Ye Jingchen didn't react at all to Xie Chang'an's gaze and was still snoring softly.

Even as dawn approached and things started to get lively outside, Ye Jingchen still showed no sign of waking up.

He was always a heavy sleeper, and usually Fangfei and the others had to wake him up in the East Palace, otherwise he wouldn't get up. Now that Fangfei and the others weren't there, Chenxi decided to take on this responsibility.

However, Xie Chang'an noticed him as soon as he appeared.

“I’ll wake him up,” Xie Chang’an said.

Chenxi didn't refuse. Waking Ye Jingchen up was no easy task, especially since Xie Chang'an couldn't touch Ye Jingchen.

Moreover, Ye Jingchen, who has just woken up, is very aggressive, and if you are caught off guard, you will get beaten up.

He's waiting to see what happens.

Xie Chang'an was unaware of Chen Xi's thoughts. He had stayed by Ye Jingchen's side all night, and even dreamt of Ye Jingchen, who was very clingy to him, after falling asleep. Now he was completely satisfied, filled with tenderness and affection, and even his voice was much softer than usual.

Chenxi wanted to laugh when she heard that.

A gentle voice cannot wake a sleepy person.

Sure enough, Xie Chang'an called out more than a dozen times, but Ye Jingchen didn't react at all and was still snoring.

Xie Chang'an's expression changed little by little, and his voice was no longer gentle.

He couldn't understand why someone could sleep so soundly without any sense of vigilance!

If this were on a perilous battlefield—

Xie Chang'an felt no tenderness or affection left in his heart, and he kicked the bedpost.

He used force with that kick, and Ye Jingchen, who was lying on the bed, was thrown into the air for a moment before landing heavily on the bed.

This time, even a dead person would be woken up.

Ye Jingchen opened his eyes and saw a person who looked exactly like Xie Chang'an by the bed. Without thinking, he slapped him across the face.

A loud "smack" rang out.

Xie Chang'an was completely stunned.

He had never been slapped like that in either of his lives.

"Ye, Jing, Chen—" he called Ye Jingchen's name through gritted teeth, and quickly pressed down on his hand.

Ye Jingchen's morning grumpiness wouldn't normally dissipate so quickly, but Xie Chang'an's murderous aura was so obvious that Ye Jingchen woke up instantly.

I also realized what I had done while I was confused.

With his strong mental fortitude, Ye Jingchen felt he could pretend nothing had happened and pull his hand back.

However, as soon as he made a move, Xie Chang'an increased the force, pressing his hand down so tightly that he couldn't pull it away at all.

"Didn't I tell you that you can't touch me under any circumstances? You broke your promise and disappointed me greatly!" Since he couldn't pretend nothing had happened, Ye Jingchen decided to strike first and condemn Xie Chang'an.

Xie Chang'an was amused by his shameless behavior. "You slapped me without even asking what happened, and now you're trying to play the victim?"

"I didn't mean to hit you. I have a bad temper when I wake up, and everyone in my palace knows that. Why did you have to sit so close to my bed when I'm awake?!" Ye Jingchen said matter-of-factly.

What's wrong with being grumpy when you wake up?

Xie Chang'an turned around to find Chenxi and ask her what was going on, but found that Chenxi had already hidden away.

"You're so close to me while I'm sleeping, are you up to something?" Ye Jingchen continued, his expression unfriendly.

"I didn't sleep with you, nor did I touch you, so it's none of your business!" Xie Chang'an said with a sneer.

"You're touching my hand right now! Take your claws off me!" Ye Jingchen glared at Xie Chang'an's claws that were pressing down on his hand.

"You touched my face first, you took liberties with me first, so what's wrong with me touching your hand? In fact, I'm the one who lost out!" Xie Chang'an said, waving his other hand at Ye Jingchen's face.

"Xie Chang'an, stop!" Ye Jingchen quickly turned his head away.

Although he slapped Xie Chang'an, it was when he was not in his right mind. Xie Chang'an wouldn't be so petty and calculative, would he?

Xie Chang'an swung his hand very quickly, but when it hit his face, it had no force at all. It would be more accurate to say that it was a 'touch' than a 'slap'.

"That's fair!" Xie Chang'an stroked Ye Jingchen's face, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Xie Chang'an, don't go too far!" Ye Jingchen tried to pry Xie Chang'an's hand off with his other hand, but Xie Chang'an was too strong and he couldn't pry it off at all.

The two were at an impasse when a knock came at the door.

"Brother, are you awake?" Ye Jingyan's voice came from outside the door.

After a brief standoff, Xie Chang'an first released the hand that was holding Ye Jingchen's hand, but took the opportunity to pinch the soft flesh on Ye Jingchen's face with the hand that was stroking Ye Jingchen's cheek before reluctantly withdrawing his hand.

"Xie Chang'an, you—" Ye Jingchen was about to explode when he saw the slap mark on Xie Chang'an's face and fell silent.

Although the handprint is very shallow, it can be seen if you look closely.

"You should hide first," Ye Jingchen said to Xie Chang'an.

"Am I really that shameful?" Xie Chang'an asked with a cold laugh.

Ye Jingchen didn't say anything, but simply pointed to the half of Xie Chang'an's face that had been hit.

Xie Chang'an: ......

"Brother?" Ye Jingyan called out from the doorway as she knocked on it.

Xie Chang'an glared at Ye Jingchen and hid behind the bed.

Ye Jingchen straightened his slightly disheveled inner garment, picked up his outer garment draped over the screen, put it on, and then went to open the door.

"Brother—did you just wake up?" Ye Jingyan knocked on the door halfway, and when the door opened, she asked with some confusion.

“Yes,” Ye Jingchen replied.

"Where's Xie Chang'an? Didn't he say he would take care of you? Why haven't I seen him?" Ye Jingyan said, peeking into the room.

"He went out for his morning exercise," Ye Jingchen casually lied.

Ye Jingyan gave a knowing look, "He really can't be trusted! Let Tong'er help you get dressed and wash up!"

"No need! Give me the things, I'll do it myself!" Ye Jingchen took the toiletries from the servant next to him and closed the door in front of Ye Jingyan.

"Brother, are you really sure you can do it?" Ye Jingyan asked anxiously from outside the door.

"I'm very capable!" Ye Jingchen said through gritted teeth.

Ye Jingchen dared not imagine what the servants outside the door were thinking about him at this moment. Would he become the laughing stock of the servants at this post station from now on?

"Your Highness has truly broadened my horizons!" Xie Chang'an stepped out from behind the screen, a clear smile on his face.

"This is the care from my sister, a sweet kind of bittersweetness. A lonely man like Young Master Xie would never understand!" Ye Jingchen said sarcastically as he dressed.

"It won't be like that for long." Xie Chang'an said in a good mood in the face of Ye Jingchen's sarcasm.

"What do you mean?" Ye Jingchen asked.

"We've had some good news from Yangzhou and Yongzhou recently. Soon, I'll have younger siblings too, and they'll definitely be cuter than His Highness the Crown Prince's!" Xie Chang'an said confidently.

Upon receiving the good news, Xie Chang'an was so happy that he couldn't sleep for half the night.

These two belated pieces of good news completely dispelled his unease and eliminated his last remaining concerns.