Bonus chapter for my birthday. Enjoy!
“Do you still… hate me?” Pei Yan looked at him and asked softly, his familiar eyes shimmering with hopeful light.
Qi Feng seemed as if those bright eyes were burning into him, causing him to avert his gaze. Does he hate Pei Yan?
Qi Feng questioned himself. He had thought that his childhood brother would be his lifelong confidant, and General Pei would be his only hope to rescue him from the music hall. But what about the current Pei Yan? He was independent enough, not needing Pei Yan’s rescue. Yet, he had revealed the address of his home, allowing Pei Yan to enter.
Qi Feng remained silent.
Pei Yan ceased his inquiries and continued, “I’ve had a strange illness since I was young. My heart would ache without any apparent reason. It could happen during class, while playing sports, or even while sleeping, with no discernible pattern.”
“My father took me for numerous examinations, but they couldn’t find any cause for the pain. And it never stops, even with painkillers.”
Qi Feng was puzzled, “Why is that?”
“I don’t know. Some doctors suggested it might be due to psychological reasons.”
Pei Yan scoffed, “What kind of mental ailment could make my heart ache for over twenty years?”
“After meeting you, this illness has flared up a few times. Strangely, as long as I see you…”
He pressed his chest and said, “It stops hurting.”
Qi Feng widened his eyes slightly.
Pei Yan self-mockingly asked, “Do you think I’m just talking nonsense?”
Qi Feng clenched his fingertips tightly, sensing vaguely that this matter was related to the two of them.
As the sky grew darker, Pei Yan showed no intention of leaving. When Fang Cheng came over, he instead asked, “It’s so late, isn’t your assistant going home? Is he staying at your place?”
Fang Cheng’s face turned red with embarrassment. “I, I…”
Qi Feng understood his reluctance to leave. “My place is small, the bedroom bed is small, not as comfortable as your place.”
Without thinking, Pei Yan blurted out, “Then move in with me tomorrow.”
“That’s not what I…” Qi Feng paused for a moment and helplessly said, “Never mind, stay tonight.”
Qi Feng was not willing, but the thick-skinned Pei Yan always found ways, whether it was suddenly kissing him while helping him change clothes or pretending nothing happened while performing intimate actions.
He stuck to him, never leaving for a moment, taking advantage of any hint of indulgence from Qi Feng to act willfully. Like a dog wagging its tail, ceaselessly coming at him, ready to pounce at any moment.
Qi Feng, being introverted by nature, couldn’t handle this, becoming exhausted from the constant turmoil.
When he was tired, he always dreamed, and this time he dreamt of his past life.
The imperial capital had a new emperor.
The Qi family’s ten years of grievances were finally redressed. The new emperor had been taught by Qi Feng’s grandfather, and he restored the noble title of his departed grandfather, reinstated his father’s position as prime minister, posthumously honored his mother, and held a grand and prestigious state funeral for the Qi family.
Afterward, the new emperor personally abolished the slave status of the guilty ministers’ children and destroyed all the contracts of the musicians and actors from the music hall that Qi Feng belonged to.
From then on, the musician Qi Feng disappeared from the world, and the musical scores he had written became works of unknown authorship. The people of the imperial capital only knew Qi Feng as a noble son of the Qi family who carried on his father’s legacy.
All of this was achieved through the secret machinations of the Pei family over the course of ten years and the sacrifice of one person’s life.
The Pei family suffered a great loss.
General Pei’s hair turned white overnight.
He had never seen such a worn and aged appearance on his imposing uncle before.
General Pei, dressed in mourning attire, appeared lifeless like a withered tree, devoid of any vitality. He seemed to have aged several decades, his voice carrying a sense of weariness and hoarseness as he spoke, “Yan’er is dead, someone stabbed him through the heart from behind… He died without closure.”
“…He never married the daughter of the Li family, and now he hasn’t even left me with an heir. This bastard, this unfilial son…”
Pei Wenwen, who had reached the age of marriage, knelt behind Uncle Pei, crying until her face turned pale and her eyes swollen.
He gazed at the coffin, tightly gripping a green jade button in his hand, its smooth surface pricking his fingertips with pain.
Warm tears flowed down in his dream, releasing the overwhelming anguish and sorrow that he couldn’t suppress in his chest. Drop by drop, they slid down his cheeks and soaked into the pillow, leaving behind dark stains.
What happened in the dream was unknown to Qi Feng.
That day, while playing the guqin in the music hall, he woke up here after hearing the news of Pei Yan’s death. But he didn’t know what would happen in the capital afterwards.
Were those things in the dream his memories?
Did Pei Yan really die from being stabbed in the heart?
This dream perplexed him: was the current him Qi Feng from this world recalling memories from his past life? Or did his past self awaken the memories of this body?
Who was he, and who was the other?
“Qi Feng, what’s wrong?”
A faint, anxious voice awakened the young boy by his bedside.
Pei Yan had just woken up and opened his eyes to see tear streaks on the boy’s cheeks. He became worried and used his rough fingertips to caress the boy’s wet face, “Why are you crying? Are you uncomfortable? Does it hurt?”
“It’s nothing, just a dream.”
Qi Feng gradually realized where he was and what had happened last night. He raised his hand to wipe his tear-stained eyes and asked, “Pei Yan, where is your peace jade button? Are you wearing it?”
“It’s at home, why do you ask?”
“I heard that keeping the peace jade button you polished yourself brings good fortune. It’s better to have it with you.”
“It’s all superstition.”
Pei Yan pressed his forehead against Qi Feng’s head and whispered, “That jade button was just something I polished for fun. If you like it, I’ll give it to you.”
Polishing it for fun, but not allowing anyone to touch it.
He said he would give it to him if he wanted it.
This point is exactly the same as that reckless Young General Pei.
Qi Feng’s eyes, slightly flushed, filled with helplessness as he asked, “When did your heartache start?”
“It’s been there since I was young, occasionally flaring up.”
“Does it still hurt now?”
“Didn’t I already say? It doesn’t hurt when I’m with you.”
Only after Pei Yan answered did Qi Feng hear the concern in his words.
His mood couldn’t help but soar, and he once again confirmed with Qi Feng, “You’ve known me for a long time? Do you…like me?”
He may not have much experience with relationships, but it doesn’t mean he lacks emotional intelligence. The boy’s attitude towards him wasn’t about flattery or disgust. It seemed unwilling, yet he allowed Pei Yan to stick to him naturally and sleep together.
So, it must be…that Qi Feng likes him, right?
He thought, with a glimmer of light in his dark eyes, looking at the boy beside him, seeking confirmation from his mouth.
If Qi Feng likes him…
Qi Feng didn’t say anything, but turned his back to him, curling his head into his chest, hiding all his emotions.
Pei Yan felt a slight sense of loss. He reached out and tightly embraced the slender boy, biting lightly on the boy’s slightly reddened ear and said, “It’s okay if you don’t say it. After all, you’re mine now.”
He said it forcefully again, asking Qi Feng to move in and live with him.
The reasons were: his house was bigger, had better security and privacy, and the two of them being together wouldn’t be captured by anyone.
Pei Yan also gave another reason, “Being with you will make my condition better.”
Qi Feng was stunned for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
—
Fang Cheng set up an entertainment livestreaming channel for Qi Feng with the company’s support.
The company will be responsible for monitoring and promoting the account. Just like Ning Yufei, he only needs to livestream his daily life to his fans.
However, he must not engage in any actions that could trigger negative public opinion. Otherwise, Qi Feng will be held responsible for any loss of reputation brought upon the artists through the livestreaming.
Qi Feng is not worried about this at all.
He just wants to live stream himself playing the guzheng and plucking the guqin, which has been his habit for the past ten years and also what he excels at the most.
He moved to Pei Yan’s house, and the livestreaming location was chosen to be the balcony of Pei Yan’s bedroom. Qi Feng brought over the flower rack and several pots of orchids from his own balcony.
In front of the flower rack, there was an antique-style low table made of brown wood, on which a guzheng was placed. Qi Feng wore a long cardigan today, thin and elegant, giving him a delicate and soft appearance.
He sat in front of the guzheng, adjusting the strings, and the melodious and ancient sound of the guzheng resonated from the balcony, instantly adding a touch of elegance and charm to the originally empty balcony.
Song Zhe was assigned to be the laborer, carrying Qi Feng’s luggage into the room. When he saw Qi Feng plucking the guzheng with his eyes lowered, he couldn’t help but brighten up and stopped to watch.
The boy lowered his head, and the bright sunlight from the tall balcony glass windows outside cast a hazy light on his slender body. The delicate lines of his side profile were shadowed, and Song Zhe couldn’t help but approach him, wanting to see the boy’s expression more clearly under the shadow.
Pei Yan then entered, and at a glance, he saw Song Zhe staring blankly with a perverted look. He furrowed his brows and kicked Song Zhe to wake him up. “What are you looking at? Get out.”
“…..Fuck!”
Song Zhe suddenly received a kick out of nowhere, causing him to curse, “I’ve grown up all these years, and I haven’t even moved my own luggage. I’ve done so much work for you guys, what’s wrong with watching him play the instrument?”
Qi Feng was disturbed by the argument between the two and stopped plucking the strings, looking at them.
Pei Yan grabbed Song Zhe by his collar and threw him out of the bedroom. “Don’t get in my way. Move out of my house today.”
Song Zhe wailed, “Ge, are you serious? Aren’t you afraid my dad will come and beat me up?”
“I don’t care.”
Pei Yan threw him into the living room. “Also, no one is allowed to enter my bedroom casually!”
Just as Fang Cheng, who was about to bring the livestreaming camera and lights into the bedroom to find Qi Feng, was about to speak… “President Pei, can I go in? I need to do a livestream for Xiao Feng.”
Pei Yan replied, “Go ahead.”
Fang Cheng hurriedly carried the equipment and rushed inside.
Song Zhe: “Seriously, my treatment is worse than that of a small assistant!”
Pei Yan clicked his tongue and warned in a low voice, “Lower your voice. He’s going live, don’t speak. Don’t disturb him.”
Song Zhe widened his eyes and quietly pointed towards the bedroom. “Brother, are you, are you serious? You can’t raise a little star like this.”
Pei Yan’s cold eyes remained silent as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a box of cigarettes.
Song Zhe, receiving the answer from his silence, asked in disbelief, “Leaving aside his identity, what are you planning to do about Uncle Pei’s side?”
Pei Yan flicked the finger that held the lighter. “Let’s talk about it later. Don’t go blabbering outside.”
Song Zhe replied, “What can I blabber about? But, but this arrangement won’t last long. Uncle Pei will find out sooner or later.”
“Stop talking!”
Pei Yan failed to light the lighter several times in a row, becoming frustrated. “It’s inconvenient for both of us here. Pack your things quickly and I’ll book a hotel for you.”
Song Zhe shook his head and became serious. “Pei Yan, you’re always like this. Either coldly rejecting everyone or diving in headfirst. It was the same when you met Su Qiao. You fell for him at first sight and immediately told Uncle Pei you wanted to come out.”
“And what was the result? You got beaten up by Uncle Pei and Su Qiao went abroad for so many years without coming back to see you. Do you really think you and Qi Feng can have a future together?”
“If it’s just playing around, then fine. But if you’re serious, it’s going to be troublesome!”
Finally managing to light the lighter, Pei Yan accidentally burned his finger with the flame. Irritated, he threw away his cigarette and scolded Song Zhe, “Why are you talking so much? I told you to get out quickly! Who is Su Qiao anyway? I’ve long forgotten!”
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you want to show your support, you can buy me a coffee. It would make my day! For every five coffees I get, I will release a bonus chapter.
