Chapter 39
What should one usually say when caught in the act?HpTkaUKimqKWYBwGwhQLwgjTvUUUKv
sjqlfMmifkOYWYQQue 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.eFByRLwSuDYXQnSnjzaVbChkSQWSFy
ytMIAgFTuEjcMydBefore Que Siming could say a word, Rong Yue was already trembling with fear, his voice shaking, “Master Que… why are you here…?”guSZDeWJkMXiqUxKchyLGFwOHXlZPg
wQhWFaVjBVIiUcAQue 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.fWXelgRIpXLGlYqbDfioFgfZsEHIpF
kxhXWlvfZzrutJI“Cough, cough… Que… I… I didn’t do it… no, I…”IJXUDtxcAqkvRuQvJSmKzfUSxbyRAd
MEAavpjVPJeSKHtQue 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.DwyMtQSYCrFjPhZoMMFyjOXWOkbgpa
QVBRfBesrLEsqpvJinbao knew he was doomed as soon as he saw this. There was no way he’d escape without being skinned today.tgiAAQvVSLCdJVAvJgQKtkbKOsJrJh
dpidlgFcjeYtarzQue Siming tightened his grip, choking Jinbao until his face turned green. Through gritted teeth, he spat, “You really give me face, huh?”vFnqSMNCiAuKjrKlLPqVfXgQTPWvrU
OVozPMpfgelHAbcJinbao couldn’t speak, only looking at him with eyes full of pleading.nIWZiDOLteYNolkHMudDhYTNwXdnUW
zOhGBaWmHEWxbIz“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.ZctAmlWVBMFQWxFwyTTZxMFFVrZijG
TEUYQUYZUzasOEiwYfbWHWsmyXlPyeRQwLeEBGaVgCeqe
sWbEYjjTiuggfjjHe had never felt such agitation and disappointment, or the overwhelming anger and heartbreak when he saw him lying naked with Rong Yue.PtOmbMRsslsZpvmcNwvFnjPotTWStY
SDKTylNCCgwMujMHow could he do this to him? No one dared to treat him like this!hHDOHUYrwePLVBVSvBuIdiMYvrqcKu
otxNwlNFbSszgmeAt 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.”fBGSSZjzqdnhcuXHHFSOfWgCWLsfpK
GKzOBEINleTKLGCQue Siming let go of Jinbao, tossing him back onto the bed, and looked down coldly at Rong Yue.AuaBUIRXXMhFQcxVdjRRfXSLeYfokX
UXEPAypkUdEmlfcRong Yue’s thin shoulders trembled in fear.QdJuZYybDHBSdznfHXZcXaXwazdGYC
SkgwGUZdsQkVBgWJinbao gasped for air, coughing as he spoke, “What he said… it’s true. I didn’t do anything… cough, cough…”xYpPGSzTRDLCtiyGPuAYahQGEALWxD
XdwsveQPaXFeTwBQue 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.”cuWoqHenZrUKiGjOWHSulJUMziezCU
ZeuOuLKOBRTbisyClutching his chest, Rong Yue’s face twisted in pain as he wept pitifully.LusgMebyQGMVYTMEFerDGceeebXGHk
DiCiJNMXTiSpSLtQue Siming wrapped Jinbao in the bed sheet and, without wasting another second, carried him out.ZQBhcIyvrrxMOTXMIBDFiUWpkHmQbU
zyhXXxHPQfeHSAxRong Yue stared blankly at the wide-open door, clutching his chest. The weak and pitiful expression on his face vanished in an instant.vvhAFKNWnfnbqOjtVLWZoFcJghFcLH
OTJLFrJFJdwqtxfWhen they returned to Yaogu, Que Siming didn’t take Jinbao inside but threw him straight into the pond.HPAbMGWNJRYsWwNCGhTqjOylCUhapj
xcuCAhhtLzwiVnEAutumn 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.cLwcKlaMKZZgVGeShzXrGxjwOGfDwH
rdvHBwtVUGkiTOXQue Siming crouched by the pond, grabbing a handful of Jinbao’s hair and yanking his head down to face him.gqUNpXVlFTYDhtoocyouYagFVXOwam
ONLHBIapGtneVSgJinbao 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.qSTiRCGJFcDJONalZCFTkcZNHmFNsN
DNhLInlkGXXqCPDQue Siming’s icy eyes glared at him harshly, “Fine, explain.”EQVJLxvYqhggTZYmpZjAplXjClUAlR
TMHeuyprohfuqWI“He… he drugged me with something in the wine. I don’t remember anything.”iPRQrnjnMGPXwrHOQioggPlqKbweTA
bhhKMCejTBgpNZGThese words only fueled Que Siming’s fury, his aura growing more violent. “How did he even get the chance to drug your wine?”zeZrkCHZzZIkqdvxkZQZohpPXXJDct
DWRhCWQkIeOSUNrJinbao 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…”ajIWVnVMFbVZXOXYdMguxPOExfQZxA
QuCbuOsOIZtNeKaQue 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?”pLTcCDrztXbMACiWiYBTsPduGSHfsm
SHrpLqyyqgzNTIsJinbao looked at him with grievance, “I… I didn’t know… I—”uypgVhBSCbtXCGgQbToVeDtPhBlTof
NnKbliZlFYoDnjTQue Siming’s voice was laced with venom, “Did you sleep with him or not?”yvhhbLcGCJkWhLcZPvCDTqHaAsbwqV
tQjNKuqfgmTVjls“I… I don’t know. I don’t remember. When I woke up, it was already like that… and then you came right after.”TYJqKzdJFlfrlknfPtUJQAbYGmblxX
KOSHKvdlppmbYIMQue 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?”XOeYUPkuRCuskDjaSGChtSXwqIcDjF
idZtWDwYIyDOtQjJinbao whimpered, “I really don’t remember, I really don’t.”DSYTFDNURWKApzTYnrPEtDFuHQnsBR
VXJXGcDjHLPegDl“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.atTewsYRzOaTBGVeORgGMkSZIgonLj
vRSlOCdhHfHofAwOnly 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.lFtaIzFNDXNNsrCVEwESdzlpvlSLCh
zGOnfpDgiNLimTeLowering 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.iYLrdpQmajbmsZoCIrrgHCICubEokC
nzptmrWCFYSWbmeThe sharp pain in Jinbao’s chest made him try to push Que Siming’s head away.SnzpYSbXedZOZtelVrcukTlibczEfQ
LOmuzUympkIhGtNQue 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.zKdxGWBvCJwiNzMvOTeKbaMcmwqSTW
cFVYZaxXkQVCFofJinbao 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.ZnzSfOafqJaDJxJdrsBhZFEbcuRsNh
nzmkEJgZVdqUzHcFrightened, Jinbao desperately tried to close his legs, but Que Siming pinned them with his knee.xTQHxSZddoKWQDbwelIizXyPZhQlCu
UgFBsUwqfZSQTCmTears streamed down Jinbao’s face. He covered his eyes with his elbow, sobbing, “I… I was wrong, okay? I was wrong, okay?”NuMSscCQHcCLoNcrAYTSDKfsRbhZeg
PRiFsGPasLbMmla“You think just admitting you’re wrong is enough? I’ll make sure you never have the guts to make the same mistake again!”BttzJqQxAWlaCvKneBFiPWNrGMoypN
wBjynCqBLWImqxj“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?”VKhVrIZanRdXKjRpYiYFJznUrNeCmj
PXIpTGHewwVvgEn“You’re acting like this is your first day knowing me? You’re lucky I haven’t castrated you for what you did.”nvMjkjGfUxlLmllOLaEmvssWWWsUYZ
UeokmEIGlNqywqmJinbao 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?”oZDaCNRbgypypPewJmmfAgqdbrHWzQ
JGzRELJiGSfuhKjQue 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.GQZUktoGEBoeAJOtwKKifpSvMsEWop
NMfUfOeUtkSNuRuWhat more did he want? The truth was, he couldn’t bear to do anything worse to him.xgJskmlcKzPYzYtDlWRzCKKbcpaUin
SmgonLHwGOARJFqHe 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?beELjJWtXiaglgmAwcvcVCgwAjFkLU
iAtRcGseuxnEJjcHad 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?jJVOdrBdNxHqYYlQjTIFjNUqbXMWzA
pIYaeBJnMvPAIipIt was as if Jinbao had been born to torment him.eAABNFHPWoMZNsJUuQWoNMmDGDTaxy
NqyOYcxXuTHnrMMJinbao looked at Que Siming’s cold expression and the obvious exhaustion on his face.RCcPlzOOuRwBFtCpfHjqwdqYbsrXNc
NeANLiSvzqRHbjOCarefully, 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…”odONoMvnspUEzGPDpjXHSqfXrfZaSB
zouEkTORivUuGPaThe doctor shook out his long robe, stood up from the floor, and without sparing him a glance, turned and walked away.sSMMKuLLseTOVFcKXbMOdafQkzMxDc
ZAwIIkwJxVJDuQLPanicking, Jinbao grabbed his sleeve, blurting out, “Que Siming, don’t be like this. If you want, just hit me.”tAEbBJQNiJiIafmLWuafFItGTFxDKk
GGrCyfLtonkCnMkQue Siming flung his sleeve free and coldly said, “Disgusting. Don’t touch me.”OyAkHCBhJmMfGLbMvTWPlNkMhhUbEZ
GshcEWtGLRwqbZHJinbao 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.XWXajxMrqXAIbcdbPQDtgSQmTJkCVt
llYbQxTEVDFocLuQue Siming was so angry… what should he do?pRtUAVsfCNpbPIwgIjaWaiHERNxepJ
znMpOMmTjhRfDLLIn a fit of frustration, Jinbao slapped himself hard several times.FauQvYCYfalxACccHZfXkshgtlOwtW
ArwjYBkiXmWHiTJ“Why did you have to meddle? Serves you right! Idiot! Stupid idiot!”DRIRZMGTWAEzonFCMBtTddGARpGtMW
gHMOmBkEjPKkxIWHe 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.RIbnLmYOhpBSyTJzPStEoQyifQwofz
iJhKTCeGFRxAYQNWith stiff movements, he pulled himself off the floor and returned to his room, instructing the servants to prepare hot water.NtKrgeiIVInihhBXTOoWScUnDnqZFI
YgbrlNdlxcJTwASThe 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.qfKTOVghudigjZJnNUyhIBihUdQzxA
yoYqUgcKhhIAUDSAfter putting on his underclothes, he hesitated for a long time before deciding to go find Que Siming.gBcGNGiLQFFMyFHCyaiwuduIEbGhON
aEwIJFJnDsdcxOwTheir 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.JoVwetMXlODlSgsxgcVUAXQAqQLmaN
DvYsCiOskWihqnMQue Siming was lying on the bed, his back to him.FaLctyOedgNXDOhpQHhSstxNVPXNeq
XawjrJQJrhGCcCZJinbao bit his lip, cautiously sat at the edge of the bed, and softly called, “Doctor…”ZHzAckOhpLyxCceUossrWrERpMncyl
GauALhyIhJTDdsYQue 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.eomKoTMFJmslsyYKIGvANjhyKVJSef
gwcsRlBttcwJIXEQue Siming still didn’t react, but he didn’t kick him off either. Jinbao took that as a good sign.sJlYvZgjiKWhbGIfUDxVgilmjKlDRQ
UrCUfVfJYgoHTlBPressing 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.”VFsnnIgROfhOmKnSpPIGRVMFUxyHbJ
XOGkJyGXulRRnhGQue 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?”ggUekCONtDABEKykcQbJAfkhVxxiuP
XPDqWHGNeAxLyRAJinbao 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.GHTXMFSdFsHPzoydiIErzqTBGdQJUz
UZNLclhRwnGOJvVQue Siming listened silently, his dark eyes gleaming in the darkness.dCKPVuJtoOzTaJblOFbdkqNaliIlMa
qQxdpBrJtmEBKUwThe next morning, Que Siming left early. When Jinbao woke up, the space next to him was already cold.WUffEKDcEuUsGlESqitvpROkaZrCOd
QeHiELFOBpYYvpbHe sighed, got out of bed, dressed himself, and as he habitually felt his side, his heart dropped in shock.dPzijCJcUfyREzzqCcCaMvHjdqiGEs
mniGqyyADxCqBtsThe 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.znJNHNRCmMBfegYjeVAAuROmnRKVeC
gPheaoYmOvHFskqYesterday, 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…OYVSAdjsxNpcdrvBWgtXOUySxVBHtJ
QklRyoSnEIRtnRZJinbao 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.YAoMWYviAnqSpXdASumBUDJqxFFQIU
rdjoFhHCXwqwpkYPanic 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.sYogjbeNcKFkPNMPAmGhSinmJbcPFl
kDOJcxxshDxFVLdIf it wasn’t in the medicine valley, then the only possibility was that he had left it at Rong Yue’s place.ttalXwITOMABjCWwDfPQJiACfOWxiA
bELWfILtSoitLKYJinbao felt like banging his head against the wall. What should he do? Should he go get it?MjWjrKCRlDldewYppBxQyPuVEWfTgx
irTMdloCoTRIDNhNo, he had to go get it. But what if he ran into Rong Yue? And should he tell Que Siming about it?JvWULjARzAtGpHrdgokrHohnZOSZZD
IbDzdHZPuWyxjaLMaybe he should wait a few days, let Que Siming calm down, and then explain it to him before going?uHpsnJBCxOAlTRwZTFOYUuIzPYxLVV
uWdSqqBscPBxdhcNo, 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?dPRfINTLEbQzYSdwWqyEIgDDEvSxhu
OlCFbstYdKmdBrpIf 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.TYKpBlKdtPyAJWjatolGIUKUzHYPXf
kgKlLLqhRSmbuCtAfter 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.XVvEnnKAkVrHtQOIqWiNrUUklszKed
fzHcoGqbniUcAHrBut 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.vRDZEVBDUWnTlyDrThnFzLObgTOrdA
toHNUbpJmnVSalzIn 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.xzanmddUkdKIPjGSsAwGogEglrcELa
fiyNRBRaNLmVFMRSo, he called two servants from the Medicine Valley, and the three of them rode on horseback to Rong Yue’s residence.jjiaJfqSuMlPQzilLRklLGGDUVjfbx
vFIJcxfjFOeupgpWhen 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.SdDaDjGbdZpxkjGczdBnwigCrcXwCz
ecdWfPOiUXjkzebSo, 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.vwDnbdHMBfhlCsjesMyPnbgdAyrlrT
ubbSGYEMKsmNvZhJin 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.QkkcoXkXOubaLgteNlUVtKRaCrQInJ
QiLmneXAYshIorxHe 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.LQvvLWpTxoFUEBJhZQgyaOnOiLVkRP
tqFSbiKkIgvOqZcHe turned to the Medicine Valley servants and shouted, “You, can you treat him? What’s wrong with him?”PgLbxGRUdxMNGqzTMsPbUBXypKKNmr
IfVuSDeSIlEkJxJEven 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.”ecIzPWgGlqMjuzCvAIXgnNTYfGljya
uRECPdRcxaNJKPEThe 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.”reCysdoOCNLsnNtyBhsFOTPLTlfzDr
OwvuQGhTxribaRZJin 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.iuGzeiljzWXHGPzzvnTEpuuCcquBLQ
UPqaOOKCAiZhkjJAfter 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.”nSNQRUjfwqoJeVsYwHagPLWUXIlJgN
nwFCxrKMRHJOJfuvbDJPPHBglopFntYscmwfQTQhgXDFz