Chapter 22 Part 1

Gu Xiaodeng basked in the sun for a while, holding Blossom Ashes. A sense of peace washed over him, and soon, he dozed off too. He thought he was merely resting his eyes, but when he opened them again, the sun had set outside the window. Only Blossom Ashes remained in the twilight, a hairpin held in its beak.

Gu Xiaodeng looked left and right. The room was empty. “Where’s Jinyu?”

The gyrfalcon hopped over to him, stretching its neck repeatedly, as if urging him to take the black jade hairpin it carried.

“You’re about to drool all over it.” Gu Xiaodeng laughed, petting the gyrfalcon’s head. He took the hairpin, cleaned it, and examined it from all angles. “Is this a gift from your master? He’s too kind. Did he really prepare a present?”

Blossom Ashes let out a loud cry, as if answering “Yes.” Gu Xiaodeng chuckled and tucked the hairpin into his robes. When he walked out and saw Feng’en, he asked about Gu Jinyu’s whereabouts.

“The Fourth Young Master was called back to West Prosperity Garden,” Feng’en said with a smile. “He’s only been back in Changluo for two days. Today is a big day, and he’ll likely be busy with social engagements tonight. Young Cousin, there are classes at the academy tomorrow, and it’s already late. We should head back.”

Gu Xiaodeng rubbed his nose. “Did the Princess Consort not summon me, or leave any word for me?”

A puzzled smile appeared on Feng’en’s face. “No. Why do you ask?”

Gu Xiaodeng sighed and shook his head with a smile. “It’s nothing. The Fourth Young Master and the others are busy. Let’s return to the academy.”

He strode ahead of Feng’en. After leaving the courtyard, the road was gray in the fading light. He felt a bit stifled and quickly tried to think of something pleasant. He raised a hand and patted the hairpin in his robes, thinking that having a birthday gift was quite good.

He thought of Gu Jinyu, and then of Su Mingya. He remained somewhat melancholy all the way back to Vast Marsh Academy. He rubbed his face and turned to instruct Feng’en: “May I walk alone for a bit? Don’t follow me for now. I want some quiet.”

Feng’en was perceptive. “Then let the little page follow you. It’s getting dark, and I worry you might get lost.”

Gu Xiaodeng nodded with a smile. Back at the Student Courtyard, he called for the young page and strolled around in the dusk.

He figured that at this hour, the other students were likely having meals or resting in their rooms. As expected, there were few people on the paths, so he decided to wander aimlessly through the Student Courtyard. Staying alone was not an option.

After walking like a wandering soul for an unknown time, Gu Xiaodeng grew more and more dazed and lost. As the night deepened, so did his loneliness. He finally succumbed to the solitude. Clenching his fists, he shouted in his heart: No, I’m going to find Su Mingya. Even if it’s rude and abrupt to visit at this hour, I’m going to drop by! Today is my birthday. I want to see a beautiful, sickly beauty to soothe my soul!

Having made up his mind, he rubbed his hands together and turned to speak to the page, asking him to lead the way to Su Mingya’s Bamboo Courtyard. But when he turned, he discovered the page was gone.

Gu Xiaodeng was now in a secluded, dim area. The student dwellings were spaced apart, their layout staggered, partitioned into grid-like sections by low shrubs and rockeries. He stood in an empty space, with no dwellings before or behind him. The surroundings were silent and shadowy.

Gu Xiaodeng immediately called out the page’s name. After a few shouts, he heard a sound from behind the rockery to his left. The page’s clear voice came through, muffled: “Young Master Gu, I’m here. I couldn’t hold it in and went behind the rockery to relieve myself. I accidentally bumped my head, and I’m a bit dizzy now.”

Hearing this, Gu Xiaodeng quickly walked over. “Lean on the rockery and take a few breaths. Let me look at your head. I hope you haven’t hurt yourself…”

He had just reached the rockery when a figure suddenly darted out. A black cloth sack was thrown over his head like a hunter catching a rabbit. The sack was pulled tight, plunging Gu Xiaodeng into complete darkness. His breath caught, and he was stunned with fright. Before he could react, he was shoved against the rockery and beaten.

Muffled laughter and curses came from behind him: “Gu Shanqing, let’s see you act tough now! What kind of lowly little bastard dares to mock me?”

Gu Xiaodeng’s hands were pinned behind his back. Blows from fists and feet landed on his back, arms, and the backs of his knees. But what truly robbed him of his ability to think was the black sack covering his head. The sudden, endless darkness before his eyes made him feel as if he were back in that tightly shut tower. The deep-seated terror within him revived. He felt no pain from the blows, only a bone-chilling suffocation.

He gasped violently, and chaotic memories surged in his mind—all blurred recollections from before he was seven that he had forgotten. Being submerged in a water vat, silver needles brushing past his arm, the blurred calls of his foster mother and adoptive father… He sank into his own confinement chamber, completely unaware of the reality behind him.

Several youths were beating him with gusto when they suddenly heard a cold voice ring out nearby: “What are you doing?”

The leader of the young masters turned his head. He was first stunned, then ingratiating. “Worthy Brother Ge, are you out for a stroll? We’re just messing around for fun…”

Before he could finish, Ge Dongchen strode over and punched him squarely in the face. As a martial arts practitioner, his fist was powerful. The others all knew his martial prowess was high. Not caring about anything else, the remaining four immediately dragged their fallen companion and fled in a panic.

Ge Dongchen didn’t chase them. He swiftly caught Gu Xiaodeng, who was sliding to the ground. Feeling the trembling of his small frame, his heart tightened. He quickly removed the black sack from his head. “Gu Xiaodeng?”

The little guy in his arms had a vacant look, his face pale as he panted heavily. Ge Dongchen’s pupils constricted. He leaned down and called to him, his voice like summoning a soul back.

As he called out, he hurriedly moved to carry him in his arms. Unexpectedly, Gu Xiaodeng’s reaction arc was peculiar. He suddenly snapped awake with an “Ah-da!” and swung a fist with a protruding thumb straight at his face.

The fist was small, but the thumb was pointed. Ge Dongchen barely managed to turn his head, taking the small punch on his left cheek. The little thumb scraped the skin under his eye, leaving a sharp, burning pain.

He grunted, releasing only his left hand to cover his face. With his right hand, he directly pressed the now lively Gu Xiaodeng into his chest, using his larger frame to suppress those fists.

In pain but feeling a strange satisfaction, he even managed to hiss out a laugh. “Xiaodeng, it’s your Brother Dongchen. Don’t hit the wrong person again. The ones who bullied you just now have all run off.”

The struggle in his arms immediately ceased. Gu Xiaodeng’s head burrowed out with effort. Covering his left eye, Ge Dongchen looked down and met his gaze—three eyes staring at each other.

Gu Xiaodeng had fully regained his senses now. His angrily flushed face was creased, his features vivid and lively. Seeing Ge Dongchen smile, his anger dissipated by half. “I hit the wrong person?”

Ge Dongchen nodded with a smile. “Yes, the ones who bullied you ran away. I came to help you. Does your body hurt?”

Gu Xiaodeng struggled out of his embrace. First, he angrily pounded the black sack on the ground a few times. Picking it up, he used one hand to rub his back while looking apologetically at the person before him. “I’m sorry. My mind was a mess just now. I just swung a fist randomly. I didn’t expect you, with all your great martial skills, would still get hit by me. This must be a case of a random punch knocking out the old master.”

Ge Dongchen laughed even more. “Yes, you’re right. How are you feeling? Are you hurt?”

Gu Xiaodeng felt some pain, but it was bearable. He quickly patted his sleeves and stood up. “It’s nothing, it’s nothing. And you, Young Master Ge? You’re still covering your eye. Did I hit your eye?”

“I’m fine.”

Ge Dongchen stood up as well, but his hand remained firmly pressed over his left eye. “I just came from Yunji’s place. It’s not far from here. I think I should take you to sit there for a while, let the page check you over. If you’re really not hurt, I’ll have a page escort you back.”

Gu Xiaodeng hopped twice on the spot. A numbing pain spread through his lower back, but he was more concerned about Ge Dongchen, whom he had accidentally injured. He anxiously followed on his left, pressing the question. “Are you really okay? Let go and let me see?”

Ge Dongchen still insisted he was fine. Gu Xiaodeng couldn’t rest easy. With lightning speed, he grabbed Ge Dongchen’s left arm and pulled it down, standing on his tiptoes to look at his left eye—

The sight shocked him.

“Y-Your left eye has turned green!”

Gu Xiaodeng was greatly alarmed.

“It’s over, it’s over! Brother Dongchen, I’ve beaten your eye from black to green! Have I damaged your pupil? Heavens, I’ve committed a grave sin. You’re probably going to go blind…”

The veins on Ge Dongchen’s forehead throbbed. He reached out and covered his mouth.

He had no choice but to close his left eye and explain in as calm a tone as possible: “It’s not over. Stop yelling. My eye is fine. It’s just that your punch scraped under my eye, and it stung a little. Some tears welled up in my left eye, and it turned green.”

Gu Xiaodeng made muffled sounds behind his palm, his watery eyes full of doubt.

Ge Dongchen looked at him expressionlessly for a moment, then sighed helplessly. He closed his eyes to gather himself, then opened them. Tears glistened in his eyes, which had changed from their usual black to a peculiar light green.

“My mother is from a foreign tribe of the Southern Border. She was born with green eyes.” Ge Dongchen explained in a low voice, enunciating each word. “I was also born with green eyes. Later, I used medicine to change their color to the black of the Central Plains. But whenever I shed tears, my true colors are revealed.”

Gu Xiaodeng stared at his eyes in shock, watching as their color slowly shifted from a vibrant green back to ordinary black under the moonlight.

Ge Dongchen slowly released his hand. He couldn’t manage a smile for a moment and spoke gently, “Very few people have seen my original eyes. Tonight was an accident. Don’t spread it around.”

Gu Xiaodeng came back to his senses and nodded hurriedly. “It’s good that you’re fine. You scared me to death. I thought you were going to turn into a one-eyed wolf from now on.”

Ge Dongchen turned away, somewhat gloomily. Gu Xiaodeng followed him left and right, sensing his low spirits. He chattered quietly, “Thank you for helping me. At this hour, I wonder what bored, overfed people would gang up to beat me. All underhanded tactics, just tickling people’s armpits from behind. Hmph, they’re all cowardly bullies who dare to act but not to own up.”

Ge Dongchen grew even more gloomy.

Gu Xiaodeng touched the back of his neck and said softly, “I’m sorry for hitting you and for seeing something you didn’t want to show. I won’t tell anyone about this. But… your original eyes are very beautiful. More lustrous than jadeite, more colorful than crystal. Like stars. They’re truly lovely.”

Ge Dongchen stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at him. “Say that again.”

Gu Xiaodeng was confused. “Brother Dongchen?”

The corner of Ge Dongchen’s lips lifted. He continued walking. “Call me that from now on. No more disappearing among the masses, ‘Young Master this and that.’ No problem, right? I saved you, and instead, I got punched by you. Xiaodeng, you owe me two favors. From now on, no more avoiding your Brother Dongchen as if keeping a respectful distance. That’s not a problem, is it?”

Gu Xiaodeng stammered twice. On one hand were Gu Jinyu’s instructions; on the other, the reality of tonight. After a long moment, he just gave an embarrassed “Oh.”