LTJWHPB Chapter 4

21

However, Little Tangmen, ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation of freely wearing pants and moved into the Young Master’s bedroom.

Little Tangmen touched his pants.

Feeling a flood of emotions.

As if it was another world.

Young Master: You’re this happy just wearing pants?

Little Tangmen: You don’t understand.

Young Master: I really don’t.

Little Tangmen: I will cherish them from now on and never gamble them away again.

Young Master: It’s good that you’ve learned your lesson.

Little Tangmen: Next time I lose everything, I’ll bet my shirt.

Young Master: …You’re not allowed.

Little Tangmen: Then I’ll bet my gloves?

Young Master: Not allowed.

Little Tangmen: My boots?

Young Master: Not allowed.

Little Tangmen sighs: Then I can only bet my shorts.

Young Master gets angry: You dare!

Little Tangmen shrinks back: Why are you getting angry…

Young Master: If you need money, ask me. You’re not allowed to give away any of your clothes to anyone, understand?

Little Tangmen: I can’t ask you for money. I just won’t gamble anymore.

Young Master: Good boy.

 

22

At night, Little Tangmen and the Young Master each had their own bed.

The Young Master suddenly sat up, staring intently at Little Tangmen.

Little Tangmen: Why are you looking at me like that?

Young Master: I’m not looking at you.

Little Tangmen: Then what are you looking at?

Young Master, pale: I’m looking behind you.

Little Tangmen quickly turns around: There’s nothing there.

Young Master, in a lowered voice: This bed used to belong to a little follower of mine.

Little Tangmen: Oh, what happened to him?

Young Master: He’s dead.

Little Tangmen, shocked, wraps himself in the blanket: How did he die?

Young Master: He was killed by his enemy.

Little Tangmen turns pale: How could that happen?

Young Master: After his death, his enemy didn’t leave him in peace. They threw his body into a big pot and boiled it. When I found out… it was too tragic, I can’t bear to speak of it.

Little Tangmen, in a crying tone: Don’t scare me, I’m really afraid of ghosts.

Young Master, eerily: He died so tragically, his resentment lingers. Just now, I thought I saw him sitting behind you, head drooping…

Little Tangmen shivers and flings himself onto the Young Master’s bed.

 

23

The Young Master, satisfied, holds him tightly: Don’t be afraid.

Little Tangmen: Hold me tighter.

Young Master: Okay.

Little Tangmen: Won’t he blame me for sleeping in his bed just now?

Young Master: He might.

Little Tangmen: What should I do!

Young Master: I was his former master. With my protection, he won’t dare to do anything to you.

Little Tangmen: Then hold me tighter.

Young Master: Okay.

Little Tangmen: Don’t let go even if I fall asleep.

Young Master: I won’t let go. Sleep, my dear.

Little Tangmen: …Are you lying to me?

Young Master, serious: Every word is true. If I’m lying, may I be struck by lightning.

Little Tangmen quickly snuggles deeper into the Young Master’s embrace.

 

24

The next morning.

Young Master, looking refreshed: Good morning. How did you sleep?

Little Tangmen: Okay, but I kept feeling something hard poking my butt.

Young Master: Oh.

Little Tangmen searches the bed: It felt about the size of a rolling pin.

Young Master: I think you were dreaming.

Little Tangmen: Maybe I was.

Young Master: Who would put a rolling pin on the bed?

Little Tangmen: You have a point.

Young Master: Next time you encounter it, you can feel it a few more times.

Little Tangmen: …That’s not right! I think something is off!

Young Master: Don’t overthink it.

 

25

Little Tangmen: As soon as it gets light, I’m not afraid of ghosts anymore.

Young Master, disappointed: Oh.

Little Tangmen: Did they catch the killer of your follower?

Young Master: No one dares to catch him.

Little Tangmen: The killer is so bold, is there no law left?

Young Master, amused: You, an assassin, talking about the law.

Little Tangmen: Who is the killer really?

Young Master: It’s my older brother.

Little Tangmen, shocked: Your older brother!

Young Master: Yes, he said I was neglecting my duties by playing with my pet, so he killed the rooster that slept and ate with me every day and made soup out of it.

Little Tangmen, stunned: The little follower you talked about yesterday was a rooster?

Young Master, sighing: It was tragic. I can’t bring myself to eat chicken to this day.

Little Tangmen, almost in tears: You were making fun of me last night!

Young Master: Oh? Which of my words was false, tell me.

Little Tangmen: …

Young Master suddenly changes the subject: We’re having eight-treasure soup dumplings for breakfast.

Little Tangmen’s mind wanders: Eight-treasure soup dumplings are delicious.

Young Master, gently: I specially ordered the kitchen to make them for you.

Little Tangmen, stunned: Don’t think you can appease me with a meal of dumplings, this isn’t over.

Young Master, affectionately: Let’s eat first, and then you can slowly deal with me.

Little Tangmen, softening: Alright then.

Young Master: Good.

 

26

After eating.

Little Tangmen: Now let’s talk about how you made fun of me last night.

Young Master, gently wiping his mouth with a napkin: You have some oil at the corner of your mouth.

Little Tangmen, blushing: Oh.

Young Master: What would you like to do later?

Little Tangmen: Where were we in our conversation?

Young Master: We finally have some free time today, let’s go to the market and have some fun.

Little Tangmen, eyes lighting up: Great, great!

Young Master: Hahaha.

Little Tangmen: What are you laughing at?

Young Master, calmly: Nothing.

 

27

The market was bustling as the New Year approached.

Little Tangmen, joyfully looking around: Look, those sugar figurines are so lifelike.

Young Master: Let’s buy some.

Little Tangmen: They’re even selling antiques, are they real or fake?

Young Master: Let’s buy them.

Little Tangmen: Wow, such a big pig!

Young Master: Let’s buy it.

Little Tangmen, embarrassed: I was just saying.

Young Master, smiling: I’m just buying.

A vendor nearby: This gentleman is so generous.

Young Master: Naturally.

The vendor, sizing them up, gets an idea: Is the gentleman buying New Year goods with his wife?

Little Tangmen: Who is his wife?

Young Master, eyes sparkling, tosses over a gold ingot: You’re quite the talker. I’ll take everything you have.

The vendor, beaming: Alright, I’ll pack everything up for you. The two of you really are a handsome couple, perfectly matched.

Little Tangmen, blushing: What nonsense are you talking!

Young Master, clapping: Keep talking.

Little Tangmen: …

 

28

Little Tangmen, sorting through the large and small packages carried by the servant: Even if you’re rich, there’s no need to buy these useless things.

Young Master: How are they useless?

Little Tangmen: Look at this bellyband, there are no women in the villa, who are you buying it for? Such a waste.

Young Master: Pfft.

Little Tangmen: And this sculpture, carved into… that shape, so crude and vulgar, it’s embarrassing to display, why buy it?

Young Master, holding his forehead laughing.

Little Tangmen: Look at these slippery ointments, they can’t be used on the face, have no fragrance, I don’t even know what they’re for, and you bought a whole basket!

Young Master, whispering in his ear: These are all good things, you don’t understand.

Little Tangmen, curious: What are they for?

Young Master: Do you want to know?

Little Tangmen: Yes, I’ve never seen them before.

Young Master, suggestively: Want me to teach you?

Little Tangmen, naively: Teach me then.

Young Master: Alright, you said it, don’t back out later.

Little Tangmen, scoffing: What’s there to back out about, backing out is for dogs.

Young Master, laughing heartily, unable to stop.

Little Tangmen, puzzled: …You really are strange.

Young Master, nodding wildly: Right, right, right, I’m strange.

 

29

Night fell again.

Little Tangmen, indignantly getting into his own bed: I’m telling you, I won’t go over to you tonight no matter what.

Young Master: Oh.

Little Tangmen, closing his eyes to sleep.

Young Master, eerily: Actually, before this villa was built, this place was a chaotic burial ground.

Little Tangmen: Keep making stuff up.

Young Master: Oh… Recently, a servant saw a ghost outside this bedroom, a green-faced, fanged female ghost, chasing after the servant and continuously shouting… return… my… life…

Little Tangmen, silently pulling the blanket over his head, completely hiding under it.

Young Master, tiptoeing to Little Tangmen’s bed, screams loudly: Return! My! Life!

Little Tangmen, quickly uncovering the blanket and leaping onto Young Master’s bed: Ahhh!

 

30

Half a month later.

At night.

Little Tangmen: I won’t go over to you tonight no matter what you say.

Young Master: Oh. Then tonight I’ll tell you a story about a headless corpse found at the bottom of a well.

Little Tangmen: Don’t tell it! You’re so annoying!

Young Master, patting the bed: Come here and I won’t tell it.

Little Tangmen: …