Chapter 9: Rouge

Bao Ning took a lot of effort to drag Pei Yuan back onto the kang bed. He was tall and broad-shouldered, sleeping like a heavy ox, so heavy she feared hurting the wound on his leg. She struggled for half an hour.

By the time Pei Yuan was finally lying properly again, Bao Ning was drenched in sweat, sitting aside and gasping for breath.

After resting for a moment, she got up to light a lamp.

The wine jar had been smashed, shards of porcelain scattered all over the floor. The strong smell of alcohol pierced her nose, making her feel nauseous.

Did this man have no care for his own body at all? She had been taking good care of him every day, hoping his wounds would heal quickly so he could get healthy again. But after this bout of heavy drinking, all her efforts seemed wasted.

Bao Ning was a little angry.

With the candle lit, casting a dim yellow light, Bao Ning shielded the flame with her hand and looked over at Pei Yuan’s condition.

He had almost fallen off the bed earlier. She wondered if he had hurt his leg.

The firelight shone on Pei Yuan’s face, and Bao Ning felt a pang in her heart. His complexion was pale, with large beads of sweat on his forehead. Probably from drinking too much, his lips were dry, peeling, and bleeding. She had only been gone for one day. How had he managed to wear himself out like this?

Her heart pounded. Afraid something terrible might happen to Pei Yuan, she half-kneeling beside him, whispered, “Fourth Prince, Fourth Prince?”

Pei Yuan didn’t respond. Bao Ning grew more anxious. Forgetting everything else, she reached out and tried to pry his eyes open, shouting, “Pei Yuan, wake up! Don’t scare me!”

“Pain…” Pei Yuan’s eyeballs moved slightly, and he finally opened his eyes, murmuring softly.

Bao Ning almost cried aloud, quickly pulling back her hand. “Okay, I won’t touch you anymore. Where does it hurt? Tell me, okay?”

Pei Yuan’s consciousness gradually returned, but all he could hear was a buzzing sound in his ears, indistinguishable noise. Thinking it was a hallucination, he frowned in discomfort, turned onto his side, curled up, and fell silent.

Seeing him look so pitiful, any anger she had faded away. Bao Ning placed the candle on the table, sat beside him, wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief, and quietly asked, “Is your leg hurting?”

Pei Yuan pressed his lips tightly, still refusing to speak.

Bao Ning frowned at his posture, reaching to touch his abdomen, “Is your stomach upset?”

Because he was lying on his side, to do this she had to reach around his waist, and in leaning over, she pressed against her skirt. She stumbled slightly, and her fingertips brushed Pei Yuan’s waistline.

She didn’t touch his skin, only the edge of his clothes, but Pei Yuan suddenly reacted sharply. He shot open his eyes, grabbed Bao Ning’s wrist, and pushed down hard.

Bao Ning was pulled and fell, her cheek hitting his hip bone, pain bringing tears to her eyes.

Pei Yuan sat up and twisted his hand behind her neck, sternly asking, “Who?”

His movements were smooth and fluid; Pei Yuan thought he was under attack, using full strength. Bao Ning’s wrist hurt, her face hurt, and her neck hurt. She was weak and couldn’t break free, pinned to the quilt like a cat by Pei Yuan, coughing uncontrollably and unable to speak a full sentence.

In the lamplight, Bao Ning saw the fierce and sinister look in Pei Yuan’s eyes, like a wolf.

Pei Yuan finally clearly saw Bao Ning’s face — her eyes red and puffy, tear-streaked, a slender neck held firmly in his hand, the palm touching delicate skin. His previously foggy mind cleared in an instant. He quickly loosened his grip and pulled her up, tentatively asking, “Bao Ning?”

Bao Ning finally caught her breath, roughly wiping tears from her face, mumbling, “I really do have a rotten heart,” and tried to leave.

“Wait.” Pei Yuan instinctively grabbed her sleeve but accidentally tugged his own stomach. Sweat broke out on his back, and his strength failed; he collapsed.

Bao Ning stopped. She had been determined not to care about him anymore, but hearing Pei Yuan’s breathing made her soften. She went back to support him.

Pei Yuan was awake but still drunk. His earlier behavior was purely instinctive. Leaning against the wall with Bao Ning’s help, his body was still as soft as mud.

After slipping down a few times, Bao Ning got angry and scolded softly, “Sit up, or I’m not helping you anymore!”

Pei Yuan opened his eyes and looked at her as if he understood, propped himself up with his arms, and finally sat steadily.

Bao Ning said, “It would have been better if you did that earlier. Now you have to be scolded.”

Pei Yuan lowered his head, coughed twice, frowned, and burped.

Bao Ning sighed, fanning the alcohol smell away from her nose, and asked, “How much did you drink?”

Pei Yuan held up two fingers.

Bao Ning asked, “Two jin?”

Pei Yuan shook his head, “Two jars.”

“…” Bao Ning’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“Don’t scold me,” Pei Yuan said with his eyes closed, “I feel terrible.”

When drunk, Pei Yuan was much cuter than when sober. At least now he talked, not like before, always cold and distant.

Bao Ning told herself not to argue with a drunk, calming her chest, and patiently asked, “Where does it hurt? Tell me, okay?”

Her tone was gentle, and Pei Yuan responded quietly, “My stomach hurts. I haven’t eaten all day.”

“Didn’t I save some for you?” Bao Ning said, going to find the basin delivered that morning. She lifted the lid, and sure enough, it was untouched.

No matter how good-tempered, she couldn’t tolerate this. Bao Ning’s heart hurt with anger, and she scolded Pei Yuan, “If you were Ji Yun, I’d hit you.”

Pei Yuan kept silent.

Bao Ning sighed and coaxed him, “Alright, be good, lie down first. I’ll make you some porridge, okay?”

Pei Yuan nodded.

Like a wooden doll. Bao Ning wrinkled her nose and resigned herself to helping him. Pei Yuan obediently lay down. Bao Ning tucked the blanket over him and turned to leave.

Before she took a step, Pei Yuan suddenly reached out to grab her sleeve, “Where are you going?”

“I—I’m going to cook!” Bao Ning stomped her foot, not wanting to argue with him anymore, and started twisting his fingers, “Let go.”

Pei Yuan said, “I won’t.”

Bao Ning tapped the back of his hand, annoyed, “Why are you so shameless like this?”

Pei Yuan still said, “I won’t.”

He lay there, stiff-necked, with a look that said, “What are you going to do about it?” His eyes half-opened, revealing a pair of shiny black pupils staring at her.

Pei Yuan has inner double eyelids, narrow eyes with the outer corners slightly turned up. He doesn’t like to look people straight in the eye. Normally, he always looks cold and distant, like a stranger to be avoided. But now, he just looked like a rotten rascal—childish, boring, and annoyingly clingy.

Bao Ning took off her coat and shoved it into his hand: “You wanted sleeves, here you go.” She was only wearing her underwear, shivering from the cold, arms crossed as she headed out.

Pei Yuan looked at the coat in his hand, seemingly not realizing it. Just as Bao Ning was about to leave the door, he remembered something and called out, “Bao Ning.”

Bao Ning turned and snapped at him, “If you keep bothering me, I really will hit you!”

Pei Yuan said, “I want to discuss something with you.”

Bao Ning glanced at him, seeing his serious expression, and asked, “What is it?”

Pei Yuan said, “Just want to talk, don’t go yet.”

Bao Ning froze. Suddenly, she thought maybe Pei Yuan had made himself like this today because he thought she was going to leave and abandon him, so he gave up on himself?

Pei Yuan thought she was hesitating, pressed his thumb on his temple, and held up three fingers to swear, “I promise you, if I’m mean to you again, then I’ll…”

Bao Ning smiled and asked, “You’ll what?”

Pei Yuan said, “I’ll not drink for three days.”

Bao Ning’s smile faded, and she stopped looking at him, lowering her eyes and fiddling with her fingers.

Pei Yuan quietly asked, “Are you mad?”

Bao Ning retorted, “Shouldn’t I be?”

“Don’t be mad,” Pei Yuan said, “I’ll buy you a drink.”

Bao Ning said, “Who wants to drink your stinky wine?”

Pei Yuan sniffed himself and said, “Not stinky. It’s jasmine-flavored.”

Bao Ning laughed at that, then straightened up and took a couple of steps forward, pulling her coat back on, “I’m going to cook porridge for you.”

Pei Yuan asked, “So are you still going to leave or not?”

“Why are you so talkative?” Bao Ning said helplessly. “I never planned to leave. I went out in the daytime to buy some things.”

Pei Yuan said, “Oh,” and stopped talking. He pulled the blanket over his head, leaving only his eyes exposed. Sleepiness came over him, his eyelids blinking slowly, and soon he fell asleep again.

Bao Ning smiled, tightened her collar, and pushed the door open.

Author’s note: Pei Ge’s true nature is revealed.

Sansukini: He’s a very lonely boy, and he’s scared of her leaving.