HMIME Chapter 21: The Little Trickster

Bai Lu was so angry that he grabbed a pillow and slammed it onto the other’s face, “I’ve had enough, I want to sleep in a separate room!”

He angrily jumped out of bed, his bare feet stepping on the plush carpet, striding towards the door. He pulled aside the bead curtain, bypassed the twelve-folded screen, and reached for the door. Under the thick night, he saw four eunuchs and four guards standing in the courtyard in neat rows.

Upon hearing the door opening, they all turned to look at him.

Bai Lu was startled, subconsciously taking a step back, his body instinctively making a defensive move before his brain caught up, “What are you doing here?”

One of the eunuchs bowed and replied cautiously, “Master, we are here to keep watch, awaiting His Majesty’s orders.”

Bai Lu scratched his head in frustration, “Well, that’s perfect. Help me tidy up the room next door, the one I used to stay in before. I want to move back.”

“This…” The eunuch cautiously glanced inside, subtly saying, “Master, we await His Majesty’s orders.”

Meaning that although they outwardly showed respect to Bai Lu, his words were ineffective in reality.

Bai Lu seemed to realize this too, pushing him aside with a grimace, “Forget it, I don’t need you. I’ll do it myself.”

The guards silently placed their hands on their sword hilts, slowly closing in. However, they hadn’t received an order from Chu Ya yet, so they didn’t dare to act recklessly.

After a few seconds of standoff, Chu Ya’s voice suddenly came from inside the room, “It’s chilly outside, you’re dressed too lightly. Don’t go out.”

Bai Lu paused, perhaps Chu Ya’s tone wasn’t as stern, and he didn’t immediately discern whether it was concern or a command.

But for the guards, it was a clear order. They immediately surrounded him, apologizing with their mouths but forcefully pushing Bai Lu back and closing the door, standing straight on the steps outside.

Being forcibly locked inside, Bai Lu stumbled back a step, almost falling.

He leaned against the door, biting his lip hard. He felt an inexplicable sense of suffocation, as if a cotton ball were stuck in his chest. Although it didn’t hurt, it made him feel stuffy and uncomfortable.

Once again, he realized that almost everyone in this world listened to Chu Ya. If Chu Ya wanted, he could isolate Bai Lu completely and utterly alone. Even his friends couldn’t possibly defy His Majesty’s orders to help him.

Bai Lu, once a boxer, wasn’t afraid of one-on-one fights, no matter how powerful the opponent. However, he detested this kind of collective suppression, even feeling afraid. It reminded him of being bullied by his classmates when he was a child, where no one would help him.

A few strands of chilly night breeze, like invisible threads, drifted in through the gap in the door, stirring the delicate strands of hair on Bai Lu’s face.

Deep within the bedroom, warm candlelight flickered, casting a soft glow on the embroidered golden canopy of the bed, making it look exceptionally luxurious and dignified.

Bai Lu knew that Chu Ya was sitting on the edge of that soft bed, waiting for him, waiting for him to face reality, to understand his helpless situation, to surrender, to compromise, and obediently come over, like always, unwillingly nestled in his arms and slowly fall asleep.

But Bai Lu just didn’t want to make it easy for him. He didn’t want to succumb to this invisible yet gentle violence, preferring to stand barefoot on the cold, hard wooden floor, wearing thin, indecent clothes, standing at the dim door, refusing to let go of his pride and go to that place with warm light and a big bed.

He simply squatted down where he stood, stubbornly wrapping his clothes tighter around him, curling up against the wall, burying his face in his arms, only revealing a pair of eyes, glaring resentfully and sharply at the light not far away.

Time passed in this almost solidified air for more than ten minutes. Chu Ya knew very well that Bai Lu’s stubbornness could make him squat at the door all night, then catch a cold and fever again, making himself sick.

Chu Ya sighed helplessly, taking the initiative to compromise.

He got off the bed, walked to Bai Lu’s side, and bent down to lift him up, “Alright, I was wrong. Let’s go back to sleep.”

Bai Lu pushed him away angrily, crossed his arms, and turned his head without even looking at him.

Seeing Bai Lu’s resistance, Chu Ya knew it would be difficult.

They used to have occasional arguments, but when Bai Lu got angry, he usually cursed, threw things, or even directly fought him.

But now he didn’t want to fight or argue, just silently avoiding him, ignoring him, not speaking, it meant he might be hurt rather than angry.

Chu Ya sat down beside him, hugged his shoulders, and gently kissed his cool cheek, whispering, “Sorry, A-Bai, I don’t want to force you. We’ve been together for three years, and when you suddenly say you want to end it, I can’t accept it. Can you understand me? At least stay by my side for now?”

Bai Lu remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, “Being with a trickster like me will only bring you trouble.”

Chu Ya earnestly replied, “No, I find it sweet.”

Bai Lu glanced at him sideways, bluntly and incisively remarking, “Boot-licker.”

“…That’s too much, I find it affectionate.”

“Simply perverse. I almost killed your father with my own hands…” Bai Lu suddenly stopped, raising his right hand, fingers trembling slightly, “with these hands, I nearly…”

He couldn’t continue, evidently still a kind and ordinary person who couldn’t fully accept the fact that he almost killed someone.

Chu Ya held his hand, bringing his icy fingers into his warm palm, calmly saying, “A-Bai, I hate my father, and it has nothing to do with you.”

Bai Lu turned his head in bewilderment, “What?”

“I can tell you clearly, except for his business acumen, Chu Shen is a complete scoundrel. When my mother was pregnant, he was already cheating with his pretty secretary. When I was three years old, he brought a woman home for the first time, and even demanded that my mother peacefully coexist with her.”

Bai Lu couldn’t believe how could it be like this?!”

“Actually, it’s not uncommon in this circle to have secret mistresses, kept women, and even maintained illegitimate children. But I still find it disgusting.”

“When I was seven, he had an illegitimate child outside, and coincidentally, I fell seriously ill that year, on the verge of death. He was swayed by another woman and planned to stop my treatment and raise that illegitimate child as the new heir. Fortunately, my mother didn’t give up, and I survived.”

Bai Lu hadn’t expected Chu Ya to have gone through such difficult times as well. He didn’t know what to say for a while, hesitating before finally saying,

“Children from wealthy families also have it tough…”

Chu Ya gently patted his back, calmly saying, “I’m used to it. He didn’t treat me as a son, and I won’t treat him as a father. That’s how it is. Am I cold-blooded?”

Bai Lu hesitated for a moment, “I don’t understand.”

Chu Ya smiled, “But I was influenced by him to some extent. I used to think love was disgusting too, and even planned to live alone for the rest of my life. But then I met you and thought I could give love a try. Unfortunately…”

He reached out and pinched Bai Lu’s cheek, showing no displeasure in his eyes, but rather a fondness for him, softly saying, “Unfortunately, I met you, this little trickster.”

Bai Lu’s body stiffened for a moment. Before he could react further, Chu Ya took his hand and stood up, “Let’s go, it’s time for you to sleep.”

T/N: Chu Ya……We can see what you are trying to do lol