After Being Reborn as the Chief Eunuch Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Extra 13

Ever since Xiao Shan and He Man became a couple, Xiao Shan’s life changed.

At first, the change did not seem all that dramatic—like the first blossom quietly appearing in a calm lotus pond during summer, a touch of red among endless green. But as the days went by, that bit of color gradually spread, and by midsummer, the whole pond would be in full bloom.

During the time after they had pledged themselves to each other, Xiao Shan would visit the stables whenever he had free time.

Every day, he brought He Man something to eat, and He Man would always give him small trinkets in return.

But He Man was careful. He knew life inside the palace was not as free as life in the stables, so he made sure not to give Xiao Shan anything that he would have to take back into the palace. If too many items accumulated, it might attract suspicion.

The workers in the stables often saw Xiao Shan, but they never cared about He Man’s affairs.

Besides, they had no personal or financial involvement with He Man, so there was no reason for them to meddle.

Logically speaking, since Xiao Shan had taken the medicine, he should not have had any physical desires. Yet whenever he was close with He Man, he did not feel the least bit disgusted.

People in love naturally grew addicted to each other’s touch and closeness, and Xiao Shan and He Man were no exception.

They were immersed in that happiness, never realizing that misfortune was slowly approaching them.

Until one day, in Yan Court’s dark and cramped house, Xiao Shan drank that bowl of medicine…

The sharp pain and terror, mixed with the heavy smell of blood, suddenly dragged Xiao Shan into an abyss. At the time, he had no idea what was happening. Everything spun around him, as if some unseen force was pulling his soul out of his body.

In his dazed state, he felt as though he were dying.

By the time he was carried out of Yan Court, he had almost lost consciousness. When he woke again, he found himself in the Office of Judicial Review.

Once Xiao Shan learned the truth, it was already too late.

The aching in his abdomen and the blood he had lost told him something he had never imagined before—he had been carrying He Man’s child. He did not know when it had happened, nor how long the child had lived inside him. The only thing he knew was that the child was gone.

According to palace law, a eunuch who had an illicit relationship was sentenced to death by beating.

Xiao Shan had long anticipated this day, and he did not regret being with He Man. His only regret was that he probably would not see He Man again before he died. And poor He Man would never even know that they had once had a child together.

With that regret in his heart, Xiao Shan finally entrusted the jade pendant He Man had given him to Ji Qingzhou, asking him to bury it on the street outside the side gate. Xiao Shan thought He Man passed by there often, and leaving the pendant there would at least give him something to remember.

He never expected that Ji Qingzhou would use the pendant as a clue and track He Man down.

A few days before Ji Qingzhou found him, He Man had already sensed something was wrong.

Xiao Shan had vanished without warning—vanished from He Man’s world entirely.

That was when He Man realized how easily he could lose Xiao Shan. If Xiao Shandid not come to him, he could only wait. He dared not ask around or search, because any careless move might endanger Xiao Shan.

For days, He Man wandered in a daze, waiting for Xiao Shan. He even checked the rabbit courtyard several times, but Xiao Shan was nowhere to be found.

Then Ji Qingzhou appeared in the stables with the jade pendant… In his excitement, He Man almost mistook Ji Qingzhou for Xiao Shan himself.

But that joy lasted only a moment, before he learned the worst possible news.

It was as if a snowstorm had suddenly swept through the height of summer, shattering He Man’s entire world.

When He Man saw Xiao Shan again in the prison of the Office of Judicial Review, his heart nearly broke. In just a few days, Xiao Shan had grown so frail and haggard that He Man could barely recognize him. When he held him, he scarcely dared to use any strength, afraid Xiao Shan might crumble in his arms.

“I thought I would never see you again,” Xiao Shan said as he touched He Man’s face.

He Man knelt beside him and held him silently, crying the entire time.

At first, Xiao Shan tried to persuade him not to confess. The palace punished eunuchs far more harshly. For the same offense, Xiao Shan would certainly be executed, but He Man might still live. Since Xiao Shan was doomed no matter what, he hoped He Man could escape punishment.

But later, Xiao Shan realized his words were useless. He Man would never abandon him. If that was the case, they might as well die together. At least they could see each other one last time.

“Tell them it was I who forced you,” He Man wrote in Xiao Shan’s palm after calming down.

Xiao Shan stared at him in disbelief. “You’re going to take the blame for me?”

“I want you to live,” He Man wrote again.

“But I want to die with you,” Xiao Shan said, guiding He Man’s hand to his abdomen as his voice trembled. “Our child is gone. If we die together, we can go be with him. Don’t make me live alone.”

He Man’s hand shook as it rested on Xiao Shan’s stomach, and large tears fell once more from his eyes.

A moment later, He Man looked at Xiao Shan seriously and shook his head. He wrote in Xiao Shan’s palm, “I won’t die, and neither will you. Trust me.”

At first, Xiao Shan thought He Man was only trying to comfort him. It wasn’t until Dong Dong appeared and relayed Li Zhan’s arrangements that he realized it was true.

“You’re weak right now and can’t withstand punishment. If He Man takes the blame for you, it will save your life. He’s strong—he can endure the beating, and Wang Ye will send him out of the palace afterward,” Dong Dong told Xiao Shan.

Xiao Shan looked at He Man, and He Man nodded at him, signaling that he should believe him.

Xiao Shan knew Dong Dong was speaking on Li Zhan’s behalf, so there was no reason for him to lie. Why would the regent go to such trouble for an insignificant eunuch like him?

“We both have to stay alive. Only then can we meet again in the future,” He Man wrote in his palm.

Xiao Shan looked at him. He knew the chances were slim, but they had no better choice at the moment.

“Believe me—we’ll definitely see each other again,” He Man wrote. Then he pointed at himself and at Xiao Shan and added, “Maybe our child will come back one day too.”

As he said this, He Man took out the jade pendant and placed it back around Xiao Shan’s neck.

That same day, the Office of Judicial Review finalized the case.

Xiao Shan was released, and after receiving the beating, He Man was expelled from the palace.

Before He Man left the palace that day, Dong Dong arranged for Xiao Shan to watch him from afar. Knowing He Man was still alive gave Xiao Shan a faint glimmer of hope. As long as they were both alive, he thought, even meeting again when their hair had turned white would be enough…

From then on, Xiao Shan never heard any news about He Man again.

He knew Li Zhan had already done all he could for him.

He wouldn’t recklessly bring the matter up to anyone else, and everyone else was considerate enough not to mention He Man in front of him. Soon Xiao Shan’s health gradually recovered. Everything felt like a dream, and only the jade pendant at his neck reminded him that someone so important had once been part of his life.

Later, Li Zhan transferred Xiao Shan to Yinghui Pavilion.

Not long after, he followed Ji Qingzhou to the Ji residence and the Prince Residence.

Eventually, Ji Qingzhou had someone send Xiao Shan to Li Zhan’s estate in the outskirts of the capital.

The estate was half a day’s journey from the city. Along the way, Xiao Shan felt as if he were dreaming, afraid that after the long ride he would wake up back at the Prince Residence—or even back at the Office of Judicial Review…

He could barely tell which part was real and which part was the dream.

Then the carriage stopped at the entrance of the estate, and a large, well-defined hand lifted the curtain in front of him.

Xiao Shan looked up and met those familiar eyes, and only then did everything start to feel real again.

A few days earlier, He Man had received word that Wang Ye was sending someone to help him take care of the horses. As an experienced stableman, He Man thought he could easily manage all the horses in the estate by himself and didn’t really need help. But since it was Wang Ye’s order, he didn’t refuse—perhaps 

Wang Ye had another purpose in mind.

He Man was loyal and dutiful. He never questioned Li Zhan’s instructions; he simply carried them out.

That noon, estimating that the person would be arriving soon, he went to the gate to wait.

He thought that since Wang Ye had sent someone to assist him, he should at least be welcoming.

But he never imagined that the person sitting in the carriage would be the one he had missed day and night.

“What, are you two planning to stand there staring at each other until it gets dark?” the driver teased with a smile.

Only then did He Man come to his senses. He reached out, helped Xiao Shan down from the carriage, took his belongings, and led him inside.

In front of the driver and the guards, He Man didn’t dare act out of line. He only kept his eyes fixed on Xiao Shan as he carried his luggage and guided him forward.

As they walked, He Man kept turning back to look at him. At first, Xiao Shan tried to remain composed, but once they reached the quieter area behind the courtyard, he reached out and took He Man’s hand.

He Man clasped his hand tightly, almost to the point of hurting him. Yet that pain made Xiao Shan feel grounded—it kept reminding him that this was real.

After such a long time, they had finally met again.

And this time, they weren’t in the deep palace. They no longer had to be afraid, hide their feelings, or worry about consequences.

He Man brought Xiao Shan to his room. The moment they entered, He Man threw the luggage aside, slammed the door shut, and before Xiao Shan could react, pinned him against it and kissed him.

The kiss was filled with the joy and longing of being reunited, as if he wanted to pour all the nights of yearning into it. Xiao Shan was nearly breathless from it.

After a long while, He Man finally pulled back slightly.

He brushed his hand over Xiao Shan’s brows and eyes, his fingers trembling uncontrollably.

Xiao Shan grabbed his hand and leaned forward to kiss He Man this time.

He Man let him, then locked the door and swept Xiao Shan into his arms…

…

…

Over the next few days, Xiao Shan barely left the bed.

Eventually he couldn’t take it anymore and joked, “Qingzhou sent me here to help you care for the horses. With how busy you’ve been these past days, have you even remembered to feed them? You’re not letting them go hungry, are you?”

He Man smiled and helped Xiao Shan get dressed, then led him out to the stables.

Only then did Xiao Shan realize that He Man really had been “working nonstop.” When Xiao Shan was awake, He Man stayed by his side doing all sorts of intimate, playful things. When Xiao Shan fell asleep, He Man ran off to tend to the horses—so neither responsibility was neglected.

He Man showed Xiao Shan all the horses he had been caring for. Then he pointed at one and made a questioning gesture, asking whether Xiao Shan wanted to ride.

This wasn’t like the palace anymore. If Xiao Shan wanted to ride, He Man could take him out beyond the villa grounds.

There was an open stretch of grassland nearby—perfect for riding. The first time He Man saw it, he had thought that if he ever reunited with Xiao Shan, he would bring him there. He hadn’t expected that wish to come true so soon.

“Maybe in a few days…” Xiao Shan replied awkwardly.

Only then did He Man realize he had been too rough with him lately, and riding would indeed be difficult.

So over the next few days, He Man restrained himself a little.

A few days later, he chose a beautiful day and brought Xiao Shan out of the villa.

The weather was still a little cold, and the fresh grass on the field had not yet begun to grow, so the scenery looked somewhat bleak. But that did not affect their mood at all. In truth, neither He Man nor Xiao Shan had the spare attention to admire the view—they only had eyes for each other.

That day, He Man brought two horses with him. At first, he and Xiao Shan rode together on the same horse while he taught him how to control the reins. Later, once Xiao Shan had gradually learned, He Man let him switch to a slightly smaller horse so he could try riding on his own.

“I’m a little scared,” Xiao Shan said, sitting alone on the horse, clearly nervous.

He Man pointed to himself, indicating that he would protect him.

Only then did Xiao Shan relax a bit and gently urged the horse to trot around the field a few times.

At first, He Man rode beside him the whole time. But when he saw that Xiao Shan was riding quite well, he became less tense.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Shan grew bolder and urged the horse to go faster and faster. However, he lacked experience, and when he tried to pull the reins, he lost his balance and fell off the horse.

He Man was so frightened that his soul nearly left his body. He leapt off his horse, caught Xiao Shan in his arms, and rolled with him across the ground.

He had thought Xiao Shan hadn’t been hurt, but Xiao Shan lay in his arms with his eyes shut, looking as if he had fainted.

He Man panicked. He didn’t dare shake him recklessly. Kneeling on the ground, he held Xiao Shan’s face and hoarsely called his name. Because he had not spoken for so many years, his voice sounded low and rough, but the two words “Xiao Shan” came out very clearly.

The “unconscious” Xiao Shan immediately opened his eyes when he heard He Man call his name.

The moment He Man saw that expression, he realized Xiao Shan had been teasing him. Relieved, he rushed forward, ready to “punish” him for the scare.

But Xiao Shan held his face and asked, “You said my name. I heard it!”

He Man flushed red at once. He no longer had the heart to “punish” him and simply stood up to leave.

Xiao Shan grabbed him and refused to let go. “He Man! You can talk, can’t you?”

He Man shook his head and avoided his gaze again.

“If you won’t talk, I’ll get mad,” Xiao Shan said, forcing him to look at him.

After a moment of silence, He Man took Xiao Shan’s hand and wrote in his palm, “It sounds bad.”

“Who said that?” Xiao Shan replied quickly. “I think it sounds wonderful. Say my name again.”

He Man looked conflicted. He didn’t want to speak, but he also didn’t want Xiao Shan to be upset.

“He Man…” Xiao Shan held his face and looked at him earnestly. “You like hearing me say your name. I want to hear you say mine too.”

He Man took a deep breath, gathering all his courage, and softly said, “Xiao Shan.”

After saying it, he watched Xiao Shan carefully, and only when he saw the delight on his face did he finally relax.

“He Man, that was the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard,” Xiao Shan said, hugging and kissing him. “Can you say anything else?”

He Man shook his head. After a pause, he added, “Not much.”

This time, his pronunciation wasn’t as natural as when he said Xiao Shan’s name. But although his voice was slightly hoarse, it was not unpleasant. To Xiao Shan, it sounded like heavenly music.

“I love hearing you talk,” Xiao Shan told him.

He Man reached for his hand, but Xiao Shan deliberately pulled away, meaning he wanted He Man to speak, not write.

Once He Man had spoken in front of him, he had already taken the first step. And with Xiao Shan constantly encouraging him, he gradually began to speak more.

Only later did Xiao Shan learn that He Man had not been born deaf and mute.

When he was young, his family had suffered a disaster. The shock had made him fall gravely ill, and from then on he could no longer hear.

After losing his hearing, he could not judge his own voice, so speaking had become difficult for him. Combined with the emotional blow he suffered at the time, he had gone silent for so long that he eventually lost the courage to speak altogether.

Over the years, He Man had grown accustomed to not speaking.

But after meeting Xiao Shan, he no longer wanted to remain mute.

He had secretly practiced speaking many times, and of course the words he practiced most were “Xiao Shan.” It had simply been so long since he had spoken that he could not imagine what his own voice sounded like. He thought it must be harsh and unpleasant.

If Xiao Shan hadn’t pretended to faint and frightened him that day, He Man never would have called out his name in panic.

After that day, Xiao Shan often encouraged He Man to speak.

With time, He Man began talking more and more in front of Xiao Shan.

However, when facing other people, He Man still rarely spoke.

Even so, that alone was already more than enough to make Xiao Shan happy.

Later, Xiao Shan specifically asked Tang Shu to examine He Man’s ears. Tang Shu did not say whether He Man’s hearing could recover, but he tried acupuncture on him several times, with very little effect.

According to Tang Shu, part of He Man’s deafness came from a psychological cause. Whether it could be cured depended on fate. Xiao Shan did not understand how a mental illness could make someone go deaf, but since Tang Shu was a renowned miracle doctor, if even he said there was no solution, then there truly was none.

Unless, as Tang Shu had said, luck finally arrived…

But how much luck could a person have in one lifetime?

In the following years, Xiao Shan spent most of his time living with He Man at the estate.

For Xiao Shan, his current life was something he had never even dared to dream of before.

Not only had he left the palace, but he could also stay by He Man’s side every day.

Still, people always had regrets. And the happier one was, the easier it was to think of what was still missing.

More than once, Xiao Shan had thought how wonderful it would be if he and He Man could have a child together.

He knew he was being greedy, but he could not stop himself from having that thought now and then.

As time passed, the thought gradually faded…

Yet fate was unpredictable. Just when Xiao Shan had almost given up on the idea, something suddenly changed in his body.

At first, he occasionally felt nauseous. Later, he became more lethargic and found himself hungry more often when he was awake…

Xiao Shan hardly dared to hope for what it meant, afraid of being disappointed. But one day, the estate’s physician examined his pulse and confirmed that he was pregnant.

This news left He Man stunned for several days. Once he recovered from the shock, he became the most anxious person in the entire estate. From the moment Xiao Shan woke up, through every meal, and even when Xiao Shan went to the restroom, He Man insisted on accompanying him. He truly treated Xiao Shan as if he were the most precious thing in the world.

When Ji Qingzhou learned that Xiao Shan was pregnant, he sent Tang Shu to the estate.

With Tang Shu’s expert care, along with He Man’s almost excessive protectiveness, Xiao Shan’s pregnancy went very smoothly.

Several months later, the day Xiao Shan went into labor arrived…

Tang Shu found He Man too distracting and sent him outside. Poor He Man could not hear anything and grew frantic at the door, pacing so anxiously he nearly wore holes into the floor.

He waited outside for an unknown amount of time, his mind completely blank.

Then, at some moment, a sound suddenly broke through the barrier of silence and entered He Man’s ears.

Once. Twice. Three times…

The sound was loud and strong—it was the cry of a newborn baby.

“Congratulations, you’re a father now!” Tang Shu said as he came out of the room, shaking out his arms. “Both the mother and the child are safe.”

He Man looked at him in confusion. In the past, he had relied on reading lips to understand others. Now that his hearing had suddenly returned, he needed a moment to process what Tang Shu had said.

At that moment, He Man thought that Tang Shu’s voice was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his life.

Of course, that “most beautiful” was soon replaced by the voices of the two people he loved most—the big one and the little one.

He Man quickly went inside, knelt beside Xiao Shan’s bed, and held his hand, calling his name over and over.

Xiao Shan was still weak after giving birth. He said softly to He Man, “Go take a look at our child.”

He Man nodded instinctively and went to check on the baby.

The baby was sleeping peacefully with his eyes closed. He Man did not dare disturb him. After watching for a while, he returned to Xiao Shan’s side.

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Shan asked when he saw the strange look on He Man’s face. “Is something wrong with the baby?”

He Man quickly shook his head and leaned in, resting his forehead against Xiao Shan’s.

“Xiao Shan, your voice sounds so beautiful,” He Man said.

Xiao Shan laughed lightly at first, but then froze.

“He Man?” Xiao Shan called out, testing.

He Man, with his head pressed against Xiao Shan’s forehead and not looking at his lips, answered him.

Xiao Shan’s heart leapt with joy. “Doctor Tang was right. You really can hear again!”

“Yes,” He Man said, kissing Xiao Shan’s lips. “Doctor Tang also said that in a few years, we might have another child.”

“Isn’t one child enough for you?” Xiao Shan asked.

“One is not too few, and two are not too many,” He Man replied. “But it’s up to you. From now on, the three of us are your family, and you decide everything.”

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Shan said, “Then you can’t pretend to be mute anymore. Otherwise, if the child copies you, that would be a problem.”

“I wasn’t pretending…” He Man tried to defend himself, but quickly gave in. “If you say I was pretending, then I was pretending. I won’t do it again.”

“And you can’t go deaf again just because something shocks you,” Xiao Shan added.

“Yes, I’ll listen to you. If you tell me to hear, I won’t dare go deaf,” He Man replied.

Outside, Tang Shu was about to come back in after catching his breath. Hearing their conversation, he could not help but roll his eyes.

He sighed toward the sky, thinking that sometimes being deaf wasn’t so bad after all…

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