Chapter 21
The computer unlocked, and Xue Changyi, his surprise quickly fading, began browsing the files.
There was a folder labeled “Work,” which he opened. Inside, the files were neatly organized, investigation reports arranged by number, including several on Xue Changyi himself. The reports were brief, all concluding—no irregularities found.
However, there was no file on the Second Yama King.
“Where is it…” Xue Changyi searched thoroughly. Every other Yama King had a file, except his Second Brother. This deepened his suspicion.
He exited the work folder and clicked on a seemingly innocuous folder tucked away in a remote corner. Inside were two more folders, one of which had a garbled filename.
Xue Changyi narrowed his eyes, sensing he was on the right track, and clicked on it.
Click, click!
The folder didn’t open, instead prompting for a password. It was an encrypted file.
“Could it be… my birthday again?” Xue Changyi recalled the login password. Hesitantly, he entered his birthdate.
The folder opened.
Xue Changyi: “…”
He froze, the password no longer a concern. The contents of the encrypted folder stunned him, despite having witnessed countless cases and judged innumerable souls…
—The folder was filled with pictures of Xue Changyi!
Photos of Xue Changyi at interviews, meetings, seminars, and besides these publicly available images, there were numerous candid photos he didn’t even know existed.
In casual clothes, in leisure wear, even in pajamas.
Judging by the angle, they were taken through his apartment window. One photo captured him hanging curtains, the movement revealing a sliver of his slender waist, the timing perfectly captured.
Xue Changyi’s stunned gaze flickered, his mind finally catching up. The login password was his birthday, and these candid photos…
He couldn’t help but recall the novel Liu Bei had sold him…
“Could it be…” A preposterous thought emerged.
—He will only hate you.
The words echoed in Wu Mu’s mind like a curse.
He had always thought he had hidden his feelings well.
Wu Mu’s adoptive father was the former Director General of the First Supervisory Department. After his retirement, Wu Mu had also joined the department, not to follow in his father’s footsteps, but because the Director General’s office had a wide view, allowing him to oversee the Tenth Court directly through the window.
From that window, Wu Mu could observe Xue Changyi’s every expression—serious while working, relaxed while resting, happy while chatting with acquaintances.
A range of expressions Wu Mu had never seen before.
And the quickest way to become the Director General was to investigate the Second Yama King and achieve a significant accomplishment.
Wu Mu’s steps were heavier than usual, his brow furrowed, his sharp eyebrows casting a shadow over his eyes.
Room 444 was just ahead.
He sighed softly, opening the door. It was late, Xue Changyi was probably asleep, as Class Nine had morning self-study tomorrow.
Creak—
The door opened, and the sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Xue Changyi wasn’t asleep yet, he was taking a shower.
Creak—
The bathroom door opened, and a wave of warm, moist air washed over Wu Mu’s face, blurring his vision. He squinted, trying to see through the mist, and the first thing he saw was a pair of pale, delicate ankles.
Xue Changyi had just finished showering, wearing only a white bathrobe, his black hair loose and damp, accentuating his fair skin. Perhaps due to the steam, his lips seemed even more vibrant.
“Minister Wu, you’re back?” Xue Changyi raised an eyebrow.
Wu Mu instinctively looked away, towards his desk, noticing his open laptop, now in sleep mode. He quickly went over, turned it off, and placed it in the drawer.
“Teacher Xue, you’re not asleep yet?” Wu Mu replied curtly, his voice cold.
Wu Mu didn’t seem like the three-legged Golden Crow at all, lacking any fiery warmth, cold towards everyone, even colder towards Xue Changyi.
It was hard to imagine that such a serious and aloof Director General had countless photos of Xue Changyi on his computer, many of them… candid shots.
Xue Changyi emerged from the bathroom, trailing a scent of moisture, and slowly approached Wu Mu.
Room 444 wasn’t large, just a few steps across, so his approach wasn’t unusual.
But Wu Mu’s reaction was significant. He abruptly stepped back, bumping into the “full” wardrobe. If it hadn’t been locked, the impact would surely have sent its contents spilling out.
Wu Mu looked away, his voice husky. “Is something the matter, Teacher Xue? You can tell me from there.”
Xue Changyi smiled, stopping where he was, three steps away from Wu Mu. “Fish Gills has a meeting at the Central Office tomorrow morning, so he wants to switch classes with you, Minister Wu.”
Wu Mu nodded immediately. “Certainly.”
He still didn’t look at Xue Changyi, even turning his back, busying himself with organizing his desk.
But his desk was already neat. He was clearly an organized person, putting things away immediately after use. Everything was in order, so there was nothing to organize.
Wu Mu picked up a book, flipping through it absentmindedly. It was a novel disguised with an innocuous cover.
He happened to open it to a page where—the usually calm and aloof Yama King was pleading tearfully, “Mm, gently, please, no more, it’ll break…”
Thump!
Wu Mu slammed the book shut, opened a drawer, placed the novel inside, at the very bottom, and placed his laptop on top of it.
Xue Changyi observed his actions. He was skilled at observing, as a Yama King who judged souls. Wu Mu’s unnatural behavior didn’t escape his notice.
“Could it be…” The improbable thought resurfaced.
“Teacher Xue, what did you say?” Wu Mu hadn’t heard him clearly.
Xue Changyi’s eyes flickered, the thought intensifying.
“Minister Wu,” Xue Changyi’s smile was elegant, but didn’t reach his eyes. He probed subtly, “Do you have someone you like?”
Wu Mu, still with his back to him, replied coldly, “No.”
Xue Changyi raised an eyebrow. “Typical of Minister Wu, prioritizing work above all else… I, however, do have someone I like.”
Thump!
Wu Mu, still facing away, knocked his phone off the desk.
He picked it up, his knuckles white around the phone, his voice still low and indifferent. “Is that so? May I ask who Teacher Xue… likes?”
Chapter 22
Xue Changyi, his gaze fixed on Wu Mu’s pale knuckles, smiled faintly. “Does it matter to Minister Wu who I like?”
As expected, Wu Mu’s grip tightened, his knuckles turning even whiter. A cracking sound followed—the phone case had shattered.
Xue Changyi turned and re-entered the bathroom. The probing was over. He decided to change into something more comfortable for bed, as he had morning self-study duty the next day.
Looking at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, his skin appeared pale and translucent under the light, his lips a vibrant red, the corners of his mouth curving into a subtle smile.
It seemed… Wu Mu was indeed interested in him.
The First Supervisory Department and the Ten Yama Kings were rivals, this was common knowledge in the Central Office. Xue Changyi and Wu Mu were natural enemies, sworn rivals, and with Wu Mu having demoted the Second Yama King, there was even more bad blood between them.
No one could imagine Wu Mu liking Xue Changyi, not even the fans who shipped their rivalry in the online forums. They would never believe such a “fantastical” thing could actually happen.
At least, for Xue Changyi, it was fantastical.
He wiped the condensation from the mirror with his pale hand, pondering. If Wu Mu liked him, he could use this to his advantage, to find out why his Second Brother had been demoted…
A sleepless night, for Wu Mu at least. He tossed and turned in his bed, frowning, finally sitting up until dawn broke, the sun rising, a new day beginning.
Xue Changyi woke up and, seeing the prominent dark circles under Wu Mu’s eyes, said in surprise, “Minister Wu, didn’t you sleep well last night?”
Wu Mu, as a three-legged Golden Crow, could go without sleep or food for ten days. One sleepless night wouldn’t normally affect him, but he had been tossing and turning, his mind racing with thoughts, exhausting his mental energy.
Wu Mu said hoarsely, “I’m fine.”
Today was the last day of remedial classes before the Spring Festival break.
Class Nine, due to their failing grades, had to stay for extra lessons, but they still had a seven-day break for the Spring Festival.
“A break!”
“Heavens, I thought we’d have to study during the Spring Festival too!”
The students of Class Nine, upon hearing the news, were ecstatic, making plans for their time off.
Xue Changyi tapped the Divine Striking Whip lightly on the podium. “Quiet down.”
The classroom instantly fell silent. After spending so much time together, Xue Changyi’s words carried weight.
“Although you have a seven-day break, don’t neglect your studies,” Xue Changyi smiled. “There will be a test when you return. This is your last major test before the make-up exams.”
“What, another test?!”
“Another test…”
“What if we fail…”
“Therefore,” Xue Changyi said, “don’t just play during the break and forget everything I’ve taught you. You still need to review.”
Xue Changyi put away the whip. “Alright, class dismissed.”
“Yay! Brother, brother, let’s go eat candied hawthorns!”
“Xiang Yu, let’s go play basketball!”
“No, no, I have to correct these mistakes before I forget them.”
“Ah Yu, let me help you with this problem, you drew the auxiliary line wrong.”
“Get lost, hypocrite, I don’t need your fake kindness!”
Xue Changyi carried his books to the teachers’ office. The teachers were also packing up, preparing for the break. Wu Mu kept glancing at the door, and when he saw Xue Changyi enter, he quickly looked away, as if he hadn’t been waiting for him.
“Teachers,” the principal said with a smile. “You’ve all worked hard. Class Nine’s progress is thanks to your dedicated teaching. How about this, I’ll treat everyone to dinner tonight.”
Dong Lan immediately went to Xue Changyi’s side. “Little Ten, Little Ten! Are you going? You don’t usually like crowded places. If you’re not going, then I won’t go either. I’ll stay with you!”
Xue Changyi was about to refuse. He preferred being alone, but the words died on his lips as he saw Wu Mu.
As a PE teacher, Wu Mu would naturally attend the teachers’ gathering. There would be alcohol, and if he could get Wu Mu drunk…
Xue Changyi deliberately raised his voice. “It’s a rare occasion, of course I’m going.”
Someone asked Wu Mu, “Teacher Wu, are you going to the gathering?”
Wu Mu was about to refuse, a “no” already forming on his lips, when he abruptly changed his mind. “Yes.”
After the students left and the security guard closed the academy gates, the teachers headed towards the restaurant, a well-known tavern in the Central Office, decorated in a classical style. The tavern had private rooms designed in different dynastic styles, catering to guests from various eras.
The teachers entered the private room. The principal had already ordered the dishes, which were quickly served.
The principal stood up, raising his glass, his face full of emotion. “Today, I want to thank someone in particular, Teacher Xue! If it weren’t for you, Class Nine wouldn’t have made such great progress! You have no idea, Teacher Xue, how many homeroom teachers Class Nine drove away before you arrived. I was worried… worried… that I would be fired by the Central Office…”
Tears welled up in the principal’s eyes. “Thank goodness you came, Teacher Xue! You’re a Yama King, you saved us!”
Xue Changyi’s eyelids twitched. “Principal, you overpraise me. The students of Class Nine are… quite well-behaved.”
“Haha, Teacher Xue! You’re the first person to call Class Nine well-behaved.”
“Indeed! Class Nine students are well-behaved in front of Teacher Xue. I’ve never seen them so obedient!”
“Teacher Xue really has a way with them!”
The principal wiped his tears of joy. “This first glass, I must toast to Teacher Xue.”
Xue Changyi’s purpose for attending the gathering was to get Wu Mu drunk and extract information, so he didn’t intend to drink.
“Principal, I don’t handle alcohol well,” Xue Changyi declined. “I’ll have tea instead.”
“Hey!” the principal said. “We’re celebrating today! Everyone should have a drink. Just one glass, you won’t get drunk.”
Dong Lan looked at Xue Changyi curiously, whispering, “Little Ten, aren’t you usually the best drinker among us?”
Xue Changyi’s alcohol tolerance was legendary, the best among the Ten Yama Kings. He could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Today, he simply didn’t want to drink. Dong Lan was puzzled but didn’t press the matter.
“Come on, Teacher Xue, just one sip.”
“We’ll toast to Teacher Xue too!”
A dark figure suddenly stood up—Wu Mu.
He had been sitting quietly, his handsome face cold and impassive, looking more like he was attending a funeral than a celebration.
As Wu Mu stood up, the room fell silent, the enthusiastic toasting abruptly ceasing.
“Wu…” the principal stammered nervously. “Teacher Wu?”
Wu Mu picked up his glass, his voice cold. “Teacher Xue doesn’t handle alcohol well, I’ll drink this for him.”
