Chapter 6: Casual Conversation

As the black servant turned to close the door securely, he heard a rustling sound behind him. Glancing back, he saw Chi already lying on his bed, propping his head up with one hand and winking at him, a smile as gentle as a spring breeze gracing his face. “Brother Nu, come sit down. Let’s talk leisurely.”

The black servant’s expression darkened further, like the calm before a storm. “Get up!”

Chi rolled his eyes in resignation and stood before the black servant. “Is this better? I’ve been on the move all day and haven’t had a moment’s rest!”

The black servant thought of the reason he had summoned Chi and took a deep, silent breath. This man truly was impossible to change, a tiger’s nature unaltered by the mountains. He wasn’t sure whether calling him here was right or wrong. Ever since the moment he first saw Chi, regret had already begun to gnaw at him.

Suppressing his emotions, the black servant said flatly, “From now on, you must listen carefully to every word I say. If I find even the slightest fault, you’ll be sent straight back to the Asura Palace.”

Upon hearing this, Chi pondered their usual routine as the Four Oddities left behind: Mei was always in the kitchen experimenting with recipes and fixing things, Wang stood silently watching Liang as he meticulously polished weapons, while Chi himself spent his days sleeping soundly in the trees.

Shaking his head, arms crossed, Chi said, “Forget it then. At least staying close to the lord means having something to do and passing the time.” Straightening up, he asked earnestly, “Now that I’m here, what exactly did the lord summon me for?”

The black servant was about to list all the precautions within the Shen residence when Chi’s question caught him off guard. Thinking about the reason for summoning Chi, the tips of his ears hidden beneath his hair flushed red. Clenching his fist and covering his mouth, he coughed a few times, unsure how to begin.

Since the Asura Palace had gained a new young master, and the lord had not instructed that others be told, it was better not to make unnecessary trouble and risk the lord’s wrath later. After much consideration, the black servant finally spoke, “The lord has taken a liking to a human and wishes to… court him. Neither the lord nor I have experience in such matters, so I suggested you come from the Asura Palace, since you, ahem, have more experience in such affairs.”

As expected, Chi’s eyes lit up at this, a knowing smile curling his lips like a seasoned matchmaker’s. He lowered himself into a nearby redwood carved chair. “You’ve definitely come to the right person. My circle of confidantes spans the entire realm.”

After a moment of seriousness, Chi grabbed the black servant’s hand excitedly. “Who has the lord taken a fancy to? What does he look like? Where is he now?”

The black servant quickly slapped Chi’s hand away. “Calm down. The gentleman is right here in the residence.”

Chi, eager to rush out, was yanked back by the collar. His eyes reddened instantly, a pout crossing his face. “Brother Nu, how can you treat me like this? You’ve seen the lady’s true face—why won’t you let me have a look?”

The black servant glanced at him sharply. “He’s with the lord. Do you want to go?”

Chi’s mouth opened in surprise, then he waved his hand dismissively. “Forget it. If I disturb the lord’s affair, he’ll punish me again by sending me to hell for reflection. Hell! You know how merciless that is. They don’t punish you all that harshly, but me? Off to hell I go. It chills me to the bone.”

The black servant scratched his head with a click of his tongue. “Enough. Stop your nonsense.”

Chi clasped his hands together and nodded. “Alright then. Since I’m here, I must help the lord. Come on, tell me—how far along are the lord and the lady?”

Before the black servant could answer, Chi continued, “From my experience, the first impression on the lady is crucial. Since she’s already at the residence, the lord must have done well!”

Leaning on his chin, Chi pondered.

The black servant hesitated briefly before saying, “Last night, the lord just had me carry the lady back…”

Chi suddenly lost strength in his hand, nearly banging his head on the table. “My goodness, the lord truly is something!”

The black servant went on, “Then, it seems the lord used some kind of threat to keep the lady from leaving…”

Chi fell silent.

The black servant added, “Today, the lord has been keeping the lady by his side the whole time.”

Chi twitched at the corner of his mouth, then stood, propping himself against the chair. He raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure the lord is courting her and not just imprisoning her to fatten her up for eating?”

The black servant shot Chi a glance. “Don’t forget, this is the residence. Though the lord is now reincarnated and his powers limited, neither of us are the lord. How do we know he won’t overhear us?”

Chi pursed his lips, stroking his chin. “True. How about this…” He hunched over with a sly grin, rubbing his hands together. “Why don’t we sneak a peek at what the lord and lady are doing right now?”

The black servant said, “If you want to find death, go ahead, but don’t drag me into it.”

Chi rolled his eyes and spread his hands. “Don’t forget, I’m the one you called. If the lord finds out, who do you think he’ll blame?”

His carefree expression said it all.

Indeed, among the five generals under the Ghost Sovereign—the black servant and the four oddities, Chi, Mei, Wang, and Liang—Chi was punished the most and was the only one sent to hell for penalties. The underlings there had even started greeting him, and he was beginning to get used to it.

The black servant glared fiercely at Chi but relented. “Fine, we’ll just take a quick look. No dilly-dallying. If the lord finds out, neither of us will have a good outcome.”

Chi stuck out his tongue, made a face, and stood up fearlessly, slinging his arm over the black servant’s shoulder. “Got it, got it, Brother Nu.”

The black servant clicked his tongue, admitting he was a little curious about the situation between the lord and the lady. After all, neither had left the study all day; no one outside knew what was happening inside.

Inside the study, Shen Xunqing and Yu Huan remained. Though Yu Huan had agreed to stay on as Shen Xunqing’s tutor, he was utterly unprepared. After Shen Xunqing immersed himself in the desk, Yu Huan dared not speak.

He picked a random book from the nearby shelf and began to read. Unexpectedly, its contents were quite fascinating. Parts of the text were marked, with reflections written in the margins—apparently Shen Xunqing’s own notes.

Yu Huan became engrossed, discovering that Shen Xunqing shared many of his thoughts. This gave Yu Huan a sense of kinship. When he finally set the book down, he glanced toward the window and saw the sun was nearly setting.

After holding one position for so long, Yu Huan’s neck ached. He turned slightly to look at Shen Xunqing’s direction, but the desk was empty. Then a familiar voice came to his ear: “Tired?”

Yu Huan immediately felt Shen Xunqing’s hands firmly massaging his shoulders. Surprised, he tried to rise and refuse, but Shen Xunqing held him down, whispering softly by his ear, “Don’t move. Your hair is all messy.”