Chapter Notes:
Recap: Bai Feng's brother finally met Xiao Tian. Still skeptical of the mysterious man, the doctor didn't know if it was a good idea to leave his brother with the masked man. But once again, a gentle side of the assassin resurfaced.
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A couple of days later, Bai Feng was reading through his reports when suddenly a familiar voice called out.
"Should you be this relaxed with so few people guarding your estate?" the purple-haired assassin sat in front of the informant when he saw that the golden-eyed man was already grabbing his sword.
"Ah, you're not so dumb after all.. What happened to your face? Did you take someone's woman?." the gray-eyed assassin mocked the now faint bruise on the informant's cheek.
"What do you want.." Bai Feng finally gave Zi Shi his attention that night.
"Prideful as usual. I'm just here to let you know that your brother got injured one of the nights he visited here," the purple-haired beauty informed.
"Why were you keeping an eye on my brother?" Bai Feng glared at the assassin.
"HeiLi told me to keep an eye on you, but you weren't home. I just happened to see him walk in the courtyard when he walked into a trap" the grey-eyed beauty reported.
"And what makes you think I would believe that it wasn't you who injured my brother?" Bai Feng still gripping his scabbard tightly.
"He would be dead if it was me who planned the ambush. Anyways, the next time we meet you better run, I won't be as gentle." threatened the purple-haired assassin.
"How polite of you to warn your enemies like that" the cedar-haired beauty gave him his business smile.
The gray-eyed assassin scoffed before leaving the room, failing to realize a golden butterfly was sitting comfortably on his shoulder.
Now that the informant has recovered for the most part, he is determined to find the short-haired assassin once again. After all, he still has bones to pick with the assassin. Unfortunately, Xiao Tian has been actively avoiding him after he recovered, anywhere he looked, he couldn't seem to find the jade-eyed man.
The cedar-haired beauty kept on revisiting places he knew the assassin frequented, hoping to catch a glimpse of the masked man, yet he had no luck whatsoever..
The informant knew that the assassin had no business with him anymore, but can a person just disappear into thin air like that? They live in the same town, so there's no way..
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Ever since Xiao Tian took care of the wild bunny, the little fluff ball had never stepped out of his home. And recently it's been showing signs of distress and the assassin wanted to fix that.
Noticing that it was good weather to take a stroll, Xiao Tian decided to go on a walk with the rabbit. But anxious that something might happen to the precious fluff if he went alone, the assassin called on his partner to help keep watch.
"You owe me for this.." the half-masked assassin grumbled the moment he spotted his partner holding the white bunny in his arms.
Seeing the luscious greens for the very first time after being saved by Xiao Tian, the white ball of fluff excitedly hopped off the assassin's arms and started to explore.
"Lan She.." the short-haired assassin clicked his tongue before crushing the illusory butterfly with his palm.
The moment his spell was undone, the cedar-haired beauty felt a tingle made by one of his butterflies. Not wanting to lose track of the assassin, he quickly followed the trail.
"It must be his doing! That informant.." Zi Shi cursed under his breath.
"Why were you with Xiao Bai?" the jade-eyed assassin glared at his senior.
"I just gave him a little visit" the purple-haired assassin narrowed his eyes.
"I didn't ask you to watch over him these days" Xiao Tian crossed his arms.
"Since when do I need your command or consent to see a random person?" the half-masked assassin cocked his eyebrow.
The short-haired assassin froze, realizing that he indeed had no control over who could be in Bai Feng's proximity or not. But the thought of someone other than him waltzing into the informant's private space irked Xiao Tian somehow.
The jade-eyed assassin quickly made a mental note to check on the cedar-haired beauty, to make sure that his senior didn't steal his prey.
Little did the two assassins know, that while they were busy bickering, the bunny had gone out of their sight.
Arriving by the lake not long after, Bai Feng couldn't spot anyone and sighed. Is it just my hallucination.. the informant thought before he heard some rustling.
Staying alert, the golden-eyed man crouched down to conceal his position. Bai Feng focused his attention on the shaking bushes before an adorable little bunny jumped into the informant's arms, catching him off guard.
"What a good idea to take a rabbit out of all things for a walk. Of course, it'll run away!" the purple-haired assassin hissed while Xiao Tian kept on searching.
"Xiao Bai, it's time to go home." the assassin called out the name several times, and Zi Shi quickly yanked his junior's arm.
"You named him Xiao Bai??" the gray-eyed assassin can't help but scowl.
"It's small and white" Xiao Tian explained before resuming his search.
"Xiao Ba—" nothing prepared for what the two assassins saw that beautiful afternoon.
Bai Feng was holding the white bunny in his arms as he calmly walked towards the pair.
"I heard you the first time" golden meets jade without hesitation.
"Xiao Bai, time to go home" the short-haired assassin directed this line to the bunny, yet the white rabbit simply snuggled in Bai Feng's arms, not wanting to approach the masked man.
"You're right, it is indeed time for me to go home" the informant turned his back in the direction of his mansion.
"Leave the bunny" the jade-eyed assassin commanded.
"Or what?" Bai Feng gave Xiao Tian one last look before walking back to his manor.
"You're not going to follow him just to fetch that wild rabbit.. Are you?" the senior assassin warned.
"I'm just taking back what's mine." the jade-eyed assassin replied before leaving his senior behind.
"Idiot!" the gray-eyed assassin couldn't help but punch the tree beside him as his mood turned sour.
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I wonder.. If that's enough for him to come— the cedar-haired beauty petted the white bunny in his hands, but before Bai Feng could even finish his thoughts, the masked assassin climbed into his quarters.
"You look better today" Xiao Tian sat by the window as he studied the informant's expression.
The assassin actually was not attached to the bunny and couldn't care less if Bai Feng decided to take it. Yet ever since he held the informant in his arms again, he just wanted a reason to see the cedar-haired beauty once more.
"Let's cut to the chase. I'm tired of you appearing and disappearing as you like—" the cedar-haired beauty suddenly coughed repeatedly before even finishing his sentence. That was when Xiao Tian gently pressed his fingers against Bai Feng's wrist.
"Your pulse is a little weak, don't force yourself." Once again, the gentle side of the assassin resurfaced. The fact that the short-haired assassin can be a merciless cold-blooded killer and the next second treats Bai Feng as if he's made from glass, is truly unsettling for the informant.
Is it the assassin's strategy to make him feel anxious and confused?
Or is his temperament just this horrible that he could switch from one side to another?
The informant's golden orbs observed the assassin intently.
"I don't care less about the bunny. If you like it, have it." the assassin taunted but immediately caught Bai Feng's wrist when the informant was about to slit the rabbit's throat.
The little ball of fluff immediately ran away once it slipped off the informant's hand.
"Xiao Bai.." the assassin didn't expect the informant to be so merciless.
Ah, the bruise is fading away.. The assassin silently lifted up his hand and was about to caress the informant's cheek when out of nowhere, Bai Feng grabbed his wrist. That was when a burning sensation quickly traveled up the assassin's arms onto his chest.
"What did you do Xiao Bai.." hissed the assassin as he immediately pulled away his hand from the informant's grip.
"I made a binding contract on you." the golden-eyed man smiled without remorse, causing Xiao Tian to be at a loss for words.
"Attempt to kill me again and you'll die with me. But of course, if you die it won't affect me. So you better keep me safe." The golden-eyed beauty took the pendant from Xiao Tian's hanfu.
"Ah.. so not only did you make my adorable pet run away.. You also robbed my precious pendant and tricked me into a contract with you. I never knew you were this ruthless Xiao Bai." the assassin wondered if it was okay for him to be close to the informant once again.
"The rabbit.. I'll ask my guards to try and catch it. As for the pendant, you told me to keep it safe so I didn't rob it.." the informant felt a little guilty.
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Despite bidding the informant goodbye last time, Zi Shi can't help but be curious about what had happened when the two met. He tried prying information from his junior but Xiao Tian ignored his questions.
"HeiLi told me to pass these to you" the purple-haired assassin threw a pouch of herbs at Bai Feng.
"So.. What happened the last time he was here?" The grey-eyed beauty tapped his fingers on the desk.
"I shall not disclose any information regarding my client" the cedar-haired beauty simply answered before the assassin scowled in annoyance.
"Do you ever learn? Once HeiLi has his eyes on someone, nothing can stop him from killing his target" the purple-haired assassin warned.
"I'm telling you to stay away from HeiLi for your own good! Do you not treasure your own life? Or are you just mentally insane?" the assassin hissed in anger as he couldn't wrap his head around Bai Feng's actions.
"Are you secretly interested in HeiLi? Is that why you're not willing to let him go? Are you stupid? We both live in different worlds! You two can never be together!" the snake-like assassin can't hold his irritation any longer.
"You don't even know what HeiLi is truly like! He never told you anything about his background, yet he knows a lot about you. He doesn't trust you, let alone have feelings for you!" the assassin quickly got heated.
"And you think you know HeiLi well?" the cedar-haired man asked in the calmest voice.
"I've been with HeiLi for more than a decade.. Of course, I know him well.. At least better than you ever will!" the purple-haired assassin growled.
"Staying together with a person for a few years doesn't mean anything." The golden-eyed man's statement quickly riled up the half-masked assassin.
"I know HeiLi! I even saved him—" but the gray-eyed assassin quickly stopped himself and leaped off.
I can't believe I almost talked about that! Zi Shi mentally cursed as he escaped Bai Feng's manor.
Xiao Tian was leaping from rooftop to rooftop when he saw a familiar figure leap out of Bai Feng's manor. Lan She? Why is he here again.. The onyx-haired assassin clicked his tongue as he sped up towards the courtyard.
Xiao Bai hasn't even recovered yet.. The masked assassin narrowed his eyes dangerously as images of Zi Shi assassinating Bai Feng flooded his mind.
If he hurt Xiao Bai I'll.. but his thoughts were cut short as Xiao Tian saw the cedar-haired beauty writing on his scrolls peacefully.
With that, all his killing intent went away as his chest became light, relieved that the informant was alright. But he still needs to see whether the golden-eyed man has sustained any injuries. So without warning, the assassin grabbed Bai Feng's arm and eyed the stoic man intently.
"..HeiLi?" the informant was caught off guard, making an ink blob in the middle of the scroll as he was surprised by Xiao Tian's sudden arrival.
"Are you hurt, Xiao Bai?" asked the assassin, immediately confusing the cedar-haired beauty.
"Why would I get hurt?" when it suddenly clicked for the informant.
"HuiMu was just here to deliver your pouch.. Is it truly yours?" Bai Feng eyed the lump on his desk.
"I'll return it to the owner" the assassin grabbed the medicine pouch before studying it.
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That evening, Bai Feng was already asleep, albeit with a sword by his side.
Wiping blood off his blade, the assassin carefully approached the sleeping informant for the night. As always, those brows were knitted as the cedar-haired beauty fought against his nightmares.
Seeing Bai Feng like this, Xiao Tian suddenly remembered a dream he previously had.
"Shixiong.." the onyx-haired junior balled his fists, watching the cedar-haired beauty gritting his teeth in pain with every breath he took. The jade-eyed young man then held the injured man's hand and placed his head on the bed.
What happened during the time he was secluded? How did his senior get so heavily injured?
But his thoughts were quickly interrupted by someone yanking his collar, bringing him out of the room. The moment the young man looked up, he noticed it was his Shi Xiong's lover.
"How dare you show your face here beast.." the crimson-eyed man hissed in anger.
"What happened to Shixiong? Was he deployed again?" the young junior couldn't care less about the labels he was called, all he wanted to know was his Shixiong's condition.
"Are you pretending to not know or are you actually an idiot? Do you think for the number of people you hurt, writing the sect rules a few times will be enough?" the dark-haired senior's words were laced with venom.
That was when the jade-eyed young man realized what had happened.
"The moment you were out of sight, he immediately went to the disciplinary court. He was lashed countless times just so you wouldn't be exiled from this sect." the crimson-eyed man glared at his junior.
"Do you realize how painful it must have been for him? Yet the first words that came from him were to give you ointment before losing consciousness. He thought of you first even when he's in such a condition. You truly don't deserve his kindness.. Never show your face in front of him again!" hearing that, the onyx-haired young man was devastated.
Without knowing, he had hurt the one person he treasured deeply, the person he loved the most.
With his ignorance he was wallowing in self-pity, thinking about why did Shi Xiong not visit him even once during his disciplinary period.
But how could he.. The cedar-haired beauty can't even leave his bed..
Shixiong..
When Xiao Tian snapped out of the memory, he saw that their fingers had interlaced. He must have held Bai Feng's hand by instinct. At least the informant is now sleeping soundly, as his nightmares seem not to torment him for the time being.
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Author's Notes:
Hope you enjoyed reading 'Turmoil' <3 Votes and comments are highly appreciated!
Interaction Time! Now that they're bound by a new contract, do you guys think Xiao Tian would stop his attempts to assassinate Bai Feng?
A) Yes, until he finds some type of loophole
B) Nope, he would just try and face the consequences later
C) Xiao Tian doesn't believe in the contract