Chapter 11 Warning

Chapter 11: Warning

Cheng Ge squinted, swaying a little as he walked, and grabbed a pastry from the servant for breakfast.

Lin Nanshu had specifically told them to, who'd clearly figured out his routine.

While staying at the Lin place, aside from eating and taking a dump, Cheng Ge's favorite thing to do was sleep in.

If he had nothing going on, he'd sleep right through till noon, forget breakfast—sometimes he even missed lunch.

If Lin Nanshu hadn't made sure of it, he'd probably have starved.

But ever since he became a civil servant, that life came to a screeching halt.

Yeah, they had to clock in at five in the morning here, and people who lived farther out had to get up at three.

When Cheng Ge found that out, he stood in the courtyard, flipped off the sky, and cursed for a solid three hours.

In the end, he almost choked on his own breath and had to pop a life-saving pill just to barely recover.

You can imagine how pissed he was.

But no matter how much he cursed and raged, he couldn't miss a single day of work.

It wasn't for any other reason—a Hanlin Bachelor who skipped work without a good reason would get, at best, a warning and a pay cut, and at worst, get kicked out of the Hanlin Academy.

Even though he hated this schedule with every bone in his body, it was still a cushy job.

If he actually lost this gig, he'd have to go beg on the streets.

What? Farming? Seriously, Cheng Ge couldn't even keep a succulent alive. Ask him to farm? He'd rather dig a hole and bury himself for a little dignity.

And with his crappy body right now, he clearly couldn't handle heavy labor, so he just had to suck it up for now.

When he got there, a lot of people were already waiting to clock in, with the occasional low murmur of chatter.

Hanlin Bachelors were chosen every three years, and those who passed the imperial exams were the best of the best, the cream of the crop. Otherwise, why would Fan Jin have gone crazy just from passing the provincial exam?

There were also plenty who never passed even in death.

Luckily, the original owner had studied hard enough to pass; if Cheng Ge had to take the exam himself, it would've been a trainwreck.

Back then, they counted age in nominal years. Cheng Ge's birthday was in the eleventh lunar month, so by modern standards, he wasn't even nineteen yet.

Looking around, the selection of Hanlin Bachelors favored younger guys on top of just rankings.

They usually picked people between twenty-five and thirty, and you had to look decent.

It goes without saying that being good-looking got you everywhere.

Looking around, Cheng Ge turned out to be the youngest in this bunch.

He was wearing a plain blue round-collar robe, with a simple belt around his waist, looking all frail and bookish. With his eyes down and quiet demeanor, he even had a hint of that Wei-Jin dynasty elegance.

He seemed likeable, and everyone figured no wonder he'd been picked for the Hanlin Academy.

Soon, quite a few people came up to him on their own. "You must be Brother Cheng, right? Your performance at the palace exam that day is still unforgettable."

Cheng Ge immediately clasped his hands and smiled back, "And this distinguished brother, with such a radiant presence, dignified bearing, and extraordinary talent—what's your name?"

As the saying goes, the more brothers you have, the more paths open up.

He wanted to eat plenty of food, make plenty of friends, and then become a high-ranking official.

"This brother has a pure and bright demeanor, clear eyes and fine brows, a gentleman like a jade ornament…"

Cheng Ge's silver tongue poured out compliments like they were free, one basket after another.

In no time, he had the people present blushing with delight, their hearts blooming, and they felt a bit lightheaded.

Soon, they were calling each other brothers, and it looked like they'd soon be arm in arm.

Suddenly, a figure squeezed in from the side, grabbed Cheng Ge's hand, and said with a barely concealed anger in his tone.

"Muyu, where have you been these past few days? Why didn't you tell me? I was so worried about you, do you know that?"

Hearing this, Cheng Ge immediately looked up at the person—it was Zhang Qinghang.

That day, he had been chasing the thief in a hurry, then lost consciousness from the poison, and had completely forgotten about this guy.

But even if he had remembered, Cheng Ge wouldn't have reacted much, since he wasn't the original owner and didn't have much connection with Zhang Qinghang. Besides, he always felt that the guy gave him a strange vibe.

He wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but he felt like prey being stalked by a hyena, making him deeply uncomfortable.

However, with so many people around, and since the other seemed to be a friend of the original owner, he couldn't be too obvious.

Cheng Ge felt a bit awkward and tried to pull his hand back, but Zhang Qinghang only gripped it tighter.

"I wasn't feeling well that day, so I went back first. It was my fault."

Zhang Qinghang, ignoring the stares of others, fixed his gaze on Cheng Ge, a hint of scrutiny and possessiveness flashing in his eyes.

But he quickly suppressed it, his eyes softening with a warm smile.

"I see. Then next time, don't tough it out on your own." As he spoke, he released his grip and directly wrapped an arm around Cheng Ge's waist.

Cheng Ge's hair stood on end, and he immediately stepped back.

But the other seemed to have anticipated it, reaching out with a long arm to pull Cheng Ge back.

Cheng Ge's eyes sharpened, his patience wearing thin. This Zhang Qinghang was like a persistent sticker.

"Let go." Cheng Ge lowered his voice, a note of warning in his tone.

Zhang Qinghang acted as if he hadn't heard, instead pulling Cheng Ge closer to him. "Muyu, we've known each other for years. Why be so distant?"

He truly admired Cheng Ge. Every time the other looked at him with that pure yet seductive gaze, it made his whole body burn with desire.

He dared say no one could resist a beauty like Cheng Ge, even if he had countless concubines and maids.

To that end, he had even stooped to flattery and ingratiation, all to win his favor.

But clearly, the other had already let down his guard before. With a little more coaxing, he could have succeeded.

He didn't know why, after the imperial exams a few months later, Cheng Ge had returned and suddenly become cold, distant, even repulsed.

Still, he wasn't too concerned. He had privately investigated Cheng Ge—his father was just a minor local official with no influence in the capital.

He, on the other hand, was different—his father, Zhang Hong, had recently been reassigned to the capital as the Left Vice Minister of Personnel, a third-rank official in the imperial bureaucracy.

The Minister of Personnel was now advanced in years and would retire within a few years, giving Zhang Hong a strong chance for promotion.

The Ministry of Personnel oversaw official selections and evaluations, so anyone angling for a promotion or transfer had to go through them. As a result, few dared to offend the ministry; most sought to flatter and curry favor.

Beyond the key officials of the ministry, Zhang Qinghang, as Zhang Hong’s legitimate son, also got a lot of attention from many.

Cheng Ge, who came from a humble family, would inevitably want to secure a post in the capital. With limited opportunities and no connections, he had no idea where he'd end up, so he likely wouldn’t dare to offend Zhang Qinghang at this time.

Zhang Qinghang didn't just hold on—he squeezed Cheng Ge’s waist twice.

Cheng Ge’s waist hadn’t fully healed, and that squeeze sent a jolt of pleasure through him that nearly blew his mind.

Without thinking, he grabbed Zhang Qinghang’s wandering hand back.

What the hell—trying to cop a feel on him? With a twist of his wrist, Zhang Qinghang felt a sharp, excruciating pain. His smile froze instantly, his face turning pale as he stared at Cheng Ge in disbelief.

Cheng Ge gritted his teeth, leaned close to his ear, and lowered his voice: “If you keep groping me, you can kiss those hands goodbye.”

With that, Cheng Ge twisted his wrist again, popping his dislocated wrist back into place.

Just then, the official in charge of roll call approached. Cheng Ge ignored Zhang Qinghang and walked straight over.

Watching Cheng Ge’s retreating figure, a flicker of malice passed through Zhang Qinghang’s eyes, but it quickly faded, replaced by a faint, barely-there smile.