Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

Thanks to Senior Sister’s lightly spoken words, Siguo Pavilion pretty much became Xia Ge’s permanent abode.

30,000 times.

Hehe.

Xia Ge once again paid tender respects to Senior Sister’s ancestors in her heart, whilst rubbing her aching hands and staring at the thick stack of papers covered in small writing on the table.

Then she reached out a hand shaking with trepidation to conscientiously count the papers from top to bottom.

……Three, three hundred.

She glared at the Danxun, the heavy original text covered in red leather and about five centimeters thick.

Three hundred pages and she’d only done finished one copy.

Her belly went ‘gululu’ with hunger.

Unable take it anymore, Xia Ge threw her brush aside and wailed to the heavens: “I can’t live like this!”

Three hundred sheets for one copy? She had to do this 30,000 times? At that time, what the hell had her brains been stuffed with to say something so incredibly stupid?!

Burying her face in the stack of papers with her arms drooped to her sides, Xia Ge resembled nothing more than a salted fish beaten to death.

“What an unappealing sight.”

The familiar ridiculing voice and the aroma of fried rice promptly brought Xia ‘Salted Fish’ Ge back to life. Sitting up straight, she exclaimed: “Ah! Ye Ze!”

Words barely out of her mouth, her temple was hit by a tiny round paper ball. It bounced off her forehead, rolling under the table. Now dressed in hemp clothes, Ye Ze threw the boxed meal in his hands in front of Xia Ge, his expression clearly impatient: “Eat quick. As soon as you’re done, I’m going back.”

“Oh…you truly are worthy of being my good brother! You’ll certainly win many girls’ hearts! Oh mama, I might marry you myself!!” Hooking one hand around the boxed meal and the other hand grabbing the chopsticks, Xia Ge immediately started eating with gusto.

One corner of Ye Ze’s mouth twitched at Xia Ge’s declarations. He shot a disdainful glance her way, saying with a poisonous tongue: “Don’t be disgusting. Nevermind that you’re a man, even if you were a woman, just look at how incapable you are. Who’d want a wife like you?

Xia Ge wasted no time listening to Ye Ze’s meaningless chatter, but focused on eating every last grain of rice until finally belching with satisfaction. “Whatever, whatever. Anyways, I don’t have to marry anyone. Brother, copying this work for you is not a loss!”

(Nevermind that she’d barely even started.)

“……”

Hearing Xia Ge made Ye Ze furious.

He tried to endure, yet finally couldn’t help himself, grinding out from between gritted teeth: “When Senior Sister arrived, you knew, didn’t you?”

Quick-witted enough, Xia Ge shook her head like a rattle-drum: “I didn’t know, I didn’t know. How could I know whether Senior Sister was here or not?”

Deeply skeptical, Ye Ze scrutinized Xia Ge’s face that glowed with righteousness. Eventually he sneered: “Then why did you suddenly get all proper and serious about copying at that time?”

Paying back Xia Ge for helpfully suggesting he improve his handwriting in this manner…if this little bastard didn’t have black water in his belly, later on he’d have to do a handstand to go the bathroom!

The picture of innocence, Xia Ge inquired: “Oh? Well, how is it my fault you didn’t listen when I was speaking nicely then?”

Ye Ze: “……”

—-“You also said something about a male protagonist. Xia Wuyin, can you try talking straight just once!”

—“Of course I can—Senior Brother Ye, when copying books you should be quiet, attentive, and calm, practicing Baoyuan Shouyi—In this way you’ll achieve wonderful calligraphy technique……”

Ye Ze’s complexion burst into an unpleasant blend of red and white.

So pissed off.

“Senior Brother Ye, I’ve eaten my fill.” All smiles in a deadpan way, Xia Ge added: “Thank you for your generosity, Senior Brother Ye!”

Humph. No matter even if he was the stallion male protagonist, right now he was still a thirteen or fourteen year old wimpy boy. Who could blame her for enjoying seeing him run around in circles?

“……Don’t call me Senior Brother!” Ye Ze looked like he was about to blow his top. “When are you going to pass the inner disciple examination…”

“Aiya, Senior Brother, there’s no rush. People will have both misfortune and good fortune. I don’t care if you’ve passed the examination or not, just so long as you’re still my brother. Beggar brother, outer disciple brother, inner disciple brother, what does it matter?”

""

Not having a toothpick, Xia Ge cheerfully picked at her teeth with a finger while crossing her legs and narrowing her eyes in pleasure: “That fried rice wasn’t bad…and the chicken breast, was it from that place at the bottom of the mountain…..”

Ye Ze: “……”

Inevitably, this brat would manage to tick him off to the point of internal injury.

Calming his inner energies, Ye Ze decided to ‘stand firm and fight steadily’: “Xia Wuyin, when you…the back mountain…”

“Senior brother, look how late it’s gotten. What a good opportunity to go down the mountain and do some drinking!” Xia Ge thwacked her head as if she’d just received divine inspiration.

Ye Ze: “……”

Indifferently picking up the food box and eating Xia Ge’s leftovers, Ye Ze finally replied: “Why don’t you just copy the book? 30,000 times.”

Xia Ge: “……ah? You won’t take me for me for a drink? What the hell?”

Ye Ze’s affected detachment cracked: “Why would I take you out to drink?!”

“Why not?

Flying into a full rage, Ye Ze shouted: “Then what’s the reason you won’t tell me just what exactly you were doing on the back mountain?!”

Her gaze turning shifty, Xia Ge muttered: “Oh…that…”

When she looked at the slag guy in front of her, all of a sudden copying the Danxun 30,000 times didn’t seem so bad.

Ye Ze’s tone cooled back down: “If you’re going to call me Senior Brother, I should fulfill my obligations.”

“If you don’t want to tell me what you were doing, fine.” His words fell harshly on Xia Ge’s ears.  “But don’t come bumming meals off of me then.”

“…damn, you’re unbearable.”  Getting hit in her soft spot by Ye Ze made Xia Ge curl up her lips: “I’d heard that the Liuli tree from the back mountain had extraordinary efficacy, such that even a slag like me could use to refine that ass-balls or whatever it’s called…”

Ye Ze: “What?”

Xia Ge: “…the pigu dan.”

“…go on.”

“I didn’t have a Liuli tree or any coin to buy one.  That left going to the back mountain and stealing one.” Xia Ge stroked her chin with a smile, eyes squinting.  “And then I caused Senior Brother Ye to be punished.  I, your junior, am truly remorseful.”

His brain stalled for a second, Ye Ze took a deep breath.  “Why didn’t you come find me if you didn’t have the money?”

“You might be a meal ticket,” Xia Ge held her head in her hands, striving to look respectable, “But you’re not a silver ticket.”

Ye Ze: “……”

To his own surprise, and not knowing why, Ye Ze found himself unable to give his usual sharp retort.

“You shouldn’t go to the back mountain to steal, you’re…”

Xia Ge interrupted Ye Ze’s words: “Alright, alright, I know.  It’s my fault for wanting to hurry up and pass the examination so I can be an inner disciple.  Still, Senior Brother, if you’re not going to take me for a drink, hurry up and leave already.  I want to get some sleep……”

Saying that, Xia Ge pushed Ye Ze out of Siguo Pavilion.

“Yes, good night Senior Brother…don’t forget to bring me breakfast tomorrow.”

The door of Siguo Pavilion banged shut in Ye Ze’s face.

Breakfast delivery?  Who gave that kid such a thick face?

Dressed in coarse hemp, Ye Ze looked down at the empty food box in one hand and massaged his convulsing temple with the other.

Even if Ye Ze did bring Xia Wuyin breakfast, that joker would still be like that.  Giving that perfunctory attitude when it came to anything important!

Turning away, Ye Ze made it only a couple of steps before getting scared out of his wits: “……Senior……Senior Sister?!”

“Ye Ze.”

Under the night sky, the young lady’s inky black hair was carelessly tied back with a red silk ribbon, her slender figure outlined by white clothes accented with red embroidery, and her black pupils reflected silver moonlight, cold and distant.  She glanced the meal box in Ye Ze’s hand, apparently unsurprised that Ye Ze would sneak food to a certain miscreant: “How much did Xia Wuyin copy?”

Beads of cold sweat broke out on Ye Ze’s forehead: “He, he…about……”

He’d been too busy trying to drag information out of Xia Wuyin, he’d paid no attention to Xia Wuyin’s punishment progress!

Gu Peijiu gave Ye Ze a bemused look: “There’s no need to be nervous.”

Realizing that Senior Sister didn’t plan on reprimanding him, Ye Ze’s expression slightly relaxed: “…understood.”

Gu Peijiu proceeded to return the way she’d came.  Ye Ze hesitated to follow her, looking back at Siguo Pavilion.  This path led only to Siguo Pavilion.  Had that been Gu Peijiu’s original intention……to check on Xia Wuyin’s copying progress?

More cold sweat trickled down Ye Ze’s skin.  Luckily he hadn’t listened to that brat and taken him out for drinks.  What if they’d been caught on the spot?

Ye Ze had no choice but to catch up and follow Gu Peijiu down the only path back.

“Are you two becoming disciples of Danfeng together?”

The sudden sound of Gu Peijiu’s voice flowed like clear water.

“Yes.”  Ye Ze lowered his head.

“So…”  Gu Peijiu’s footsteps halted at the fork in the path as she gazed thoughtfully up at the moon.

Ye Ze also stopped, his head still bowed.

“You’re an inner disciple…why are you still wearing the outer disciple hemp clothes?”  Gu Peijiu’s question hung in the air.

The young man who usually had an answer to everything remained silent.

“You don’t have to answer.”  Gu Peijiu’s tone was light.  “However, as an inner disciple, for everyday tasks you must wear the proper clothes.”

“Yes.”

“Go ahead.”

Giving a respectful bow, Ye Ze started to walk on, but Gu Peijiu suddenly added: “Wait a minute.”

Ye Ze turned his head.

“Danfeng’s monthly salary,” Gu Peijiu asked: “Is it that small?”

Ye Ze: “……”

“Hmm?”  When Ye Ze didn’t answer after a long moment, the pitch of Gu Peijiu’s voice rose a little.

“……Senior Sister, the salary of an inner disciple is more than adequate……the outer disciple salary is indeed smaller.”  After snapping out of his shock that proud Senior Sister had actually asked about other people’s livelihood problems, Ye Ze answered stiffly.

“Mmmm.”  Gu Peijiu contemplated for a minute.  “Very well, you may go back.”

Ye Ze left, still in a state of lingering fear.

……Nothing bad had happened, but why had Senior Sister abruptly asked about salaries?

Siguo Pavilion.

In the dark loft, Xia Ge blew out all the candles, leaving only the small oil lamp burning on the table.

She picked up her brush that been thrown to one side, cleaned it and put it back in its proper place.  Next, crossing her legs and folding her arms behind her head, she leaned back comfortably: “Ai, little puppet, when will I be able to upgrade you……”

[The Host Merely Needs To Refine The Liuli Kuilei In Order To Upgrade.]

The system sounded ice-cold and inhuman.

Xia Ge shifted to a more relaxed position: “Puppetry is forbidden here.  If I get caught, I won’t be able to keep hanging around.  It’s a very big risk.  Do you have enough insurance, enough gold, for this?”

The system, used to its host’s bottomless cheekiness and tendency to shoot off at the mouth, and also based on its past experiences of being trapped by said host, reasonably chose to stay uncommunicative.

“Have you no sympathy for your host?  Hmm?”  Xia Ge attempted to play on her system’s tender feelings.  “Consider it, little puppet, accompanying me these past years, have you ever gone hungry or thirsty? And your host is peace-loving, I don’t fight or kill……”

[Ding!  Attention, Danger Approaching!]

Xia Ge didn’t even have time to heed her system’s warning.

""

There’d been a black shadow flashing by the window outside and the next second Xia Ge’s lifeline was in a firm, deadly grip.

While the sole light, the oil lamp on the table, was extinguished by the wind.

The loft was now in almost pitch darkness, the only illumination the silver moonlight softly pooling in through the window, its cool light reflecting off the small dagger at Xia Ge’s neck.

—A woman’s chilly voice broke the silence.

“Now, now, no yelling.”

“And don’t try to move.”

“……”

Xia Ge: “……”

Why was it that peace-loving people couldn’t be loved by peace in return?!

Bigu dan—what Xia Ge is supposed to refine

Vs. what she calls it—屁股蛋pìgudàn—- Ass egg/buttocks/ass-balls

辟谷pìgǔ— to abstain from eating cereals (Taoist practice) / to fast