Su Xiao actually went and put on the, 'If you don't make it up to me, I'll hammer you to death with my small hands' act. However, his thumps were too weak, so it didn't hurt. Instead, tears formed in his eyes. Several drops landed on me, but I didn't feel as if I was getting hit.
I wiped his tears on his flush face. He looked up at me. I don't know if he was shy or what, but he then buried his small head in my chest. He muttered under his breath, but I could also hear him sniffling.
"Big Brother Ming, you jerk, you lied to me!"
'That's a pretty slow reaction!'
There's something wrong with Su Xiao today. He's usually silly and sweet; he's agile and has fast reactions, which is completely unlike today. Today, he appears as though he's drunk several jars of wine. He fumbles with his reactions.
'Don't tell me he's drunk.'
Su Xiao passes out with one drink, though. Plus, I sniffed him and didn't detect any smell of alcohol. There was an enchanting scent, however. Sniffing him made me feel drunk, instead…
He raised his head and batted his eyes.
"Big Brother Ming, why did you trick me?"
"Erm, erm, because… Because…"
'Because I was scared off by your question!'
'We were talking about the marrying the Princess. How did you stick your question in there?'
I honestly don't understand what Su Xiao means by, "How about me?"
His gender is questionable as is. I'm so close to him, yet I tend to have trouble distinguishing if he's a guy or girl most of the time. If I wasn't stupefied by his question he asked with the mannerisms and tone of a young girl, then the sun would rise from the other side!
'But since he asked that… Could he have fallen for me?'
'Touchwood! That's poisonous!'
"Quit with your waffling already."
Su Xiao slowly got off me, but kept his head lightly leaning on my chest as though he was out of energy and needed to lean on me. He softly asked, "Let me ask you again… What is to become of me after you marry the Princess?"
I had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask, "Xiao, what does that mean?"
"You're playing dumb!"
Su Xiao was so angry that he was on the verge of tears. He stamped his feet, "I asked you, what about me?"
'I'm literally in tears here!'
'Please! Venerated Xiao! Could you please explain to this humble one what it is that you mean?!'
I took out a refreshment from my shirt and tried to cheer him up.
"Xiao, you want a sweet osmanthus cake?"
Su Xiao looked at me with disbelief. He snatched up the osmanthus cake and threw it toward the door!
'Hey! That's the osmanthus cake that Tiantian made! It wasn't easy to find two actual decent ones from his stand. That's my midnight snack! Don't throw it away if you're not going to eat it!
Su Xiao looked at me with rage. He narrowed his eyes and stared at me similarly to a cat.
"Big Brother Ming, you don't keep your word!"
"How did I not keep my word?!"
"I remember you said that you'd retire at Liu Shan Men, so that the two of us can work together for life. You also said that I had to look after you and treat you to delicacies. You said that you'd take care of me for life if you were promoted. Did you say that or not?!'
'So that's what you were on about!'
'I told you so! Su Xiao couldn't possibly fall for me.'
However, Su Xiao didn't spare me. He kept pestering me by poking my chest and lecturing me.
"But look at you. How long has it been since you said that, huh? You tossed that promise out of your mind to be a Fuma, because the Princess is pretty. Does our brotherly bond even matter to you anymore?!"
"Xiao, Xiao, calm down. This is an expedient measure."
"Exp-, Exp-" Su Xiao couldn't enunciate it. He then barbarically belted, "Expwhatever! I don't understand it!"
'You ever heard of being reasonable?!'
'You can't pronounce it, so you got mad?! What is the matter with you today? Your speech is all muddled and you're throwing your temper around. You trying to play drunk bum with me?!'
"You disregard everything the moment you spot a pretty girl. You're already about to be a Fuma, yet you went on a date with the Princess. Did you tell me beforehand? I waited for you all day yesterday, while you went to visit the Princess' uncle and grandpa with her."
As he spoke, he poked me with his small white finger while his tears coursed down his face. I can't say he looked good. His speech got faster and faster, and his face got redder and redder. Even his breathing became hectic.
"You don't care about me. You… You… I…"
He couldn't calm himself down and passed out.
I swiftly caught Su Xiao and carried him in my arms over to a seat. I placed one hand on his wrist and transferred true qi to unblock his clog. In response, Su Xiao's frown slightly relaxed.
His body was burning up as if he was sick.
Su Xiao is just odd today.
He lost control of his emotions, struggled to enunciate words, and his face was flush. It was though he was drunk. Even his neck was frighteningly hot as if he had a high fever.
I checked his pulse. Judging from his pulse, he doesn't appear to be sick… It's most likely the effect of some drug.
The moment the possibility of a drug came to mind, I suddenly thought that all of Su Xiao's strange mannerisms could be explained now. He just came to see me, but then suddenly asked a strange question. He cried and made a scene. He was fine when he came into my room, but then his emotions abruptly underwent a massive change. He seemed as if he was ready to hack somebody. That's uncharacteristic of him to say.
Based on Su Xiao's symptoms, it's got to be a drug that can affect one's mental state. I do know a good number of drugs that could cause a drastic change in a short time period, but Su Xiao's condition just now was somewhat strange. He didn't appear depressed, but neither did he appear ecstatic. It was more akin to his emotions being amplified many times over, leading to loss of control.
I quickly went through the relevant drugs recorded in Black and White Reflection… It's an aphrodisiac!
It's got to be some aphrodisiac. That would explain why Xiao was so strange just now.
With a beauty in my arms, my sabre started to feel stimulated. It seemed to want to bust out of its sheath to prove its prowess.
'No wonder why I was so weird tonight, always thinking things I should be thinking of! This drug is strong. That's why not even I could escape its grasp. Additionally, it's definitely located in my room!'
Realising that, I began to inspect every nook and cranny. I sniffed as hard as I could, but to no avail. Instead of saying that there was the smell of a drug in my room, you might as well say that it's the pheromones of an oestrus female animal.
The smell was coming from my arms. To be specific, it was coming from the body of the sleeping beauty…
'Fuck! Sabre! It's not time for you to be unleashed from your sheath!'
I suppressed the thought then suddenly discovered that the candle smelt odd. No, not odd, but it didn't have any smell.
I usually use the candles everybody in Liu Shan Men uses. It's always had a bad smell that I can't describe properly, so I usually avoid lighting it. When night falls, I either go see Old Huang for some drinks and gambling, or I sneak into the palace to see Old Dai, dye my hair, and then sleep.
Today, however, the candle didn't have any smell. Therefore, somebody has mixed drugs into the candle!
'Now I'm angry. Who's the bastard who did this to Su Xiao?!'
When I was planning to get to the bottom of this, I suddenly heard light footsteps outside the door. The visitor had purposely walk with light steps. Nonetheless, their steps were fast, despite being light.
'A sneak attack?'
It doesn't seem to be. I can't sense any murderous intent form them.
I then heard knocks on my door. I had no idea who was here to see me so late at night.
I fumed, "Who are you, dipshit?! I'm asleep!"
'Not to mention, the room has been drugged, I've got a beauty in my arms, and I'm pissed. If you don't want me to bust your ass, then piss off!'
The suave voice outside contained a hint of hesitation.
"Brother Ming… It's me."
'Oh, fuck! The Princess?!'
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