After the Zhao Family was punished, Zhou Ye knew that Wei Zhao's men were watching him too.
So, to keep Wei Zhao from discovering how close he and Feng Chenyi had become,
he climbed through the window when he brought Feng Chenyi to see Yun Shen.
At the time, Yun Shen was in his room changing the dressing on the shoulder he had injured in the assassination attempt, his robes half-slipped off. Hearing the noise, he assumed Zhou Ye had come alone, so he made no attempt to cover himself and teased him instead.
"Brother Zhou, you used to say that my coming through the window instead of the front door meant I had feelings for you. Why are you copying my old trick today, playing this little game of seduction with me?"
But just as he finished speaking and looked up, he met Feng Chenyi's wide eyes.
His smile and teasing, seductive expression froze on his face.
"It's you!"
The moment Feng Chenyi saw Yun Shen's face, he cried out instinctively.
In the three days since the Qingming rites, he had thought of asking Zhou Ye who the assassin that day had been.
But he feared that asking Zhou Ye to reveal the man's identity would put him in a difficult position, so he had held his tongue.
Seeing him again today, he could not help getting a little excited.
He stepped forward, wanting to get closer to Yun Shen.
"I've heard that the young master of the Feng Family has always been upright and courteous. Yet here you are, sneaking into a brothel at night to peep at me. You've truly opened my eyes."
Stung by his words, Feng Chenyi finally noticed Yun Shen's loose black hair and half-slipped robes.
He immediately flushed and spun around.
"My apologies. I was being presumptuous."
Zhou Ye, however, had no such reservations. He walked straight over and asked Yun Shen, "Why didn't you wait for me today? You dressed the wound yourself? It's toward your back, so it must be hard for you to reach."
Yun Shen glared at him and said in a low voice, "Stop changing the subject!"
"Tell me, why did you bring him here?"
"It wasn't that I wanted to bring him. He grabbed my sleeve in the street just now, bawling as he begged me to take him drinking."
"I had no choice but to bring him to you."
Zhou Ye raised his fan to hide both their faces and said, "Besides, you have food and wine here. Just think of it as keeping an old friend company and having a heart-to-heart with him. It won't cost you a thing, right?"
"He actually cried?"
Yun Shen looked somewhat incredulous.
"He did. The way he cried could have rivaled Meng Jiangnü when she brought down the Great Wall with her tears."
Zhou Ye gestured extravagantly as he watched Yun Shen's expression.
He had brought Feng Chenyi here for two reasons.
First, he wanted the two to recognize each other, so that the Feng Family would trust the Zhou Family more.
Second, he thought it would be even better if he could help Yun Shen resolve the burden in his heart.
But if Yun Shen truly did not want to acknowledge his connection to the Feng Family again, he would not force him.
If Yun Shen even showed aversion to Feng Chenyi, he would see to it that Feng Chenyi could never set foot in the Jade Fragrance House again.
"Brother Zhou, that comparison is rather amusing." Yun Shen shook his head gently.
Yet his expression showed no resistance.
He had already finished applying the medicine, so he pulled his robes together, shoved Zhou Ye away from his face, and rose to walk over to Feng Chenyi.
"Young Master Feng, you can turn around now."
Only then did Feng Chenyi turn. Getting a clear look at Yun Shen's face, he fell into another daze.
Fifteen years had passed, and both their appearances had changed greatly.
Yun Shen was no longer the boy he had once been. His experiences over the years had made him smooth and worldly, and he no longer had the refined scholarly air of a young master from a noble family.
Every frown and smile was imbued with a feigned air of the pleasure quarters.
He chuckled softly. "What is it? Has my appearance stunned you, Young Master Feng? You're staring."
Feng Chenyi's eyes were red and swollen. Yun Shen's question brought him back to himself.
He gave a bitter smile. "It's just that, looking at you, you resemble an old friend of mine somewhat."
"An old friend..." Yun Shen murmured the words.
Then he asked, "Judging by your expression, could it be that this old friend of yours is no longer alive?"
"Yes." Feng Chenyi choked out, "He's gone."
"I missed him so terribly today that I lost my composure in front of Brother Zhou and begged him to bring me out drinking. I've offended you in the process, and I hope you'll forgive me."
"Since you're Brother Zhou's friend, Young Master Feng, and you helped me escape danger in the street that day, you're my friend as well. Now that we've cleared things up, there's no offense to speak of."
Yun Shen looked at Feng Chenyi and sighed softly, then called to Sister Cui, who was waiting outside the door, "Sister Cui, bring all the good wine I've stored away in the cellar."
He then turned to Feng Chenyi, his eyes glimmering. "Young Master Feng, if you're looking for a drink, you've come to the right place."
"Tonight, let the three of us drink here until we're drunk."
Feng Chenyi could hold his liquor fairly well, but he was still some way behind Yun Shen and Zhou Ye.
By the time he was talking nonsense, the two beside him were only slightly tipsy, their eyes still clear.
By then, Yun Shen had caught on. He said to Zhou Ye, "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"
Zhou Ye rubbed the rim of his cup and said, "If you don't want to see him, I won't let him come again."
"That won't be necessary." Yun Shen pursed his lips. "I was the one who wronged him back then, not the other way around."
"I can't get past it, so I won't acknowledge who I am to him for now. But if you think you can only form an alliance with the Feng Family by using my connection to them, I'll cooperate."
"There's no need." Zhou Ye patted his shoulder. "I've never liked putting my friends in a difficult position. You decide for yourself how quickly you want things to progress with him. I won't interfere."
Yun Shen glanced at him and suddenly smiled.
"Brother Zhou, you seem deeply calculating, drawing everyone into your game, yet you're sincere in everything you do. You deal with people in such a free and easy way, always able to step outside the game. It's enough to make anyone envious."
Zhou Ye had seen through Yun Shen, and Yun Shen had seen through Zhou Ye as well.
He could see that Zhou Ye was perceptive to a fault and seemed to have everything under control.
Yet he cared about nothing, as though he were ready to leave at any moment.
He would not stop for anyone.
He murmured, "I really don't know who will be able to stay by your side in the years to come."
Zhou Ye did not answer him.
He himself had not yet decided what he would do after this identity died and he was reborn again.
Late that night, Zhou Ye left the dead-drunk Feng Chenyi behind and jumped out the window to leave the Jade Fragrance House.
With the night breeze blowing against him, he walked back to the Marquis of Zhenbei's Household.
He had intended to climb over the wall into his own courtyard and go straight to sleep.
But when he reached the front gate, he stopped. After thinking for a moment, he walked up and, as if possessed, knocked on the gate.
A commotion followed.
Zhou Da and Zhou Er got up, bleary-eyed, and opened the gate for him.
They made a shushing gesture at him. "General, hurry inside! If the noise wakes Madam, the master will give you a beating for sure!"
Zhou Zhenghai never cared when Zhou Ye came home, but if Zhou Ye came home in the middle of the night and disturbed Wang Yulan's sleep, Zhou Zhenghai, who doted on his wife, would definitely get angry with him.
But Zhou Da and Zhou Er were a step too late. Wang Yulan had already thrown on a robe and come out. Taking Zhou Ye by the hand, she said, "Look at you, reeking of wine. You've been drinking with Young Master Yunshen until this hour again. Aren't you afraid of harming your health?"
"Zhou Da, hurry and brew a pot of ginger tea for the young master to warm him up and sober him up."
Zhou Ye looked down at Wang Yulan's hand holding his and felt its comforting warmth. The corners of his lips curved up.
But when he raised his eyes, he saw Zhou Zhenghai's face, dark as thunder.
"Waking your mother in the middle of the night. You brat must be itching for a beating."
Zhou Ye hurriedly begged for mercy. "Have mercy, Father. Your son won't dare do it again."
Wang Yulan glared at Zhou Zhenghai. "Why are you being so fierce? I'm happy to have my son wake me up. What business is it of yours?"
Zhou Ye chuckled to himself, but tightened his grip on Wang Yulan's hand.
He only felt as though his heart, which had been empty for decades, had been filled with something at that moment.
The warmth even made him... not want to die anymore.