chapter 14

Chapter 14: Eat, Drink, Sleep, Repeat

Being the "injured party", Shen He successfully acquired a plate of peeled, sliced, sweet and crispy peaches.

Qi Zhuo Yun carefully cleaned Shen He's palm and fingers with a cloth before allowing him to grab a piece of peach to eat.

The young boy's palms had some minor scrapes, but he seemed unfazed by any pain. Biting into the peach, his round eyes curved into crescent moons, clearly delighted.

He looked extremely content.

Shen He didn't forget to offer a piece to the prince.

Upon being fed, the young prince opened his mouth, capturing the whole peach slice, and devoured it entirely.

Shen He was taken aback.

He looked at his now empty hand, then gazed up at the prince's puffed cheeks.

Instinctively, he clenched his hand as if holding something.

I only meant for you to take a bite, not swallow it whole...

Shen He mused internally, almost forgetting that the prince too was just a kid.

The young lad stretched out once more, trying to reach the plate.

Zhong Hong, standing to the side, watched the entire scene. Seeing Shen He staring blankly at his own palm with his round cheeks, he had to restrain himself to not break into laughter.

Considerately, he slid the plate of peaches closer to the young lord, allowing him to pick another piece.

The boy's eyes curved into contented crescents once again.

Lady Liu Xuan returned half an hour later.

She had presumably settled matters concerning the Second Prince and Consort Rong.

Entering in a hurry, her first concern was, "How is Little He?"

Shen He's eyes lit up, enthusiastically waving, "Auntie!"

Auntie did him a big favor today!

The prince held the arm with the bandage, so Shen He could only wave with the hand that held the peach.

Lady Liu Xuan thought, her Little He was surely the most adorable child in the world.

Who wouldn't love such a face?

Pinching the child's soft cheek, she praised, "Little He is so brave! Show auntie, does it hurt?"

Her eyes moved from the bandaged elbow to the bloodstain on his knee, filled with compassion.

The young prince pursed his lips, gently saying, "Thank you for today, Lady Xuan."

His dark eyes stared earnestly from an innocent face.

Lady Xuan met the young prince's gaze, her eyes hinting a smile, "It was a trifling matter. I can't stand such sinister schemes. The Second Prince, despite his young age, harbors malicious intentions. If I hadn't come across it, perhaps I'd have let it go, but now that I have, I won't turn a blind eye."

Bending down, she added, pinching the child's soft face which felt as fluffy as a cloud, "Thanks to our Little He today, right?"

The child tilted his face upwards, letting the auntie, who had just played her powerful card, to playfully squeeze his cheek.

Lady Liu Xuan continued, "Having Little He witness such things, if I didn't intervene, he might pick up bad habits, which would be the lesser issue. But allowing those bullies to target him? Unacceptable."

Confusion filled Shen He's big eyes.

Wait a minute, Auntie.

What do you mean by "picking up bad habits would be the lesser issue"? That's not a minor thing!

That's not how you're supposed to raise a child!

He turned to the young prince, his clear, bright eyes filled with gravity.

My prince, you mustn't take these words to heart.

The young prince shook his head.

Just as Shen He began to feel relieved, the young prince said, "With me by his side, no one will bully him."

Shen He sighed, "... There's no saving him. He really needs to reflect on his own behavior."

Empress Liu Xuan neither agreed nor disagreed, remarking, "If Your Highness genuinely cares for Shen He, then it's good. Shen He, such a well-behaved child, also truly values Your Highness. Seeing the second prince bully you today, his anger was evident. It's the first time I've seen him like this."

The young prince, though mature for his age, is still young and lacks a stable foundation.

Today, I nearly faced injustice; Empress Xuan can't possibly expect him to protect Shen He in every situation.

It would be best for Shen He to stay and grow up under the protection of the crown prince's influence in the Eastern Palace.

As for the rest, there are the Shen and Liu families.

Hearing this, the young prince's long eyelashes quivered, he lowered his gaze and gently touched the soft hair at the nape of the child's neck.

Shen He, in the Qi Xia Palace, was fed a plate of peaches by his aunt and then carried back to the Eastern Palace by the main character.

Given that the injuries were on his knees and elbows, he couldn't move freely until fully recovered.

Shen He initially didn't pay much attention when the royal physician advised him not to move around.

However, Lian Qiao and He Ling began to keep a very close eye on him, ensuring he didn't exacerbate his injuries.

Lian Qiao and He Ling circled Shen He, sighing, "It's my fault for not holding onto the young master tightly."

So, are you saying I'm under house arrest now?

An eighteen-year-old restless young man, confined to a couch, feels utterly despondent.

He sprawled on the couch, looking longingly at the sky outside the window, yearning for freedom.

In June, the outside was already filled with the incessant chirping of cicadas. Their raspy, elongated calls were continuous.

The child wore an undershirt that was a bit short, with matching shorts. He wasn’t dressed in anything else to avoid overheating.

His little belly protruded when lying flat, looking plump and soft. His shirt was pushed up, revealing a tender, white belly, resembling a snow-white dumpling.

He Ling sneaked a chuckle and mischievously poked the young master's belly, "I heard from Grandpa Zhong Hong that the young master can even say 'auntie' now."

Shen He, in shock, covered his chubby belly with his pudgy hand.

What's going on? How could she poke someone's belly like that?

Don't touch a boy's stomach randomly!

Lian Qiao, unable to contain her excitement, reached out and said, "Young Master, I am Lian Qiao— call my name, and I'll give you some pastries, alright?"

He Ling, not wanting to be outdone, whispered into Shen He's ear, "He Ling... He Ling..."

The nursemaid walked in and gave both girls a light thump on the head, "The young master can't even call out to his grandparents yet, why would he start with the two of you?"

The two maids held their heads, giggling mischievously.

He Ling thought for a moment and said, "If we teach the young master to say 'grandfather' and 'grandmother' first, then he can call us, right?"

The nursemaid gave her a stern look but responded without too much seriousness, "If you can teach him that, who knows how long it will take."

The nursemaid lifted the soft, plump toddler from the couch for the royal physician to apply fresh medicine.

The scab had indeed formed over the child's knee injury. The physician provided an ointment and instructed Lian Qiao and He Ling to apply it three times a day, ensuring no one let him walk or touch the wound.

The little one, with eyes wide open, glanced around like shiny black grapes. Even as he was being handled, he didn’t put up any resistance or fuss.

He was as obedient as a toy doll.

After being placed back on the small couch, Lian Qiao handed him a cloth tiger, and another new one, twice the size of the first.

One cloth tiger was nestled in his arms, and the other was propped against his arm.

Then the two maids began their coaxing in turns, "Young master, can you say 'grandfather'?"

"Young master, 'grandmother'... 'grandmother'..."

Shen He turned around, faced down, and like a caterpillar, wriggled a little forward with his belly, attempting to distance himself from these incessant human loop machines.

But he was promptly and ruthlessly scooped back by He Ling.

Shen He thought: Maybe you should just put me out of my misery.

Little cousin, your big brother is truly sorry.

Since Shen He began to speak, everyone in the Eastern Palace was eager to teach the young master new words.

They all became repeating machines.

Shen He was so frustrated that he felt like slamming the table!

Brother is dropping the pretense!

For every word taught, one was learned. Three days later, not only could he say 'grandfather' and 'grandmother', but he could also call out to Lian Qiao and He Ling.

Shen He resignedly thought, if they find out I'm from another time, so be it.

Lian Qiao and He Ling were ecstatic to hear the young master, in his tiny voice, shout at them: "He, He Ling! Lian, Lian Qiao!"

The child's articulation was a bit unclear, but the words circled his little mouth and came out precisely.

The two were overjoyed, seeing nothing amiss with their young master. Instead, they believed they had witnessed a prodigy, "Did the young master just call our names?"

Lian Qiao, elated, finally spoke, "With the young master being so brilliant, both the prince and Elder Zhong Hong will surely be even more delighted than us upon hearing this."

He Ling nodded eagerly, "Now that the young master can call out to his grandparents, perhaps the prince will take him to the Duke Shen's mansion."

Shen He thought, "Does no one see anything unusual?"

After learning of the matter, Qi Zhuo pondered for a long time. Instead of personally sending Shen He back to the Duke's residence, he asked Zhong Hong to take the child there for a visit.

Under the lamplight, he held a scroll in his hand, using a fine brush for annotations. The script was immature, but it bore a hint of elegance.

He said, "I am preoccupied at the moment... I won't be able to spend much time with him soon. It's a good idea to send him back to the Shen residence. You don't need to stay with me; just keep an eye on him there."

Knowing the young prince's emphasis on Shen He, Zhong Hong respectfully acknowledged.

The next day, as soon as Shen He woke up, the nursemaid dressed him up, accompanied by Lian Qiao and He Ling, and they headed to Duke Shen's mansion.

The old duke and duchess were overjoyed, coddling Shen He with affection.

Hearing Lian Qiao and He Ling happily declare that Shen He could now call out to his grandparents, the elderly couple was even more delighted, gently pinching the child's hand and coaxing him to speak.

Nestled in his grandfather's embrace, Shen He grinned, showing his tiny teeth and said, "Grandpa."

The old duke, beaming with happiness, kissed Shen He's forehead, "Fetch the green jade pendant from the top shelf of my study's curio cabinet. Today, it belongs to our little He."

The old duchess, having heard Shen He address the duke, looked at him with hopeful eyes.

Naturally, Shen He didn't want to play favorites.

Touching the wet spot on his forehead left by his grandfather's kiss, he giggled and, in his soft voice, uttered, "Grandma."

Pronounced perfectly.

The old duchess, taking Shen He from the duke's embrace, exclaimed, "Oh! Our little He is so articulate. Let's see... how about gifting him our estate in Jinzhou? When he's older, he can buy any treats he desires."

Her wrinkled face was all smiles.

The exquisite jade pendant, almost the size of Shen He's face and ordered by the old duke, had arrived. Its deep green hue, almost black, was transparent as clear water, resembling a serene pond.

At a glance, it was evident the jade was extremely valuable.

The old duke placed this precious jade pendant into the child's hands, seemingly unconcerned he might drop it.

Shen He, holding the priceless pendant, watched as his grandmother brought out the deeds placed near Lian Qiao, utterly astounded.

Is this the life of the rich and famous?

Growing up, Shen He never lacked for anything and could purchase nearly anything he desired. His family was relatively affluent.

Yet, he had never witnessed such a spectacle before.

Overwhelmed by the sight, Shen He lost control of his mouth, and saliva trickled down from the corner.

He assured himself it wasn’t due to craving.

The elderly duke and duchess played with Shen He for a long while before Zheng Yiniang brought Shen Yan over.

The old duchess, still beaming, cradled Shen Yan in her arms, teaching him to say, "Brother, Brother He."

Shen He's eyes lit up!

Oh my! Long time no see, my little bun of a step-brother!

He excitedly reached out, the urge to pinch the little bun igniting within him!

He conveniently forgot how he felt when he was the one being pinched a couple of days ago and all his inner apologies to his cousin.

Zheng Yiniang sat to the side, her face adorned with a gentle smile, glancing from her son to the rightful heir.

Her gaze paused for a moment when it landed on the jade in the child's arms.

The elderly duke and duchess were pleased to see the two children getting along. Seeing Shen He's enthusiasm towards Shen Yan, they gleefully brought the two kids closer.

Shen He immediately pinched Shen Yan’s chubby cheeks.

They still felt delightfully soft to pinch, hehe.

Shen He was gentle, giving just a light pinch.

Shen Yan looked at Shen He with puzzled eyes, observing him for a long time.

Shen He let out two playful shouts.

What happened? Did you forget me in just a few days?

After thoroughly examining Shen He, Shen Yan mimicked him, extending his pudgy hand to pinch Shen He's face.

Copying Shen He's gesture, he gently felt his face, as if exploring.

Shen He laughed gleefully, revealing a few tiny teeth.

Not bad at all. Quite teachable. At least he didn't tear off my cheek.

Shen He still remembered when his little cousin tried to touch his face once, almost pulling his skin off, causing him to cry out in pain.

The two little buns took turns pinching each other, engaging in a joyful exchange.

By noon, Shen Yan started to feel sleepy.

Shen He felt quite refreshed. Watching Shen Yan being taken away by Madam Zheng, he turned and ate a bowl of porridge, also receiving a piece of lotus seed candy.

Lianqiao laid him on the small couch, carefully gathering the jade pendant and the deed, handing them to Heling, "Take these to Elder Zhonghong for safekeeping on behalf of the young master."

Heling acknowledged. Lianqiao whispered, "Once we're back, we should find a ledger and list down all of the young master's belongings. Come to think of it, he owns quite a bit. No one paid attention before, but now we should keep a tally so that it's easier for him to review when he's older."

Heling nodded in agreement.

Shen He was amusing himself by playing with his chubby feet.

The child’s plump toes wiggled about, seeming as if they were yet to be fully tamed.

He held his ankle, supporting his heavy head and upper body, fixated on his foot.

Then he heard Heling return, whispering, "I saw Madam Zheng."

Lianqiao sighed, "Did you notice her gaze when she saw our young master's jade pendant while holding the elder young master?"

Heling scoffed, "Our young master is the legitimate son. And as I see it, Lord Shen and Madam Shen are very fond of the elder young master. Why put on such a show? As if the elder young master lacks something. It’s a good thing our young master isn't raised in the Duke's mansion…"

Lianqiao: "Hush!"

She turned to look at the small couch.

The child who had been playing with his feet was now sound asleep, still holding the lotus seed candy.

In the blink of an eye, he had drifted into a deep slumber. His little belly rose and fell with his breath. His soft, rosy cheeks would melt even the coldest of hearts.

Lianqiao gently removed the candy from the child's hand, moistened a cloth with water and wiped clean the child's hands and face. Finally, she tucked him further into the couch.

Heling draped a garment over the child's belly and chuckled, "He falls asleep so quickly."

Lianqiao whispered, "Be cautious about what you say in front of the young master. He understands more than you think. He's quite sharp."

Heling giggled, "Understood, Auntie Lianqiao."

Lianqiao playfully glared at Heling, yet still reminded her, "We best keep our distance from Madam Zheng. As our young master grows, he'll observe his relationship with the elder young master. If the elder young master isn’t influenced by Madam Zheng and remains brotherly towards our young master, we shouldn’t sow discord between them."

Heling, gazing at the sleeping child, sighed, "I wonder when the child will grow up. It feels like it's going to be a long, long time."

"By then, we will truly be old maids."