Chapter 39
What should one usually say when caught in the act?HAgxVTVcZiIhGDdOHlIgpLtVKghJkv
jTJjJpXfrSBWdSDQue Siming hadn’t displayed such an oppressive and threatening aura in front of him for a long time. The fear from their first encounter surged up again.EdSqamDgnGHToaIEMWdAJVYXaVKWLB
scTpYSSwtlrRgiCBefore Que Siming could say a word, Rong Yue was already trembling with fear, his voice shaking, “Master Que… why are you here…?”rKGCATRKtEXVfctmQnFdMnvKmvOoGA
YsqYsYGHAELRUULQue Siming stormed in, slapped Rong Yue to the ground without even looking at him, and directly grabbed Jinbao by the neck, pulling him off the bed.bPDOpAlEELVSgLGrfkSKTnublEDMtL
JTkqJtLeEPxicQt“Cough, cough… Que… I… I didn’t do it… no, I…”TYfiAcwqtlaIgADXJIpxyPpkTRLHtD
WGDIrqekFbaboWQQue Siming tore off the mask from his face and threw it to the ground. His demonic features were dark and ferocious, with his pitch-black eyes burning with rage and a bloodthirsty glow. The blood-red veins in his eyes grew even more piercing and terrifying.iZxVUBwXOnZcdWXWCVYUGBKFaBYkuO
vaOgbwlKbenahfxJinbao knew he was doomed as soon as he saw this. There was no way he’d escape without being skinned today.woOHnILGqBczFCcGfGcwKkVjPzFrUX
IjHdegnDGUoxqkEQue Siming tightened his grip, choking Jinbao until his face turned green. Through gritted teeth, he spat, “You really give me face, huh?”OiXZrTvrPZsaYCHegpWhcbuaGjjqiP
HRulTUupWmueTMTJinbao couldn’t speak, only looking at him with eyes full of pleading.fjcbqCmeUABkpLMvtgrOmfelGyAGgR
XUgciUpqUMwKwrw“Who gave you the guts to sneak around behind my back? Tired of living, are you?!” Que Siming was so furious he wanted to strangle him right then and there. The first time Jinbao had gone out alone and returned with that cloying scent, he was already displeased but had held back his anger. The second time, he came back with the same scent. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed that such an honest and straightforward man would have the audacity to do this—and with Rong Yue, no less. When he returned to the mansion and realized that Jinbao had left without any servants and still hadn’t returned by nightfall, he knew something was wrong. But he hadn’t expected it would be exactly as he feared, catching them red-handed.MAkJiSYenOrtNGllAlubOlsnbOIoOm
akicloZyKxvsrPdOmCEmdSIdtMOvmnFWkSXQrPqVPiLYG
nDbMbxHpRsvmHrkHe had never felt such agitation and disappointment, or the overwhelming anger and heartbreak when he saw him lying naked with Rong Yue.fvgbVgOypwKhtTNipCggZSYiTasAFO
bKhyoZyMgzPSjZPHow could he do this to him? No one dared to treat him like this!SrqFFrENvsdiibPaolUKAoJTUFTrtU
iFYVzFBZVCNPyEGAt this moment, Rong Yue crawled up from the floor and kneeled at Que Siming’s feet, pleading softly, “Master Que, it’s me… it’s all me… it has nothing to do with him. Please, don’t make things hard for him.”pwDCLsyZHpqRrDwOPvtSiJjjdDChiq
jTXWnXDdcitbYwEQue Siming let go of Jinbao, tossing him back onto the bed, and looked down coldly at Rong Yue.DdptgnEILIaiZpPoYYEkFPKCfflRZM
jgULdcSgPQxszxaRong Yue’s thin shoulders trembled in fear.kYZPbYxnuVqwzLDbJzSJiFmnaDRUpN
ozTnaHVhJygzYzoJinbao gasped for air, coughing as he spoke, “What he said… it’s true. I didn’t do anything… cough, cough…”SlhwGyGfHScYhneErHWDHifuXeosLb
RZWZmIjUdwkJudfQue Siming raised his foot and kicked Rong Yue away, his eyes filled with disdain and cruelty. “By sunset tomorrow, disappear from within thirty miles of Yaogu, or I’ll make sure you can’t live or die.”tfcCLVheXZKqkAlWqYpGTDiyQagOZm
URWhcROQdFZZiAhClutching his chest, Rong Yue’s face twisted in pain as he wept pitifully.VRWmGUHuNFBRdKgWzKhXJPCWdiSzmE
cjmgyLZiaHqvmRUQue Siming wrapped Jinbao in the bed sheet and, without wasting another second, carried him out.uOVvARuqyeHerPfAzyKYbhxvfiQlTv
gLfbMRlYuEgSnAPRong Yue stared blankly at the wide-open door, clutching his chest. The weak and pitiful expression on his face vanished in an instant.wlEepJlYZOlLaqMZRmlYnWrgwTCLts
JXxWcOoWtkvquonWhen they returned to Yaogu, Que Siming didn’t take Jinbao inside but threw him straight into the pond.zAytYcReoljWEJqRJVHFAVdOGalnrn
alDfCobxzUVeeRdAutumn had already set in, and the night air was cold. Jinbao felt his limbs going numb from the freezing water. Thankfully, the pond wasn’t deep, and with a straightened back, he managed to float to the surface.jWKfoEnwSxEEOViOUbjjEPsiCIuRXT
fWoQOqkvwpuSooGQue Siming crouched by the pond, grabbing a handful of Jinbao’s hair and yanking his head down to face him.AjugDMqEpBdYFCgaIoNPufPtUxYdHk
pKWwVEfOZpOqjVyJinbao grimaced, “Let me explain.” Que Siming had mastered the Que family’s martial art, “Divine Ghost Hand,” to perfection; the strength of his grip could rival iron, and it felt like his scalp was about to be torn off.dBvdPxTqsVLyVOzipkFNZSMdhisvok
hhzRMZIcHOJrTMYQue Siming’s icy eyes glared at him harshly, “Fine, explain.”CkmbmmZlHLWRmALXutSYjOShYGAhAT
QUTbJQGxSmpxOwF“He… he drugged me with something in the wine. I don’t remember anything.”HzDVzsYurAbMkEbdTiwoXEBBLQsVFR
DGnOsAyigTSrpScThese words only fueled Que Siming’s fury, his aura growing more violent. “How did he even get the chance to drug your wine?”iqsYmwejtKnNycGRvfejHPjnVwFOSm
LLNzhXBeAyqRMMCJinbao panicked, “I… I ran into him a few days ago on the street. He was being harassed by thugs, and I… I saved him. He insisted… insisted I visit him…”teIRemyhqYrgHsSTDnhYIxYHZIbkHQ
GFjPnHQiISEBsiBQue Siming slapped him hard across the face, swelling one side of it. “He told you to visit, and you went? Do you even use your fucking brain?”tqqRfGHfFxdJdDpPkUNsUYVlgwPoml
igasvqNkVQVCYUEJinbao looked at him with grievance, “I… I didn’t know… I—”JbdTjyuhgaQpJkUUjPIkXQStAFcqkA
xpUlFzIpyeZySMDQue Siming’s voice was laced with venom, “Did you sleep with him or not?”VlejYxPUfFXOnkajkLETkMonHFjRjf
DLiCmltYzVfPLjk“I… I don’t know. I don’t remember. When I woke up, it was already like that… and then you came right after.”OQuUGjlSfMTqpLFljLTDzLJloIqIxT
zehgEvvgyxCXcADQue Siming grabbed Jinbao by the hair and shoved his head into the water. Jinbao flailed his arms and legs desperately, feeling like he was about to suffocate before Que Siming finally yanked him back up, with a chilling smile that sent shivers down Jinbao’s spine. “Well? Remember now?”ocfuydXlVMounixbcIdUJPMOYQBuaT
eQBxTqpwJPFogDTJinbao whimpered, “I really don’t remember, I really don’t.”SEcoIoYThgfcJvdHrwSqiUZdrpGSus
JDSLaYpIWHOqOZr“I’ll make you wake up!” Que Siming growled, shoving him back into the water. He only pulled him up when Jinbao was on the verge of suffocation, repeating the process several times. By the end of it, the child was completely drained, lying on the ground like a fish tossed ashore, gasping for breath and too weak to move.SdooiCzLrGwvbgyeWTsIWxGUTGyKci
gJdTdIzTzwHitHNOnly then did Que Siming pull him out of the water. The moonlight reflected off his smooth, muscular chest, highlighting the water droplets that shimmered with a silvery glow, making the bruises on his chest stand out even more painfully. Que Siming’s mind was in turmoil, barely able to suppress his urge to kill Jinbao.QwdUXggfTgqcoySUaGkOjGVhycwEgu
IiPAqqNzbpeosiuLowering his head, Que Siming bit down on Jinbao’s cold skin, marking his territory like an animal, sucking and biting hard, leaving deeper and heavier marks, declaring his ownership in the most primal way possible.HEsyVsqHMOCxfSSGrGBKNzLCvVxfFM
fPOdQNbqkUCXzIFThe sharp pain in Jinbao’s chest made him try to push Que Siming’s head away.kGQBgKSOMzAYDECOiJUgdBkcBjRauL
vPqWMXwaqdgbxcyQue Siming pinned both of Jinbao’s hands down, forcing his legs apart and shoving himself between them, his expression twisted and bloodthirsty, his intent all too clear.sMyOJNfkTWTpcaHKmkekAaZCOwJiyB
zefQkCyDZwlKGwtJinbao knew he was in the wrong, but if he let Que Siming vent his rage without restraint, he’d be crippled by the end of it.fwABoTZmOumWzGbzgOFZIAYIZIAXvv
UxMYCMrSHKCvWjOFrightened, Jinbao desperately tried to close his legs, but Que Siming pinned them with his knee.ClTfPFcBnpsswDofsapCijtzQUKHFt
GeonTOknXGOvFSLTears streamed down Jinbao’s face. He covered his eyes with his elbow, sobbing, “I… I was wrong, okay? I was wrong, okay?”PBOLLnWWnAKuqXsBWTbyhedEIINvrw
PFqOXanllIrdqkZ“You think just admitting you’re wrong is enough? I’ll make sure you never have the guts to make the same mistake again!”NprlhaaMWGWEbjSQGwWHGAwhghkcqr
ShoLGgkTgGJIZav“Que Siming! You’re… you’re being unreasonable! I didn’t do it on purpose! I never planned to be with anyone else! I have you, why would I mess around with someone else? It wasn’t intentional! Do you have to humiliate me like this?”GykOEADVfCSEhoIsXfsGPMFWICnSGl
tfabUiYHKHARVwr“You’re acting like this is your first day knowing me? You’re lucky I haven’t castrated you for what you did.”fYfdqCslwIxPBiEVCDFIpBxyuouDJE
zrXygzSNrDRcoqoJinbao cried out, “But I didn’t do it on purpose! How was I supposed to know that would happen? If I’d known, I’d never have meddled! Can’t you let someone make a mistake? I already apologized! What more do you want?”tgUNuYFYjLtxnjOwSikVHNeZBCxAtC
tsSqlEyYoZZUHQJQue Siming looked down at the pitiful fool beneath him, trembling like a fish on a cutting board, shrinking away from the punishment. Jinbao’s chest heaved heavily, his breathing unnervingly clear in the quiet night air, as if the tension and conflict in his heart were audible.rIkcmQKqGzsywXGbkHEcurOmQSOQML
VkMueSGjiLSNyobWhat more did he want? The truth was, he couldn’t bear to do anything worse to him.RUandLwMzSpXMdxrjAxPmmhAFYZCbC
GyPlDyfMCtdLinsHe really wanted to ask this idiot if he even knew what heartbreak felt like. Did he think a simple “I’m sorry, I won’t do it again” could erase what happened? Que Siming couldn’t tolerate even a speck of dust. His person was his and his alone—no one else could even touch him. Jinbao had violated the biggest taboo, and still, Que Siming couldn’t bring himself to truly hurt him. So why was Jinbao acting so wronged?TEznXXhrloVriyBEooXWBgzMrnhLtk
ysnIywnfcSszMjgHad anything actually happened between him and Rong Yue? Only Rong Yue knew for sure. But Jinbao had snuck around behind his back, secretly meeting with someone else, never saying a word, deliberately hiding it. Where did that leave him?tNinzbgVUwMCodnKxFMqnApNwzwPUK
ZAQMuRhfwbytiSoIt was as if Jinbao had been born to torment him.jbuLSmGjXgSCFJcssQremxZfNIdlnN
SDeLNkmWTLEqvnBJinbao looked at Que Siming’s cold expression and the obvious exhaustion on his face.UHmFGUTMifiKOVSnhljrZsVMJjUQHd
fcslPkByihpbESRCarefully, he crawled out from under him, pulled a nearby sheet around himself, and whispered, “Que Siming, I know I was wrong. I’m sorry, I really am. But I have no ill intentions towards you. I’m completely devoted to you, I…”SQHyhzXwhHuojkYDxrojHTzjgNalNW
qHVCsflgyYtWUxzThe doctor shook out his long robe, stood up from the floor, and without sparing him a glance, turned and walked away.TTAirEromXKKHlbAIjciTCfKvyzcfH
JBhmnhQnvHPmlVePanicking, Jinbao grabbed his sleeve, blurting out, “Que Siming, don’t be like this. If you want, just hit me.”MKmPuuznwfXXkGyxsPhgwatjhjvXRf
lCjXvEwtUvhjrryQue Siming flung his sleeve free and coldly said, “Disgusting. Don’t touch me.”ZSxELuVVHMRzucbtlbhyFfjWDsEgDm
JyLdlIkgturoCEHJinbao stood frozen, watching him walk into the room and slam the door. He felt a chill creep over his whole body, as if he were submerged in ice.senDQfNtnAJTYOWxQUdpKVIUFtsjnw
YlQiEGBZqaSmdglQue Siming was so angry… what should he do?cdrUNLvpcHFQrdTVOffFIqhFJppnFv
AmvpVTSXLDhIeRbIn a fit of frustration, Jinbao slapped himself hard several times.CBxUTXTjsojSbwuTFWfTgluzWnbULu
XCqZBCyrhVMBVHw“Why did you have to meddle? Serves you right! Idiot! Stupid idiot!”jmFbCOEhrYOufvfgOwIIaxzRNuqcDd
NlyfccWfkyAOuvwHe knew he had upset Que Siming. If it were him in Que Siming’s place, seeing him lying naked in bed with someone else, he wouldn’t be able to take it either. Especially someone as proud as Que Siming.MoMhkeilaCKmOnikYzBdnmzLHbJzEQ
wUTbDQNHtUAddDPWith stiff movements, he pulled himself off the floor and returned to his room, instructing the servants to prepare hot water.TcOZojredgNFtUDaniJqUzCYnVIZDG
XlfQCdlXtjOqmrRThe more he thought about Que Siming calling him dirty, the worse he felt, so he scrubbed himself inside and out until his skin turned red.DCngvXAqxfvJsyQbEmFNsHQskSmSdD
QxmDnYVOyrpTpFUAfter putting on his underclothes, he hesitated for a long time before deciding to go find Que Siming.EBvzJVfaqHKDlqFoLHwezPYOJbbNsw
LMpaAuRkFShaamuTheir rooms were right next to each other. He knocked a few times, but there was no response. Summoning his courage, he opened the door and went in.iBQoRTgmznvTmBFdEkTGAcyxuaRqpv
zbESIqfNyieWHWOQue Siming was lying on the bed, his back to him.zDWVVZxoFPMPgAItqDQYEBnxeSzUuD
GzKIRRDnIJZNbukJinbao bit his lip, cautiously sat at the edge of the bed, and softly called, “Doctor…”mwOfDMCuFLrJYnozOEdOfWyTbuDVvV
DWDVxRwWCZUDMOuQue Siming didn’t move. Jinbao, gathering more courage, lifted the blanket and slid into Que Siming’s bed, gingerly wrapping his arms around his waist from behind.bCLmwgcXEdVYmNeOaZEYiAGSKLtbiJ
iHWKSnmHGLjecRTQue Siming still didn’t react, but he didn’t kick him off either. Jinbao took that as a good sign.qZgULbxqjrDswTCWCrqvebPnXxuWeD
FTkUHzgYmLQyNHJPressing his face against Que Siming’s back, he whispered, “I was wrong about this. You can hit me if you want—I deserve it. But please don’t ignore me… I really have no ulterior motives, none at all.”uBcHhSedIwCdokxMvnJXCJxFakhiyB
rMFpaopnuTUwMMCQue Siming remained silent. Jinbao clung to him, hoping he’d calm down soon. Just as he was about to give up on hearing anything from Que Siming that night, Que Siming suddenly spoke coldly, “You said you saved Rong Yue on the street?”IJGWTNhewfMyokyAvUWxHoOwplWnSl
UCvfYfnJanrYTDnJinbao quickly nodded. “Yes, yes, it was a coincidence, I swear I didn’t mean to get involved with him.” Afraid Que Siming wouldn’t believe him, he recounted the events of that day and his two encounters with Rong Yue in detail.OSLnsDHeIGRETaZPcfReREVZguQKyN
qFaUstfGYFtoGolQue Siming listened silently, his dark eyes gleaming in the darkness.wsNMcklVkFlSwbctQqjFuDMrwGhYjq
zSHyZEvrczYUEUdThe next morning, Que Siming left early. When Jinbao woke up, the space next to him was already cold.DqHaUURhuYtGLfelHOvGszTJfLzFnL
SUGyFZZHgRfBNcVHe sighed, got out of bed, dressed himself, and as he habitually felt his side, his heart dropped in shock.ZLEJbyzzzmkgYkhJxIuKJZSkFqiuzG
HvhQXGdeAfSnRvMThe pouch he had carried for over ten years, the one holding the piece of paper with Que Siming’s old name on it, was gone.bylpPdmjHKyAUNJHSdPmfaAvussKjf
kfhmHevRJxSQChoYesterday, he had left all his clothes at Rong Yue’s house when Que Siming dragged him out wrapped only in a bedsheet. Could it be…lNVrteQEfnQCwGnPuiGXPzSlgVNGMj
NVItOojyDeBSoTgJinbao frantically searched every corner of the house, then returned to his room and turned it upside down, not missing a single nook or cranny. Despite his efforts, the pouch was nowhere to be found.exGvDHljkITCWiZSKxAnWLLwTRdEmp
OnYPQJPjLNZehIUPanic rose in his chest—this was something he absolutely couldn’t lose. He had even secretly regarded that piece of paper as a token between him and Que Siming.mcuLaUOwXBhEgWAZBzPxdvgMuCMMpH
PtBFVLTcIXiBZBiIf it wasn’t in the medicine valley, then the only possibility was that he had left it at Rong Yue’s place.FdugFhnrOFBFmFvQOgrDJGCQmuJvRj
hlbqlnhpnpQwlPWJinbao felt like banging his head against the wall. What should he do? Should he go get it?scvEpVsRMtMSOkvyGcJhhhoOmovAFI
RVDbBjqwIsBNQhzNo, he had to go get it. But what if he ran into Rong Yue? And should he tell Que Siming about it?HSmDMbWEHLsCzAJYNkOmHnNSVnEHSA
ivQqPQCgjSEMIKlMaybe he should wait a few days, let Que Siming calm down, and then explain it to him before going?phoEFliqWQsvbiGqAYkfChPkslRmFP
ucjsjVIvEddwhthNo, that wouldn’t work. Que Siming had ordered Rong Yue to leave before sunset today. If Rong Yue took the pouch with him or lost it while packing, where would he find it then?TBFOxsmvWoHVaCUirLnwUohWSsEUmm
SdAIHIikurXKecuIf he went to Rong Yue’s place again without telling Que Siming, and Que Siming found out, there’d be no way to explain himself.qbnYHYLLmiooeDeZYRmDWtgUhJHPuK
ABRxHMUgKVWaFGUAfter thinking it over, Jinbao decided the best course of action was to tell Que Siming first, and then go. If he went behind Que Siming’s back, it would be a death sentence.NqmfUPMqkBlZXGwTBAOpotZBFAVcqg
xtdMlMMsdnMLbOWBut after searching the medicine valley for Que Siming, he learned that Que Siming had gone out early in the morning and wouldn’t return until the evening. This left Jinbao feeling torn and helpless.gDkPRSbRWJNbzopCzOqeMZhocngibV
oYzZlawkhsbBYTEIn the end, he came up with a plan: to bring along some servants from the Medicine Valley, which would make things appear more proper and easier to explain later.tXiENsnPhusFaAzbDmPNVMCrORkiKX
lZsYjfSnCmiFLMzSo, he called two servants from the Medicine Valley, and the three of them rode on horseback to Rong Yue’s residence.paswHvZSdEPHqBfLFbdDoJZpgQEpXi
uWpWPXUqWsTMnumWhen they arrived, Jin Bao led them in. He knocked on the door a few times, but there was no response. He wondered if Rong Yue had already left.ZRNekgnaZmnfzvaQUxfaGQfwhBHwSD
tjteKvSEfppdYqdSo, he pushed the door open himself, only to find that the room hadn’t changed at all since he left the day before. However, Rong Yue was lying on the ground, pale-faced, having coughed up blood and fainted.dtbWAEtnlgEdVFguxDYvdGMRcjrRma
aIhqCBhRAkYpytIJin Bao was shocked. He had already anticipated their meeting, and had prepared how to deal with it—planning to ignore him, grab his things, and leave immediately. But he never expected that Rong Yue would be on the brink of death, coughing up blood.lLftRopJUxXgTdCMATwNpGSDTOosyx
DHHZrADQinErPIKHe rushed over and helped him up. Although his heart was filled with disgust and anger towards Rong Yue, he wasn’t so heartless as to leave someone dying without doing anything.nrIIqVSvOdppgBpEWLaBsbnEbIbCPO
UqbGgCDAdCrATLSHe turned to the Medicine Valley servants and shouted, “You, can you treat him? What’s wrong with him?”wuDuIhUFOXoGxZOYkCjyoRfiCngTHw
vOAcklbPPyQCMLXEven the sweepers in Medicine Valley had some knowledge of medicine, so one quickly came over and took Rong Yue’s pulse. Then, bowing to Jin Bao, he said, “Young master Jin Bao, I only know a little, but from his pulse, it seems this gentleman has suffered internal injuries and is extremely weak.”TvRComPuSPBaWMuZFSIFEXvuOgMPXt
FOOIOmvvFaKGhilThe other servant pulled out a porcelain bottle from his pocket. “Young master Jin Bao, this is a tonic we from Medicine Valley always carry with us. It strengthens the heart and replenishes energy. Give it to him.”ONCYUCdVEQABuFeTCxTuSTorCrLyUk
MORbXjBujcgbkluJin Bao quickly poured out two pills and fed them to Rong Yue, then transferred some of his internal energy into Rong Yue’s body through his back. He didn’t know much about healing, but it was worth a try.IRvkvqSfHEjbgJMBqCgdTmJwBZnmMI
lYNHMQVtpUAKeewAfter a while, Rong Yue’s face slowly regained some color. He gradually opened his eyes, his gaze shifting from confusion to clarity. In disbelief, he softly called out, “Big brother Jin Bao.”kaOdKtFahWiAwjUbCPXqazuvFmTzJt
rFvlfOgxTnrpkPLxSlyMpeaoIGHaEFcOyqdVeMdPLpnWW