Chapter 16

With that, Yin Wuji truly went still, his warm palm resting against the Shadow Guard’s lower back, the heat crawling up along his spine. Shadow Twelve couldn’t help a shiver.

Listening to the Master’s even breathing, Shadow Twelve tentatively shifted, trying to retreat to his own little corner.

Free of the Master’s palm, Shadow Twelve exhaled and continued edging away carefully. Just as he was about to slip out of Yin Wuji’s embrace, Yin Wuji’s arm shot out, hooked his shoulder, and drew him right back.

Helplessly pressed against Yin Wuji’s chest, this position was worse than the last. Shadow Twelve’s palms sweated as the Master’s hand began its practiced kneading again.

The Shadow Guard’s freshly kneaded-soft lower back was exceptionally sensitive. The lightest touch, and he could hear the Shadow Guard’s breathing deepen.

“Master……”

A whimper. Shadow Twelve tremblingly moved to block Yin Wuji’s hand, but his strength had long since scattered; naturally he couldn’t withstand the Master’s offensive.

His efforts failed, and Yin Wuji even asked softly, “Crying?”

Shame turned the Shadow Guard’s ears scarlet. He made no sound.

“Or is it wet?” Yin Wuji continued, his meaning unreadable.

This time the Shadow Guard’s reaction was even greater, and the previously crisp, cool inner chamber turned somewhat sticky.

The Shadow Guard, locked in stalemate with Yin Wuji, finally lost to the oncoming exhaustion. His head tipped, and he fell asleep—then, the next day, overslept, unexpectedly.

The Physician, worried he’d be hauled back and forth until it cost him his life, had moved into Rose Garden with Yin Wuji’s permission. In the morning, he came to take a look.

The Shadow Guard’s complexion was rosy—very much like someone who had been… right in front of Yin Wuji, the Physician thought somewhat obscurely, nourished.

Yin Wuji drank a cup of tea and asked, “Well?”

The Physician answered hastily, “The Manor Master is in excellent health.”

Yin Wuji: “?”

“What does that have to do with This Manor Master?”

The Physician wasn’t buying any of these excuses. He hinted delicately, “One simply ought to practice moderation.”

Wonderful. Yin Wuji gritted his teeth. Between him and the Shadow Guard, they had been misunderstood again.

Yin Wuji said, cold-faced, “We merely share a bed.”

“Merely share a bed?”

The Physician’s instinctive rejoinder struck dead center. Yin Wuji’s expression shifted, and he said vaguely, “Perhaps there is something else.”

The Physician opened his mouth, and Yin Wuji said, “Ask again, and you’re replaced.”

A naked threat.

The Physician: “.”

Yin Wuji had long wanted to replace the Physician. The first time, he’d held off because the Shadow Guard was improving—the man’s medical skill was genuinely good. The second time, because the Shadow Guard and the Physician were familiar; swap in a stranger, and the Shadow Guard might well bash his own head against a wall.

Round and round, it all came back to the Shadow Guard.

Watching the Physician leave, Yin Wuji suddenly said, “You really should thank him.”

A baffling remark. By the time the Physician turned around, Yin Wuji had already gone into the inner chamber.

The Physician worked it out on his own: first, thank Lord Shadow Guard for creating his opportunity to stay in the Manor; second, thank the Manor Master for perpetually orbiting Lord Shadow Guard.

For his continued residence in the Manor, both men deserved credit.

Another day survived, with wages to collect besides.

The moment Yin Wuji stepped into the inner chamber, the Shadow Guard woke. He sat on the bed, the Shadow Guard uniform he had longed for laid out beside him.

But the Shadow Guard didn’t move.

Hearing no words of gratitude, Yin Wuji was displeased. He stepped forward and tapped the clothes beside him, and the Shadow Guard grew only more coy.

Pressed hard by Yin Wuji, he finally stammered, “This Subordinate wants to wash it first.”

Wash. It. First.

Even the Shadow Guard himself believed something had indeed happened last night.

“It’s been washed.”

The Shadow Guard’s body went rigid, and Yin Wuji’s hands began to itch, wanting to knead that waist soft and pliant once more.

“Yes……”

The Shadow Guard pressed his lips together, too embarrassed to ask, and picked up the obviously finer-made uniform to put on.

Besides the different fabric, there were additional patterns.

Once dressed, Shadow Twelve knelt with practiced ease. “Thank you, Master.”

The clothes had been rush-ordered. For ease of movement, Shadow Guard uniforms were always trim, outlining the wearer’s fluid lines.

His belly was even more conspicuous now.

Feeling the heating gaze, Shadow Twelve looked up blankly and saw only his cold-faced Master. Yin Wuji said, “Go eat.”

The food was already laid out on the table outside.

Perhaps from sleeping well, Shadow Twelve’s appetite was excellent today. He drank white congee, ate two steamed buns, and even finished the appetizing cold dish prepared specially for him.

Yin Wuji glanced over, ultimately abandoned the delicate pastries before him, and tried the buns the Shadow Guard favored.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

But Manor Master Yin still couldn’t fathom why the Shadow Guard liked them so much.

Then came more of the two of them sitting in silence in the room—Yin Wuji with his book, Shadow Twelve staring at the roof beams.

On duty today was Shadow Eleven, around Shadow Twelve’s age and unusually mischievous. Where other Shadow Guards crouched properly on the beam, constantly tracking the Master’s movements, this one kept poking his head down, deliberately teasing Shadow Twelve.

Shadow Twelve’s brow twitched. Eleven’s nerve was far too great.

He signaled Shadow Eleven to stop fooling around, but Shadow Eleven misread him entirely—today he simply had to make Shadow Twelve laugh.

Watching Shadow Eleven escalate, Shadow Twelve’s face grew worse and worse. He sat as if on pins and needles, terrified the Master would catch Eleven.

“Shadow Eleven,” Yin Wuji said without looking up, coldly, “get down here.”

Shadow Eleven dropped down, head hanging, and landed before Yin Wuji. “Master.”

“Having fun?”

“Master, this Subordinate only wanted to……”

Before Shadow Eleven could finish, Shadow Twelve cut in, kneeling beside him. “It is this Subordinate’s fault.”

Shadow Eleven’s eyes went wide. It was his own playfulness—how had it become Twelve’s fault? He hurried to argue, but Shadow Twelve pressed down on his hand.

Shadow Twelve couldn’t bear to have anyone else implicated by him. Shadow Nine still hadn’t recovered; he couldn’t just watch Shadow Eleven be shipped off to the Punishment Chamber at the Master’s word either.

Interesting. Yin Wuji glanced between Shadow Twelve and Shadow Eleven, his attention fixing on their joined hands, his eyes narrowing dangerously, anger simmering beneath. “Shadow Eleven. Get out.”

“Master……”

Wasn’t the Master obviously about to punish Twelve?

“Would you like a trip to the Punishment Chamber?”

Seeing the Master looked fully prepared to throw them both into the Punishment Chamber, Shadow Eleven obediently left.

With the eyesore gone, Yin Wuji stared down at this Shadow Guard who had always been so difficult to manage. He asked, “Taking the blame?”

Shadow Twelve’s heart tightened. “This Subordinate……”

“Or do you think that because it’s you, This Manor Master will simply let it go?”

His boot pressed down on Shadow Twelve’s shoulder. Yin Wuji continued, “Who gave you the nerve?”

Shadow Twelve lowered his eyes. “This Subordinate would not dare presume on favor. This Subordinate only didn’t want to implicate Shadow Eleven.”

Hearing the words “presume on favor,” Yin Wuji truly wanted to crack open the Shadow Guard’s skull and see what on earth was packed inside.

A green shadow flashed. Before Shadow Twelve noticed anything, a man had appeared in the room.

Shadow Twelve was greatly startled, his hand flying instinctively to his waist—where there was no longer any sword. His hand grasped at nothing, yet he still thought first of shielding Yin Wuji.

“Manor Master Yin, so this is the new male favorite you’ve taken?” The man in green circled Shadow Twelve once, teasing. “I hear he even presumes on favor?”