Chapter 29 - 2#
“What’s wrong?” Chu Yu asked as he sprinted over. “Is there a thief? Surely not?”
Yanzhi stood on the stone steps at the entrance, pointing into the courtyard.
“Eh?” Chu Yu looked closely. “Where? Where’s the thief? Your house has always been empty like this. What’s missing? Speak up!”
Yanzhi pointed at Peanut Cake: “I have a donkey!”
“Yeah, so? Are you showing off to me?”
Chu Yu’s brow furrowed, then he suddenly realized: “You have a donkey! And we were still huffing and puffing, pushing that cart ourselves!”
In the next instant, Chu Yu let out a cry even louder than Yanzhi’s just now.
“Ah!”
He grabbed Yanzhi’s hand: “Little Zhi, name your price! Rent the donkey to me, or sell it to me, I can pay monthly.”
Yanzhi shook his head: “No! I want to do business with you! You provide the skills, I provide the donkey, and I can sell the pastries too!”
“From today on, we’ll split the profits fifty-fifty!”
“Deal!”
The two eighteen-year-old youths hugged each other happily like children.
“Hey! Hey, hey… wait… I’m falling…”
Yanzhi quickly pulled Chu Yu back.
Chu Yu stood before him, suddenly wiping away his joy and holding Yanzhi’s hand with a serious expression: “Little Yan, you truly are my benefactor.”
Yanzhi smiled brightly, showing eight white teeth: “Little Yu, you’re my benefactor too!”
*
The sun sank below the horizon.
To celebrate their partnership and to wish for future prosperity, Yanzhi and Chu Yu had dinner together.
They went back to the market to buy some vegetables and also bought a fish from the old fisherman.
Chu Yu made a fish soup with tofu and stir-fried two small dishes.
Inside the house, candles were lit, casting a dim yellow glow.
Yanzhi held his bowl, soaking his rice with fish soup, and gulped down two bowls.
Sugar Cake (the puppy) squatted by the table leg, eating with them.
Even simple fish soup and side dishes were made delicious by Chu Yu.
Yanzhi ate his meal, looking at Chu Yu through the candlelight, and suddenly felt that staying in Shiyan Town, living in Sweetwater Alley, and befriending Chu Yu was one of the best decisions he had ever made.
Not only did Chu Yu save him, but he was also such a great cook!
Chu Yu was simply the most perfect person in the world!
Chu Yu was a bit spooked by his gaze, frowned, and asked: “Are you stupid? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’m not.” Yanzhi held his bowl and shook his head. “I just think you’re the best person in the whole wide world!”
“Give it a rest.” Chu Yu said helplessly. “Others say I’m obsessed with money and only care about profit. You’ll find out in a few days.”
“That’s not true!” Yanzhi announced loudly. “Even though you’re greedy for money, you earn it by working hard making sugar cakes. You never take ill-gotten gains, and you’re kind and loyal, saving people in danger. You’re a great person!”
Chu Yu’s frown deepened, but his voice softened: “Sometimes you’re quite smart, and other times you’re quite silly, like a child.”
Yanzhi smiled, holding his wooden spoon, and scooped up the fish meat from the soup.
The last two pieces, one for each of them.
*
Thousands of miles away.
In the dead of night, within the Emperor’s bedchamber.
Two palace attendants followed custom and squatted under the corridor for the night watch.
Unlike the sunny weather in the south, the capital of Liang was already seeing its fifth heavy snowfall.
The weather was freezing, and the water turned into ice.
The two attendants wrapped themselves in quilts, huddled around hand-warmers, and squeezed into a sheltered corner for warmth.
Suddenly, one attendant let out a long sigh.
“Sigh—”
“What are you sighing for?”
“People used to say the Taiji Hall was the easiest post in the palace. Now it seems…”
“Isn’t it still the easiest? Since Young Master Yanzhi left, His Majesty hasn’t summoned anyone much besides for morning court and his three meals. We just need to bring in his robes and food. How is it not easy?”
“True.” The attendant paused. “But I always feel that Taiji Hall is dark and gloomy. Even when His Majesty isn’t around, I feel like I can’t breathe.”
“Isn’t it all because of Young Master Yanzhi? His Majesty has been furious for so many days, and he’s still angry.”
“His Majesty’s beauty selection before—the first round, second round, final round—wasn’t it going well? Now he’s stopped that too. There should be someone in charge of the inner palace. Since Young Master Yanzhi is unwilling, then he should just change…”
“Hey!”
The other attendant hurriedly covered his mouth.
“Do you want to lose your head? If His Majesty hears you, do you still want your life?”
“His Majesty has designated Young Master Yanzhi as the Empress. Lord Bian and the others don’t even dare to ask His Majesty to choose someone else. How do you dare?”
The attendant realized the danger and quickly slapped his own mouth: “Bah, bah, bah—”
The two attendants kept watch, talking idly.
Behind the wall, in the bedchamber,蕭篡 (Xiao Cuan) finished reviewing the memorials, tossed aside the cinnabar brush, stood up, and walked toward the inner hall.
Memorials from various prefectures and counties flew in like the snowflakes outside.
But each one contained a similar report—
Not seen, not found.
No trace of Young Master Yanzhi has been discovered.
Yanzhi was as if he had taken a boat and sailed across the sea, disappearing directly from the map of the Liang Kingdom.
Xiao Cuan calculated in his mind that it was time to campaign against the grasslands or the Eastern Sea.
No matter how capable Yanzhi was, he couldn’t fly into the sky or burrow into the earth.
As long as he was still in this world, he would definitely be found.
Before that, Xiao Cuan still had to sleep on the bed for a while.
Since Yanzhi left, he didn’t sleep on the bed often, only sleeping for a few hours every two or three days. Since he didn’t sleep for long, resting his eyes at his desk was enough.
But now, after deciding to go on a campaign, Xiao Cuan felt a bit more settled and felt a bit sleepy.
Xiao Cuan walked into the inner hall and lay down on the couch.
Unknowingly, he habitually moved to the inner side of the bed, resting on the pillow Yanzhi used to use, lying on the quilt Yanzhi used to lie in.
He scrunched his nose, wanting to draw some of the scent Yanzhi had left behind.
But in the next instant, he sat up abruptly.
Wrong! This wasn’t Yanzhi’s scent!
Where did this dog smell come from?
Left by that wolf cub? Or…
Xiao Cuan lowered his head and sniffed his own arm.
It was him. He smelled of wolf.
The smell of wolf fur mixed with blood—fierce and malicious, like a tide, completely suppressing the sweet and soft scent of Yanzhi.
It was absolutely foul!
But he had just bathed yesterday!
He had washed himself thoroughly before he dared to sleep in Yanzhi’s bed!
But it was still there!
Xiao Cuan was very disgusted by his own scent. He simply stood up and walked toward the hot spring pool in the rear hall.
Wash again!
The hot spring pool was empty, with only mist drifting and the sound of the water flowing.
Xiao Cuan took off his clothes, stepped into the pool, picked up a cloth, and vigorously rubbed his arm.
Normally, it was just the scent of cream puffs. Even if Yanzhi was gone, he could just find another couple of cream puffs to sniff, and it would be the same.
But it wasn’t the same!
The scent on Yanzhi’s body was very fragrant and soft, but not as sweet or cloying as cream puffs.
Like a cream puff, but not a cream puff.
It was a completely different smell.
He didn’t like eating cream puffs, but he loved “eating” Yanzhi.
Xiao Cuan rubbed himself all over before grabbing a single inner garment and stepping out of the pool.
Without waiting to dry the water on his body, he strode back to the inner hall, only to find that Yanzhi’s pillow was now full of his own scent.
No! This won’t do!
He wanted Yanzhi, he wanted Yanzhi’s scent!
Xiao Cuan sat on the couch with one leg up, head lowered, expression solemn, like a defeated alpha wolf.
He was thinking—
Where else were Yanzhi’s things?
Where else was Yanzhi’s scent?
Where else…
The next moment, Xiao Cuan suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing in the darkness.
Xiao Cuan threw on some clothes and hurried out of the hall.
The cold wind blew, freezing the damp ends of his hair into ice.
The two night-watch attendants were startled and bowed in haste: “What are Your Majesty’s orders?”
Xiao Cuan ignored them and strode past them.
“Your Majesty…”
The two attendants looked at each other.
“Is His Majesty having a nightmare?”
“Where is he going? Young Master Yanzhi’s things are in the side hall.”
The attendants kept their hands on the ground, heads lowered, speaking softly.
“Earlier, when his things were moved to the side hall according to His Majesty’s orders, they were betting on how many days His Majesty could endure…”
Suddenly, the palace lantern under the eaves swayed, and a tall figure loomed over them.
The Emperor’s dark and cold voice rang above their heads.
“One month and five days, and ten hours. What was the bet? Did you win?”
The two attendants hurriedly kowtowed: “Your Majesty, please forgive us!”
Xiao Cuan let out a cold snort and continued to stride forward.
With a “bang,” he pushed open the door to the side hall and strode inside.
The attendants had kept Yanzhi’s room very tidy. On the desk were the storybooks Yanzhi often read; on the couch, Yanzhi’s quilts were neatly folded; and by the couch, Yanzhi’s shoes were still placed.
It was as if he still lived there.
Xiao Cuan watched coldly for a while, then walked forward, deliberately pushing over Yanzhi’s storybooks, kicking Yanzhi’s shoes under the bed, and finally, with a “thud,” lay down on Yanzhi’s bed, messing up his quilt.
This way, he felt more comfortable.
Xiao Cuan lay flat on the couch, covered by Yanzhi’s quilt, with Yanzhi’s blanket in his arms, letting out a long sigh.
He felt more comfortable this way!
He closed his eyes and rested for a while, but found he still couldn’t sleep.
So he turned his head, wanting to check Yanzhi’s affection panel.
Yanzhi had been gone for more than a month, and his affection panel had been open for more than a month too.
After so many days, there were quite a few more people on it.
Auntie Yang, Auntie Liu, Grandpa Liu… Yanzhi was indeed compassionate toward all living beings; everyone had about ten or so points of affection.
Xiao Cuan let out a soft snort and idly swiped down the panel.
He didn’t care, he didn’t care at all.
They were all insignificant people.
The next moment, a name in bold red appeared before his eyes—
—Chu Yu. Current Affection: 80.
Xiao Cuan sat up abruptly from the couch, leaning very close to the panel.
The red light was particularly piercing in the dark curtains, almost dyeing his eyes red.
At the same time, a “ding-dong” sounded.
A system electronic voice rang out: “Dear player, to enhance your gaming experience, the character affection panel has been upgraded in the background.”
“This upgrade will highlight characters with affection greater than 80, making it easier for you to filter…”
Xiao Cuan’s face was ashen. He wanted to close the affection panel, but found his hands were shaking violently.
Eighty…
Affection degree of eighty…
Yanzhi has fallen for someone else…
Yanzhi has fallen for someone else!