Chapter 54

His heart started to beat uncontrollably.

Seeing that Ning Shiting had agreed, Gu Tingshuang kept it in mind.

That afternoon, he watched as Ning Shiting busied himself around the Fragrance Pavilion. First, Ning set aside a bowl of blood for making some Soul Returning Incense, then he spent some time with Fenglǜ discussing the art of fragrance. Eventually, the two of them sat down to eat.

A few delicate dishes were served, but Gu Tingshuang still ate very little. The spiritual energy he gained through his cultivation was already sufficient to sustain his daily needs. Yet, he didn’t quite understand why he continued to spend time eating.

He felt it was simply because he enjoyed the act of eating itself. As the saying goes, "Water too pure has no fish." Human desires need to be restrained but not eliminated; if completely removed, the restraint and balance that come with it would lose their meaning, and he would lose the instinctive nature that a wolf should possess.

He glanced at Ning Shiting as he ate. Ning Shiting ate with refinement, carefully picking up food and chewing slowly. Yet, due to the awkwardness of using his left hand, his movements were a bit clumsy.

Gu Tingshuang watched him for a moment, then took a bite of his own food, put down his chopsticks, and glanced at Ning Shiting again.

Noticing this, Ning Shiting asked, “What’s the matter, Dianxia?”

Gu Tingshuang hesitated for a while before replying, “Nothing.”

He didn’t ask when Ning Shiting would start making the Nine Treasures Pastry. He wouldn’t rush him directly. After all, someone with Ning Shiting's temperament was unlikely to break his word, right?

After thinking about it, he put down his chopsticks and simply said, “I’m going to practice.”

Ning Shiting said, "Ng, I'll write a report first. Once Hua Qiu brings me the premium immortal walnuts I requested, I'll start making the Nine Treasures Pastry for you."

He suddenly brought up the topic, causing Gu Tingshuang's movements to pause. He glanced back at Ning Shiting, momentarily at a loss for words, just standing there in a daze for a brief moment.

In that same instant, Ning Shiting's eyes held a soft smile, a gentle warmth flickering within them. Though he didn’t say anything, Gu Tingshuang vaguely understood the implication, which only made him feel a mix of frustration and embarrassment. He set down his chopsticks and left abruptly.

After sunset, Ning Shiting remained in his room, while Gu Tingshuang went to the main hall to practice his martial arts.

He gradually realised that although the courtyard outside the Fragrance Pavilion wasn't as vast as the one at the Shizi's residence, it was still an excellent place for training. Perhaps it was because he knew Ning Shiting was just inside, working on his incense, always within view, that there was an unspoken desire to put on a bit of a show.

At first, he found it irritating, feeling as if he were being watched. But later, after noticing that Ning Shiting hardly ever lifted his head to look at him, he began to intentionally make some noise. Sometimes he would command his wolf’s body to climb the tree, scaring off the birds and sending a shower of golden ginkgo leaves cascading down.

That one time, Ning Shiting heard the commotion and glanced outside.

Gu Tingshuang would always remember his gaze from that moment—like a bird, stretching its neck as it steps out into the early spring air, clear and pure. The late autumn sunlight filtered through the thick layer of ice and the ginkgo leaves, faintly tinted by the Soul Returning Incense, and bathed his face, turning his features into an almost divine mixture of gold and white. The edges of his eyelashes seemed to catch some golden threads or perhaps some unknown shimmer of light.

And what must he have looked like, viewed through the window by Ning Shiting?

Through his wolf’s eyes, he looked back. There was the young man, sitting in his wheelchair, his back straight like a concealed sword, tall and elegant. The same golden light that illuminated Ning Shiting now shone on him as well.

He was almost fifteen, but he remained dissatisfied with the traces of youth that clung to him. He longed to grow up quickly, to become an adult.

This thought had crossed his mind when he was very young—every time, every night when the moon was out. He would wake from his dreams and see his mother sitting by the window, wiping her makeup case under the moonlight. In those moments, he had the same thought.

He knew his mother was thinking of someone, but he never mentioned it, and neither did she.

At such a young age, a wish had already formed in his heart: since there was no man in this household, he must grow up quickly to shoulder the responsibilities that had been left unfulfilled by the absent head of the family.

That wish had long faded after the Wangfei passed away, buried deep within him, no longer necessary. There was nothing in the world that required him to grow up early—no ties or attachments that anchored him to this mortal realm. Yet now, he was startled by the sudden emergence of that old desire:

If only he were seventeen, like Ning Shiting.

Ning Shiting was a contradiction. Though young in age, he carried the weight of someone who had seen much of the world and experienced its many twists and turns.

Gu Tingshuang’s instincts had never been wrong. Ning Shiting’s calmness and maturity were not an occasional act; they were deeply embedded, born from some unknown past that he had truly lived through.

In the sunlight, Gu Tingshuang found himself feeling handsome, even beautiful. His gaze drifted, and he realised that Ning Shiting was looking at him, too. His heart started to beat like a drum uncontrollably.

Through the eyes of his wolf, he saw that Ning Shiting was indeed watching him.

Ning Shiting, unaware of where Gu Tingshuang’s spirit had gone, seemed not to notice that the young man in the wheelchair had become a motionless shell. His gaze was filled with curiosity.

In the courtyard, the strange mix of autumn scenery and winter snow blurred together, with half of the trees green and the other half golden. The wind rustled softly through it all.

The courtyard was so quiet that the sound of incense smoke flowing could be heard, and the backflow incense dripped slowly. Then suddenly, there was a loud crash outside—a small silver wolf with golden front paws tumbled down from the treetop, landing with a loud thud, completely dazed.

As this earth-shattering noise resounded, Ning Shiting's laughter followed: "How did you fall again?"

He reached out his hand for a moment but then let it fall, recalling that the white wolf from Spirit Mountain wasn’t so fragile. Last time, the little wolf had fallen from the treetop directly onto the jade steps and was completely fine. Plus, Gu Tingshuang was still outside.

Gu Tingshuang instantly withdrew his spirit back into his body, glanced at Ning Shiting, and forced himself to stay calm, saying, "There's no problem."

The little wolf circled around his feet, still disoriented from the fall. It wobbled as it walked until Gu Tingshuang scooped it up by the scruff of its neck and placed it on his lap, gently stroking it. Then, without hesitation, he tossed it toward the window.

"Don't bother me here, go play with him, ba."

Just as it was about to be flung into the wall, the little wolf deftly latched onto the windowsill, letting out a pitiful whimper before happily diving into Ning Shiting's arms.

Ning Shiting, now entrusted with this unexpected responsibility, didn’t say much. He simply smiled, cradled the little wolf in his arms, and let it crawl onto his shoulder, where it began to playfully scratch his hair.

Since he wasn’t going out, his attire was more relaxed. His hair was loosely tied with a dark green ribbon, and for convenience, while crafting incense, he had tucked a flowing cloud hairpin behind his ear to keep his hair in place.

The little wolf, captivated by the shiny hairpin, swatted at it with its paw, causing Ning Shiting’s hair to fall loose, cascading down his chest.

The little wolf immediately leapt to the ground, starting to play with the hairpin.

"You don't have to spoil it like this," Gu Tingshuang’s voice came from outside the window.

Ning Shiting glanced at the little wolf, then at Gu Tingshuang.

Gu Tingshuang turned his face away and rotated his wheelchair so that his back faced Ning Shiting, unwilling to let him see his expression.

Ning Shiting chuckled and said, "Ng, next time I’ll scold it."

The little wolf shook its fur, and even it could sense the tenderness and indulgence in Ning Shiting's tone, becoming even bolder. It grabbed the jade hairpin and climbed back onto Ning Shiting's shoulder.

Later that evening, Ning Shiting began making the "Nine Treasures Pastry." He first sun-dried the walnuts, ground them into powder and then prepared to roast them with yin fire.

As night fell, Gu Tingshuang moved indoors, holding a scroll. He sat at one end of the table reading, while Ning Shiting slowly ground the walnut powder at the other.

Because this was food, Ning Shiting wore gloves, as usual, slowly grinding away. However, the silver pestle from the Qing Wang Mansion was too smooth, and with his misty water gloves on, it frequently slipped from his grip. Several times, the pestle flew out of his hand.

He seemed accustomed to this, remaining silent and unbothered, his expression unchanged. When the little wolf retrieved it for him, he gently patted its head.

Gu Tingshuang put down his book and asked, "I’d like to read the Collection of Wondrous Flowers. Did you bring it?"

He was referring to a book Ning Shiting had mentioned before.

Ning Shiting replied, "Dianxia, go check the bookshelf. I had it placed there. It's the first one on the top shelf."

Gu Tingshuang went to the next room and retrieved the book.

As he passed behind Ning Shiting, holding the book, his movements slowed for a moment. In an impulsive moment, seeing Ning Shiting’s elegant, composed back, a sudden urge to destroy arose within him. Before he could think it through, his hand had already moved—he aimed a direct strike, just like before, at the back of Ning Shiting’s neck.

But a hand caught his effortlessly.

Without turning around, Ning Shiting blocked the strike with a swift, breeze-like motion. His long, slender fingers, cool to the touch through the misty gloves, gently grasped Gu Tingshuang’s wrist.

Though it seemed simple, Ning Shiting’s speed and reaction were as quick as those of the legendary Ice Mayfly, like Ting Shu.

Gu Tingshuang froze. "You..."

Ning Shiting let go, stretching lazily as he said, "Dianxia Highness, before you practice martial arts, at least give me a warning. I’ve been grinding these walnuts for so long, it’d be a shame to spill them."

Gu Tingshuang, feeling a bit deflated, withdrew his hand. "So you knew all along."

Ning Shiting, not in the least angry, smiled with interest. "I knew last time too. Dianxia is quite skilled."

"Then, does your promise to practice with me still count?" Gu Tingshuang, now that he had been exposed, showed no embarrassment and asked enthusiastically.

"Naturally it counts."

Ning Shiting turned his head and smiled at him, the candlelight flickering in his eyes like shimmering stars. "When Dianxia can knock me unconscious again, consider it your first achievement."

"Stop talking to me like you're my Shifu," Gu Tingshuang snapped. "If I succeed, will you agree to one condition?"

Ning Shiting laughed again. "Has anyone ever told you, Dianxia, that the first half of what you say is never pleasant to hear, but the latter half is always something to take seriously?"

Gu Tingshuang narrowed his eyes, his gaze fierce. But Ning Shiting continued to look at him without fear, his smile undiminished.

He wasn’t afraid of him.

Or rather, he was teasing him, speaking with a calm, affectionate tone.

Somehow, even this playful exchange filled Gu Tingshuang with indescribable joy.

It was a joy he hadn’t felt in a long time, the kind of joy found in the mortal world—like the joy of tasting candy as a child, overwhelming, like a tidal wave, capable of making him tremble with excitement.

Gu Tingshuang said, "I don’t care what nonsense you’re spouting, Ning Shiting. As long as I succeed, you must agree to one condition."

Ning Shiting paused for a moment, then said lightly, "Ah, good."

"Now you owe me two favours, Ning Shiting."

"When did I owe Dianxia another favour?" Ning Shiting asked, a little puzzled.

Gu Tingshuang, unfazed, replied, "Twice—once when you went out to find the book, and another when we got separated in the snow. Killing Su Yue this time was troublesome, so that cancels out one favour. But you still owe me the other. You have to repay it, Ning Shiting."

Ning Shiting sighed helplessly. "…Dianxia really knows how to do business."

"And your answer?" Gu Tingshuang stared at him intently.

Ning Shiting smiled. "Good, good, good. I’ll do whatever you say. How could I dare to refuse Dianxia?"