Chapter 44: Agony

Chapter 44: Pain

Xianfang Hall.

"I did it for you, I did it all for you, Yuan Rang!"

Yuan Rang knelt on the ground, his head snapping to the side from the force of a slap.

Liu Shuxian's face was wild with madness, her nail-guarded hand suddenly clamping down on Yuan Rang's arm, digging into him like a wild animal.

The golden hairpin flew out of her jet-black hair with her movements, and in an instant, her black hair cascaded like a waterfall over Liu Shuxian's shoulders, shielding Yuan Rang's view.

The hairpin's tassels sliced into Yuan Rang's cheek.

He stayed silent, letting the blood trickle from the wound.

Liu Shuxian let out muffled sobs, kneeling on the ground, her trembling hand reaching out to touch Yuan Rang's cheek.

"Rang'er, Rang'er... Mom's so sorry, baby..."

Her nails found Yuan Rang's wound and dug in savagely, blood spreading from her nail guards to her fingertips, staining them crimson.

"What did I ever do to you? Yuan Rang, what did I ever do to you!" Liu Shuxian screamed, roared, her eyes bloodshot, as if she wanted to eat the boy alive, to strip his bones and sinew to satisfy her hatred.

Yuan Rang said nothing, as if he felt no pain, so detached he didn't even bother to look up.

Blood dripped down his jaw onto his collar, then bloomed into a dark, stubborn stain—warm and rank.

Liu Shuxian scrambled to her feet, staggering, and kicked Yuan Rang in the gut, then leaned in and slapped his face over and over.

"Look at you! You madman! You demon! You're nothing but a greedy, filthy, despicable demon!"

Liu Shuxian's hands cramped so badly she couldn't unclench them, her nail guards and hard knuckles scraping against Yuan Rang's face, tearing his skin, ripping up bits of flesh.

"Disgusting, disgusting. Just like Yuan Zun—disgusting..."

Liu Shuxian sobbed hoarsely, tears and sweat streaming down her wild, beautiful face, crying harder, hitting harder.

"Ugh, so disgusting, hahaha... disgusting..."

She took a deep breath, dizzy and reeling, stumbling backward, her bloodstained hand clamped over her mouth, her viper eyes locked onto Yuan Rang.

"Ugh..."

Liu Shuxian scooped up her vomit with her bare hands, smearing the filth all over her luxurious robes: "Disgusting..."

"My Rang'er... my baby..."

She stumbled back to Yuan Rang, her filthy hands cradling his swollen, bruised face, her voice both tender and grief-stricken.

Her hair was damp and filthy, her body reeking of sour sweat, as she buried her face in Yuan Rang's shoulder and wept.

"You can't just let it go... You have to fight for it, you have to take it."

"Yuan Zun's seat was meant for you."

————

The winter night was cold, with only a few stars scattered across the sky, most hidden behind clouds.

Chen Shuoan, wrapped in a heavy cloak, sat on the stone steps outside Yuan Rang's hall, waiting.

The person who'd said yesterday afternoon he wanted dumplings and longevity noodles still hadn't come back.

Chen Shuoan yawned sleepily, burying his wind-chapped face between his knees.

His mind started to wander.

Why's the Prince taking so long at his mom's place? Why hasn't he come back yet?

The dumplings have been reheated so many times; heat them again and they'll fall apart.

Jili and the others said the Prince would be back any minute.

Soon, soon—how soon is soon, anyway?

Should I just go make a fresh batch of dumplings now?

Is there still time?

What if the Prince comes back the second I leave?

It's so late—will he even want to eat anymore?

Chen Shuoan huffed out warm breaths, his mind numb and sluggish from exhaustion.

"Meow—" It was a soft, tiny meow.

Chen Shuoan slowly lifted his head and looked toward the source of the sound.

A white lion cat crouched by his leg, its eyes glowing faintly green in the dark.

It was well-groomed, with glossy white fur, its front paws planted like plump garlic cloves.

The white cat padded over, nuzzling Chen Shuoan's ankle like it knew him, then flopped onto its side, mewing.

Chen Shuoan cooed "kitty, kitty" as he reached out and rubbed its belly.

The white cat stretched out blissfully on its back, front paws batting lazily at the air before spreading into two adorable cat-paw blossoms.

Chen Shuoan was utterly charmed and rubbed its head too.

The white cat let out a soft whimper, its mouth opening obediently to reveal its tongue.

What a silly cat.

Chen Shuoan laughed secretly to himself.

It spat out something shiny.

Chen Shuoan squinted, leaning in through the hazy moonlight to look.

It was a plum blossom bud, still glistening with the little cat's crystalline drool.

Chen Shuoan froze, his rubbing hand slowly coming to a stop.

"Meow?"

The white cat seemed displeased and kept nudging his hanging hand with its head, as if to say: if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad will go to the mountain.

Chen Shuoan stood up, no longer giving a damn about black cats or white cats, and ran straight toward Xianfang Palace.

The Guangyang Palace was brightly lit, yet cold and gloomy, with barely anyone around.

Chen Shuoan ran with all his might, his nose turning red and his eyes stinging.

He breathed heavily, the cold wind tearing into his lungs like it was shredding his flesh.

His mind was on the little bud that had popped out of the cat's mouth, and also on the one that had slipped into Yuan Rang's pouch.

Chen Shuoan's chest ached and his limbs were freezing.

He turned a corner, and darkness stretched ahead.

Chen Shuoan stopped there, gasping for breath. Staring at the tall figure in the dark, he whispered, "Your Highness..."

Yuan Rang stepped out of the dark, the dim lamplight falling on his face, revealing a face covered in blood, with wounds and torn flesh.

As if remembering something, he abruptly turned away, his voice hoarse and tired.

"Why are you here? You've got school tomorrow—go back to bed, okay?"

Chen Shuoan covered his mouth, tears welling up as he wept silently.

He walked over and dragged him into the light, asking with a trembling voice, "Why are you hiding from me? Did something upset you, and you came here to cry by yourself?"

Yuan Rang let himself be dragged into the light, just barely covering his face with his hand.

"Don't look at me."

Chen Shuoan, without hesitation, gently but firmly pulled his hand away, revealing a face covered in bruises.

There were scrapes, cuts, and bruises.

And dried blood.

Chen Shuoan's heart ached unbearably, and tears wouldn't stop flowing.

Yuan Rang was genuinely panicked now, clumsily wiping the tears from the corners of Chen Shuoan's eyes with his none-too-clean sleeve, murmuring softly, "Is it that scary? It scared our Shuo'an into crying."

Chen Shuoan stood on his tiptoes to drape a cloak over him, tucking it in at the collar, then reached out, laced their fingers together, and led him back.

He blinked hard, hiding the sheen of tears in his eyes, and mumbled in reply, "I wasn't scared into crying."

The dim firelight cut sharply against the darkness, and Yuan Rang was led by him away from that oppressive, gloomy swamp.

Yuan Rang stared at their intertwined hands, his heart felt like fresh snow was falling softly inside, making it tingle and tremble.

Yuan Rang didn't dare rub his dirty face against him, so he lengthened his stride to walk beside him, gently pressing his shoulder against Chen Shuoan's.

Chen Shuoan's voice came from beside his ear, carrying a faint, otherworldly warmth that went straight into Yuan Rang's ears.

Tender and sacred.

"Your Highness, the winter solstice has already passed."

"From now on, every year on this day, let's eat longevity noodles and celebrate your birthday, okay?"