Chapter 6 The Crybaby Little Being

Chapter 6: The Tearful Little Soul

The grievances Shi Zai could voice were nothing compared to the heart-wrenching sorrow behind his earlier sobs.

Years of pent-up emotions, unable to find release, were finally embraced today by this firm, warm chest, again and again.

It felt like a dream come true, making him all the more greedy for it.

Whether it was real or not, he would take it one step at a time.

The corner of his eye was nearly rubbed raw, yet he still wanted more. With his wrist held firmly by Shu Yangkuo, Shi Zai lifted his face, his puffy, swollen eyes still smiling:

"Monk, you hugged me just now."

"..."

"Didn't you?"

"No."

He hadn’t been sure at first, but feeling that faint warmth on his back earlier made him cry a little longer.

Now that the man denied it, Shi Zai became certain:

"You did hug me. Why won’t you admit it? It’s no big deal. Besides, aren’t you some kind of crown prince? Shouldn’t a crown prince embrace all living beings? What’s wrong with holding this little being like me?"

"..."

Shu Yangkuo had no retort. After a moment, he tilted his head slightly, chewing over the term "little soul" with a soft laugh. He really didn’t know what to do with this boy.

Fine then, little soul.

Passionate, kind, and lively, sometimes brave and sometimes timid—the tearful little soul.

Shi Zai suddenly froze, incredulous:

"Monk, you laughed!"

"..."

"Little soul" this, "little soul" that—Shu Yangkuo could no longer hold back, he let out a low chuckle and acknowledged with an "Mmm."

Getting a response, Shi Zai grew even more excited, chattering on:

"No wonder I always want to hug you, to bury myself in your arms... Your warm embrace saved me, even if it’s just for a day, I’m happy! Actually, you’ve been in my dreams all along, haven’t you? It’s because of you that I’ve become more and more positive! Monk, I like you!"

"..."

Such passionate, straightforward words left Shu Yangkuo at a loss. The term "saved" made his emotions churn, yet he couldn’t show even a hint of it.

The boy was the savior.

How fortunate.

To live positively. Perhaps he could try. Perhaps he could start anew—in this brand-new world.

Bathed in that tender, intense gaze, Shi Zai felt his heart full. He no longer held any doubts about the monk or the little bird, growing even more certain—they were the pottery figures, the pottery little bird. He had repaired them, and they had come from his dreams to his side.

The village was full of ghost stories about life and death. Many didn’t believe them, but Shi Zai did. Between one life and another, it was all destiny.

Perhaps no one would believe their encounter in the future, but Shi Zai would prove it, would record it, by living a better life.

Who would have thought that on such a bright, clear spring day, he, Shi Zai, would be reborn in a warm embrace.

Having stayed in the bathroom too long, Shi Zai wetted the towel with warm water again, wiped his own face, then cleaned Shu Yangkuo’s chest, which was covered in his tears. The ointment had been washed off again, but luckily he’d bought two tubes:

"Monk, let me apply the medicine for you. My liking for you is pure, don’t dislike me, okay?"

"...No."

"Hehe, but why is your chest so firm and strong? Even when I buried my face in it, it felt solid. So don’t blame me for sucking on your nipple, it really wasn’t on purpose—maybe it just found its way into my mouth..."

Before he could finish, Shi Zai was pulled away by his wrist from the full chest. He paused, then lowered his head with a secret smile.

Shu Yangkuo could only laugh helplessly at this turning of the tables, speechless. After all, he was only nineteen—crying and laughing as he pleased, and given an inch, he’d take a mile.

In the blink of an eye, he could turn cheeky.

Yet there was nothing to be done. Standing before him, the boy only reached his chest, so small that a slight scolding could make him burst into tears.

After crying and laughing, Shi Zai felt immensely relieved. He helped Shu Yangkuo out—though it seemed his leg had improved. From his own bath to being held just now, he had stood for over half an hour. Now, though unsteady, he could still walk.

As soon as they stepped out, pink dumpling poked his head around, flapping his wings curiously. Shi Zai instantly smiled:

"Xiao Yunbao, I didn’t forget you. I was just a bit sad earlier..."

"I know! Next time Second Uncle upsets you, not only should you cry, but you should also ignore him. Then he’ll come apologize properly!"

"..."

Shi Zai paused, unsure how to respond. First, Shu Yangkuo hadn’t upset him, and second, how could he dare ignore him? The man was an expert at giving the silent treatment—if he didn’t speak, the man wouldn’t say a word either.

He hadn’t cried intentionally to make Shu Yangkuo comfort him; it was just that ever since meeting him, all the past grievances had surged to the surface. Strange.

Without waiting for a response, Yang Yun glanced at Shu Yangkuo, pursed his lips, then said to Shi Zai:

"I like Little Zai best!"

"...You’re the little one. Why aren’t you calling me ‘big brother’ anymore?"

"Hehe, then you have to call him ‘Second Uncle’ with me!"

Yang Yun finished, grinning as he watched the scene unfold. Sure enough, Shu Yangkuo’s expression darkened slightly, but if he dared to scold him, he’d see.

Only after guiding one by the hand and supporting the other to sit on the couch did Shi Zai’s racing mind finally settle:

"He’s only eight years older than me—why call him ‘uncle’? He’s only twelve years older than you, you shouldn’t call him that either."

"Why not? Where we’re from, twelve- or thirteen-year-olds can already be fathers!"

"...!!"

Shi Zai was shocked, lifting his head abruptly to look at Shu Yangkuo. The man glared at the little bird with a stern face, while Yang Yun giggled:

"But Second Uncle is no good—a proper crown prince who didn’t want concubines, insisted on pursuing cultivation. Don’t think about being a dad."

"...Yun Bao, you’re really deep into this role."

"What drama?"

"Nothing, better not think about being a 'crown prince' anymore. Our family has no throne to inherit."

"Hahahahaha..."

"Pink Dumpling" laughed so hard he collapsed onto his own legs, unable to get up. Shi Zai couldn't help but laugh too—silly little bird, probably a crown prince in his past life.

He's always dreaming sweet dreams.

Turning his head, he saw Shu Yangkuo's gentle eyes and brows, also looking amused. Shi Zai paused and said:

"Monk, do you want to be a crown prince?"

"No!"

"Hahaha, then concubines... does that mean getting married? Will you get married in the future... oh no, you want to be a monk. Hehe, if you want to be a dad, I can have you as my godfather. When you grow old in the temple, I'll take you out and care for you... why are you looking at me like that?"

...Shu Yangkuo turned his head away, speechless.

He didn’t understand how the topic shifted to him being a dad. He didn’t want to be a dad, let alone a dad to a nineteen-year-old boy.

Seeing the man turn away and not join in their fun, Shi Zai pinched "Yang Yun's" cheek and whispered to him. Soon, the two of them crowded next to Shu Yangkuo, laughing uncontrollably. Shi Zai was not only happy with the man but also with the little bird. Although he came from a large family, his siblings never joked with him like this—he was always the loneliest and most overlooked one in the crowd. But now it was different.

After laughing for a while, the sky gradually darkened. Shi Zai suddenly realized how quickly time had passed—it was time to make dinner!

Should he take them out for dinner? Never mind, maybe after the day after tomorrow when the filming is done.

He made a large pot of potato and tomato knife-cut noodles, and it was completely finished! It seemed the man and the little bird loved noodles, so Shi Zai made a mental note of this.

Before bed, Shi Zai took them to the bathroom one by one for another shower and applied medicine again. From applying the medicine in the afternoon to after dinner in the evening, he didn’t hear them utter a sound, and the redness on their bodies had faded significantly. The medicine was working.

It also showed how truly pampered they were.

But it was no surprise. Even the small trinkets he fiddled with took two months to make them shiny and beautiful, let alone two living people; they deserved to be pampered, and he could raise them to be beautiful too!

The night had settled, with only the stars and moon shining brightly, illuminating the magnolia tree outside the window, making it appear especially fragrant. The small bedroom was filled with the fresh scent of water and the floral fragrance from outside, intertwining from the nose to the chest, relaxing both body and mind.

Shi Zai slept beside Shu Yangkuo, against the wall—it had taken considerable effort at bedtime. First, "You woke up in my bed, why shouldn’t you sleep in it?" Then, "I think you’re doing it on purpose, sleeping and then running away, that's not fair." Finally, "If you’re going to suffer on the couch, I’ll sleep on the floor next to you," before the old-school man finally agreed to continue sharing the bed with him.

Such a fussy person, needing so much coaxing just to sleep.

In the faint moonlight, Shi Zai quietly opened his eyes, studying Shu Yangkuo’s face and chest inch by inch. The other seemed not yet asleep, his long eyelashes fluttering slightly like feathers, making Shi Zai gulp involuntarily.

Want to be a monk? Might as well be a charismatic monk, hehe.

After a moment, Shi Zai couldn’t resist any longer and quietly edged closer to Shu Yangkuo. He really wanted to curl up in his arms.

There was a significant height difference between them—one just over 1.7 meters, the other nearly 2 meters. Even with Shi Zai on the pillow, he was still small. He shifted downward, with only his eyes peeking out under the thin blanket, blinking as he secretly sniffed the man’s scent. It was so fragrant.

Like an intoxicating scent.

Just as he pressed his forehead against Shu Yangkuo’s upper arm, the man woke up.

Shi Zai was pulled back onto his pillow and lay there, sulking unhappily. He turned fully onto his side and looked up at Shu Yangkuo, who was also looking at him, his gaze calm yet intensely warm, wrapping around him completely.

It felt comfortable, but not enough. Shi Zai blinked and said in a hushed voice:

"Monk, I play with the clay figure for a while every night before bed."

"...?"

"Otherwise, I can’t fall asleep."

"...??"

"You’re the one who made my clay figure disappear, so you have to compensate."

As he spoke, Shi Zai boldly moved slightly, nestling against Shu Yangkuo’s upper arm. Seeing no stern or cold expression on the other’s face, he grew bolder and placed his hand on the man’s chest:

"This is enough. I won't ask for more. Go to sleep now."

"..."

"Monk, if you dream, you can only come into my dreams. Goodnight."

Seeing Shu Yangkuo close his eyes, Shi Zai smiled secretly. His fingers moved involuntarily, and the well-defined chest muscle immediately tightened. He quickly stopped all movement—must not provoke the old-fashioned man, or he’d be pulled away again. Scary.

The moon had hidden behind the branches at some point, only half its face visible, swaying drowsily. The wind had stopped, the night was quiet, and all the children had fallen into dreams. The embrace of the adults grew warmer.

In his dream, there was indeed a warm embrace. Closer, a little closer. Unconsciously, Shi Zai buried his head in the man’s chest.

The only downside was that he wasn’t being held like in previous nights.

One night, it will happen.

The first to wake was Shi Zai, accustomed to his early rising biological clock. Before dawn, he opened his eyes. The magnolia fragrance that had soaked the night lingered under his nose, wonderfully pleasant. Just as he was about to stretch, he abruptly stopped.

The man and the little bird were still here!!! So great!!

He was still lying in the man’s arms. Shi Zai moved slightly, his heart bubbling with sweet contentment, feeling delightful.

What was he rubbing against? So hard!

An obstacle?!

Hairy, like a chicken?

But why...??