Chapter 18 Falling Down: Eunuch An's Hands Are So Soft
An He's voice drifted from behind Zhao Liangxu, so Zhao Liangxu had no choice but to turn around.
Well, this is a good opportunity.
Maybe he'll reveal something if we have a good chat.
This was exactly what she was planning.
Zhao Liangxu walked to his side, maintaining a suitable distance.
An He noticed the distance Zhao Liangxu had deliberately created and looked displeased.
Was it because he was a eunuch that he did this on purpose?
Why are you so far away? Is our house that scary?
Zhao Liangxu shrugged and stretched, saying, "Don't slander me. I'm just afraid that if you get too close to me, you'll think I'm up to you."
She looked around and asked, "Are you just going to stand here admiring the flowers? There's nowhere to sit."
Anhe, that eunuch, is not only sharp-tongued and mean, but also a strange person. Who would stand here to admire flowers?
Zhao Liangxu looked around but couldn't find a place to sit, so she simply put the lantern aside and sat down on the ground.
Anping usually only comes here occasionally to take a look, stands for a while and then leaves. He doesn't have the time to set up a special seat for flower viewing.
He found it amusing to see Zhao Liangxu acting so uninhibited.
Judging from her demeanor, she always seems to think she's someone who's easy to talk to.
Seeing that An He was still standing, Zhao Liangxu looked down at her, only his eyes shining in the night.
It's a bit creepy.
Just like the first time in the study, she tugged at An He's sleeve: "Eunuch An, why don't you sit down too?"
An He originally intended to stay for a while and then leave, but Zhao Liangxu arrived, and without thinking, he immediately called Zhao Liangxu over.
There doesn't seem to be anything to say.
But he still sat down as if possessed, just like he had done in the study.
Zhao Liangxu chuckled and changed the subject: "Does Eunuch An like epiphyllum flowers?"
She looked at the white epiphyllum flowers in front of her, which shone quietly in the moonlight. Some were already half open, while others were still clustered together.
The flowers that bloom under the moonlight are a cold, frost-like white.
The epiphyllum symbolizes fleeting beauty and an instant of eternity.
It reminded her of a mythical love story she had once read.
As Zhao Liangxu observed the epiphyllum slowly blooming up close, she brought up this story: "Does Eunuch An like this flower? I once read a story that the epiphyllum was originally a flower goddess who fell in love with a little fairy boy who watered her every day. As a result, she was banished to the mortal world, and the little fairy boy also went far away to become a monk and changed his name to Wei Tuo. His memory was erased, but it's pitiful that the epiphyllum blooms every day when Wei Tuo passes by, but Wei Tuo never remembers it."
"Later, with the help of the epiphyllum, Wei Tuo remembered this past and ended their love affair. The epiphyllum bloomed for Wei Tuo, and her deep and unwavering love was like that of the ephemeral flower. It is a truly poignant love story."
Zhao Liangxu moved closer, her fingers touching the petals, trying to smell the fragrance.
She turned her head to look at An He and teased, "Does Eunuch An also like the fleeting beauty of the ephemeral flower? If Eunuch An likes the ephemeral flower, he must also find the story just now beautiful, right?"
Anhe knew this story, and that's how the Weituo flower got its other name.
He simply wasn't interested in such love stories.
He didn't particularly like the epiphyllum, but its fleeting existence resonated with him to some extent.
Eunuchs rarely met a good end.
One day, either the court officials will finally find something to hold against him, or the emperor will grow up and realize the harm he poses; in any case, it will be difficult for the court to tolerate him.
Historically, eunuchs who once held great power were never able to retire gracefully.
They crave power too much and have made too many enemies.
He was no exception.
He may have been like the ephemeral flower, his life short-lived. The only difference is that his eternity will be that of a treacherous eunuch forever despised in history books, and he has no beauty to speak of.
So he planted epiphyllum, but he didn't often look at it.
He scoffed and retorted, "You like this kind of story?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Liangxu shook her head.
This surprised Anhe somewhat.
Zhao Liangxu shifted her position; her legs were a little numb. She asked casually, "When I was little, I found these kinds of love stories really profound, but I don't like reading them as much now that I'm older. Why is that?"
Zhao Liangxu stared intently at An He, and An He felt a tightness in her chest.
Asking a eunuch about love?
Tonight, either she's gone mad, or I've gone mad myself.
An He's hands clenched unconsciously as she suppressed her emotions, her voice icy: "Are you deliberately mocking me?"
Is she provoking him?
Upon hearing this, Zhao Liangxu instinctively leaned back. Only then did she realize that what she had just said—telling a love story to a eunuch—had seemed somewhat intentional.
She was just casually starting a conversation, focusing intently on the subtle changes in the epiphyllum, and it was only after seeing the epiphyllum that she happened to recall this story.
Now it seems like she deliberately nitpicked.
Zhao Liangxu turned her eyes to the side, looked up and touched the leaves of the epiphyllum as if nothing had happened, and said casually, "Sigh, the moon is so round tonight."
But when Zhao Liangxu looked up, she realized that what was hanging in the sky was a thin crescent moon.
"......"
Zhao Liangxu's demeanor seemed deliberate, as if she had already tacitly agreed.
Anhe felt as if a thorn had been planted in his heart. Her appearance was truly painful to him. What gave her the courage?
An He was stirred by Zhao Liangxu's words and actions, but what lay hidden beneath his emotions was his embarrassment and pain, something everyone knew about. He had deliberately concealed this difference through his power and status, but it was inadvertently revealed in the conversation.
He knew that there was nothing explicitly stated in those few words.
But he felt a stinging sensation.
Zhao Liangxu glanced at An He's increasingly distorted expression and felt that today's mission had truly gone wrong.
Before I could even build a decent relationship with them, I've already offended them again.
She thought, "I must not let him build up his emotions."
Then she noticed that Anhe was getting up, so she tried to grab his sleeve.
However, her legs were a little numb from sitting, and the previous movement hadn't relieved them much. Now, as she leaned towards Anhe, she lost her balance for a moment.
Her leaning forward turned into a lunge towards Anhe.
As for Anhe, he was suddenly grabbed by the sleeve as he stood up, and the other person even threw him at him, making it even harder for him to maintain his balance.
With a "bang," Zhao Liangxu pounced on An He, who fell to the ground.
"Zhao Liangxu!"
Anhe's eyes widened, and he was at a loss for what to do. He could only angrily call out to Zhao Liangxu.
Zhao Liangxu was also innocent; she did not do it intentionally.
Anhe pushed her to get up, and Zhao Liangxu hurriedly propped herself up, accidentally leaning on Anhe's stomach.
Anhe reflexively curled up.
"Zhao Liangxu, get down here!"
Anhe was enraged.
He pushed Zhao Liangxu away as if she were some kind of monstrous monster.
"...Eunuch An, I didn't mean it."
Zhao Liangxu paused suspiciously for a moment before offering a weak explanation.
Will he believe it?
No way.
His stomach was a little soft.
The two of them quickly stood up, and Zhao Liangxu shook her head, trying to shake off the strange thoughts in her mind.
Zhao Liangxu fell and got covered in dust, while An He became a cushion, and the back of her clothes was ruined.
Anhe didn't even want to talk anymore, and didn't care what had offended him. He just wanted to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.
Zhao Liangxu jumped a couple of times to relieve the numbness in her legs and feet, and, unwilling to give up, grabbed An He's hand, wanting to explain a few more words.
"My leg just went numb, it wasn't intentional, Eunuch An!"
Anhe's hands are quite soft.
While explaining with a serious expression, Zhao Liangxu tried to control the strange thoughts that kept popping into her mind.
It seems even the most sarcastic person has soft hands.
No, no, no, what am I thinking?
Zhao Liangxu said sternly, "Eunuch An, your back is dirty."
Anhe tried to shake off Zhao Liangxu's hand, but couldn't for a moment.
Zhao Liangxu subtly changed her grip from holding his hand to clutching his sleeve, but still wouldn't let him leave.
"Let go! What kind of behavior is this?"
"But isn't it inappropriate for you to walk back like this?"
Zhao Liangxu felt that she was very thoughtful.
Seeing how he used his handkerchief every day, he must have been a very fastidious person. If he left like this, he will definitely resent me even more afterward.
"It's not far from the study, you don't need to worry!"
An He tried to pull his sleeve out of Zhao Liangxu's hand, but to no avail.
Zhao Liangxu remembered to explain herself: "I really wasn't mocking you, Eunuch An. Heaven and earth can bear witness. I was just telling a story on the spot."
She frowned slightly, putting on an expression of genuine emotion.
"Look, I didn't look down on you when I touched your hand just now."
Anhe felt dizzy. He only heard "I touched your hand" at the beginning, and he couldn't care less about what was said after that.
In order to get rid of Zhao Liangxu, he could only say, "Fine! I'll take it as you didn't mean it!"
How could it be that she did it on purpose?
But seeing Anhe trembling with anger, she chose to keep quiet.
She loosened Anhe's sleeves: "Yes, yes."
Anhe shook off his crumpled sleeves, forgot to say anything more harsh, and turned to leave.
Zhao Liangxu was still worried, so she called him back.
Anhe didn't even know why he stopped in his tracks after hearing her words; he was probably so angry he didn't know what was wrong with him.
"Then, Eunuch An, please don't be angry with me when you go back?"
Zhao Liangxu asked tentatively.
Anhe noticed that when she said this, her eyebrows were raised, her chin was tucked in, and she tilted her head to wait.
Anhe had lost count of how many times she had been so angry she wanted to laugh tonight.
He glared at Zhao Liangxu, took a deep breath, and replied, "Get lost."
Zhao Liangxu picked up the lantern and slipped away without hesitation.
Anhe breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went back to change his dirty clothes.
After tidying everything up, he had calmed down a bit, but when he thought back to what Zhao Liangxu had done today, he was filled with hatred.
But when he thought about how Zhao Liangxu was grabbing his hand and arguing, he really didn't see any sign of disdain from her.
His hand gripping the teacup tightened unconsciously.
Is she genuinely not disgusted by him, or is she just pretending?
Someone as smart as her wouldn't be unaware that once her value has been used up, she will definitely be eliminated.
The act was so convincing, it was almost too convincing.
Anhe couldn't stop recalling Zhao Liangxu's expression, trying to find even the slightest trace of disdain.
No.
No, there really isn't.
On the contrary, the more I think about it, the more deeply that face, which was both tentative and curious, is etched in my mind.
Anhe held her forehead.
He's really crazy.
Surprisingly, I found Zhao Liangxu to look quite beautiful.
"......"
He's really crazy.
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