Chapter 14: Feeding

Chapter 14: Feeding

Xiao Yan asked again, "Did you come up with that on your own?"

Little K answered, "Isn't it because you asked me? I'm just helping you understand the mission requirements!"

Xiao Yan sternly scolded it, "I knew your thoughts weren't clean!"

Little K got angry, "No way?! I just carefully analyzed the original plot!"

"Alright, you can shut up now." Xiao Yan dismissed Little K, "I'll handle it myself."

Little K sulkily went to find a corner to crouch in.

It felt utterly insignificant—its host treated it like a tool, summoning it and dismissing it whenever he felt like!

The carriage rolled along steadily.

From outside came the lively shouts of vendors and the buzz of the crowd.

Inside the carriage, however, there was dead silence.

Xiao Yan looked up at Liu Qingci, who was sitting in the corner. His expression was cold, as if he were calm and collected, unshaken.

But the fingers resting on his knees were quietly curling, and the fabric he was gripping was already crumpled.

This sight—clearly terrified to death yet forcing himself to hold up—softened somewhere inside him inexplicably in Xiao Yan's heart.

The distance from the prince's residence to the banquet venue wasn't far, barely half an hour.

Time was tight, the stakes were high.

Sigh...

Xiao Yan stared at Liu Qingci, starting to worry.

The atmosphere inside the carriage slowly turned awkward.

Though Liu Qingci kept his eyes slightly lowered, he could clearly feel the stare boring into him.

That stare was too intense, as if it could bore a hole right through him.

Liu Qingci felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, and he dared not move a muscle.

"Have you had your lunch?" he heard Xiao Yan suddenly ask.

At the sound, his body instinctively stiffened slightly.

It took him a few breaths to process what Xiao Yan had asked and replied,

"...Not yet."

He had been about to eat his lunch when Eunuch Fu'an showed up. Afraid to keep Prince Yu waiting, he had hastily changed his clothes and rushed out, not having had time to eat.

He just wondered what Prince Yu meant by suddenly asking about such trivial matters.

Before he could think too much about it, Xiao Yan said,

"If there's anything on this table you like, help yourself."

The words were casual, not a command, more like small talk.

Liu Qingci's mind went completely blank.

He stiffly raised his eyes to look at the delicate pastries in the food box.

The crystal goose breast was translucent, and the chestnut flour pastries gave off a warm, sweet scent.

A clear thought flashed through his head.

These foods are drugged?!

It definitely wouldn't be poison—Prince Yu wouldn't want him dead now.

Since he was taking him to the banquet, the most likely thing... would be some kind of drug that would make him lose face in public.

The banquet Prince Yu was attending would definitely be packed with the capital's elite, including former acquaintances who knew him from before.

Prince Yu wanted... to completely shred his last bit of dignity in front of these people.

The last trace of color drained completely from Liu Qingci's face.

His lips were bloodless, and even the last shred of forced calm was about to crack.

Xiao Yan was watching Liu Qingci's expression.

He thought to himself, this sickly pretty boy seemed to be getting weaker.

No way, missing one meal really hits him that hard?

Made it look like he'd accidently abused him again.

He just wanted to finish the job and stay alive—he wasn't in the habit of mistreating people.

Seeing Liu Qingci's hesitant and fearful look, he was puzzled, but didn't let it show.

To keep in character, he put on a look of impatience, frowned, and asked,

"Why aren't you eating?"

He felt Liu Qingci's tension; even his voice came out dry when he spoke:

"Thank you for the gesture, Your Highness. It's just... Qingci has no appetite right now."

No appetite? Fine, if he doesn't want to eat, then forget it.

Xiao Yan lazily flopped back into the carriage cushions, like he had no bones.

"Not hungry?" he said with a hint of meaning, "But this prince is hungry."

Liu Qingci felt like he could never keep up with Prince Yu's train of thought.

He had thought his refusal was just a futile struggle, that Prince Yu would force him to eat the "drugged" food.

But what had Prince Yu said?

He said he was hungry?

Liu Qingci looked up in confusion, boldly locking eyes with the person seated above him.

He was reclining calmly, completely buried in the white fox fur.

“Young Master Liu, what are you looking at?” Xiao Yan said leisurely, emphasizing again, “I told you, I’m hungry.”

So why not quickly bring those foods over to him? Serve him!

Xiao Yan looked into Liu Qingci’s eyes.

The meaning couldn’t be more obvious.

Liu Qingci was no fool; he caught on instantly.

Prince Yu actually wanted to eat those drugged pastries?

No, the drug theory was just his guess.

Since Prince Yu himself wanted to eat them, does that mean these pastries aren’t drugged at all?!

But why did Prince Yu tell him to eat them before?!

Liu Qingci’s mind was a complete mess; he, who was best at reading people’s minds, was now completely at a loss.

In a daze, he knew that Prince Yu didn’t want to feed himself and definitely wanted him to attend to him.

Prince Yu’s moods were unpredictable; he dared not keep him waiting.

He reached out directly, picked up a piece of chestnut flour cake from the food box.

Then he moved his body and sat beside Xiao Yan, less than an arm’s length away.

Then he raised his hand.

He brought one of the pastries to Xiao Yan’s lips.

Xiao Yan: ?!!

The sweet chestnut fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, its presence was strong.

He looked down and saw the fingers holding the chestnut cake: long and fair, fingertips smooth and glossy, knuckles distinct but not too bony, with the scholar’s refined strength.

As if driven by some invisible force.

Xiao Yan leaned forward slightly, taking the pastry from Liu Qingci’s hand, and opened his mouth and bit the pastry.

The sweet and sticky texture melted on his tongue; the taste was very good.

Ever since he could remember, he had been used to fending for himself; being hand-fed unexpectedly made him feel all out of sorts.

He wondered what this Young Master Liu was thinking.

He hadn’t forced him to do such a thing; Liu Qingci had misunderstood!

“Do you want more?”

Liu Qingci asked abruptly.

Xiao Yan responded instinctively, “…Mm.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it.

But it was too late; Liu Qingci picked up another piece of red date cake and held it out.

This movement was a bit more practiced than before, but the slight tremble of his fingertips still betrayed his inner turmoil.

Xiao Yan watched those pale fingers approach again and suddenly felt his throat tighten.

He barely maintained a calm expression and, leaning toward the offered hand, bit the second pastry.

Just as he was feeling a bit pleased with himself for eating, the system chose that very awkward moment to pop up.

“Host, reminder: ‘Forced service’ is complete, but body contact progress is still 0!”

Xiao Yan: “Get lost!”

Xiao K: “Hmph!”

Just then, the carriage violently hit a pothole, giving a violent jolt.

Liu Qingci was sitting sideways on the seat; caught off guard, he completely lost his balance.

He gave a low cry and fell forward, straight into Xiao Yan’s arms.

Xiao Yan almost instinctively reached out and caught him, his palm landing exactly on his slender waist…

Indeed, it was very thin.

That was the first thought that crossed Xiao Yan’s mind.