UCTOOT CH63

The place of exile was a border city called Senzhou, under the Taiyin Prefecture. It was winter now; the city towers were covered in snow, and a cold wind blew through the streets.

The patrol of cavalrymen they had just encountered happened to be led by a lieutenant general of Taiyin’s renowned “Chou Army.” After hearing the whole story, he brought them back into the city with him.

Xie Wuchi went inside the supervisor’s office with the men, while Shi Shu squatted by the tree roots outside the gate, propping up his fair face and chatting with Xu Erlang, who was on guard duty.

Shi Shu asked, “After you drop off the prisoner, are you heading back to the Eastern Capital?”

“We are. This trip was too far. A new escort team was supposed to take over when we left the capital prefecture, but because of Lord Xie’s importance, they had us, the men from the Ministry of Justice, escort him all the way to Taiyin Prefecture.”

Shi Shu understood that his friendship with them was limited to these past two months. “Alright, if I ever come back in the future, I’ll treat you to a meal at Gaohua Tower!”

Xu Erlang licked his lips. “Great, Gaohua Tower! I’ve never eaten there.”

Xie Wuchi had been inside for a while. Shi Shu asked with doubt, “Why isn’t he out yet?”

Xu Erlang glanced inside and casually comforted him, “Don’t be nervous. Lord Xie’s name is known throughout the world now; there’s no one who doesn’t know him. The officials here will surely treat him well. Maybe they’re just held up discussing official business.”

Shi Shu: “Known throughout the world?”

“That’s right, who doesn’t know him? My master says that the rise and fall of officials is a common thing. Lord Xie has already stepped into the sea of officialdom and made his debut before everyone. Who knows, perhaps one day in the future, he’ll be reinstated and soar to the heavens in a single step!”

Shi Shu pondered his words, only half-understanding.

In the political arena, one first had to enter the stage. Xie Wuchi had already displayed his talents. As the hexagram said: The dragon appears in the field; it is advantageous to see the great man. He had made a spectacular debut, stepped into the court’s power dynamics, entered everyone’s sight, and made sure everyone remembered him.

His demotion was merely a matter of taking the wrong side, of failing to please His Majesty. If he could align with the ruling faction’s governing philosophy next time, he could be reinstated and return to the capital.

Xu Erlang said, “It’s a low point, is all. The Longchang enlightenment. Once he figures it out, he’ll be fine.”

The Longchang enlightenment.

Shi Shu poked at a pile of snow, understanding why Xie Wuchi had been so quiet for the past two months.

Was he that cool?

“My master is calling me, I’m off! See you next time! I wish you all the best!”

Xu Erlang hurriedly caught up with the other bailiffs.

Shi Shu was still waving long after he was gone. He stood up and was bumped in the leg by a running child. He took the chance to survey the city. The buildings weren’t tall. The city was windswept and dusty, but it was densely populated. As it was just after the New Year, there were many sights of people praying to gods for blessings and making offerings. The city was adorned with firecracker remnants and red paper, a lively scene in the depths of winter.

Senzhou’s geographical position was important. It was heavily garrisoned, and its markets were bustling. Many of the people were the wives and daughters of military households, and many of the commoners appeared to be of mixed heritage with the Great Min. All these people kept the city of Senzhou running, giving it a feeling of being both stable and unstable.

“What’s so special about Senzhou?” Shi Shu recalled the introduction from the soldiers on the road. “Twenty years ago, during the Great Min rebellion, Senzhou was massacred. The population was wiped out. How many? A hundred thousand? A hundred and fifty thousand? After the Great Jing’s soldiers took it back, they repopulated it. It’s only after twenty years that the city has its current appearance.”

Shi Shu thought, “So this is our new home with Xie Wuchi.”

Shi Shu bought a stick of tanghulu, which was already frozen solid. He warmed it with his cheek to melt it bit by bit, but there was still no sign of the prisoner’s garb emerging from the supervisor’s office.

A moment later, he heard someone bowing and speaking with fiery words, “It’s fine, what’s the big deal about killing a few Great Min soldiers? How dare they make a fuss?”

“It was Great Jing’s land east of the Cha River to begin with. They pursued on their own and deserved to be shot dead! We should thank you for your bravery in winning one back for us.”

“I’d like to see them try! I was just worrying that my sharp sword was getting rusty. I’ve been itching for a good fight with them for a long time!”

Shi Shu turned to see a figure being escorted out of the gate. He was dressed in a long, dark cyan robe, his long, beautiful black hair tied up with a wooden hairpin. He exuded a sense of stability, competence, and elegance, his steps firm and steady.

At first, Shi Shu didn’t recognize who it was. A moment later, he went, “Huh?”

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey? Who is this handsome fellow?”

“This, this, this, isn’t this our—”

The general speaking with Xie Wuchi had a fierce face and a ruthless look in his eyes. He was very young, only in his twenties. Guided by his guards, he swiftly mounted his horse and galloped away. Xie Wuchi turned and walked slowly toward him. Shi Shu, a smile in his eyes, began to applaud from afar.

Shi Shu’s expression was perfect. “Damn, Xie Wuchi, you just changed your clothes. Do you have to be this handsome! Are you trying to kill me with your good looks!”

Xie Wuchi looked up and smiled faintly. “Yes, I’m free.”

An ecstatic joy filled Shi Shu’s heart. “Good, good, this is so good. You never have to walk around with that disgusting thing on again. You’re back to being yourself. An exile of a thousand miles, it’s nothing more than this!”

A few snowflakes had landed in Xie Wuchi’s hair. He gently brushed them away, his expression seeming distant, yet hiding a cold undercurrent.

He seemed to be recalling the journey from the Eastern Capital to Taiyin, from late autumn to deep winter—the storms, the wind and snow, traveling by day and resting by night, all while bearing the heavy cangue and the torment of illness.

And now, it all came down to a single phrase: It was nothing more than this.

The morning comes with a cold hue; having passed through wind and rain, still graceful and pure.

Xie Wuchi nodded. “Once you reach the end, the journey looks short in hindsight.”

“So, it’s always good to have hope.”

Shi Shu was so happy he couldn’t help but hug him. The thought “Xie Wuchi likes men” flashed through his mind, but it was immediately replaced by another: “Is he going to screw me right here on the street?” Then, his body leaned solidly against the warm frame.

Shi Shu cheered, “We’re amazing, this is awesome, so awesome!”

Xie Wuchi stood firm, reaching out to take the half-eaten tanghulu from Shi Shu, holding it for him wrapped in paper. His other hand went to the back of his ear, gently cupping the pale nape of his neck, his fingertips brushing against his earlobe. “Yes, this is truly good.”

Shi Shu let go of him, his handsome, fair face full of smiles, wearing a “who’s better than me” expression. The joy in his heart was boundless. This is great, don’t underestimate the bond between me and Xie Wuchi! A mere thousand miles is nothing!

Just then, an exaggerated shout came from the crowd. Shi Shu turned his head to see Du Zihan waving his arms. “Brother Xie! Brother Shi! You’re finally here!”

Shi Shu: “Du Zihan!”

“It’s me, it’s me!”

Shi Shu asked, “How have you settled in?”

Du Zihan was carrying a large pile of groceries, his face beaming with joy. “All good, all good! I calculated the time and figured you’d probably arrive today. Brother Xie gave me money at the post station that day to come to Senzhou and set up a courtyard first. The courtyard is already bought, cleaned spotlessly, and the blankets are laid out all soft and fluffy. Was the journey very hard for you? Let’s go, let’s go! I bought a ton of groceries!”

Shi Shu reached out to help him carry his things, then suddenly remembered Xie Wuchi’s opinion of him. He turned to look: Xie Wuchi, what do you have to say about this?

Xie Wuchi didn’t say much, his expression back to normal.

Shi Shu slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering something. “Right, don’t you have to go do your military service? Are you still going?”

Xie Wuchi: “I’ll rest for a bit before going to the front lines.”

Shi Shu: “Our workaholic dad is finally willing to rest.”

Xie Wuchi said, “You’ve been taking care of me this whole time. I want to spend a few days with you before I get busy with other things.”

Spend time with me?

You rest on your own, what does it have to do with me? Why do you have to say it so ambiguously?

Shi Shu shook off the thoughts. “Fine, resting is for the best. I mean, it’s best not to work at all.”

Why does he have to be so corny?

Lost in his thoughts, Shi Shu didn’t notice Du Zihan turn his head to look at the two of them, his eyes observant.

“? What are you looking at?”

The courtyard Du Zihan had purchased was located at the end of a small alley. Upon entering, it was indeed neat and tidy. The ground was swept clean, the water vat was filled with blocks of ice, the several rooms were bright and clean, and under a shed to the side was the kitchen, fully stocked with pots, pans, and bowls. It had a faint, warm feeling of home.

Du Zihan had a belly full of words to say and started talking as soon as he walked in. “I’ve been here for a year, and except for the family that took me in, I’ve never slept in a proper house. It’s thanks to Brother Xie’s money that I finally have a house to live in. I’m so moved.”

Shi Shu: “You had it that rough.”

Only now did Shi Shu start to really talk to him. “How old are you?”

Du Zihan dutifully took the vegetables to the kitchen. “I’m twenty-five.”

Shi Shu: “Are you still in school?”

Du Zihan: “Yeah, I’m at Beihang, a second-year master’s student. What about you?”

Shi Shu felt like he was playing a broken record. He turned his gaze. “Ask Brother Xie, he’s from Tsinghua.”

Du Zihan: “And you?”

Shi Shu: “…Beiti.”

“Holy crap! You’re an athlete?” Hearing these familiar names, Du Zihan’s old eyes turned red again. “My people, my people.”

Xie Wuchi stood under the long corridor, looking at the snow in the courtyard, not participating in their conversation. Seeing that Du Zihan wasn’t a very good cook either, Shi Shu suggested, “Let Brother Xie do it. He’s a good cook.”

Du Zihan was clearly still scared of him after what happened that night. “A brother who looks like that can also cook?”

Shi Shu: “Yes, his therapist suggested it. Cooking, writing in a diary, maintaining a self-disciplined life can help stabilize his emotions, so he knows how to cook.”

Du Zihan: “No, I mean, he’s willing to cook for me?”

Shi Shu: “Of course he is, my brother is a really good person. Xie Wuchi, come on, come on!”

Xie Wuchi lowered his eyes, looking at these two who couldn’t do big things and were useless at small things. Without a word, he picked up the knife, rinsed it clean in a basin of water, and began to chop and wash the vegetables.

Du Zihan wore the expression of someone who had gotten a great deal but didn’t dare to say a word.

Seeing Xie Wuchi with the knife, a memory suddenly resurfaced for Shi Shu. Outside the city gate just now, the wind from the arrows was sharp, the snow blowing people’s clothes about. Xie Wuchi’s eyes were tinged with shadow, one leg pressing down on a man’s chest as he slowly pulled out an arrowhead, and blood gushed from the throat.

Shi Shu was no longer traumatized by death, but the scene of the Great Min slaughtering fleeing civilians was something he had witnessed for the first time.

Shi Shu walked to Xie Wuchi’s side. There weren’t many vegetables in this cold northern winter, just some common household pickles and a stew of beef, mutton, and pork. Staring at Xie Wuchi’s hands as he chopped the vegetables, Shi Shu couldn’t help but ask, “You killed someone today. What are you thinking?”

Xie Wuchi: “I didn’t think about it. Perhaps every soldier on the border has blood on his hands. If you think too much, you lose the courage to move forward. I trust my own judgment and never doubt myself.”

Shi Shu’s brows furrowed. “How can I become as strong as you?”

Xie Wuchi: “If you can’t, then don’t.”

Xie Wuchi seemed to be someone who intentionally trained his consciousness, able to think appropriate thoughts for any given situation. For example, when his life was on the line, he would never have emotions like pity or sympathy, only the will to kill. Only when he had free time might he think about it.

Shi Shu looked up at the sky. “What a magical creator, to have made such completely different people.”

Shi Shu returned to his spot and started talking with Du Zihan. When Du Zihan heard about the incident, his face twisted. “Damn, for real?”

Just then, the meal was ready. A stove was lit in the room, and the charcoal fire made the room toasty warm. Du Zihan finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and poured out all his grievances. “The moment I transmigrated, I was begging for food. I tried to work for others, but without a household registration, I was quickly arrested by the officials. They took us vagrants to another county to farm. I guess it was a military border area.”

“On the way there, I met the other transmigrator I told you about. He was also arrested as a vagrant and sent to do labor. He was just a kid starting college, and he was on the verge of a breakdown, in a bad mood every day. But he cheered up a bit after meeting me.”

“I went to the farming area with him. I was thinking, let’s just make do and see how we can survive first. But I never expected that one day I came back from my labor to find him hanging from a beam. He left me a letter, saying he couldn’t take this kind of life and would rather die.”

Du Zihan showed them the letter, and it was just as he said.

Holding the suicide note, Shi Shu felt a ripple in his heart. Du Zihan’s eyes were red. “We had agreed to live together, to get through this era together, but after he left, I was all alone. I thought, if I could meet him, could there be others? So I stole a travel permit and escaped from the military farm. I’ve been wandering ever since, trying to find people from the modern era.”

Shi Shu: “So that’s how it was. No wonder we ran into you.”

Du Zihan nodded. “On my journey across the Great Jing, I heard people telling tales of Brother Xie, about how he cured the plague and enacted new reforms, and how he was an upright man who cracked down on corrupt gentry. My own knowledge is limited, but I wondered if a particularly awesome transmigrator had appeared and was making these advanced changes. So I headed for the Eastern Capital, hoping to find you.”

What followed was the story of what he had encountered along the way.

Shi Shu: “You really gambled right. But based on what you’re saying, I’ve been pretty lucky, meeting you within three months and staying with Xie Wuchi this whole time? By the way, how long did it take you to meet your friend?”

Du Zihan thought for a moment. “It felt like not long, about a month.”

“A month?”

Shi Shu blurted out, “So three months isn’t a time limit, it’s all based on luck? If you’re lucky, you can even meet a companion as soon as you transmigrate?”

Du Zihan: “It seems so.”

Shi Shu: “What does that even mean? Is this transmigration just pure human trafficking?”

The two of them chattered on, with endless things to say. Xie Wuchi just listened, rarely participating. Shi Shu wanted to ask for Xie Wuchi’s opinion, but he paused, remembering his attitude toward Du Zihan, and his brown eyes immediately started to shift.

Xie Wuchi doesn’t like Du Zihan. As for the specific reason…

“I don’t like anyone coming between you and me.”

Shi Shu had just picked up a piece of mutton. His hand trembled, and the meat fell into his bowl.

Du Zihan: “Hahaha, what’s wrong?”

Shi Shu: “Nothing, nothing, nothing.”

It was afternoon when they arrived in Senzhou. Now, after dinner, it was approaching dusk. Perhaps it was the rare sense of security, the warmth of finding a companion, but Du Zihan drank a lot of wine. After he finished, he pointed with a flushed face, “How should we arrange the sleeping quarters? I cleaned up three rooms and have been sleeping on a mat myself for a few days waiting for you. The beds are all clean. You guys pick first.”

Shi Shu: “Whatever, I’m not picky.”

Xie Wuchi said, “You sleep in the west room. Shi Shu and I will sleep in the east. Move your bed out.”

Hearing this, Du Zihan once again gave them a strange look, then nodded. “Alright, alright, brother.”

The three rooms were all in the same main house. Du Zihan quickly ran to grab his bedding and mat and moved to another room. Seeing that it was almost dark, he said, “I’m going to bed then.”

Shi Shu liked lively atmospheres. “I want to see your room.”

He had just finished speaking when his wrist was grabbed by a scorching hot hand. Turning around, Xie Wuchi said, “We should sleep too.”

Shi Shu didn’t think much of it. “Okay, that’s fine. I have been really tired lately.”

Du Zihan’s brow furrowed, and he said in a low voice, “Okay, okay, I understand, I understand. I just boiled some water in the pot, you two can take a bath first.”

Shi Shu waved goodbye to him and was pulled by Xie Wuchi into their room. It had to be said, Shi Shu was in a very good mood today. There was indeed hot water in the pot. After Du Zihan closed his door, Shi Shu prepared to boil more water for a bath.

Many things had been inconvenient on the road. Only with a stable place to live could he do what he wanted. After Shi Shu finished washing, Xie Wuchi, who was standing behind the screen, suddenly remembered something and walked over.

“Let me see, let me see.”

Xie Wuchi’s clothes were on messily, not yet straightened, and his hair was loose around his ears. Shi Shu first grabbed his wrist. “Let me see your wounds.”

On Xie Wuchi’s wrists and ankles were dark scars, marks from where the wounds had been repeatedly chafed. Shi Shu looked at them carefully, his heart aching a little. “I don’t know if these wounds can ever heal properly.”

Xie Wuchi: “I don’t care. Scars are also a part of growth.”

Shi Shu remembered his tattoo. “Do you have some kind of totem worship?”

Xie Wuchi: “Not really, I just think it’s beautiful.”

Shi Shu let go of his hand, ready for bed. “It’s late. Blow out the candle, let’s get a good night’s sleep! It’s warm with the charcoal fire, I’ll probably sleep like the dead tonight. I’m going.”

Xie Wuchi: “What do you mean?”

Shi Shu: “Huh? Space was limited on the road of exile, so we had to squeeze into one bed. We don’t have to anymore, right?”

Xie Wuchi closed the door to the main house and said, “It’s still early. Sit with me for a while.”

Shi Shu scratched his chin and didn’t leave, enjoying this rare moment of peace.

Xie Wuchi took out paper and a brush and began to write in his diary again under the dim light. He had many things to add, as well as his reflections on the two months of exile.

Shi Shu sat on a chair, a little bored. The tanghulu he had bought in the afternoon wasn’t finished yet. The sugar was starting to melt from the heat of the charcoal fire, so he plucked one off and bit into it.

Chew, chew, chew. “In two days, when you go out for your military service, I’ll go too. I won’t be an idler.”

Xie Wuchi: “Okay.”

Chew, chew, chew. “Do you think Du Zihan is trustworthy?”

Xie Wuchi: “He seems to be of average intelligence. You can be friends with him.”

Chew, chew, chew again. “Wait, average intelligence, and you’re telling me to be friends with him? Does that mean I can’t be friends with someone of high intelligence?”

“No. I was thinking, you might be very happy being friends with him.”

Shi Shu lay back lazily in the chair, stretching out his legs. The light shone on his fair, handsome jaw, making the youth’s face look exceptionally elegant. There was one last hawthorn berry left on the stick, but he didn’t want to eat it.

Before him, Xie Wuchi closed his paper. His shadow blocked the oil lamp, and it began to flicker and sway.

A thought stirred in Shi Shu’s mind, a bad feeling rising. People get busy when they’re awkward. He hadn’t wanted to eat the last one, but in his flurry, he bit into it.

Before he could even chew, two hands veined in blue braced themselves on either side of the chair. Shi Shu thought, Not good. Just as he was about to turn and bolt, a shadow fell over him.

Shi Shu blinked. The syrup from the tanghulu trickled onto his lower lip and was licked away, bit by bit, by the lips that pressed against his. Shi Shu’s eyes widened in the darkness as Xie Wuchi pressed against his mouth, licking the hawthorn berry again and again.

Shi Shu closed his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, his jaw was seized. As Xie Wuchi kissed him deeply, the skin of the hawthorn berry was broken, and the sweet and sour taste spread across the tip of his tongue. Shi Shu smelled the clean, dry heat on Xie Wuchi’s body. His face was held as he was kissed, and in the series of kisses, the hawthorn berry was eaten completely.

Shi Shu remained still. What is this feeling?

He couldn’t say.

A drop of syrup fell onto his jaw, which was also licked clean.

Shi Shu didn’t move at all during the whole process, just waiting for Xie Wuchi to kiss him, only his eyes darting back and forth.

A moment later, heat spread between the two of them. Xie Wuchi’s face was flushed, an expression that seemed satisfied but not quite satisfied enough. His dark brows shot up, his gaze like the blade of a knife, scraping across Shi Shu’s face.

He panted, one hand reaching below Shi Shu’s waist and suddenly pulling him into a hug, right through his clothes.

Only then did Shi Shu make a sound. “Huh? What are you doing?”

Xie Wuchi held him, his hands caressing his back through his clothes, their bodies pressed tightly together without a gap. Under the ravages of his large palms, Shi Shu’s eyes reflected Xie Wuchi’s panting breath, his straight nose, and his parted lips. The rough pads of his fingers ground into his waist muscles inch by inch, rubbing his skin red and hot.

The atmosphere was fiery. Shi Shu placed his hands on his shoulders and pushed him away. “Brother, it’s about time to sleep.”

Xie Wuchi fell silent, only his breathing rising and falling, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Shi Shu: “Let’s wander around the city tomorrow. It would be great if we could stand on the city walls and look. I’ve never seen the scenery beyond the pass.”

Xie Wuchi’s passion cooled. “Okay.”

Shi Shu: “Sleep, sleep!”

After careful consideration, Shi Shu chose to sleep in Xie Wuchi’s bed, on the inner side. Xie Wuchi went to his room, brought back the other quilt and pillow, placed them on the outer side, and then lay down on the bed as well.

Shi Shu touched his lips, which were sore and hot from being kissed, and let out a soft “tsk.” He always kisses so hard.

Author’s Note:

After looking left and right, Du Zihan discovers: Wait, you two are a couple?