Villainous Junior Chapter 33
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 33: Script
There was a Black Wind Mountain in the suburbs of the capital, and on that mountain was a Black Wind Fortress. Inside the fortress lived a bandit leader with the surname Xue.
It was said that the Xue family had been bandits for generations, commanding thousands of men. Each of them was fierce and valiant, with strong combat abilities. Their quality and discipline were said to be no less than the regular imperial army. This group of bandits was stationed on the main road leading in and out of the capital city. They frequently robbed the caravans of the wealthy, and were even bold enough to have robbed the carriages of several nobles and important ministers from the capital. The emperor was furious about this and ordered troops to eliminate the bandits. However, these bandits were not only fierce but also cunning. They would fight when they could win, and when they couldn't, they would flee into the mountain valleys. Using the advantage of the terrain, they would hide so well that not even a hair could be seen. The imperial troops would march out proudly time after time, only to return with their tails between their legs. As time went on, even the emperor couldn't do anything about the Black Wind Fortress. Seeing that they only robbed the rich without killing people, he eventually turned a blind eye to their activities.
After understanding the situation, Meng Chen cheerfully set out towards the outskirts of the city.
He had made up his mind to join the bandit leader surnamed Xue.
The citizens of the capital had apparently also heard the news that the bandits had come down from the mountains. Carriages and horses preparing to leave the city were turning back towards home. The city guards were also directing people outside the city to quickly return, to prevent them from being harmed by the bandits. However, they saw a handsome young man walking against the flow of people, strolling casually towards them. They immediately rushed up to him in surprise. "Young Master Meng, are you planning to leave the city? That absolutely cannot be allowed. The villains from Black Wind Fortress are just outside. Please return quickly."
Meng Chen, without blinking an eye, made up a story. "I'm leaving the city precisely because of this matter. The villains are cunning, and the army finds it difficult to subdue them. This can't go on forever. Since the bandit leader can command so many people, he must be a reasonable person. If we negotiate with him properly, we might be able to make him restrain himself a bit."
The city guard exclaimed in shock. "Although that makes sense, but... just you alone? It's too dangerous!"
Meng Chen: "Having fewer people is better to show sincerity."
The city guard felt this made sense, and considering that the person before him was none other than Young Master Meng, whose talent was renowned throughout the capital. Perhaps he really could reason with the bandits, move them with sentiment, and convert them without using a single soldier!
So they respectfully escorted Meng Chen out of the city, and sent a few soldiers to follow him at a distance to protect his safety.
Meng Chen hadn't walked far on the small path out of the city when he was wondering where the bandits might be hiding. Suddenly, the sound of gongs and horns came from the hilltops on both sides, accompanied by shouts of "Waya waya". Hundreds of bandits sprang up from the hilltops like bamboo shoots:
"This mountain is ours, these trees we've grown, if you want to pass through, leave behind—"
"Wait," the bandit shouting the slogan rubbed his eyes and called out to the person standing at the highest point of the hilltop, "Boss, it's not a rich merchant's caravan, it's just one person!"
Meng Chen followed the bandits' gaze and saw Xue Lang standing on the hilltop.
He was wearing all black, with a large sword hanging at his waist, a black headband tied around his head, and surprisingly, a black eye patch covering his right eye.
Meng Chen examined him carefully for a while, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly that being good-looking had its advantages. Even in such rough and eccentric attire, the man managed to exude a kind of... rugged beauty.
However, was this Xue Lang, like the others before, an illusion, or was it really him?
Although they had entered the Peach Blossom Spring together, they had gone into different compartments, so logically, there shouldn't be any intersection.
Xue Lang on the hilltop also looked down at him for a while, then waved his hand and ordered his subordinates. "Tie him up and bring him to me!"
The underlings were shocked, after all, they had always been in the business of robbing the rich to help the poor, and had never done anything as exciting as forcibly abducting a civilian man... But since the boss had given the order, they decided to tie him up first and ask questions later!
So several bandits rushed down the hill, fiercely produced a rope, and tied Meng Chen up securely.
Meng Chen allowed them to tie him up without any resistance, while concluding in his heart - this Xue Lang must also be an illusion in this mirage.
After all, if it were the real Xue Lang, he wouldn't dare to treat him like this even with a hundred times more courage.
Although this Xue Lang was fake, Meng Chen still felt at ease with him. Or rather, as long as the other person was "Xue Lang", no matter what kind of Xue Lang, he felt from the bottom of his heart that the other would not harm him.
Seeing this scene, the soldiers who had been following at a distance were shocked and panicked. They immediately turned back and ran wildly towards the city, shouting at the top of their lungs:
"Terrible news - Young Master Meng has been kidnapped by bandits and taken up the mountain--!!"
By the time the news reached the capital and people from all walks of life began frantically searching for him, Meng Chen was already sitting comfortably in the Black Wind Fortress.
A group of bandits stood in two rows below, looking curiously at the person they had brought back, and asking in a jumble.
"Boss, why did we kidnap him? He doesn't look like he has much money."
"Yeah, and he's a man too. Although he's good-looking, that doesn't put food on the table..."
Xue Lang had now changed out of his previous eccentric outfit, removed his headband and eye patch, revealing his handsome and spirited face and high ponytail. Looking like this, he didn't resemble a bandit leader at all, but more like a graceful and handsome young master.
He glanced at Meng Chen, quickly averting his gaze, and said, "Don't you feel like something is missing in this fortress?"
The bandits looked confused, but a few clever ones had already caught on, snickering as they said, "A consort for the boss!"
As soon as this was said, the crowd of bandits had a sudden realization:
"That's right! The boss is of age now, he can take a spouse!!"
"Exactly! And this young master is so handsome, he's perfect for our boss!"
"Wonderful! A joyous occasion is approaching. Brothers, let's go slaughter pigs and sheep to celebrate for our boss!!"
Meng Chen, watching these inexplicably excited bandits, finally couldn't help but clear his throat and speak up.
"Leader Daren," he said sincerely to Xue Lang, "You seem to have misunderstood something. I am a man."
Xue Lang turned to look at him. The youth had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, standing tall. Compared to the seated Meng Chen, he somehow exuded a sense of pressure. He walked up to Meng Chen, reached out and gripped his chin, making him lift his face. "As long as I like you, what does it matter if you're a man?"
Meng Chen was slightly stunned.
The youth's gaze was focused and deep. The hand gripping his chin wasn't using much force, yet it was a strength from which he couldn't break free.
In the past, Xue Lang had always been awkward, obedient, and easily embarrassed in front of him.
This was the first time he had seen Xue Lang so assertive.
No longer the boy who always made him both amused and exasperated, who needed protection, but a man who seemed somewhat unfamiliar to him.
... Come to think of it, Xue Lang was indeed no longer a child.
The bandits below, seeing the somewhat ambiguous actions between the two, got even more excited. They all started clapping and cheering.
"Boss, give him a kiss!"
"You've already kidnapped him, might as well kiss him!"
"Watch your words! He's already the boss's consort! Isn't a kiss only natural?"
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"
Meng Chen listened to the thunderous voices, his heart skipping a beat. This script... surely not?
Fortunately, after looking at him for a while, Xue Lang let go of his hand and turned to shout at the crowd of bandits. "What are you all yelling about? Have you finished your work?"
The bandits immediately understood that the boss and his consort needed some private time. With knowing looks on their faces, they chuckled and retreated.
After the air quieted down, Xue Lang turned back, untied the ropes on Meng Chen, and said in a very fierce, bandit-like tone. "Anyway, now that you've entered my fortress, you're my person. Don't even think about running away."
Meng Chen thought about the Crown Prince, Prince, and Grand Preceptor in the capital city, and said sincerely from the bottom of his heart. "I won't run away."
Only then did Xue Lang show a satisfied expression. He went to get a small box and took out a wooden comb from it.
"This was left to me by my mother. She said that when I found... found someone I cared for, I should give it to them." Xue Lang spoke somewhat awkwardly, his cheeks visibly reddening if one looked closely. He held the wooden comb out to Meng Chen, "Here."
This couldn't be the legendary token of love, could it?
Four large characters floated in Meng Chen's mind. He felt it was absurd, but upon seeing the youth's shy yet exceptionally serious and persistent gaze, he unconsciously reached out and took the wooden comb.
Seeing Meng Chen take the comb, Xue Lang let out a small sigh of relief, then held out his palm to Meng Chen.
Meng Chen looked at the hand in front of him and then at Xue Lang. "?"
Xue Lang frowned. "Where's mine?"
Meng Chen: "... Your what?"
"My token!" Xue Lang said dissatisfied, pushing his hand forward again, "I gave you mine, where's yours for me!?"
Meng Chen was speechless for a while. He felt around his waist and then found a round jade pendant. He tentatively placed it in Xue Lang's hand.
Only then did Xue Lang's brow fully relax. He carefully put away the jade pendant.
That night, the Black Wind Fortress indeed held a celebratory feast. The bandits in the fortress were all rugged men, eating meat and drinking alcohol in large gulps. Meng Chen, afraid of getting drunk, retired to his room early. He waited for about an hour and a half before Xue Lang returned.
His footsteps were steady and his expression normal, but upon closer inspection, one would notice his gaze was a bit slow, clearly having drunk quite a bit.
Although he knew this was a fake, facing that face, Meng Chen still couldn't help but feel his heart soften. He poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Xue Lang. "Drink this and rest early."
Xue Lang took the cup, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Meng Chen as he drank the water in small sips. Meng Chen felt that at this moment, he again looked very much like that obedient little wolf dog. He couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke his hair.
Xue Lang's eyes seemed to brighten instantly. He grabbed Meng Chen's hand and pulled him towards the bed.
Meng Chen: "What are you doing?"
Xue Lang: "Bridal chamber."
Meng Chen: "..."
Could this script get any worse??
He was both angry and amused. He shook off Xue Lang's hand. "Stop fooling around. You sleep by yourself."
Meng Chen surveyed the room, thinking of spending the night at the table. But as he turned, he was suddenly embraced from behind. The world spun, and he found himself pinned to the bed by Xue Lang.
"You're the consort I married," Xue Lang held his wrists, staring intently into his eyes. His voice was husky from alcohol. "Why won't you sleep with me?"
The young man's entire body pressed against him, his feverish temperature seeping through their thin clothes. His warm, alcohol-tinged breath tickled Meng Chen's neck. Meng Chen tried to twist his wrists free and push him away, but failed.
In this illusion, as the young master of the Minister's household, his strength was clearly no match for the bandit Xue who had spent years robbing.
Perhaps it was the discomfort from the high body temperature, or perhaps it was the unfamiliar aggression and invasiveness he glimpsed in the youth's eyes, but Meng Chen felt a rare sense of panic. His expression cooled. "Xue Lang, if you don't let go, I'll be angry."
Xue Lang stared at him intently for a while longer. Though reluctant, he seemed cowed by Meng Chen's threat. He finally released his hands, grabbed a pillow from the bed, and rolled onto the floor, lying motionless with his back to Meng Chen.
Meng Chen: "..."
Wait, why did he go to the floor?
"Get up," he said after a moment's hesitation. "The floor is cold. Come up and sleep here."
The bed was big enough. As long as things didn't get out of hand, two people could sleep there.
Xue Lang hugged his pillow tighter, squirming and burying his head deeper.
Meng Chen: "... What are you making a fuss about now?"
Xue Lang's back stiffened. He suddenly whipped his head around, shouting, "You scolded me!!"
His eyes were wide open, filled with indignation and hurt.
Meng Chen: "..."
How was it that even as a bandit, he was still so sensitive?
Faced with that all-too-familiar hurt expression, Meng Chen gave in again. "Alright, I was wrong. I shouldn't have scolded you. Will you come up and sleep now?"
Xue Lang finally got up from the floor angrily, hugging a pillow, and lay back on the bed facing Meng Chen. He said, "Comfort me."
Meng Chen couldn't reason with a drunk person, so he could only ask patiently, "Hmm. How do you want me to comfort you?"
Xue Lang thought of something, his gaze wandering, and said softly with a red face, "Call me something nice."
Meng Chen: "Leader Daren."
"Stupid!" Xue Lang immediately frowned, dissatisfied, and said, "I call you wife, what should you call me?"
Meng Chen: "..."
He expressionlessly pressed the pillow on Xue Lang's face. "Go to sleep." Then he coldly turned his back.
Xue Lang angrily stared at the back of his head, wanting to continue the attack, but afraid of truly angering the other party. He could only hug the pillow and stare at that back, closing his eyes to sleep feeling aggrieved.
Perhaps because "Xue Lang" was sleeping beside him, Meng Chen slept very deeply this time, until he heard the noisy sounds outside at dawn and woke up groggily.
Xue Lang had already packed up. Seeing him open his eyes, he quickly said, "The government has sent many people to look for you. They have already broken into the stronghold. Follow me closely and don't run around."
As he spoke, he directly wrapped his arm around Meng Chen's waist and pulled him up from the bed. When he was about to walk out, he saw that the other was dressed thinly, so he casually took one of his own black outer robes and wrapped it tightly around him.
Outside, the government troops and the bandit army were facing each other, and the atmosphere was tense. At this moment, the bandit leader came out of the stronghold with someone in his arms.
When Yin Chi and Pei Yuze saw the person they had been searching for day and night, they both perked up. However, when they saw clearly how he was being held in the bandit's arms and wearing an outer robe that obviously didn't belong to him, their faces immediately became extremely terrible. Even Zhongli Jing, whose emotions were usually not displayed, had his expression visibly sink.
"Senior Brother!" Yin Chi shouted, his gaze towards Xue Lang was enough to tear him into pieces, "You scoundrel, I'll make you die a horrible death!!"
"That depends on whether you have the ability," Xue Lang sneered, "This time I didn't hijack the Crown Prince's or the Prince Duan's carriage. I don't know why you two have graced us with your presence. What business do you have?"
Pei Yuze didn't want to say much to him, his gaze was unprecedentedly cold. "Hand over the person beside you immediately."
Xue Lang raised an eyebrow and held the person in his arms tighter. "Why should I hand over my wife whom I won fair and square?"
"Bullshit!!" Yin Chi was furious, his eyes turning red, "A toad lusting after swan's flesh, who do you think you are? How dare you covet my Senior Brother!?!"
"I'm sorry, not only do I covet him, I've also married him," Xue Lang waved the round jade pendant in his hand, saying in a tone that could anger people to death, "We've already exchanged tokens of love, destined to be together for life. If you don't believe me, ask him yourself. What am I, Xue Lang, to him now?"
Although they knew this bandit leader was talking nonsense, the three of them couldn't help but turn their gaze towards Meng Chen.
Meng Chen had been watching the show with great interest, but didn't expect the focus to suddenly shift to himself.
The confrontation just now made him once again marvel at the intricacy of this illusion. Although all the people were fake, everyone's reactions were so authentic and vivid that Meng Chen even felt that if their real selves were here, what they said would probably be more or less the same.
Although this play was indeed absurd, the incredulous, angry, and desperate expressions of certain people were quite satisfying.
Since this Peach Blossom Spring was a good place to relax one's mind, Meng Chen didn't begrudge making himself feel even more at ease.
After all, it was just an illusion. Once out of here, no one would know what had happened.
So, after fully preparing himself mentally, facing the gazes from all directions, Meng Chen steeled himself, trying his best to maintain a calm expression, and said the word that Xue Lang had enticed him to say last night.
"He is my... husband."
Never imagining that this word would come out of his own mouth in this lifetime, Meng Chen felt a chill run down his spine, instantly feeling an indescribable shame. However, the expressions of Yin Chi and the others gave him some comfort, plus the person beside him—
Meng Chen: "... Can you stop smiling like that?"
It was really too silly, almost unbearable to watch.
"I... hehe... you... hehe..." Xue Lang couldn't stop smiling stupidly, tightly grasping Meng Chen's hand, "You really called me that."
The young man's smile was really foolish, but because it came from the heart, it carried a strong infectious power. Meng Chen was originally full of absurdity and helplessness, but seeing him smile so happily, his own heart couldn't help but soften. He simply let him be. "Mm."
"Once you've called me that, you can't take it back," Xue Lang stared at him with bright eyes, "You have to promise me for a lifetime."
Since it was just a script, he might as well go along with it.
So Meng Chen nodded again. "Alright."
Xue Lang smiled again, staring at Meng Chen's face for a long time, and said softly, "Meng Chen. If I can have this once in my life... I'll have no more regrets."
The surrounding scenery slowly blurred, returning to a mist. Meng Chen opened his eyes and found himself back in the small compartment, facing the mirror swirling with clouds and mist.
This illusion had finally ended.
Meng Chen let out a long sigh, but found something in his hand.
He opened his palm and found a small wooden comb.
He actually brought it out?
He was a bit puzzled, thinking it might be a memento given to those who entered the illusion. So he took the wooden comb and walked out of the small compartment. When he went out, he saw that Xue Lang was already waiting for him at the door.
Seeing Xue Lang, Meng Chen couldn't help but recall the series of absurd stories in the illusion. His face was slightly uncomfortable, so he overlooked Xue Lang's somewhat guilty gaze that shifted away as soon as he saw him.
He coughed, afraid that Xue Lang would ask about the illusion he had experienced, so he took the initiative to ask. "Finished experiencing it? How was it?"
"It was just so-so," Xue Lang said nonchalantly, "Not as mysterious as the owner said, just an ordinary illusion."
Meng Chen nodded. "Mm. Then let's go."
He lowered his head to step over the threshold, and it was at this moment that he saw a very familiar round jade pendant hanging at Xue Lang's waist.
At the same time, Xue Lang also saw the delicate wooden comb he was holding in his hand.
Meng Chen: "..."
Xue Lang: "..."
