Chapter 284

Kuang Cheng and Ji You had returned home together many times, from Fengzhou and the northern frontier; each time, he would disembark first, while Ji You continued on the carriage toward the Book of Heaven Academy.

But this time, Ji You remained motionless, waiting at the door.

"Brother Ji?"

"Get in."

The outside air was freezing, the wind biting; Kuang Cheng said nothing and climbed onto the carriage: "Why are you waiting here for me?"

Ji You tossed him a blanket: "It's too cold. You, a bookish scholar with no strength, would catch a chill walking back alone. I'm returning to the capital anyway with nothing urgent to do, so I waited. Where are you headed after this?"

"After being away so long, I want to return to my courtyard and tidy up first."

"You know you've been away so long—why didn't you go see Miss Wei first?"

Kuang Cheng lifted his gaze: "I should meet her, but she's a woman and can't wander freely from her household. Most often, she chooses a suitable time to come find me."

Ji You said nothing more, then followed Kuang Cheng back to his courtyard.

They had left the capital just as the snow was heaviest; now, the courtyard was buried under deep snow, each step sinking past the knees.

So Kuang Cheng borrowed a iron shovel from the neighboring courtyard and began shoveling snow, glancing at Ji You now and then.

Ji You had lit a fire in his main hall, set a kettle of water to boil, and was rummaging through his dark brown cabinet for tea leaves—clearly not planning to leave.

After long thought, Kuang Cheng pulled out his money pouch: "Brother Ji, my monthly stipend hasn't been paid yet, but I still have some savings…"

Ji You's eyes lit up at the silver, reaching out to take it: "True brother indeed."

"Last time, our neighbor Official Chou gave me a slab of cured pork—want to take it back with you?"

"Who said I'm going back?"

Kuang Cheng froze: "Brother Ji took the silver but won't go home?"

Ji You tucked the silver into his robe and dropped the tea leaves into his cup: "Master Cao is in seclusion, Sister Wen and the others are in seclusion too. Here, at least, I have someone to talk to."

"I see."

"Does Miss Rui know you're back? Shall I write her a letter for you?"

Ji You picked up Kuang Cheng's usual brush and paper, waving them at him.

Kuang Cheng paused his shoveling: "The city gate guards have people from the Wei household—before, I never needed to send letters."

"You're so blunt—you don't realize a girl wants to know you're back, but also wants to receive a letter from you."

"Really?"

Ji You couldn't help shaking his head, thinking this lad was beyond teaching, then ground ink, filled his brush, and began writing.

After a flourish of elegant script, he lifted the letter to dry, then handed it to Kuang Cheng.

Kuang Cheng took the letter, glanced at it twice, and blushed furiously at lines like "sleepless nights of spring, longing burning like wildfire."

The later phrases—"the beauty of missing you, your smile, your white socks"—made the scholar cry out in horror: "Unseemly! Unseemly!"

"How is it?"

"If I send this letter, I'll be captured by the Wei household and drowned in a pond."

Ji You's lip twitched, thinking: If you can't even handle written words, how will you ever handle real life?

At that moment, a knock came at the door; a young servant entered and handed over a letter, faintly scented with perfume.

After reading it carefully, Kuang Cheng's expression turned grave: "Brother Ji, the Immortal Surveillance Office needs me—I must go at once."

Ji You had just poured the tea, raising his eyes to him: "You just went there—why are they calling you again so soon? What's so urgent?"

"Erm, just a small matter, nothing for you to worry about. Stay here and wait for me—I'll buy wine and dishes on my way back and get drunk with you."

"Leave now?"

"It's urgent—I can't wait."

Ji You studied him a long moment, then rose from the hall: "I'll go home first, tidy up my courtyard, and come find you at Shen Hour."

Kuang Cheng saw him to the door: "I'll try to return before Shen Hour."

"It's cold and windy—go inside."

Ji You waved farewell, took a few steps east, then suddenly stopped, lightly leapt up, and landed on the roof of the opposite house.

Kuang Cheng had half-closed the courtyard gate and continued clearing snow; once he'd made a path, he went inside.

When he emerged again, he wore a scholar's robe embroidered with silver thread, then walked out of the courtyard.

"This scholar… is quietly flirtatious…"

Ji You murmured to himself, then quietly rose and followed. He saw Kuang Cheng turn left, then right, arriving at a secluded villa.

The villa bordered the Wei household—a Wei family retreat, also buried under snow, its eaves' bronze bells frozen with ice, silent in the wind.

Ji You halted on the street and watched as Kuang Cheng pushed open the vermilion gate carved with scrolling vines and stepped inside.

He concealed his qi, relying solely on physical strength to leap lightly and land on the hip roof of the neighboring courtyard.