Chapter 103

“Why?”

Rong Tang was silent for a long while before finally asking the question.

In the courtyard, the gentle breeze stirred the leaves, and though the brazier warmed his palms, Rong Tang felt his hands and feet turn icy cold. Pressing down on his trembling hands, he forced himself to look up at Su Huaijing, waiting for an answer.

Su Huaijing lowered his gaze, meeting his eyes. His tone was as beguiling as spring water, as though coaxing Rong Tang into a carefully laid snare: “Because I despise him.”

He smiled faintly, like a mischievous child: “Seeing him irritates me. Anyway, Tangtang, you know my purpose. Useless as Sheng Chengli is, he’s still a prince. Letting him die early wouldn’t harm me in the slightest.”

As he spoke, he arched his brows and lightly tugged Rong Tang’s wrist. “Tangtang, let me have this chance, won’t you?”

He regretted it.

He no longer wanted Rong Tang to kill Sheng Chengli.

Su Huaijing had always believed that vengeance should be personally sought. It was the only way to feel truly satisfied. But when that hatred took form, becoming a shadowy nightmare for Rong Tang to bear, he instinctively disliked it, immediately regretting his initial resolve.

Rong Tang should never have to repeatedly confront someone who might have killed him. That fear was etched into Su Huaijing’s very being. It wasn’t the kind of trivial grudge that could be brushed aside with fleeting words or avoided in a few passing glances.

His little Buddha was meant to stand tall in a place of light, revered by all.

How could he be sullied? What right did Sheng Chengli have to taint Tangtang’s hands with blood?

As these thoughts churned within, Su Huaijing was even more certain. It had to be him.

He had countless ways to quietly end Sheng Chengli’s life. The death of an unfavoured prince would hardly make a ripple.

Su Huaijing’s eyes curved, bright and serene as the moon. Anyone gazing into those eyes would feel compelled to grant his every request.

Yet Rong Tang held his gaze for a long moment before shaking his head. “No.”

Su Huaijing frowned slightly. “Why not?”

The system in Rong Tang’s mind blared warning after warning, sifting through its database for countless plausible answers to Su Huaijing’s question.

Some were lies, others vague half-truths.

Any one of them could work. Su Huaijing wouldn’t find a shred of evidence to refute him.

But Rong Tang simply said: “Because it would mean death.”

Su Huaijing chuckled carelessly. “Tangtang, are you saying that killing someone demands a life in return? I’m not afraid of that.”

Rong Tang’s voice was barely above a whisper, dissipating into the air, almost inaudible.

“I would die.”

The faint smile froze on Su Huaijing’s lips. He narrowed his eyes slightly, silent for a moment before asking: “Rong Tang, are you threatening me?”

It was rare to see the main villain lose his temper. Or perhaps, in truth, there was simply no one left in this world, nor any matter significant enough, to stir his emotions into outright anger. Yet, as Rong Tang gazed into those deep-set eyes, he was certain that Su Huaijing was angry.

——For the sake of three simple words.

Rong Tang shook his head and denied it. “No.”

“I’m not threatening you, Huaijing,” he said gently. “I’m simply stating a fact.”

This was his last chance at rebirth. If Sheng Chengli were to die before a solution could be found, the entire world would collapse into oblivion, and Rong Tang would naturally vanish along with it.

But telling Su Huaijing that killing Sheng Chengli would destroy the world? That would hardly give him pause. On the contrary, Su Huaijing would likely find such a claim preposterous, even laughable.

——If the world was truly so unjust, why not let it be destroyed outright?

That was exactly how Su Huaijing would react, and Rong Tang could picture his thought process with perfect clarity.

Thus, he resorted to a ploy.

Not a lie, but a concealment.

Not a threat, but a calculated assurance.

He softened his tone, coaxing like one might soothe a child. “Huaijing, can’t you wait just a little longer? We’ve only just started falling in love. Do you really want to see me die?”

Barring a few unspeakable truths about his origin, Rong Tang now hid almost nothing in front of the main villain.

The courtyard was dimly lit, the warm glow spilling out from the room behind them. Rong Tang, already a touch shorter than Su Huaijing, raised his head deliberately. His wide, innocent eyes, reminiscent of a wary creature in the forest, locked onto Su Huaijing’s gaze. And just like that, Su Huaijing found himself powerless.

Whether it was the look in Rong Tang’s eyes or the intimacy laced in his words, Su Huaijing could neither refute him nor resist him.

Su Huaijing studied him for a moment before averting his gaze. He reached out to adjust Rong Tang’s collar and said softly, “Let’s head back inside. It’s cold out here.”

He didn’t want to concede, but when Tangtang looked at him like that, Su Huaijing simply couldn’t summon the strength to refuse.

The cook was excellent at her craft. Since moving back to Yong’an Lane, Rong Tang had been eating heartily at every meal.

Tonight, there was an extra dish: cordyceps soup. Without a second thought, Rong Tang rose, ladled a bowl of soup, and placed it in front of Su Huaijing with a rather transparent air of flattery.

The gesture brought Su Huaijing back to their wedding day. He recalled how Tangtang had mischievously returned after drinking, and with just a single cold glance from him, Rong Tang had scurried about, trying to appease him.

One year later, nothing had changed.

Whenever he made a mistake, Tangtang would resort to coaxing.

When deception failed, coaxing followed.

If he truly wanted to win him over, Su Huaijing thought bitterly, he might as well just kiss him. What good was a bowl of soup?

Yet even as these thoughts brewed in his mind, Su Huaijing’s hand had already lifted the spoon. Without hesitation, he emptied the bowl of cordyceps soup, leaving not a single drop behind.

Utterly spineless.

He silently berated himself.

After dinner, Rong Tang took a brief stroll in the courtyard. Upon returning to his room, he noticed a bathtub set up in the centre, filled with steaming mugwort water that carried a faint bitter scent. He turned to Su Huaijing, puzzled. “What’s this for?” he asked.

“To ward off bad luck,” Su Huaijing replied gruffly, his handsome face clouded in displeasure. Without another word, he opened the wardrobe, pulled out a set of sleepwear for Rong Tang, draped a towel over the edge of the tub, and said irritably, “Soak for a while. If the water gets cold, call me, and I’ll heat it up again.”

Rong Tang couldn’t help but notice the mix of annoyance and reluctance in Su Huaijing’s expression. Suppressing a chuckle, he responded softly, “Alright, thank you, dear husband.”

Su Huaijing froze in place, his steps toward the door coming to an abrupt halt. He turned back, staring at Rong Tang in disbelief, almost convinced he’d misheard.

Meanwhile, Rong Tang, completely at ease, began removing his outer robe and middle layer of clothing. As he unfastened his belt and hung his garments over the screen, he glanced up now and then, feigning curiosity. “Aren’t you leaving?” he asked casually.

“What did you call me?” Su Huaijing asked, his voice low.

The room was warm, the charcoal fire blazing, and the mugwort water steaming invitingly. Even undressed, the air was far from chilly. Wearing only a pair of inner pants, Rong Tang stepped into the tub, his gaze steady as he replied, “Dear husband.”

For a moment, Su Huaijing felt as though a fishing line, baited and alluring, was dangling enticingly before him. Rong Tang splashed the water lightly, then leaned against the edge of the tub, tilting his head as he innocently repeated, “Aren’t you leaving?”

Su Huaijing: “…”

The system’s voice chimed in briefly before vanishing: [Host, you’re on your own. I’m going dormant.]

Ignoring the system, Rong Tang continued to meet Su Huaijing’s gaze. The wooden tub was spacious, easily accommodating two people. Rong Tang nudged the water playfully with his foot and asked, “You’re not leaving?”

Su Huaijing clenched his jaw, his glare sharp, but he eventually turned and took a step toward the door.

Just as he was about to leave, Rong Tang called out again, as if suddenly recalling something. “Huaijing, you think meeting with Sheng Chengli brings bad luck, so you made me take a bath. What about you? Don’t you need to cleanse yourself too?”

Su Huaijing stopped in his tracks, his voice turning hoarse as he replied, “I’ll bathe after you fall asleep.”

“That’s such a hassle…” Rong Tang muttered, seemingly to himself. “It means more water has to be boiled, and it wastes time.”

He looked at Su Huaijing’s back with apparent sincerity and offered, “Why not soak with me? The tub’s big enough.”

The winter night was cold, but the room was warm and tinged with an ambiguous atmosphere. The painted screen, adorned with birds, called to mind the twin phoenixes and cranes embroidered on their wedding robes—one soaring high, the other in eager pursuit.

Behind him, the sound of water rippled, mingling with Rong Tang’s soft murmurs. Su Huaijing stood frozen for a long while before finally turning back. His gaze locked with Rong Tang’s as he asked in a low voice, “Are you trying to seduce me?”

“How could I be?” Rong Tang replied, feigning grievance, though a glimmer of mischief flashed in his eyes.

Back in school, bathing together with friends and even helping each other scrub backs was commonplace in the north. It had never struck him as anything shameful.

Of course, he knew better than to invite Su Huaijing. It was tantamount to offering himself to a tiger.

Yet the main villain’s anger had not entirely dissipated, and their earlier conversation over dinner had failed to resolve things. Rong Tang feared that Su Huaijing might lie awake later, his frustration festering, until he sent shadow guards into the palace to kill Sheng Chengli outright.

Or worse, with his strength and resolve, he might simply confront the protagonist himself and tear out his throat.

He was indeed anxious and uneasy, deeply afraid of witnessing the world fall apart once more because of Sheng Chengli.

Rong Tang turned his back to Su Huaijing, avoiding his gaze as he took a step back, both literally and figuratively. “Forget it if you’re not coming. At least I’ll have more space to myself.”

His tone carried no trace of joy, only the pouty petulance of someone whose demands hadn’t been met. Su Huaijing would have to be deaf not to catch on.

For a long moment, the room remained silent, the sound of the door opening or closing absent. Then, at last, the figure standing motionless behind him began to move.

Rong Tang exhaled a breath of relief… only to quickly draw it back in. Su Huaijing now stood at the edge of the tub, looming over him, his nearly naked figure concealed beneath the dark, steaming mugwort water.

In a low voice, Su Huaijing asked, “Do you really want me to join you?”

Rong Tang had felt bold while teasing, but now, faced with Su Huaijing’s stoic expression and intense, downward gaze, he immediately regretted his actions.

Oh no. He’d gone too far.

Instinctively, he slid deeper into the water, trying to shrink away. Su Huaijing bent down, his hand plunging into the bath to grab Rong Tang’s arm. His hoarse voice trembled with restrained tension. “Tangtang, are you sure you want me to join you?”

The flickering candlelight cast soft, shifting shadows across the room. White steam rose from the bath, curling past Rong Tang’s damp lashes before resting lightly against Su Huaijing’s sharp jawline.

Su Huaijing delivered his ultimatum. “Tangtang, I’ll give you just one chance to change your mind.”

Rong Tang almost surrendered immediately. His knees nearly gave way as fear and guilt urged him to retreat. But then he remembered his goal. Swallowing his hesitation, he stiffened his neck and nodded. “Come in.”

Su Huaijing held his gaze for a long, weighted moment before releasing Rong Tang’s arm. He stepped back slightly, scooped water from a smaller bucket nearby, and poured it along the edge of the tub. Casting a sidelong glare at Rong Tang, he huffed, “Do you really think inviting me to bathe with you because of another man would make me happy?”

He saw through Rong Tang’s small ploy with ease.

Though irritation simmered within him, Su Huaijing couldn’t bring himself to direct his frustration at Rong Tang. Instead, he stewed silently for a while before tossing out a half-hearted rebuke: “You’re terrible at coaxing people.”

Rong Tang blinked. “…?”

It took him a moment to process Su Huaijing’s meaning. When realisation dawned, he stared in mild disbelief before a soft laugh escaped him.

The panic of “feeding a tiger with his own body” now felt almost laughable in the face of such a sulky, restrained villain.

How could he have forgotten? No matter how upset Su Huaijing might feel, he had never once taken it out on him.

Even now, Su Huaijing was holding himself back, refraining from getting into the tub despite the temptation, while stubbornly refusing to leave the room, all because he wanted to hear what Rong Tang had to say.

So cute.

Rong Tang couldn’t help but think.

Relaxing completely, Rong Tang lifted his head. Any lingering tension melted away, replaced by a faint, water-softened smile at the corners of his eyes and lips.

“Huaijing,” Rong Tang called softly.

Su Huaijing glanced at him, remaining silent. His expression radiated bad temper, a clear warning not to provoke him further.

“Lower your head. I have something to tell you.”

The main villain frowned, torn. He didn’t want to follow Tangtang’s every whim, but he couldn’t resist the instinctive pull to listen. Slowly, he bent down, leaning closer without pausing to consider how unnecessary it was to whisper with only the two of them in the room.

Swoosh— The sound of water splashing filled the room. Before Su Huaijing could react, a pair of wet hands cupped his cheeks. Warm breaths brushed against his jaw as Rong Tang tilted his head back and pressed a kiss to Su Huaijing’s lips.

The candlelight flickered and dimmed with a soft crackle. The air grew quieter, and the ripples in the bath calmed.

“You’re so obedient,” Rong Tang murmured with a gentle chuckle, stealing another light kiss. “There, I’ve coaxed you.”