Chapter 104

Chapter 104

The effect of his teasing was profound, evidenced by Rong Tang slumping over the tub edge, almost unable to lift his arms, and gasping for breath like a fish out of water.

Su Huaijing, bending over, lazily scooped hot water with a wooden ladle and poured it over Rong Tang's back to prevent him from catching a chill.

The sound of the water was soothing and gentle. It took Rong Tang a while to finally see more than just a blurred halo of light.

Su Huaijing lifted his arm, tilting his neck upwards, the water tracing down his slender collarbone, over his chest, rolling into his waist, leaving deep brown trails on his pale, dazzling skin.

Rong Tang let him continue, only realizing what he had just done after coming back to his senses, his ears turning red, his gaze shifting momentarily before he mustered up the courage to glare at the antagonist, about to accuse him, only to hear him say in a righteous, quiet voice, "Tang Tang started it."

While saying this, he continued pouring water over Rong Tang, treating him with the care one would give to a precious flower, his brows relaxed and eyes clear, gently asking, “Does Tang Tang want to be the villain who complains first?”

Rong Tang’s momentum dissipated in an instant, unable to rise again.

He thought about it and realized he had no way to refute the main antagonist’s accusation.

It was he who had provocatively invited him, even suggesting they bathe together.

Su Huaijing didn’t actually undress and get in, a sign of inherent propriety reminding him to maintain dignity and not to act frivolously.

In the end, Rong Tang had brought it upon himself.

He was the villain.

The young lord sat stunned, listlessly leaning over the edge of the tub, emptying his mind.

He couldn’t outtalk Su Huaijing, yet he felt frustrated.

Seeing this, Su Huaijing let out a soft laugh, moving the flow of water to Rong Tang's back, prompting, “Tang Tang, you asked me to stay. What did you want to talk about?”

His mood had improved considerably by now. Any jealousy or dissatisfaction could be overlooked in the face of Rong Tang’s initiative kiss.

So, seeing Rong Tang looking like a quail, almost wanting to bury himself in the tub, Su Huaijing decided to give him a way out.

Rong Tang paused for a moment, his brain finally recovering from its oxygen-deprived state and starting to function again.

He lifted his head, looking into Su Huaijing’s eyes, hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Why did you suddenly hate Sheng Chengli so much today?”

The reason Su Huaijing had given was evasive. Even though Rong Tang was distracted by the system at the time and couldn't think clearly, by now he could sense the nuances in it.

Su Huaijing’s dislike for Sheng Chengli was obvious, but this aversion had never reached the extent of wanting him dead.

It was Rong Tang mentioning that dream that gradually turned his dislike into loathing, even stirring thoughts of murder.

And such thoughts, with a slight shift from Rong Tang, were suppressed, convincing Su Huaijing to promise to take action himself.

But today, was it really just seeing Sheng Chengli in the courtyard that made Su Huaijing want to kill him?

Moreover, his inquiry was quite intriguing.

It was as if he had endured to his limits, yet still wanted to ask for Rong Tang’s opinion and gain his agreement before acting on his thoughts.

But this really shouldn't be the case.

Sheng Chengli hadn't yet grown into a threat, not falling within the scope of Su Huaijing's revenge, nor provoking any sense of wariness or caution in him.

The reason Su Huaijing harbored murderous thoughts but hadn’t acted...

Rong Tang couldn’t help but suspect that Su Huaijing knew he shouldn’t act.

Even if it wasn’t entirely clear, somehow, Rong Tang felt that Su Huaijing was aware of the irreversible consequences of killing Sheng Chengli.

His question to Rong Tang was partly seeking consent and partly assessing the consequences.

If such 'irreversible' consequences were like a mantis losing its arm, within Su Huaijing’s control, he might still act without hesitation.

The reason he asked Rong Tang if he was threatening him was that Rong Tang’s final answer was not what Su Huaijing wanted to hear.

That answer made him start to hesitate.

He was unwilling to bear such consequences.

Rong Tang felt a softness in his heart, yet he was still pondering why such a question was posed. It couldn't be just because he met him once, and found him so annoying that he felt the need to eliminate him immediately.

Rong Tang asked Su Huaijing, "Did you meet someone today?"

Su Huaijing paused slightly, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips: "Why do you ask?"

Rong Tang immediately knew his guess was close to the mark.

It must have been meeting someone or hearing something that caused his attitude towards Sheng Chengli to change so drastically.

Who was this person? And what was said?

Rong Tang’s brows furrowed lightly. Before he got an answer, Su Huaijing responded to his earlier question: "I did meet someone and heard some nonsensical words."

Rong Tang pursed his lips, looking at the flawless smile on Su Huaijing's lips, his throat feeling slightly hoarse. Hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Was it Qin Pengxuan?"

His voice was soft and light, carrying a hint of involuntary panic and consolation, as though he already knew the answer but still hoped his guess was not true.

Such a reaction, in Su Huaijing’s eyes, almost entirely confirmed his previous deductions.

Su Huaijing blinked gently, reached out to wipe away a droplet of water from Rong Tang’s eye corner, and asked with a smile, "What is Tang Tang afraid of?"

Rong Tang denied outright: "I’m not afraid."

"I see," Su Huaijing said softly, "Tang Tang’s guess is correct. Today, the Young Master of Wukang, the Marquis of Imperial Censorate, came to see me and asked me a strange question."

Rong Tang immediately became anxious: "What question?"

Su Huaijing smiled, "He asked if I have any birthmarks on my body."

The mugwort water had cooled considerably, and Rong Tang started to feel the cold again.

Su Huaijing handed him a towel, calling someone to help him out of the tub into a heated inner room. Soon, he brought another tub of warm water for him to continue soaking.

Rong Tang's expression was unreadable, and he never asked another question.

He felt sad.

Seeing him at the Fengyue Tower was already heartbreaking, and now hearing Su Huaijing speak so lightly about it, he felt an even deeper sense of desolation.

The course of history must have gone awry for a favored son of heaven to encounter such tribulations.

Rong Tang couldn't even voice his following thoughts, worried that revealing too much might lead Su Huaijing to suspect again.

Yet Su Huaijing asked with a smile, "Won't Tang Tang ask how I answered?"

Rong Tang, immersed in the hot water with droplets on his face, looked up at him.

Su Huaijing met his gaze, very serious, as if to engrave his answer into Rong Tang's mind: "I don't have any birthmarks on my body."

Rong Tang was stunned, his lips slightly parting in undisguised astonishment.

Su Huaijing chuckled, "If Tang Tang doesn't believe me, should I undress and show you?"

Rong Tang: "..."

His earlier worries were instantly dispelled by Su Huaijing's offbeat attitude. Young Master Rong rolled his eyes at him and submerged himself further into the water, washing off the dark brown mugwort stains from his neck, occasionally glancing at the antagonist, seemingly seeking an answer.

Su Huaijing said, "Does Tang Tang still remember the hallucinogenic 'Fantasy Grass' found on the drowned palace maid in Song Garden?"

Rong Tang, puzzled: "What does that have to do with Guan Yurong?"

Su Huaijing: "There are many kinds of hallucinogens in this world, each leading to different effects. I don't know why Qin Pengxuan thought I had a birthmark and was so serious about asking me. I just suspect he might have used drugs too, mistaking someone else for me, or entirely fabricating me in a hallucination. Hallucinations aren't reality; naturally, they differ from the truth. The marks he imagined, of course, wouldn't be on my body."

Su Huaijing explained calmly to Rong Tang, washing off the mugwort stains on his body with clean water. His tone barely changed, but Rong Tang's heart sank bit by bit.

He lowered his head, staring at his reflection on the water surface for a long time, forced to admit a fact.

Su Huaijing knew.

Even if he didn't know everything, he surely understood that some inexplicable phenomena had occurred in this world.

Rong Tang, Sheng Chengli, Qin Pengxuan...

They all had experienced anomalies beyond the understanding of ordinary people.

Tracing these peculiarities back to their roots, the most likely explanation involved past lives, dreams, and reality.

For Su Huaijing, connecting the dots between the latter scenario mentioned by Rong Tang and the former was almost effortless.

He had no reason to lie to Rong Tang about what Qin Pengxuan had asked him, and without Qin's inquiry, Su Huaijing would never have thought of it.

However...

Rong Tang stood up, took the towel, and dried off his body before changing into fresh clothes and heading to the inner room.

It was getting late. Su Huaijing, using the same water, began to clean himself.

Rong Tang lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling, his mind racing through numerous answers Su Huaijing could have fabricated to deceive and placate him.

Li Panyan had mentioned it, Li Changfu had talked about it, and he could even make up a story about being spied on while bathing in the Li mansion...

But he didn't. He straightforwardly told Rong Tang about the possibility of a hallucination.

Perhaps, he even knew how this hallucination came about.

Even if it hadn't happened in this life, he had guessed it.

So Su Huaijing told Rong Tang, to ease his mind and alleviate his guilt, and then assured him that there was nothing untoward between himself and Qin Pengxuan.

Whether it was the past life without memories or the present life that should have continued, there was never any unsavory incident between them.

Rong Tang sighed softly, almost instantly understanding why Su Huaijing was so intent on killing Sheng Chengli today.

He guessed how he died.

"Being too smart isn't always good."

The phrase "extreme intelligence brings sorrow" had ensnared Su Huaijing his entire life.

The sound of water ceased beyond the screen. Su Huaijing approached the inner chamber, intending to tuck Rong Tang into bed and bid him goodnight, but the person in bed shifted inwards and said, "Just sleep here tonight."

Su Huaijing paused slightly, and Rong Tang looked at him earnestly, "I'm cold, warm me up."

After getting through an entire winter, now he says he’s cold…

Su Huaijing chuckled softly, went out to extinguish the lights in the outer room, and blew out a few candles inside.

The room dimmed suddenly. He took off his shoes and socks, climbed into bed, and asked in a low voice, "Tang Tang, how far can you deceive me?"

He was genuinely curious.

Knowing well that he admired and desired him, he still dared to say all these things. Was it too much trust in himself, or did he think Su Huaijing wouldn't do anything?

Rong Tang pursed his lips, aware of what Su Huaijing was thinking, and replied softly, "Just this far, you know I'm not in good health."

"…Threatening me again," Su Huaijing laughed gently.

His body was warm, and Rong Tang unconsciously snuggled closer under the covers. Su Huaijing turned, swept him into his arms with a grand gesture.

Wrapped in warmth, Rong Tang was momentarily startled, then slowly succumbed to drowsiness.

Clinging to his last shred of reason, he emphasized, "You really can't kill him."

He deliberately avoided saying Sheng Chengli's name to prevent upsetting Su Huaijing.

The antagonist was silent for a long time before finally sighing helplessly, "I'll listen to you."

Rong Tang's heart settled. After a while, he heard Su Huaijing ask, "Tang Tang, am I really not in your dreams?"

He had asked the same question on the day of the first snow. Rong Tang's answer then was, "You are in my reality." Now asked again, he paused and nodded, "You are."

Su Huaijing asked, "What am I like?"

Rong Tang fell silent, recalling those lifetimes like scenes rolling in an old movie film, murmured softly, "You are just you."

You are redemption itself.

You are the one I want to be close to, even when I have no choice, even if it means going against orders.

You are the quiet, relaxing shelter beyond the high-pressure missions and the scheming machinations.

You are the crossroads where paths intertwine and part, the jug of wine under the tree, enjoyed in the moonlight or dusk.

Rong Tang said, "You are irreplaceable."