Chapter 22
Wen Linyu went to bed, but he didn’t sleep. He was puzzled. Why had his teacher pushed him away?
Had he lost interest? But he had been so… aroused. Wasn’t it uncomfortable?
His teacher had been acting strangely all day. Making breakfast, waiting for him to return, not following him around constantly.
If it wasn’t a whim—and his teacher wasn’t prone to whims—then what was it?
Wen Linyu sat up, looking at the other side of the bed. It was empty. Gu Chi had left quickly, almost fleeing.
He hadn’t seemed disgusted or bored, but rather… as if holding back.
Wen Linyu straightened up. From this perspective, his teacher had been playing the role of a gentle, considerate, and respectful partner all day, although not very convincingly.
A flicker of hope arose. Was his teacher doing all this for him?
But he quickly dampened his expectations. What if it was just another whim, although his teacher wasn’t known for such “hobbies.”
He couldn’t rule out other possibilities. After contemplating his strategy, he lay back down.
Gu Chi didn’t return that night.
He hadn’t gone far, however. He had retreated to his interspatial ring, immersing himself in the icy spring. He didn’t understand what was happening to him, but the memory of Wen Linyu sent his blood boiling, as if he had been poisoned. And the antidote was to devour his little apprentice.
Perhaps his subconscious recognized the danger of that impulse. He didn’t want to hurt Wen Linyu. Coupled with the expert’s advice, he had left.
The icy spring was effective. After several hours, he regained his composure.
Then he frowned, recalling Wen Linyu’s expression. There had been no disgust, only a strange sense of… being deceived, of having missed out on something.
He messaged the relationship expert, who, of course, demanded another payment.
Gu Chi readily paid, but as the expert offered their insincere thanks, he added: “Swear to me that everything you say is true, or your life is mine.”
The expert scoffed silently. It was just a verbal promise. He activated his voice changer, adopting a gentle feminine tone, and recited the oath without hesitation.
Satisfied, Gu Chi described his progress with Wen Linyu.
The expert was surprised. From this account, the apprentice was clearly seducing him. A conspiracy theory formed in his mind. Had the apprentice been playing him all along? Perhaps he had known his true identity from the start, and the forced intimacy was just a game, a playful tease, while the Demon Lord, believing it to be real, was now consumed by guilt.
Of course, he wouldn’t reveal this. It contradicted his initial analysis.
He offered another vague explanation and dismissed Gu Chi.
Gu Chi stared at the message, pondering. Had Wen Linyu acted out of fear? It didn’t seem so.
He hadn’t sensed any fear from his little apprentice.
Skeptical, he put away his phone. He hadn’t returned all night. Would Wen Linyu be angry?
When he returned, Wen Linyu was getting dressed. His clothes weren’t fully on, revealing a glimpse of his waist. The sight made Gu Chi question the effectiveness of the icy spring.
His mind told him to look away, but his body and heart refused. A voice whispered in his ear: It’s okay, just a quick glance, I’m standing so far away, it doesn’t matter.
Wen Linyu finished dressing, turning to see Gu Chi standing by the bed, his gaze lingering on his waist. He lowered his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips, his expression otherwise unchanged. He glanced at Gu Chi, then looked away, choosing a watch.
Gu Chi, noticing his movement, snapped out of his trance. Before Wen Linyu could ask, he offered an explanation: “I went out last night to take care of something.”
Wen Linyu, adjusting his watch, replied with a noncommittal “Oh.”
Gu Chi sensed something was wrong, adding: “Nowhere strange. Don’t be angry.”
Wen Linyu looked up in surprise. He hadn’t expected his teacher to explain, to be concerned about his feelings.
A warmth spread through him, making it difficult to maintain his usual impassive expression.
Gu Chi, seeing his softened expression, relaxed. He would never have imagined explaining his actions to anyone, simply to avoid their anger.
Dressed and ready, they went downstairs.
A stranger was at the breakfast table. Lin Wanshow introduced him as Wen Linyu’s new tutor.
Tutor?
Hearing the word, both Wen Linyu and Gu Chi looked at the man.
Wen Linyu’s good mood instantly vanished, while Gu Chi’s expression turned murderous.
The new tutor, who had intended to establish his authority, felt a chill run down his spine. He forced a smile and introduced himself, already planning his escape.
—He wasn’t an ordinary etiquette tutor, but someone hired by the Wen family to solve their “problem.”
But no one had told him the problem was this… big. Or that there were two of them!
Lin Wanshow’s heart sank. Why was her husband looking like that? This was the most skilled disciple of the master. Was Wen Linyu that troublesome?
This wasn’t good. The memory of being dragged into that basement room made her feel like she was choking, cold, lifeless hands gripping her throat. She shuddered, pushing the memory away.
She had to get rid of this nightmare!
But as she looked at Wen Linyu, a sharp pain shot through her eyes. She screamed, clutching her eyes, the pain intense, viscous, filled with malice and darkness, consuming her.
Whispers and curses echoed in her ears, countless voices speaking, indistinct, then clear.
—Why don’t you just die? You useless waste! Disgusting! You belong in that filthy place.
It wasn’t someone else’s voice. It was her own!
She screamed, falling from her chair, clutching her eyes and ears. Her sudden outburst startled everyone at the table, except Wen Linyu and Gu Chi.
Gu Chi’s expression was even more menacing now, his gaze fixed on the writhing Lin Wanshow as if she were a corpse.
He had heard it all, her curses and the malice she harbored towards Wen Linyu. Just like his own mother, a hateful creature.
He despised such people, and he returned her malice a hundredfold.
Consumed by anger and heartache, he forgot the expert’s advice, his hand instinctively reaching for Wen Linyu’s.
The large hand, dry and warm, was reassuring, a stark contrast to Wen Linyu’s bleak past, a comfort he had always longed for. His cold expression softened slightly. He no longer felt anything for his so-called blood relatives. As his teacher had taught him, repay every injury a hundredfold.
If he had suffered, they wouldn’t escape unscathed. Forgiveness? Such a noble concept wasn’t for villains.
Gu Chi hadn’t intended to kill her, but the amplified malice was enough to make her life a living hell.
Lin Wanshow was rushed to the hospital, accompanied by her husband and children. The large villa was now occupied only by Wen Linyu, Gu Chi, and the new etiquette tutor.
The fake tutor, the master’s disciple, was terrified.
Help! This is a suicide mission!
Someone else can have this job!
“I only have one teacher. And you—” Wen Linyu looked at the disciple.
The disciple immediately groveled: “No, no, I’m not worthy! You’re my teacher! I’m just a useless nobody! I’m just here to… observe! Please spare me!”
Wen Linyu let him go, much to Gu Chi’s displeasure. He blurted out: “Why are you still so soft-hearted? Why don’t you ever listen to me?”
Wen Linyu: “…”
He had said it so naturally. Should he continue pretending?
