Chapter 36: There’s a Ghost in Your House Part 2

After walking out of the main courtyard and into the long corridor, she finally opened her mouth to ask Cao Xian for the leftover medicinal dregs.

“Family Head Li wants this for…?” Cao Xian asked curiously.

Li Man’er rubbed her hands together, slightly embarrassed, and concocted some excuse about wanting to study restorative medicines.

Cao Xian didn’t suspect anything and gave her the dregs.

Beyond their sight, behind a rockery they couldn’t see, an elusive, smoky-purple silhouette darted past, tracking their movements.

The moon was high in the sky. The night wind had dispersed the day’s arrogance. A group of maids carrying silver trays entered the main courtyard, standing outside the bedroom door to wait.

After inspecting the soapberry, agarwood leaves, cleaning stones, and scented powder they carried, Cao Xian said to the person inside, “Family Head, it’s time to head to the hot spring pool.”

“…” Pei Lianyi put down his account book and walked out.

Because his leg wound required ointment and couldn’t touch water, he had been forced these days to endure the discomfort, only wiping his body with a damp cloth.

Tonight, discovering that new flesh had already grown over the wound, he impatiently wanted to bathe.

But even as the Family Head, going to soak in the hot springs late at night was rather strange.

So, to avoid prying eyes, Pei Lianyi deliberately changed into a black sleeping robe.

Patterns of shadowy flowers; the tight black silk wrapped around his slender waist, faintly revealing the curve of his lower back. His wide sleeves swayed constantly with his steps, making his cool-feeling body exceptionally alluring.

He was conservative by nature and rarely wore black, which accentuated his figure. Although the servants all kept their heads lowered, not daring to look, the touch of the cool night breeze on his skin sent a shiver through him, and Pei Lianyi quickened his pace.

Luckily, that person was shut in Ziying’s courtyard and wouldn’t run into him looking like this.

He thought so in his heart, but as he passed his son’s courtyard, Pei Lianyi unconsciously slowed down.

Afraid Huo Jingzhao would discover him, yet wanting the man to see this other side of him…

“Jingzhao, what are you hiding? Quick, let me see… let me see it!” Just then, Pei Ziying’s coquettish voice sounded from the room not far away.

Huo Jingzhao tightened his grip on the Pearl Necklace and said in a deep voice, “Young Master, it’s time for bed.”

“No… If you don’t tell me what you’re holding, I won’t sleep.” Pei Ziying pouted at his future husband.

Today, when he came back from the kitchen, he found Huo Jingzhao leaning against the bed, rubbing something repeatedly with his fingers. The man’s face was dark and unreadable, as if he had fallen into a demonic trance.

Despite his timidity, Pei Ziying couldn’t resist his inner curiosity and pestered the man to ask what he was holding.

But no matter how much he teased and bothered him, Huo Jingzhao just wouldn’t show him.

Pei Ziying had no choice but to wrap his arms around the man’s arm and refuse to let go.

“You really want to see?” Huo Jingzhao suddenly asked with a smile.

“Mm!” Pei Ziying nodded shyly.

“Then don’t let it scare you, Young Master…” Huo Jingzhao drawled and suddenly flipped his palm over, revealing a piece of bloody gauze.

“Eek…! Why are you still keeping that?!” Pei Ziying was so startled he nearly fell into his arms.

Huo Jingzhao’s face beamed with a spring-wind smile. “Seeing it reminds me of the Young Master helping treat my wounds. Thank you.”

“Jingzhao…” Looking at the young man’s clear brows and eyes, Pei Ziying froze on the spot.

Outside the courtyard, watching the two intimate silhouettes projected onto the thin window paper, Pei Lianyi’s face drained of color. A suffocating, tight pain seized his whole heart, making his hands and feet cold and his breath catch.

Seeing this, Cao Xian said, “Lately, the Young Master and Young Master Huo have been very close. Today, when I went to deliver clothes, I even saw him feeding Young Master Huo his medicine…”

“Enough,” Pei Lianyi abruptly cut him off.

“Family Head…?” The cracks in his eyes surprised Cao Xian greatly, but he didn’t have time to ponder them as the maids all knelt down.

“Master, please calm your anger—”

Listening to the voices addressing him as “Master,” each one a reminder of his status, Pei Lianyi’s lips trembled again and again. The bitterness, unwillingness, and sharp pain in his heart ultimately transformed into a sigh.

“Let’s go,” he commanded softly, turning to leave.

“Yes…!” Cao Xian hastily led the anxious group to follow.

After they had gone far, as if sensing something, Huo Jingzhao pushed the window open halfway and stared out at the tranquil moonlight, lost in thought.

“I’m your future… spouse. I’d do anything for you,” Pei Ziying murmured in front of him.

Huo Jingzhao nodded at him, patting the bed. “Now the Young Master should finally sleep, right?”

Pei Ziying’s little face instantly flushed crimson. Just as he was about to ask, “What about you?”, the man grabbed a pillow and lay down on the couch by the window.

Staring at the back of his head, Pei Ziying also lay down.

His fiancé was restrained and proper, a renowned gentleman of Rongchu City. He would never do anything improper before the wedding night.

With a husband like this, what more could he possibly be unsatisfied with?

Thinking this, he closed his eyes happily and fell into a peaceful sleep.

Before long, a faint purple, intoxicating smoke suddenly rose in the room.

Hearing Pei Ziying’s breathing grow heavier, Huo Jingzhao sat up and said coldly, “Come out.”

As soon as his words fell, a figure in purple knelt before him.

“Young Sect Master, you’re finally awake…! The Sect Master was very worried about you.” Looking up at the man on the couch, Sang Sha’s voice trembled with excitement.

“Worried?” Huo Jingzhao rested his elbow on his knee, playing with the Pearl Necklace, and sneered. “He was afraid I hadn’t died yet, wasn’t he?”

“No…” Fearing his further displeasure, Sang Sha hastily explained, “The Sect Master came while you were unconscious, but he was turned away by Family Head Pei.”

That form of address instantly threw the man’s heart into chaos.

He averted his gaze and asked how his injury had been stabilized.

Sang Sha replied that Family Head Pei had called for Li Man’er, who helped the Young Sect Master expel the stagnant blood…

“Called for her?” Chewing on these words, the flames inside Huo Jingzhao suddenly blazed high.

“And, Family Head Li seems to be investigating the medicine you’ve been giving Family Head Pei…”

Sang Sha finished fearfully, completely not daring to look at him.

Huo Jingzhao tilted his head back wordlessly, stretching his neck and shoulders.

His movements weren’t large, even carrying his usual scholarly air, but the taut line of his neck exuded a pressure akin to sinking into stagnant water.

Just as Sang Sha was trembling with fear, the man suddenly bent over and said in a raspy voice, “What a meddlesome woman.”

“Let’s go. I’ll go meet her right now.”

Li Man’er agonized over the medicinal dregs for a long time, feeling she still had to tell Pei Lianyi the truth.

Carrying the medicine bowl, she walked into the long corridor leading to the rear courtyard, planning how to broach the subject when the lantern overhead was suddenly extinguished by the wind.

The wick hissed, like something treacherous and unfathomable was gradually approaching, sending a chill down her spine.

“What a strong wind…” Li Man’er hunched her neck and grumbled with a frown.

Just as she was about to continue, a rough male voice suddenly rang out behind her.

“Where is Family Head Li off to?”

“W-Who are you?” Turning her head to see a man with a fanged Ghost Mask and ink-black hair, Li Man’er was so shocked her lips went numb. Her body involuntarily stumbled back a few steps.

To her knowledge, the Pei Manor had over a hundred guards, half of whom had ventured out to sea and fought soldiers with the young Pei Lianyi years ago. They possessed considerable skill. In Rongchu City, everyone said the Pei Manor was heavily guarded; combined with Master Pei’s intimidating presence, not even a bird could fly in.

But now, this strange man dared boldly appear in the courtyard. Judging by his casual gait, it was just… just like he was taking a stroll in his own home!

“Hmph.” Huo Jingzhao let out a soft snort. “Who I am, you’re not qualified to know.”

His pitch-black eyes slanted down, observing the dark, ambiguous medicinal liquid in the bowl, red as crystal.

“This smell, it’s very pleasant… suiting him best,” he murmured, his voice sandpaper-rough.

He carried a thorny gale around him, his timbre deep with darkness, as if wanting to impale all living things and nail them into the abyss.

Li Man’er’s face stiffened. “What do you want… Ah!”

Before she could finish asking, someone sealed her acupoints from behind.

Li Man’er rolled her eyes and saw Sang Sha materialize from behind her, his face covered. Her breath caught in her throat.

“I don’t kill or touch women, but I’ll make him do it.”

Huo Jingzhao flipped his robe and sat down leisurely. “I’ll give you two paths. One: get lost after your acupoints are released. Two: go meet the King of Hell holding that medicine bowl in your hands.”

“Understood?”

Understood… understood!! Seeing Li Man’er’s eyes blink rapidly, Sang Sha stepped forward and unsealed her acupoints.

“Don’t kill me… don’t kill me!” The moment she was free, Li Man’er screamed and fled at top speed.

“Yes! That’s it! Run—run faster—” Gazing at her back, Huo Jingzhao raised his fists and cheered wildly, an utter contempt flickering red and bright in his eyes.

Li Man’er ran for a while. When she came to her senses, only thin night mist remained in the courtyard. Where was any trace of the Ghost-Faced Man?

She wiped away her cold sweat and rushed straight back to the Li Manor in terror.

The next morning, Pei Lianyi learned from Cao Xian that Family Head Li had left overnight.

The person who could talk and relieve his boredom was gone. Tending the flowers in the vase, Pei Lianyi lowered his eyes in disappointment.

Without Family Head Li around, the main courtyard became cold and dreary again.

The servants gossiped about it endlessly. Some said the Master finally had a shot at a second spring—how could it fall through just like that?

Others said that apart from being a bit noisy, Family Head Li was actually a good person.

Listening to their chatter, Huo Jingzhao, sitting at the table, crushed the teacup in his bare hand.