"Um... dad?" a boy about thirteen years old said nervously.

A cold beauty turned his head and looked at him with displeasure. The beauty slowly forced his mouth open, "Yes?"

"Um, I got extra marks on today's practice and I was wondering -"

"Wonder nothing! Go back and study." the beauty cut him off, looking back out the window.

The boy frowned sadly but then turned away to leave. The response clearly hurt him but it didn't surprise him. In an adjoining room the man who had been watching through a peephole saw the boy's dejected expression and felt furious. He barged in the beauty's room, disturbing the silence that had followed the boy's exit.

"Zhong Xiao Si, even if you hate me, you don't need to hate him as well. Your blood flows through his veins too."

"And that is exactly why I dislike him," Xiao Si responded with frost dripping from his words.

The other man's breath caught, tensing for the harsh words he knew would come next.

"That my blood and your blood joined together to make that one... You have no idea how much it disgusts me - how much you disgust me." The words hit him like poisoned darts and he clenched his teeth, wondering why he let Xiao Si attack him like this over and over again.

"I give you clothes, jewelry, power - anything you could ever want but you still hate me! What will it take for you to let me in?" the man asked, desperation and despair lacing his voice.

Xiao Si only turned his head away without answering, his gaze fixed back on the stars in the sky. This action only angered the man more.

"Fine! Be that way! Tonight you must accompany me in bed or else!"

Threat delivered; the man walked out. Xiao Si slowly closed his eyes as a tear trickled down his cheek.

The next day Jun Gui visited Xiao Si and his son, Feng Huan.

"Ah, cousin!" he exclaimed happily to Huan as he entered the room.

Jun Gui opened his arms to embrace Huan and the two smiled at each other. Xiao Si just sat in a corner ignoring them and looking at the book in his hands.

"Uncle-in-law, how have you been?" Jun Gui asked Xiao Si politely. He didn't like the beautiful man who barely glanced their way but his Uncle did, so Jun Gui treated Xiao Si respectfully.

"The same," Xiao Si's answer was brief to the point of rudeness and Jun Gui's cheeks flushed slightly with irritation.

"I see. Have you made up with Uncle?" he asked, trying again to be polite.

"I'd rather eat my own shit," Xiao Si said coldly.

His dark gaze dared Jun Gui to say another word. Last night he had been told to visit his husband's bed chambers but he ignored the man and stayed at the same window watching the stars instead. Jun Gui was silent. Truthfully, he feared this ruthless she-man even as he hated the man for hurting his Uncle and his cousin. No matter how much his Uncle tried to win Xiao Si's approval the best he could get from the man was indifference. The many gifts were either thrown them away or ignored. Once, pushed beyond reason, his Uncle had tried to get Xiao Si to submit by starving him. Xiao Si didn't respond at all, and simply stayed in his room looking through his windows at the stars until his uncle had to relent before Xiao Si starved to death.

Perhaps that was what frightened Gui the most about his uncle-in-law. Nothing mattered to Xiao Si. Lashing out at him was like punching cotton. The only thing that seemed to matter to Xiao Si was gazing at the stars. During the days he might read a little his presence in the house barely there - like a quiet ghost.

Xiao Si almost never went outside so his naturally fair skin was pale and flawless which only emphasized his ethereal beauty. Gui had to admit to himself that his uncle-in-law was one of the most beautiful men in the country. He could see why his uncle had desired the she-man with his delicate features, frail build, and those stunning eyes. As he looked at those eyes, Gui couldn't help but think they were very much like that village man's eyes. The eyes he had been studying narrowed at him slightly. It wasn't normal for Gui to be quiet for so long.

"Is something wrong?" Xiao Si asked with just a thread of suspicion.

"No, no, it's just that the pawn I wanted to use turned out to be nothing but a useless bastard that need to be replaced," Gui answered quickly. It was the first thing he could think of. He could hardly tell his uncle-in-law that he thought the man looked like a village bumpkin, even if it was just a little.

"Okay, I'm leaving now. I'm tired," Xiao Si responded indifferently.

He stayed up all night last night gazing at the stars and he was exhausted. In fact, he often he stayed up at night and slept during the day thereby avoiding the other people in the house.

Feng Huan's lips pulled down as he watched his daddy leave the room without ever looking at him.

"Aiya, he still refuses to spend time with you?" Gui said more than asked.

"I've told you he hates me. He doesn't love me so there's no point in spending time together," Huan answered with a maturity that no thirteen-year-old should have to have.

Gui felt angry on Huan's behalf. The she-man treated his son as nothing but air. He didn't hurt Huan physically, he just didn't bother with him at all. Gui didn't even think Xiao Si had ever even held his son as a baby. His uncle said that after giving birth to Huan, Xiao Si had just ignored the baby; not even bothering to name him. In fact, when his uncle named him, Xiao Si had gotten upset. In Gui's eyes Xiao Si was simply an awful person and if it weren't for his respect for his uncle, Gui would never say a word to him.

"Why don't we practice then?" Gui asked Huan to lighten the sad mood.

"Yes!" Huan agreed enthusiastically.

Jun Gui shook his head, sad and confused. He simply couldn't understand how Zhong Xiao Si could hate such a cute and lovable child but Gui accepted that he'll never be able to understand what goes through Xiao Si's mind.