On the next morning, Ye Lang brought Little Xin to the dining hall for breakfast. Little Black (Edward) soon appeared, taking a seat next to Ye Lang.
Edward greeted them, then casually asked, “Little Xin, you’re not eating again? Still on a diet?” Of course he didn’t need an answer. He knew Little Xin wasn’t about to reply anyway.
“I’ll have a salad, an omelette… Wait, I’ll have what he’s having too, soymilk and youtiao…” Edward suddenly felt like trying this out after watching Ye Lang eat.
“Ye Lang, I have a question!” said Ye Lang, suddenly very serious.
“What is it?” came a muffled reply, Ye Lang’s mouth full of the fried breadsticks.
“When will my skin go back to normal?” he asked, pointing at his face.
Ye Lang examined his skin, then said, “Based on your current condition, you should recover in 2 months. You’re a lot fairer now!!”
“Fair? I’m as black as coal!!” snapped Edward.
Ye Lang shook his head, “No, you USED TO be as black as coal!”
“And now?”
“Now you’re a little fairer than coal!”
“…” He fell silent, “Isn’t that the same? I’m still as black as coal!”
“You’re right, slightly lightened coal is still coal. You’ll continue to be a piece of coal for the next ten days, then you’ll be…” Ye Lang stopped because he was looking for a word to describe him.
“…” What did he mean?
Be what?
“What?”
“Chocolate!” offered Ye Lang when he saw someone else eating a piece of chocolate dessert.
“…”
“I want to kill you!!” snarled Edward, after a moment, clenching his teeth.
“Why? I didn’t offend you,” answered Ye Lang calmly as if to say- I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m innocent!
“You dare say you haven’t?!! You idiot, I’m like this all because of your poison pills!!” roared Edward. He bit hard on a breadstick, and tore a mouthful off!
“Right, but it was an accident!” shrugged Ye Lang. He didn’t think he was in the wrong.
“An accident!! I was half dead, and you fed me poison! Even I wonder how I survived!!” Every time Edward recalled this moment, he’d feel so fortunate but also very angry at the same time.
“Me too. You’re like a cockroach!”
“…I don’t care, I want you to deal with this problem! I want to be fair again!!”
“What for? You’re not a lady. Tan skin doesn’t look bad on you either. Then again, it won’t be for a very long time. You’re a man, what does it matter?”
Many days had passed without Edward bringing this up. It was obvious he wasn’t the kind to care too much. However, he’d suddenly been very worried. Something was up.
However, it didn’t bother Ye Lang. He continued munching happily on his breakfast!
“It didn’t matter then, but it’s important now. I want to be fair again!” pleaded Edward as he gazed outside as if he had something on his mind.
“What’s up?” Ye Lang stopped to stare at Edward’s blackened face. Edward’s wistful eyes suddenly turned melancholic.
“Do you know what I’m here for?” asked Edward, as if waiting for Ye Lang’s answer.
“If you don’t tell me, how would I know?” came a direct answer. Edward hadn’t talked much about it, and he didn’t ask.
“…” Edward was stunned for a moment, “Cough, cough. I’ll tell you now. I’m not here to bring you around…”
“I know that. We hired a horse carriage after we left the mountains. I didn’t need you anymore!” interrupted Ye Lang.
“…”
Fuck, even if you didn’t need me, you don’t have to be this honest!
“Alright, I’ll be honest. I’m here for my beloved!” Edward decided to go straight to the point before Ye Lang gave him a heart attack.
“Oh…” Ye Lang nodded, then didn’t say anything else.
Edward was a little awkward. Why wasn’t he saying something? For example…
“Don’t you want to know who I love? Or what I’m here for?”
“That’s none of my business! I’m leaving soon for Sheng City. I don’t have time to meet your beloved,” Ye Lang finished the last of his youtiao breadstick and soymilk, then prepared to pay.
He was going to leave for Sheng City immediately. Even if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have cared about Edward’s ‘beloved’ either, why now?
“Wait, this is all your fault. You must take responsibility for this, or don’t even think of leaving!!” Edward was starting to throw a tantrum. Ye Lang was likely to even leave him for dead! He grabbed Ye Lang’s arm and wouldn’t let go.
Everyone was staring at them now. They’d stopped whatever they were doing, and their mouths opened very, very wide!
They’d mistaken them for lovers, that Ye Lang was dumping Edward!
Well, technically, he was! Oh dear!
“We’re not whatever you think we are!” explained Edward, soon realising what everyone must be thinking.
“What?” asked Ye Lang.
“…Turn me back now! How can I meet Kesha when I’m this black!!” Edward didn’t feel like explaining, so this would be enough to make everyone understand.
So they were talking about his skin turning black, and he was going to look for this Ms Kesha. He was straight after all. However, Ms Kesha would never love this odd pile of coal!
Everyone shook their heads, then continued with their meals. They all agreed on one thing- he would never succeed in winning Kesha’s heart!
Ms Kesha was the pearl of the owner of Alexandria. She was loved by thousands, an angel sent from the heavens. With her beauty and grace, she was the ideal woman of the entire city, even having admirers across the Ai La Empire.
How would an odd pile of coal like Edward catch this angel’s eye? Perhaps if she were blind!!
“If you can’t meet her, then don’t! You won’t die from not meeting her!” came Ye Lang’s casual reply. It wasn’t his problem anyway.
