Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Chapter 21

Xiao Bao had been cooped up in the mansion for over a week, bored to the extreme, resorting to throwing stones at the pond edge. He spent his days admiring the fish and teasing the birds, utterly bored. Su Yin, on the other hand, had been almost invisible, often not returning all night, leaving Xiao Bao wondering where he wandered off to each day. Yet, today, Su Yin was surprisingly spending time with him, passing the time.

Su Yin lay on a bamboo cot, enjoying the cool air while reading a book, the picture of leisure and contentment.

Xiao Bao and Su Yin had been giving each other the cold shoulder since that afternoon, although it was really just one-sided on Xiao Bao's part. Su Yin went about his business as usual, unaffected by Xiao Bao's angry stares and frustration, which only infuriated Xiao Bao more.

Continuing the silent treatment seemed pointless, especially since Xiao Bao had something he needed to ask him.

"Hey."

"Hmm." Su Yin lazily uttered from deep within his throat, his voice trembling slightly. Beyond that, he didn't even bother to lift an eyelid.

"Why won't you let Zuo Ying go?"

"You're too dumb; explaining it to you would be a waste of breath." Su Yin's tone wasn't sarcastic or mocking but as matter-of-fact as commenting on clear weather. The more indifferent he was, the more convinced he seemed of his words, which infuriated Xiao Bao to the point of jumping up.

"Su Yin!! Don't you dare go too far!! Just because you've been out in the world a few years earlier doesn't mean you know everything better than me!!!"

Su Yin closed the book, finally lifting his eyes to look at him. "Do you even know who attacked you that day? What their background is, why they wanted to kill you?"

"Uh... Didn't Zuo Ying say something about the Five Oddities?"

"If you don't know, have you thought about investigating?" Anger was gradually rising in Su Yin's eyes.

"No... I have you... and dad will surely look into it..."

"Being attacked out of the blue and still only relying on me and your father, even if you had started mingling in the underworld at three, you'd probably spend all your time on women. No wonder you've grown nothing but flesh and remain so dumb..."

"You... you..." Xiao Bao's face trembled with anger. He had always known he couldn't compare to Su Yin in anything. The carefree young master's only lifelong shadow was his inferiority complex towards Su Yin, and now, being openly mocked by him, he felt his self-esteem severely wounded. Moreover, since coming of age, Su Yin had rarely used such harsh words against him. Today, for some reason, he showed no mercy.

Xiao Bao, with all the pent-up rage from being confined, the fury of being mocked, and the years of anger for always being inferior, clenched a small stone in his hand and hurled it with all his might at Su Yin. In the brief moment Su Yin caught the stone, Xiao Bao had already lunged at him.

The anger from being grounded, mocked, and years of feeling inferior for not matching up to him in anything surged up all at once. He threw himself at Su Yin, fists flying in a blind rage.

Since they had come of age, the two had not engaged in such a physical fight, mainly due to the growing disparity in their martial skills. Xiao Bao, always knowing his place, had thus surprised Su Yin with his sudden attack.

The sensation of over 170 pounds of solid mass bearing down was something even a martial artist would struggle with, let alone Su Yin, who also had to ensure he didn't kick Xiao Bao into the pond.

With no hands free to defend himself, Su Yin took a few punches from Xiao Bao. Despite Xiao Bao's lack of skill in martial arts, his large physique and inherent strength meant that the punches he landed were not to be taken lightly.

Su Yin grew angry as well. He had been sleepless for days cleaning up the huge mess Xiao Bao had made, offending a powerful figure who covered the sky with one hand. He was worried not just for Xiao Bao, but for the entire Jin family. Although that person hadn't made a move yet, who could say when they might discover who had foiled their plans and what would happen then?

While others had childhood friends of equal social standing and exemplary character, Su Yin wondered how he ended up with someone so utterly useless and prone to causing trouble.

Seizing Xiao Bao's wildly swinging fists with one hand and gripping his clothes with the other, Su Yin effortlessly pulled Xiao Bao off himself, pinning him firmly beneath him.

Now immobilized, Xiao Bao could only stare up at Su Yin, his large, glossy eyes wide like a cow's, lips pursed in a defiant glare as he panted heavily. Su Yin returned the cold stare.

After a moment, Xiao Bao was the first to break into laughter.

"Heh heh, what's the big deal? Thought you were all high and mighty with your martial arts. How'd you like taking a few punches from your grandpa Jin here?"

Seeing the smug look on Xiao Bao's chubby round face, Su Yin couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Oh, very comfortable, very comfortable. Since it's all about give and take, let me return the favor and make you feel comfortable too." Su Yin's hands moved towards Xiao Bao's armpits...

"Hey... no... ah... ahaha... stop... Su Yin... my bad... stop... hahaha Su Yin I was wrong... I was wrong... really, I was wrong... I beg you..."

Xiao Bao was in tears, laughing and drooling as he was tickled mercilessly by Su Yin. Finally, seeing enough of his begging, Su Yin stopped his torturous tickling. Observing Xiao Bao's pitiful state, he felt a wave of sympathy. Just like when they were children, Xiao Bao always acted tough but ended up doing foolish things. After all these years, he hadn't matured or made any progress. Su Yin found himself unable to stay truly angry...

Both of them lay in an awkward position, gasping for breath.

Exhaling deeply, Su Yin suddenly tensed, his expression turning sharp, "Who's there? Show yourself!"