Chapter 8: Qi Yan wants to make new friends, but what if he ruins his little pet?

Jiang Qiyan was unaware of the danger. When his master stretched out his arm to him, he snorted and smelled the familiar pine scent, then hugged him without thinking.

Pu Ting paused slightly when he loosened his grip. Jiang Qiyan's soft little body pressed against him. He hugged him and rubbed him with a very trusting attitude, mumbling and calling him "sir".

"Sir... Sir, are you willing to give me a name..."

The little face rubbed his hand in a daze, "Sir asked me to be careful... Sir is so nice..."

Pu Tingsong's body stiffened for a moment. As he listened to the child talking in his sleep, he involuntarily loosened his grip on the neck.

Reason is returning and hatred is suppressed.

"Sir... Sir, you are so pitiful..." Jiang Qiyan hugged his arms tightly, "Wuwu, I feel so sorry for you..."

Then another vague emotion, which was difficult to identify, prevailed.

What is it?

Can't see clearly.

Pu Tingsong withdrew his hand, lay down, and felt his little Qiyan snuggling in his arms like a little animal.

Okay, don’t be afraid, I won’t kill you.

Pu Tingsong held the man in his arms and let him rest his head on his shoulder.

Jiang Qiyan was half asleep and felt his master patting his back. He hummed softly.

I could vaguely hear my husband's voice, very gentle, "You cry even when you're sleeping?"

"If you like floods so much, you can go to the Dragon King Temple to work in the future."

"Well... I won't go to the temple," Jiang Qiyan hugged his teacher's waist and began to cry, "Sir... Sir, please don't embarrass me..."

"Go to sleep. When did I say I'd throw you away..."

The soothing incense in the bedroom burned out little by little.

When Jiang Qiyan woke up, Pu Tingsong had already gone to attend the morning court. He rubbed his eyes with his little hands, and just as he turned over and was about to get up, he saw a person standing at the head of the bed.

"Your Highness," the man said, holding a bowl of milky soup in one hand and a scroll in the other, "the master of the house has ordered you to review two pages of the book after drinking this milk, and then have dinner together when he returns."

"Oh..." He felt a little disappointed when he woke up and didn't see his husband.

"The master is busy." The man lowered his head and had not looked directly at Jiang Qiyan since just now, as if something bad would happen if he looked at him. He put down his things and bowed, "Your Highness, I will leave now."

Jiang Qiyan looked at his back and touched his little face.

Am I ugly?

Doubts arose in my heart. Is he afraid of me or of the teacher?

Sir, you are such a gentle person, no one should be afraid of you, right?

Jiang Qiyan finished his milk with confusion in his mind, looked at the dawning sky, sighed, got out of bed, and went out with a book in his arms.

After applying the medicine, it really felt much better. The pain was gone after just one night.

Of course he had to go to the study to review his lessons, otherwise it would be too inappropriate. Even if the teacher didn't care about these things, he didn't want to be unruly and embarrass the teacher.

But the Imperial Master's Mansion was so huge that he felt dizzy as he walked and didn't know where he was.

Is...are we going east? We went west yesterday, so today we should go the other way and go east...

But... where is the east?

The sun hadn't risen yet and Jiang Qiyan's sense of direction was not very good. He couldn't even tell east, south, west and north.

After walking for a long time, Jiang Qiyan suddenly stopped.

"How did I get to the front door..." Jiang Qiyan murmured softly, "Why is the door still open? What if my husband comes back now and thinks I'm going out..."

Go quickly, Jiang Qiyan said to himself. He felt that if he stayed any longer, the master might get very angry.

Jiang Qiyan turned his back, stepped on the snow, lowered his head and was about to leave quickly.

"Young Master..."

Suddenly, a weak voice came from outside the door, "Please be kind..."

Is... is it a beggar...

Jiang Qiyan stopped moving, his whole body froze.

What should I do? Is he going out?

The master said yesterday that he was not allowed to go out...

But I'm just going out for a short while, it should be fine...

"Please be kind, young master. I... I haven't eaten for three days..."

Never mind, he had a reason for going out, and the gentleman is not unreasonable.

He knows best what it feels like to be hungry. It's very uncomfortable.

"Then wait a moment... I'll get you something to eat..." Jiang Qiyan turned around and looked outside the door, but saw no one.

Did he fall in the snow?

Jiang Qiyan's heart tensed up, and he didn't care about anything else. He hurried out the door. It was white all around. He searched for a while before he saw a beggar lying on the ground. He was about the same age as him, maybe a little older.

His guard was instantly lowered, and he walked over to sniff the man's breath.

Fortunately, he was still alive, but he was barely breathing. He must be very hungry.

Jiang Qiyan was a little hesitant, with a conflict in his mind.

Since we're already out...why not just take this beggar back with us?

This person is almost frozen...

Jiang Qiyan grabbed one of the man's legs and prepared to drag him into the mansion.

"Oh my dear little ancestor," the old butler who was explaining things in the gatehouse ran out in a hurry, "It's not allowed to bring random people into the mansion, oh my, it's fatal!"

"But..." Jiang Qiyan didn't let go, "He's going to die..."

"Oh my! This old servant is going to die too!" The old butler blocked the door and refused to let him in. "I will hold you accountable when the master comes back!"

"No," Jiang Qiyan bit her lip softly, "Sir is such a good person, he won't stand by and watch someone die..."

But...is it really so?

For a moment, Jiang Qiyan's mind was filled with the teacher's gentle smile.

For a moment, someone came to pay a salute that day, but the gentleman turned a blind eye and was indifferent.

"Don't you want to wake him up?" he asked at that time.

"Since you are under my supervision, just focus on me from now on."

At that time, the gentleman's tone was somewhat unhappy, as if he did not like him meddling in other people's business...

But human life is at stake, and he doesn't want to give in.

Seeing this, the old butler had no choice but to help him carry the person inside and hide him as he wished.

It seems that he doesn't need to worry about what happens after that, the old butler will take good care of it.

Jiang Qiyan's mind was in a mess, and he kept thinking about what he would say when his husband came back.

Would the gentleman think that he was assertive, that he was disobedient, and throw him out?

Jiang Qiyan was led to the study room. He was still thinking about all sorts of things, and the more he thought, the more scared he became. His hands were shaking as he held the book.

The teacher asked him to review his lessons, but he couldn't concentrate at all...

Squeak——

The wooden door of the study was pushed open. It was already bright outside. The sunlight was blocked when it passed through the door, casting a human-shaped shadow on the ground.

The gentleman is back!

Jiang Qiyan sat up straight, his whole body tensed up, trying his best to look obedient.

"Little Qiyan is really amazing. He can read a book even if it is held upside down." Pu Tingsong said slowly with a chuckle, "Read it to me. What did you read?"

Did you take it down?

Jiang Qiyan calmed himself down and looked at the contents in his hand. It was indeed upside down!

With trembling hands, he turned the book over, slumped on the small table, lowered his head with his hands hanging down, and said softly, "Sir..."

"It can't be that you didn't see anything, right?" Pu Tingsong stood at the door and didn't go into the study.

"Did you drink the milk?"

Jiang Qiyan was originally terrified, but the gentleman's question suddenly turned into a caring inquiry, "Are you hungry? I apologize for keeping Qiyan's little tummy waiting for so long."

"Come here," the voice was very soft, but irresistible, "It's time to eat."

As soon as he walked over, he was picked up. Along the way, he hesitated several times and wanted to tell the teacher that his leg was healed, but he didn't dare to speak until he was carried to the cafeteria.

He remembered that the gentleman did not like to be rejected...

Pu Tingsong looked normal. While feeding the child, his eyes were staring deeply at the patterns on a leaf.

Jiang Qiyan ate the meal with fear and trepidation, and he couldn't even taste whether the porridge was sweet or salty.

Since the teacher picked him up, he hasn't said a word.

Such an unusual silence made him feel uneasy.

He was shaking slightly, his eyeballs were moving slowly, and his long eyelashes were trembling slightly.

"Why are you so scared?" He felt the master's hand tightening around him. "Qi Yan, do you have anything to say to me?"

Is it because I haven't read the book... or...

What about hiding people in your house?

"I……"

"Think it over first," his voice was still gentle, "Master has told you not to think about cheating or hiding things."

Pu Tingsong's aura was very easy-going and his tone was very gentle, no different from before.

But Jiang Qiyan began to tremble even more, fearing the tiny spider-like feet that followed his ankles, slipped into his trouser legs, and crawled onto him.

Every inch of skin where the spider crawled was covered with goose bumps.

The lingering fear was like a maggot on his heel. Jiang Qiyan pursed his lips lightly, his eyelids twitched, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"I'm sorry..." He carefully buried his head in his husband's arms, "I'm going out..."

"Hmm," Pu Tingsong rubbed his hair, "Did you take the wrong path?"

Yes, it was all because he was a confused little idiot who took the wrong path.

How do you know this, sir?

"I..." He sniffed, "I picked up a little beggar..."

"Is that so, Qiyan wants to make friends, right?"

Friend...?

He explained in a panic, "No... I just felt so sorry for him, I'll only hide him for a few months, and when the weather gets warmer, I..."

As he spoke, he lowered his head.

This isn't his residence, so why would he hide someone here without permission...

He said it so sanctimoniously and confidently, as if he was forcing you to agree with his behavior.

Jiang Qiyan's tears welled up even more, "Sir...can I?"

No matter what, it's a life.

Jiang Qiyan felt sympathy for the beggar. He saw his own shadow in this poor beggar.

No one wants them.

Isn’t it?

Jiang Qiyan grabbed Pu Tingsong's sleeve and held it tightly, but he said with a trembling voice, "Exchange me... for him."

"I...I'm leaving..."

Now the master must be tired of him, isn't he?

"I'm leaving now..."

Jiang Qiyan didn't know how he said these words. His heart ached while he spoke, as if something was blocking his throat and preventing him from speaking. But he still finished speaking with a sob.

He said he was leaving, but he still held the gentleman's sleeve tightly.

"Why are you answering a question that is not relevant?" Pu Tingsong let him hold his hand, and had no intention of releasing the hand that was around his waist.

As soon as he raised his head, he was flicked by his husband's finger. "Are you avoiding the question? Huh?"

It didn't hurt much, because the gentleman obviously didn't use much force when he hit him.

"The teacher asks if you want to make friends with him."

The man's origin is unknown. What would happen if the little pet was taken away astray by such a bad person?

Pu Tingsong tapped Jiang Qiyan's nose and said, "Go on, I'm listening."

Jiang Qiyan's eyes were a little evasive, and Pu Tingsong saw through his hesitation and his heart sank instantly.

"It's good to make friends," Pu Tingsong bent down and put him on the ground, straightening him up to face him, "but Qi said that you have to know how to recognize whether the people you want to make friends with have ulterior motives."

"There are many bad people in this world. I don't let you go out casually because I care about your safety. After all, you are young and inexperienced. You still have your master to protect you in the mansion. If you leave the mansion..."

Chuckling, with peach blossoms in his pupils, Pu Tingsong looked down at Jiang Qiyan's wet eyes and said, "She was kidnapped. Where can I find her, Master?"

"Don't let me worry?"

"Hmm..." Jiang Qiyan nodded. He felt that what the master said made sense, so he obeyed obediently, "I will not go out anymore and will not go near the gate of the mansion again."

"Okay, Master knows you're the best," Pu Tingsong blinked gently, not letting the child see the emotion in his eyes, "Qi Yan, think about it, that person couldn't fall anywhere, but had to fall in front of the Imperial Master's Mansion, isn't that very strange?"

"I don't want you to befriend others. He can live here, but if you feel sad because of him in the future, don't cry to me again."

"It's no use crying," Pu Tingsong leaned over and poked him on the forehead, "You have to bear the consequences of your own choice. Your teacher won't try to trick you."