Yanking, Feng Yi exposed the boy’s chest, but he was distracted by the extremely fine jade pendant hanging from a red cord on the boy’s neck. Fascinated, he stroked a finger down the cord, over the pendant, and then right down the heaving sternum.

This pendant…

Unaware of what crossed the other man’s mind, Xiao Jing shivered when his skin prickled at the touch.

If they weren’t in the midst of struggling like this, Feng Yi might have taken the time to enjoy how soft the skin was and how pink the nipples were…like two small cherries adorning the boy’s chest. 

Xiao Jing twisted, but his opponent was much bigger and had all his weight on him, holding him so intimately that all he could do was make a strangled noise. Feeling a wave of panic, he squirmed as his body was pressed down in the most intimate places.

“Stop it!” the boy cried, as the other man’s hand continued to graze over his skin.

“I’m just returning the favour,” Feng Yi chuckled, finally rescuing the pouch containing the Plum Blossom jade. “And I’m also taking this as compensation,” he said, snapping the cord on the boy’s jade pendant. “Now, you little brat, get out! Next time, I won’t show you any mercy.”

Unexpectedly, the boy’s eyes became watery, and his body slackened as if he’d completely lost his will. With a muffled sound, he turned his face to the side. 

Oh dear. Is he crying?

If someone had come in at that exact moment, they might have misunderstood what was happening. Feng Yi groaned to himself.

I don’t think I’ve ever met a thief like this…You’d think I was the one in the wrong…

The little brat was either very inexperienced, very innocent, or both. Although the lunar blades were deadly, he’d felt no killing intent. In the end, all things considered, the boy probably didn’t count as a bad person.

Feeling somewhat sorry for him, Feng Yi swung his legs off the slender hips, and sat on the side of the bed as Xiao Jing sniffled.

“What? You enjoyed it so much, you want me to continue?” the older man teased, folding his arms over his chest.

Jeez, thought the boy. I thought this guy was a block of ice, but he’s actually a pervert...well, whatever...

With his face still turned away, Xiao Jing sniffed loudly, covering his eyes with one wrist.

Seeing this, Feng Yi started to feel a little bit bad for him.

“No…I’m just ashamed. I’ve not only failed to get the Plum Blossom jade, but you took the only thing that I have left of my mother,” the boy said very quietly, still covering his face. “It’s...It’s meant for my special person...” he mumbled, sounding quite embarrassed.

Feng Yi’s fingers spasmed reflexively over the boy’s jade pendant.

Sighing, he reached over, and very awkwardly patted the boy’s shoulder.

“How about this? We can...Gaahhhh!”

Leaned over as he was, Feng Yi was wholly unable to avoid the knee that came smashing into his gut. Completely winded from the blow, he keeled over onto the bed, gasping like a fish out of water. 

Xiao Jing didn’t spare him a single glance. Having achieved his goal, he retrieved the pouch and fled. His own pendant would have to be retrieved some other day.

Dammit...and I was beginning to like that brat! thought Feng Yi as he staggered to his feet, body aching.

Next door, having listened to entire episode, Rong Xi went back to enjoying his tea.

And things were going so well... he thought. 

At that moment, there was a shout as the young boy rushed out the front of the inn and darted into the street followed by a huffing, half-dressed young man who burst out with:

“Stop! Stop that flower thief!”

For a moment, there was only a stunned and awkward silence as the people in the street stared at the young man who was still gasping and clutching at the door post, and then they all burst into guffaws, holding their sides and laughing until tears streamed down their faces.

Realizing what he’d said, Feng Yi flushed red and white at the same time, and then his expression became thunderous as he desperately tried to regain some dignity.

However, a matronly woman in front of him could no longer hold back and said:

“You’re such a big man…how could such a small person climb on your bed and steal your chastity!” she chortled. “Who would believe it??”

Feng Yi pinched the space between his brows with his thumb and forefinger, trembling with anger as they laughed at him. As he burned with humiliation, he silently vowed that he would find the boy and flay his skin off.

Coming out from behind his puffing friend, Rong Xue calmly handed him his outer robe and tapped his shoulder with a sword.

“You left in such a hurry, you didn’t even take your sword, Brother Feng…” he grinned, trying not to laugh. Instead, he flapped his fan open and said: “I suppose it won’t do any good to explain that the clever little brat really did steal your flower…”

Feng Yi sighed, and his shoulders dropped.

“I was supposed to deliver that thing to Miss Shen. It’s an important matter between clans…What will Master think if I don’t retrieve it?”

“Well, I guess you’ll need my help to get it back?”

“Looks like it…”

“Ennn,” smiled Rong Xue. “Well then, let’s not waste any more time…”

****

Just as they were about to leave the inn, Rong Xue received the response he’d been waiting for.

Opening the letter that had arrived by dove, he frowned. In response to his: ‘Brother, I found a Dongling jade you might want…’ his brother, Rong Xi, had actually written back with a curt: ‘I’ve already claimed that jade...so leave it alone.’

Rong Xue made an irritated tutting noise.

“Bad news?” asked Feng Yi, as they walked towards the bridge one last time.

The blond shook his head thoughtfully, but then noticed that Feng Yi had turned to look at a boat moving slowly up the canal.

“It’s him!” Feng Yi gaped in surprise, moving to the highest part of the bridge. “Oi! Brat, come here! Give me back what you took, and you can have your pendant!” he shouted.

The boy turned to look behind him and then planted a foot on the side of the stern.

“Come and get it,” Xiao Jing shouted back, sounding petulant.

“Well then I’m keeping your pendant as a love token,” shouted Feng Yi with a grin. “You have to take responsibility for what happened last night!”

Rong Xue made a face. 

A love what...? He can’t be serious...

Xiao Jing choked.

“Don’t make it sound so weird!” he yelled indignantly.

“When we next meet, what shall I call you? My sweetheart? Darling?” teased Feng Yi.

“Shut up, you crazy pervert! My name is Zheng Xiao Jing!”

“I’m called Feng Yi. I promise we’ll meet again soon,” Feng Yi shouted back. “And next time, I’ll make you cry for real...”

Xiao Jing let out a string of expletives while turning a bright red, which only caused Feng Yi to chuckle even more.

Rong Xue’s frown deepened as he took in the expression on Feng Yi’s face, deciding that he was feeling an unbecoming spurt of jealousy.

Well, no use getting angry...he thought.

Rong Xi’s letter seemed to indicate that this Zheng Xiao Jing was a descendant of the royal family of Dongling. If that was true, then Feng Yi was on the opposite side of an irreconcilable blood feud since his family had been involved in their slaughter. Thus, in this lifetime, no matter what they came to feel for each other, Zheng Xiao Jing and Feng Yi could only ever be the bitterest of enemies.

Confident in that thought, Rong Xue decided he could afford to be patient.

Author’s Notes:

鄭小晶 - Surname: Zheng, given name: Xiao Jing - means ‘little crystal/glittering’

鄭薇薇 - Surname: Zheng, given name: Wei Wei - means ‘rose’

速毅堂 - Suyi Tang - ‘Swift & Resolute’ Hall

前輩 - qianbei - Senior - used when addressing an elder or someone more senior in the same profession

荣夕- Surname: Rong, given name: Xi - means ‘dusk’

麒麟 - Qilin - hooved chimera like creature that appears in Chinese mythology

气 - Qi - the vital energy which exists in all things. The cultivation of Qi is a major theme in wuxia, xianxia & xuanhuan novels.

里 - Li - a half kilometre

南河 - Nanhe - means ‘south river’

風義 - Surname: Feng, given name: Yi - means ‘righteousness, justice’

銀風閣 - Yinfeng Ge - Silver Breeze Pavilion

荣雪 - Surname: Rong, given name: Xue - means ‘snow’

金蘭 - Jin Lan - Golden Orchid

慎花 - Surname: Shen, given name: Hua - ‘Flower’

風明 - Surname: Feng, given name: Ming - means ‘bright’

美人局 - beauty trap - the Chinese version of the honey trap.

輕功 - qinggong - sometimes translated as light skill, it’s a wuxia term used to describe the specific martial art used to make the body light, thus enabling practitioners to run across water, leap to the top of trees or fly through the air.

Spatial gems - like rings, pouches, and other storage treasures in wuxia/xianxia/xuanhuan novels, these are for storing large amounts of items which can be called out by the owner simply by thinking about them.

花賊 - translates literally as ‘flower thief,’ but is figurative for ‘rapist’ in Chinese.

东灵 - Dongling - Eastern Spirit - the name of the kingdom where Xiao Jing’s family originates.