You've Got Mail: A Cautionary Tale

Chapter 86 — Tell the Truth

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

The day after requesting for the drug, the rain coincidentally stopped as well. Wu Xingzi woke up early in the morning, going to the market to buy some vegetables with the two girls. Upon returning home, he went to the kitchen tinkering for a bit. After he finished preparing some simple homemade dishes, he packed them up neatly in a box. He then borrowed a carriage from Rancui, and went to look for Ping Yifan on his own accord, accompanied by Hei’er.

Ping Yifan lived at the edges of Winding Liantang Path, where it was chaotic with various merchants living there as well. The shop which kickstarted his family fortune was situated right along Xuanwu Street in the south of the city, selling goods from the south. Behind the shop was a compound, which was where Ping Yifan resided.

Wu Xingzi had come here a few times before, and the shopboy at the storefront recognised him. Seeing Wu Xingzi walk in with a box of food, he greeted him warmly, “Mr. Wu, are you here looking for our boss?”

“Yes, is he around?” Tightening his grip around the handle of the box, Wu Xingzi, who was doing something bad for the first time ever, broke out in cold sweat. It was remarkable how the smile on his face did not look forced or stiff at all.

“Boss is around, please head inside.” The shopboy knew that the status of the person in front of him was equivalent to his boss’s spouse. Naturally, he would not stop him.

Wu Xingzi nodded. He turned around, giving Hei’er a wave to signal that he could head back. Hesitating for a while more, Wu Xingzi took a deep breath before taking his steps inside the shop.

Ping Yifan woke up late today. When Wu Xingzi came in, he had just been awake for a little while. He had only just been done with a bath, and was sitting in the yard with his wet hair, drying it in the sun. In his hand was a book of accounts, and he looked very focused. However, with his loose hair, his usual mild temperament seemed to be reduced a little, and instead he looked a little more alluring.

“Ping Yifan.” Unsurprisingly, Wu Xingzi was entranced by the beauty in front of him. With slightly reddened cheeks, he stared for a moment before calling out to the man.

“Hmm?” Ping Yifan had already long heard him coming in, but he just chose to play along. The old fellow had lightened both his steps and his breathing while walking in, like an old and lazy cat. Unconsciously, Ping Yifan’s heart softened into a puddle, and he did not spend any effort speculating why Wu Xingzi would make a sudden appearance. Lifting his head, he smiled at Wu Xingzi, and his eyes then fell onto the box of food in his hands. “What did you bring?”

“Just some little things.” Wu Xingzi walked over with the box, looking a little awkwardly at the stone table covered with letters and account books. Ping Yifan had never concealed any of his paperwork from Wu Xingzi, and it seemed that he had no intentions of tidying them away right now too. With a bright smile, the younger man watched Wu Xingzi.

“It’s nearly noon. I’ve made a few dishes, and even asked Rancui for a bottle of fruit wine. Shall we share them?”

“Oh? You’ve cooked?” Pleasant surprise suffused Ping Yifan’s face, and he casually bundled up the documents on the table and placed them on a chair next to him.

“It’s my first time eating something you cooked.” Ping Yifan then helped Wu Xingzi take the food out from the box and placed them neatly on the table. After which, he pulled the older man into his arms, pressing a kiss onto his cheek.

“Ai, we’re in broad daylight…” Wu Xingzi was still easily embarrassed like usual. Shyly, he pushed Ping Yifan a couple of times, but still he could not suppress his inner desire for intimacy. Very quickly, he reclined obediently in Ping Yifan’s arms, allowing the man to caress him.

However, they were not excessively intimate. Although the couple had known each other for more than a month, and they both had the intentions of becoming life partners with each other, Ping Yifan did not truly have any intimate contact with Wu Xingzi. The occasional cheek kisses were already the most intimate actions they shared, and normally, he would only hold Wu Xingzi’s hand or wrap an arm around his waist. As for Wu Xingzi, he was really hankering for more. In the past, when he was with Guan Shanjin, there was basically years’ worth of intimacy between them! However, Wu Xingzi was shy, and dared not take the initiative. Now that he was surrounded by the scent of white sandalwood and orange blossoms all the time, his desire was almost turning him wicked.

This was one of the reasons why he wanted to use the drug on Ping Yifan. With nothing else to lose, he might as well give it a try. Once he clarified Ping Yifan’s status, he could also bear with his desire more willingly. After all, without this familiar scent and warmth, Wu Xingzi still had no need to recklessly barge into this intimacy. The pengornis drawings and his right hand were enough.

There were two vegetarian dishes, two meat dishes, and a cold dish as well. Wu Xingzi’s skills could not be considered top-notch, but the ingredients were fresh. Ping Yifan enjoyed the food greatly, and he had more of the wine as well.

And so, when he realised that the situation was not quite right, he was already in a state where he could not even move a finger.

“You…” Ping Yifan stared at Wu Xingzi in disbelief. He had never guarded himself against the person in front of him before. The effect of the drug came on fast and furious, and although he used his inner force to block the drug from spreading in his body, it was already too late, and rather ineffective. However, no matter how rapidly the drug worked, it could not compare to the astonishment of having been drugged by Wu Xingzi. Ping Yifan tried his best to support his feeble body, his unblinking stare seemingly boring a hole through Wu Xingzi’s head.

“A-are you alright? Does it hurt?” This was the first time Wu Xingzi had used a truth-telling drug. Looking at how Ping Yifan was breaking out in sweat, looking unsteady on his feet, he started becoming anxious. “I- I only gave you a truth-telling drug, how did things turn out like this? I’m going to get a physician!”

He turned around, wanting to hurry off.

“Truth-telling drug?” Ping Yifan instantly felt a sense of relief. Grabbing onto Wu Xingzi’s arm, he pulled the older man back to him. “Don’t worry, this is normal…”

Ping Yifan gasped, letting go of his last worry. He could not blame Wu Xingzi for it. Even if what he had been given today was poison, he probably… could only just scratch his nose and accept it.

One would, at most, feel a little more uncomfortable when the truth-telling drug took effect. As he laid a trap for Yan Wenxin, he had arranged to place a few hidden guards around himself, and they had all withdrawn once Wu Xingzi arrived. If they were to see Wu Xingzi running off in a panic, and they entered to see him lying on the ground, drugged, there was no guarantee what sort of actions they would take against Wu Xingzi. Ping Yifan was not willing to let the man next to him suffer even in the slightest.

“This is normal?” Wu Xingzi cautiously confirmed it again with him. After seeing Ping Yifan’s decisive nod did he then pat his chest and return to his seat, watching the person in front of him carefully.

For a period of time, neither spoke up. Only Ping Yifan’s panting from the effect of the drug could be heard clearly in the room. Looking at how his face was pale and sweaty, and how he was gritting his teeth trying to hold himself up, Wu Xingzi’s heart ached. He used his sleeve to wipe away Ping Yifan’s sweat, then fed him a few sips of tea. After confirming that the effects of the drug were temporary, and that Ping Yifan was not harmed in any way, Wu Xingzi then sighed deeply.

“Why did you…” After somewhat recovering, Ping Yifan was the first to speak. However, Wu Xingzi did not react in his usual bashful manner, but had a slight frown and a stern expression. His wet eyes were fixed on Ping Yifan, seeming as though he had gained a clear understanding. With his mouth half-open, Ping Yifan could no longer continue with his questions.

“Ping Yifan, who are you exactly?” Wu Xingzi did not beat around the bush, and his first question immediately made Ping Yifan deeply understand that this was a matter of importance.

Under the influence of the drug, Ping Yifan knew that he could not lie. His mind was muddled, his limbs aching and weak. His vision was hazy, as though he was in a dream-like state. Gradually, he started to not be able to differentiate whether he was dreaming or not. Unable to stop himself, his mouth fell slightly open as he emitted a weak cough. However, he was still a great General, and he did have some slight resistance towards this sort of drugs. Using his utmost determination, he bit deeply on his lip, planning on refusing to answer.

Wu Xingzi looked at how Ping Yifan was forcing himself to keep quiet, to the point where he had bit his lips bloody, and his heart twitched in pain. That face, about 60% similar to Guan Shanjin, was twisted, terrifyingly savage looking. Rivulets of sweat flowed down his face, collecting on the tip of his nose and chin before dripping down further. In no time at all, Ping Yifan’s lapels were soaked. Despite this, Ping Yifan still had his eyes tightly shut, refusing to spill even a word, enduring to the point where his entire body was trembling.

“Why do you choose to suffer…” Wu Xingzi sniffled, almost about to cry. He could not bear to see Ping Yifan torturing himself like this, but Rancui did not give him the antidote. What else could he do so that this torture would not last for four hours? Even the strongest person would be tortured to death like this. Reaching out, Wu Xingzi lightly stroked Ping Yifan’s ashen face, soothing him in a gentle voice. “Haiwang, I know that it’s you.”

The person under him jerked violently. Eyes that were clouded from resisting the drug fixed upon Wu Xingzi in shock. The bleeding lips moved, vague mumbles slipping out. In the end, there was still nothing said.

“You don’t trust me?” Wu Xingzi asked again. Immeasurable guilt weighed upon his heart, and he was regretting his actions. However, he had no choice but to do so. Even though it was a method that would cause immense trouble and hurt, it was still something to do.

This time, Ping Yifan did not resist the drug’s effect, and he shook his head slightly. It was because he trusted him too much, and thus he fell in this trap. It was also because he trusted him too much, and with his defenses laid low, the drug had such a strong effect on him, causing him to barely be able to resist it. If it was anyone else who had drugged him, even if it was Man Yue, he would have long noticed that something was wrong and would have withdrawn already. He would have even fought back in return and caused the other party a few wounds.

Wu Xingzi sighed again, helping Ping Yifan — no, he knew that this was Guan Shanjin now — wipe the sweat on his face. He stared at him blankly for a moment, his thoughts churning in his head, but he could not think of a better way to make Guan Shanjin speak. It was also of no surprise to him that this was happening. After all, a great General who was stationed at the borders, if he could not resist truth-telling drugs, would he not be easily defeated under its influence? Guan Shanjin definitely had to have been trained to resist the effects of the drug. Although he wished to hear the answers from Guan Shanjin’s mouth, it was sure to be difficult to do so.

However, for Wu Xingzi to give up just like this, it was impossible too. Racking his brains, he asked a series of simple, insignificant questions. Still, Guan Shanjin stubbornly kept frowning with his eyes tightly shut. His body would occasionally quiver and jerk, causing Wu Xingzi to shudder along with him, to the point where Wu Xingzi could no longer bear with it anymore.

Dully, Wu Xingzi sighed, and again he wiped Guan Shanjin’s face. He then poured a cup of fruit wine, speaking aloud, “I put the drug in the wine. You know that I’m not good at drinking, and you’ve seen me drunk twice. Later, you didn’t let me drink again, and so I decided to drug the wine.”

He smiled at the man who was looking at him blankly. “Haiwang, I’ll tell the truth with you, alright?”

The young man jerked, looking like he wanted to reach out to smack away the cup in Wu Xingzi’s hand. However, he was a step too late. Just as Wu Xingzi finished talking, he tilted his head back and emptied the cup, only to end up choking and coughing. With reddened eyes, Wu Xingzi looked calmly at Guan Shanjin. “We should have a frank and honest conversation with each other.”

Those rabbit-like red eyes were both pitiful and adorable-looking. Guan Shanjin sighed, finally no longer forcing himself to resist the drug’s effect. Trembling, he reached up and removed the mask on his face.

“When did you manage to guess it?” As expected, under the mask of Ping Yifan was Guan Shanjin’s face. Tossing the mask casually on the table, he carefully pulled the older man into his embrace. “I’ve underestimated you…”

Compared to Ping Yifan’s somewhat hoarse voice, Guan Shanjin’s voice was smoother and gentler, but the difference was not very big. Still, through a mask, there was a feeling as though they were completely different.

Wu Xingzi pressed lightly on the corners of Guan Shanjin’s eyes with the tip of his finger, then slid down the beautiful curves of the face. When he finished touching the entire face, his eyes were so red that he was almost about to cry, and Guan Shanjin’s heart was aching terribly over it.

“Ai, don’t cry… It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have deceived you. I won’t hide anything anymore, just ask what you’d like to ask.” He kissed the tip of Wu Xingzi’s nose in consolation, then kissed the corner of his mouth, nearly giving into temptation to press the older man down and tangling their tongues together.

“You can’t hide it anyway.” Wu Xingzi snorted lightly. He was gradually falling under the effect of the drug himself, and his gaze was turning more blank as he cuddled into Guan Shanjin’s arms, panting.