Bunny Husband Chapter 9

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Haocheng was not waiting for her.

At the door to his room, Danning frowned slightly. Haocheng usually stayed in and got breakfast ready for them, he would sit at the table and greet her arrival with a smile.

He was not here.

Where did he go?

Without entering the room, she turned and went to search the fortress for him, but she did not find him anywhere. Her pale face could not help but slowly become frozen.

She stopped a servant, ‘Have you seen Jiang Haocheng?’

Startled by Danning’s expression, the servant shook his head quickly, ‘No. No, miss. I haven’t seen Jiang gōngzǐ.’

Danning frowned and stepped away; she wondered if Jiang Haocheng had gone out to buy sweets for her and had returned to his rooms. She went back, but he wasn’t there. When he went out, he knew that if she could not find him for too long, she would get angry so he usually did not go out for too long; had he gotten into trouble in town?

She rushed to the gate and asked the guard, ‘Have you seen Jiang Haocheng leave the fortess today?’

‘No, Miss. This small one has not seen him.’ The guard replied.

He hadn’t gone out; so where was he?

Danning went about like a frost wind searching for him, panic and anxiety rising in her.

When she saw another servant, she asked, ‘Have you seen Jiang Haocheng?’

‘This morning, I saw him heading towards the master’s rooms.’ The servant answered.

He had gone to see father? Knowing he was fine, she was relieved and turned to the main courtyard. As she walked, she saw her father and her third brother walking together.

‘A Jiu, why are you looking like…’

‘Isn’t Haocheng with you?’ She asked.

‘Huh?’ Master Ji was stunned, ‘your father hasn’t seen him!’

Danning frowned, ‘A servant said they saw him heading to your rooms.’

‘I haven’t seen him. Maybe your mother?’

Before he was finished talking, Danning was already rushing to the main courtyard. Ji Gongyi and her third brother looked at each other; Danning was not quite right. They immediately followed her.

Danning entered the main family courtyard and rushed to Shen Wanning’s rooms.

‘Where is Jiang Haocheng?’ she asked on seeing her mother.

Shen Wanniang was stunned and she looked in confusion at her husband and Lao-san coming behing Danning, ‘What happened?’

‘Did Haocheng come here?’

‘I called for him, but he hasn’t shown up…’ she still thought that that xiǎo guān was impolite, but seeing A Jiu’s expression, was he missing?

‘He really did not come?’ she asked her mother coldly. She knew her mother did not like Haocheng but wanted her to be with Tianlin, ‘You haven’t hidden him somewhere?’

Wanniang was shocked that Danning would think such a thing, ‘Of course not. Are you suspicious of your mother?’

‘You don’t like him.’ Danning replied bluntly.

‘That is true, I don’t like him.’ Wanniang replied angrily, ‘But because of you I have tried to accept him. Of late, I do think he is not so bad. This morning, I called him so I could speak with him one to one; I did not mean him any harm. Do you really thing your mother would hurt the person you like?’

Danning did not reply; Haocheng’s disappearance made her heart panic. She turned to leave.

‘A Jiu, don’t worry.’ Gongyi said holding on to her. He turned to his wife to pacify her, ‘Wanniang don’t be angry with A Jiu; she is just anxious. Lao-san get everyone to search the castle for Jiang Haocheng. And check who else is missing.’

‘Yes.’ Lao-san looked at his younger sister, it was the first time he had seen her like this. He dared not hesitate and went off to do as Ji Gongyi asked.

‘A Jiu, don’t worry. Wait for news first.’ Ji Gongyi patted his daughter’s shoulder.

Danning bowed her head and said nothing, her hands clenched tightly.

Wanniang’s heart softened at Danning, she took her hand, ‘A Jiu, maybe he’s just wandering about the castle and he will return soon.’

Looking at her mother’s hands, Danning looked up, Wanning smiled at her, placating. Danning looked down and said quietly, ‘I’m sorry.’ She should not have accused her mother of kidnapping him.

Her parents were stunned; they looked at each other over her bowed head. They smiled.

It seemed that because of Haocheng, Danning was changing. With that in mind, she reluctantly accepted the boy.  

A quarter of an hour later, Lao-san returned, panting. He was followed by the other teachers and brothers,

‘Jiang Haocheng isn’t in the castle, and…’ he paused before he continued, ‘Zhao Tianlin isn’t here either.’

🀏

He was surrounded in gloom, the only light was a faint glow from a crevice in the stones above. With the light, he was able to see his present situation. He was chained to a stone wall with iron manacles and immersed in water up to his knees. He was unable to move.

He had been headed to the main courtyard before everything went dark.

He really wasn’t impressed.

‘You’ve woken.’ A deep voice said from the shadows.

Hearing the voice, he wasn’t surprised at all. There was only one person who hated him enough to tie him up; looking into the shadows, he raised an eyebrow, ‘Zhao Tianlin.’

The other man walked out of the corner with a cold expression on his face, ‘You’re unexpectedly calm.’ He had thought the younger man would panic.

Haocheng shrugged as much as he could, would it matter if he panicked?

‘Do you want to kill me?’

‘No,’ Zhao Tianlin denied, ‘I just want you to disappear. And with that, I hope A jiu would notice me, even a glance would do.’

He had thought about killing him out right. When Haocheng had been knocked out, a gentle pinch of his hand was all that it would require. His mind flashed Danning’s face, and he could not do it.

Kill Jiang Haocheng, and she would not let him go. She may hate him and even want to kill him. He didn’t care, at least, she would notice him. But he thought of A Jiu when she was next to Haocheng; she got angry, she smiled. Even though it was shallow, he could she was happy. (Zuben: Has he been stalking them?)

It made him so jealous! He could the one who could make A Jiu happy be someone else? He found Haocheng hateful, he wished that the young man would disappear, but if he was not around, A Jiu would not be happy. (Zuben: So to what purpose is this capture?)

Thinking of this, he sadly was unable to do it.

Haocheng sighed in his heart, if he really wanted to kill him; couldn’t he have done this earlier? Why wait for him to wake up? But, he knew Zhao Tianlin could not do it, not because he was soft-hearted, but because of Xiaojiu.

Though Xiaojiu would hate him, he could not bear to make her sad; this person loved Xiaojiu miserably, but Haocheng would not give up Xiaojiu nor sympathise with Tianlin. Sympathy would be humiliating for Tianlin, he would reject it and Haocheng did not want to give it.

‘So what? You don’t want to kill me, but lock me up here forever?’ With his weak chicken boy, which the lower half was now soaked in water, he would probably break down in about seven days.

Zhao Tianlin sneered and laughed coldly, ‘Aren’t you afraid that is what I want to do? Waiting to die in this dark cave is worse than killing you directly.’

‘Xiaojiu will find me,’ Haocheng replied unafraid to provoke Tianlin, ‘Not knowing where I am, she would be fretting already.’

‘Shut up!’ Tianlin growled, he waved a hand in the air at him, and a blade of air cut Haocheng’s face and blood seeped out, ‘Jiang Haocheng, don’t think that I really won’t kill you.’

Haocheng’s expression did not change, ‘This is simply it; no matter how persistent you are, no matter how long you don’t give up, Xiaojiu’s heart would never be yours.’

‘Shut up! Shut up!’ Zhao Tianlin shouted as he waded angrily into the water and grabbed Jiang Haocheng’s neck; his eyes were red with anger but his hand did not exert any force.

Haocheng looked directly in his eyes and said, ‘You know it’s true…urk!’ His words were punctuated with pain as Tianlin punched him hard in the stomach.

Haocheng grit his teeth, through the pain, without fear, he continued, ‘That fact cannot be changed. Zhao Tianlin, Xiaojiu likes me.’

‘No!’ He roared as he continued to beat Haocheng, ‘A Jiu doesn’t understand, she doesn’t know what she likes. How could she possibly like you? It’s impossible! There is no way!’

He stopped his onslaught.

Haocheng spit out blood. He was beaten to a near collapse, but he hung on and watched Tianlin arrogantly; his lips, bright with blood, lifted in a sneer, ‘Does that make you angry?’

‘You!’ Tianlin glared full of hatred. He was so angry and wanted to beat him up more, but he didn’t seem to be able to. He shook his fists in rage and left the cave.

As soon as he was gone, Haocheng’s body softened and the pain made him feel terrible.

Fortunately, Tianlin did not hit him anymore, or he would be dead.

He coughed up more blood. He looked about the dark cave; a cold wind blew making his shiver violently, but the handcuffs were very tight, he could do nothing about them. He could only wait for rescue.

Oh it was so cold; Xiaojiu come save me!

🀏

Zhao Tianlin was not surprised to see the person waiting for him in his room. The others were scattered about the fortress, so they must suspect him.

‘A Jiu.’ He called. It was only two of them in the room. It looked as though his uncle wanted them to solve it themselves. (Zuben: If someone had gotten involved, for instance, the people who set up the marriage in the first place and tried to make everyone make sense, maybe it would not have come to this)

‘Where is he?’ She asked, her whole countenance was cold, her green eyes piercing.

Finally, he had what he wanted; for her to see him. But it was for another man. He laughed mirthlessly, ‘What if I tell you that he was dead?’

There was a flash of silver against his neck, a lock of hair fell and his collar was stained with blood.

Tianlin’s gaze remained steady at Danning.

‘Where is he?’ She did not believe he was dead, she would not!

She stepped forward holding the blade against his throat, ‘Where is he?’

‘This is the first time I have ever seen you nervous,’ he laughed softly, ignoring the sharp blade at his neck, ‘Does it scare you so much that you can’t find him?’

Danning did not speak, but her gaze narrowed further,

‘How about me? Can’t I compare with him?’ He asked, but he knew he would not get answer. He scoffed, ‘I will not tell you were he is.’

Her blade pushed harder against his neck, cutting through skin. Danning was so angry she could kill. He dared kidnap Haocheng, she would not let him go!

‘Aren’t you afraid of death?’

‘I don’t care if I die by your knife.’ He laughed bitterly, looking at her with his embittered affection.

Danning noticed his expression, and frowned, ‘You…’

‘I won’t let you be with him. How long have I loved you? Why did it have to be him to have you? I don’t want to. If you want to kill me, do it!’ He said with finality and closed his eyes.

Danning stared at him; it was the first time she had every properly seen him. After what seemed like an eternity, she retrieved her blade and stepped back.

Tianlin opened his eyes, and looked at her in dismay, ‘Aren’t you going to kill me?’

Danning’s lips turned down, and she stared at him with her strange green eyes.

‘I’m sorry.’ She said after a long time.

Her father had told her she owed him an apology. She hadn’t understood at the time, but looking at him now, she vaguely understood. (Zuben: Meh, I don’t agree.)

‘I think I owe you an apology,’ she said, after a pause she told him again, ‘I’m sorry.’

She could not give him what he wanted.

She was sorry. She told him she was sorry.

‘Haha…’ he gave a shocked laugh. He put his hands over his face, and laughed wildly, bending over, ‘I’m sorry…haha…I’m sorry.’

Sticking to her for so long, all he had to show for it was this sentence. Hot tears poured from his eyes.

After a long time, his mad laughter died away but he did not look at her.

‘Do you like him so much?’

‘Yes,’ This time she nodded, she knew the answer, ‘I like him.’

She didn’t fully understand, but she knew she wanted Jiang Haocheng around her.

‘He is in cave in the back hills. Go find him yourself!’ He would not be benevolent and tell her the exact location. If she wanted him, she would have to find him herself. (Zuben: Convenient cave B, with manacles)

‘Thank you.’ She said and left quickly.

Watching her as she went, he closed his eyes, full of pain.

He should have died.  (Zuben: How very melodramatic. No one sent you to build castles in the sky.)

Index 🀣 Chapter 10