Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The animal garden was located in the northwest corner of Song Garden, backed by a low hill forest. The enclosed area housed small animals known for their ornamental value and docile nature.

The entrance was a path through a pine forest, paved with pebbles. As one entered the garden, the sunlight was largely obscured, casting long shadows, making one feel a bit chilly after a while.

Rong Tang and Su Huaijing chatted as they walked, stopping their discussion of these potentially treasonous speculations only when they saw other people in the animal garden.

After the conversation ceased, Rong Tang suddenly realized something seemed to be quietly changing.

He used to talk about the situation in the capital with Su Huaijing, but perhaps due to a reluctance to get involved, Rong Tang never offered much conjecture to Su Huaijing.

He would narrate as an observer, sharing facts known to few, maintaining a rational and objective stance as a mere relayer, allowing Su Huaijing to make his own judgments; unlike now, where he analyzed and speculated together with Su Huaijing, pondering the course and reasons like a strategist.

What surprised Rong Tang even more was that Su Huaijing followed his train of thought the entire time, sometimes agreeing, sometimes expressing confusion, making it seem like they were equals discussing familiar information from their respective fields.

This mode of conversation easily misled Rong Tang.

— Giving him the illusion that Su Huaijing was indulging him or even leading him into his world.

But this was irrational for both Su Huaijing and Rong Tang.

The major antagonist shouldn't be bringing the son of the Ningxuan King into his domain, and a system task performer shouldn't be actively approaching Su Huaijing.

Even though Rong Tang had crossed lines from the beginning, Su Huaijing shouldn’t have. He was supposed to be always cautious, forever skeptical of the outside world, not trusting him like this.

The breeze carried light voices of conversation into the forest. Rong Tang turned his head, focusing intently on Su Huaijing.

The seventeen-year-old youth changed daily, in the prime of his youthful vigor. Dressed in a duck egg blue robe, adorned with fine jade at his waist and a jade crown atop his head, his handsome features shone brilliantly, far more captivating than the beauty of spring or the brightness of summer.

As he walked through the lush forest, even the passing breeze seemed to unconsciously make way for the young man.

Su Huaijing's lips bore a trace of a smile, allowing Rong Tang to scrutinize him. After a while, he moved a bit closer, lowered his head, and whispered softly, like sharing a secret, "Tangtang, don't look at me like that."

Rong Tang: “?”

Su Huaijing smiled without looking at him, his gaze falling on a young couple near the deer park, seemingly in love.

Perhaps feeling the secludedness of the dense forest and the sparse flow of people, or maybe unable to resist their deepening affection, the couple glanced around before holding hands and hiding behind a large tree that required three people to encircle. The last image Rong Tang saw was the couple standing face to face, the man leaning towards the woman.

Su Huaijing shifted half a step, half-jokingly, half-seriously said, "If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll think my lord wishes to kiss me outdoors."

“……”

Rong Tang paused for a moment: “?”

Rong Tang slowly realized: “!”

“！！？？”

"He was dumbstruck, his eyes widening before turning to stare fixedly at Su Huaijing."

"The latter, however, smiled innocently, as if unaware of the shocking nature of his words, blinked at Rong Tang, and coquettishly said, 'What's wrong, don't you want to kiss me?'"

"Su Huaijing turned his head, waited a moment for Rong Tang's affirmation, then sighed regretfully, his expression melancholic: 'Don't look at me like that, Tang Tang, it raises my hopes.'"

"Rong Tang finally found his voice: 'You hope for... what nonsense!'"

"You, a vengeful, powerful, and tragic upgraded antagonist! What lewd rubbish are you thinking of! Even acting doesn't require such dedication! Have you no shame at all!!!"

"Rong Tang had a lot to say, staring at Su Huaijing for a long time. His 'little wife' looked back at him, innocently and cutely, his eyes like crow feathers occasionally blinking, the sparse sunlight making them glitter like broken colored glass, brimming with expectation."

"Su Huaijing, unflinchingly, misinterpreted his silence: 'Hmm? Can I look forward to it? Tang Tang, do you want to kiss me? Should Shuangfu and Shuangshou leave? Where do you want to do it? What position? I’m open to anything.'"

"He even spoke faster than usual, as if earnestly anticipating it."

"Rong Tang, his ears burning, unable to utter a word, glared at him with what he thought was an imposing look, then turned and walked away briskly."

"Su Huaijing paused behind him, then a suppressed chuckle followed, clear and gentle, like heavenly music, far more pleasant than any instrument played in the Lanyue Pavilion."

"Hearing this, Rong Tang’s heart trembled, quickening his pace."

"Su Huaijing then caught up from behind, the usually composed man jogging, leaned forward, and caught Rong Tang's hand, holding it tightly like a child with candy, smiling, 'I caught you.'"

Rong Tang was taken aback. Although the dense pine needles blocked the sunlight, he felt his body temperature uncontrollably rise, a faint blush spreading across his usually pale face.

“Caught Tangtang,” Su Huaijing repeated softly.

Rong Tang struggled but couldn't break free. Turning his head back, he noticed that Shuangfu and Shuangshou had discreetly moved away when they stopped to watch a young couple being affectionate. Now, barely visible, they stood like punished schoolboys, heads bowed, staring at their toes, determined not to witness anything inappropriate between their young master and his gentleman friend.

A strong sense of betrayal surged in Rong Tang's heart, not the ironic disappointment of being stabbed in the chest with a sword by Sheng Chengli, but a sense of vulnerability... as if he had handed over his weaknesses to be exploited, leaving him no escape.

It was not embarrassing, but it was humiliating.

Very humiliating.

Extremely humiliating.

Rong Tang pursed his lips lightly, his ears turning a faint red, and glared at Su Huaijing with a fierce expression: "What do you want then!"

Su Huaijing raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress his good mood. He lifted his free hand to touch Tang's ear, finding it warm as expected, which made him even happier. He chuckled softly, teasingly saying, "You're so fierce, Tang Tang."

"What?" Rong Tang retorted, "Just fierce!"

Su Huaijing pouted, making a pitiful face: "What should I do? Tang Tang is already scolding me just half a month into our marriage. Will you send me back home after six months?"

"What?" Rong Tang was puzzled.

Su Huaijing continued, "But I'm a poor, homeless soul. The only house I have was a gift from my husband. What if my husband divorces me and takes back the house? Will I have to sleep on the streets?"

"What?" Rong Tang was again taken aback.

Su Huaijing's face fell, but his eyes twinkled with mirth. He whispered, "My husband is the kindest little Bodhisattva in the world. He surely wouldn't bear to see me sleep on the streets, right?"

He asked Rong Tang with a smile, "Isn't that right, husband?"

Rong Tang initially wanted to say, 'Do you even hear what you're saying?' But Su Huaijing's relentless questioning left him defenseless. He couldn't comprehend how a villain destined to wreak havoc could so guiltlessly act pitiful and obedient. Who had he learned this clinginess from? He wasn't even this coquettish when pursuing Wang Xiuyu!

Su Huaijing blinked his beautiful eyes and shook Rong Tang’s hand, asking in a soft voice, “Darling? Husband? Tangtang? Brother?”

“You…” Rong Tang interrupted him with difficulty, his gaze evading before finally meeting Su Huaijing’s, “You can’t call me like that!”

His tone was commanding, but it lacked any real force. Su Huaijing almost laughed, barely holding back his laughter in front of Rong Tang.

“Alright,” Su Huaijing agreed obediently. He cleared his throat, but his voice became softer and more charming, “My lord? Prince Consort? Dear? Guest—”

Rong Tang was alright with the first two titles and nearly responded, but the last two baffled him.

Guest???

Prince Consort Rong abruptly raised his head, glaring fiercely at Su Huaijing and covered his mouth with his hand, effectively silencing him.

“Mmm—?” Su Huaijing made muffled sounds, blinking confusedly at Rong Tang.

Rong Tang realized that Su Huaijing was thoroughly enjoying his act.

He took a moment to compose himself, suppressing the embarrassment that seeped from every part of his body, and said sternly, “You are the esteemed prince consort of a noble family!”

Su Huaijing blinked, still muffled: “Mmm—?”

Rong Tang emphasized, “You were wedded in a grand ceremony, carried in a bridal sedan, with an extensive dowry, officially entered into the family records as the rightful prince consort!”

Su Huaijing continued blinking: “Mmm—?”

Rong Tang frowned, maintaining his stern expression, admonishing, “Don’t belittle yourself like this!”

"What guest! That’s the kind of thing said between courtesans and their patrons!"

"Even in jest, one doesn’t speak to their beloved in such a manner!"

"Nonsense!"

And he is the Seventh Prince! The exceptionally esteemed Seventh Highness!!!

Rong Tang is very angry!

An angry Rong Tang glared at his spouse again, asking fiercely, "Did you hear that?"

Su Huaijing was momentarily stunned, his eyes forgetting to blink, but gradually a smile, almost overflowing, crept from the depths of his eyes. He nodded, "Mmm-hmm!"

He heard it!

He heard every word Tangtang said!

Rong Tang eyed him suspiciously for a while, making sure he really heard, then hesitantly released his hand—

"Brother—"

"Snap!" Rong Tang covered his mouth again. His feigned anger and composure dissipated, his ears turning almost blood-red, as he bluffed, "Don't call me that!"

Su Huaijing blinked, shaking his head: "Mmm-mmm!"

No!

Rong Tang frowned, "Why not!"

Su Huaijing: "Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm!"

Rong Tang: "?"

Rong Tang didn’t understand and was even a bit puzzled.

He felt he hadn’t covered Su Huaijing's mouth that tightly. If the antagonist really wanted to speak, it wouldn't be hard at all. So why the constant muffled sounds? Did the victim have to be so obediently cooperative?

Rong Tang frowned and released his hand, saying fiercely, "I don’t understand!"

Su Huaijing turned his head slightly and laughed softly, then coughed twice to clear his throat, saying, "If not 'brother,' then call me 'husband,' or 'darling.' We've exchanged wedding vows, Tangtang. If you won't let me call you by any of these names, I'll suspect you're planning to abandon me. When we get home, I’ll tell my mother."

Rong Tang: "???"

Are you even human?

He stared wide-eyed at Su Huaijing, searching for any hint of jest in his eyes and expression. But after a long search, finding none, and Su Huaijing continued with a very serious face, "Brother Tangtang promised to protect me for life, personally came to Yong'an Lane to marry me, and even wrote me more than a dozen love letters. If you abandon me, I’ll sue you."

Rong Tang was silent for what seemed like an eternity: "Sue... for what?"

Su Huaijing, both serious and earnest: "For abandoning your wife and child."

Rong Tang: "…?"

Be a person, will you!

He fell silent, realizing he truly couldn’t outplay Su Huaijing.

It took Rong Tang a very long time to calm down. Without saying a word, he turned and walked towards the Peacock Garden.

If he spoke another word to this antagonist, he’d be the biggest fool ever, dumber even than Rong Zheng!

Rong Tang walked ahead, fuming, while Su Huaijing followed, holding his hand, wanting to laugh but restraining himself.

Tangtang is so adorable.

He’s like a puffed-up pufferfish, yet he didn’t pull his hand away.

Why do I pamper him so much? If I keep indulging him like this, he might become more and more presumptuous.

Su Huaijing's gaze darkened slightly, his fingers gently squeezed Rong Tang's hand, causing Rong Tang to immediately turn around and glare fiercely at him.

Su Huaijing immediately became obedient, staring at Rong Tang with his beautiful phoenix eyes in a docile manner.

Rong Tang huffed and continued to walk briskly, yet he didn't withdraw his hand.

Su Huaijing chuckled quietly to himself until they stopped in front of the Peacock Garden, where several green peacocks strolled leisurely.

Rong Tang had wanted to see them fan their tails before arriving, but now he suddenly realized: he had already seen a male peacock displaying its feathers on the way here!

A bit annoyed, Rong Tang picked up some small red berries used for feeding and tossed a handful into the garden.

Su Huaijing stood by his side, watching his little Bodhisattva silently feed the peacocks while pouting, finding it adorable yet worried he might be upset.

After a short while, Su Huaijing sighed softly and began to coax, "Tang Tang."

"What!" Rong Tang snapped fiercely but remembered not to let Su Huaijing's words fall to the ground.

Su Huaijing couldn't resist, his free hand fidgeting at his side as if luring a child, "Can you hug me?"

Rong Tang frowned, glaring and scolding him!

Su Huaijing offered, "Hug me, and I'll tell you a secret."

“……”

Truth be told, Rong Tang was slightly tempted, embarrassingly so.

This was the greatest villain in the story, the one whom even the male lead and the heavens could not handle.

He was shrouded in secrets, countless secrets, so many that Rong Tang suspected even the author might not know them all, yet here he was, offering to share willingly.

Rong Tang felt a slight, very slight stirring in his heart.

[Host, show some backbone!] The system, unable to bear it, admonished loudly.

Rong Tang snapped out of it, glared at Su Huaijing again, and turned his head away: "I won't listen, I won't hug."

Su Huaijing continued to coax: "Really not listening? It’s a secret no one else knows."

"I won’t listen!" Rong Tang refused to look at him.

Su Huaijing sighed softly, a bit aggrieved: "I didn’t even ask Brother Tangtang to kiss me. Can't we even hug?"

Rong Tang stubbornly ignored him.

Su Huaijing murmured softly, "Other couples aren't like this. Other husbands spoil their wives."

Rong Tang remained silent.

Su Huaijing's voice was soft, his hand starting to sway: "When I was little, my father always fulfilled any request from my mother. Whenever my mother felt wronged, my father would drop everything to comfort her—"

Before he could finish, a warm chest collided into him. Rong Tang pressed tightly against him, their interlocked hands didn't loosen, and the other hand was placed on Su Huaijing’s back, patting lightly, somewhere between comforting and annoyed.

Su Huaijing was startled, blinking slowly, his constant smile replaced by a faint confusion, then quickly overpowered by deeper joy.

He wrapped his arms around Rong Tang, leaning close to his ear, smiling, "Tangtang really spoils me. I like Tangtang more and more."

Rong Tang grumbled, "Tell me your secret!"

If it weren't for his pitiful childhood story, he wouldn't have hugged him!

Su Huaijing laughed so hard his chest trembled, their bodies shaking together, even affecting Rong Tang's heartbeat.

Gathering his thoughts, Rong Tang heard Su Huaijing’s voice, very soft by his ear: "Tangtang, I’m much more petty than you."

He said, "I don't like Sheng Chengli."

Su Huaijing asked, "Why do you think Yue Rong specifically chose yesterday to go to Lanxin Studio?"

The antagonist laughed, somewhat triumphantly, like a child successful in a prank, yet also like a muddle-headed emperor playing with fire in a game of thrones.

"Minister Zhang's memorial must be submitted, Xia Jingyi must lose some feathers, but I don't want anyone to muddy the waters and profit from the chaos."

"If someone really is to benefit from this farce, it can only be me."

His smile was light but sincere. In the garden, a peacock finished eating its fruit, took a few steps leisurely, and seemed content. It lightly shook its feathers and slowly, gracefully spread its tail in the sunlight, the shimmering reflection momentarily dazzling Rong Tang into closing his eyes.

Su Huaijing said softly, "I don’t like Sheng Chengli, so I told Ke Hongxue something."

"Tangtang, in this world, I only care about you." He lowered his gaze, a shadow flickering in his eyes, but his lips curled in an indulgent smile, holding Rong Tang close, "So if it's someone you don’t like, I don’t like them either."

And if I don't like them, I might just make them die.

Tangtang can't call me cruel.

If you hold onto me, I will be very obedient.

Exceptionally obedient.