“Please excuse our behavior,” Zhou Yu replied mildly. “My father and Uncle Sun were old acquaintances.”
Yuan Shu grunted in acknowledgment. His eyes remained cold as he smiled. “It is getting late. You two should turn in now.”
Zhou Yu murmured in agreement and stepped aside, waiting for the group to pass.
When Yuan Shu brushed by him, he said, “Starting tomorrow, you no longer need to go to the Office of Records. There will be a new post for you once spring comes. You’d best work hard, young man.”
“Yes sir,” Zhou Yu replied.
Yuan Shu patted his shoulder, but as he did, Zhou Yu felt a wave of murderous intent. When he straightened up, he saw that they were all staring at him.
Yuan Shu didn’t even waste words on Sun Ce and left on his own. Sun Ce’s lips twitched. Evidently someone offered up an opinion on him behind his back, and Sun Ce’s expression flickered as he dragged Zhou Yu back into his rooms.
After they returned, a quiet noise came from the roof. Neither of them raised their heads, and Sun Ce, acting as if there were nothing wrong, sat down on the bed, smiling. He kicked off his wooden clogs, crossed his legs, and started to boil some water for tea.
“The general’s estate would never deprive you of food, so you’d better offer up whatever you have.”
Zhou Yu casually pointed under the bed. “There are tea cakes in the box.”
Sun Ce glanced at it, only to see signs of disturbance. Before they left, he’d watched Zhou Yu mark it, just in case. It was evident the entire room had been searched. He thought about how Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao ran into them and knew it was probably they who had sent people to conduct the search. Maybe the brothers hadn’t been convinced, so they came in person to oversee.
Sun Ce’s expression was unpleasant, but Zhou Yu smiled slightly. Straightening his sleeves, he sat down, lifting the kettle to pour some water into a cup for Sun Ce’s tea.
“Are you unhappy?” Zhou Yu’s eyebrows twitched.
“What did you call him again?” Sun Ce’s expression was pure displeasure. Zhou Yu didn’t know what grievance he was hung up on now.
“I don’t remember. How about I call you Zhugong?”
Sun Ce shook his head helplessly, and the two stared at the teapot in silence. After finishing his tea, Zhou Yu let out a yawn.
“I’ll leave you to your own devices. I’m tired.”
“Then let’s sleep together,” Sun Ce suggested.
Zhou Yu cleaned up the bed, and they pulled one blanket over their bodies as they pressed together to sleep. Zhou Yu’s bed was tiny, and they both had large builds, so they ended up with their hands and feet pressed together. A few more sounds drifted in from outside, and Sun Ce’s eyes raised to look at the ceiling.
“It’s winter,” he said, amused, “and yet there’s still so many rats.”
Not expecting such a comment from Sun Ce, Zhou Yu chuckled out loud.
Sun Ce continued, clearly entertained, “Tomorrow we need to inform the great general, so he can bring the infestation under control.”
“You brought the rats with you,” Zhou Yu replied. “I’ve lived here over a month and never saw one, but as soon you came—rats. Make sure you aren’t bitten in your sleep.”
Sun Ce’s expression shifted, and he narrowed his eyes, noticing the moonlight shining in under the eaves was a little brighter than it had been moments before.
Sun Ce held his breath, but Zhou Yu pressed his hand down on Sun Ce’s, shaking his head lightly.
The assassins outside the room seemed to be waiting for something, but Zhou Yu knew Yuan Shu wouldn’t be able to kill them yet. After all, he hadn’t discovered the whereabouts of the jade seal, and if he killed Sun Ce, it was no different than directly attacking Sun Jian. Emboldened, Sun Ce looked away with a laugh.
After about five minutes, Zhou Yu’s ears twitched as he heard the sound of a bamboo whistle from afar. A good portion of the assassins on the roof left, but surely a few remained, tasked with eavesdropping.
Sun Ce’s bath had left him smelling clean and manly. He clutched Zhou Yu’s hand tightly as they rested.
In the second half of the night, Zhou Yu spoke in a small voice. “Are you asleep?”
“No,” Sun Ce said quietly, before he rolled over and squashed Zhou Yu underneath him.
Zhou Yu had not been expecting this.
Sun Ce had squished Zhou Yu’s entire body beneath him into an odd position, and they were pressed ear to mouth. Sun Ce’s eyes cracked open, and his soft lips moved carefully.
“One to the left, three to the right.”
“They’ve all fallen asleep,” Zhou Yu whispered. “There’s one left by the fence in the backyard who’s listening in…”
“What do you want him to hear?” Sun Ce asked lightly, right into Zhou Yu’s ear. “Gongjin, you smell pretty good. It’s exactly like what I remember from when we were kids.”
“Oh fuck off…” Zhou Yu swatted away the hand that was groping around and replied under his breath. “I have a plan that can get you, Sun Quan, and the old madame out peacefully. Want to try it?”
“Speak.” Sun Ce wrapped one arm around Zhou Yu’s waist, and he slung his leg over his body, the two of them entwined. Sun Ce smiled. “I knew you’d have a plan.”
“Stop wasting words… What are you doing? Stop that!” Zhou Yu hissed. “If you keep making a scene, I won’t tell you.”
Sun Ce froze in position and didn’t move a single muscle. Zhou Yu whispered a few instructions, and Sun Ce’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Think it through,” Zhou Yu said. “You must not hesitate. Otherwise, even a resurrected Zhang Zifang25 would not be able to help you.”
“But what if you were trying to kill me instead?” Sun Ce asked earnestly.
Zhou Yu’s expression grew stern, and he stared into Sun Ce’s eyes.
Sun Ce smiled. “Even then, I’d only be able to deliver myself to your doorstep and present my neck.”
Mustering all his strength, Zhou Yu kicked Sun Ce off the bed.
Sun Ce hurried to beg for mercy. “We’ll do as you say…”