Ink Blade Chapter 6 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver
Edited by kleio
Broken Blade (part 2)
In the end, Chu Yan could only forcefully find a reason. He stared into the guard's eyes and said softly, "This Master just thought that we haven't talked properly for a long time... If Ah Ren really doesn't hold grudges on this incident towards this Master, then stay the night.”
He thought for a while, and then added, "Okay?"
Mo Ren was stunned. Regardless of other things, he really hadn't talked to the Palace Master for a long time.
After being kicked to the Side Hall in the previous life, he naturally could not go out. Chu Yan visited him a few times at first, but as a result, he always left being annoyed, and gradually his visits became less, little by little until there was none at all.
Mo Ren knew that he should not continue to stay in the Palace Master's chamber, it was against the rules. Chu Yan's attitude was also very strange, he didn't know what the Master’s purpose was.
But, in all honesty, he really...missed his Master very much.
“.....Okay." Sighing secretly in his heart, he once again overstepped his duty.
Chu Yan raised his head in surprise, and quickly stretched out his arms and lifted Mo Ren onto the bed. The guard visibly trembled when he was nestled in his arms, then he hastily whispered, “Don’t be afraid.”
As he said that, he put Mo Ren on the bed and touched his ankle, wanting to take off his shoes for him.
Unexpectedly, Mo Ren jolted as if he had been electrocuted. He suddenly shrank back his body, his face going pale as he said, "Master, don't! It’s dirty..."
Chu Yan made that action without thinking, and simultaneously, Mo Ren's violent reaction surprised him.
He hastily withdrew his hand, went around to caress Mo Ren's back, and repeatedly comforted him, "It’s not dirty, it’s not... Ah Ren is obedient, don't be afraid of this Master."
Mo Ren suddenly lowered his head, he pursed his lips and dared not answer, and only took off his shoes and socks by himself nervously.
Then, he cautiously raised the end of his eyes, glanced at the Master, and when he met the anxious expression on Chu Yan's face, that dazed look appeared in his eyes again.
Chu Yan's mind suddenly went blank. He suddenly realized that something was wrong, Ah Ren was too humble and frightened.
It's almost like…..a beast that had been abused and kicked for many years, that when it saw a stranger, it subconsciously wanted to shrink into a ball and tremble. And if any person was willing to give it a little caress and broth, it would be confused and be unable to understand the reason why.
—Right, he should have discovered this sooner.
Chu Yan couldn't help cursing himself secretly, this should have been the most obvious thing. It's just that Mo Ren was always reserved, and he tried his best to restrain this fragile emotion, which made Chu Yan realize this only now.
At this time, it was impossible for him to blame Mo Ren anymore, but he became more regretful, thinking that entering the Punishment Hall this time might have dealt too much of a blow to Mo Ren.
I don't know how long it will take for him to recuperate......
At this moment, Chu Yan naturally didn't know that the strangeness and fragility of Mo Ren was not just because of being punished once. With so many years of physical and mental torture accumulated in his previous life, he was already on the verge of collapse, almost being crushed.
At this time, the Mo Ren being comforted by Chu Yan's soft words was no longer the cold, sharp and indestructible sword of the past.
The sword was already broken, its blade shattered.
****
The sky gradually darkened, and night fell.
In the end, they didn't have much to say.
Mo Ren still couldn't accept sharing the same bed with his unparalleled master. He was obedient and reticent. As Chu Yan told him to lie down, he would lie down, but his whole body was extremely tense. He only huddled in the small corner of the bed, as if he was afraid of soiling the bed of the Palace Master.
Chu Yan tried his best to talk but couldn't make the guard relax much. He was thinking about Mo Ren's injury and didn't dare to press too hard, therefore he just lay quietly on the same bed with Ah Ren, slowly letting time pass.
In the end, it was Mo Ren who watched the time getting late, and finally said in a low voice, "It's time for the Master to rest."
Only then did the strings in Chu Yan's heart loosen, and he smiled at him then said, "It's time for Ah Ren to rest too."
"This subordinate..."
Mo Ren hesitated to speak, but eventually said with a downcast eyes, "Yes."
Chu Yan waited for him before speaking again. He sighed secretly in his heart, but still wore a smile on his face. He said, "Then......this Master will rest first."
Mo Ren felt relieved immediately. He tentatively asked the master if he wanted him to wash and change clothes, but after being denied by Chu Yan, he laid back on the bed silently.
In the dead of night, the bright moon dimly shone.
Chu Yan fell asleep very quickly. He had been too tense for the past few days since finding out that he was reborn, not to mention his heart that was full of Mo Ren's injury, he was already very tired.
But Mo Ren couldn't fall asleep for a long time. He closed his eyes for a while, but his heart was always in a mess, with all kinds of distracting thoughts rushing out.
He secretly turned his head to look at his master again.
Chu Yan's breathing was long and steady, and his handsome eyebrows and eyes appeared sunken in the dark night. He looked very young, and there was not a trace of gloominess or coldness that would be in the future. It seemed that even the outlines were soft, and the appearance of a teenager could still be vaguely seen.
That's great. Mo Ren thought secretly with his eyes open.
At this moment, he suddenly felt thin sparks rising from his heart, bright and warm.
Mo Ren shrank carefully into the soft quilt, those days of walking like a corpse had passed for too long, that even the warmth felt strange and awkward. But at this moment, he suddenly felt that he seemed to be alive again—in order to protect a still safe Chu Yan, he could die miserably, or live on, and gladly enjoy hardships in the future.
He recalled the last time in his previous life when he vaguely heard Chu Yan say that his life was cheap. He didn't admit it until now, but what's wrong with being cheap?
He was originally a sword. The Master would break it if he wanted, discard it if he wanted; when the Master wanted to use it again, he would only throw the broken iron remains into the furnace to be calcined, and it would still be good after recasting, although it could barely be regarded as sharp.
If so, that would be great.
Mo Ren slightly bent his eyebrows and smiled silently. His eyes looking at Chu Yan were as cool as water, and brighter than anyone else had ever seen.
