Jun You Ji Fou

Chapter 55

The next morning, a young maidservant from the music pavilion boarded the painted boat, led by a maid to meet Su Shiyu, conveying a token of affection from Miss Lan Yi—a beautifully embroidered sachet.

Su Shiyu nodded in acceptance, feeling the outline of a paper hidden within the sachet without changing his expression. He looked up to meet the maid's gaze, who, unfamiliar in appearance, respectfully lowered her eyes and subtly nodded. Understanding the silent exchange, Su Shiyu politely thanked the young maidservant, needing no further explanation.

Turning around, he saw Chu Mingyun leaning against the boat's railing, watching him with an indifferent expression. Upon catching Su Shiyu's gaze, Chu Mingyun turned his head away, urging the boat to set sail.

As the boat sliced through the green waves with its cassia oars and orchid rudder, they traveled a hundred miles downstream in a single day. A breeze wafted through the partially opened window, bringing the sound of water against the boat. The cabin was quiet, occasionally disturbed by the sound of chess pieces on the board, and the aroma from the mythical beast incense burner gently blended into the air.

Chu Mingyun closed his book and placed it on the low table, turning to look at Su Shiyu, who was engrossed in a game of chess with himself. With a thoughtful expression, Su Shiyu hadn't made a move for a while. Glancing at the chessboard, Chu Mingyun saw that the situation wasn't particularly challenging and shifted his gaze back to Su Shiyu's face, suddenly contemplating what the other might be pondering over.

After all, from ancient times, wearing matching pendants solidified relationships, and sachets conveyed one's feelings.

With a heart fiery and difficult to calm, almost as if it could ignite everything around, even causing a deep, burning pain, Chu Mingyun furrowed his brows. After a moment, he leaned over and rested his head on Su Shiyu's lap.

Startled, Su Shiyu snapped back to reality as the chess piece fell from his hand, clattering on the deck and rolling away. Looking down to meet Chu Mingyun's gaze, serene and quiet, Su Shiyu couldn't help but smile resignedly, "Are you tired, Mister Chi?"

Chu Mingyun lowered his eyes and murmured vaguely, attempting to wrap his arms around Su Shiyu's waist. Su Shiyu straightened up slightly to avoid his touch and pressed down on his hand, "If you're tired, you should go back to your room to rest. Lying here won't be comfortable. Besides," he paused, hesitated for a moment, and still pushed Chu Mingyun's head away gently, "My knees are not meant to serve as pillows for others."

"If you said you disliked contact with others in the past, I might have believed you." Chu Mingyun propped himself up with one hand, sitting up straight to face him, with a barely there smile, "Carrying the lady back is fine, but lending me your lap is not? Mister Su, such differential treatment is quite evident."

"Lan Yi cannot walk, and since she specifically invited me, it was only right for me to escort her back."

"Oh?" Chu Mingyun tilted his head to look at him, squinting slightly with a smile, "Brother Su?"

Su Shiyu couldn't help but tremble slightly, scrutinizing his expression, "...What's gotten into you?"

"I am jealous," Chu Mingyun said softly, with a seriousness devoid of any jest or sarcasm.

This straightforward confession, like the chess piece from before, suddenly dropped into his heart unexpectedly, causing echoes and tremors within. Su Shiyu looked into his eyes, seeing the reflection of mountains and rivers outside the boat window, and most of all, his own astonished appearance.

After a long moment of contemplation, Su Shiyu fell silent, then suddenly chuckled, "Lan Yi is merely a friend with shared interests."

"Just a friend?" Chu Mingyun laughed without any particular intonation.