Chapter 36: I’m Afraid I Can’t Hold Back Right Here

Chapter 36: I'm Afraid I Won't Be Able to Hold Back Here

Pei Rongjing called out to her, stepping forward somewhat awkwardly. He fished out a simple, elegant hairpin from his robe and handed it over, blushing: "I saw this on the way here. It's very plain and suits you, Venerable Nun."

Venerable Nun Nianzhen looked surprised. Glancing at the hairpin, she couldn't help but smile: "I am a nun who has renounced worldly life. These are all material things. Please take it back, benefactor."

"But I already bought it, and it's not ornate. Even a nun can wear it—your hair is still dark and beautiful, so why not?"

"I appreciate your kindness, benefactor, but this is sacred Buddhist ground. Please remember your place."

"Venerable Nun, Venerable Nun..."

Pei Rongjing watched her retreating back with a sense of loss and sighed. Suddenly aware that someone seemed to be approaching from behind, he quickly tucked the hairpin into his sleeve.

"Br-Brother..."

Seeing that it was Pei Yuhuai, Pei Rongjing breathed a sigh of relief, though he felt a bit tense—the look in his brother's eyes was truly terrifying.

So cold, as if he didn't know him at all.

Pei Yuhuai turned away coldly.

Pei Rongjing quickened his pace to catch up: "Brother, second brother, what's wrong with you?"

"Is he seriously injured?"

"Huh? Who?"

Pei Yuhuai fell silent again.

It dawned on Pei Rongjing that he might be asking about Lan He, so he could only console him: "Don't worry, the National Preceptor is fine. He's a great monk, so of course nothing will happen to him."

"Then why won't he let me visit him?"

"The National Preceptor is cold by nature and always keeps to himself. He's not close to us either, so he definitely wouldn't want to be visited. See, Venerable Nun Nianzhen can see him, and if you're worried about the National Preceptor's life, she'll let us know."

Cold-hearted?

No.

They didn't know—Lan He only appeared cold on the surface, but he was actually very passionate inside.

That night.

Pei Yuhuai tossed and turned until the middle of the night. He managed to fall asleep, only to be jolted awake by a nightmare.

He had that dream again—the young man dying right in front of him, looking at him with mournful eyes, accusing him with words that bled, full of grief and despair.

"No..."

Pei Yuhuai cried out in alarm, sitting up in bed, panting. The room was pitch black.

No sound. No one.

The panic in Pei Yuhuai's heart intensified. He urgently wanted to see Lan He, to see him immediately, to see his face, to hold him in his arms.

He threw off the covers and got out of bed, a chill sweeping over him.

His body was cold, but his heart was burning.

He opened the door.

The howling cold wind poured into the room, and only then did he realize it was already snowing outside.

Snowflakes as big as goose feathers drifted down in a flurry, some hanging on branches, some landing on the eaves, piling up in layers across the ground.

It was soft underfoot.

Pei Yuhuai casually draped an outer robe over his shoulders and stepped out into the snow.

He didn't know where Lan He was, but his heart seemed to guide him. After leaving the courtyard, he hadn't walked long before he spotted a lit lantern beneath a plum tree ahead.

The person holding the lantern was walking toward him.

Step by step.

Treading through the snow.

Slowly.

Pei Yuhuai was stunned. His legs stiffened in place as he tried hard to open his eyes wide to see the person ahead clearly through the blizzard.

The moon was hidden, and everything around was dark.

Only that lantern was lit.

It brought the person he wanted to see.

The heart hanging in his throat finally settled back down. Pei Yuhuai felt like both crying and laughing. He cursed himself fiercely, then he strode toward the man.

Stopping three meters away.

Lan He's face was ashen, but when he saw him, he still broke into a smile: "Why did you come out? Are you cold?"

"You idiot."

Pei Yuhuai cursed, then rushed over in a few steps, pulled the man into his arms, and held him fiercely.

He was slightly shorter than Lan He, so while he couldn't wrap him up completely in his arms, hugging him was still fine.

"You damn monk, you're still alive, huh. I thought you were dead."

Lan He closed his eyes with a smile, greedily inhaling his scent: "How could I dare to die before I've seen you?"

"You... what the hell is that nonsense? Is that all the backbone you have? Missing this young master that much?"

"Yes, I miss you very much."

"..."

He'd just wanted to shoot his mouth off, but Lan He answered so seriously that he was at a loss for how to respond.

Lan He hugged him back around the waist, letting the wind and snow pile up on his shoulders.

Pei Yuhuai's heart was calm.

"You damn monk, how bad are you hurt? Are you going to live?"

Lan He pursed his lips: "I will."

"That's good then, as long as you don't die. Otherwise, when my poison flares up in the future, there'll be no one to take one for me. I'd have to go find male attendants—none of them are as handsome as you, nor as good at pleasing me."

"..."

Lan He's face fell.

He looked up, his expression dark and brooding: "Oh? How many male attendants has His Royal Highness sampled?"

Well, well.

Pei Yuhuai saw his gloomy expression, which was better than the lifeless pallor from before, and couldn't help teasing him. He chuckled: "How the hell would I count them all? Everyone knows I'm always hanging around the pleasure quarters—I've seen all the male attendants there are."

"Pei Hang!"

"Keep your voice down—we're out in public. Don't call me that, or I might not be able to control my animal instincts and take you right here."

Lan He squinted: "What did you say?"

"I said I might not be able to hold back and take you right here—don't cry when it happens."

Pei Yuhuai ran his mouth without thinking.

The next second,

he regretted running his mouth, because the one getting taken wasn't Lan He—it was him.

Now he was totally regretting it.

Out in the freezing snow.

Pei Yuhuai grabbed his waist and gritted his teeth, threatening: "If you move again, I swear I'll bite you!"

"Bite?"

"Bite!"

"Oh, so you want it."

"I said *bite*!" Pei Yuhuai was about to lose it, so mad he actually bit him. "You old pervert, don't mess around, or you'll die out here, and I'm not taking the blame."

Lan He didn't pay him any mind.

Given the situation.

Pei Yuhuai thought he was mostly better, but when they got to the final step, Lan He collapsed dramatically into his arms.

"???"

Why does this feel so familiar?

Pei Yuhuai's face went dark with annoyance—can't you even do this? Useless!

He waited a bit.

No use!

He pushed Lan He, only to find his face was even paler than before. The lantern had fallen to the side, about to flicker out, casting a ghostly light on his face.

Pei Yuhuai jumped in shock.

He quickly grabbed the lantern, shielding the weak flame, while struggling to hold Lan He up with one arm: "Hey, you damn monk, are you dying?"

"You dying?!"

"If you don't say something, I'll leave you here and walk off, I swear! Hey!"

"Lan He? Lan He?"

"I was just messing with you—why can't you take a joke? Get up, get up, I'll let you sleep, okay?"

Still no response even after all that—now Pei Yuhuai was really panicking.

This guy had actually passed out.

Pei Yuhuai dragged him back to his room, lit the lamp, and only then saw that his dark red robes were soaked in blood.

One glance and his heart nearly stopped.