When He Ye finally arrived, Xu Nuo was already slumped over the dining table, nearly asleep. The boy rested his head on his arm, his cheeks puffed out from the pressure, and his once bright and lively eyes were now misty, looking confused and lost.
Fortunately, the charcoal brazier in the house was hot enough, so the food didn't get cold.
"Well," Xu Nuo sat up straight and rubbed his eyes, "Have you finished your business?"
What a good little wife, like she is waiting for her husband to come home for dinner. He Ye's hands hanging by her side suddenly tightened, and an unspeakable desire for control and destruction grew in his heart.
"Yeah," He Ye walked over and sat down next to him, his expression normal, but Xu Nuo always felt like he was suppressing something, "Why don't you eat first?"
"How can I let you eat what I left?"
Perhaps because he was very hungry, Xu Nuo couldn't wait to shovel two mouthfuls of rice into his mouth as soon as he saw him pick up his chopsticks. While eating, he remembered the ambition he had just said in the morning that he would always stay by his side and serve him. He stretched out his hand and picked up a few more chopsticks of beef and put them into He Ye's bowl.
Suddenly, a few chopsticks of beef were placed in the bowl. He Ye was stunned for a moment and raised his eyes, just in time to meet the gaze of the young man beside him.
Xu Nuo met his eyes and subconsciously grinned at him, all her cuteness and brightness were in that look.
"Thank you, Nono."
"Oh," the boy mumbled, having just stuffed a meatball into his mouth. "They used to call me Wo Xiaonuozi... well, this is the first time I've heard it called that."
"Is it okay?" He Ye said with a hint of subtle nervousness, "Call you that."
"Of course! You can call me whatever you want!"
He looked at He Ye and smiled, as if he had some kind of magical power that could bewitch people. He Ye also smiled, completely losing his usual majesty and looking a little silly.
General He was like this, making people inexplicably hallucinate him as a husky. Xu Nuo found it even funnier, and couldn't stop laughing while holding his stomach. He Ye didn't know what he was laughing at, but since Xu Nuo was happy, he was happy too, and the two of them leaned against each other and laughed together.
The quiet restaurant, which had only the sound of chewing, was instantly filled with laughter.
"Ding! Heartbeat value 75!"
It was said that when people laughed, they would subconsciously look towards the person they liked. Xu Nuo didn't know if this theory had any scientific basis, but when he laughed too hard to lean on He Ye's shoulder, he looked up and saw He Ye looking down at him.
The man had an obvious smile on his face, which covered up a lot of his inherent fierce aggressiveness. The laughter was still ringing in his ears, but Xu Nuo could clearly hear the strong heartbeat in his chest.
After a long while, the two stopped laughing. Xu Nuo straightened up and let out a long breath, with a blush of excitement on his face.
"How about I take you out in a few days?"
Xu Nuo swallowed the food in his mouth and said excitedly, "Okay, okay! Where are we going?"
"In the palace," He Ye took a sip of tea calmly, leaving Xu Nuo standing there in a daze like an ignorant old-fashioned person.
"Me? To the palace? Really?"
"Of course it's true," He Ye said with a bit of amusement, looking at his deer eyes that were wide and round because of shock, "It's the Queen Mother's birthday in a few days. The palace will have a big banquet. Many ministers' families will be there. You can't make a difference."
Although there was still some time left, he had actually piqued Xu Nuo's interest. Now he was full, so he simply put down his chopsticks and listened attentively.
"The palace is beautiful, isn't it?" Xu Nuo looked at him expectantly. "The banquet will have lots of dishes... Hmm, what does the emperor look like?"
The Southern Kingdom was in decline, and the royal family indulged in extravagance. Even within the palace, the polarization was particularly severe, not to mention Xu Nuo's residence, which was basically the residence of low-ranking eunuchs and was in a dilapidated state. Dajing was powerful, and Xu Nuo had heard about how magnificent the palace there was. This time, he was even able to see it in person.
All the questions he asked were childish and innocent, but He Ye felt soft-hearted and answered his questions seriously one by one.
"The palace is very large and indeed magnificent and exquisitely built. You must follow me closely and don't get lost."
"Well, the Queen Mother's birthday will naturally be a grand occasion. The royal chefs are very skilled. You will like it."
"The Emperor? You can see for yourself. My seat is very close to him."
The memories of the first eighteen years were colorless to Xu Nuo. He had to repeat the tiring work day after day in exchange for something to live on. Occasionally, he hoped that the maids in other palaces would remember him, bring him good things, and teach him a few words. The rest of the time, he placed all his hopes on the illusory and hypocritical old emperor.
It was hard to imagine, even in dreams, that he could stand next to Dajing's general, walk into the palace with him and attend a banquet together.
"What are you thinking about?" He Ye lowered his head and moved closer to him. The man's pupils, as black as ink, swallowed Xu Nuo straight in.
"I was wondering..." Xu Nuo smiled at him, her beautiful eyes narrowed, "I was wondering why you are so nice!"
The boy, who rarely expressed himself so bluntly, threw a straight shot at the unruly young general, who was so disoriented that He Ye's face flushed violently and he stepped back abruptly, even almost falling off his unstable chair.
"Ding! Heart rate 80!"
"I...I'm leaving now. I'm full!"
Xu Nuo sat on a stool and watched him leave in a hurry, as if there was some ferocious beast behind him. He even stumbled and fell when crossing the threshold, looking extremely embarrassed.
"Hahahaha", Xu Nuo couldn't help it and laughed again while lying on the table.
…
The days in late autumn were very short, and for Xu Nuo it was particularly hard to endure. He finally waited until it was completely dark outside before he dared to tiptoe out.
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