Chapter 7 if line: Your Highness, stop chasing, it's just a bitter tea seed (3) When Shu Bai returned to the palace with the squirrel version of Li Yuheng, the guards lined up neatly to greet him.
The silver armor gleamed coldly in the setting sun, yet no one dared to glance at the prince's slightly bulging pockets.
"Your Highness, shall I prepare dinner for you?"
"No need." Shu Bai clutched his pocket and strode quickly through the corridor. "I want to take a bath."
…
After the room door slammed shut, Shu Bai took the squirrel out of his pocket and threw it on the cushion.
The little thing rolled around on the blanket twice, its wet, dark eyes looking at him with a pitiful expression.
"What are you looking at?" Shu Bai said coolly as he unbuttoned his collar. "Didn't some elves swear that they could definitely lead me out of the forest? And this is what they've turned out to be?"
Li Yuheng remained unmoved by wind and rain, as still as a mountain, squatting on the soft cushion, pretending to be just a proper squirrel who couldn't understand human speech.
Shu Bai took off her dusty coat and draped it aside, revealing the white shirt underneath.
He tilted his head slightly and casually unbuttoned two buttons on his collar.
Turning around, I found the squirrel still sitting motionless on the cushion, not even wagging its fluffy tail, looking like a complete idiot.
"Did you get dumbfounded?" He squatted down, waved his hand in front of Li Yuheng's eyes, his tone full of undisguised mockery, "You call yourself an Elf Elder? You've become a chicken after just a couple of shakes."
The silver squirrel remained motionless, its black eyes quietly focusing on the open collar of the sparse white garment.
As Shu Bai squatted down, the collar of her shirt fell naturally, revealing a clear collarbone and a small patch of fair and smooth skin below it.
"Hey, did you really shake your head off?"
Shu Bai leaned closer to examine her, completely unaware that her posture made her neckline even more open.
Li Yuheng's gaze slid downwards when he was suddenly lifted up by the back of his neck.
"Playing dead?" Shu Bai narrowed his eyes, his voice full of threat. "Believe me or not, I'll give you a cold shower right now?"
The squirrel immediately shook its head frantically.
Just then, a respectful knock came from outside the door.
"Your Highness, the cage you requested has arrived."
"Come in."
A guard bowed his head and presented a small, exquisite gold wire cage with both hands.
A gemstone was also set on the top of the cage, sparkling in the candlelight.
"Just put it on the table." Shu Bai stepped aside. "Go out."
The guard placed the cage on the table without looking to the side, saluted, and left without glancing at the room once more.
The door closed gently behind him, and Shu Bai casually stuffed the squirrel into the cage and neatly fastened the lock.
“You’d better stay put until I’m done showering,” he said, patting the cage.
"Think about it carefully—"
As he spoke, he opened a drawer, took out a heart-shaped colored gemstone, and casually placed it next to the cage. "Think about when you stole the bitter tea seeds, did you ever think about who I am?"
Li Yuheng clung to the railing, looking completely bewildered.
Shu Bai turned and headed towards the bathroom, but stopped at the door, turned half her face to the side, and casually added, "Oh right, there's something I forgot to mention. I was able to cross this forest alone when I was ten years old."
The squirrel in the cage froze instantly.
The sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Li Yuheng clung to the bars of the gilded cage, his eyes fixed on the colorful gemstone on the table.
This gem...this shape...
It suddenly became clear in my memory one afternoon ten years ago.
He was so bored back then that he loved to wander around the forest, and when he encountered a lost and crying human child, he would give it a heart-shaped gem as a consolation prize.
They call it "love delivery".
Until that day, he met a very special child.
The child was clearly lost, but there was no sign of panic on his face. Instead, he kept a straight face and looked cool. He was also very pretty and delicate.
Li Yuheng was delighted, so she specially chose the most beautiful colored heart-shaped gemstone from her collection to give to him, and even said with great certainty:
"This is a one-of-a-kind gift in the whole world!"
The little boy's eyes lit up for a moment, and although he still kept a straight face, the tips of his ears turned slightly red.
...And then what happened?
Later, Li Yuheng forgot about it as soon as he turned his back.
So during that time, every child who left the forest carried a gem of love.
…
The squirrel in the cage suddenly started frantically banging against the bars.
Oh my god, he remembered!
That cool little boy is clearly a miniature version of Shu Bai!
The sound of water stopped.
Shu Bai walked out, wiping her hair.
He glanced at the squirrel, who looked like it had been struck by lightning, and scoffed, "Remember now?"
Li Yuheng nodded frantically.
"Now you know who I am?" Shu Bai opened the cage door and lifted the squirrel out. "Back then, you lied to me and said I was unique, but every child in the country had one?"
"You really gave me a hard time finding you. When I got back, I found out the gems were wholesale, so I rushed back to the forest to catch you."
Shu Bai sneered, "In the end, some elf hid so well that not a hair could be found. Year after year, I almost thought you were dead."
"I didn't expect you to come to me like this. I was just wondering how to tie you up and bring you back to the palace, but you just swore to turn into a squirrel."
He carried Li Yuheng to the window, looked at the moonlight outside, and sighed sincerely:
"This is truly the will of Heaven, wouldn't you agree, dear Elf Elder?"
But the next second, Shu Bai seemed to suddenly remember and said, "Oh, I forgot."
"You're just a little squirrel that can't talk right now."
Shu Bai looked down at the fur ball pretending to be dead in his palm and suddenly let out a cold laugh.
"Forget it," he said casually, "Why bother arguing with a beast?"
As he spoke, he suddenly bent down and kissed the squirrel's furry forehead.
A flash of silver light appeared, and Li Yuheng instantly returned to human form, his silver hair sticking messily to his forehead.
He had just opened his mouth to say something when Shu Bai grabbed his collar and slammed him hard onto the bed.
"???etc--"
Li Yuheng frantically tried to sit up, but Shu Bai pressed his knee against his abdomen.
"Wait for what?" Shu Bai loosened the belt of his bathrobe with one hand. "Why didn't you wait when you lied to me ten years ago?"
Li Yuheng's eyes widened: "I was young and ignorant..."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Shu Bai leaned down and grabbed his ear. "Every child in the country has a heart-shaped stone, and you call that unique?"
Li Yuheng winced as she was being pulled, but stubbornly argued loudly, "But the one I gave you is the prettiest!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Shu Bai released his grip on his ear.
His Highness narrowed his eyes, the collar of his bathrobe opening slightly with his movement: "Then swear now. If that stone isn't the prettiest, you'll immediately turn back into a squirrel."
"I swear!" Li Yuheng raised his hand without hesitation, "If the heart-shaped stone I gave Shu Bai wasn't the most special one, may I never be able to turn back into human form!"
A moment of silence fell over the air. The silver-haired elf remained in human form, not even a single squirrel hair had grown.
Shu Bai blinked, then suddenly changed the subject: "...Have you ever done this with other people?"
"Of course not! I swear I've only ever had feelings for you in my entire life!"
It still hasn't turned into a squirrel.
Shu Bai gave a soft hum, resting one hand on the pillow beside Li Yuheng's ear, and using the other hand to pinch the elf's chin:
"Words are no proof; show me."
Li Yuheng's breath hitched, and his emerald eyes darkened: "How do you want me to prove it?"
Shu Bai moved his lips silently and mouthed out two words.
Li Yuheng nimbly flipped over and pinned Shu Bai down, saying, "I've been waiting for you to say that."
He chuckled and gripped Shu Bai's wrist. "But before that, I need to explain something."
"I haven't been deliberately avoiding you all these years..."
"What is that?"
Li Yuheng touched his nose and chuckled twice:
"Haha, actually it's because... I fell asleep."
Shu Bai: "..."
The air froze for a few seconds.
"What did you say?" Shu Bai asked, each word barely audible, as if squeezed out between his teeth.
"...It's like this, we elves sometimes fall into a deep slumber. After giving you the gem that time, I returned to the Tree of Life, intending only to take a nap, but I ended up sleeping for ten years...I just woke up a few days ago..."
Shu Bai suddenly raised her foot to kick him down, but Li Yuheng, anticipating this, pressed down on her leg.
"Just because you overslept?!" Shu Bai could hardly believe her ears. "Do you know what I've been through these past ten years?!"
Every year, he would use the excuse of patrolling the border to go and stake out the forest, acting like a fool!
Li Yuheng immediately lowered his head and covered Shu Bai's mouth, swallowing back all the complaints that were about to come out.
When Shu Bai's eyes were red from being kissed, Li Yuheng chuckled and pressed his forehead against Shu Bai's, "Save your energy, you'll be yelling for it later."
"It's not certain who will shout it—"
Before she could finish speaking, she was kissed again.
"Save your breath, Your Highness," Li Yuheng mumbled between his lips, "You're cuter when you're begging for mercy."
…
Shu Bai will always remember that afternoon bathed in the setting sun.
At the age of ten, he shook off his guards and ventured alone into the depths of the forest, only to get lost by a stream.
"Need help, little warrior?"
Just as he was gripping the small sword and looking around warily, a clear laugh suddenly came from the treetops.
The silver-haired sprite leaped down from the branch against the light, its hair dusted with golden sunlight.
Young Shu Bai, with a stern face, held the sword horizontally in front of his chest: "No need."
"But you were just spinning on your fifth time."
"I'm surveying the terrain."
"I see..." Li Yuheng magically produced a heart-shaped gemstone, which shimmered with an eerie glow in the twilight. "This is for you, consider it... a reward for your exploration?"
Xiao Shubai glanced at the gemstone, her lips curling down slightly: "A toy for coaxing children."
Li Yuheng was so amused that he almost fell over: "This is a blessing from the forest, and a gift that is unique in the whole world!"
Seeing that the child still had a tight smile on his face, he suddenly leaned closer and pinched the child's soft cheek, "And only for the most special person."
Shu Bai finally accepted the gemstone, her eyes shimmering slightly in its light.
He suddenly reached out and grabbed a strand of the elf's silver hair, and calmly said amidst Li Yuheng's pained expression, "If you're lying, I'll braid your hair into a plait."
Later, when Sober discovered that every child near the forest had a "one-of-a-kind" gem, he was so angry that he ate two extra bowls of rice for dinner that night.
He held onto this grudge for a full ten years.
…
Meeting you is a miracle in itself, a touch of tenderness, and a hint of joy.
It's like walking through a long, cold winter and suddenly encountering the first ray of sunshine in early spring.
It's not scorching hot, but it's enough to awaken the dormant soil in our hearts.
Rather than holding a grudge,
Rather than saying it's unforgettable, it's more accurate to say it's something they can't forget.
Like the wind stopping, then rising again.
Like the lamp that repeatedly shines in front of the window late at night.
It doesn't make a fuss, but it always shines there.
Perhaps some encounters,
It's not about heading towards a certain ending.
Rather, it's for a certain place in life.
Write it down softly:
"I once remembered you so earnestly and quietly."
(over)
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