Chapter 31: Are You Worried About This Prince?

Chapter 31: Are You Worried About Me?

Xiao Yan stared at the countdown in his head.

Hmm... ten more seconds.

He gently massaged with his fingertips, carefully tending to every scar.

Inevitably, his fingers brushed against the nearby healthy skin.

The skin on his back, which hadn't seen sunlight in years, was warm and smooth.

It felt amazing.

His fingertips began to burn.

Just then, the countdown ended with a sound echoing in his head.

Xiao Yan's fingers paused.

His hand seemed drawn to that patch of warm skin, and he didn't pull it away right away.

"Your Highness." Liu Qingci's voice suddenly cut through the thick silence. "Are you done?"

"Done." He quickly pulled his hand back.

He coughed lightly, grabbed a clean cloth nearby, and hastily wiped his fingers.

Only after Xiao Yan handed Liu Qingci a fresh nightgown did the mosaic covering Xiao K's vision vanish.

"Just putting on medicine, and it censors me?" Xiao K said suspiciously. "Is this program set too prudish?"

Xiao Yan mentally cheered: "Perfectly set."

"Host, we're more than halfway through today's tasks. Let's keep going, just one left!"

There were five task requirements this time.

The fourth one was: 'Before midnight each day, have Liu Qingci kneel at the bedside as punishment.'

This infuriating task was mentioned in the original story.

During those three days at Lanyue Pavilion, Liu Qingci spent every night kneeling at Prince Yu's bedside.

These three consecutive nights of kneeling punishment, though not life-threatening, planted the seeds of illness in his already frail body.

From then on, whenever the weather was rainy or cold, Liu Qingci's knees would ache unbearably, his gait would stiffen, and he could no longer stand for long or walk fast like normal people.

Although Liu Qingci's physical condition had improved significantly now, even if he did kneel all night, he might not end up like in the original story.

But the thought of this double torture—to his pride and his body—just thinking about it made his chest tighten.

"Host, host, we can give Liu Qingci a soft cushion. Oh no, two! Two would be fluffier!" Xiao K started thinking on its own, excitedly offering what it thought was the perfect suggestion. "And then toss him a fleece blanket, so his knees won't hurt and he won't be cold (*^▽^*)"

Xiao K felt that it was a truly kind and good system, already knowing how to help the host come up with ways to complete tasks.

In fact, during this time following the host and observing so much, it had started to feel a bit reluctant.

Although it was just a program, programmed to urge the host to complete tasks, moral concepts had also been built into its core logic.

Seeing innocent Liu Qingci go through all sorts of miserable experiences, and seeing the host actively complete tasks every time.

Although the way the host completed tasks always surprised the system.

But Xiao K felt that the host was really a good host, and Liu Qingci was also a good person, so it had to help the host come up with ideas!

"So how about it, host? This system is providing the optimal task support plan strictly according to logic!"

Xiao Yan was genuinely surprised and looked at the system with newfound respect.

It turned out to be actual AI, not a digital dummy.

"You're pretty impressive." Xiao Yan praised sincerely.

Xiao K: "Hehe (￣▽￣)~*"

But Xiao Yan wasn't planning to follow the system's advice.

Liu Qingci had already put on the nightgown, wrapping himself up tightly.

He sat upright by the bed, waiting for His Highness Prince Yu's next move.

Xiao Yan called out to the attendant waiting outside, pointed at the chess table he'd been fiddling with, and ordered:

"Move this next to the bed."

The attendant looked in the direction Xiao Yan pointed, a surprised expression flashing across his face before quickly disappearing.

What fresh scheme was His Highness up to?

A chess table?

Could it be used for that kind of thing?!

The attendant was inwardly shocked and immediately jumped to a conclusion.

Perhaps because Young Master Liu was a scholar, His Highness wanted to spice things up with some literati pursuits—qin, chess, calligraphy, painting?

The attendant quickly acknowledged and went to execute the order.

Soon, two attendants carefully moved the chess table next to the bed.

On both sides of the chess table were low square cushions, covered with soft padding—exactly what one kneels on while playing chess.

Liu Qingci silently watched them bustle about.

He was just as confused as the servants.

Once everything was set up, Xiao Yan dismissed the attendants.

"Do you know how to play chess?" Xiao Yan asked suddenly.

Liu Qingci seemed taken aback by the question. He paused for a moment before answering quietly, "I know a little."

It was understandable that he was surprised—after all, who would expect His Highness Prince Yu to drag out a chess table in the middle of the night just to play chess?

"Come here."

Xiao Yan led by example, kneeling down properly on one side, in a proper posture.

Join me for a game, won't you?

A flicker passed through Liu Qingci's eyes; he hesitated a moment, then knelt down opposite him.

This posture—though also on both knees—held an entirely different meaning.

This was a ceremonial sitting posture commonly used by refined scholars when playing chess and engaging in refined intellectual conversation—composed and effortlessly graceful.

Little K: "o(ﾟДﾟ)っ! Host, that's brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

Xiao Yan: "As long as you accept this as 'kneeling as punishment', that works."

Little K: "Got it, got it."

It was utterly awestruck.

The game still had to be played.

Xiao Yan picked up a black stone without ceremony and casually placed it on the board.

"Your turn." He looked up at Liu Qingci, whose face was dead serious, and reminded him.

Liu Qingci lowered his eyes, took a white stone, and placed it.

His posture was relaxed yet anchored, with an innate grace.

The fingers gripping the chess piece were long and evenly shaped, their tips outshining even the white jade pieces in luster.

Xiao Yan's heart stirred faintly, but he paid it no mind, then nonchalantly picked up another black stone and placed it.

Liu Qingci placed another stone.

The two went back and forth.

The only sound in the chamber was the crisp click of chess stones.

Liu Qingci suddenly spoke: "Your Highness... are you feeling well?"

"What?" Xiao Yan raised one eyebrow.

He'd grown very sensitive to anyone questioning his physical state.

Liu Qingci pursed his lips, his gaze landing on the hand not holding a stone: "I mean... the injury on your hand."

Xiao Yan followed his gaze and saw his own right hand still bandaged.

Oh, so that's what he meant.

"Just a minor injury. It'll heal in a couple of days."

Liu Qingci's gaze returned to the chessboard, never once looking up.

His voice was as gentle as a breeze, as he asked again: "Then why was Your Highness injured?"

Xiao Yan paused, raised his eyes to study Liu Qingci's lowered face for a moment.

He let out a soft chuckle, his tone unhurried: "Are you concerned about me, your prince?"