Chapter 48 Give Up Do you like it or not?

Chapter 48: Giving Up – Like or Dislike?

Xie Chi wasn't stubborn or rigid. He had adapted well to his travels in earlier years and his recent life in the military, but dropping his noble status to act like some flirty guy for people's entertainment… Xie Chi just couldn't do it, no matter what.

He also couldn't get it. Out of all the guys out there—tough and brave, gentle and refined, cool and distant, whatever—which one isn't more respectable than some flirty type?

Why did Zhong Yao have to go for that kind?

Xie Chi didn't get it. For the past few days, whenever he had nothing to do, he'd just stare at Zhong Yao.

He was wondering if there was some other, more proper way to get Zhong Yao to like him, so he could own up to his ridiculous behavior. Zhong Yao, though, thought his staring was creepy and asked if he had something wrong with his eyes, even saying eye problems are super contagious and that he should stay away from everyone.

So annoying.

Even though Xie Chi didn't want to admit it, sometimes he really wondered if guys were just naturally that low, otherwise, how could he feel that way about a girl like her?

Zhong Yao, on the other hand, was totally focused on her second brother, whose situation was up in the air, spending every day digging through records about Misty Mountain.

Xue Fang, though, had totally let go and was having a blast.

They all had their own stuff on their minds, occasionally squabbling as they moved on. They went through villages and towns, or camped out in the wild at night. The trip was mostly smooth, but the closer they got to Misty Mountain, the more barren it got, and petty theft started popping up more.

Couldn't be helped. The closer to the mountains, the harder it was to get around, and the fewer people there were.

Plus, the bandits' scary reputation scared off merchants, and families with a bit of money had moved to safer towns. Over time, this place naturally got even more desolate.

And the more desolate it got, the fewer educated folks there were.

Long story short, this place had a lousy rep and was super unsafe. Within half a day of getting into the city, the guards had already caught four wannabe thieves and two creeps trying to peep at women bathing.

Xue Fang was pumped about this.

—Because Zhong Yao and Shu Feng had been disguised as guys the whole time, so the one getting peeped at was him, and only him.

—This was also why Xue Fang sometimes dressed up as a woman. He'd been looking forward to it the whole trip, and finally, it happened.

“Do I look good? I asked you if I look good—why are you hiding? Get back here and open your eyes wide!”

The sounds of punches, screams, and Xue Fang yelling echoed through the inn. By the time Zhong Yao washed up and came to find Xie Chi, the racket next door was still going.

“He's not gonna kill him, is he?” Zhong Yao asked worriedly.

“He won't die,” Xie Chi said.

He won't die, but as for anything else, Xie Chi couldn't say.

“Good,” Zhong Yao said, relieved. She walked over and sat next to Xie Chi, leaning on him. “This place is really crazy, Heir Xie. I'm a little scared. Can you share a room with me tonight?”

That sounded kinda off, so she quickly added, “And Shu Feng.”

That still didn't sound right. Sharing a room with two girls would be even worse for Xie Chi's rep.

Zhong Yao added, “And Xue Fang.”

Xie Chi: “…How about we throw in three guards too?”

Zhong Yao thought about it seriously and actually nodded. “Okay, the more the merrier.”

Xie Chi shot her a glare. Seeing that she was genuinely uneasy, he said, “I've already sent word to the prefect. We'll stay here for one night and move to the government office tomorrow.”

The records they had checked earlier were compiled by local officials and sent to the capital. They had passed through many hands and were somewhat outdated. To learn about the recent situation of the Misty Mountain Bandits and to enter the mountains, it was best to find a local guide. And to find a trustworthy local, they would need the government's assistance.

They had arrived in the city a bit late, and Xie Chi also wanted to test the prefect, so he hadn't gone straight there.

There was no helping it. Many said that the reason Misty Mountain had withstood so many government campaigns was that the locals were all unruly, had taken the bandits' bribes, and were their accomplices—even the prefect was under suspicion.

This wasn't baseless speculation. There had indeed been a prefect who, because his son was lured into the mountains, chose to cover for the bandits and became their lackey.

Knowing this, Xie Chi had deliberately sent a message ahead, ordering the guards to watch the government office and see if anything unusual happened.

Zhong Yao knew about this and nodded. “I think this prefect is a good person. Look, he has no parents, no wife, no children. The bandits can't find anything to blackmail him with. As for money, he's alone and doesn't need it. Besides, he passed the imperial exams two years ago and became a prefect at just twenty-two—he has a bright future…”

This was the first time Xie Chi had heard Zhong Yao praise someone else so much, especially a young man she had never met. Annoyed, he interrupted, “He became a prefect not because of his talent, but because of Misty Mountain.”

This place was a hot potato. Anyone assigned here would face endless trouble at best, or lose their entire family at worst. So anyone with even a bit of connection in the court would find a way to avoid this area.

This young man named Wang Linyue had probably been sent here because he had no backing. Since he was stuck in this godforsaken place, they had to give him some compensation, so his rank was bumped up a few levels to prefect.

But being a prefect here was actually less authoritative than a county magistrate elsewhere.

After Xie Chi explained this, Zhong Yao said, “Then he's pitiful, just like my father… No, he's even more pitiful than my father. When my father first arrived in the capital, at least he had my mother and my brother, who spent his days chewing on his own feet, to keep him company. This man is all alone…”

Xie Chi: “?”

After he turned the tide for the emperor on the battlefield, he was entrusted with a heavy responsibility and sent alone to the military, dragging along a slippery eight-year-old Xue Fang like a monkey. Wasn't he pitiful?

He also had an elderly grandmother to support.

Xie Chi was displeased, but as a noble heir of a marquis, he couldn't bring himself to beg for sympathy.

Unfortunately, that fool Zhong Yao couldn't see his feelings and kept talking about how pitiful a stranger was.

“His surname is Wang,” Xie Chi reminded coldly.

Zhong Yao's expression shifted slightly, and she quietly leaned closer to him.

Xie Chi snorted and pushed her away. Zhong Yao swayed like a branch in the wind, then immediately bounced back, bumping her head against his shoulder.

Was she acting like a child?

Xie Chi felt disdain but pulled two letters from his bosom. “Letters from your mother and your eldest brother.”

Zhong Yao's face lit up, and she quickly took them.

She had already told Xie Chi everything about her household; there were no secrets between them, so she opened the letters in front of him.

Madam Zhong's letter mostly asked about her daily needs, telling her to stay quietly in the estate with Xue Fang. She also said she would send some clothes and shoes first and would come to see Zhong Yao in person by mid-month.

The letter had been delivered by a guard. Unlike Xie Chi and the others, the guard had traveled day and night and had been waiting in the prefectural city for a few days.

Counting the time, the day Madam Zhong mentioned for visiting Zhong Yao was coming up soon.

She wouldn't be able to make it. Xie Chi had already arranged for someone to stop her, likely using the Fourth Prince as an excuse.

Zhong Yao was stirred by the letter's reminder of her parents, but since she had made her choice, there was no turning back. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and then read her eldest brother's letter.

Her brother also asked how she was doing and whether Xue Fang was bullying her. He also added some news from the capital.

It seems the Fourth Prince wasn't thinking straight. Pushed too far by the Crown Prince, he resorted to sending assassins.

The Crown Prince wasn't about to let that slide. He immediately latched onto this incident to dredge up the previous case of attempted palace coup and rebellion. After a messy, drawn-out process of dealing with seven or eight officials, he set his sights on the Fourth Prince. This time, with solid reasoning and proof, he went for the kill—even the emperor couldn’t stop him.

In short, the two were now locked in a fierce battle.

The letter said so much, yet not a single word mentioned the Zhong family’s situation in the capital.

Zhong Yao didn't have to think twice to know it wasn't good; otherwise, her mother would have already visited her at the estate.

They didn’t want her to worry, so the letter remained silent on the matter.

Zhong Yao was a little upset, lowering her head and silently reading the letter over and over.

Xie Chi was used to her annoying, prickly demeanor but couldn’t stand her gloomy mood. Tapping the table, he said, “Your elder brother is on the Crown Prince’s side. At most, he’ll face some trouble from the Fourth Prince—nothing serious.”

Zhong Yao choked back tears. “That may be so, but the Fourth Prince is so unhinged. Who knows what he’ll do next?”

Xie Chi said, “I’ve left people secretly keeping an eye on him.”

“Even that might not be enough.” Remembering the deranged Fourth Prince, Zhong Yao felt afraid. “He’s the craziest. What if he suddenly jumps up in court and rides on my elder brother’s neck?”

“…Who would do such a thing?”

“The Fourth Prince would. He even forced me to seduce you and made me serve as his retainer to deceive the emperor. What wouldn’t he do?”

While Zhong Yao was consumed by thoughts of the Fourth Prince’s madness and unpredictability, Xie Chi heard another layer of meaning in her words.

Watching Zhong Yao sadly pore over the two letters from home, he suddenly asked, “Are you very bothered by the Fourth Prince forcing you to seduce me?”

Zhong Yao, still sad, glanced at him with teary eyes. “Who wouldn’t care about being humiliated like that?”

Fortunately, it was Xie Chi. If it had been another man, she truly wouldn’t have known what to do.

Zhong Yao had never been away from home for so long. Previously preoccupied with her second brother’s affairs, she hadn’t had time to miss home. Now, her emotions were stirred up and wouldn’t settle easily.

After quietly sobbing for a while, Zhong Yao vented her feelings and comforted herself, only then realizing Xie Chi hadn’t spoken for a long time.

Wiping her tears, she looked up and saw Xie Chi staring straight at her, his eyes dark yet with a faint glimmer, like a flickering flame hidden in the night.

He had been looking at her like this often lately, but this time, Zhong Yao was still startled.

Steadying herself, she asked in a slightly hoarse voice, “Heir Xie, is your eye ailment acting up again?”

Xie Chi’s mouth twitched. Ignoring the remark, he looked at Zhong Yao and said, “I’m even more pitiful than that Magistrate Wang. Show me some pity too.”

Zhong Yao: “…Huh?”

“I have the elderly above and the young below,” Xie Chi said—and in between, he had to take care of this ungrateful girl. “Am I not pitiful?”

“…”

Zhong Yao stopped missing home. Now, she was a little scared.

But Xie Chi seemed to have made up his mind, his gaze resolute and blazing, scorching her as if he would burn her alive if she didn’t give a satisfactory answer.

When had Zhong Yao ever seen Xie Chi like this?

She didn’t dare answer, quietly leaning back.

Xie Chi noticed Zhong Yao’s evasion. Though dissatisfied with her reaction, he also didn’t want to be seen as a pitiful wretch by her, so he easily dropped the question.

Leaning closer to Zhong Yao, he met her eyes for a moment and said, “On the day of the Marquis’s family recognition banquet, you went to protect my innocence…”

Xie Chi didn’t want to recall that incident.

But thinking of how Zhong Yao must have felt when the Fourth Prince forced her to seduce him…

She was a girl. Even if she didn’t actually do it, the matter alone was enough to humiliate her.

And the root of this matter lay with his marquis’s household.

There was no reason why a weak girl like Zhong Yao should endure such humiliation while he, a man, couldn’t.

It was just about being flirtatious and seductive—nothing he couldn’t do.

Finally, Xie Chi took a deep breath, steadied himself, gently pressed his forehead against Zhong Yao’s, and asked softly, “What did you see back then?”

Zhong Yao’s eyes widened in horror as she looked at him, flustered. “N-n-nothing! I didn’t see anything!”

Xie Chi truly didn’t know any vulgar seduction techniques. Seeing Zhong Yao repeatedly deny it, he thought he might have been too subtle—too righteous, not flirtatious enough—making Zhong Yao think he was settling scores after the fact.

He paused, leaned closer to Zhong Yao, softened his voice, and spoke more explicitly: “How could you not have seen? Your fingers even touched the water in the tub.”

Zhong Yao’s face flushed crimson. Blushing furiously, she tried to stand up but was held down by Xie Chi.

Xie Chi continued, “Am I in good shape?”

Zhong Yao covered her face and said nothing.

It didn’t matter. Xie Chi had learned a lot from her—for example, regardless of whether others wanted to listen, just say everything you want to say.

He went on: “Is my chest firm?”

“I remember the water was clear, with nothing blocking the view… Did you see my waist?”

“…Do you like it?”

The inn was simple, with only one long bench in the room. The two were sitting side by side.

With each question, Xie Chi moved closer to Zhong Yao, and with each move, Zhong Yao leaned back further.

After the fourth question, Zhong Yao thudded off the bench and fell to the ground.

Xie Chi knew little about such matters, asking while pondering how to make himself more alluring. Distracted, he failed to catch Zhong Yao in time.

Fortunately, the bench wasn’t high, so Zhong Yao wasn’t hurt—just sitting on the ground, looking up at him in terror and scrambling backward.

Xie Chi crouched before her, trying to look as gentle as possible, which only frightened Zhong Yao into stammering.

“Y-you… y-you…”

After stammering “you” for a while, she couldn’t get a single sentence out.

Xie Chi lost patience. Seeing her about to retreat again, he grabbed her calf to hold her in place, leaned over her, and asked while hovering above her, “Are these questions so hard to answer?”

Xie Chi was tall and long-limbed. Hovering over Zhong Yao like this, controlling her, made her recall the vicious dog that had pounced on her the day she first encountered the Misty Mountain Bandits.

Even the posture was the same!

She was trapped beneath Xie Chi, scared out of her mind.

Zhong Yao suspected that Xie Chi had truly been possessed by some dog demon!

She couldn’t escape, couldn’t fight back, and didn’t dare provoke this vicious demon any further, trembling as she said, “I-I don’t remember…”

Xie Chi frowned, then recalled how she’d been cold to him after the Fourth Prince bullied her…

Once he made a decision, he never regretted it.

It was just about being a little flirty, enough to make this silly girl fall for him—others could do it, so naturally, he could too.

Xie Chi stared at Zhong Yao and asked, “Do you want to see it again?”

Zhong Yao was horrified, staring into his dark eyes, stammering, “…Yeah?”

Xie Chi nodded and said, “Alright.”

He got off her, his hand on his belt.

It was his first time, and he hesitated, struggling to go through with it. After a pause, Xie Chi said, “This is too tacky; I don’t like it, so just this once.”

Zhong Yao was confused and didn’t dare argue, quietly mumbling, “Mm-hmm.”

Then Xie Chi sighed and turned around.

Zhong Yao watched his back, took a step back, then another, until she was a full two feet away from him. She spun around and bolted for the door, shouting as she ran, “Help! Someone—Heir Xie, he-he’s lost his mind!”

Xie Chi: “…?”