When I first met Yinzhi in my past life... no!

It should be said that when Yinzhen first spoke with Yinsi in his previous life, he was already nine years old.

His adoptive mother had passed away, and he was neglected by his birth mother, so his life in the prince's residence was not easy. Yinzhi, who was raised by Consort Hui, had a favored elder brother, Yinzhi, and his birth mother depended on him, so he lived a very cautious life.

At the time, Yinzhen didn't pay much attention to his younger brother, whom he had only met a few times at banquets and whose presence was almost nonexistent as he followed behind his elder brother.

However, when he saw that it was supposed to be a big day for the relocation to the Prince's residence, Yinzhi was accompanied by several young and inexperienced eunuchs, and even the head eunuch of the Prince's residence could make a few sarcastic remarks.

Despite having very little stuff, they struggled from morning till night without getting anything ready. In the end, Yinzhen couldn't resist stepping forward to help and say a few words.

At that time, Yinzhi was still a pitiful little thing.

When he stepped forward to speak up for him, Yinzhi was like a frightened squirrel, almost leaping up a tree.

Yinzhen remembered this scene very well.

Even after their complete falling out, they still kept it in their hearts.

That evening, Yinzhi came over to express his gratitude and presented a box of pastries. The pastries were sweet and soft, even better than those presented to Yinzhen by the imperial kitchen.

After his adoptive mother passed away, Yinzhen's meals were mostly the most ordinary. There was no one in the imperial kitchen to take care of things; he simply followed the menu, and that was all.

Such pastries... it seems Consort Hui wasn't treating him so poorly after all? Yinzhen felt uncomfortable and subsequently gave Yinsi a cold shoulder—it wasn't until about two or three months later that he learned these were actually prepared by Consort Wei.

Besides his adoptive mother, he also had his birth mother, and it turned out that he was the most unfortunate one. Yinzhen felt envy and a little comforted for Yinsi, as if he had found a companion? Therefore, they had a good relationship at first.

That's right, they had a pretty good relationship at the beginning.

Yinzhi was intelligent and precocious. Yinzhen could say many things to Yinzhi that he couldn't say to his fifth and seventh brothers, and they would get a response. Over time, they even found that they were like close friends.

Even after those two scoundrels, Yinzhi and Yin'e, appeared, their relationship remained good. They even spent time together when the families were divided into separate households; Yinzhi and Yinzhen were neighbors, and when the persimmons ripened, they climbed the tree to savor the taste of autumn…

Yinzhen's expression was somewhat complicated.

The beautiful memories gradually faded. As they grew older, as the Khan's dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince increased, and as their drastically different ideologies, vastly different ideals, and overly similar ambitions...

And there's that one throne.

The rift between the two gradually widened without them realizing it, and it was only natural that it eventually led to a complete break.

But no matter what impression you have, it could never be like this.

Yinzhen's pupils dilated.

He stared blankly at Yinzhi in front of him.

No... this isn't Yinzhi!

Yinzhen stood there dumbfounded, which puzzled Wan Anran. She waved to Yinzhen, "Yinzhen, come and see your little brother!"

Yinzhen: ………

He whispered, "This isn't..."

Wan Anran didn't hear Yinzhen's mutterings clearly.

She tilted her head in confusion, then heard Yinzhen roar: "...This isn't my brother, this is clearly a ball!"

The lingering sound echoes.

The Cining Palace was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After a moment, everyone burst into laughter. Wan Anran wiped her eyes, her shoulders shaking. It took her a long time to stop laughing, and she scolded her son with a stern face, "What nonsense are you talking about! Look how cute Yinzhi is!"

Yinzhi, who was not yet two years old, was raised very well.

His skin was fair and smooth, round and cute, just like a walking...glutinous rice ball. His cheeks were chubby, and they would jiggle as he walked. His body, draped in a white fox fur cloak, was even more round and plump.

Most importantly, Yinzhi was also very cute.

Her genetic makeup is top-notch, with long, fan-like eyelashes, big, moist eyes, a cute little nose, and pink lips. She's practically a walking snowman!

This is so cute!

Wan Anran and the others covered his face and screamed, kneading the soft little Yinzhi.

Yinzhen: …………

He couldn't believe that such a cub was the eighth brother!

Yinzhen was deeply shocked and refused to face reality.

Unlike others, Yinqi and the Fourth Princess cheered and rushed forward. Yinqi, in particular, took out a box from his pocket and placed it in Yinsi's hand: "A gift for my younger brother."

The Fourth Princess's heart skipped a beat.

The chubby-cheeked Yinzhi took the gift box with both hands and clumsily opened it. With a squeak, a little mouse scurried out and jumped directly onto Yinzhi's head.

It was dark and murky, with a pointed snout, monkey-like cheeks, and a smooth tail—! The Fourth Princess turned pale and screamed, piercing the sky: "Ah—! A rat! There's a rat!"

Immediately following were the screams of the palace concubines.

Fear gripped everyone's faces, and even Wan Anran, who prided herself on being quite bold, dared not approach.

As for the palace servants, they were in a terrible state.

Despite their fear, they had to go! The palace maids gritted their teeth and moved forward step by step, tears welling up in their eyes.

Yinzhi blinked.

Perhaps it was the fearlessness of youth? He wasn't flustered at all. Instead, he reached out and pinched the little mouse squatting on his head, steadily holding the squeaking mouse in his palm and examining it. After a while, he finally smiled and said, "Thank you, brother."

Yinqi was so happy and proud.

He puffed out his cheeks and complained to the fourth princess, "Look at my little brother, how much he likes the gift I gave him."

The fourth princess wanted to hit someone.

Unfortunately, seeing how Yinzhi was holding the little mouse, she quickly took several steps back, fearing that she would be the one to suffer if Yinzhi let go.

Yinqi pouted and shook his head.

He was about to talk to his adorable younger brother, but he turned around and became unhappy. He saw the chubby Yinzhi waddling over to Yinzhen and holding the little mouse close to Yinzhen's face: "I like it, brother, here, brother."

Yinzhen: …………

He stared into the mouse's beady eyes and fell silent. When the mouse's squeaking and chattering filled his ears, Yinzhen felt like he was about to explode.

Whether in this life or the last—

Yinzhi, as expected, is someone I can't get along with from head to toe!

However, the one to be dealt with now is not Yinzhi.

Yinzhen's eyes flashed with murderous intent as he swept them directly at Yinqi, who was pouting and still unhappy.

The young eunuch standing to the side was tense all over.

They cautiously approached the Eighth Prince, their faces ingratiating: "Young Master, come—come, give the rat to this servant—oh?"

The young eunuch was stunned.

Wan Anran gasped in shock, covering her mouth. Before the eunuch could even remove the rat, Yinzhen had already snatched it away. He grabbed the rat and strode towards the culprit, Yinqi.

Soon, a series of ghostly wails and howls echoed inside the hall.

As soon as he entered the Cining Palace, Kangxi was startled by the noise inside. After learning the whole story, he looked at the sobbing Sixth Prince Yinqi and coldly left only two words: "Serves him right."

Yinqi: QAQ

I must be the most pitiful child in the world.

Emperor Kangxi was too lazy to pay attention to Yinqi.

Then he looked at Yinzhen beside him and asked, "What... is going on with him?"

Yinzhen, who had just brutally beaten Yinqi, stood to the side with his arms crossed, eyes closed, refusing to look at Yinsi beside him. Yinsi, however, was curious about his brother who ignored him and kept chattering incessantly beside him.

The veins on Yinzhen's forehead throbbed.

He started running around in circles in the Cining Palace, trying to evade Yinzhi's pursuit. But Yinzhi, though short-legged, had no intention of giving up. He seemed to think that Yinzhen was playing a game with him, and happily followed Yinzhen in circles.

It's like they're chasing you, and you can't escape no matter what.

Wan Anran rarely saw Yinzhen so lively, and she marveled at it. She even took Xi Pin's hand and sighed, "Next time, bring Yinsi to Xianfu Palace more often."

Yinzhen: ...?

Are you still my mother?

Her hesitant, indignant look made Emperor Kangxi laugh. He understood Consort Qi's feelings and nodded in agreement: "I think Consort Qi's idea is very good."

Yinzhen: ...?

His face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and his eyes held a hint of resentment that was about to burst forth. Little did Yinzhen know that the more he looked like this, the more Kangxi and Wan Anran wanted to tease him.

Wan Anran even wiped her eyes in excitement.

She clutched her heart and sighed, "Yinzhen has become much more lively, that's wonderful!"

Yinzhen's face turned red with anger.

He stormed up to Wan Anran and said angrily, "Mother!"

"Wait, stop."

"...?"

"You just touched a rat, so you're not allowed to touch your mother with your hands," Wan Anran coldly stated, and then ordered her attendants to fetch water so that Yinzhen, Yinqi, and Yinsi could wash their hands thoroughly and disinfect them.

What if it carries some germs...

In this world, if you get infected with the plague, where will you survive? Wan Anran checked them one by one before patting their heads with satisfaction: "Good boy/girl."

Yinzhi's cheeks were flushed.

He walked happily towards Consort Xi like a little duckling, calling out as he went, "Mother Xi, Mother Xi, wasn't your son very good?"

"Yes, very well-behaved!"

"Then I want a kiss!"

"Good, good, good." Consort Xi was overjoyed, hugging and kissing Yinzhi on the left and right. It was clear that Consort Xi and her adopted son had an exceptionally good relationship.

Yinqi was envious.

He glanced furtively at Consort Guo, a blush creeping onto his cheeks: "Mother Consort Guo—"

The fourth princess ran ahead, shouting, "Mother is mine!"

Yinqi retorted, "Consort Guo is my aunt, what's the big deal about kissing her?"

Yinzhen's eyelids twitched twice.

This situation seems a little bad? A resentful gaze pierced his back, and Yinzhen stiffened, turning around with a clatter: "Mother..."

Wan Anran glanced at Consort Xi.

Then she looked at Consort Guo, and finally gave Yinzhen a deep look.

Yinzhen took a step back: "I've grown up now."

Wan Anran shed tears and secretly wiped the corners of her eyes: "...Mother didn't say anything."

Yinzhen: ...

Where did you miss something? This is clearly fake crying! But seeing Wan Anran sobbing, even though Yinzhen felt his scalp tingling, he could only move over step by step and answer in a wronged tone: "...Just, just, just one kiss."

"Huh? Yinzhi kissed him twice already."

“…Just once!” Yinzhen was furious and embarrassed.

"All right."

"..." Yinzhen leaned in and kissed him, but just as he was about to leave, Wan Anran hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, then kissed him again.

"...Mother???"

"Hey... Yinzhen did kiss Mother, but Mother didn't say she would only kiss Yinzhen once, did she?" Wan Anran blinked, looking very innocent.