Mo Ruxuan watched his little maneuver, caught his hand, and said, "That sort of thing can't hurt me."
Lin Zijing flushed red with anger. "What's that supposed to mean? You look down on me."
To think he dared look down on him.
Lin Zijing gritted his teeth. "I'll make you look good!"
"Thank you, but I know I'm good-looking already," Mo Ruxuan said, utterly shameless.
Lin Zijing went redder still. "You! You—!"
He was so furious his hands trembled and his breath went ragged.
Seeing the state of him, Mo Ruxuan pulled him into his arms. "Temper that bad?"
Lin Zijing thrashed in his hold. "Don't touch me—get off!"
"Don't move. Breathe slowly." Mo Ruxuan said, "I'm saving your life."
Lin Zijing had no choice but to obey, and his breathing slowly eased. Taking advantage of the man's carelessness, he slapped Mo Ruxuan across the face.
"How dare you hold me?"
He glared at him. "Is this your idea of how to negotiate?"
"If that's how it's going to be, there's no point. I'll see you out."
Mo Ruxuan voiced the question that had been sitting in his chest: "Young Master Lin, I don't believe I have ever made an enemy of you. Why this hostility toward me?"
Lin Zijing gave a cold laugh. "There's no reason needed to hate someone."
Mo Ruxuan did not accept that answer.
He looked at Lin Zijing. "Since you already know who I am, you can probably guess that an alliance between us would be a very profitable arrangement for you."
Lin Zijing glanced at him and thought: how vain can this man be?
"Aren't you full of yourself? What makes you think it profits me? There's nothing in you I need. Why would I help you?"
The words stuck in Mo Ruxuan's throat—at present, he truly was of no use to Lin Zijing.
But he didn't mind……
"It is I who have nothing you need," Mo Ruxuan replied. Lin Zijing went for a knife to kill him and was caught by the wrist mid-swing; the bones felt about to crack. Years of poison running through him had left him nothing like the man he once was.
The pain blanched his lips white; cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
"What do you want?"
Only then did Mo Ruxuan let go. "Very simple. All I ask is that Young Master Lin cover for my identity."
Lin Zijing could hardly believe his ears and asked again: "That's all?"
"That's all."
Lin Zijing thought it over—either way, he couldn't lose. His revenge and shielding Mo Ruxuan's identity were two separate ledgers.
He raised one more condition: "But I have a requirement. When the time comes, whatever quarrel stands between you and me spills onto no innocents. We settle accounts, one matter at a time."
Mo Ruxuan agreed readily.
Lin Zijing immediately called for paper and brush to put it in writing and press his mark, terrified the man would go back on the condition he had just set.
After seeing Mo Ruxuan out, Bu Yan came in to ask: "Yi'an—you truly mean to work with this man?"
Lin Zijing nodded. Lin Buyan had grown up alongside him, a brother in everything but blood; his father had worn himself thin for his sake.
Lin Zijing waved him out.
Lin Buyan pressed: "But he nearly killed you. This man is too dangerous for you."
Lin Zijing looked at him. "Bu Yan. You have overstepped."
Lin Buyan saw his expression darken and immediately bowed his head. "This subordinate deserves death."
"It's not so grave as that. All right—I know you worry for me." Lin Zijing picked up the walnuts on the desk and turned them over in his hand. "I know what I'm doing in this matter. Go attend to your duties."
Lin Buyan withdrew. Outside, Bu Yu took one look at her brother's deflated face: "Ge, did the Young Master kick you out?"
"Keep your mouth shut!"
Bu Yu snickered. "Kicked out is kicked out. Am I not even allowed to say it?"
At that Bu Yan raised a fist, pretending to swing at her.
Lin Bu Yu bellowed at the top of her lungs: "He's beating someone—!"