Ming Quan couldn’t help but feel that something was strange today.

It was already the fourth day since he’d been cursed. But unlike before, Yin Xue didn’t simply hand him a bowl of soup with a straw. Today, he actually held a pair of chopsticks and tried to feed him directly!

Seeing that the young master wasn’t moving and just gaping at the chopsticks in astonishment, Yin Xue curled his fingers around Ming Quan’s nape and pulled him towards the food. Ming Quan opened his mouth automatically and the piece of vegetable finally reached its destination.

After swallowing it down, Ming Quan asked with incredulity, “Why are you feeding me today?”

Yin Xue remained unmoved as he answered, “Young Master, you cannot only have thin soup every day. You should also eat something more substantial every now and then. But since anything with substance will get stuck in the straw, this is the most efficient method.”

That doesn’t mean you have to feed me personally! Ming Quan retorted in his heart.

But thinking it over, he realized that he should just take this chance and have the person he loved feed him. The only problem was that…Yin Xue’s hand was still on his nape. Ming Quan could feel the sensation of the cool fingers lightly resting on his skin. This was one of the very few times Yin Xue had touched him directly like this. It caused Ming Quan’s emotions to churn chaotically.

Forcing down the blush threatening to burn his cheeks in a practiced manner, Ming Quan slowly regained his calm. Though he was constantly aware of that small stretch of contact between their skins, he acted as if nothing was amiss. Every time Yin Xue held up the chopsticks with another morsel, Ming Quan would eat it up quickly so that this situation would be over soon. There was only so much of his reaction he could suppress.

Yin Xue was, as usual, calm from beginning to end. But his keen eyes catalogued every tiny flicker of emotion passing through his young master’s gaze as if searching for something.

After breakfast was finally over, Ming Quan let out a small sigh of relief, only to be faced with the same scenario during lunch, and then dinner.

Though he did like being diligently fed like this, he still thought it was strange for Yin Xue to spend this much effort on his behalf. He also felt that Yin Xue’s gaze, though just as cold as before, wasn’t as distant anymore. But maybe that was just his wishful imagination.

And so, the fourth day passed with Ming Quan in a constant state of bewilderment.

On the fifth day, there was a visitor.

The fact that there hadn’t been anyone coming and visiting him these past few days wasn’t because Ming Quan was disliked, but because he and his father had decided from the beginning to not publicize the information about the curse. Ming Quan didn’t want anyone to be able to use this as a chip to manipulate and hurt his father or to think that their household was weak.

The reason Ming Yan hadn’t come to see his son was because he was completely swamped with both his and his son’s share of work. On top of that, he was also hurriedly yet methodically searching for information that might offer even a hint of a possible cure for the Suixin curse. He spared no effort and led the search himself even as he managed the entire household. He simply had no time to visit his son, especially after they parted so badly the last time. Rather than facing it, Ming Yan instead chose to throw himself into his work and finding a cure. As for the cure already available in the form of a bond with Yin Xue, as a father, Ming Yan naturally couldn’t force his son to sleep with someone he didn’t want to. Since that option was out, all he could do was try his best to find another solution.

As a result of all that, the current guest could be said to be Ming Quan’s first one since he moved to his mother’s Chrysanthemum Courtyard.

The visitor was his half-brother and also the eldest son of his father’s concubine. After Ming Quan’s death, he would be the one to inherit the position of heir. His name was Ming Jun and he was someone whose ambitions surpassed his abilities.

As Ming Jun strutted in, he curiously studied the place his half-brother had chosen to die in. It wasn’t as opulent as his previous room, but gave off a comfortable charm of its own.

Seated on the bed under several layers of quilts was his older half-brother, Ming Quan. Though he had a sickly pallor and seemed to have lost weight, his posture was as straight and proper as ever while his bearing remained steady.

“Elder Brother, how are you?” Ming Jun asked while wearing a sad smile on his face, but the gloating in his eyes couldn’t be hidden.

Ming Quan inwardly sighed about his peace being disturbed. But on the outside, he smiled back calmly and replied, “I am fine.”

Putting on a caring mask, Ming Jun said, “I heard the curse can be especially painful. Elder Brother, don’t try to suffer through it on your own and call for me if it gets too much to bear.”

So that you can enjoy my misery? Ming Quan thought wryly, but didn’t react in anyway except to give a perfunctory nod.

Ming Jun looked discontentedly at this always composed brother of his and thought viciously, what was he trying to act all high and mighty for now? He would soon die anyway. He’d see who had the last laugh then! But despite these uncharitable thoughts circling in his mind, Ming Jun still tried to maintain a polite and pleasant expression on his face.

Though Ming Quan had easily surmised what went on in his half-brother’s head, he was too weary to bother with it. Ming Jun might think he won the lottery with Ming Quan getting cursed, but he would soon find out just how difficult it was to help run the entirety of the Ming household and deal with its numerous businesses.

Yin Xue, who was ignored as he typically was by the other family members, felt slight discontent at the way Ming Jun spoke to Ming Quan with thinly veiled glee at his misfortune. But as usual, he maintained his aloof silence.

Seeing Ming Quan looking unruffled, Ming Jun continued to speak in an attempt to get a rise out of him, “Ah, yes! Elder Brother, could I have some hot tea? I feel that the weather has gotten somewhat chilly. You should also take care not to catch a cold― Oh, right, I suppose it wouldn’t matter even if you did.” Ming Jun looked regretful, but Ming Quan didn’t pay the jabs any mind.

Turning to Yin Xue, Ming Quan asked, “Can you please get us a pot of hot tea?”

Nodding, Yin Xue glided out.

Looking at the receding figure of the exceptionally beautiful and powerful beast, Ming Jun suddenly realized something. When he became the head of household in the future, would he be the one holding the contract to that silver-haired beast? Then that cold iceberg would have to do everything he told him to do. Ming Jun wanted to see how long that beast could hold on to his usually cold and arrogant attitude after he, as his new master, finished teaching him some much-needed lessons!

From the side, Ming Quan looked at how his half-brother was still staring in the direction Yin Xue had gone in with a strange smile and felt very annoyed. Just what was this scum planning to do with his Yin Xue?!

“Younger Brother, what’s wrong? Is there something the matter with Yin Xue?” Ming Quan probed.

“Yin Xue? Ah, you mean that silver-haired beast! Yes, well, it’s difficult for me to say this, but I was thinking about retraining him after the contract transfers to me. Don’t you think he’s too haughty? After all, he’s just a servant,” Ming Jun sneered.

It wasn’t strange for him to look down on Yin Xue without knowing that he was from the Silver Serpent Clan, since the Ming household had kept his identity a secret from even its own members since the day Yin Xue was contracted. It was to avoid people hunting Yin Xue to force a bonding with him and to better hide him. This was also why the ones who cursed Ming Quan didn’t know that he had the means to cure Suixin, or any curse as it were, so close at hand. Currently, only Ming Quan and his father knew about Yin Xue’s identity. On the other hand, Ming Jun didn’t recognize Yin Xue as any more than ‘the beast servant who worked for the household’.

Forcing down the rage boiling in his stomach at the way his half-brother talked about Yin Xue, Ming Quan smiled widely as he shattered Ming Jun’s hopes. “Younger Brother, aren’t you misunderstanding something? Yin Xue’s contract is only transferrable to the direct bloodline. I’m afraid it cannot be shifted to a branch family. After my death, Yin Xue will be free.”

Having his fantasies crushed so swiftly, Ming Jun’s face twisted. Even though it looked like they were talking casually, Ming Jun knew that Ming Quan must be looking down at him and mocking him in his mind for not knowing even this much.

“O-Oh, is that so? I suppose I got carried away. Elder Brother, please pay no mind to this ignorant one’s ramblings,” Ming Jun forced a laugh.

Ming Quan merely maintained his smile, refusing to say anything.

The atmosphere grew strained and awkward, causing Ming Jun’s expression to tighten even as he struggled to keep it polite.

Just then, Yin Xue returned with a pot of piping hot tea and a couple of cups. Yin Xue set down everything by the bedside table and withdrew, forcing Ming Jun to pour his own cup of tea.

Ming Jun drank from his cup in ill-humor, only to almost burn his tongue off with the scalding liquid. Damn! What was with this temperature?! That stupid servant couldn’t even do something as simple as this right! Just as he was complaining nastily in his heart, he spotted Ming Quan’s exposed hand peeking out of his sleeve and covered in curse marks while resting on the bed right in front of him.

Ming Jun’s eyes lit up. Didn’t they say that a mere brush of air over those black marks would bring unbearable agony? Then what would happen if he poured boiling hot tea onto it?

Greatly anticipating seeing this composed half-brother of his rolling around undignifiedly while screaming, Ming Jun pretended to lose his grip on his cup of tea ‘accidentally’, aiming the liquid right at Ming Quan’s hand. “Ah! Brother!” Ming Jun yelled out to seem more realistic.

As the blisteringly hot liquid splashed unerringly onto his arm, Ming Quan felt a bolt of heat shooting up from that place. He looked down uncomprehendingly as the flesh on his arm turned soft and red while beginning to bubble. However, just before the pain could hit him, a pair of fair hands swiftly passed over Ming Quan’s raw injury, spreading a freezing sensation in their wake.

Though Yin Xue didn’t know much of the healing arts, he still knew enough to treat a burn wound and contain it in time. As soothing waves seemed to flow out from Yin Xue’s hands, Ming Quan felt dizzy and lightheaded due to the sudden flashes of heat and cold assaulting his senses in such quick succession. He supported himself by his other arm on the bed to steady his balance until he regained his bearing, but found that the giddiness was only increasing. His head swam as his surroundings blurred.

“Young Master?” he heard Yin Xue calling to him anxiously. But that couldn’t be right. He had never seen Yin Xue being anything other than cold and aloof except for that one time in his mother’s garden.

In the meantime, Ming Jun was regretting his impulsiveness. What if his father found out? He doubted he would be so easily fooled. Anyone with eyes could see how that geezer doted on his firstborn son. If he guessed that Ming Jun had done this deliberately out of spite, forget succeeding to the position of the head of household, he would be directly kicked out of the family!

Ming Jun’s heart was filled with regret, but he could only continue acting. “I-I’m so sorry! My hand slipped. It was an accide―”

Reminded of the pest’s presence, Yin Xue turned to him with hints of anger burning his gaze and interrupted icily, “You presumptuous brat, you dared?”

Being glared at and scolded by someone he considered beneath him, Ming Jun’s annoyance flared. “A mere servant and yet you talk to your superior like this? Be careful or I’ll have Father punish you!”

But Yin Xue had had enough. His hand shot out and clamped onto the pest’s throat as he hoisted him up and slammed him against the wall.

“Y-Y-You…… My…f-father…” Ming Jun tried to choke out.

“Your father has already given me leave to discipline his brats,” Yin Xue retorted in a freezing tone. As long as he didn’t kill or cause permanent injury, he could discipline his master’s kids, but only if he saw them misbehaving. But what he witnessed today was already far past the point of being considered a mere misbehavior. And so, Yin Xue planned to choke this pest until he passed out to punish him, then throw him out for Ming Yan to deal with.

Not knowing his intentions, Ming Quan was panicking. “Yin Xue…don’t hurt him or…my father will be…angry at you,” he tried to rationalize despite feeling like the world was spinning.

As his dizziness increased, Ming Quan felt the strength in his body fading until blackness claimed him completely. The last thing he remembered was a faint thud as Ming Jun fell to the ground and Yin Xue’s shout of “Young Master!”

And then Ming Quan fainted.

crimson_carnation

In case you're wondering, yes, Ming Jun does get his due later on (৹‾⌣‾৹)✧