22 22. Before The Wedding

The outskirts of the household of Chen is melancholic, as if someone has died. The morning was blue, the noon is sunny yet it's freezing. In the night, it is like having a nightmare. Li Jie's brothers were as quiet as a vast land. The household is somewhat peaceful yet not at the same time. Not that Li Jie couldn't handle it, but his brothers didn't even move their lips when they were eating their supper. This was supposed to be a good time for the brothers to laugh and having a bonding since all of them were present.

But, they can't even look at their youngest properly. Li Wei was sighing as he served the dinner for the brothers. They didn't even noticed the servant who was with his master all day long. Li Jie was helpless, it's not like he has a choice. If he will not do this, the safety of his family will be at risk. Liu is persistent of killing him. But, if he will become his wife then the safety of his family will be at the General's responsibility. For him, this is just a game marriage. Because he knew, the General will let him go after he dispose that Minister.

The house was quiet. Only crickets echoed way louder in the night making the situation more awkward. Or maybe, it is because they were asleep in the middle of the night. However, he could feel them. They weren't asleep.

Li Jie was in his room staring at the red hanfu hanging on the left side of the bed. He remembered how he first woke up in this world. He was frantic that time, and to his surprise, he also wore a luxurious red hanfu. He never would have thought that he would wear such dress again.

He wanted to become a doctor, not a housewife. He wanted to invent some miraculous things such as penicillin, making doctor apparatuses, and help his family grew wealthier. And now he reflected himself to that dress, he furrowed his brows and his nose scrunched. He tightened his grasp on the sheets of his bed. He was currently sitting on the bed and his clenched fingers crumpled the sheets as it was clearly supporting his body.

Li Jie was sad. He was sad because he was going to apart from his family. Not that it was his real family, but he grew a deep connection with them. However, it is good that the former owner of the body didn't experience the bitter encounter of the past events that Li Jie himself thinks that it was nerve wrecking. He wasn't even sure that the past owner could have escape from the dangerous den alive. Even if he had been alive, he was still going to die. At least, he didn't experience any pain. Or maybe, the only pain and fear of the former owner of the body is being separated by his family. If not, then Li Jie wouldn't have experienced deep pain in his chest just now.

Maybe, after the scheming Minister will meet his fall, he will be free again. After all they had an agreement. No matter what, he will not fall in love with the General. He swore to himself that he will not going to fall from the General.

For him he believed that he will not happen. After all, he was a man.

If that is possible, then he hoped that it will not happen. He don't want to be hurt.

Li Jie sighed, and plunged himself to his bed.

"Master." Li Jie heard Li Wei's voice outside his door and opened it for his apprentice.

"It is already deep in the night. Why are you still awake?" Li said as he looked at his apprentice who was lowering his head.

"I can't fall asleep. Maybe master could accompany me." Seeing Li Wei's dainty appearance and was pouting his lips as he carried his little doll, Li Jie's heart soften as he silently praised his apprentice for being so cute. Honestly, why did the daughter of Minister Liu let such child participate in assassination? Li Jie looked at his weak apprentice and sighed. Even if he was an assassin in his early days he didn't look like this dainty one.

Li Jie let Li Wei enter his room and let the 14 year old boy sleep in the bed with him. Li Jie was just like having a little brother on his own and his mood lifted up because of that.

"Master, are you really going to get married tomorrow?" Li Wei asked as he shifted his body towards Li Jie's side and looked at him. Li Jie glanced at his peripheral vision and smiled faintly. He was glad that his apprentice was worrying about him.

"Yes."

"Are you not going to teach me? Are you going to leave me alone?" Li Wei asked again with concern flashed his eyes. Li Jie couldn't help but wonder, is he really a 14 year old kid? Why is his mentality just like a 5 year old?

"Silly little Wei. Of course you're coming with me. How am I going to teach you if you're not with me?"

"Really?!" The light in the child's eyes flickered with admiration making Li Jie smiled even more. He ruffled Li Wei's hair and ushered him to fall asleep.

"But I can't sleep. All around me is too gloomy. I don't want a nightmare." Li Wei couldn't fall asleep well when he was still in the Liu Manor. Every time he fell asleep, he always got nightmares in the middle if the night. But when he was in the Chen household, he had a decent sleep for days. But right now, he just can't fell asleep. No matter how he closed his eyes, he still can't. He was afraid of having a nightmare and unable to get up. That's why, he wanted to sleep with his master because he felt comfortable with him.

"Don't be a baby and sleep. If you got nightmares, your master will help you escape from that hell. Okay?"

"Okay." From that then, Li Wei fell asleep.

"Silly." Li Jie smiled and got up from the bed. No matter how he tossed around the bed, he could not fall asleep. He covered Li Wei's body with a quilt to prevent him from the cold. His head was was the only one shown.

"He said he can't sleep yet he was drooling. What a cute liar." Li Jie poked his cheek making Li Wei's nose scrunched. He giggled silently and went out of his room.

Li Jie went into the kitchen and poured a glass of water. He still remembered how he clumsily drank the hydrogen peroxide and unwittingly caused his death. If he was not careless at that time and was still alive, will he be able to go outside of the cell again together with his fathers and live a decent life? Will he become a teacher despite having criminal records? Somehow, he was sad again. Clearly, he was the one who died, yet why is he the one who mourned for his death? Everyday he wondered if his parents have ever attend his funeral. Did he have a decent burial?

He stared at the water in the glass and drank it. He felt the emptiness in him yet he chose to not mind it, for now. He doesn't want to cry. It made him look weak. In the previous life, no matter how he was being tortured inside the torture room, he didn't shed a single tear. No matter how he was trampled on the iced floor, he didn't uttered a single word. No matter how he had been humiliated by the society, he didn't care. Instead, he only told himself that it was alright. He have people who cherished him. There are people who took care of him. He have sworn to himself that he would take care of them, got out of the prison or having a decent life outside the prison. Maybe in the outskirts of the city, in the mountains, in the rivers, or in the Mars, Li Jie have sworn to himself that he will built a mansion just for the seven of them to live. But, he didn't expect that he died in a dumb way.

"I'm such a fool." He smiled bitterly. Yes he died, but he was transmigrated into an alternate world. He thought he got a chance to live a good life, but this is not what he have expected.

He was just going to change his lifestyle, live a normal life with his family, and be a good man. He even wanted to be a monk, bit he ended up in this kind of situation. 'This is too much.' he thought.

He was going to get married tomorrow, with a man at that. He doesn't even know him if he was bad or not. His freedom is on the General's hands. He just hoped that after this matter, the General will release him and have his freedom.

He just don't want to become a prisoner anymore.

.

.

.

The sun has risen and his brothers wake up early. They dressed his youngest brother with a fine silk of red hanfu. The patterns of golden narcissus embroidered the tip of his sleeves and between his belt. The mark of the Feng clan was on his dress. Cheung Chao painted his brother's forehead with cinnabar colored paint of narcissus; a sign that he is the Madame of the Feng Clan.

Cheung Chao looks at his brother with tears on his eyes.

"Little brother is so beautiful." He caressed his little brother's cheeks, sniffling with his handkerchief. Li Jie also teared up not even minding the make-up will scatter on his face.

"Calm down brother. I'm still here. I will visit you, I promise!" He hugged his brother Chao and looked up to his remaining brothers and apprentice who was looking at him without blinking. Jin Ping clenched his fist on the back as he smiled at his younger brother. Tu Fai teared up and smiled he nodded towards his brother and gave him a hug. Chang Bao doesn't glance at him and sighed heavily, Li Jie could hear the broken voice of his brother and that made him dejected.

Min Zhe was in his guard uniform, his hand was clenching with his sword that Li Jie could hear the scabbard shaking. He was expressionless yet his feelings were turbulent.

Jiang Hua smiled at his brother. But he could see clearly on his face that he was in deep pain, he doesn't want his brother be exposed to harm. How could he just calm down?

"Don't worry! Delun won't leave me alone. If he does, I'll cut his d*** off!" 'If he will do something to me then I really will cut his d***.'

"Okay then. Don't hesitate to cut his d*** when necessary." Chang Bao, for the first time after he announced his marriage to the family, had spoken for the first time.

His brothers agreed to the eldest brother's reply and Li Jie chuckled. He then gave them a group hug.

Li Wei was just chewing his biscuit as he witnessed the family's drama as if he was watching a soap opera. Imagine that biscuit was actually a popcorn, then he really think that he was watching a soap opera.

"The sedan chair has arrived!" A servant from the Feng Clan yelped in front of the Chen household. A sedan chair painted with red was being lifted up with six men on the poles. Li Jie was nervous. He then looked at Li Wei and signaled him that it's time to go. Chang Bao grabbed Li Wei's shoulder resulting Li Wei glanced at the eldest brother.

"Take care of my brother. And you too." Chang Bao said with a hint of embarrassment. Chang Bao also see Li Wei as his younger brother. Li Wei smiled and said to him.

"I will take a good look for my master well. I will take good care of him" Li Wei bowed and helped Li Jie to enter the sedan chair. After Li Jie entered the sedan chair, he closed it with a red curtain and signaled the six men to lead the way. Li Wei followed his master to the Feng manor.

Li Jie was sweating coldly, glancing at his side and guarding his apprentice. He looked up to the road and blurted out his favorite sentence.

"Not interesting at all."

SMALL THEATER:

Li Jie: If you f*** a whore, I'll cut off your d***

Delun: Wife is fierce! I don't dare! Please don't cut my d***!

Li Jie: If I can't cut it then...

Delun: T-then what?

Li Jie: I'll turn it into a scrambled egg. (-ι_-)

Delun: "..." ಥ⌣ಥ

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I'm dying because of the modular class (Ｔ▽Ｔ) I want to break up with my modules ah!