Chapter 7: The Price of a Foot Bath

Su Zhuozhi blushed, not from shyness, but from sheer exasperation.

How could serving someone a foot bath possibly be a reward?

“This is what you, as a servant, ought to do! What reward? Am I such a stingy master?!”

Su Zhuozhi, feeling quite annoyed, couldn’t help but retort loudly.

Xie Jue’s eyes flickered slightly. “…I misunderstood.”

“Of course, you’ve completely misunderstood. Seriously, where would such a reward even come from? It’s preposterous. Where did you hear that? Or did your previous master do something like this? Wow, I’m truly enlightened to know there are such petty people in this world.”

Su Zhuozhi puffed out his cheeks, crossed his arms over his chest, and shook his head with a sigh. Simultaneously, he lectured his foolish guard, “You’ve been deceived. This kind of thing is wrong. Remember it well; don’t let there be a next time.”

“Yes.”

“Continue. Do what you’re supposed to do.”

Su Zhuozhi’s emotions gradually calmed, and he reverted to his haughty young master demeanor, issuing commands with an air of superiority. He remained oblivious to how captivating his overly exquisite and beautiful face appeared when he looked down on others.

Xie Jue lowered his gaze, his eyes once again falling upon the feet before him.

The young master had grown up pampered, enjoying a life of luxury. Even his feet were exceptionally delicate and fair, with well-proportioned bones and flesh, and rounded nails that glowed with a faint pink hue. They were remarkably beautiful, like flawless pink jade.

Xie Jue gently took one of Su Zhuozhi’s feet, carefully lowering it into the wooden basin.

Yet, before it even touched the water, the foot strongly resisted, trying to pull free from his grasp.

“Are you trying to scald me by just dropping my foot in like that?” Su Zhuozhi asked, his tone laced with exasperation.

To Xie Jue, such hot water was nothing. He could plunge his hand into boiling water without a change in expression, having long endured pain a hundred, a thousand times worse. He once again witnessed the young master’s delicate nature.

Su Zhuozhi looked down, finding Xie Jue gazing up at him, seemingly asking for instructions. He couldn’t help but press a hand to his forehead. ‘Seriously, is this tormenting him or me? Perhaps I should just have someone else come in to serve me.’

He didn’t realize he was muttering his complaints aloud.

“Young Master.”

A cold, deep call brought Su Zhuozhi back to attention. He continued, “First, pour some hot water over the top of my feet. Once I’ve adjusted, then place them in the water and carefully knead them.”

He had something to discuss with Xie Jue, so he ultimately didn’t dismiss him.

Xie Jue’s movements were unpracticed, lacking the thoroughness of an experienced attendant, but he compensated with his carefulness, making do.

Su Zhuozhi leaned back, hands supporting his body, in a state of relaxed languor. His peripheral vision caught sight of the handsome guard kneeling before him. “You played very well at the *touhu* game today,” he began. “My friend greatly admires you and wishes to borrow you for a few days.”

Xie Jue cupped his hands, tilting them, allowing the warm water to flow over the fair skin of Su Zhuozhi’s feet before trickling back into the basin. In the quiet night, the sound of the water was particularly clear and pleasant.

“Didn’t the Young Master refuse?” he countered, clearly not finding the matter worth mentioning.

“Yes, but… mmh.” Su Zhuozhi hadn’t finished speaking when Xie Jue, deeming it sufficient, gently supported his sole and lowered his foot into the basin. Both feet were completely immersed in the hot water, the warmth permeating his skin, making him hum softly in comfort.

After a moment, he continued, “Ye Huahui is the Great General’s legitimate second son. If you follow him and perform well, you might even achieve military merits and bring glory to your family. If you wish, I can even put in a good word for you, asking him to look after you. But of course, you’ll need to be more astute, not as dull as you are now.”

Xie Jue, who was kneading his feet, suddenly increased the pressure at these words, his thumb pressing a small indentation into the flesh on the inner ankle. He looked up, his brows furrowed with frost, his tone almost accusatory: “Does the Young Master wish to give me away?”

“Isn’t this better for you?” Su Zhuozhi retorted, his stance righteous. “I’m thinking of your future.”

He even discontentedly wiggled his foot, complaining, “Lighter! You’re just a brute with raw strength; you can’t do anything properly.”

On one side was a arrogant, difficult master; on the other, a bright path to fame and success. Any sensible person would know how to choose, right?

But precisely, the person before him was a fool who defied common sense.

“I’m not going,” Xie Jue refused coldly.

Su Zhuozhi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Why? Why wouldn’t you want such a good opportunity? Don’t all true men aspire to achieve great deeds and establish their careers?”

“Is that so?” Xie Jue replied. “It seems the Young Master doesn’t share such ambitions.”

The bland tone carried a hint of sarcasm, as if implying that the Young Master was not a true man.

Su Zhuozhi, however, wasn’t angered. He said without hesitation, “I’m different from you. My family has so much money; we couldn’t spend it all in several lifetimes. If I can lie down comfortably and enjoy life, why would I seek suffering?”

Xie Jue’s lips twitched. “Coincidentally, I also dislike hardship. Following the Young Master is most suitable. A little benefit leaking from the Young Master’s fingers would be enough for me to live a good life.”

Su Zhuozhi: “…?”

He was uncharacteristically choked for a moment. After a pause, he finally managed, “…How can you be so unambitious?”

“Indeed,” Xie Jue admitted candidly.

Su Zhuozhi tried to persuade him a few more times, but finding the other man unyielding, he was at a loss for words.

He sighed, pouting unhappily. ‘Forget it, I’m tired. I’ll deal with it tomorrow.’

The water in the basin gradually cooled, and Su Zhuozhi no longer wished to soak his feet.

Xie Jue rose to fetch a dry cloth, then crouched down again, lifting the young master’s feet onto his knees to dry them. Having just been soaked in hot water, the skin on his feet had a peach-like pink hue, making them even more beautiful.

As Xie Jue wiped the sole of his foot, Su Zhuozhi, for some reason, suddenly trembled, accidentally stepping on Xie Jue’s chest.

Su Zhuozhi froze.

Xie Jue also paused, unprepared for such an action.

Su Zhuozhi felt the gaze from below. He was about to explain that his sole had tickled and it wasn’t intentional, but then a thought struck him: why should he explain? He was the arrogant master. Xie Jue preferred to stay rather than go to the General’s residence, surely because he hadn’t been difficult enough.

Thus, he lifted his chin, crossed his arms, and adopted a haughty demeanor. He let out a soft huff, declaring boldly, “What? I, this young master, want to use your clothes to wipe my feet. Do you dare to object?”

Xie Jue lowered his head, looking at his foot, and did not reply.

Su Zhuozhi, thinking his act wasn’t convincing enough, stomped a few more times haphazardly on Xie Jue’s chest. He then heard Xie Jue’s breathing deepen, which startled him. Fearing he had stomped too hard and caused an injury, he hurriedly retracted his foot, asking nervously, “You—”

Xie Jue, however, inexplicably grabbed his ankle, preventing him from retreating. Su Zhuozhi was left awkwardly suspended in mid-air, unable to move.

Unable to break free, Su Zhuozhi felt a surge of shame and anger. “What are you doing? I hurt you, and now you want revenge?”

Xie Jue snapped out of his daze, his face darkening, and swiftly released his foot.

It happened so suddenly that Su Zhuozhi didn’t have time to retract the force of his struggle. He plunged his foot back into the wooden basin with a splash, sending water droplets flying.

Xie Jue was caught off guard; his clothes were splashed wet, dark stains spreading across them, and even his chin was damp, water dripping down.

Su Zhuozhi paused, then burst into laughter. “Haha, serves you right for holding onto my foot!”

These words seemed to strike a nerve with Xie Jue. His face cold, he rose and walked away.

“My feet are still wet!” Su Zhuozhi called out, annoyed.

Seeing that Xie Jue clearly had no intention of serving him, Su Zhuozhi simply changed his mind and called for Qingping to enter.

Outside, Qingping was anxiously complaining to Wanying that his position might be in jeopardy. The young master now called upon the newcomer for everything and no longer used him. What would happen if that personal guard replaced him in the future?

Just then, the young master’s summons came from inside.

Qingping’s face instantly lit up. Without a second thought, he rushed inside, joyfully responding, “Young Master, I’m here!”

He even shot a triumphant smile at Xie Jue, who was walking out, a look that said, ‘See? You’re despised. What are you? The young master still prefers me, the one he’s most accustomed to.’

Xie Jue paused, then abruptly turned and strode back into the room. With his long legs, he moved quickly. Qingping couldn’t keep up. By the time Qingping rushed into the bedchamber, Xie Jue had already swiftly dried the young master’s feet, then gathered them, forcibly pushed him onto the bed, and covered him with the brocade quilt.

Qingping: “…” He was extremely vexed and annoyed by his short legs.

Su Zhuozhi was also bewildered by the rapid sequence of actions. In the blink of an eye, he had become a cocooned baby beneath the covers. He opened his mouth, ready to lecture Xie Jue for disrespecting his master, but his gaze first fell upon a wet patch below Xie Jue’s waist, looking as if he had peed himself.

Su Zhuozhi pointed at him and burst into laughter.

Xie Jue’s face was dark. Without even excusing himself, he picked up the wooden basin and departed.

Qingping immediately seized the fault. “Young Master, he’s so ill-mannered!”

Su Zhuozhi, however, didn’t care in the slightest. He laughed until he was breathless. After a moment, he waved his hand. “Ha… don’t mind him. You go rest too; I’m going to sleep.”

Qingping could only nod, extinguish the candles, and obediently withdrew.

Deep into the night.

Within the ornate step-bed, the young master slept soundly, completely unaware that, at some unknown hour, a tall figure had appeared at his bedside.

Gloomy, chilling, shadowy, and brimming with danger.

Xie Jue looked down at the person on the bed, his expression indifferent, his eyes devoid of any emotion. If Su Zhuozhi could see his gaze at that moment, he would undoubtedly feel his scalp tingle, daring not to tease or torment him as he had during the day.

His eyes held a murderous intent.

He wanted to kill Su Zhuozhi.

Buddha-Disciple Shi Kong had once said that this person was a huge variable in his life, the only noble helper who could free him from his predicament and help him overcome crises, but also someone who could make everything worse.

Yet, why should he pin his hope of survival on an irrelevant stranger? He intensely disliked this feeling of being out of control.

Moreover, this person had even tried to send him away.

Xie Jue’s eyes were tinged with frost as he stared intently at Su Zhuozhi’s face, placing his hand on his neck. Beneath his thumb, he felt smooth, delicate skin and the vibrant, powerful beat of a pulse.

Deep in slumber, Su Zhuozhi remained lost in dreams, utterly oblivious to the imminent danger of death.

With just a tightening of his five fingers, a slight exertion of force, he could snap that fragile neck.

But the one who intended to kill him seemed lost in thought, hesitating to act.

Su Zhuozhi, perhaps uncomfortable with the hand resting on his neck, unconsciously reached out and batted at it twice, trying to push it away. When he failed, he stopped his soft, languid movements. He simply held Xie Jue’s hand there and continued to sleep soundly.

The instant the young master’s hand touched him, Xie Jue froze. A sudden flash of memory crossed his mind: Su Zhuozhi shielding him at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Finally, Xie Jue slowly withdrew his hand and turned to leave.

‘This life might still be useful. I’ll kill him another day.’

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