As they ran through the outer courtyard and toward the main hall, Tao Hua examined Shan Si. Something about his relationship with Master Tao felt off, and yet Tao Hua couldn't quite place a finger on it. He was absolutely CERTAIN that his statement "some people need to be taught a lesson, and other's had to have it slapped in their face" wasn't just said to sound poetic.
Not that it sounded poetic by any means.
It held weight, and it was weight Tao Hua couldn't lift, let alone comprehend.
A personal vendetta…? Tao Hua, in the midst of his hop, skip, and jump—all trying to keep up with Shan Si—took one last look at the burning building. It was troublesome, the entire situation, and that was written on Tao Hua's face.
Master Tao was well known for being a likable man. In the social world of nobles, likeability was the standard, so for someone to stand out and be known for it, well, it just meant they were more than likeable.
They were practically a god amongst chatter.
Which was all by design. Master Tao lived for praise and was always so eager to be on everyone's good side. So, when he had a son who was so widely disliked…Tao Hua didn't need to think about that.
What mattered was that Master Tao was loads more valuable than Tao Hua would ever be, which made Shan Si's goal muddier.
"…" He relaxed his head, turning back to stare at Shan Si, who was now fidgeting with the door. The two had come to a stop, so this allowed Tao Hua more time to study Shan Si.
If his goal is to hurt Father…that doesn't any make sense. Holding up his hand, he pressed a thumb into the palm and slid it across the silk. It felt like butter. He's just wasting his time if that's the case. For a man who hates having his time waste—
He cut that very thought short, skipping over it and to another one, more intimate. Puckering his lips, he looked away awkwardly.
Shan Si had broken in purely from what he'd read in Tao Hua's book. Which could so easily be seen as simple stories, nothing more. But they weren't simple, and they were not meant to be simple, either.
Each story had meaning and mirrored his day-to-day life; anyone sharp enough would be able to catch after a few stories. At least anyone who knew what it was that kept Tao Hua tied to Siyue Town.
Which was a good point. If Shan Si was smart enough to read between the lines of Tao Hua's writing, why would he assume it had anything to do with the relic?
He watched as Shan Si, through his frustration, lifted his leg and kicked the handle off the door. The golden handle flew through the air, bounced off the stone with a few clinks, and then rolled onto a garden of pebbles, just before it slammed into a thin tree.
It blindingly reflected the fire, nearly giving away the two.
"Fuck…" Shan Si whispered, his eyes narrowed on the handle. But he didn't ruminate on it as Tao Hua would; instead, he swiftly surged into action and grabbed Tao Hua's hand.
From the brightly lit outdoors to the dark echoes of a stretched-out hall, Shan Si dragged Tao Hua in with ease. The second he slammed that door shut with a kick, all the incessant clacking, shouting, and slamming doors muffled immediately.
It was as if the two dove under water, offering a serene quiet that silenced the inner courtyard chaos.
With another few kicks, softer this time, Shan Si bent the handle enough to make entering difficult. He glared at it, muttering as he turned to drag Tao Hua through the room.
"This usually goes by a lot quicker…" he said with another grunt and a kick, ensuring the door wasn't usable.
Which only added more fuel to the fire…well, Tao Hua's personal fire. There wasn't anything left to drown out his thoughts, so he continued to swim through them just a bit longer.
Their shoes softly echoed in that small room, just as Tao Hua stared down at the hand that held his.
It was much bigger and more defined. Normally Tao Hua would feel a bit envious of such things, but for once that wasn't the case. He actually admired it. And for some reason that heightened his hope, showcasing in how his cheeks deepened.
Goes by quicker…? Tao Hua thought. Is there a chance he might be doing this for…
Nonsensical thinking. Tao Hua clamped his eyes shut and shook his head. The thought was better discarded and awarded to someone who didn't break into houses, violating someone's privacy, and nearly lost it over…a theoretical relic.
And they certainly didn't do that to save someone from their tormented life.
But it was a nice thought in the middle of a terrible night. He'd be a fool not to say he didn't want to bask in it a little longer.
His wishful thinking was met with a small sigh, and his heart sped up the longer he stared at those two hands. Of course, the palpitating was partially due to running, he still had to acknowledge that the other half wasn't.
This is a man who committed a crime, and yet he was watching as his fingers twitched within his grasp. Tao Hua contemplated wrapping them around in return, thinking, Would it be so bad if I…
But there was no stopping his doubts from resurfacing. Of course it would be bad, even if his hands didn't feel like someone with ill intentions, he still enacted ill intentions.
So, with a slight frown, he curled his fingers into a fist. It was better to be practical than hopeful. Tao Hua had learnt that very day that fairytale thinking had only offered him more grieving than it did happiness.
There was probably a word for someone as sad as him, finding hope in someone malicious. He couldn't think of it, but he knew it had to do with his years upon years of isolation and loneliness.
Another abrupt stop, and then a kick to the second door. A gust of fresh air rushed into that dark hall, and lasted only a moment longer before Tao Hua was tugged once more, nearly flying into this man with a trip.
Luckily, he stopped himself, stumbling a bit as he tried to keep up. The inner courtyard, in comparison to its counterpart, was much darker. There were a few swaying lanterns; however, most of it was shadowed by the glow that emanated over the roof. It cast a tall shadow over the two, hoarding all the available light and making the scene evermore ominous.
But Shan Si was fiercely focused on escape, and one glance would tell anyone he was skilled. This man dodged every obstacle in the way, preventing Tao Hua, who was a mess of clumsy stumbles and light wheezing, from running into anything.
He did this through every twist or potential collision, avoiding every statue, tree, pillar, or fence. In fact, Shan Si was so careful with Tao Hua, it only increased Tao Hua's over-thought desire.
Tao Hua just followed behind, breathing "yes sir" to every order, stuttering and blubbering like an idiot cornered. It was so much movement; he felt like he'd collapse at any moment. But this was more of a blessing than it was a curse—he could use it as an excuse for his overthinking and flushed exterior.
And Shan Si would be none-the-wiser. Lying! Tao Hua's worst skill. It always came in clutch.
As soon as they passed through the first hall and stopped before the main gate, Tao Hua held up his other hand. He grasped Shan Si's arm and nearly dragged his outer-robe down. Face flushed and sweaty, he bent forward, staring down at the pristine stone path.
Every breath he took was shallow, and his chest filled with a frigid and uncomfortable cold. He was utterly exhausted!
"U-Um…can we…" Tao Hua inhaled, nearly collapsing had it not been for Shan Si's reflexes. He caught Tao Hua's arm, keeping him afloat.
With pinched brows, and a tone no less amused than it was physically fine, he asked, "What? You can't already be tired."
But he was.
Tao Hua wheezed a few more times. It was awful! Exercise! With a large inhale, he cried, "I think I'm gonna die!—"
But he paused, his eyes narrowing each time he swallowed the fresh air.
It was fresh—the air didn't have a single trace of smoke.
Whipping his head around, he glanced up at the roof of the previous hall. Now, it was no surprise that Tao Estate was longer than it was wide, but that still didn't explain why the glow had completely died down.
In fact, there really wasn't any glow. Had the fire been extinguished that quickly?
Then, he returned to Shan Si, staring up at him as the man helped Tao Hua steady himself.
"I told you they'd be fine," he said, removing his hand from Tao Hua's. "I told you that you didn't have to trust me, but I'm not a monster."
Said by the man who threatened Tao Hua's life.
Confused, Tao Hua watched as Shan Si patted down his robe before turning to the door. He fiddled with the latch, and to his surprise, it swung up with ease and bounded off the ledge a few times.
"For someone as high-profile as your father has grown far too comfortable with small-town life." Shan Si rolled his eyes and smiled mockingly. "He deserves everything he's getting tonight."
Tao Hua looked up at Shan Si, confused. He muttered, "High…profile?"
Shan Si pressed the tips of his fingers against the gate, casually pushing it open. It squeaked, but that was stopped the moment Shan Si shoved his foot under the door and tipped it up.
"Famous. Especially in the Imperial Capital."
That didn't make sense. His father was famous in Siyue Town, sure, but compared to the rest of Zhonglai, Siyue Town was a singular grain of sand in a world of boulders.
"He's just the headman of this town…is he well-known for his trading practices?" asked Tao Hua, innocently glancing up at Shan Si, just as he reached over to Tao Hua and wrapped his arm around his shoulder.
Tugging Tao Hua closer, he smiled knowingly.
"He can't trade for shit." His face twisted a bit, darkening with each laugh. "Seems you don't know a thing about your own name, Tao Hua."
Chapter end.