Chapter 003: Elder Cousin Jia Ran

The chill transformed into a vaporous energy, seeping through every pore of his skin, yet just as it threatened to escape, it stalled, lingering on the surface as if forming a thin crust. The sensation of his skin hardening was sheer agony, making him wish he could scream, but it was as though an invisible hand gripped his throat. Soon, even his consciousness faded away.

He had no idea how long he slept. When Ye Xiaoxuan finally awoke, he found himself lying in his own bed. Beside him sat Jia Ran, gently wiping his face with a towel. Seeing his eyes open, Jia Ran exclaimed in delight, “You’re awake, Xiaosan! How do you feel? Does it still hurt?”

Ye Xiaoxuan grasped her hand and, sitting up, flexed his arms. “Jia Ran, it’s so strange—I don’t feel any pain at all.”

Jia Ran patted his hand softly and said in a low voice, “I’m surprised too. The whole village saw you badly injured, but when I checked just now, you didn’t have a single wound.”

Startled, Ye Xiaoxuan noticed the bedsheet covering him. He was about to lift it, but upon catching sight of Jia Ran, he swallowed nervously and let it fall back.

She nudged him and said, “Go wash up! You’re covered in blood—it’s filthy.”

Ye Xiaoxuan laughed, holding her hand. “Alright, I’ll go! Jia Ran, wait here for me.” She looked at him curiously but simply nodded.

Ten minutes later, Ye Xiaoxuan returned, taking her hand. “Come out with me for a while—I feel a bit stifled.”

It wasn’t their first time venturing out at night together. Sometimes they’d go to the threshing ground to watch the moon, other times they’d sit atop the earthen cliff, letting the night breeze from Great Immortal Lake wash over them. It had all the trappings of a lovers’ rendezvous, though neither had ever spoken of it.

Jia Ran smiled gently and said, “Alright, but you should check in with your parents first.”

Ye Xiaoxuan replied with a faint smile, “I just did. I saw them resting easy once they knew I was fine. Jia Ran, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

They walked out together. Jia Ran didn’t ask where they were going; wherever Ye Xiaoxuan led, she would follow. He never brought her near danger, and she trusted her cousin implicitly.

Yet, tonight he seemed different—gone was the usual glibness. Instead, he walked in silence, heavy with unspoken thoughts.

“Xiaosan, what’s wrong?” Jia Ran asked with concern. “Are you unwell? You’ve never been this quiet before—what’s changed?”

Ye Xiaoxuan chuckled, tightening his grip on her hand. In a low voice he replied, “I have changed! I’ve died once. Since even the King of Hell dared not claim me, I intend to live well! You often call me a little rascal—then I’ll become the greatest rascal the world has ever seen. I’ll make everyone remember that even as a rogue, Ye Xiaoxuan is one to be revered!”

Hearing his bold words, Jia Ran couldn’t help but laugh and cry at once. She shook off his hand. “Who says such things? Everyone else aspires to be a great hero, but you—you want to be a great rascal!”

He turned to face her, earnest and solemn. “Cousin, I know my choice will earn scorn, but I’ll stick to it. It’s too hard to be a good man, and too heartless to be a villain. So I’ll be neither—just a rascal, true to myself. I won’t bully others, but no one will bully me again, either.”

Jia Ran fell silent, gazing at him in the moonlight. She had never seen her cousin like this—his eyes shining with resolve, his brow furrowed in indignation, a cold smile at his lips. There was a sense of finality in his expression, an allure that was hard to resist.

She was entranced; it was as if he had been reborn, like a phoenix rising from the ashes after his ordeal.

Soon, they approached the great western cliff of the village. Jia Ran thought he would lead her there to look out over the lake, but Ye Xiaoxuan hesitated, then took her hand and turned toward the vegetable garden instead.

As they walked, he said seriously, “I’m not much of a scholar or a fighter, but I’m still young, and I know how to grow fruit trees. The orchard to the west is up for lease—I’ll use the money I got this afternoon and take it over. I want to be rich, so I can buy you new clothes every day!”

Jia Ran smiled, squeezing his palm. “You only ever want to make me happy! But making money has nothing to do with being a rascal.”

Ye Xiaoxuan chuckled. “It does! If I want to earn money, I first have to remove Chen Jiatang from his post as village chief. As long as he’s there, nothing is enough for his greed. His brother’s a township mayor, and his nephew, Chen Tianlei, is the biggest thug around. If I play by the rules, I’ll never beat them. But as a rascal—if he dares to act tough, I’ll stand up to him! Everyone has just one life; let’s see who’s tougher.”

Only then did Jia Ran realize his talk of becoming a great rascal was no idle boast—he had made up his mind. Standing at the garden gate, she said, “Xiaosan, I’ve never opposed your choices. I just want to remind you—once you decide on a path, it’s hard to turn back. Are you sure about this?”

Ye Xiaoxuan nodded gravely. Jia Ran sighed, as if waking from a dream, looked around, and asked, “Xiaosan, why did you drag me to the vegetable garden in the middle of the night?”