Chapter 29: Love is unknown
When thunder exploded in front of the gate of Weiyuan Marquis' Mansion and the mystery of his identity was raised, Cui Xiao in the deep palace knew nothing about it.
He was troubled by another "sweet trouble". Compared with the life and death of the Marquis's Mansion, this trouble seemed so insignificant, but it really stirred the young man's heart.
The imperial garden in spring is full of colorful flowers.
Cui Xiao had just come out of the lecture hall of the third prince Liu Chang and was about to return to Xiefangzhai, where the prince's companions lived, to review his lessons, but was stopped by a familiar figure.
The second prince Liu Cong was wearing a lake blue brocade robe, with an upright posture and a smile as bright as the warm spring sun. He was holding a delicate food box in his hand.
"Finally, I've waited for you. Come and try this 'cherry yogurt' that the imperial kitchen has just concocted. It uses the first-harvest cherries shipped from Lingnan at full speed. It's incredibly sweet, and it's been chilled, perfect for relieving the afternoon heat."
When the food box is opened, a sweet fruity aroma mixed with a rich frankincense hits your nose.
The crystal clear pink buttermilk is dotted with plump, bright red pitted cherries, which is very appetizing at first glance.
Cui Xiao's eyes lit up instantly.
He has a sweet tooth and especially loves these delicate little treats.
Liu Cong accurately grasped his preferences.
But... He subconsciously turned his head to look in the direction of the Third Prince's study, with a look of embarrassment on his face.
"Your Highness is very kind, but... I just finished reading with the Third Prince and I have to go back to organize my notes..."
Liu Cong's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes dimmed for a moment, then brightened again, with a subtle hint of "grievance"
"It's just a small bowl. It won't take up much of your time. Look, I saved it specially for you. I even only had one portion sent to Brother Chang. This one is just for you."
He stuffed the food box into Cui Xiao's hands without saying anything, his movements were natural but with an intimacy that could not be refused.
"Besides, Brother Chang has a lot of homework today, so I'm afraid he doesn't have the energy to taste this. Good things should be given to people who understand them so that they won't be wasted."
These words were soothing and a bit playful, and Cui Xiao was amused. The worries in his heart disappeared in the face of the delicious food.
He took the lunch box and thanked
"Thank you, Your Highness! Your Highness is always so thoughtful."
Watching Cui Xiao eagerly scoop up a piece of trembling cherry cheese with a small silver spoon and put it into his mouth, he narrowed his eyes in satisfaction, his cheeks slightly puffed up, like a sated little animal.
Liu Cong's heart felt like it was gently scratched by a feather, itchy and soft.
He took a step closer calmly and said softly
"Eat slowly and don't choke. If you like, I'll have someone bring you more tomorrow."
This is not the first time.
Since the beginning of spring, the second prince Liu Cong's "care" for him suddenly became more frequent.
The reasons are always so good: I got some new snacks and thought Xiao would like to eat them;
I found an interesting storybook and sent it to Xiao, knowing he would like it.
Sometimes, even if there was a particularly beautiful peony blooming in the imperial garden, he would drag Cui Xiao with him to appreciate it for a while.
At first, Cui Xiao only felt that the Second Prince was warm and treated him as a close friend, and he was quite grateful.
Liu Cong was knowledgeable and humorous, and Cui Xiao even felt a little flattered to have his favor.
Those delicacies and storybooks did indeed greatly satisfy his appetite and spiritual needs.
In the boring and stressful life of accompanying his children to study, these "little surprises" from the second prince were like stars, illuminating his monotonous time.
However, as he went there more and more times, Cui Xiao gradually felt a little uneasy.
He was the study partner of the third prince Liu Chang. According to the rules, he should spend most of his time and energy with Liu Chang.
Although Liu Chang had a gentle temperament and never expressed dissatisfaction with his relationship with the second prince, and even sometimes made a joke about it, Cui Xiao was a person who followed the rules and knew his limits at heart.
He always felt that going in and out of the Second Prince's palace so frequently and enjoying the Second Prince's special treatment seemed... a little inappropriate.
There are many eyes and mouths in the palace. It would be bad if word got out that Cui Xiao was trying to curry favor with the second prince and neglecting the third prince.
But the second prince's "hook" was too clever.
That snack was always his favorite flavor;
That storybook always hits his interest points accurately.
Every time the words of refusal came to his lips, when he saw Liu Cong's smiling and expectant eyes, and thought about the tempting sweet fragrance or the fascinating story, Cui Xiao's willpower became particularly weak.
Just like at this moment, a spoonful of cold and sweet cherry yogurt slid into my throat, and that slight concern was completely thrown away.
"Your Highness, this cherry yogurt is absolutely amazing! It has the right balance of sweet and sour, and is cool and smooth!" Cui Xiao praised it highly.
Liu Cong looked at his satisfied expression, and the smile on his lips deepened, with a kind of secret pride and pampering.
"As long as you like it. By the way,"
He seemed to suddenly remember something and pulled out a beautifully bound booklet from his sleeve.
"A few days ago, I got a copy of 'The Legend of the Southern Branch Hero'. It's said to be a new book published by Jiangnan. The writing is sophisticated and the plot is bizarre, which is quite interesting. I thought you would like it, so I left it here. You can read it slowly when you get back."
Cui Xiao's eyes lit up again. He took the storybook and stroked the cover lovingly.
"Thank you, Your Highness! You always find these good things!"
"Between you and me, there's no need to thank me."
Liu Cong's voice became softer, and his eyes fell on Cui Xiao's cheeks, which were slightly flushed with excitement, and he was reluctant to leave.
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