distant reverence. This sudden outpouring of warmth and enthusiasm amidst the festive atmosphere and alcohol caught him off guard, leaving him defenseless and retreating. Faced with such a situation, he didn't know how to react, so he could only force himself to stay calm.

Yet the faint flush on his cheeks betrayed the otherwise icy composure of his handsome face.

Mo Ran noticed this and pressed his lips together, not speaking. For some reason, a nagging jealousy stirred abruptly within him.

He was well aware of Chu Wanning's beauty, but like everyone else, he understood that while Chu Wanning was indeed dashing, his attractiveness came with a sharpness akin to being chiseled by a blade. When he didn't smile, he was as cold as frost, discouraging anyone from getting too close.

From Mo Ran's gloomy and narrow perspective, Chu Wanning was like a sumptuous dish of crispy pork, displayed in a dilapidated and dirty food box. In this world, only he had discovered and savored the delectable treat inside. He had no need to worry about others uncovering this culinary delight, becoming addicted to its taste.

But tonight, amidst the warm glow of the fire and the stimulation of the fiery alcohol, numerous eyes were now fixated on that once-ignored food box.

Mo Ran suddenly felt a twinge of anxiety. He wanted to shield the box tightly, as if swatting away annoying flies, driving away those who coveted his meal.

Yet, he suddenly realized that in this life, this crispy pork was not his. With his delicate crystal dumplings in hand, he could no longer afford to chase away the wolves salivating over the meat.

Mo Ran and his companions hadn't expected Chu Wanning to actually prepare a New Year's performance, just like the other elders. Chu Wanning presented a guqin performance, eliciting admiration from his disciples. One whispered, "I never would have guessed Elder Yu Heng could play the qin...

"And he plays so beautifully, it makes me forget the taste of meat."

Mo Ran sat silently in his spot, while Xue Meng had already fallen asleep, his head resting on the table, breathing evenly. Mo Ran took the wine jug beside him and poured himself a full cup. As he listened and sipped, he found himself entranced by the figure on stage.

The irritation within his chest grew stronger.

In his previous life, Chu Wanning had never performed any musical piece during the New Year's Eve gathering.

Very few people had witnessed him playing the zither.

It was likely when he was confined by Mo Ran that Chu Wanning, overwhelmed with pent-up emotions, spotted a old Chinese zither made of catalpa wood in the courtyard. He sat on the ground, closed his eyes, and strummed the strings.

The melody that echoed was distant and serene, as if it could lure phoenixes and butterflies. When Mo Ran returned, he saw the profile of Chu Wanning sitting in the courtyard, exuding an indescribable sense of tranquility, purity, and nobility.

How had he treated him back then?

Ah, yes.

He had pushed Chu Wanning down beside the zither, taking advantage of him right there in the courtyard. Mo Ran had been consumed by his own overwhelming pleasure, ignoring the pain and suffering Chu Wanning must have endured. He hadn't even considered that it was already past the beginning of winter, and how much his Master detested the cold. Yet, Chu Wanning's clothes were torn from his body, leaving him exposed on the cold stone as Mo Ran relentlessly ravaged him until he passed out from the torment.

It took months of recuperation for Chu Wanning to regain his vitality.

With a chilling tone, Mo Ran had said to him, "Chu Wanning, you are never to play the zither in front of others again. You should know how alluring your appearance is when you...

He pressed his lips together, searching for the right words but failing to find them, and thus fell silent.

What more was there?

Despite his composed and tranquil appearance, there was an inexplicable allure that left one powerless to resist.

Chu Wanning remained silent, his lips pale and his eyes closed, his sword-like brows lending an air of severity.

Mo Ran raised his hand, hesitated for a moment, then gently stroked the crease between Chu Wanning's furrowed brows. Though Heaven-Stepping Lord's touch was tender, his voice remained cold and unfeeling.

"If you refuse to listen, I'll chain you to the bed, leaving you able to do nothing but share a bed with this seat. My words are not empty threats."

How had Chu Wanning replied at that time?

Mo Ran took another swig of wine, gazing at the figure on stage as he recalled the moment pensively.

He seemed to have said nothing.

Or perhaps he had opened his eyes and coldly uttered a single word—

"Scram."

He couldn't recall anymore.

In that lifetime, his days intertwined with Chu Wanning were so prolonged that many memories had blurred, losing their sharp edges.

Ultimately, he admitted one thing to himself, monstrous as it was: Chu Wanning belonged to him. Even if he didn't like it, only he had the right to destroy and tear him apart. He would rather crush Chu Wanning's flesh in his palm, like a beast tearing apart his bones and gut, than allow anyone else to touch him.

He wanted Chu Wanning's blood to breed his desires, his bones to bear his curses, and his body to pulse with his fervor.

Didn't he pride himself on his nobility?

What about later? Didn't he still end up with his legs spread wide, beneath the world's most wicked villain, on the bed of the cruelest tyrant, his life taken by a man's searing blade? He had dirtied him, inside and out.

Torn clothes could never be easily worn again.

Mo Ran closed his eyes, his knuckles turning pale as fear gripped his heart.

Lost in his thoughts, he no longer heard the lively New Year's Eve celebrations or Chu Wanning's soothing melodies.

In his mind, there was only a crazed and ruthless voice, swooping down from the past like a vulture, circling persistently.

"Hell is too cold, Chu Wanning. Come, die with me."

"Yes, you're a god, a beacon of light to others. Xue Meng, Mei Hanxue, and the people of Dawn all await your illumination, Master Chu, Sage." The voice chuckled sweetly, but then suddenly turned fierce, like a split soul in a thunderous rage. "But what about me! Have you ever shone upon me? Warmed me? All that's left on me are scars from you! Sage Chu Wanning!"

"I took your body, your life. You want to be their flame, but I'll drag you to my grave. Letting you shine only on my bones, I'll make you rot with me."

"Life and death are not up to you..."

A deafening cheer erupted.

Mo Ran abruptly opened his eyes, drenched in cold sweat.

The performance had ended, and all the disciples were enthusiastically clapping. Mo Ran sat among them, feeling dizzy and pale. He watched as Chu Wanning carried his zither down the wooden steps.

In that moment, for the first time in his life, he felt how absurd it all was. Suddenly, his past self seemed mad and delusional.

Actually, Chu Wanning wasn't that bad... Why was he doing this to himself?

Intoxicating liquor slides down the throat, ultimately leaving one at a loss, lost in a daze, ultimately succumbing to its spell.

Author's Note:

Short Scene:

"The Inner Thoughts of Each Character"

Mo Weiyu: I feel like I was a madman in my past life. The script the director gave me seems more like a role for a lunatic. It's embarrassing, but I have no choice but to play along.

Xue Meng: I believe I'm a straight man, yet today the director asks me to act coquettishly towards my master. This script is humiliating, but I have no choice but to comply.

Shi Mo: I sense that Aran has changed. The director clearly stated he had feelings for me, but today he didn't even glance my way. This script is awkward, but I must follow through.

Chu Wanning: I don't want to do the bed scene. But the director says... I don't care what he says, drag him down and beat him. Let him learn what it means to have no choice but to obey.