Chapter 28: Confession Time, Hidden Sorrows

Chapter 28: The Confession, Hidden Sorrow

Xie Jingxing could have easily caught him, but at this moment, his chest was still heaving as he gasped for air, and his entire body seemed drained of strength.

Ning Xishi took a moment to recover before speaking up: "General, let's go. They'll realize something's wrong soon."

Xie Jingxing nodded, sat up on the bed, and the second his feet hit the ground, his expression darkened.

Ning Xishi pulled his robes together and, seeing the other man's silence, squatted down in front of him: "I'll carry you."

The young man's build was still lean, his back not particularly broad, but it was warm—so warm that Xie Jingxing couldn't help but recall how close they had been moments ago, their hot breaths mixing together.

A young man's feelings and desires were simple and pure, seemingly just instinctive physical reactions.

If Ning Xishi ever mentioned it later, Xie Jingxing could of course pass it off as a physical reaction, but only he himself knew just how stirred up he really was.

Especially—especially when the young man lifted his leg.

Xie Jingxing suddenly felt completely disgusted with himself.

He could tell the young man didn't feel that way about him—indeed, the young man didn't even really know him.

Every time he called him, it was always "General."

Xie Jingxing didn't know how long he'd been lost in his own tangled thoughts. When he came back to his senses, Ning Xishi had already carried him to the back of some cramped little house.

He looked back and saw the theater still towering above them—they hadn't gotten far from it yet.

He was about to ask when Ning Xishi, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, said: "I thought it was weird when I flew down from the theater's fourth floor. This is clearly the theater's turf, yet it's unusually quiet—doesn't really fit Ming Hanche's style."

Xie Jingxing was just as sharp as Ning Xishi. He'd been spacing out earlier, but now hearing Ning Xishi's words, he said: "Ming Hanche comes to the theater every ten days on the third day. And today just happens to be the third of September—perhaps this is precisely why Ming Hanche is at the theater."

They whispered so quietly it was barely audible, and after speaking, they both went quiet, understanding each other without words.

Ning Xishi had strong internal energy and incredible lightness skill—when he wanted to eavesdrop, almost no one could catch him.

Even with Xie Jingxing on his back, who was disabled, the man's martial skills were in no way worse than his own, so there was even less chance of them being found.

Ning Xishi carried Xie Jingxing quietly to the base of a low wall, huddled in the shadows just outside the warm yellow lamplight spilling from a window, holding his breath and listening closely.

"Liuer, you don't need to come every month. Mother is fine here—I lack nothing." The voice was gentle and soft.

She sounded young, around thirty or so.

"Mother, Liuer will study hard and pass the imperial exam, earn enough to buy you out, and walk you out of this place with your head held high." That was weird—it was clearly a girl crying, but she was talking about passing the imperial exams.

Wait, didn't the law say only men could take the exams?

Ning Xishi thought that if the court ever let women take the exams, it would be a great thing—the future would definitely be brighter.

Anyway, could this girl actually be—

Just as Ning Xishi turned to signal Xie Jingxing, about to poke a hole in the window paper to peek inside, they heard heavy footsteps thundering from the theater's direction. They both thought: "Too late."

They both made the same call at the same time—run!

Ning Xishi basically sprinted out of the theater area. The Beggar Gang members who'd been hiding in ambush out front saw this and rushed over to help block the pursuers. Ning Xishi's lightness skill really was top-notch—he quickly carried Xie Jingxing away from the soldiers chasing them, weaving through the back alleys until they reached the Beggar Gang's hideout.

Tong Kehua was waiting there, worried out of her mind.

When she saw Ning Xishi come back, she couldn't help scolding him: "You could've just gotten out fine, but the second you heard some soldier was surrounded, you charged in without caring about your own life!"

Only then did she notice there was someone on Ning Xishi's back.

Tong Kehua quickly realized: "So this is the person you nearly threw your life away to save?"

She gave Xie Jingxing a single glance and could tell he wasn't injured—rather, his legs were crippled.

Tong Kehua was nearly exasperated: "Young Chief, how is it you have such a fate with people who have leg disabilities? Your betrothed husband has crippled legs, and now even the person you rescued—"

She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something.

She stood before Xie Jingxing, the bottles and jars at her waist clinking softly: "Are you our gang leader's spouse?"

Ning Xishi had already set Xie Jingxing down in a chair and was drinking water nearby. At her words, he nearly sprayed it all out.

If only she knew—General Xie absolutely did not want to be the gang leader's spouse. He'd just been trying to kill their leader moments ago!

But before Ning Xishi could react, he saw Xie Jingxing actually nod.

"Pfft—" This time the water really did spray out, and Ning Xishi choked badly.

Xie Jingxing said: "I am Xie Jingxing."

"Oh, no need for introductions. I know—the young general, heaven-sent star of war, who nearly became emperor." Tong Kehua was actually quite shrewd; she was testing how much recognition Xie Jingxing had for the Beggar Gang.

Or rather, now that Xie Jingxing knew their young chief's identity, would he go back and execute the chief as a tribute to the court?

Ning Xishi was surprised: "General Xie nearly became emperor?"

"Yes, well, I travel far and wide and hear things. If you really want to know, have the gang leader's spouse tell you himself." Tong Kehua ended her probing there. By a woman's intuition, Xie Jingxing wouldn't turn around and betray their gang leader.

She walked toward the door: "I'll go receive the brothers. Rest here—it's safe."

Space and time were once again left to the two of them. Ning Xishi glanced back and felt as if his gaze had been burned. He couldn't help but look down at his own robes—good, neatly arranged, no dishevelment.

But now, having survived the ordeal, it reminded him of how close they had been, of the moment they had felt each other's presence.

Ning Xishi felt a bit embarrassed and also headed for the door: "I'll fetch some water to wash your face, General."

Back in familiar territory, the youth seemed less proper, his spine swaying slightly as he walked—the very picture of a carefree rogue.

Xie Jingxing could hear the bucket dropping into the well outside, followed by the sound of rope being pulled, and even a rooster crowing at some odd hour—all in all, the atmosphere of rustic daily life.

He found himself experiencing a moment of peace.

When Ning Xishi approached, bathed in candlelight, Xie Jingxing felt as though the two of them were living a simple farm life together.

Because Ning Xishi had rolled up the sleeve of the arm carrying the bucket to his elbow, revealing a stretch of handsome forearm, while the other sleeve hung loose and carefree. He looked utterly lazy, not at all like a man who could properly provide for a household.

But it was precisely this kind of man—one who couldn't properly provide for a household—that countless people outside coveted.

Xie Jingxing found it somewhat amusing, though his brows were perpetually sharp and imposing, making his thoughts impossible to read.

Ning Xishi, however, dared not look at him. To put it plainly, he had never imagined his identity would be exposed before Xie Jingxing.

—Xie Jingxing had specifically led troops to kill him!

Ning Xishi was truly on the verge of tears.

He poured the water into the bronze basin beside him, the strain making the veins in his arm stand out, his brows lowered, timid and evasive, yet giving off an air of cool detachment.

Xie Jingxing thought for a moment, then finally spoke: "You..."

It wasn't that Xie Jingxing was stuttering, but Ning Xishi's reaction was too intense—he was like a scared rabbit, splashing a good amount of water out of the bucket.

Ning Xishi turned around but still dared not meet Xie Jingxing's eyes, his gaze dropping, which only embarrassed him more. He turned his face away again: "General, I..."

The young man's flustered state seemed almost like a plea, yet it made Xie Jingxing's heart grow cold.

—Ning Xishi's words and attitude were far too respectful toward him.

If this were anyone but Ning Xishi, that attitude would be perfectly normal, but they were husband and husband. Ning Xishi's behavior only made Xie Jingxing's heart sink further.

Xie Jingxing decided to address the main issue first, hiding the bitterness in his eyes as he asked, "You've always been the leader of the Beggar Gang?"

There was no use hiding it now, so Ning Xishi nodded: "I've been since I was eleven."

But he also tried to defend himself, "Though I've renamed the gang to Jule Gang. We have many members, so to support everyone, I've opened quite a few shops. We no longer rely on robbery, and we rarely beg or busk—we earn our money through legitimate means."

==========Author's Note:==========

Second update.

Our little cat Ning charms others while remaining blissfully unaware of it.