ISWTDB Ch110

Chapter 110: My Husband Has a Split Personality (7, 8)

Hearing this, Ying Zhao looked at the side and gently asked Ying Youjie, “Xiao Jie, is there anything you want to eat?”

Ying Youjie, a bit slow to react, shook his head. He had never had anything good to eat. Before becoming a puppet, he only had leftover scraps, and even having a bite of leftover food to fill his stomach was considered a luxury.

After being confined in the puppet artifact in the tower, he hadn’t eaten anything. After all, it was just a puppet; not eating didn’t matter.

However, from Xiao Bai’s earlier explanation, Ying Zhao knew that after the puppet artifact was awakened by the soul contract, it could function like a normal human body.

In fact, after cultivation, it could grow just like a regular person, until it reached its best state and then stop growing. So, the boy’s current state was capable of eating food.

Considering that his beloved hadn’t eaten for so many years, and although he knew this wasn’t a human body and might not require as much attention, Ying Zhao still thoughtfully instructed Ying Shu to prepare some light food.

So when the food was served, there were no extravagant dishes. Instead, there was a simple bowl of chicken and wonton noodles, a bowl of fragrant mushroom and meat porridge, and two steamers of crab roe soup dumplings.

These were foods that Ying Chengye frequently ate, and Ying Zhao happened to like them as well. Smelling the aroma of the food, Ying Zhao couldn’t help but feel hungry.

He sat down, looked at the boy still standing motionless beside him, and smiled gently. He waved his hand to send all the servants out of the room, then took the boy’s small hand and seated him next to himself.

He placed a small crab roe soup dumpling on the boy’s plate and smiled, “Try this. It tastes good.”

Ying Youjie pursed his lips, staring at the soup dumpling for a while, before finally picking up the chopsticks. However, due to not having truly controlled a body for a long time, his movements were somewhat clumsy and slow.

Ying Zhao wasn’t in a hurry and waited for the boy to get used to it. Even though the boy hadn’t grown over the past twenty years, he was already thirteen while being trapped in the puppet.

Even though he looked small and thin, basic self-care was entirely manageable. Ying Zhao knew he shouldn’t overstep and risk hurting the child’s pride.

So he kept his distance and watched as Ying Youjie tremblingly picked up the dumpling and cautiously took a bite. Instantly, his eyes lit up.

The boy then stuffed the dumpling into his mouth and chewed eagerly, his cheeks puffed out like a little hamster.

So cute!

Ying Zhao couldn’t help but sigh internally and placed a dumpling on his own plate, smiling as he took a bite.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the dumpling entered his mouth, Ying Zhao winced from the heat. He realized that the crab roe dumplings were freshly steamed and very hot.

Seeing the boy quickly shove it into his mouth, Ying Zhao had thought the temperature might be alright. He hadn’t expected the filling to be so scalding.

His mouth was burning, but his first thought was not for himself but for Ying Youjie, worrying if he had been burned.

He quickly held the boy’s chin to check his mouth. Finding no signs of burns, he sighed in relief.

He then quickly gulped down a large cup of water and turned to the boy with concern, asking, “Xiao Jie, don’t you think this dumpling is too hot?”

Ying Youjie shook his head in confusion. Seeing this, Ying Zhao blinked, thinking, so this artifact can withstand high temperatures.

The two steamers of crab roe soup dumplings were quickly finished, with most of them going into Ying Youjie’s stomach. During this, Ying Zhao occasionally fed the boy a few spoonfuls of porridge to accompany the dumplings.

Ying Zhao himself leisurely ate the wonton noodles in front of him, but noticed that after finishing the dumplings and porridge, the boy was still eyeing his noodles.

Suppressing a smile, Ying Zhao offered the boy a bite of noodles. Watching the boy eat with relish, Ying Zhao didn’t mind sharing.

As a result, most of the wonton noodles were devoured by the little foodie beside him, with even the soup being completely gone.

Seeing the boy licking his lips with evident reluctance, Ying Zhao couldn’t help but twitch his lips. He hadn’t expected that though Ying Youjie looked thin and small, his stomach could hold so much.

Two steamers of crab roe soup dumplings, a large bowl of mushroom and meat porridge, and most of a bowl of wonton noodles—all had been consumed by the boy, leaving Ying Zhao with only a little.

Looking at the boy’s eager gaze, Ying Zhao, somewhat speechless, pressed the bell in the room, summoning the servants to prepare more food.

Ying Shu, thinking that given the usual amount of food the head ate plus a child, they wouldn’t need too much, and probably just wanted some snacks after the meal. So he only brought out four or five types of small, delicate pastries.

These pastries, without question, were mostly consumed by Ying Youjie. It wasn’t until the last piece was eaten that Ying Zhao asked if he was full, and Ying Youjie reluctantly nodded.

In reality, he didn’t feel very full, but his stomach had at least something in it.

Ying Youjie could clearly feel that his current body was completely different from before, almost like a bottomless pit.

It seemed that eating wasn’t about providing energy to his body, but merely to satisfy his hunger.

Thus, he could eat even more, and moreover, this was the most delicious meal he had ever had from childhood to now, so he was reluctant to stop.

When Ying Youjie was little, he had seen children from his relatives’ families eating buns brought back from the market by adults, which had meat inside.

Of course, he never got a share of those buns and could only watch others eat and swallow his saliva. There was one time when his younger cousin dropped a half-eaten bun on the ground.

Because it was dirty, they disdainfully refused to pick it up and offered it to him instead. He was so hungry that he didn’t hesitate to pick it up and eat it.

Although it was just a small piece of bun skin and dirty, because it was dipped in meat juice, it was a rare treat in Ying Youjie’s mind.

Only now, having genuinely tasted buns for the first time, did he realize how delicious they were. There were also so many delicate pastries he had never seen before.

More importantly, the person beside him, who was watching him with gentle eyes, didn’t scold him for eating too much, didn’t show disdain, and didn’t sneer.

He just quietly stayed by his side, with occasional visible tenderness in his eyes. In the past, Ying Youjie didn’t like such looks; he didn’t need others’ sympathy.

To him, surviving was all that mattered. Sympathy didn’t change anything for him, and he didn’t need those pointless emotions.

But for some reason, when the handsome man across from him looked at him this way, he felt a deep yearning inside, wishing that the man’s gaze would stay on him.

Yes, like this. Look at me, keep looking at me! Don’t leave me!

Ying Youjie didn’t yet understand that this feeling was possessiveness. He only knew that it was this man who had rescued him from that dark and cramped space.

He thought he was close to forgetting human emotions, but found that in front of this man, he couldn’t suppress his turbulent feelings.

The man provided him with delicious food and warm embraces. Everything felt like a dream, making him reluctant to let go.

Once upon a time, he had fantasized that if his biological parents were still alive, perhaps they would love him dearly, hold him warmly.

They would sit at the same table, eating simple meals, and laugh together, talking like an ordinary family. However, those things never belonged to him; they were merely his fantasies.

So, even though he still felt uneasy and couldn’t fully trust when he faced Ying Zhao’s tenderness towards him, the young boy really wanted to try, to try trusting the person in front of him, believing that he was truly sincere towards him.

Ying Zhao noticed that the snacks on the table had all been eaten by Ying Youjie and, after confirming that he said he was full, called for a servant and casually ordered a bowl of plain noodles, intending to eat a few bites to fill his stomach.

Seeing Ying Zhao casually calling for noodles and starting to eat, Ying Youjie finally realized that he had been so engrossed in eating that he had eaten all of the other’s food as well.

Thinking of this, the boy’s face flushed red, and he felt increasingly remorseful. This person was the only one who had been kind to him in so many years, and now he had been so rude—would it make him disappointed?

But before Ying Youjie could dwell in his panic for long, Ying Zhao, while eating his noodles, saw him staring and thought the boy might still be hungry.

He looked up with a smile and asked, “What? Little one, are you still not full? Should I ask the kitchen to prepare more for you?”

At these words, Ying Youjie quickly shook his head, but seeing the warm smile on the other’s face, he felt much more at ease. He softly said to Ying Zhao, “Already… full.”

Ying Youjie’s words came out hesitantly, but Ying Zhao’s eyes only softened further.

Earlier, Ying Zhao had felt some concern and had asked Xiaobai in his mind if eating so much food would be a problem for someone so young.

He was relieved to learn from Xiaobai that the magical artifact didn’t actually need to consume food for energy. Instead, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth and cultivation were the best ways to improve.

As for the food, it was merely to satisfy a desire for taste, and it didn’t matter how much he ate.

Upon hearing this explanation from Xiaobai, Ying Zhao felt reassured and didn’t worry about how much the boy ate. As long as it didn’t harm his body, his little love could eat as much as he wanted.

As the head of the Ying family, this small expense was something he could easily afford. Seeing that it was getting late, Ying Zhao quickly finished his noodles in a few bites, then took Ying Youjie back to his room.

Uncle Ying, who was watching, seemed to hesitate as if wanting to say something when he saw Ying Zhao leading the boy back to his room. In fact, Uncle Ying had already prepared a separate room for Ying Youjie.

Ying Zhao knew that Uncle Ying was thorough in his work, but he didn’t want to miss the chance to bond with the boy.

After all, the other had suffered so much over the years. Ying Zhao selfishly wanted to accompany his beloved, to make him completely let down his guard.

So he decided to live with the boy, to eat and sleep together, and to take good care of him, giving him warmth.

Seeing Ying Zhao’s unwavering decision, Uncle Ying thought about it and realized that Ying Youjie was, after all, the master’s magical artifact. Although they had formed a contract, the relationship between master and artifact still needed time to develop and strengthen.

Only then could the bond between master and artifact grow deeper. With this in mind, Uncle Ying said nothing further to stop Ying Zhao.

After they returned to the room, Uncle Ying thoughtfully had the servants bring fresh sleepwear.

Though they couldn’t immediately find perfectly fitted clothes for Ying Youjie, sleepwear didn’t need to fit exactly—being loose was comfortable enough.

Ying Zhao nodded in approval of Uncle Ying’s arrangements. He had initially intended to help the boy bathe himself, but the boy had firmly refused.

Seeing that although the boy’s face didn’t change, his eyes showed a bit of embarrassment, Ying Zhao smiled and nodded, not insisting on helping.

He thought to himself that, after all, a boy of ten or so had already learned to feel embarrassed. It was fine to let him handle such things on his own.

But in his heart, Ying Zhao couldn’t help feeling a bit regretful, thinking that if the boy were just a bit younger, it would be even better. A cute little child, and he could help with everything—that would be adorable.

But that was just a thought. Once the boy entered the bathroom, Ying Zhao didn’t stay in the room either; he went to the guest room for a quick wash before returning.

However, after he returned to his room, a long time passed, and the boy still hadn’t come out. Ying Zhao began to worry and was about to go check when he saw the boy emerge from the bathroom, holding his sleepwear and looking dejected.

With a flushed face, the boy said, “Un-Uncle, how do I get water to come out from those things inside…”

Only then did Ying Zhao realize what kind of life the boy had lived. To be able to bathe in a river when the weather was warm was already a luxury for him.

The boy had grown up in a remote, impoverished village, so modern conveniences like running water and bathtubs were naturally nonexistent. Even if they had existed, his so-called relatives would never have allowed him to use them.

Feeling a bit guilty about his own oversight, Ying Zhao smiled apologetically at the boy. He then went into the bathroom and patiently explained how to use the equipment and items inside.

After explaining everything in detail, Ying Zhao finally left, but not before asking if the boy needed help. Seeing Ying Youjie firmly shake his head, Ying Zhao left, feeling a bit disappointed.

It was rare in this life that his beloved was so young, and he had wanted to experience the feeling of raising a child. He had hoped to at least take care of him in terms of food and clothing—helping the little one bathe, changing his clothes, something like that.

Sure enough, when children were too independent, it caused adults some frustration! Ying Zhao sighed to himself, then thought of how his beloved in this life had such a delicate, doll-like appearance.

With a smile tugging at his lips, he hummed a little tune as he made the bed. After a while, the boy came out of the bathroom, having finished his bath.

Ying Zhao naturally picked up a towel from the bathroom and gently began drying the boy’s hair. His soft actions made the boy feel cherished.

Every now and then, the man’s warm fingers would brush against his ears, causing the boy’s face to flush.

Through the mirror, he could see Ying Zhao’s face. The man was extremely handsome, with long, narrow phoenix eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin, red lips.

Though he always looked cold towards others, he was warm towards him, always smiling. His expression in the mirror was so gentle that the boy finally felt a warmth in his heart.

After his hair was completely dry, Ying Zhao patted the bed and gestured for the boy to lie down, while he lay beside him.

This was the first time in his life that Ying Youjie had slept with someone else, and he felt a bit uncomfortable. More importantly, he had never slept in such a soft bed.

In the past, he had always slept in the woodshed at his relatives’ house, with only a tattered quilt. Inside the quilt were old cotton and straw mixed together, and underneath him was only dry grass he had collected himself.

Although his life had been slightly better when his grandfather took him in before he turned four, even a mute old man living alone couldn’t provide such luxury.

The man beside him carried a faint cold fragrance, the scent soothing him and making him feel inexplicably safe. Lying on the soft bed, the boy found his eyes welling up with tears.

After being trapped in that high tower for over twenty years, he had never expected to one day return to the light.

Back then, in the depths of darkness, it was this man who suddenly appeared and held him, pulling him out of that pit of despair. At that time, his nose had been filled with the same scent.

The lights in the room were turned off, and Ying Youjie felt a fear of the silence and darkness, as if he had once again been sealed inside that puppet’s body, where there was no light and no sense of time.

In the darkness, fear magnified, and Ying Youjie’s body trembled slightly. He couldn’t help but move closer to Ying Zhao, the man who brought him warmth and a sense of security.

Ying Zhao was right beside the boy and constantly aware of his condition. Naturally, he noticed the boy’s anxiety and his approach. With a sigh in his heart, he felt even more certain that having the boy sleep with him was the right choice.

He extended his arm, pulling the boy into his embrace, kissed his forehead, and softly said, “Sleep, I’m here.”

Caught off guard, Ying Youjie was suddenly pulled into the man’s embrace, and his breath hitched. However, upon hearing the man’s words and feeling the warmth of his arms, the boy’s fear began to subside.

Burying his head deeply into the man’s embrace, Ying Youjie experienced a sense of safety and warmth he had never known.

He had endured years of suffering, gritting his teeth through it all, but now, with this person gently stroking his back and comforting him, he unexpectedly felt the urge to cry.

The boy bit down hard on his lip, trying not to let himself cry out loud. Yet, the warmth at his neck told Ying Zhao that the boy was already crying. Quietly, but it made Ying Zhao’s heart ache even more.

At the same time, as much as he felt heartbroken, Ying Zhao also breathed a sigh of relief. After all, this was just a boy in his teens who had endured too much over the years. Now that he felt safe, it was only natural he wanted to let out his emotions, to cry.

Gently patting the boy’s back, Ying Zhao’s eyes grew resolute. This was his beloved, the one who had saved him countless times with his life. And now, he was willing to give everything to protect him in return.

With the softest voice, he comforted the boy in his arms, “Xiao Jie, don’t be afraid, it’s all in the past. From now on, I will protect you!”

“Why?” The boy’s voice was hoarse, and even a few words took great effort. He didn’t understand why someone would treat him so kindly without condition.

Then, he sniffed, as if suddenly remembering his current identity. His expression dimmed as he said, “Is it because I’m your weapon?”

Hearing the boy’s insecure words, Ying Zhao sighed internally. He couldn’t explain how, in the past, they had been in love and lived together through countless lifetimes. But he couldn’t bear seeing such a fragile and lost look on his beloved’s face.

So he solemnly said, “Xiao Jie, I swear on my name, Ying Chengye. Whether or not you are my weapon, whether or not we have a contract, I will always protect you with my life, care for you, and never let anyone hurt you again! Little one, trust me. Alright?”

The heartfelt vow whispered in his ear warmed the boy’s heart. He opened his red, tear-filled eyes wide, almost unable to believe what he had heard.

But when he saw that the man’s vow was infused with soul power, radiating waves of white light around him, he finally realized that everything the man said was true.

This was a true vow, reinforced by soul power and affirmed by the laws of heaven. If broken, it would incur divine punishment.

Realizing this, the boy could no longer hold back his emotions. He threw himself into Ying Zhao’s embrace, holding him tightly as he wailed uncontrollably. At this moment, he was no longer silent or reserved, but a true child of his age.

Ying Zhao gently soothed him, lovingly kissing the top of his head, letting him feel how much he cherished him. Without words, he seemed to convey: From now on, as long as I am here, there will only be happiness and joy in your life.

The boy cried in his arms for who knows how long before finally quieting down and falling into a deep sleep. Ying Zhao lowered his head, gazing at the peaceful expression on the sleeping boy’s face, and smiled.

He got up and went to the bathroom, warming a towel and gently wiping the boy’s cheeks. He paid special attention to the boy’s swollen eyes and red nose from crying.

Thinking to himself, if he didn’t take care of it now, his eyes might be swollen by tomorrow. But Ying Zhao seemed to have forgotten the boy’s unique physique. So, when the towel was removed, the redness and swelling around his eyes vanished before his very eyes.