Chapter 210: No Regrets Even Under Blame
In the back garden of the Celestial Realm Academy, Si Zhui clenched his fists, his face still caked with dust. Across from him, the little fairy boy "Feng Yan" covered his arm, his eyes red as he shouted, "Why did you hit me?! I'm going to tell the teacher!"
Several students gathered around to watch the excitement. Some wanted to step forward to persuade them, but Si Zhui stopped them with a cold face: "Don't leave! Explain yourself clearly. Doesn't what you just said count?"
"I told you! Lin Yan is from the mortal world. He's not worthy of being in the Heavenly Realm Academy, let alone being with you, His Highness the Little Sun!" Feng Yan stiffened his neck, his tone filled with contempt. "He just wants to take advantage of your status, and you're still foolishly protecting him!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Si Zhui was so angry that he was shaking. He was about to step forward, but was stopped by Lin Yan who had hurried over. Lin Yan looked at his red eyes and messy clothes, and his brows knitted tightly. "Zhui'er, stop it."
"He scolded you!" Si Zhui struggled, his voice tinged with tears, "He said you were unworthy... I wouldn't let him say that!"
At this time, the schoolmaster also rushed over. Seeing this scene, his face darkened: "Everyone, follow me to the Central Palace! This matter must be made known to His Majesty Junwu and your family elders!"
The atmosphere in Yunshen Pavilion was suffocatingly oppressive. Jun Wu sat in the main seat, looking at Si Zhui standing before the emperor. His face was scratched, his robes stained with dirt, yet he remained stiff-necked, refusing to bow his head. Wei Wuxian paced back and forth in anger, his folding fan nearly deformed. "Tell me! What exactly did you fight about? The students said you started it. Is that true?"
Si Zhui pursed his lips, glancing at Lin Yan beside him, but remained silent. Lan Wangji walked over, his tone calm but with undeniable seriousness: "Si Zhui, making mistakes is not a terrible thing, but concealing the reasons is a mistake on top of a mistake. Tell us why you did it?"
No matter how they asked, Si Zhui just bit his lip and refused to say a word. Jun Wu looked at his stubborn expression, feeling helpless and angry. "It seems that if I don't teach you a lesson, you won't tell the truth. Come, bring the family rules."
"Grandfather!" Sizhui suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock. He hadn't expected Jun Wu to actually punish him. Lin Yan hurried forward: "Grandfather, there must be a reason for Zhui'er. Give him another chance..."
"No!" Jun Wu interrupted him, "The rules cannot be broken. If he dares to start a fight today, he will cause even greater trouble tomorrow. He must know that impulsiveness will not solve problems."
The family discipline was a board made of sacred wood. It wasn't heavy, but the pain was palpable through the fabric. Sizhui was pinned to the stool, his robe lifted, revealing his fair lower back and buttocks. He flinched at the first blow, but gritted his teeth and remained silent.
One, two, three blows… The board landed on his buttocks, leaving a red mark. Sizhui's tears welled up in his eyes, but he held them back, refusing to cry out loud or even give in. Wei Wuxian, heartbroken, looked away, but didn't dare plead—he knew Jun Wu was doing this for Sizhui's own good.
It wasn't until the fifth blow that Si Zhui finally couldn't help but groan, tears streaming down his face. Just then, Feng Yan's father rushed in and knelt on the floor, "Your Majesty, it's my fault for not raising you well! Feng Yan said at home that he was the one who scolded His Highness Lin Yan first, saying he was from the mortal realm and unworthy of being in heaven. That's why His Highness Si Zhui took action!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell silent. Lin Yan suddenly looked up at Si Zhui, his heart aching as if being cut by a knife. He quickly walked to Si Zhui's side and gently helped him up. Seeing the red and swollen marks on his buttocks, his eyes instantly reddened: "Zhui'er, why didn't you tell us? Why did you carry it yourself?"
Si Zhui leaned in his arms, unable to hold back any longer, and burst into tears: "I don't want you to know... I'm afraid you'll be sad... They said you don't deserve it... I won't let them say that..."
"Silly child." Lin Yan hugged him, his voice choked with sobs, and gently stroked his red and swollen area with his fingertips, but he didn't dare to use force. "How could I be sad? I just feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for you suffering so much for me."
Jun Wu looked at the scene before him and sighed helplessly. He waved his hand and asked Feng Yan's father to take the child down to receive his punishment. Then he said to the immortal official beside him, "Get the 'Skin-Fixing Cream' and apply it to Si Zhui."
Wei Wuxian walked over and looked at Sizhui’s red eyes from crying. He felt angry and hurt. “How could you be so stupid, kid? Someone scolded Lin Yan, didn’t you tell us? You insisted on doing it yourself and refused to say anything. Now you feel the pain, don’t you?”
"Daddy..." Si Zhui rubbed Wei Wuxian's shoulder aggrievedly.
Lan Wangji handed over the muscle-solidifying ointment and said in a much softer tone, "Don't do this next time. It's right to protect the people you want to protect, but you have to learn how to do it the right way. If you get hurt like this, Lin Yan will be distressed, and we will be worried too."
Lin Yan carefully applied the ointment to Si Zhui, his movements as gentle as if he were treating a fragile treasure. "If anyone says something bad about me again, ignore them and don't fight with them. I'm here to protect myself and you."
Si Zhui nodded, leaned into his arms, and gradually stopped crying. Moonlight poured in through the window, falling on the two of them, gentle and peaceful. Si Zhui knew that he had been impulsive today and had learned his lesson, but if he encountered someone scolding Lin Yan again, he would still stand up - because Lin Yan was the person he wanted to protect the most, the person he was willing to cherish with everything.
Lin Yan, holding the person in his arms, was filled with emotion and heartache. He knew that Si Zhui's love was more precious than the most precious immortal crystal in the heavens. For the rest of his life, whether in the human world or in the heavens, he would do his utmost to protect this little fool who had risked everything for him, and never let him suffer the slightest injustice.
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