chapter 31

Chapter 31: Delicious Treats

Liu Zheng helplessly wiped Shen Yan's tears.

His tender eyes rimmed red, he whispered, "I shouldn't have come to the academy..."

As Liu Zheng wiped away his tears, he comforted, "You have every right to be here, just as Little He does."

Shen Yan choked back a sob, "But it wasn't my father who sent Little He here... Only I was."

The difference in those words would take a moment for most to truly grasp.

Most people focus on the outcome, often overlooking the journey.

Yet, many times, the journey holds significance too.

Liu Zheng felt a pang of heartache hearing Shen Yan utter these words through tears.

At just five, Shen Yan seemed to understand truths he shouldn't yet grasp.

All Liu Zheng managed to say was, "Then don't cry. Tomorrow, when Little He comes, you can ask him how he feels about it."

Liu Zheng believed that Little He probably wouldn't mind.

However, it should be Little He's decision to make. Others shouldn't intervene or impose.

Shen Yan seemed to find solace in these words.

Perhaps he also felt the weight of curious gazes.

Wiping away his tears and halting his sobs, he obediently followed Liu Zheng to lunch.

To avoid offending the other two friends, Liu Zheng didn’t join Qi Yanbing and Zheng Xueze for lunch that day.

Both seemed somewhat upset by his absence.

On their return, their expressions towards Liu Zheng seemed to say, "You traitor."

Surprisingly, Zheng Xueze appeared the most miffed.

With his dark eyes, he cast a deep, almost haunting stare at Liu Zheng, causing a chill down Liu Zheng's spine and goosebumps to rise.

He looked like a vengeful spirit that had been harboring a grudge for centuries.

Was he really that upset?

Liu Zheng began to question whether he should indeed be more supportive of Shen Yan.

It appeared everyone assumed Shen Yan to be Little He's adversary.

Even the fifth prince came over to take a glance.

Still tilting his chin upwards, despite being shorter than most, he tried to maintain a haughty posture.

Besides Shen He, Shen Yan was probably the first person in the children's residence he could truly look up to and admire.

Holding his smooth, rounded chin without any sharp angles, he asked with a hint of annoyance, "I am the Fifth Prince. Why don't you bow when you see me?"

Just as impolite as Shen He.

Shen He has the support of the crown prince, but what does this little one have?

However, that's not the main point. The Fifth Prince asked, "I'm asking you, did you follow Shen He here to the children's residence on purpose?"

Qi Yanbing wanted to laugh but thought better of it and hid his face in his arm.

This Fifth Uncle of his finally found someone he could show off his power to.

Shen Yan pursed his lips, silently watching the Fifth Prince, uncertain of what to say.

A layer of tears welled up in his eyes, which he tried hard to hold back.

Liu Zheng spoke on his behalf, "Your Highness, Xiao He really was ill and couldn’t come for a while. Without Xiao He, Xiao Yan still needs to come to the children's residence. After all, he's the eldest son of the Duke's residence."

Seeing how frequently the Fifth Prince inquired about Shen He, Liu Zheng kindly suggested, "Your Highness, if you truly miss Xiao He, you can visit him at the Liu residence after school today."

The Fifth Prince abruptly retorted, "Who wants to go? Who misses him? I'm not going! Humph!"

And with that, he hurriedly left.

After only a short moment outside, he remembered that afternoon classes were about to start, so he ran back angrily.

He sat at his desk, visibly frustrated.

Qi Yanbing buried his face in his arm, laughing so hard that his shoulders shook and the table wobbled.

Zheng Xueze, who was trying to write at the same desk, was left speechless.

Zheng Xueze bit his lip, and merely muttered to himself.

He needed to find a way to switch from this foolish desk mate.

Shen Yan wiped away his tears and quietly read his book.

At the Liu residence, Shen He was still unaware that his little "bun" of a brother had gone to the academy.

He was blissfully playing in Qi Zhuoyun's arms.

Today, Qi Zhuoyun finally had some free time, so he rushed out of the palace to see how Shen He was doing.

The child's joy at seeing him was palpable. With a big smile and bright eyes, Shen He spotted him from afar and disregarding everyone else, ran towards him exclaiming, "Brother! Brother!"

He called out all the way until he jumped into Qi Zhuoyun's embrace.

Shen He noticed that the male lead seemed to have lost a significant amount of weight.

He was already thin. Boys during their growth spurts are often lean, and if their nutrition doesn't keep up, some even appear alarmingly skinny.

Shen He had once known a classmate who grew nearly a foot in six months, looking like a stick.

The Crown Prince didn't have any nutritional issues, but he was clearly overworked, with a hint of fatigue evident in his eyes.

He had a well-proportioned skeletal structure, and even though he was slender and lean, he didn't look frail.

Especially when he held a child with one arm, he appeared strong.

As Shen He lay in the male lead's arms, he teased his Fourth Uncle a bit.

Look at that, even the male lead, a young boy, surpasses him.

How can a man complain about being tired so easily? What's wrong with lifting a child a few times?

Recently, Fourth Uncle had taken a liking to playing with Shen He, visiting frequently. Every day he'd play with the child, but eventually, all three children would expect him to lift them up. Today, Fourth Uncle didn't even go home once.

Shen He quickly forgot about his playful Fourth Uncle.

He held Qi Zhuoyun's chubby baby face with both of his little hands, pressing it firmly and grinned, revealing a row of neat little teeth, "Brother, you finally came to see me. I thought you'd forgotten about me!"

Qi Zhuoyun didn't mind his face being squished by the child. Holding Shen He's plump bottom, he playfully slapped it, "If you keep eating recklessly, I might really leave you behind next time."

He had been worrying about Shen He's health these past few days, with a young eunuch updating him daily on Shen He's activities in the palace. Yet without seeing for himself, he remained uneasy.

Raising a child can indeed be an exhausting endeavor.

But watching the child's happy laughter, Qi Zhuoyun's heart warmed.

He immediately regretted his earlier threat.

He said, "If you fall ill again, you'll be banned from eating peaches for a month."

Half of the palace's peaches ended up in this little fellow's stomach.

Each year, when the first batch of peaches ripen in the greenhouse, they're distributed to various palaces. However, the portions for Qixia Palace and the Eastern Palace are undoubtedly all for Shen He.

The child's eyes twinkled, followed by a mischievous giggle.

Qi Zhuoyun knew immediately what he was laughing about and added, "There aren't any this year, so the punishment will carry over to next year, starting from the month when peaches are in season."

Shen He's face fell into a pout.

How could you, male lead?

It's just a peach, isn't it?

Hmph!

Shen He leaned against Qi Zhuoyun's shoulder, one arm wrapped around his neck, and with a slight twist in his body, he excitedly pointed in the direction of the Liu residence's gate, saying, "Brother, let's go out and play!"

It's been so long since he last went out!

Holding the child, Qi Zhuoyun started walking out, reminding, "You can only look; no buying food, alright? You're not fully recovered."

Shen He gestured to his soft tummy, "I'm all better now, brother. I can eat!"

Just let him taste a bite. His mouth felt so bland without any flavors.

Qi Zhuoyun felt Shen He's stomach lightly, "From what I can tell, you're not there yet."

Shen He: "…You're lying." The male lead's gotten better at telling tales!

The child pouted. Qi Zhuoyun chuckled, "Alright, you can choose just one treat. Choose wisely."

Shen He cheered, "Okay!" One is enough! He wasn't greedy. As a dignified adult, how could he act like a child who couldn't control himself?

Once on the street, the child in his arms acted like a curious puppy, sniffing around excitedly.

This smells delicious, that looks tasty. His mouth seemed to water at every turn.

Shen He watched a street vendor carrying a steaming pot pass by. The aroma was tantalizing.

His gaze followed the vendor, head turning to keep the sight. He almost wished he could follow the vendor and steal away with him.

Zhong Hong, suppressing his laughter, offered, "Young master, shall I buy a small bowl for you to taste?"

Shen He shook his head vigorously, "Not this one. There must be something even tastier ahead."

Since he could only have one, he had to choose wisely.

But the aroma... it was so tempting. His mouth was watering.

Why couldn't he have two?

Shen He tried to bargain, "Brother, can I have two small bowls? We'll buy two, but I'll only taste a little of each."

He showed with his chubby thumb and forefinger, "Really, just a tiny bit, this much."

Laughter sparkled in Qi Zhuoyun's eyes, but he held back, "No. We had an agreement, He'er. No going back on your word."

Who's going back on their word?! He certainly wasn't!

Shen He turned his head, murmuring defiantly, "Then when I find something even tastier, I'll buy it!"

Pouting a little, he added, "With my own money!"

He does have his own inheritance, you know.

He felt his small pouch, pulling out a gold bead from within.

No sooner had he taken it out than Qi Zhuoyun snatched the pouch away.

Qi Zhuoyun remarked, "Let's see how much 'private money' He'er has saved up. If He'er is buying for himself, why didn't he pay when he ate from my pocket earlier?"

Shen He: "..."

With tears in his eyes, Shen He handed the pouch to Qi Zhuoyun, essentially paying his own "living expenses."

How could you, male lead? Charging a mere four-year-old child for living costs!

They strolled and chatted along the way.

By the time Qi Zhuoyun had come to see Shen He, it was getting late. Having wandered for a while, they noticed more carriages on the streets as schools let out.

Wearing casual attire and carrying the child, Qi Zhuoyun meandered along the street, casually glancing at the stalls.

As Shen He looked around, a head suddenly popped out of a passing carriage.

A chubby little face energetically shouted with his high-pitched voice, "Aha! Shen He! So, you're not ill after all, loitering around the marketplace! You feigned sickness to skip school! Tomorrow, I'll expose you to the high priest and scholar Min..."

Shen He turned to look.

Qi Zhuoyun followed suit.

The little redhead scolding Shen He from the carriage window: "..."

This little carrot-topped Fifth Prince had only spotted Shen He amidst the crowd, utterly missing who was holding him.

Now, realizing it was none other than his Crown Prince elder brother, he was taken aback!

Instinctively, the little prince swiftly drew the carriage curtain and ducked inside, hoping his elder brother hadn't noticed him.

Such a naive attempt at concealment was, evidently, futile.

The coachman and accompanying servants were already beginning their greeting, "We pay our respects to..."

Qi Zhuoyun subtly raised his hand, silencing them.

He wanted to enjoy some more time with He'er, without the commotion drawing attention.

The Fifth Prince hesitantly peeked out, murmuring, "Elder brother..."

Qi Zhuoyun gazed at him with deep, dark eyes, calmly stating, "He'er was sick and has just recovered today. I had sent word to the high priest and scholar Min about his absence. Are you suggesting that I was deceitful?"

The Fifth Prince pouted, "I was wrong..."

Whimpering The eldest prince is so intimidating! How did Shen He grow up in the eldest prince's palace? He's so pitiable.

Wait, why feel pity for him? He's that annoying little pest! It's I who's truly unfortunate to have encountered the eldest prince. whimpers

Qi Zhuoyun said calmly, "Go back and focus on your studies. In the academy, try not to misuse your privilege and disgrace the royal family."

The fifth prince responded weakly. After bidding farewell to Qi Zhuoyun, he hurriedly whispered to his coachman, "Quick, let's go!"

Shen He: "Your Highness, could your voice be any softer?"

Shen He leaned on Qi Zhuoyun's shoulder, watching as the fifth prince's carriage receded into the distance. Qi Zhuoyun, looking down, could only see the back of the child's head.

He patted Shen He's back, asking, "Hehe, does the fifth prince often bully you at the academy?"

Shen He straightened up, declaring, "How could he ever bully me?"

I'm the king of the kindergarten!

Wait, no.

Confident that the male lead would keep holding him, Shen He didn't bother clinging to Qi Zhuoyun's neck. With both chubby hands on his hips, he proclaimed in a childish voice, "I'm the strongest! No one dares to bully me!"

Qi Zhuoyun chuckled softly. The vibrations from his slender chest annoyed Shen He, who demanded, "Brother, what are you laughing at?"

Qi Zhuoyun playfully tousled the boy's hair, "Alright, Hehe, have you decided what you want to eat?"

Shen He exclaimed, "Ah, big brother, let's keep going! There's surely something even more delicious ahead!" He was certain of it!

Half an hour later.

Shen He looked listless.

Opening his innocent, wide eyes, he attempted to charm the male lead, saying, "Brother, can I have that aromatic thing from before, the one carried on the pole, please?"

Opportunity missed! Hesitation leads to defeat!

Qi Zhuoyun initially intended to use this as a teaching moment.

One shouldn't always be indecisive, nor continually hope for future opportunities. Decisions should be firm and...

All his intended lessons melted away when met with the child's dewy, hopeful eyes.

Qi Zhuoyun turned to a guard, instructing, "Go find it and bring back a serving."

The guard promptly left.

Shen He cheered up, exclaiming, "You're the best, brother!"

In his joy, he didn't hesitate to give a loud smooch, planting a kiss right on the male lead's forehead.

This made Qi Zhuoyun chuckle.

He reattached the child's little purse to his waist, patting it once the knot was secured. “Quite good. I'll hold onto this for now. One day, when your brother is penniless, you'll have to dig into your savings to take care of me.”

Shen He couldn't imagine such a day ever coming.

Grinning widely, he wrapped his chubby arms around Qi Zhuo's neck, rubbing his cheek affectionately against his face and cheerfully agreed without reservation, “Alright, alright, I'll definitely take care of you! Make sure you're well-fed and plump!”

Then he turned his head, eagerly awaiting his treat.

Qi Zhuo set him down and casually noticed a small stuffed tiger at a nearby stall.

Quite tiny, no bigger than a child's fist, fashioned like a little pendant.

Zhong Hong noticed it too and quickly retrieved the toy tiger, asking Qi Zhuo, “Your Highness, is this for the young master?”

Qi Zhuo smiled and casually pocketed it, “I’ll keep it for myself.”

Shen He was oblivious to their exchange, standing tall and gripping onto Qi Zhuo's leg, his focus entirely on the departing guards.

Ultimately, Shen He delightedly got to savor the snack he had been drooling over.

Noodles cooked in a rich bone broth, so aromatic that he could easily have another bowl.

With sweat on his brow from the delicious meal, it occurred to Shen He how enticing the dish was. Wouldn't Qi Zhuo want some?

Graciously, he offered a taste to Qi Zhuo, “Brother, it's delightful! Have a sip.”

But just a sip, not too much.

Qi Zhuo leaned down to accept the offered bite, raising his eyebrows in approval, “It is quite good.”

Shen He saw an opportunity, “Brother, can we hire this chef to cook for us always?”

Qi Zhuo declined, “That's not possible.”

Shen He then cherished what was left in his bowl.

Ah, such delectable food. Who knows when I'll encounter you again.

From behind, Zhong Hong chuckled and signaled to the others to leave.

Bringing the chef to the Eastern Palace wasn't permissible, but teaching the palace chefs to recreate the dish was a viable option.

……

After delivering Shen He back to the Liu residence, Qi Zhuo returned to the palace.

Shen He waved joyfully, “Goodbye, brother! Don’t forget to visit me!”

As Qi Zhuo boarded the carriage and lowered the curtain, he caught a glimpse of the child, spiritedly led into the mansion, his joy evident in every lively step.

It was only after meeting his younger cousin that Shen He learned Shen Yan had also been sent to the Imperial Academy.

Shen He lamented!

How tragic! Such young children being sent to school.

Wasn't playing at home enjoyable enough?

Liu Zheng inquired, “Little He, Shen Yan was sent to the academy by your uncle, while you were sent by the crown prince. Are you unhappy about that?”

Shen He looked up, his young face filled with confusion, “Huh?”

What was the difference, pray tell?

Weren't they both just unfortunate kids subjected to early schooling? Did they need to rank their miseries?

Shen He felt his situation was worse since there was the intimidating Tutor Song in the Eastern Palace!

However, Shen He quickly brushed off that thought, saying cheerfully, “Then we can play with brother tomorrow!”

His adorable “bun” brother was so endearing, such a crybaby! Ever since he was little, he'd cry at the slightest things, even scared of bugs!

Shen He patted his tiny chest, “We'll have lunch together! He can sit on my stool!”

Another recruit for his kindergarten empire!

Liu Zheng: “...”