Chapter 24: The One in Control

Casually wiping away the icy water from his face, Huo Jingzhao braced his hands on the edge of the water vat, staring into the empty moonlight. Thinking of that mature, refined, yet marred body, his heart swelled almost to bursting.

Just then, a purple shadow darted past the nearby rockery.

“Who’s there—?!” Huo Jingzhao’s gaze instantly turned ice-cold.

“Come out.” His tone was still flat.

Sang Sha knew coming out now would be courting death, so he turned, leaped onto the eaves, and fled.

But before he could even muster his inner breath, a black shadow blocked his path. When he blinked again in shock, he found himself facing those dark eyes, swirling like a flock of crows.

“Young… Young Sect Master.” The man before him had wet black hair, his eye sockets bloodshot, like a malevolent water demon. Sang Sha’s steps faltered, and he toppled onto the rooftop.

“Sang, you know, I don’t want a dog that barks…” Huo Jingzhao spoke lightly, then frowned. “And you, you ran off to bark at that old thing.”

As he spoke, he paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, murmuring repetitively, “What should I do with this dog? What should I do with this dog?”

Sang Sha was terrified out of his wits. In the Nine Blossoms Sect, anyone who had followed Huo Jingzhao for more than five years knew that whenever he started mumbling and repeating a single sentence, everyone within ten li—no, a hundred li—needed to clear out, lest they suffer a calamitous disaster.

Right now, Sang Sha’s legs were like jelly; how could he possibly walk? He could only gasp in terror and whisper:

“Young Sect Master, Family Head Pei… Gghhk—!!”

“Don’t mention him! Don’t call his name—!”

Huo Jingzhao already had fire scorching his heart. Upon hearing that title, the flames surged again, driving him to pounce, grab Sang Sha by the collar, and clamp his large hand down fiercely on his collarbone.

Sang Sha was in so much pain his face twisted beyond recognition, his lips paling. Yet he still squeezed out a weak voice from his throat:

“Young… Young Sect Master… you, stop! You’ll kill him… you’ll kill him!”

Hearing this, Huo Jingzhao’s expression changed drastically. A trace of bewilderment surfaced between his brows, and he actually loosened his grip dazedly.

“What did you… say…?” He practically ground the four words out through gritted teeth.

“Ugh—ah!” Sang Sha looked at him in shock, frantically pressing a hand over his bleeding collarbone. His teeth chattered as he said, trembling with fear, “Your body is filled with coercion, destruction, arrogance, and darkness… while he is like the clear moon behind you—fragile, noble, seemingly within reach, yet ultimately distant and easily shattered.”

“You damn…”. Huo Jingzhao’s mouth worked, making grinding noises, unable to find his own voice for a long time.

Seeing his twisted face, Sang Sha smiled bitterly. “Actually, you know it in your heart, don’t you?”

“Moreover, the more you develop feelings for Family Head Pei, the less the Sect Master will let him go. Gghhk—!”

As soon as his words fell, Huo Jingzhao straddled him and raised his fist.

Terrified, Sang Sha quickly shut his eyes. But after a long moment, the anticipated agony that would cave his face in never came.

He fearfully opened his eyes and found Huo Jingzhao had already straightened up and was now facing away from him.

“Young Sect Master…” The man’s back was as cold and upright as ever, but Sang Sha faintly sensed something different.

Huo Jingzhao brushed off his clothes and sat down on the eaves, saying, “Get lost.”

“Get as far away as possible.”

Sang Sha didn’t dare delay a second. Leaving behind the words “Young Sect Master, please be careful at the auction gala,” he dragged his numb legs and swiftly vanished.

In the days that followed, everyone in Pei Manor noticed something strange about the future Son-in-law. Previously, Huo Jingzhao’s range of activity was mostly confined to his shabby courtyard, but now it had shifted to within ten steps of wherever the Master was.

For instance, at breakfast this morning, the moment Pei Lianyi picked up his bowl and chopsticks, Huo Jingzhao suddenly produced a long, thick silver needle and poked it into every dish, stirring them all into a mess before he would stop.

Pei Ziying found this baffling. “Jingzhao, what’s wrong with you?”

Knowing the man was trying to test for poison, he added, “The food at home always goes through a silver tray first before it’s brought to the table, ah.”

Not only that, Pei Lianyi had a strict rule: whichever cook made a dish had to write it down in a daily register. At the end of the day, Cao Xian would inspect it, watching each cook finish the leftovers of their own dishes.

Attempting to poison someone in Pei Manor was harder than reaching the heavens.

But right now, Huo Jingzhao didn’t care about any of that. He rubbed his chin, scrutinizing the nearby maids with a thoughtful expression.

If the kitchen can’t be poisoned, what about poisoning during transit? He silently made excuses for his own paranoid behavior.

“And Father absolutely hates it when people poke through the dishes!” Seeing him ignore him, Pei Ziying added, his face flushing red.

At this, Huo Jingzhao looked towards the dignified, noble person seated at the head of the table and asked hoarsely, “Hates it?”

Looking at the messy dishes and collapsed pastries on the table, Pei Lianyi ignored his burning gaze and simply drank his soup indifferently.

Watching his ear tips grow increasingly pinkish as he ate, Huo Jingzhao’s heart itched unbearably. He piled several more chopstick-loads of meat and vegetables onto his plate.

“Master Pei, if you say nothing, I’ll take it as you don’t hate it.”

Gazing at the plate piling up before his eyes, Pei Lianyi unconsciously tightened his grip on the soup spoon. His heart beat faster, his knuckles flushing pink.

Because of that water-red robe with the gourd buttons, he still nursed a grievance against Huo Jingzhao. Thinking of how he had embraced the Ghost-Faced Man last night, Pei Lianyi felt an even deeper shame and was unwilling to speak to the man. Instead, he turned his attention to his son, ladling a bowl of soup for Pei Ziying.

“Ziying, eat more too.” After serving the soup, he obediently ate the food Huo Jingzhao had put on his plate.

“Thanks, Father!” Pei Ziying beamed brightly.

Staring intently at Pei Lianyi as he chewed elegantly, Huo Jingzhao narrowed his eyes.

“Jingzhao, why aren’t you eating?” Pei Ziying suddenly noticed his fervent gaze.

Seated upright, Huo Jingzhao’s tone was warm and gentle. “I like watching the two of you eat.”

“Mm, so annoying…” Pei Ziying hummed.

The father and son at the table lowered their heads at his words, a flash of shyness in their eyes.

At first, everyone thought this poison-testing was just a whim of Huo Jingzhao’s, but then they discovered the new Son-in-law was even more unhinged.

His daily fixed routine now included, but was not limited to: checking the food, checking under the table, checking the roof beams, checking the bedding, checking the incense, and rummaging through cabinets and chests, disturbing the Master until the third watch of the night before he’d sleep.

He even had to inspect the cushions in the horse carriage and the used bathtub!

The servants didn’t understand, but they were deeply shocked.

Watching Pei Lianyi walk around the manor, descending the steps, Huo Jingzhao’s mouth would tighten into a taut line.

Pei Ziying found it both strange and amusing, unable to help but say, “Jingzhao, what are you doing! Why are you treating Father and me as carefully as if we were pregnant women?”

Pregnant? Huo Jingzhao looked towards Pei Lianyi’s stomach, his eyes rigid, every single pore standing on end with excitement.

Why is he wearing this garment again?

Pei Lianyi stood by a pillar, enjoying the breeze, still in that water-red brocade robe. Seeing those familiar gourd-shaped buttons he had once stroked and torn open, Huo Jingzhao shifted his hot gaze away.

“Eh? Jingzhao, what’s wrong with you?” Noticing his future husband’s strangeness, Pei Ziying walked over curiously and asked.

His future husband was a man who even blushed at the mention of pregnant women.

So refined, so gentlemanly. A man who was a bit wooden, yet brave and valiant at crucial moments, turned out to be so captivating.

Pei Lianyi also looked towards the two of them. Seeing his son intimately clinging to Huo Jingzhao, his eyes dimmed, his fingers clutching his lapels tightly, the rosy color fading from his face.

“Are you shy?” Pei Ziying continued to pester Huo Jingzhao over on the other side.

“…No.”

“Really?”

“Mm.”

“I don’t believe you. Look into my eyes and say it, look at me… ah! Jingzhao…!”

“Pei Ziying, stop fooling around!”

Pei Ziying had been circling Huo Jingzhao like a little bird, pressing him with questions, when the man suddenly seized his slender wrist and pressed him forcefully against the pillar behind him.

“Jing… Jingzhao.” His rare display of dominance startled Pei Ziying.

But what followed was the dizzying, flustered feeling of being firmly pinned down by a powerful member of the same sex for the first time.

Facing him, Huo Jingzhao’s raven eyes, however, looked at another face. “Stop messing around, alright?”

“Mm, you’re hurting me.” Pei Ziying bit his lip lightly, then turned and tattled to Pei Lianyi: “Father, Jingzhao suddenly went crazy…!”

Pei Lianyi’s body felt weak and sore. He couldn’t respond to his son.

Huo Jingzhao hadn’t touched him, but the moment he restrained Ziying, Pei Lianyi felt as if he himself were being suppressed, even his back tingling with a numbing sensation.

“Family Head, the Chamber of Commerce has sent over an invitation for the auction gala.” Fortunately, Cao Xian arrived just in time to cut off the undercurrent in the corridor.

Taking the invitation from his hand, Pei Lianyi said flatly, “That’s enough, both of you.”

Huo Jingzhao released Pei Ziying and stepped forward, feigning curiosity. “What’s an auction gala?”

Cao Xian raised his eyebrows and stared. “Our Chamber of Commerce’s auction galas are major events in Rong Kingdom. Young Master Huo doesn’t even know that…!” What a country bumpkin!

Huo Jingzhao scratched his nose and shook his head innocently.

Cao Xian let out a “hmph” and continued, “An auction is when families bring out their treasures for bidding. The highest bidder wins the treasure. On the night of the gala, besides the Four Great Clans of Rongchu City, merchants from all major regions, even celebrities and officials from Shangjing will come.”

“Of course, the most anticipated is still our Pei Manor.”

Huo Jingzhao clasped his hands behind his back and nodded. “Sounds… very interesting.”

Interesting?! This brat thinks such a renowned, monumental event is just interesting?! Cao Xian was about to open his mouth to scold, but Pei Lianyi turned and spoke to him about preparing for the banquet.

“Yes… yes, Family Head.” Cao Xian didn’t even have time to roll his eyes before following him.

Watching his father and the Steward walk away, Pei Ziying shook his head. “Jingzhao, even if you’re interested, it’s no use. Father always goes to the auction gala alone every year.”

“Why?” Huo Jingzhao’s curiosity was genuinely piqued now.

His smile was gentle, but his pitch-black eyes were veiled with gloom.

“I’m not clear on that either.” Pei Ziying pouted and said indifferently, “Perhaps it’s another one of Father’s secrets.”

“Is that so?” Huo Jingzhao raised a hand and gripped the railing tightly, his thoughts already flying elsewhere.

Over the next few days, wherever Pei Lianyi passed, a magnetic but somewhat resentful male voice would appear: Master Pei, take me to the auction gala!

When Pei Lianyi went to the Flower Room to water the plants, Huo Jingzhao would crouch behind him with a flower pot on his head.

When Pei Lianyi sat by the pond to feed the fish, the water’s surface would suddenly bubble, then a black-haired head would emerge.

“You… Jingzhao, what are you doing?!” Seeing Huo Jingzhao suddenly burst out of the water, the person by the pond blushed.

Huo Jingzhao pushed aside the lotus leaves, his black clothes soaked through, the youthful, firm lines of his body unmistakably visible.

“Master Pei, take me. I want to go.”

“…” Pei Lianyi grabbed a handful of fish food and tossed it at him, then quickly ran off.

He hurried into the study, looking left and right before closing the door to make sure that black-haired menace hadn’t followed. Just as he breathed a slight sigh of relief and turned around, he saw Huo Jingzhao lying under the desk, playing with his abacus.

“Where did you come from? Didn’t I tell you to go chop firewood in the Kitchen?”

Huo Jingzhao curled his lip. “That little bit of firewood was chopped ages ago.”

He actually called two entire walls of wood “that little bit of firewood”…

A vein pulsed at Pei Lianyi’s temple. He took a deep breath and walked over to sit at the desk.

“If I don’t take you, will you just keep pestering me?” He sat in the chair, bent at the waist to lean closer to Huo Jingzhao, and asked softly.

Today he was dressed in a smoky-blue, flat-collar robe with pinched pleating on the chest, subtly visible. His dark hair was tied with a red cord, giving his mature, dignified face an unusually lazy and alluring charm.

Huo Jingzhao grabbed the armrest of the chair. He first stared dazedly at the smoky-blue pleated gauze on Pei Lianyi’s chest, then raised his deep black eyes and said hoarsely, “No.”

“What’s not right?” Pei Lianyi asked, flustered.

Huo Jingzhao’s voice was very dry. “Whether Master Pei takes me or not, I’m going to cling to you.”

Pei Lianyi’s heart tightened under his gaze, his eyelids casting a faint pink shadow.

He was clearly seated, his line of sight much higher and broader than Huo Jingzhao’s. But meeting the man’s gentle, scrutinizing eyes, he felt that the other was the true one in control.

Huo Jingzhao’s dark eyes, half-hidden in the dim light, his unreadable expression, brought Pei Lianyi an intangible sense of oppression and a deep impulse.

If not for the last shred of reason in his mind, he might well have hooked an arm around Huo Jingzhao’s neck, pressed his head down, and in this cramped little corner, let the man push him down, let him have his way.

“You should return to your room first. I still have Chamber of Commerce business to attend to.” Pei Lianyi turned back, trembling, placing his gaze on the desk.

“And what about the auction gala…?” The person crouched on the floor still hadn’t gotten up.

Pei Lianyi pinched the small corner of an account book. His autumn-water eyes flickered. He already had the answer in his heart, but his mouth only said, “Let me think about it.”

“Alright.” Watching him bury his head in the thick contracts and ledgers, Huo Jingzhao smoothly stood up in one motion, reverting to his usual healthy, vigorous demeanor. “Then I’ll go back and await Master Pei’s good news.”

He deliberately emphasized the words “good news,” then clasped his hands in farewell, stepping back with a light smile before leaving the study.

“Mm.” Watching him dust off his clothes and leap energetically over the threshold, Pei Lianyi pursed his lips in a smile and helplessly picked up his Wolf Hair Brush.

“One more thing.” The person who had supposedly left popped back around the door frame.

“What is it?” Pei Lianyi quietly blushed again.

Huo Jingzhao said, “The ink has been ground.”

Pei Lianyi lifted a finger and opened the inkstone box. Sure enough, fresh ink was inside.

“You…” When he looked up again, the person at the door was already gone.

Just as a hint of disappointment welled up in Pei Lianyi, Huo Jingzhao’s smiling voice drifted in from outside: “Master Pei’s ink is so fragrant too. It got all over my hands.”

“Off to wash my hands now.”