Chapter 135

Chapter 135

Throughout the entire month of La, Rong Tang and Su Huaijing were inseparable, indulging in each other, doing whatever they pleased...

Young Master Rong Tang, seemingly marinated by Su Huaijing, looked healthier day by day, yet his demeanor became more and more languid, spending his days after waking up lounging on the couch, reading storybooks.

Then waiting for Su Huaijing to come home, after dinner and a walk, whether in the study or the bedroom, on the bed or the small couch, anywhere was possible. With just a beckon from Rong Tang, the villain would start serving him diligently.

The system accidentally witnessed this several times, wishing it could gouge out its own eyes, and later, as soon as Su Huaijing appeared, it would automatically go into hibernation, fearing to see any scenes not suitable for children.

Until the twenty-sixth day of La, Rong Tang got out of bed during the day, rode a carriage to visit Mu Jingxu's residence, taking Yuan Yuan out shopping. On the way, he bumped into a crowd shopping for New Year goods and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head.

A familiar sensation, Rong Tang almost instantly broke out in a cold sweat, his limbs turning icy.

But the pain quickly faded, as if it had never come, more like a bug in a game causing a momentary data glitch, accidentally occurring and then rapidly corrected back to normal.

Rong Tang felt uneasy and lost interest in shopping with Yuan Yuan. After dropping her off at the Mu residence, he took the carriage back to Yong'an Lane.

On the way, he saw passersby and households cleaning their doors. On a whim, he bought a pack of freshly baked date paste cakes and detoured to the Imperial Censorate.

As the year-end approached, apart from the Ministry of Rites busy with ceremonies and banquets, other officials were more relaxed.

When Rong Tang arrived at the Imperial Censorate around Shenshi (3-5 pm), the weather was clear. The unthawed snow of Yu Jing's winter formed a tranquil, centuries-old imperial city. He alighted from the carriage and quietly looked up at the imposing and solemn stone statues outside the Censorate.

After the bell signaled the end of the day's work, Rong Tang came back to his senses and turned to look at the entrance.

Su Huaijing came out, dressed in the green-gray official robe of the Imperial Censor of the Great Yu Dynasty. In half a month, his robe would change to the yuanyang patterned indigo color of the Chief Imperial Censor.

Standing at the bottom of the steps, Rong Tang watched him approach, the evening breeze of Yu Jing seeming to carry shadows of three lifetimes.

Su Huaijing's eyes brightened with unhidden joy as he hurried towards Rong Tang, instinctively taking his hand to warm it, asking, "Why are you here?"

Rong Tang replied, "I went to see Yuan Yuan during the day and saw the freshly baked date paste cakes at Liufangzhai, knowing you like them, so I brought them for you."

Su Huaijing's mood, already lifted by seeing Rong Tang, became even more buoyant. If Ke Hongxue were there, he would surely go and boast to Minister Ke.

But with Ke Hongxue absent and the outside cold, Su Huaijing didn't want Rong Tang to catch a chill and led him into the carriage.

The date paste cakes, steaming hot and fragrant, filled the carriage, almost overpowering the scent of sandalwood, warm and soft, perfect for the festive atmosphere.

After eating one, Su Huaijing kissed Rong Tang, and the sweet taste lingered in Tangtang's mouth too.

That night, Rong Tang was particularly insatiable. When an hour passed and Su Huaijing thought of getting up to fetch hot water for cleaning, Rong Tang hooked him with his foot, his voice weak and hoarse but with an unexpectedly fierce tone: "Another round."

Su Huaijing finally snapped out of the temptation of sweets and the beauty's bed, realizing the overlooked details.

That night, Rong Tang fell asleep directly, and Su Huaijing cleaned his body, put on a robe, dressed, and left for his own room.

There was a letter in the secret compartment every day. Opening it, he found that Liuyun reported the physician had cured Cheng Chengli's limp and asked when the master wanted his eyes.

Su Huaijing narrowed his eyes, lost in thought for a while.

He didn't know what connection Cheng Chengli's leg had with Rong Tang, nor was he sure if Tangtang's contrasting behavior today was related to Cheng Chengli, but the most likely possibility was right in front of him, compelling him to think more.

He sat in place for a long time, then picked up his pen to write a letter, assigning a new task.

The next day, Emperor Renshou canceled the court session, and the officials began semi-vacations, only needing to check in at the office before returning home.

Su Huaijing took Rong Tang to visit Mu Jingxu, and the family of five spent a lively day together.

On the way home, Su Huaijing held Rong Tang's hand, observing his profile and expression, his suspicions seemed to be taking a real shape. He bowed his head, suppressing the murderous fury in his eyes.

The third day, Rong Tang started discussing with the cook about the dishes for the New Year and asked Shuangfu to clean a courtyard, planning to invite his grandmother and mother to stay for a few days after the New Year.

Su Huaijing skipped work for a day, joining in the fun with him. Before dinner, he returned to his room and saw a wooden box on the desk, suddenly laughing, though his eyes gathered ice.

Rong Tang knocked on his door, complaining that he was starving and wanted to eat.

But at night, he cried and said he couldn't eat anymore.

So capricious, Su Huaijing thought.

He leaned down as Rong Tang trembled, trying to evade, but Su Huaijing bit his earlobe and whispered, "Tangtang, I have a gift for you."

At this moment, Rong Tang was too disoriented to care about any gift, agreeing with whatever Su Huaijing said, just wishing for him to finish quickly.

However, after waking up from sleep and having breakfast, Su Huaijing presented him with a brocade box.

Rong Tang opened it, puzzled, and saw a bright red eyeball, wrapped in a membrane, with clear blood vessels, lying lonely on the velvet.

He was stunned for half a second, barely reacting.

Having not plotted or schemed in a lifetime, Rong Tang almost forgot what these things looked like after being separated from the body.

Perhaps his indifferent reaction pleased Su Huaijing, who chuckled softly and said, "Tangtang, guess whose token this is?"

The answer surfaced in Rong Tang's mind, and he tensed uncontrollably, his scalp tingling, feeling like he was awaiting a life-or-death verdict.

Instead of answering, he counter-questioned, "When was it taken?"

Su Huaijing's eyes flickered, he poured a cup of tea and covered it, walking over and looking down at Rong Tang with a gentle voice, "Let's discuss things one by one with Tangtang."

"I did him a favor and just took this as a reward."

Rong Tang was slightly startled, looking up at the villain in confusion.

Su Huaijing explained leisurely, his fingers not idle, playing with a strand of Rong Tang's hair, "On the twenty-sixth of the twelfth lunar month, I had someone cure Cheng Chengli's crippled leg."

Rong Tang was stunned for a second, then suddenly alert, his eyes wide open, like a dying person who had found a lifesaving medicine, staring fixedly at Su Huaijing.

Su Huaijing's heart ached uncontrollably, yet he still smiled and slowly said, "On the twenty-seventh, I ordered a sneak attack that left a cut on Cheng Chengli's abdomen."

Rong Tang's pupils contracted slightly, not for Cheng Chengli, but for the person Su Huaijing had commanded to carry out the task.

At this time, the protagonist would have likely learned martial arts, and with guards protecting the house, obtaining any advantage from him would not be easy.

Su Huaijing caught the subtle expression, and his already sour mood soured further.

Suppressing the tyrannical impulse within him, Su Huaijing's fingers moved up, gently grasping Rong Tang's chin.

He bent down, looking at his deity, closing in infinitely, foreheads touching, his tone warm yet laced with unspeakable danger, "Don't show such an expression, it makes me unhappy."

Su Huaijing expressed his emotions directly, Rong Tang was stunned for a second, then reacted, hesitating briefly before recklessly kissing his lips.

A light touch and then release, full of comfort, Rong Tang said, "I'm not sad or pitying him, I'm worried you might be in danger."

Su Huaijing froze, his dreadful mood quickly soothed, he paused, loosening his grip, his forehead gently rubbing against Rong Tang's, like a spoiled pet seeking comfort.

He pressed close to Tangtang, continuing, "Then, on the twenty-eighth — yesterday, I had someone bring back the reward."

The reward, referring to the eyeball in the wooden box.

Rong Tang, fully aware, still asked, "What was the purpose of the cut on the twenty-seventh?"

Su Huaijing countered, "Then why the date paste cakes on the twenty-sixth?"

Thus, each remained silent, understanding each other without words.

Su Huaijing, who paid such close attention to Rong Tang's every move, might let his guard down in moments of tenderness, but once a hint of something more surfaced, he would unravel the mystery behind it with relentless determination.

Wanting to give Cheng Chengli a taste of joy before despair, the gift he sent unintentionally became an indispensable part of this closed loop.

On the twenty-sixth of the twelfth month, Cheng Chengli's leg injury healed, and Rong Tang showed signs of barely suppressed madness and faint despair in his eyes, frantically seeking pleasure, as if wanting to drown in their intimate moments.

On the twenty-seventh, Liuyun injured Cheng Chengli, but Rong Tang showed no sign of awareness.

Therefore, Su Huaijing dared to have Liuyun drug Cheng Chengli, then remove one of his eyeballs.

Su Huaijing looked down, gazing into Rong Tang's eyes, his voice hoarse, "Tangtang, what exactly is your relationship with him?"

He was extremely puzzled and confused.

The dreams were real, and so was the present.

Rong Tang rescued Cheng Chengli from the cold palace, taught him strategy, and exhausted himself for Cheng Chengli, only to be betrayed in the end.

Su Huaijing had thought Cheng Chengli must have been a very special existence.

He was almost driven mad with jealousy, yet unable to enter the dreams and experience all that Tangtang had.

So he forced himself not to care, not to ponder deeply.

Tangtang dislikes Cheng Chengli, loathes Cheng Chengli; Tangtang likes himself, is married to himself...

That's enough. The fifth prince of the Great Yu Imperial Palace, whether human or ghost, has nothing to do with them.

Yet, Su Huaijing suddenly realized that Rong Tang would panic and fear because of Cheng Chengli's momentary success, clearly never meeting him, but able to sense his state.

Su Huaijing was extremely puzzled.

What exactly does this special bond amount to?

Is it a life-saving grace? A relationship formed through education? Companionship?

Or is it each governing on their own, mutually plundering, and inherently conflicting?

He lowered his head, repeating, "Tangtang, tell me, what exactly is he to you?"

A dense fog slowly gathered in Su Huaijing's eyes, hiding a deep and unseen murderous intent.

Rong Tang's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, he reached out to hold Su Huaijing's cheeks, saying softly yet firmly, "He is nothing to me."

A mutual restraint, although he was not clear about the reason, if pressed to say, it would probably be as enemies.

Cheng Chengli's success would inevitably be accompanied by Rong Tang's death, seemingly a little gift from fate to the male protagonist.

At this moment, the irony in his heart peaked, and the sunless eyeball in the wooden box on the table became particularly loathsome.

Su Huaijing asked, "Can I kill him now?"

Rong Tang hesitated for a moment, shook his head, then nodded, "Anything but killing him is fine, do as you wish."

After all, he couldn't gamble an entire world's existence on an uncertain outcome.

But...

Rong Tang looked up, locking eyes with Su Huaijing for two seconds, then suddenly kissed him fiercely, until their mouths were filled with blood, whose it was, they didn't know.

He suddenly felt such intense hatred.

Two lifetimes, seven years, what had he been doing?

Leading himself to death step by step?