Chapter 47 [VIP]

Lu Xuejin sat at the table; he had specially chosen this courtyard. Beside him on the tea table were the prince's favorite snacks, specially made by Tengluo, and a doll that Ziyan had sewn for the prince. The doll had been well-protected by the young man and looked as if it had just been sewn.

He gazed out the window at the scenery. It was high summer; the sun blazed brightly during the day, and stars were always visible at night. His Highness's usual outer robe hung on the screen, and his small box, hidden under the bed, peeked out from under the bed, a corner sticking out. He picked up his book and began to read again, but after less than half an hour, he couldn't resist looking out into the courtyard.

Then it seemed as if he could see Murong Yue nestled beside him, eating snacks one after another, his little tiger teeth quite endearing. When he held the doll, he acted like a child, always touching the doll's eyes, making the gemstones sparkle with every touch.

...What does he do in the courtyard when His Highness is not here?

He pondered carefully, then put the book down. He should have been reading, but now he couldn't concentrate; the traces left by Murong Yue kept diverting his attention.

"Young master, has His Highness not returned yet?" Tengluo poked her head out and asked.

Lu Xuejin replied, "No. What happened?"

“There are quite a few more soldiers nearby; it looks like General Xiao sent people over,” Tengluo said.

"Just be more careful when you go out in the future," Lu Xuejin said.

Looking at the shoes and socks hanging in the courtyard, Tengluo said to Lu Xuejin, "Young Master, His Highness was quite diligent in washing socks when you were here. You don't know that when you weren't here, he used to just throw them around in the side hall."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin looked over and saw that the boys had washed their shoes and socks very clean, without bothering Tengluo and Ziyan. Looking to the side, she also saw the boys' undergarments and trousers, neatly hanging on a rope.

Ziyan asked, "If you are worried, why don't you send someone to follow us?"

“This matter needs to be discussed with His Highness,” Lu Xuejin said. Although he was worried, he still felt that it was inappropriate to send someone to follow someone without permission.

As soon as he finished speaking, the underpants fell loosely to the ground. Neither Tengluo nor Ziyan moved, clearly unwilling to pick them up. So he walked over, picked up the boy's underpants, and hung them up again.

The three of them, master and servant, were in the courtyard. Just as they hung it up, there was a commotion outside the door. A voice called "Brother Changyou" drifted in from outside, along with the aroma of fried skewers.

Murong Yue returned, carrying a lot of food, all of which were Tengluo's favorites. He didn't know Ziyan's preferences, so he bought the same things as Tengluo. He had just returned when he caught Murong Yue putting the clothes back on the line, his hand still on the line, causing a moment of awkwardness.

The boy watched his movements, then calmly withdrew his hand and asked, "Is the street lively?"

"Your Highness—" Tengluo's mouth was watering. Looking at the food in Murong Yue's arms, her eyes lit up. She pretended to be reserved and asked, "Did Your Highness buy this for me?"

"Here you go." Murong Yue handed the food he was carrying to Tengluo. Seeing Tengluo's happy expression, he quickly looked away and focused his attention on Lu Xuejin. "The streets are very lively."

"Brother, why are you touching my underwear?" Murong Yue asked immediately.

"It's not that you wanted to touch it, young master. It was blown down by the wind. I'll help you hang it back up," said Tengluo.

Lu Xuejin did not refute, thinking that the young man's return was timely. He entered the house and said to the person, "Your Highness, if you go out again in the future, could you have a guard accompany you... I always worry when you are not around."

"Next time, brother, you can come with me," Murong Yue said casually.

As soon as Lu Xuejin entered the room, the boy pressed close behind him and asked, "Brother, what were you doing while I was gone? Did you miss me?"

He had only been gone for an hour, but he was indeed thinking about people. Upon hearing this, he replied, "I read some books."

"Just reading? I was thinking about you the whole time I was out." Murong Yue said, pressing his cheek against Murong Yue's, making Murong Yue's cheek burn, his innocent and bright eyes looking at him.

Lu Xuejin glanced at the book beside him. He had barely read a page; the article wasn't getting into his head. He rarely experienced anything like this before. The boy clung to him like a little cat, impossible to pull away. His nose brushed against Lu Xuejin's, and he said awkwardly, "Of course I miss Your Highness too. Your Highness... let's talk normally, shall we?"

“What do you mean by talking normally? We’re not talking normally right now. I’ve been watching over that sick ghost all night. When I was talking to him, we were this close, and he kept trying to get close to me, either touching me or rubbing against me.” Murong Yue mimicked Xue Yi, reaching out to touch his cheek.

As he was pondering how to explain, the boy, in a mischievous and playful manner, threw himself into his arms, much to his amusement.

"But you must be tired after a long day, let's rest first. I won't let you get tired."

"Brother Changyou, would you like me to take off your clothes?"

"Let's sleep together. I want to sleep with Changyou."

“Brother. I went to see Xiao Shen and Yue Lanxin today. I heard they built a grave for me behind the academy. They thought I was dead. I find it quite funny. They are both quite bold. If I were really dead, they wouldn’t be afraid to appear in front of them.”

Lu Xuejin had just been thinking about the boy. When the boy wasn't around, he always thought about him. But as soon as the boy returned, he chattered incessantly around him. He looked at the boy's lively expression and wondered why he was so happy and talkative. After he took off his outer robe, the boy would glance at him from time to time.

It's rare for them to sleep during the day; neither of them rested last night.

He was left only in his white undergarment. Seeing the young man glancing at him repeatedly, seemingly plotting something, he quietly asked, "Your Highness, is something on your mind?"

“No,” Murong Yue replied immediately, then, seeing that he wasn’t taking it off, asked, “Brother, it’s so hot in the summer, are you going to sleep in this?”

He was only wearing an undergarment, and the courtyard was cool, so he didn't feel hot. He looked at the man thoughtfully, and noticed that Murong Yue's ears had turned bright red at some point. Although his face remained calm, his true colors were already showing.

“I don’t feel hot,” he said.

“Brother…you just touched my underwear. I remember I haven’t seen your underwear in the yard. Can I take a look?” Murong Yue leaned closer to him and said.

The boy's little tiger teeth gleamed, his fan-shaped eyes widened slightly, staring at his waist with curiosity, and his voice became sticky and soft.

"..." So that's what he was planning. Lu Xuejin looked at the person, resisting the urge to touch him, and replied, "I didn't mean to touch Your Highness's clothes. I was just picking them up for Your Highness out of kindness, but Your Highness seems to have misunderstood my meaning."

"Brother Changyou. Let me see." Murong Yue whispered in his ear, and then bit him on the ear, leaving a tooth mark on his ear. He couldn't figure out what the child was thinking, but he didn't let go.

"It's getting late, Your Highness, you should rest early. If you're not going to sleep, go play with the wisteria for a while. I need to rest now," he said.

He closed his eyes, sensing that the boy beside him was not behaving himself. He could feel a faint breath beneath his eyelids, and the boy was close to his cheek, seemingly staring at his eyelids.

His gaze was sometimes lively and sometimes subdued. He did nothing, but the boy sulked on his own.

"Brother Changyou, did he see your underwear? I wish I were sick too, so you could take care of me instead of him." A low voice whispered in my ear.

"..." Lu Xuejin opened her eyes and saw Murong Yue bristling, his unpredictable expression quite adorable. The boy's jawline was taut, and he seemed to have thought of something, so he could no longer maintain his innocent act. He bit the air fiercely, looking neither angry nor not angry.

If he were to say that they lived together when they were young and try to explain to the boy, the boy would naturally not listen and might even get angrier.

"...Does Your Highness really have to see this?" He sighed inwardly and asked.

“If he wants to see it, I want to see it too,” Murong Yue said.

The air was silent for a moment. Lu Xuejin sighed and wanted to rub his forehead, but Murong Yue noticed his change in mood. The tips of his ears immediately turned red, and the anger in his eyes vanished. He let the boy do as he pleased, his snow-white robes opening slightly, revealing glimpses of skin at his waist. His clothes were the same color from the inside out, and the boy not only looked at them but also touched each seam.

"Your Highness?" He held back for a long time without moving. The boy had been holding him for a while, like a lump of candy stuck to him. Just as he spoke, a face peeked out from under the covers. The boy's face was flushed, and his eyes flickered uncertainly. Then, with a "plop," blood dripped down onto his clothes. He almost fainted from the shock.

"……elder brother?"

Lu Xuejin stared intently, a silent atmosphere spreading. Blood trickled from the boy's palm, his eyes darkening instantly. He clenched his teeth, his face flushed crimson with anger, enough to cook an egg. She couldn't help but find it amusing, and said to him, "Now that you've seen it, are you satisfied?"

A small flame ignited in Murong Yue's eyes. He was both ashamed and angry, staring at the blood and wishing he could reverse the flow of blood back into his body.

He handed Murong Yue a handkerchief, and after all that fuss, it took quite a while. The child's pride had been shattered in front of him after bleeding from the nose for so long. Murong Yue, with his back to him, felt a dark cloud hanging over him, and placed a handkerchief beside his face in case the blood continued to flow.

"Your Highness?" he called out, but the boy, with his back to him, did not respond.

He unconsciously raised the corners of his lips, raised his wrist, and hugged the person from behind, causing Murong Yue to glance at him. He then covered his face with the blanket so that the person could not see him.

"Changyou, just go to sleep." A voice came from under the covers.

"Not going to watch anymore?" Lu Xuejin hugged the boy, whose body temperature was so high that it seemed like it could burn someone in the summer. He touched the boy's hair but didn't want to let go; touching the boy's hair always made him feel much more at ease.

Murong Yue didn't reply. They were both under the covers, and they could feel each other's body temperature through the blankets. After waiting for a while, he opened the blankets and looked over; the boy had fallen asleep.

He slept until nightfall, and when he opened his eyes, it was already dark outside. He was awakened by a noise. The boy in his arms had a nightmare, haunted by something, and was covered in sweat. The boy's face turned pale, and he curled up, clutching his heart, making hoarse sounds like a broken bellows.

In the dead of night, amidst a fierce storm, he summoned Imperial Physician Jia. Physician Jia was familiar with both ailments. Having practiced medicine in the palace for many years, he upheld medical ethics, never revealing to others who he had treated or the symptoms of patients. He was upright and honest, and enjoyed wide popularity within the palace.

"This... I noticed it last time. He was brooding and suppressed. He used to be violent and angry, but suppressing his nature seemed to have split him in two. He also went through a life-or-death situation last time, and his dissociative illness has not improved... He is now trapped in fear and anger again. These emotions are intertwined, and his body can't handle it. It's rare that he can still stay clear-headed during the day."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin said, "She was fine a few days ago. She didn't have any flare-ups. Why has it gotten worse again?"

Imperial Physician Jia: "You should ask him, sir. Has he encountered any people or events recently?"

Lu Xuejin immediately understood: she had seen Xue Yi, which reminded her of what happened that day.

"If he doesn't encounter the person who causes him nightmares again... will his condition improve?" Lu Xuejin couldn't help but ask.

Imperial Physician Jia said, "It depends on his fate. I have never encountered such a case before. Perhaps I have, but this is the first time I have seen someone survive. Your Highness has survived such a calamity... He will surely have good fortune in the future."

"There are a few renowned doctors in the south, and I know they are more skilled in treating this type of illness. If there is an opportunity, Your Excellency could take him to the south to have a look; perhaps there will be a chance for a breakthrough."

Lu Xuejin: "I understand. Thank you, Physician Jia."

After everyone left, Lu Xuejin stood by the boy's bed for a while. He touched Murong Yue's forehead. He had been so calm during the day, so he... he really thought nothing was wrong.

It seems he was too negligent. His Highness's resolute nature and sensible nature almost made him forget that His Highness was only a seventeen-year-old boy.

The candlelight flickered as he handed the person over to Tengluo Ziyan and entered the palace that very night.

The Xiyuan Hall was brightly lit.

Xue Yifang woke up to find that Lu Xuejin had stayed by his bedside all night. She had come back to him as soon as he woke up, bringing him medicinal soup and candied fruit. The soup was examined in front of the guards; it was personally prepared by Physician Gu.

"Changyou?" He looked at the young man in front of him and felt like he was dreaming.

It felt like they had returned to their childhood. They were now like a real couple. He could see them as soon as he woke up. The young man spoke to him gently and cared for him. When he took his medicine, the young man frowned as he reviewed the piles of documents on the table. When he coughed, Lu Xuejin put down the documents and gently patted his back.

Lu Xuejin: "The medicine is bitter?"

"Never," he said, his mouth full of bitterness, but when he looked at the person, he didn't feel the bitterness of the medicine.

"You came to the palace... to see me?" he asked quietly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin said, "I'm worried about my brother's condition. He vomited quite a bit of blood the other day, and I'm very concerned. I'll take care of him for the time being. What do you say?"

"If I could see Changyou every day, it would be a blessing in disguise," he said softly.

The brocade peonies on the quilt were in full bloom. He looked at the young man's profile, so aloof and cold. No matter how close he was, he always felt that he would be taken away if he touched him lightly.

“Taking care of my elder brother is what I should do,” Lu Xuejin said, looking up at him. “There is one thing I need to ask of my elder brother.”

They had known each other for twenty years, and this was the first time Lu Xuejin had made a request of him, asking him to humble himself for her sake. At that moment, his naturally cold and aloof demeanor softened.

“I am always concerned about the people of Liancheng… I must make a trip to Liancheng, and I hope that my elder brother can grant me permission to go. If I can obtain your permission, I will be eternally grateful.”

A note from the author: