Chapter 95 - 1#
Chapter 95: 5 Love Triangle 1
Three years later, Qin Qing, holding 996, walked in the Imperial Garden. A young eunuch with a white face and red lips led the way, constantly asking the Little Marquis to watch his step, his attitude visibly attentive.
“It’s different now that Li Suye is the Emperor; even you are qualified to enter the palace,” 996 sighed.
“And entering the palace with a fat cat,” Qin Qing added silently.
“I’m just sturdy, not fat. Can you please use a simpler adjective?” 996 patted Qin Qing’s face with its paw.
“When we were slaying demons back then, you survived not because you were stronger than me, but because you ran faster than me, right? I’ve seen through it over the years.”
“Meow meow meow, what nonsense are you talking about.”
“You have a guilty conscience.”
“Guilty conscience my ass!”
“Shh, Li Suye is ahead.”
Qin Qing looked up.
996 covered its mouth with its paw.
Across the lake, there was a redwood corridor running from east to west. Every so often along the corridor, an exquisite water pavilion or gazebo was erected. Li Suye, wearing a bright yellow luxurious robe, was walking through it, looking at Qin Qing on the shore from afar.
The distance was about seven or eight meters, not very far, but not close either.
The warm spring sun shone on the lake surface, reflecting fish-scale-like light spots on the two of them.
Willow catkins on the shore were blown by the breeze, scattering like falling snowflakes.
Qin Qing stood still.
Li Suye, walking on the corridor, also stood still.
Three years had brought huge changes, and both of their faces had been carved by time, leaving more or less traces.
Li Suye was more mature. That slightly impulsive greenness had been completely replaced by unfathomable depth. But he was still handsome, even his brow, which carried a trace of a furrow even when not frowning, was imbued with too heavy a majesty.
He could never turn back into Ye Li.
Qin Qing involuntarily thought of the man who was willing to kneel for him and put on shoes for him that night.
He stared blankly at the other person.
Li Suye was also observing Qin Qing. Three years passed, this person’s features had opened up a bit, his body became more slender, but he was still full of an ice-snow-like fragile aura. Standing in the warm sun, it seemed he would melt under the spring light in the next instant.
Li Suye walked forward quickly. At the end of the corridor, there would be a bridge extending to the lake shore.
Seeing him start walking, Qin Qing also walked along the shore.
“Was yesterday’s dinner delicious?” Li Suye asked hoarsely.
“Delicious. Before coming, I heard that the dishes at the palace banquet were all cold and hard, not tasty, but unexpectedly they were hot.”
“Others’ were indeed cold; I ordered them to heat yours.”
Qin Qing was stunned for a while before letting out a low laugh.
“He still likes me,” he said silently to 996 in his heart.
996 rolled its eyes: “Nonsense. He can’t forget you in his lifetime.”
“Your cat rolled its eyes again; it still looks down on me.” Li Suye chuckled in a low voice.
996 quickly hid its head in the crook of Qin Qing’s arm. Meow the heck, the licking dog really turned into a licking dragon; it can’t afford to offend him.
“Who dares to look down on Your Majesty now?” Qin Qing changed the address.
Li Suye’s smile immediately converged. He felt the sudden distance.
“Are you used to being in the capital?” He slowed down his pace.
“Not used to it. Many people are prying into me, observing me, and even trying every means to contact me, wanting to get what they want from me. Only been here a few days, and I started missing Jiangbei City.”
This answer was anticipated by Li Suye.
People can still live away from their homeland, but Qin Qing seemed to be a plant; he only liked to take root in one place.
His heart ached dully, like being twisted by a knife.
Li Suye weighed his words while walking, hesitated, but still asked the question he wanted to ask most: “Do you miss Jiangbei City, or the people in Jiangbei City?”
Just then, he reached the bridge.
Qin Qing also reached the bridge.
This bridge connected the corridor and also connected the lake shore. The two people separated by the lake water could easily walk to each other as long as they stepped on this bridge.
But they both chose to stop.
Soft willow catkins held the golden sunlight in their arms, flying纷纷扬扬 from their gazes looking at each other from afar, looking very much like clusters of light.
No matter how bright the light clusters were, they couldn’t compare to the familiar yet strange faces in each other’s eyes.
Qin Qing curved his lips and smiled, his eyes filled with longing.
Li Suye also smiled, the longing in his eyes as thick as a sea. He touched the golden crown on his head.
So Qin Qing also touched the golden crown on his head.
“I prepared a palace for you.” Some words didn’t need to be said too clearly; those who understood would naturally understand.
Qin Qing curved his lips and smiled again, answering: “I miss Jiangbei City, and miss the people in Jiangbei City even more.”
Li Suye understood these words too.
His hot and rapidly beating heart hidden in his chest cooled down slowly at this moment, eventually becoming dead silent.
When he stepped on this road leading to the extremely cold high place, he already knew that he would leave Qin Qing behind.
The two stood at both ends of the bridge looking at each other, not speaking for a long time. The white-faced eunuch waiting aside lowered his head again and again, inexplicably breaking out in a cold sweat.
The smile completely faded from Li Suye’s face, and the flying golden willow catkins in his eyes were swallowed by bottomless darkness. He was now the Emperor, possessing the four seas. He could easily get whatever he wanted, such as Qin Qing.
Just by opening his mouth, he could confine Qin Qing in the palace to accompany him day and night.
His cold thin lips opened slightly, seeming to want to say words that would deprive Qin Qing of his will.
996 poked its head out from the crook of Qin Qing’s arm and asked nervously: “He won’t imprison you, right?”
Qin Qing shook his head, not answering.
He curled his lips fearlessly, smiling brightly in the spring day: “Ye Li, send me back.”
At this moment you are wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, but I know, in front of me, you will always be Ye Li.
The cold thin lips pursed tight, and a faint light leaked from the bottomless eyes. Li Suye closed his eyes, sighed deeply, and then said at the other end of the bridge: “Send the Little Marquis back.”
The white-faced eunuch quickly agreed, stepped forward to lead Qin Qing to another small path.
Qin Qing didn’t look back.
Because he knew that looking back at this moment was meaningless. Life always requires making many choices; it’s impossible for one person to have all the good things.
Li Suye stared fixedly at Qin Qing’s back.
A willow catkin floated over, disturbing his vision.
He extended his fingertip and hooked slightly, as if driving away the willow catkin, but actually imagining hooking the corner of that person’s fading robe with this finger, silently reciting in his heart with sorrow: Little Marquis, can you please give me a little bit of affection?
A luxurious big ship was docked on the shore where willow catkins were flying.
On the ship stood a man with a figure like bamboo and a face like jade.
A woman in red walked quietly behind the man and lowered her voice: “Master, the Little Marquis has been in the palace for three days. Are you still waiting? You should know that the one in the palace has never stopped thinking about him.”
“Wait a bit longer,” the man said lightly.
“Allow this subordinate to remind you, you have said this sentence for three days in a row.”
Suddenly, a white pigeon flew from afar and cooed before approaching the big ship.
The man extended his hand, let the white pigeon land on the back of his hand, then took the note and glanced at it quickly.
“Heh~”
The man finally smiled happily and said to the boatman on the shore: “Build the bridge.”
Soon after, Qin Qing came to the shore holding 996, frowning at the floating bridge under his feet.
“Such a thin board, it will sink if I step on it, right?”
“If you run faster, the board won’t sink. It’s best to run to the opposite side in one breath.” The boatman pointed to Jiang Feishi standing on the opposite ship.
996 quickly patted the back of Qin Qing’s hand: “Put me down, I’ll run myself. No matter how fat I am, I’m lighter than you. I won’t sink crossing this floating bridge. If you run with me, I’ll soak in the water with you.”
Qin Qing: “…You are really loyal.”
996 ignored Qin Qing’s sarcasm, jumped to the ground, and quickly ran to the opposite ship.
A woman in red caught it and carried it aside to eat fish. Jiang Feishi was still standing by the edge of the ship, extending an arm to beckon: “Come here.”
“Can you build a better bridge?” Qin Qing kept circling in place, his toes stepping on the thin floating board several times, then shrinking back timidly.
“No, you must run over.” Jiang Feishi, who had always been obedient to Qin Qing, was particularly cruel this time.
He stared fixedly at Qin Qing, his eyes as deep as a sea.
Qin Qing looked at him silently for a while, sighed, and then strode quickly towards the ship.
Jiang Feishi immediately spread his arms and caught Qin Qing who threw himself into his arms indomitably.
“Heh~”
He laughed with extreme joy because he knew he was the winner. Li Suye built a bridge for Qin Qing, but Qin Qing was unwilling to step on it. For him, Qin Qing could run desperately despite the danger of sinking to the bottom of the water.
“My shoes are wet!” Qin Qing pouted and complained.
“I’ll help you take off your shoes,” Jiang Feishi said with a low laugh.
“Is the robe wet? I’ll help you take off the robe too.” He then whispered hoarsely.
Responding to him was Qin Qing’s soft fist pounding over.