Yes, I’m That Evil Person.

The entire forest turned quiet.

The only audible sounds were the falling leaves and the chirping insects, but they instead made the forest’s atmosphere more eerily silent.

After a long pause, Su Huaizhu finally spoke.

“That was twenty years ago. Why ask now?” He said, reaching out to collect the pieces on the unfinished board and tucking them into the bag.

Gu Ruohai said, “At that time, we were young and energetic, and no one was willing to give way.”

Then he showed a faint smile. “A few days ago, someone said a sentence that woke me up. I found that being young was just an excuse. At that time, you and I were not honest enough and didn’t…trust each other enough. That’s what led to our long and bitter separation.”

Su Huaizhu put away all the pieces and placed the tea tray on the table.

“So, when you agreed to my invitation, you decided to confront what happened twenty years ago?” He started with a smile. “I’m slightly curious. Who was the one that convinced you with just one sentence.”

Gu Ruohai took a deep breath and asked, “Su Yang…isn’t he yours and E’Luo Jin’s son?” 

After a moment’s silence, Su Huaizhu didn’t answer directly, “You met him?”

“Yes,” Gu Ruohai answered. “He looked very much like you, but his character…didn’t match either yours or E’Luo Jin’s.”

Hearing this, Su Huaizhu scoffed and maintained, “I prevented you from meeting him. You might have killed him on the spot from anger.”

However, as soon as he spoke those words, he immediately laughed. “Now that boy is very interesting. In fact…no matter, he has a different fate from ordinary people. What happened today was also because of him. Maybe it’s for the best.”

Reading the doubts on Gu Ruohai’s expression, instead of explaining, Su Huaizhu voiced out, “While Gu Feidi’s temper was exactly like you in your younger years.”

Hearing this, Gu Ruohai shook his head. “He’s more like his mother. Tough, persistent, and has the courage to love and hate.”

A gust of autumn wind rolled up the leaves on the branches as they fell down to the ground like feathers.

Su Huaizhu reached for the thin golden leaf and smiled. “I never thought that one day I could talk to you about our sons...Could it be that Su Yang was the one who gave you the wake-up call from your dream?”

Gu Ruohai turned toward the other and sighed, “He said we could never predict what would happen first, destiny or misfortune. So we should cherish the present with no future regret.”

After a long pause, he continued, “I never asked the truth that year, and you didn’t explain it either. It dragged on until we met again, which turned into us crossing swords…”

“Now, I regret it. But I don’t want to regret another year more. That’s why I want to know what happened that night twenty years ago. Why did you and E’Luo Jin…” In the end, he still could not say that word.

Su Huaizhu closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time before he spoke as if he finally decided.

“Just like what you saw that night. I forced her.” He whispered. “And also like what you know. I took her back and imprisoned her in the Evil Sect for me to use exclusively. On that day, I wasn’t willing to see you and a woman marry, so I caused a scene at your wedding by washing the Central Plains with blood…” 

He laughed while looking at Gu Ruohai. “The truth that you asked was just like the Jianghu rumours. Besides her, there are countless beautiful pets in my Divine Sect for my amusement…that’s how I am, a completely evil person.”

Gu Ruohai snapped, “Su Huaizhu!”

“Therefore, you don’t need to bear any burden to exterminate the Evil Sect.” Su Huaizhu ignored Gu Ruohai and said with a smile, “You’re familiar with the terrain of the Phantom City. I’ll wait for you on the winter solstice.”

These two simple sentences ended the conversation. 

Back to the familiar, unquestionable, commanding tone.

Gu Ruohai could no longer bear it. He suddenly got up and left.

It was not until the dark blue figure was gone from his view that Su Huaizhu raised his head and sighed at the sky.

He quickly put away the bag and tea sets. And as he was about to get up, he suddenly frowned.

Raising his hand to cover his cough. He glanced down at the bloodstain left on his sleeves. He stood up and left the woods filled with autumn leaves with his bamboo box.

After a long time, Gu Ruohai, who left but returned to the empty stone, also looked at the sky and sighed.

In the corner of his eyes, something instantly made his pupil slightly dilated. He went forward and picked up a leaf.

Under the fallen leaf, there were still some slightly wet bloodstains on the stone surface.

He stretched out his hand as if he wanted to touch the blood, but his trembling fingertips didn’t have the courage to do what his heart wanted.

A teardrop suddenly landed on the edge of the bloodstain, spreading the dark, red spot.

Su Yang and Gu Feidi, who knew nothing about their fathers’ meeting in Mount Mei Zhu, had arrived at the foot of the Jade Mountain under the phoenix guards secret escort on the pretext of the pursuit to kill order.

The majestic Elegant Jade Peak stood quietly. The top of the mountain was covered with white snow, which spread throughout the forest at the foot of the mountain like a virus.

Surrounded by a broad-leaved forest, there was a small village called Miracle Village.

Although this village was named after the ‘Miracle Doctor’, it didn’t mean that all doctors in the village were miracle doctors.

Among the villagers, there was only one person who was truly regarded as the miracle doctor. That person was Luo Yu, who began to live here in seclusion over twenty years ago.

It’s well known in Jianghu which group of people the Elegant Jade’s Miracle Doctor does not treat. Therefore, in this village, many people in those groups came to seek medical treatment by hiding their swords and weapons, changing their form-fitting garments into plain clothes, and pretending to be commoners. As a result, all the disputes outside were virtually nonexistent here. The whole village’s atmosphere was extremely harmonious and comfortable. 

Gu Feidi found a farmhouse where the owner was willing to let them stay. Inside, he held the frozen and shivering Su Yang in his arms.

“Your chill spells are increasing more and more.” He frowned. “And a few days ago, you could travel for an entire day without stopping.”

Su Yang’s teeth chattered. “It was cloudy today. It gets freezing if I don't get sunlight. Judging by how thick the clouds are, do you think it’ll snow tomorrow?”

Gu Feidi wrapped his arms around Su Yang, holding him closer. He sighed, “It’s not the season for snow yet, but we’ll very likely get an autumn rain tonight.”

“Oh…You’re so warm.” Su Yang hummed as he shrank deeper into Gu Feidi’s arms. “This feels so nice. You’re so lucky! You practice the torrid nature's mental skill and will never fear the cold as long as you have your internal energy…” 

After hearing his words, Gu Feidi started to send his internal energy toward the freezing man.

Obviously, in an unpleasant mood, he said in a muffled voice, “During our time in the House of Jade, although your mental skill is inclined toward a cold nature, I don’t remember you having this kind of difficulty during winter.”

Su Yang kicked off his shoes and squeezed his near-frozen toes under Gu Feidi’s legs, and uttered without thinking, “That’s because I didn’t learn Half-Withered Crimson back then…”

Gu Feidi speechlessly lowered his gaze.

Su Yang finally noticed his mistake and comforted him with a smile. “Hey, I’m not blaming you. I volunteered. At that time, you got hit by the Blood Gu because of my Sect’s negligence, so it wasn’t your fault.”

“But I don’t want to see you suffer.” Gu Feidi put his cheek on Su Yang’s forehead. He continued in a muted voice, “There are so many petal retainers in the Evil Sect. It wasn’t impossible to find someone else to practice the mental skill for me.”

Su Yang narrowed his eyes, asked in feigned anger, “Oh! Who else do you want to ‘share joys and pains’ with?”

Gu Feidi gave a feeble smile. “No matter…this way is still good. Fortunately, I practice torrid nature mental skills, which can help you warm up.”

When Su Yang’s body temperature recovered a bit, Gu Feidi wrapped him in the quilt and went to the kitchen alone. 

Su Yang shrank into the hard and cold bedding. He lifted his head up and looked toward the cobweb on the farmhouse beam, sighing quietly.

These days, he didn't dare to use his internal energy or enter meditation. 

Some time ago, his chill would only trigger when he used Half-Withered Crimson. But in recent days, as long as he used the smallest amount of internal energy, even if it was Six Night Flower Burial, his most basic mental skill, it would stimulate his Apparition into a frenzy. Although it didn’t cause him to faint, it would make his body temperature plummet. 

Clearly, the temperature at the foot of the mountain was not too low, but to Su Yang, it was like he entered the winter wonderland early and alone.

And the Elegant Jade’s Miracle Doctor’s residence was on the top of the Elegant Jade Peak, which was covered with snow all year long.

They arrived at a bad time, it didn’t match with the doctor’s descent schedule. Their next option was to climb the snowy mountain in the cold.

Not long after, Gu Feidi came back with cooked shredded ginger and minced meat porridge, with some roasted hot, dry side dishes.

From the smell of the porridge, it contained no small amount of ginger. Su Yang could already taste the gingerly spice in his mouth.

He had never been a picky eater, but throughout their trip, perhaps from his decreased tolerance of cold, Gu Feidi would deliberately increase the amount of ginger to every meal. Now he was so sick of it, just the smell made him want to vomit.

His nose twitched as he tried to give the younger man his best pleading eyes. “I don’t want to eat ginger…”

Gu Feidi sat down beside him with a bowl of porridge and insisted, “Eating more ginger will help you warm up.”

Su Yang flattened his lip. “I get the chill spell not because of the physical cold, but because of my internal energy. I don’t think ginger would be any help…You holding me is still the warmest thing!”

“Oh, then that’s fine if you don’t want to eat ginger.” Gu Feidi said with a raised eyebrow. “This is a village full of doctors. Although the miracle doctor will not be coming down from the mountain soon, there are many second options that are trained under the good doctor. I’ll go to them to prescribe some brown sugar, red sage, and motherwort to make a dose of soup that will dispel the cold for you.”

Su Yang was curious. “...What kind of soup?”

Gu Feidi tried to hold back his laughter. “A soup perfect for warming the womb and dispelling cold.”

Su Yang stuttered, “Warm…?!”

He raised his hand and punched Gu Feidi on the shoulder. He was angry but also found this hilarious. “Gu Feidi! You sure know a lot!” 

Gu Feidi dodged Su Yang’s second fist and handed the bowl to him. He coaxed, “Please, drink this bowl of ginger porridge? I’ll hold you in my arms tonight. It will be nice and warm.”

Su Yang finally accepted the bowl and ate all the shredded ginger like a good boy. Once the bowl was completely empty, he got up to do his nightime routine and buried himself back into his quilt nest.

Gu Feidi put away the tableware, tidied the luggage, got on the bed, and held Su Yang in his arms.

“Rest if you’re tired.” He whispered. “It’ll be an arduous journey tomorrow.”

“M’kay…” Su Yang nodded and murmured in a daze. He turned around with his back against Gu Feidi’s chest. “It’s shouldn’t be too difficult when I have a cosy darlingCosy darling: I know I translated warm darling or 暖寶寶 incorrectly. More accurate translation would be ‘hand warmer’, the pack that could temporarily give heat. Instead, I used a direct translation because it’s cuter that way 😀 I also want a warm and cosy darling (my work office is very cold). like you…”

In recent days, other than Su Yang's increasing susceptibility to the cold, he was gradually becoming somnolent more often. He himself did not realize this, but Gu Feidi had long noticed these unusual habits. 

It was just like now—evening just arrived, but after only a few words, Su Yang was already deeply asleep. Normally, even if it was already long into the night, he would stay up to chat with Gu Feidi for a long time before he would obediently go to sleep.

In the dark, Gu Feidi sighed inadvertently.

He leaned forward slightly and landed a light kiss on Su Yang’s ear. It didn’t contain an ounce of lust or the beautiful love, only everlasting worry with sad affection.

He sobbed quietly near Su Yang’s ear, “...You must get better soon…my most cherished.”