When Night Lan approached, Night Xiao jolted awake from his dream, sensing the perilous aura of a prey caught by a predator.
But it was already too late. This was an ambush without warning. Night Lan pinned him down by the back, immobilizing his body. Without a word of preparation, he gripped Night Xiao’s wrists and wrenched them back with force.
The pain made Night Xiao’s vision go dark. Any lingering drowsiness vanished instantly as he cursed inwardly, *Dammit, why is he losing it again!*
During the day, Night Lan was incredibly docile. If you drew a circle and told him not to leave it, he would crouch there obediently, waiting for orders. But once night fell, he became the polar opposite. When his madness took hold, he barely recognized his own kin.
Ever since the mishap during the Great Night Trial, Night Lan had shown signs of impending qi deviation.
Out of habit, Night Xiao reached for his short blade and slashed downward to force him back. It was meant to be a feint, a mere show of force, yet Night Lan didn't dodge at all. He allowed the sharp edge to sink into his shoulder.
At this moment, he was driven by nothing but feral instinct, wanting only to destroy everything in his sight. Yet even so, he remained completely undefended against Night Xiao. Startled, Night Xiao cursed under his breath, pulling the blade back and withdrawing his hand. A line of blood followed the steel, trailing through the air. Night Xiao couldn't bear to actually hurt him, so he didn't dare strike again. He did his best to flip over and leap to the side, but Night Lan caught his wrist and slammed him against the wall. Pressing his weight against Night Xiao’s back, he pinned him firmly to the cold surface, leaving him unable to move an inch. Night Xiao’s martial arts specialized in long-range projectiles; trying to match Night Lan in raw strength was a fool's errand. Wedged between the wall and Night Lan, he had no room to maneuver.
The person behind him was crude and savage in his movements. Initially, Night Xiao let out a few muffled whimpers from the sharp pain, but gradually his strength to resist faded, and even his groans fell silent. To force a sound out of him, Night Lan continuously increased his pressure. Night Xiao felt his chest being crushed by a brute force that left him gasping for air, his consciousness nearly fracturing.
When Night Xiao came to again, it felt more like being dragged back to reality by a searing pain. His knees and chest were covered in dark bruises, and his wrists were swollen from being gripped so tightly. Even without moving, he could feel the wounds on his shoulders and back slowly oozing a sticky, bloody fluid—some of it already cold, some still warm.
The sun hadn't risen yet; perhaps only an hour or two had passed. Night Lan was sprawled over him, already fast asleep, his frenzy finally subsided. The air was thick with the heavy scent of blood.
Seeing him sleeping so soundly, Night Xiao felt a surge of indignation.
He didn't need to look to know what a mess he was in. He endured the discomfort for a while until his strength returned slightly, then he delivered a slap to the back of Night Lan’s head. "You bastard!"
He had no strength left, so the blow was feather-light. Night Lan didn't wake at all.
"Wake the hell up..." Night Xiao used his remaining strength to slap the man's cheek while cursing, but his voice was just as weak and inconsequential as his touch.
Night Lan opened his eyes slightly, barely parting them into thin slits. Looking utterly dazed, he drifted toward Night Xiao’s side, hugged his leg, rubbed against it, and fell back into a peaceful slumber.
Night Xiao was speechless with rage.
Most martial artists were extremely alert to their surroundings, except when it came to those they trusted implicitly. Night Xiao knew he was that special existence to Night Lan, something he used to take great pride in. But in a situation like this, he only wished he could smash the man into the wall.
Trembling, Night Xiao pushed Night Lan away and kicked him hard off the bed. He used the bedpost for support to haul himself up. That slight movement made his wounds feel like a spring had burst, staining a large area red.
In his mind, Night Xiao offered his "warmest regards" to the sun.
After his mental venting, he took a deep breath and forced himself to stand. He threw on a thin robe and spent the rest of the time leaning against walls and trees as he crawled toward the back mountain. The back mountain was lush with forest, where a clear spring cascaded down to form a stream. When they first arrived at the Sword Pavilion, Night Xiao had taken a liking to this spot, saying it was convenient for bathing. The Pavilion Master, Jun Xuanheng, had teased him: "We are a wealthy and prestigious sect. Naturally, we have maids to serve us for baths. Why would anyone wash in the wild?"
Night Xiao had replied offhandedly, "What if there's a time when it's... inconvenient?"
He hadn't expected to jinx himself so thoroughly. Now, he found himself "inconvenienced" by Night Lan every few days, forced to sneak to this secluded spot to clean his wounds. The fact that Night Lan’s qi deviation caused him to go mad at night was a grave taboo for a Shadow Guard. Night Xiao didn't dare tell anyone else, so he had to endure it alone. A ring of rocks sat by the mountain spring where the water was shallow; when sitting, it reached just past his shoulders. Night Xiao lay on the rocks in a state of near-paralysis, stiffly washing away the dried blood from his injuries.
Once finished, the ache in his wrists still hadn't subsided, so he continued to sprawl on the blue stone, staring blankly at the starry sky.
As his anger cooled, a sense of grievance welled up.
Night Xiao touched his chest, sniffing as he sighed softly, "It can't go on like this forever... when will this ever end?"
There was a time when Night Xiao’s patience with Night Lan had reached its absolute limit.
On that occasion, he was so furious that he resolved to kick the man out of his room for good, forbidding him from stepping foot inside.
Even though separate quarters had been arranged for Night Lan, the man refused to sleep peacefully. Every night, he would crouch on Night Xiao’s roof. No matter how much he was chased away, he wouldn't budge, making it look like Night Xiao was the one bullying him.
Feeling utterly stifled, Night Xiao had grabbed him by the ear and used the chain attached to his collar to tether him to the bars of a small window in the woodshed.
The Pavilion Master and Qiqi seemed to have some reservations about this, but since Night Lan was his Shadow Guard, it wasn't their place to interfere.
With Night Lan’s strength, breaking out of that rickety little iron window would have been child's play. Yet he stayed tethered obediently, clinging to the small window every day to peer outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of Night Xiao passing by.
Night Lan was locked up for several days and didn't cause any trouble. Night Xiao discovered that as long as he didn't sleep beside him, Night Lan remained quite well-behaved and wouldn't lose his mind.
Night Xiao would have preferred it if he threw a tantrum or broke something, giving him an excuse to teach him a lesson. But his very obedience made Night Xiao feel like he was the one being intentionally difficult.
Keeping him chained up forever wasn't a solution either. Night Xiao avoided him for a few days, but his frustration only grew until he felt like he was going to go bald from stress.
The Pavilion Master, Jun Xuanheng, shook his head and said, "You think you're going bald? Night Lan is the one who's actually going bald."
He then rubbed the fluffy hair of his loyal dog, the Second Pavilion Master, who was half a head taller than him, and said smugly, "Night Lan has it so rough following you. Look at my A-Tan—sleek and shiny. See how well I've raised him?"
Night Tan listened silently, discreetly bending his knees slightly to make it easier for his master to reach his head.
Night Xiao was unconvinced and decided to go compare with Night Lan to see who was balder... no, who was more miserable.
When Night Lan saw him through the small iron window, his eyes lit up so brightly they could have birthed a galaxy. He was just short of wagging a tail.
Night Xiao walked into the woodshed and pushed open the door. After a few days, Night Lan was covered in dust and grime. The neatly stacked firewood had been dug into a messy pit by him, making him look like an abandoned stray dog.
Night Lan excitedly lunged toward his embrace, but after two steps, his pace was jerked to a halt by the taut iron chain. Losing his patience, Night Lan gave a forceful tug, and the entire iron window was ripped out by its roots, crashing to the floor.
Night Lan froze, as if only just remembering he was being punished for a mistake. He scrambled to pick up the iron window and shove it back, trying to install it as it was before. But the bricks around the window were shattered; how could raw strength put it back? Instead, the hole in the wall only grew larger under his fumbling. Seeing that the entire wall was about to be pulverized by him, Night Xiao helplessly stopped him.
"Stop it already, you idiot..."
Night Lan gripped the iron bars tightly, looking like he was about to cry. "Guimao, I-I'm sorry, I was wrong. I didn't mean to... I was just so happy I forgot... I won't move again..."
Night Xiao asked, "Oh? You were wrong? What did you do wrong?"
Night Lan whispered fearfully, "I... I don't know... but I must have been wrong..."
Night Xiao sighed. *Talking to him is like playing a lute to a cow.*
Night Lan lowered his head, trembling with fear, his grip so tight the iron bars were beginning to deform. Seeing him so distraught, Night Xiao’s heart softened after all.
"Forget it... I've made up my mind." Night Xiao sighed, rescuing the iron window from his hands and steadying those trembling palms. He muttered to himself, "Sigh, why force us both to go bald? It's enough if I'm the only one."
Night Lan didn't understand at all. "Huh? What does that mean?"
Night Xiao gave a tragic smile.
Night Xiao accepted his fate and brought Night Lan back to his room.
Despite that incident, not much had changed.
Night Xiao closed his eyes and dozed on the rock for a while until he heard someone jogging over, stepping on fallen leaves. As the footsteps drew closer, they slowed down, stopping at the water's edge as if afraid of waking him.
Night Xiao opened his eyes and looked sideways, meeting Night Lan’s gaze as expected.
Night Lan hurriedly explained, "I just woke up and you weren't there, so I came to find you."
Night Xiao was silent for a moment. "If you keep running around naked in the future, we're really going to have to meet in prison."
Night Lan looked down at himself. "Huh? ...Oh... I was in too much of a hurry."
Night Xiao pointed to his discarded robe by the path. "Put it on."
Night Lan obeyed and draped it over himself.
Night Xiao thought about it. "Wait, that's not right. Then I'll have nothing to wear. You'd better take it off and give it to me... After all, you're a fool and can afford to be shameless, but I still have my dignity."
"Oh." Night Lan took it off and handed it back.
Night Xiao fell silent again. "Why do I feel like I'm bullying you?"
Night Lan gazed at him blankly.
"Forget it, let's just both go without." Night Xiao gave up on being a decent human being and added, "I can't move. Carry me."
Night Lan immediately scooped him up into his arms, holding him tight. Having just soaked in the cold spring, Night Xiao found Night Lan’s embrace scorching and warm, a sensation he couldn't help but crave.
Night Xiao said worriedly, "Alright, let's go back. Run fast, and whatever you do, don't let Boss Night Tan see us..."
Night Xiao was on edge the whole way, terrified of being seen and branded a pervert.
In truth, he needn't have worried so much—because he was bound to be seen sooner or later.
02
The next morning, when the sky was bright, Night Xiao was still in a daze when Qiqi dragged him out from under the covers. "Oh, you lazybones! You're still sleeping!"
Night Xiao said weakly, "I'm not sleeping. This is paralysis."
Seeing his listless expression, Qiqi asked worriedly, "Huh? Are you sick?"
"Not exactly..." Night Xiao pulled the blanket back over himself and curled up, sighing as he rubbed his aching shoulder.
Qiqi scoffed and threw the blanket aside, forcibly plucking him from his pillow. "Oh, whatever, there's no time! Brother Night Tan and the others left ages ago! Hurry up! Lazybones!"
Night Xiao’s attempt to defend his bed failed. He was dragged onto the floor, tears of frustration welling in his eyes. Ever since Qiqi started learning martial arts from Night Tan, her strength had been growing steadily. Meanwhile, he was becoming more "paralyzed" by the day. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before she could hang him up and beat him...
Night Xiao grumbled and whined, "Where are we going... what are we doing..."
Qiqi fetched some water, dampened a handkerchief, and gave his face a rough scrubbing. "Moon-viewing! We booked the Qiusi Tower by White Tree Lake today. I specifically told you yesterday!"
Night Xiao: "Are you insane? Who views the damn moon in broad daylight? Can't I just view it at home after I wake up?"
"You have a point, and honestly, I don't quite get it either." Qiqi nodded, yet remained firm. "But Brother Luoshu arranged it. He said that's how scholars do it."
It seemed there was no escaping it today. Night Xiao held his waist and shuffled out the door, muttering, "You scholars are a royal pain in the ass..."
Seeing Night Xiao leave, Night Lan followed obediently without asking a single question.
Watching the usually hyperactive Night Xiao now looking like a fragile willow swaying in the wind, Qiqi noted with concern, "This monkey didn't even jump out the window today. He must be really sick."
Night Xiao sent Night Lan to the roof of the carriage to catch the breeze while he hid inside the cabin to catch up on sleep. After half a day of bumpy travel, they arrived at White Tree Lake in the afternoon. The view here was vast, and Qiusi Tower rose high into the sky, seemingly tall enough to pluck the stars—a famous scenic spot in the region.
Their reservation was for the top floor, surrounded by mist as if they were among the clouds. Night Tan’s group had arrived early, and by now the food had mostly cooled, so he ordered the servants to clear it and bring fresh dishes.
Night Xiao watched longingly as the delicacies were whisked away. Clutching his empty stomach, he lamented, "Hey, I haven't eaten all day... is there anything to tide me over?"
"There's only the plum wine the Eldest Young Master sent. He said he brewed it himself." Jun Xuanheng was sprawled in Night Tan’s lap as usual, flipping through a storybook he'd picked up on the way. "Actually, he's sent it many times, but it's been sitting in the cellar unopened. I brought it along today to give it a try."
Night Xiao slumped onto the table, tapping the surface. "I'm so hungry I'm not picky. Bring it on."
The accompanying maids bowed, set out porcelain bowls, and cracked the wax seals. Instantly, a delicate fragrance filled the corridor.
Jun Xuanheng held a bowl and took a deep breath. It had the sweetness of fruit and the mellow aroma of wine. He asked, "Does A-Tan want to try? I don't think I've ever seen you drink."
Night Tan lowered his head. "The rules of the Shadow Guards state we are not to touch a drop of alcohol."
Jun Xuanheng asked, "For fear of getting drunk?"
Night Tan nodded. "Yes. However, it is not impossible to drink if necessary. The Night Walkers have drug-resistance training for interrogations; one can use internal energy to temporarily suppress the effects and maintain a clear mind."
Jun Xuanheng asked curiously, "What happens when you can't use your internal energy?"
"Suicide." Night Tan’s tone was flat. "A Shadow Guard's life is cheap; it is not as important as information."
Jun Xuanheng shuddered.
He then said dryly, "That... that's a bad rule. You should change it..."
Night Tan obeyed submissively. "As you wish."
Jun Xuanheng took a few small sips. The taste was sweet and soft, not at all harsh. He added, "It's quite sweet. Want a taste? It should be fine today; the guards are all waiting downstairs." Seeing Night Tan still hesitating, as if he had a hidden reason, he suddenly asked, "A-Tan, do you dislike wine?"
"I do have... some unpleasant memories," Night Tan admitted.
"...Ah," Jun Xuanheng thought back carefully and remembered something. He asked softly, "Was it the banquet on the day the Seventh Young Master of the Qin family passed away?"
Night Tan nodded.
That was the only time in his life he had ever drunk wine. It had been an act of self-abandonment, a march toward death. It had left a truly terrible impression.
Jun Xuanheng understood immediately. His heart overflowed with pity. He turned and hugged Night Tan, rubbing the top of his head and soothing him like a child. "Oh, if A-Tan doesn't like it, then don't drink it."
He had just finished his wine, and the corners of his eyes were flushed with a faint, intoxicated red. The scent of wine lingered on his breath.
Night Tan suddenly felt a stir in his heart. He wanted to taste just how sweet this mellow brew truly was.
***
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