It was less of a parry and more of a silent contest.
This place had probably been cleared out by Xie Lang beforehand; it was completely silent, so quiet that even the sound of his suddenly quickened heartbeat could be heard clearly.
His words were veiled and subtle, but not only did he understand what they meant, but Wen Hemian also understood what they meant.
The rejection on Qixi Festival ultimately had no effect, and Wen Hemian could no longer treat it as a simple child's play.
Wen Hemian tried to speak several times, but after opening her mouth, she didn't know what to say.
She was worried about Xie Lang facing the current turmoil alone, but she couldn't bring herself to agree to his request without considering the consequences.
She felt a deep attachment to him, a mutual dependence, and a tender support for each other, but not... romantic love.
In the long silence, the smile on the boy's face slowly faded, and the eagerness in his eyes gradually subsided, like a pitiful puppy suddenly drenched by rain.
"Does the Grand Tutor have to refuse my kindness?"
Xie Lang lowered his hand, not trying to touch Wen Hemian again, but just asked a dry question, with a faint spark still burning in his eyes.
Wen Hemian stiffly turned her head away, warning herself to harden her heart, but after so many years of being together, she couldn't bring herself to say anything that would touch her heart.
Whether it was simply out of good intentions or not, His Majesty knows the answer in his heart.
Xie Lang has always been incredibly obedient.
He has never resisted the path Wen Hemian wanted him to take, and has come this far step by step.
Wen Hemian was also very pleased that he had been able to teach such a good emperor.
If the person in question isn't her, she'll offer her heartfelt blessings and wish him happiness in the future.
But it had to be her.
The spark in Xie Lang's eyes finally died out. He blinked, his voice trembling: "The Grand Tutor clearly taught us that we must try things ourselves to know, so why is the Grand Tutor unwilling to try now?"
Wen Hemian thought back and realized that he did indeed say that.
But is that a reason to let him try it on himself?
She choked for a moment before saying, "Your Majesty is young and inexperienced. Logically and emotionally, I shouldn't have joined in this nonsense. This isn't a matter of willingness, it's..."
Somewhat embarrassed, Wen Hemian hesitated for a long time before finally uttering the word: "...I'm not that beastly."
Who's a kind soul who'd raise a child like a child groom?
"So the Grand Tutor thought I was just fooling around?"
Xie Lang selectively focused on the key points; his tone was low and hoarse, but he was no longer as polite as before.
"Whether I'm being ridiculous or not, the Grand Tutor will find out in the future."
Wen Hemian suddenly looked up and caught a glimpse of a dark emotion flashing in his eyes.
She couldn't understand it, but her intuition told her it wasn't a good thing.
I instinctively took a step back.
Xie Lang did not chase after him this time, but said calmly, "I will have someone send the coral to the Grand Tutor later."
Okay, okay, so it's no use saying she refused, right?
Wen Hemian was exhausted and simply didn't want to talk to this wolf cub anymore.
There was no way she could stay here any longer. With a chill running down her spine, she faced the little brat's gaze and said, "If Your Majesty has nothing else to say, then I shall take my leave."
Xie Lang gave a strange smile but did not stop him.
He could understand if the Grand Tutor didn't accept it right away, and he could give her enough time to think it over. In any case, they could have a proper talk once all the troubles were resolved.
Just as he thought, there's plenty of time.
Afraid of scaring her away, Xie Lang could only suppress the bitterness in his heart. He bit his lip, almost tasting blood, but a smile appeared on his face: "Well, Grand Tutor, take care."
Wen Hemian glanced at him suspiciously, then rationally cut off the topic: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Having said that, he turned and fled as if escaping.
Xie Lang's smile vanished instantly: "Get out here."
"This servant is here!"
Lai Xi nearly bit his tongue. He timidly walked out from the corner, carrying his tea. He was extremely annoyed, fearing that he would be murdered to silence him.
There are many secrets in the palace. He had seen a lot of them when he was a young eunuch. He never thought that one day he would be able to find out about the emperor!
They shouldn't have been so proactive. They could have just sent a lowly eunuch to bring tea!
Your Majesty and Lord Wen, this...this...how can we say this?
Xie Lang's face remained expressionless: "If word gets out, I'll be the first to cut out your tongue."
Lai Xi knew he had escaped a calamity and immediately knelt down to express his gratitude: "Thank you for your forgiveness, Your Majesty! This servant will certainly keep his mouth shut!"
He thought to himself, "No one would believe this if I told them."
His Majesty not only has homosexual tendencies, but he also has homosexual tendencies with his own teacher... But he is the Son of Heaven, the most noble person in the world. If he really wants it, can Lord Wen refuse to succeed?
Fear.
Lai Xi hugged her weak self.
-
Wen Hemian had barely returned to his residence when red coral was delivered to him.
It's so big, it's an eyesore no matter where you put it.
She waved her hand, signaling for someone to carry it to the storeroom and take good care of it; otherwise, it would be a pity to lose such a treasure in her hands.
"Host, are you troubled?"
The system wandered back, ran to the table in front of her, sat down, wagged its tail, and put on a serious cat face.
Recalling what had just happened, Wen Hemian lowered her eyelashes, unable to maintain her usual smile any longer, and the corners of her mouth slowly turned down.
She said softly, "I'm a little sad."
She once firmly believed that she and Xie Lang could be together forever, and that after he grew up, they would become a wise ruler and a virtuous minister, or that she would watch him from afar as he explored the beautiful landscape.
Unexpectedly, in the end, my wish was still shattered.
The teacher-student relationship could not be maintained. Although it did not break down due to suspicion or fear, it was still hard to believe.
How can you just abandon a relationship that's lasted for so many years?
"But you did a great job. As far as the task is concerned, you did it better than any other host I have ever seen before."
The system said, "I don't understand the complex emotions of you humans, but I still want to say that if you've made a decision, don't regret it. If staying by his side affects your judgment, it's better to stay away for a while and think things through carefully."
The system doesn't appeal to emotions; everything it says is based on data.
It felt apologetic for not being of much help and only hoped that these words could ease Wen Heming's distress.
Wen Hemian paused for a moment while stroking the cat.
After a moment, she nodded: "You're right."
Emperors are noble, but they too are lonely at the top.
Because of her soft heart, she was also caught up in her emotions and fell into a mental trap, without realizing that arguing with Xie Lang here would only make the relationship more and more complicated.
"but……"
"I'm still missing an opportunity."
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