Though her voice was quiet, Bai Jinshu heard her clearly. Having traveled the martial world for several years, Bai Jinshu had encountered many charming women, some of whom were bold and passionate, and though he wasn’t the type to indulge in casual affairs, he had experienced fleeting romances. He welcomed the joys of love stories. Yet, upon realizing Lin Ling’s feelings, his instinct was to avoid them at all costs.
Setting aside the fact that Lin Ling was his shimei, Bai Jinshu felt no romantic affection for her. He didn’t want her to harbor false hopes that would only lead to heartbreak. Determined not to let things get messy, Bai Jinshu gently pushed Lin Ling away.
“Lin’er, you’ll get married someday. I can’t be by your side forever, nor will you need me to be.”
“I do need you!” Lin Ling insisted urgently, her eyes filling with tears again. “As long as—” She blushed and continued in a low voice, “As long as I marry you, you’ll stay with me forever.”
“You have two brothers, don’t you?”
“Yes?” Lin Ling was confused by the sudden change in topic and looked up at Bai Jinshu questioningly.
“Would you want to marry either of your brothers?” Bai Jinshu continued.
“Of course not!” Lin Ling quickly protested, realizing what Bai Jinshu was implying. “But you’re not my brother!”
Bai Jinshu sighed. “But Lin’er, I see you as my little sister.”
“But I’m not your sister!”
Facing her persistence, Bai Jinshu steeled himself and spoke coldly, “I understand that you don’t want to be my sister, but can you understand that I don’t want to be your husband?”
Lin Ling was taken aback, unable to respond.
Bai Jinshu sighed again. “Lin’er, you’ve grown up on the mountain, close to me, so you’ve mistaken this closeness for something else. When you meet more young men, you’ll understand how wonderful it is to find mutual love.”
Lin Ling’s eyes filled with tears again, but Bai Jinshu pretended not to notice. If he softened now, it would only confuse her further, so he turned and walked toward the door.
“Lin’er, think carefully about what I’ve said. You’ll understand.” With that, he left the room and closed the door behind him.
After stepping out, Bai Jinshu didn’t immediately leave. Instead, he quietly positioned himself at the corner of the corridor, keeping a close eye on the room.
Based on what he knew of his shimei, Bai Jinshu was certain that after this rejection, Lin Ling wouldn’t just act as if nothing had happened. She would likely leave without saying a word. Bai Jinshu had already thought carefully about this possibility. No matter who the enemy behind these assassination attempts was, Lin Ling was definitely not their target. In fact, leaving Bai Jinshu’s side would make her safer. Of course, to ensure she didn’t become a hostage, Bai Jinshu needed to make sure no one was following her when she left. So, he silently waited in the corridor for her to appear.
As expected, it wasn’t long before Lin Ling emerged from the room with her belongings. Bai Jinshu trailed her from a distance, making sure she wasn’t being followed. After confirming she was safe, he quickly returned to the house.
Given that the previous attacks had shown that Ye Lihen might now be a higher priority target for the hidden enemy, Bai Jinshu hurried back to Ye Lihen’s room.
To his shock, Ye Lihen wasn’t there.
Bai Jinshu’s heart skipped a beat, unable to imagine what could have happened in the short time he was gone. Unsure of what to do, he frantically searched the entire house like a headless chicken.
Fortunately, he soon spotted Ye Lihen walking in from outside, completely soaked.
“What happened?” Bai Jinshu rushed over to him.
Ye Lihen responded calmly, merely shaking his head. “It’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Then why are you soaking wet?” Bai Jinshu asked, his irritation showing. He had been worried sick, only to be met with a dismissive answer.
Seeing Bai Jinshu’s annoyed expression, Ye Lihen glanced at him before explaining in a soft voice, “I just went into the lake.”
“Why did you go into the lake?” Bai Jinshu’s tone was more scolding than questioning. Ye Lihen’s external injuries hadn’t fully healed, so he wasn’t supposed to be getting them wet. Moreover, with the onset of autumn, the weather was cooling quickly, and getting chilled in the water would only worsen his internal injuries. Realizing how cold Ye Lihen must be, standing there dripping wet, Bai Jinshu couldn’t bring himself to scold him further. “Come inside and change your clothes. Let me check your wounds.” he said, concern replacing his frustration.
Once inside, Bai Jinshu busied himself finding dry clothes for Ye Lihen. Meanwhile, Ye Lihen, for once, obediently stripped off his wet garments without needing to be told. Being men, Bai Jinshu didn’t think much of it. After all, he had often undressed Ye Lihen to tend to his wounds or change his bandages. But this time, as he glanced at Ye Lihen’s translucent undergarments clinging to his body, Bai Jinshu quickly turned away, suddenly feeling it inappropriate to look.
“Dry yourself off first before changing into the clothes.” Bai Jinshu said in a slightly stiff voice. As he listened to the rustling of Ye Lihen changing behind him, he unconsciously licked his lips.
After a moment, Ye Lihen spoke. “I’m done.”
Bai Jinshu turned around, avoiding Ye Lihen’s gaze at first, until he noticed something on the table: the jade flute.
It was the very flute that had fallen into the lake—the one Ye Lihen had given him.
For a long moment, Bai Jinshu stood frozen, staring at the flute. Then, in a daze, he blurted out, “Did you go into the lake to retrieve this?”
Ye Lihen nodded calmly. “I’m returning it to you.”
“…Why…?”
“To you, this flute may not seem valuable, but to me, it’s very important.” Ye Lihen replied quietly.
He didn’t need to say more. There was no need for any further explanation. Bai Jinshu understood everything the moment he saw the jade flute on the table. It was a fact that went beyond what he had imagined, yet when he realized it, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
—No. It wasn’t natural, nor was it right!
Bai Jinshu snapped out of his daze.
It wasn’t that Bai Jinshu had any prejudice against such feelings between men. But there were some things that should be kept separate.
Yes, Bai Jinshu realized that he did care about Ye Lihen a lot. It felt as if some bond from a past life had drawn him inexplicably close to Ye Lihen. But he also loved his little nephew, and that affection was far from romantic or anything between a man and a woman. It certainly couldn’t apply to two men. Right now, Ye Lihen was still young, which stirred Bai Jinshu’s protective instincts. But as Ye Lihen grew older and more mature, perhaps they could become close friends, but Bai Jinshu couldn’t imagine feeling romantic love for a man. And more importantly, Ye Lihen was still inexperienced, unfamiliar with the joys of love between men and women. When he grew up, his thoughts would naturally change.
Therefore, today, between him and Ye Lihen, there should be nothing more.
Bai Jinshu made up his mind and wanted to clearly express his thoughts. However, when he had rejected Lin Ling earlier, he had done so without hesitation, choosing the most decisive and effective words. But now, standing before Ye Lihen, he couldn’t find the right words.
In contrast, Ye Lihen remained calm and composed, even after clearly seeing Bai Jinshu’s reaction. He spoke in a steady tone, “You don’t have to feel troubled. Just like when you saved me before—whether you saved me or not was your decision. It was your matter, and it didn’t concern me. This time, it’s the same. Whether or not you respond to me is your choice, and whether or not I hold onto my feelings is mine. You don’t need to say anything more.”
Before Bai Jinshu could find the words he wanted to say, Ye Lihen had already blocked them with his own. Bai Jinshu was left speechless.
Ye Lihen picked up the flute from the table. “So, will you still accept this gift from me?”
Bai Jinshu couldn’t refuse. He reached out and took the flute, speaking in a low voice, “I’ll cherish it as a gift from a friend.” He said it cautiously, trying to clarify his stance, worried that saying too much would hurt Ye Lihen’s feelings.
Ye Lihen nonchalantly changed the subject. “My bandages are soaked, and the medicine you applied earlier needs to be redone.”
Bai Jinshu snapped back to reality. “Your wounds need to stay dry. Let’s get those bandages off quickly.” As he spoke, he moved closer, automatically reaching out to help Ye Lihen remove his clothes. However, just as his fingers touched Ye Lihen’s collar, his hand suddenly froze. Previously, because Ye Lihen’s injuries were near his shoulder, it had always been easier for Bai Jinshu to take care of undressing him. But after Ye Lihen’s confession today, Bai Jinshu couldn’t help but feel that this was no longer appropriate.
…And what startled him even more was the fleeting moment of inappropriate thoughts he had when he looked at Ye Lihen’s slightly open collar.
Ye Lihen, unaware of Bai Jinshu’s inner turmoil, assumed that he was simply hesitant. “If you don’t want to help, I can do it myself. You can leave.”
Cursing himself inwardly for his ridiculous thoughts, Bai Jinshu steadied his mind. “I just remembered I need to get more bandages from my room. You go ahead and remove the wet ones while I get them.” With that, he quickly left Ye Lihen’s room.
Once outside, Bai Jinshu let out a long sigh.
In just one day, Bai Jinshu, who had always seen himself as a charming and confident man, had been faced with unexpected confessions from two of the most unlikely people. Rejecting Lin Ling’s advances had been simple, but dealing with Ye Lihen’s feelings left Bai Jinshu feeling overwhelmed. Even now, he wasn’t sure whether he had firmly rejected Ye Lihen or if he had inadvertently left him with hope.
Reflecting on it, Bai Jinshu realized that Lin Ling’s departure after his rejection had come as a relief. He was more than willing to let time and distance resolve the issue between them. However, with Ye Lihen, it was the complete opposite. He knew that Ye Lihen, being who he was, would never leave because of something like this. And yet, it was precisely this knowledge that put Bai Jinshu at ease. It made him realize that parting from Ye Lihen would be even more difficult than parting from his family, his sect, or even the friends he had made in the martial world.
“What is it about you…?”
Unfinished thoughts, lingering at the door.
Bai Jinshu didn’t know what lay between him and Ye Lihen, nor did he know what kind of bond they shared. But what kind of sword would sever it?
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