Chapter 118

Chapter 118

Jiang Cihe smiled, "If there's anyone you're interested in, you can tell me."

Meng Shuping was about to decline when Jiang Cihe added, "So I can introduce her to someone else."

Meng Shuping was taken aback. "Huh?"

*I thought he was going to set me up, but this is completely different from what I imagined. Oh, I get it. Is he trying to get back at me for passing the buck earlier?*

Jiang Cihe said playfully, "I haven't even gotten married yet. You want to beat me to it?"

Meng Shuping was speechless. "Alright."

*Seriously? He's going to be petty about this? Fine, fine, I have no intention of competing with him. He can get married whenever he wants; I'm not in a hurry.*

He asked Jiang Cihe curiously, "What kind of person do you like?"

*He's this old and still not married—could it be that his standards are too high?*

Jiang Cihe's gaze swept over Meng Shuping from head to toe before returning to his face. Then, he pinched Meng Shuping’s cheek and chuckled, "Someone like you, I suppose."

Meng Shuping stared blankly at Jiang Cihe, his face suddenly flushing. A moment later, he pushed Jiang Cihe’s hand away. "Just talk. Why pinch my face?"

Jiang Cihe seemed to be in a very good mood. "Because it’s fun to pinch."

Meng Shuping couldn’t help but roll his eyes. *You're the pinchable one. Why didn’t I think of pinching you back just now?*

For the rest of the journey, the carriage was quiet. For some reason, Meng Shuping began to feel uneasy. When they finally reached his home, he quickly got up, stepped out, and darted off the carriage.

Watching Meng Shuping scurry back into the Earl’s residence, Jiang Cihe smiled, lowered the carriage curtain, and said, "Let’s go, we’re heading back too."

"Alright."

Meng Shuping returned to the Earl’s residence in a confused daze, lay down on his bed, and wondered, *What’s going on? Why does everything feel so strange?*

Jiang Cihe said he liked someone like him—was he joking or not? And then there was the part about Jiang Cihe not getting married if he didn’t want him to. None of it sounded like anything normal friends would say.

At the thought, Meng Shuping couldn’t help but recall past events—the hugs, touches, and intimate moments that had happened due to various accidents, as well as the topic of taking responsibility. Now, looking back, it all seemed to carry a hint of ambiguity.

He rolled around frantically on the bed. What did Jiang Cihe mean? Was he deliberately trying to make him misunderstand and then laugh at him?

Miao Bi came in holding clothes and, seeing how red Meng Shuping’s face was, couldn’t help but worry. "Fifth Young Master, what’s wrong? Is it too hot in here? Or do you have a fever?"

Meng Shuping immediately sat up. "It’s nothing! I’m fine!"

Miao Bi: "..."

*If it’s nothing, why are you so flustered?*

That night, Meng Shuping unusually suffered from insomnia. The next morning, he mustered all his willpower to get up and attend the morning court. Jiang Cihe, standing at the front, noticed Meng Shuping nodding off and was very surprised. Hadn't Little Bold stopped sleeping during court a long time ago? Why was he dozing off again today?

After the court session ended, he headed toward Meng Shuping, but before he had taken more than a few steps, he noticed Meng Shuping walking away as if chased by demons, moving extremely fast.

Just then, another minister approached him. By the time he finished dealing with the minister, Meng Shuping was long gone.

After spending a few more days at the Ministry of Justice, it was time for the Lantern Festival holiday. For several days, Meng Shuping didn’t see Jiang Cihe, and he gradually calmed down, regaining his peace of mind.

On the day of the Lantern Festival, just after lunch, Meng Shuping heard a maid outside say, "Second Young Master is here!"

Meng Shuping hurried out to greet him. "Second Brother?"

Meng Shuchun had come to invite Meng Shuping. "Today, Mother, Sister, and I are going to see the Lantern Festival. Do you want to come along?"

Although Meng Shuping had met Meng Shuchun and the others many times, he still felt closer to Jiang Cihe. He instinctively said, "You all go ahead, I won’t join."

Meng Shuchun patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "How can that be? The streets will be crowded today. If you don’t come, I won’t be able to look after both of them alone."

Of course, the real reason was that he felt it would be too lonely to leave Meng Shuping alone at home.

Seeing Meng Shuping hesitate, he made the decision for him. "It’s settled then!"

Meng Shuping: "..." Alright then.

Unexpectedly, as Meng Shuping stepped out of the Earl’s residence that evening, he saw a familiar figure not far from the gate.

Seeing him come out, Jiang Cihe looked up at him and said, "Come here."

Meng Shuping paused for a moment before edging his way over to Jiang Cihe. As soon as he stood in front of him, his heart began to pound. "Prince Zhao, why are you here?"

Jiang Cihe looked at him, his eyes deep and intense. "Didn’t you invite me to see the Lantern Festival together?"

Meng Shuping was taken aback and tried hard to recall. *Ah! I think there was such a thing. Oh no, how could I have forgotten? I can’t let Prince Zhao know! I need to come up with an excuse!*

He quickly racked his brain and said, "I mean, why didn’t you wait for me to come find you?"

Jiang Cihe gave a faint, teasing smile. "I thought you had forgotten."

Meng Shuping grew flustered. "No, no, how could I forget?"

*Blame him for saying those things! If it weren’t for him, why would I be so troubled?*

Jiang Cihe raised an eyebrow. What had he said that troubled Meng Shuping so much?

Just then, Meng Shuchun and the others also came out. Seeing the two of them standing there, Meng Shuchun and the others quickly approached. Meng Shuchun said, "Greetings, Prince Zhao. Are you here to see Fifth Young Master?"

Jiang Cihe nodded. "Are you all going out together?"

Meng Shuchun smiled. "Exactly. We were planning to take Fifth Young Master to see the Lantern Festival. Would you like to join us, Prince Zhao?"

Jiang Cihe glanced at Meng Shuping, his expression unreadable. "Sure!"

Meng Shuping was so embarrassed he could have dug a hole with his toes. *Ahhh! Does it have to be like this? Getting caught in a lie right after I told it? Can’t you leave me some dignity?*

Meng Shuchun was stunned. Had his good intentions backfired?

Since the Earl’s residence was some distance from the street where the Lantern Festival was held, they had to take a carriage to the vicinity first and then walk. Meng Shuping nervously boarded Jiang Cihe’s carriage. He stole a glance at Jiang Cihe and sat down quietly, keeping to himself.

Jiang Cihe studied him carefully and said, "Didn’t you say you hadn’t forgotten?"

Meng Shuping guiltily looked down at the floor. "It’s because you..."

*It’s because you keep saying things that lead to misunderstandings! I was too busy analyzing them—how could I remember anything else?*

Jiang Cihe leaned down from the side to meet Meng Shuping’s eyes. "What did I do?"

Meng Shuping looked up and instantly met Jiang Cihe’s intense gaze. His mind went blank. After a moment, he managed to form words. "Well, you should've reminded me! It’s been days—I thought you were just making conversation!"

*I’m done for, I’m done for! Is he flirting with me? Wow... he's really laying it on thick!*

Jiang Cihe wondered, what does "flirting" mean? He smiled and said, "So it's my fault then?"

Encouraged by this, Meng Shuping got more confident. He sat up suddenly. "If it's not your fault, whose is it?"

*If he’s not interested in me, why would he say those things? Could he be trying to flirt with me? Why can’t he just be straightforward? Then I could turn him down straight up, hahaha!*

Unable to resist, Jiang Cihe reached out and pinched Meng Shuping’s cheeks. "Whose fault did you say it is?"

Meng Shuping glanced at Jiang Cihe twice, then suddenly raised his hand and pinched Jiang Cihe’s face in return, saying defiantly, "Your fault!"

*No wonder he always pinches my cheeks. I have to say, they’re pretty squeezable!*

Jiang Cihe gave another gentle pinch, his fingers stroking Meng Shuping’s cheek. "Say that again?"

Meng Shuping felt a tingling where he was touched, his face growing warm. Trying hard to ignore the strange feeling in his heart, he retaliated by pinching Jiang Cihe’s cheek again. "Your fault!"

The two bickered back and forth like squabbling children, neither letting go. Just then, the carriage suddenly stopped. Ling Feng lifted the curtain and saw the two pinching each other’s faces. His mouth fell open in surprise. "Sorry to interrupt."

Whoa, it was the first time he’d seen His Highness acting so childish.

Meng Shuping and Jiang Cihe released each other simultaneously. Moments later, both rubbed their cheeks as they stepped out of the carriage. Ling Feng couldn’t help but smirk to himself, wondering what they were up to.

After Ling Feng parked the carriage, the group followed the crowd forward. By then, it was almost completely dark, and the decorated lanterns and stands along the street lit up one after another, drawing more and more people.

Meng Shuping, seeing such a grand display of ancient lanterns for the first time, was totally mesmerized. Jiang Cihe’s gaze fell on Meng Shuping’s face. Was the "little moneygrubber’s" earlier rejection sincere? Did he actually have feelings for him?

As he stared distractedly, he noticed someone rushing toward Meng Shuping from the other side. Quickly, he reached out, hooked an arm around Meng Shuping’s waist, and pulled him close.

Meng Shuping bumped into Jiang Cihe’s chest with a thud. He quickly pressed his hands against Jiang Cihe’s chest. "What are you doing?"

Jiang Cihe looked down at him. "Look where you’re going."

Meng Shuping couldn’t help but his ears turned red, his heart racing uncontrollably again. "...Oh, you can let go now."

Jiang Cihe released his hold, and Meng Shuping instantly jumped back. Even so, he could still feel the warmth where Jiang Cihe had held his waist.

The two continued walking. After strolling a while longer, both Meng Shuping and Jiang Cihe’s hands were full of various trinkets and snacks. Jiang Cihe suggested, "How about we go to the teahouse for a break?"

They had agreed with Meng Shuchun and the others that if they got separated, they could meet up at the teahouse later.

Meng Shuping nodded. "Alright."

Before long, Meng Shuchun and the others also arrived at the teahouse. But as soon as they sat down, an acquaintance of Feng Shi came over to greet them. "Madam Meng, you’re here too?"

Feng Shi quickly stood up. "Madam Guan."