Chapter 2056: How to Tame the Stubborn Boy 05

Jin Chen undid the hair ribbon and waist belt binding Ji Lai zhi, then rubbed his slightly reddened wrists.

"Not to be repeated."

Ji Lai zhi raised his head to look at him, wanted to speak but stopped, then was suddenly hugged again.

This time Ji Lai zhi was truly stunned, unable to come to his senses for a long while.

"I can leave." Ji Lai zhi forced out the words, yet made no struggle.

"Don't move."

Jin Chen held him tighter and walked steadily back to the side room of the main residence.

Not to mention such an affectionate hug—Ji Lai zhi hardly ever embraced anyone; his whole body was tense, he lowered his eyes to Jin Chen's shoulder, and something faintly broke open in his heart, spreading like spider silk, binding him.

"How strange," Ji Lai zhi thought, "Jin Chen is just a teaching instructor, yet he dares to do anything, unafraid that I'll have my grandfather cancel the commission?"

Or perhaps Jin Chen simply doesn't know his "reputation" outside, which is why he acts so recklessly.

Ji Lai zhi's thoughts were tangled beyond sorting; he felt foolish and wronged, even his heart fluttered from the sensation of being controlled and noticed.

After being carried back to the side room, Ji Lai zhi's body had just touched the bed when he suddenly heard Jin Chen ask softly, "Shall you apply the medicine yourself, or shall I help you?"

"Apply medicine, apply what……"

That burning sting came upon him belatedly, Ji Lai zhi's face flushed crimson, "I don't want medicine; I'll just sleep it off!"

"Just a little pain—what need for medicine?"

Jin Chen's gaze darkened as he cupped Ji Lai zhi's face, "Did you always just endure past injuries?"

Ji Lai zhi felt no guilt, rather a little pride.

"Otherwise, I have an iron‑forged body."

Jin Chen stared at him without speaking; Ji Lai zhi's eyes darted away, "... What are you looking at?"

Jin Chen sighed softly, "No one's body is iron‑forged; if you're human you feel pain, when injured you should apply medicine and rest, not just grit your teeth and endure."

Ji Lai zhi seemed as if his words had scorched him, his fingertips fidgeting with his cuff, head lowered, not responding.

After a while, Ji Lai zhi looked at Jin Chen again, his tone almost obstinate, "Why do you care whether I apply medicine or not? I made a mistake; being reprimanded is what I deserve."

So he still dares to offend again, after all, no one can control him.

Jin Chen: "……"

What on earth has Ji Yuan Shan driven this child to become?

"Punishing mistakes is meant to make you remember them, not to torment you."

Jin Chen took a jade bottle from his sleeve, touched Ji Lai zhi's forehead with his fingertip, as if admonishing a stubborn child.

"I'll give you one more chance to choose; if you still refuse, I'll apply the medicine for you."

Ji Lai zhi grabbed the jade bottle in one hand and hurriedly shrank back under the covers, "I'll do it myself."

Jin Chen finally cracked a smile, ruffling his head, "Be good, I'll send you a gift this afternoon."

Ji Lai zhi was stunned by those words for a moment, thinking it an auditory hallucination, yet a surge of heat rose from his tailbone to his brain.

He buried himself in the bedding, watching Jin Chen leave the side room, dazedly patted his own head, then hastily pulled the covers up.

Afternoon.

Jin Chen didn't have Ji Lai zhi practice swordplay, merely had him recite a few lines from the Jianghu roster; seeing Ji Lai zhi repeatedly try to give a reminder, so obvious he couldn't help but curl his lips.

"Remember your gift."

Having his thoughts seen through, Ji Lai zhi bluntly said, "Then hurry up and give it to me."

Jin Chen handed him a long box, "See if you like it."

Ji Lai zhi curled his fingertips, and only after a moment opened the box; before his eyes lay a pair of gloves as thin as cicada wings, faintly shimmering with silver threads in the sunlight.

"What is this?" Ji Lai zhi asked.

Jin Chen took out the glove, pulled Ji Lai zhi's right hand over, slowly slipped it on; when palm met skin there was a slight itch, and Ji Lai zhi couldn't help but press his lips together.

"Blades find it hard to harm, it specifically counters poisonous palms, twisting a strand of hair into a needle, killing invisibly." Jin Chen said lazily after donning it.

Ji Lai zhi jumped up in shock, "Ice Silkworm Finger Caps?!"

Jin Chen nodded, pulled him to sit again, ruffled his head, "Do you like it?"

"... I like it." Ji Lai zhi couldn't help but stroke the glove over and over.

Good heavens, he thought, famed across the martial world and sought by countless masters, the seventh-ranked Qimen device on the list, now placed on his hand—and it's a gift he received.

This is the first gift he's ever received in his life, and it's a weapon more precious than any treasure.

【Villain Blackening Value detected -5, total now 85!】

Ji Lai zhi couldn't bear to part with it, took off the glove, folded it neatly, placed it back in the box, rubbed the box's side, then asked Jin Chen.

"Why did you give me a gift?"

Clearly an arrogant little tyrant, yet his tone now carried a hint of barely perceptible nervousness and doubt.

Jin Chen softened a bit, lightly flicked his fingertip across Ji Lai zhi's cheek, the touch fleeting.

"Having been frightened and hurt today, I should coax you."

"From now on, listen well to your lessons, don't explode at the slightest provocation, and there will be more gifts."

Ji Lai zhi had never heard such words even in his dreams.

He was like a child who'd obtained candy and didn't know what to do with it, unable to tell whether he felt panic or emotion.

Ji Lai zhi suppressed his chaotic thoughts, let them settle in his heart, and tried to keep his tone calm.

"Thank you……sir."

The spikes all over his body had relaxed considerably.

From that day on, Ji Lai zhi finally stopped thinking every day about how to kill Jin Chen.

He reined in three parts of his temper; each day's lessons he would listen to patiently, even if he still couldn't help but retort.

Perhaps that's why the 'Heiyi Maque' who comes to Observation Cloud Courtyard every few days has been coming more frequently.

On the tenth day, Chief Steward Shan Bo came to Observation Cloud Courtyard, following the order of Manor Lord Ji Yuan Shan, and invited Jin Chen to the front courtyard to discuss the matter of Ji Lai Zhi's instruction.

His words were so earnest, as if he were truly a father who cared for his child.

In front of outsiders, Jin Chen remained that aloof and tranquil appearance, he instructed Ji Lai Zhi to continue practicing the sword, and then left.

Little did he know that shortly after he left, Ji Lai Zhi's mind became unsettled, and he could barely hold his sword.

Again, it's like this, he thought, the previous few instructors were the same.

He was teaching well, then suddenly was called away, and when he came back he was just like the other people in this Sword Manor.

They turned a blind eye to him, in their actions and words they were fearful, sighing, how could the Azure Cloud Sword Manor have such a worldly troublemaker?

But the person who first proposed that he receive instruction and that his studies not fall too far behind Ji Si Yao was exactly Ji Yuan Shan.

Ji Lai Zhi stood for a while, then suddenly laughed, and when he looked up again he remained carefree and indifferent.

"It's rare to have half a day of leisure, as for this sword, whoever wants to practice can practice."

Besides, Jin Chen will leave in a few days, don't spoil his good mood.

Ji Lai Zhi returned to the side rooms and changed his clothes, picked up his money bag and went out to have fun.