Chapter 132 Like a Dream

"Eunuch Dong, this is Eunuch Xiao Chu... ah, yes, let him follow Eunuch Dong. Xiao Chu is in your care from now on. Eunuch Dong, please take good care of him! Xiao Chu, listen to Eunuch Dong and do your job well. Do you understand?"

Chu Ran nodded pretentiously.

Dong Quan glanced at Chu Ran and said with a smile: "Since you have entrusted the man to our family, we will take good care of him, so don't worry."

"Don't worry, I trust Eunuch Dong. Then, Eunuch Dong, I will leave first."

"Your Highness, please take care."

Dong Quan watched Li Dingning leave, then turned back to glance at Chu Ran and said in a calm voice, "Come with us."

"From now on, you will be in charge of cleaning this palace. Remember, there must not be any dust. Don't think you can be lazy just because you were introduced by the Fifth Prince. In front of the Emperor, even I have to serve carefully. If you act rashly like last time and anger the Emperor, you will be punished."

Chu Ran lowered his head and responded obediently no matter what Dong Quan said.

Because of the previous incident, Dong Quan was afraid that Chu Ran would not know the rules when he first arrived, so he only let Chu Ran clean the outer hall, not allowed Chu Ran to enter the inner hall, and not allowed Chu Ran to contact Li Fu. In addition, Chu Ran was kicked out of the hall after finishing his work, and often when Li Fu came, Chu Ran had already left, so after working for two consecutive days, Chu Ran did not even have the chance to see Li Fu.

Chu Ran was holding a celadon vase in his right hand and a rag in his left hand. He was wiping the vase in his right hand with the rag out of boredom.

We can't keep going like this... We have to find a way to meet Li Fu.

Chu Ran was just thinking about it when he suddenly heard footsteps outside the door, followed by the other palace maids and eunuchs who were cleaning the hall kneeling on the ground. Chu Ran looked up and saw someone coming in, so he quickly knelt down.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. Taoist Master Shouzhen will be here soon."

Chu Ran raised his head slightly and saw a bright yellow figure entering the inner hall. Dong Quan was almost trotting behind Li Fu.

As soon as Li Fu came in, the other palace people in the hall stood up quickly and walked out with their heads lowered. Chu Ran also followed the large group out.

Taoist Master Shouzhen... should be a Taoist priest? Why did Li Fu want to see a Taoist priest?

After going out, Chu Ran directly grabbed the sleeve of a little eunuch.

"Eunuch, I want to ask you something. Who is the Taoist Master Shouzhen that Eunuch Dong just mentioned?"

The young eunuch whispered in Chu Ran's ear.

Soon, Chu Ran showed a look of realization and said with a smile: "Thank you, father-in-law, I understand."

Then let the little eunuch go.

Li Fu now actually believes in metaphysics and even summons a Taoist priest into the palace.

Originally Chu Ran was planning to leave, but suddenly, Chu Ran thought of something and did not leave immediately. Instead, he found a place to hide.

Not long after, an elderly Taoist priest, followed by a young Taoist boy, who was holding an exquisite sandalwood box in his hand, entered the Qianxing Hall together.

Li Fu was handling government affairs at that time. Dong Quan winked at the old Taoist priest, who then ordered the Taoist boy to put the wooden box on the dragon table, and turned around and left the hall with his master.

Chu Ran saw the master and his disciple come out, and continued to stand there waiting. This time, he waited for more than two hours. The sun rose overhead and it was already noon. Chu Ran's injuries on his waist and back had not healed yet, and his waist and legs were sore from standing. The sun was so bright that Chu Ran could not open his eyes.

Chu Ran raised his hands to block the light from above his head, thinking, it's already noon, time to eat, why isn't anyone serving food?

Just as Chu Ran was thinking this, he saw Dong Quan walking out of the house.

After Dong Quan walked away, Chu Ran hurried to the inner hall. He walked to the door, but did not go in immediately. Instead, he held onto the door frame and carefully put his head in.

Chu Ran was still very nervous. If Li Fu found out and kicked him again, his small body wouldn't be able to withstand it.

Fortunately, Li Fu had already lay down.

You're lying down without even eating. Are you that sleepy?

Chu Ran thought silently, and walked in quietly like a thief.

Li Fu still hasn't woken up.

Chu Ran walked over and looked down at Li Fu. He wanted to curse him as a "dead pig". How could such a good person sleep so soundly? But when he saw Li Fu sleeping with a frown on his face and looking like he was sleeping very restlessly, the curse was on his lips and then Chu Ran swallowed it back.

"What are you doing? You don't even know how to take care of yourself." Chu Ran stared at Li Fu and muttered softly, "You are so seriously ill. How did you get sick?"

Li Fu suddenly turned over, and Chu Ran was startled. He looked around and saw a screen behind him. Chu Ran quickly ran and hid behind the screen.

After Li Fu turned over, he slowly opened his eyes.

Dong Quan just happened to walk in from outside, followed by a young eunuch. Together they placed the food on the desk that had been vacated.

Li Fu seemed to have no appetite. He ate a few bites and asked Dong Quan to take the food away. He also asked Dong Quan to leave and not to serve him.

Dong Quan went out, and Li Fu and Chu Ran were the only ones left in the room.

Li Fu did not lie down to rest, but continued to review the memorials. Only Chu Ran squatted behind the screen, not even daring to breathe.

An unknown amount of time had passed, so long that Chu Ran fell asleep behind the screen. He rubbed his eyes and didn't know what time it was. He just saw that Li Fu had lit a candle in front of the desk and was still working at his desk.

It’s so hard.

Chu Ran thought, I’ve been working all day.

Having curled up for too long, Chu Ran felt very tired and stretched carefully. However, he was not careful enough and his fingertips touched the screen in front of him, making a faint sound.

Not even as loud as a cat scratching.

I guess you won't hear it...

Chu Ran thought silently, hoping that he wouldn't hear it... But actually, even if he heard it, it didn't seem like a big deal... Li Fu was sick, not stupid, so he wouldn't just ignore the explanation and beat him up, right?

Chu Ran was thinking wildly here, when he suddenly found that his eyes went dark. Chu Ran raised his head and happened to meet the eyes of Li Fu who was standing in front of him holding a candle. When their eyes met, Chu Ran smiled shyly and said, "I was discovered."

So under Li Fu's cold gaze, Chu Ran struggled to stand up from the ground, and said as he stood up: "Let me make it clear first, you can't hit people. Your kick hurt me so much, and I haven't recovered yet..."

"Where does it hurt?"

"Here...here..." Chu Ran pointed at the painful spot. Suddenly, Chu Ran realized something, opened his lips slightly, and looked at Li Fu in shock, "You...you recognized me?"

Li Fu suddenly raised his hand, smiled and rubbed Chu Ran's head, "Why are you so naughty? Don't you like your original face? Why did you suddenly change your face to see me?"

"Oh, I see." Li Fu smiled and said indulgently, "If you want to test me, will there be a reward if you recognize it?"

Chu Ran stood there in a daze. He had never expected that Li Fu would recognize him so easily. Soon, Chu Ran's eyes turned red. Nervousness, worry, grievance, all kinds of complicated emotions surged up in an instant. Chu Ran's throat was choked with sobs and he could hardly speak.

"Why are you crying? I asked you for a reward, but you can't bear to give it up? Just don't want it." Li Fu gently wiped the tears from Chu Ran's face. "I didn't cry even though you didn't come to see me yesterday."

Yesterday?

What yesterday?

What exactly did Li Fu mean by what he just said?

Li Fu had already walked out from behind the screen, holding Chu Ran's hand. Chu Ran was stupidly led by Li Fu to sit down next to the couch, and Li Fu put the candlestick back.

The dim candlelight shone on Li Fu's face, coating his cold and fierce facial features with a layer of warm yellow soft light.

Li Fu is a very gentle man, and he only shows such a gentle look in front of Chu Ran.

"Where did you say it hurt?"

Chu Ran hadn't come to his senses yet, but he still opened his clothes without hesitation, revealing his back covered with purple bruises.

Li Fu's eyes suddenly became dark and dangerous.

"Who did it?"

Chu Ran: “?”

"Who hurt you like this?" Li Fu grabbed Chu Ran's wrist tightly. The cruelty and bloodthirstiness in his eyes made Chu Ran feel frightened.

"It was my own carelessness..."

Li Fu then let go of Chu Ran. He gently stroked Chu Ran's back, as if to comfort him, "I'll call the imperial physician to come over and help you."

"No need." Chu Ran said shyly, "I've already taken the medicine. I'll be fine in a few days."

Chu Ran put the hem of her clothes back down.

"Okay, let's stop talking about this. I'm so hungry now. Do you have anything to eat?"

"Someone come."

Before Chu Ran could react, Li Fu had already held Chu Ran's hand and suddenly called out.

Not long after, other eunuchs came in from outside.

After the eunuch entered the palace, he kept his head down and did not dare to look directly at the emperor.

"Get some food." Li Fu said.

After a while, the young eunuch brought out the freshly prepared meal, then waited by the side with his head lowered.

Chu Ran couldn't care less. He was so hungry that he was almost starving. Nothing else mattered to him now, as he had to eat a full meal.

Chu Ran picked up the chopsticks and wolfed down the food with his head buried. Li Fu sat next to him, watching him quietly.

After eating and drinking his fill, Chu Ran collapsed on the couch, one hand resting on his bulging belly, feeling very content.

Li Fu turned around and looked at Chu Ran. He placed his palm on the back of Chu Ran's hand, then squeezed his five fingers into the gaps between Chu Ran's fingers with a firm posture and interlocked his five fingers with Chu Ran's.

He bent down again and stared at Chu Ran's eyes for a long time. Being stared at by such a burning gaze, Chu Ran soon couldn't hold on any longer. At this moment, Li Fu turned his head and gently bit Chu Ran's earlobe which was gradually turning red.