Ming Quan’s consciousness waxed and waned blurrily as vague sounds filtered through his ears. He could hear his father’s worried voice along with Yin Xue’s cold tone, an undercurrent of anger and concern running beneath. Since his awareness kept slipping in and out, Ming Quan couldn’t make any of the words, but he nevertheless felt safe and warm in the presence of these two people he held so dear.

By the time his mind regained clarity, night had already darkened the world.

Ming Quan opened his eyes to see the motionless figure of Yin Xue sitting beside the bed, keeping watch with his icy gaze fixed intently on him. He guessed that his father must have retired to his own chambers for the night. But as vague and hazy as the world still felt, Ming Quan was doubtful whether all this was still a dream or reality.

Opening his cracked lips, he croaked out, “What happened?”

But Yin Xue remained still and unresponsive as if not hearing him at all. Just when Ming Quan was about to repeat the question, Yin Xue’s lips parted and he spoke tonelessly, “You humans are so weak. You could die at any time and so easily.”

With a feeling of surrealism, Ming Quan replied, “Compared to you, aren’t most living things that way?” After all, with their sturdy bodies and quick regeneration, spiritual beasts were beings that were as close to immortal as any living creature could get. And among them, the beasts of the Silver Serpent Clan who were immune to diseases, curses, and poisons were a step further above.

Yin Xue paused, then nodded slowly. “I suppose.”

Silence stretched long and thin before snapping. “Why do you like me?” Yin Xue asked abruptly. His sharp gaze was focused on Ming Quan’s face intently.

Now Ming Quan was sure that this must be a dream. After all, there was no way that the Yin Xue from reality could know that he liked him. And since this was proven to be a dream, Ming Quan decided that he might as well answer openly to Yin Xue. “There are many reasons why I like you. For example, as cold and distant as you seem to be, you have never been unduly cruel. You are also very competent and I admire that. Whenever you accompany Father and me to our meetings at other households, I feel very safe because I know that nothing can hurt us as long as you’re there. And even though you were forced to obey my family all this time, you do not hate us. In fact…I even sense that you may have some affection towards us… You are strong, beautiful, and a good person…and I just like you very, very much…”

As the words kept spilling out, getting more disjointed, Ming Quan’s consciousness also became vague. He felt lightheaded and faint, as if he was drunk. But firmly keeping in mind that this was a dream, Ming Quan disregarded his discomfort.

Yin Xue’s voice was slightly warmer and tinged with something that might be amusement as he said, “Oh, is that so?”

With a cheerful grin, Ming Quan nodded. “Yes, I love you. But even if I say this, you’re still only in my dream, so it’s okay.”

Mirth danced in those cold eyes along with colors that swirled so enchantingly. “Yes, so you should hurry and wake up and tell me all this in real life as well.”

Ming Quan broke into unrestrained laughter and declared, “No way!” He felt even dizzier, but ignored it again. With certainty, he continued, “If I confess, you’ll reject me for sure. Or maybe you’ll glare at me with disgust? Either way, you’d definitely be offended.”

With rare patience, Yin Xue asked, “What makes you think that?”

His amusement fading, Ming Quan sighed and explained in a reasonable tone, “You have seen and experienced so much. You must have met so many people more interesting and distinguished than my humble self. Compared to all of them, what am I? There’s no way you would ever be interested in a common human like me.”

Yin Xue merely advised, “You won’t know until you try.”

“…Maybe. I’m going to die anyway, so what’s the harm, right? But then again, I don’t want to have my heart broken on top of suffering under the curse, so maybe I shouldn’t chance it,” Ming Quan said with hesitance. He felt that this dream was becoming more and more unrealistic even as the room spun around faster and faster.

Heaving a sigh with hints of frustration, Yin Xue spoke, “Then what will you do if I told you that I might also be coming to like you?”

For a second, Ming Quan’s mind blanked. Even if he tried, he couldn’t imagine something so fanciful happening. “I…I…don’t know. Swoon, perhaps?” he said, trying to make light of it.

Because, for the life of him, something like Yin Xue liking him back… it could never happen. It was impossible. Yin Xue was like the pure and glittering snow that sat untouched on top of a lofty mountain peak. Someone like Ming Quan wouldn’t dare lay a hand on him for fear of dirtying him. And there was certainly no way that someone sitting so high above would ever condescend to look down at him.

Sadness weighed his heart and Ming Quan felt his mind sinking deeper. His eyes closed as he was pulled into a fevered sleep again.

By the bed, Yin Xue gazed at his stubborn young master helplessly. It seemed that Ming Quan wouldn’t be the one to take the initiative despite his own affections towards him.

Then that only left him with one choice, didn’t it?

Slowly, a corner of Yin Xue’s lips curved up in a tiny, devious smile.

∘━❁━∘

When Ming Quan woke up again, it was afternoon. As bright sunlight filtered through the window, Ming Quan tried to sit up dazedly while surveying the room. He kept feeling like he’d had a very strange dream…

The pungent smell of ground herbs immediately assaulted his nostrils the second he awoke, but he didn’t have time to think about that as an angry voice roared nearby.

“You brat! Lie back down! Isn’t the amount of worry you’ve already caused me enough?!” Ming Yan yelled while concealing his anxiousness.

“…Father?” Ming Quan called out and was surprised at how weak his voice sounded. Come to think of it, the pain in his body seemed to have multiplied. The curse marks had also begun spreading up from his neck and into his face. As disorientation combined with the agony of the curse marks, Ming Quan’s mind felt very unclear.

A cool hand supported his back as he was carefully pushed back down to the bed. “Young Master, you should rest,” said a melodiously soft voice with a hint of concern.

“Yin Xue?” Ming Quan was surprised. What happened? Why did they both sound so worried?

“Always giving me so much trouble! If Yin Xue hadn’t contacted me quickly and stopped the symptoms from worsening, the fever could have killed you sooner! You bothersome brat, why does it seem like you’re so eager to meet the lord of the underworld? Do you even know how much trouble you’re causing…” Ming Yan thus continued his tirade, going on and on endlessly.

But these words left Ming Quan puzzled. Eh? Why would Yin Xue help him? Wouldn’t it be better for Yin Xue if he died sooner? Ah, yes, it must be because of his father’s orders to serve him well. Otherwise, there was no way Yin Xue would willingly take such good care of him. Though thinking like this stung a bit, Ming Quan nevertheless felt that it was a reasonable conclusion.

“Master, pass the medicine,” Yin Xue interrupted as Ming Yan agitatedly went on. The past few days had clearly been too hard on Father Ming as he exhaustedly kept spewing complaints.

Pausing mid-rant, Ming Yan looked around and found the cup full of a thick, bitter-smelling herbal concoction. He directly handed it to Ming Quan while ordering, “Drink.”

One whiff of it was enough to make Ming Quan feel like he would throw up everything he’d eaten since he was born—it was that terrible! So it turned out that this was the source of that pungent smell. Wrinkling his brows in distaste, Ming Quan firmly refused, “No. It smells disgusting and I bet it tastes even worse. Why would anyone be willing to put that into their mouth?”

Ming Yan looked down at the thick liquid and had to agree. But he still tried to push it towards his son, “You better drink this or so help me, I will ask the doctor to concoct something far worse and have you choke that down.”

“Can it even get any worse?” Ming Quan retorted.

Probably not, thought Ming Yan. But he couldn’t just let it be, now could he? “Stop acting like a child and obediently drink it! It’s for your fever.”

“If I shouldn’t act like a child, then why should I be obedient like one? Drink it yourself, old man!”

Ming Yan gritted his teeth at his son’s stubbornness.

At the side, Yin Xue sighed inwardly at this father-and-son pair’s antics. Though he preferred not to get involved with humans… Yin Xue shot a discreet glance at Ming Quan. He didn’t want this person to die yet. And if his young master wouldn’t drink the concoction that could keep him alive a bit longer, he’d just have to find another way. “Master, please do not force the young master. I will make some medicine that tastes better and let him have it.”

Both Ming Yan and Ming Quan looked at Yin Xue with surprise.

“You can make better tasting medicine? How come you’ve never made it for me before?” Father Ming asked, feeling wronged.

Yin Xue blatantly ignored his master and went to mix the medicine. He honestly hadn’t cared enough about any of his masters’ discomfort before to personally make a pleasant-tasting version of their medicine, but since it was his young master who needed it…

Ming Yan suddenly widened his eyes as if understanding something. “Yin Xue, you…” he trailed off as the silver-haired beast sent him a frigid, cutting glare.

Swallowing back his words, Ming Yan said to his son, “Well, I’ll leave you in Yin Xue’s capable hands then. I have too much work to bother with dealing with your stubbornness.” With that, Ming Yan left in a huff, carefully concealing his rejoicing heart.

But Ming Quan wasn’t in a state to realize how strange his father was being. Though he had just woken up, he still felt tired and disoriented. Despite his temperature rising, Ming Quan felt cold and clammy. He really wished he could take a bath and wash away the sweat. Sighing, he let his body relax back into the bed while ignoring the increased pain due to the curse marks. If he could take a small nap until Yin Xue was done with that medicine, then it would be better.

His mind slowly drifting off, Ming Quan thus slept once again.

When he woke up this time, Ming Quan found Yin Xue bent over him, the silvery strands of his hair slipping down over his shoulder to brush the pillow.

“Young Master, it’s done,” Yin Xue softly informed. Showing him a cup with clear liquid inside, Yin Xue lifted it up to Ming Quan’s lips with one hand while the other supported the back of his young master’s head to hold it up.

Still dazed with sleep, Ming Quan trustingly parted his lips, letting the liquid flow into his mouth and down his throat. It was mildly sweet and refreshingly cold with a slight bite, tasting like the distilled essence of winter. A pleasant coolness gently spread through his body, chasing away the feverish heat and calming the agitation borne out of sickness. When Ming Quan found that he’d finished drinking the medicine, he felt a sense of loss.

His mind having recovered his clarity, Ming Quan slowly sat up in the bed. “Thank you. It was delicious and much better than that concoction before.”

Yin Xue gave a small nod and silently turned to put the cup away.

Ming Quan hesitated, then asked, “How long was I asleep?”

Yin Xue’s expression stiffened, the colors in his eyes twisting and churning before forcefully calming down. But since his back was turned to Ming Quan, he was unable to make out anything strange. In as composed a tone as always, Yin Xue replied, “It’s the sixth day since Young Master was cursed.”

There was only silence for a few moments, then Ming Quan sighed. “I see. So tomorrow…”

Tomorrow was the seventh day, the day he would die.

After the curse paused for a few hours, it would then surge anew and wash over him completely. The darkened curse marks would cover him from toe to scalp, corroding his body mercilessly until he melted into a pool of black fluid in a slow and painful process.

Ming Quan’s hands curled into tight fists, his gaze heavy. The excruciating pain he felt from his hands right now would be nothing compared to the agony he would have to face tomorrow.

“Yin Xue,” he called, his voice remaining steady.

Yin Xue turned to him, his silver hair swinging behind him as his gaze fixed on his face. “Yes, Young Master?”

Ming Quan pressed his lips together, then finally said, “Tomorrow, when the time comes for the curse to come to completion, I want you to leave me.” He did not want the one he loved secretly to witness him at his most wretched and pitiful state. Even though he knew that Yin Xue wouldn’t care either way, Ming Quan wanted to be remembered as whole and healthy as possible.

His eyes turning half-lidded, Yin Xue inquired, “Is that an order?”

Unclenching his hands, Ming Quan frowned and looked up at him. “I… No, it isn’t. Yin Xue, you’ve taken good care of me these past few days. I’ve bothered you enough. You shouldn’t have to keep me company even when… You don’t have to stay with me tomorrow. I would actually prefer to spend my last day alone, so please, take it as my request.”

Yin Xue smiled a small, cold smile. “Since it is not Young Master’s order, I will stay with you tomorrow.”

“Yin Xue―!”

“Unless you want to make it an order after all?” Yin Xue asked, arching a silvery brow with icy elegance.

Ming Quan felt his heart thump and forcefully suppressed it, crushing the budding hope. No, Yin Xue was only staying with him because he was asked to by his father. Calming himself, Ming Quan said, “I’m sorry, I did not remember that Father ordered you to accompany me until the end. If you want me to, I can ask Father to adjust or rescind that order.”

Yin Xue’s smile grew sharper, cold amusement in his eyes. “No, Young Master need not bother with that. I will stay with you till the end of your life.”

Ming Quan’s heart gave another thump and he had to struggle to contain his blush this time. What Yin Xue meant was surely that he didn’t care one way or another since he would die tomorrow. Yin Xue would get his freedom at that time whether he stayed with Ming Quan or not. That was definitely what he meant. It wouldn’t do for Ming Quan to misunderstand him and take it for some romantic declaration.

I will stay with you till the end of your life, Yin Xue’s melodic voice echoed in his mind, causing his heart to lurch again..

Taking a deep breath to calm himself once more, Ming Quan nodded to Yin Xue. “Very well, then. If you don’t mind staying, then I won’t keep asking you to leave. For now, can you please draw me a bath? Since I haven’t bathed since yesterday, I wish to wash myself.”

His face staying perfectly expressionless, Yin Xue suggested, “Since Young Master’s curse marks must have gotten even more painful, it would be very inconvenient and time consuming for you to bathe yourself. Please allow me to save us that time and help you wash.”

Hearing this, Ming Quan was unable to stop a warm flush from traveling up his neck and suffusing his cheeks. But what Yin Xue said definitely made sense. His curse marks had spread even more today, covering almost all of his skin, including part of his face, and making even the slightest shift of his body fill him with agony. And since he would die tomorrow anyway, maybe he should take this chance to feel Yin Xue’s hands on his skin as much as he could. Even though he felt like a pervert for plotting to take advantage of his beloved in this way, the idea was too tempting for Ming Quan to refuse.

“Yes, thank you. I would appreciate that,” Ming Quan finally replied.

Nodding unconcernedly as if it was only to be expected, Yin Xue turned around and made his way towards the door to begin preparing the bath.

But away from Ming Quan’s sight, Yin Xue’s lips curved into an unnoticeable smile.