TL: Hua
Chapter 50: Osmanthus Wine
Mei Xiu, having spent years frequenting pleasure quarters, was skilled at gambling, even if not a master. Pei Xiting, on the other hand, had never been seen in a gambling den before.
This gamble should have had a clear outcome, but Pei Xiting was so composed that Mei Xiu felt a slight unease. Yet, he immediately thought that there would be no punishment if he lost, so what was there to fear? He picked up the dice cup and said, “One round decides it all. Do you dare?”
Pei Xiting replied succinctly, “How do we bet?”
Such a posture of a master! Mei Xiu sneered, “I know you’re inexperienced, so I won’t make it too difficult for you, lest people say I’m giving you a hard time. We’ll just compare sizes; whoever has the larger number wins… Fourth Zong, why are you shaking your head and sighing? Are you intentionally bringing me bad luck?”
Zong Yu, standing behind Zong Rui, spread his hands and chuckled, “How would I dare? I was just thinking about witnessing Young Marquis’s superb gambling skills, and my heart was filled with excitement.”
“Is that so?” Mei Xiu believed him, threw his head back and laughed heartily, and then raised an eyebrow at Pei Xiting. “Kid, you first or me first?”
Pei Xiting gestured with his hand. “Young Marquis, please.”
Mei Xiu didn’t bother with modesty. He rolled up his sleeves, picked up the dice cup, skillfully shook it, and set it down. The young male attendant serving him reached out to uncover the cup and said, “Five, five, six!”
“…” Qing Lingling pursed his lips. He still couldn’t sit still and rose to stand beside Pei Xiting, wanting to help him shake the cup.
“Hey, do you think this lord is dead?” Mei Xiu frowned, saying with malicious intent, “Your prince is still sitting here, Lingling. Don’t get too ambitious.”
“Lingling and I are just friends.” Pei Xiting looked at Mei Xiu and suddenly smiled at him. “Although Lingling is popular, Young Marquis shouldn’t think that everyone harbors malicious intentions and covetousness.”
He was referring to Mei Xiu’s words at the Baoci Zen Temple. Mei Xiu gritted his back teeth and said, “It’s your turn to shake—”
Before he finished speaking, Pei Xiting had already picked up the dice cup. In a dazzling instant, the cup was set down and casually opened.
“Three sixes, a ‘leopard’!” Qing Lingling jumped up with joy, feeling proud and smiling like a flower. His pat on the table made the wine cup by Zong Rui’s hand tremble, but he didn’t notice, only staring at Mei Xiu. “Young Marquis, a bet is a bet!”
“How is that possible!” Mei Xiu burst out, staring at the dice with identical numbers in the cup, confirming they were indeed three sixes.
Could this be a number Pei Xiting could roll?
Mei Xiu didn’t believe it and yelled, “That’s just luck!”
“There’s always talk of luck at the gambling table. What’s wrong with relying on luck? Young Marquis, why don’t you go out and ask heaven why it only favors Xiting and not you?”
Qing Lingling rattled off his words without a pause, slapping them onto the table. Mei Xiu was furious and jumped up, rushing over to deal with the little brat.
Zong Yu reached out and blocked him, preventing Mei Xiu from passing.
Zong Rui calmly took a sip of wine, then patted Mei Xiu’s arm with a smile. “Alright, I’ll discipline him.”
He glanced at Qing Lingling. “Watch your words toward Young Marquis.”
“Yes, I spoke out of turn,” Qing Lingling bit his lip and looked pitifully at Mei Xiu. “Please, Young Marquis, be merciful and don’t punish me. I won’t dare to do it again.”
“Like I’d believe your empty words!” Mei Xiu was so angry with this pretentious little thing that his teeth ached. He coldly snorted before returning to his seat. He reached up and pressed his askew floral brocade forehead band, then stared intently at Pei Xiting. “A bet is a bet, I concede, but I want another round with you.”
Pei Xiting nodded and played another one, two, three… eight rounds with Mei Xiu.
After the ninth round, Mei Xiu threw down the dice cup, and the dice with it, saying, “You pretend to be a pig to eat a tiger[mfn]Pretend to be weak in order for your opponents to lower their defense against you.[/mfn]!”
Pei Xiting looked utterly innocent, his delicate brows slightly furrowed. “But I never said I couldn’t play. I thought Young Marquis wanted to agree with me in your heart but had to feign toughness, so you deliberately proposed a gamble to subtly let me win.”
“…” This person was shameless. Mei Xiu pressed his philtrum, reviving himself from exasperation, and then he composed himself. “Alright, what business do you want to discuss with me?”
Pei Xiting glanced around. Mei Xiu impatiently said, “Everyone out.”
Soon, everyone serving in the room, except Qing Lingling, exited.
“I want to ask Young Marquis to abandon the idea of taking Pei Qinghe as a concubine. In return, I can offer Young Marquis a more gratifying piece of news,” Pei Xiting said.
“What could be more gratifying than a beauty in my arms?” Mei Xiu said dismissively, sizing Pei Xiting up and down, then maliciously added, “Could it be that Pei-wenshu wants to marry in place of his sister? If so, I’d be very happy.”
Shangguan Jie took a sip of wine, his expression not looking good. Only Zong Rui, sitting opposite him, noticed and shook his head with a smile.
Such trash talk went in one ear and out the other for Pei Xiting. He calmly uttered a name: “Mei Yi.”
Mei Xiu’s expression subtly changed.
Mei Yi was the eighth child of the Mei family, born to Marquis Mei’s second wife. Although he was still inferior to Mei Xiu, the son of the original main wife, if Mei Xiu were gone, Mei Yi would be the most qualified successor.
But this was not the primary reason for Mei Xiu’s intense dislike of him.
Mei Yi’s mother was the younger sister of Madam Mei. When she came to the mansion to accompany her sister, she and Marquis Mei gradually became entangled. At that time, her family secretly observed Madam Mei, who hadn’t conceived yet, and then looked at the numerous concubines and maids vying for favor in Marquis Mei’s residence. So, her parents jointly persuaded Madam Mei: “Good or bad, she’s your own sister, who grew up with you. Isn’t she more trustworthy and endearing than an outsider? Just let your sister’s infatuation be tolerated, and she’ll be your support in the future.”
Madam Mei looked at her mother’s earnest words, her father’s unspoken authority, and her sister’s tearful pleas, and she nodded.
The younger sister entered the household splendidly and conceived Mei Yi that very year. Soon after, Madam Mei also conceived Mei Xiu. The two sisters gave birth one after another, but their paths afterward diverged dramatically. The younger sister recovered quickly and remained charming and alluring, while Madam Mei became depressed and withdrawn. With numerous beauties in the Marquis Mei’s residence, the Marquis soon stopped visiting Madam Mei’s courtyard.
Madam Mei, however, behaved as usual. Outside, everyone praised Marquis Mei’s wife as gentle and virtuous, truly a noble lady. But only young Mei Xiu knew that his mother had gone mad.
Before Madam Mei passed away, Mei Xiu lay by her sickbed and asked her if she hated him.
In those days, Miss Wang and Marquis Mei fell in love at first sight. Under the flowers and the moon, they made vows of eternal love. Back then, everyone thought they were a golden boy and a jade girl, perfectly matched. Everyone in the Wang family knew their daughter’s heart was stirred, deeply devoted to Marquis Mei. When the sisters shared private words in their chambers, the younger sister held Madam Mei’s hand, envious yet wishing her well: “Sister, you and the Marquis have a golden union; surely you will grow old together, loving each other forever.”
But what happened later? Hatred. Wang Hui hated it deeply. She hated Marquis Mei’s fickleness, her parents’ lack of empathy, her sister’s disloyalty, and she hated Mei Xiu… she hated him for holding her broken heart captive, for chaining her broken life, making her living miserable, and her death unforgettable.
Madam Mei died consumed by hatred. Mei Xiu, eyes red from mourning, burst into the study, shouting that Marquis Mei could marry any woman as his second wife, except Wang Qing. Marquis Mei cursed him and threw him out, and from then on, Mei Xiu never called him “father” again.
As for Wang Qing and Mei Yi, that mother and son, they were like sharp, foul-smelling thorns, a constant irritation to Mei Xiu since childhood.
—Pei Xiting had struck a vital point.
Mei Xiu’s gaze turned dark. “What do you mean?”
“Mei Yi is participating in the autumn imperial exams, and I hear he’s also gotten to know Miss Qu from the Qu family. If he succeeds in either, especially the latter, he’ll immediately gain significant prominence,” Pei Xiting said.
Mei Xiu scoffed. “Is there such a blind girl in the Qu family? A bastard born from a cheap woman, two-faced, and they actually treat him like good stock?”
Zong Rui, being well-informed, said, “It’s Qu Lan, and even her majesty knows about it.”
Mei Xiu’s expression became ugly. He stared at Pei Xiting and said, “Alright, what’s your price?”
“Mei Yi has an outside mistress, and she’s already pregnant.” Pei Xiting smiled slightly, raising his price again. “This mistress is named Xiao Chunhong. She originally had a close relationship with Wang Yelai, but later, using Wang Yelai’s connections, she latched onto Mei Yi, enchanting him so much that he bought a manor outside the city and cherished her like his very heart.”
Mei Xiu was stunned, then burst out laughing. “Damn it, Mei Yi has an outside mistress? The refined, elegant, modest, and upright gentleman, ‘calm as a chrysanthemum,’ is actually keeping a mistress while seducing Qu Lan, and this mistress is his own cousin’s woman, huh?”
“Although my fourth sister is good, for the Young Marquis, she’s just a temporary novelty. But Mei Yi is different,” Pei Xiting said unhurriedly, toying with the dice. “I hear Miss Qu Lan is straightforward and direct. Such a person despises hypocrisy and two-faced behavior. If the young marquis were to remind her at this moment, she would definitely thank you for helping her recognize people and cut her losses in time.”
If this happened, Mei Yi would no longer be able to curry favor with the Qu family. If he were to suffer mentally because of this, the imperial exams would also be affected. If the two major paths were to suddenly collapse, it would be strange if he didn’t break down.
Shangguan Jie, who had been silent the whole time, looked at Pei Xiting and said, “What a cruel blow.”
“He dared to do it, so why would he be afraid of his past being exposed?” Pei Xiting sighed leisurely. “How can you blame me for this?”
“Exactly! He brought it upon himself; he deserves it!” Mei Xiu almost died laughing. Wiping tears from his eyes, he pointed at Pei Xiting, “Alright, that’s a good price. I’ll do this business with you!”
“Thank you, Young Marquis.” Pei Xiting gave him the address. Seeing Mei Xiu eager to leave immediately, he reminded him, “When catching a thief, you need the stolen goods; when catching adultery, you need the pair.”
Mei Xiu paused. “Yes, yes, yes, yes…” He turned back and patted Pei Xiting’s shoulder. “Our past grievances are all cleared!”
Young Marquis Mei left beaming with joy. Pei Xiting was about to take his leave when he heard Shangguan Jie say, “How did you know about this?”
Pei Xiting met his gaze and said, “What do you think, Young Marquis?”
“You stumbled upon this lead while investigating Wang Yelai,” Shangguan Jie narrowed his eyes slightly. “You still hold a grudge against Wang Yelai.”
“He tried to kill me at Chaohua Mountain, and he tried to kidnap me on Lanyin Street. Shouldn’t I hold a grudge against him? They say ‘know yourself and your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without danger.’ Since I resent him, I naturally need to understand him thoroughly, just in case.” Pei Xiting sized Shangguan Jie up and down, looking a little alarmed. “Is the Young Marquis going to stand up for your lackey?”
Instead of getting angry, Shangguan Jie laughed. “How can Wang Yelai compare to Pei-wenshu? If you want to fight or kill, you’re free to do so by your own ability. Not only will I not stop you, I’ll applaud and cheer for you. I just hope Pei-wenshu will give me a good face.”
Pei Xiting narrowed his eyes slightly and said expressionlessly, “What does the Young Marquis mean by that?”
“I admire Pei-wenshu.” Shangguan Jie stood up and walked to Pei Xiting, leaning slightly to look at him. “I want to win your favor.”
No one in the room spoke. Zong Yu was bewildered, Zong Rui was smiling but not smiling, and Qing Lingling’s gaze was wary. Everyone looked at Pei Xiting.
Oh, so he’s changed tactics? If toughness doesn’t work, he’ll try gentleness? Pei Xiting looked at Shangguan Jie suspiciously. Those starry eyes were bright and dark, objectively very handsome, but he remained unmoved and said, “Are you sick?”
“…”
Everyone was stunned. No one expected the young marquis, who was rarely so gentle, to receive such a reply. Meanwhile, Pei Xiting’s tone was hesitant, as if he genuinely suspected him of being ill.
The two brothers from King Ning’s mansion burst out laughing, completely amused. Qing Lingling also laughed, but then worried that Shangguan Jie might get angry and attack Pei Xiting.
Shangguan Jie secretly gritted his teeth and was about to say something, but Pei Xiting had already pushed his chest away, stood up, and left.
Qing Lingling wanted to chase after him but heard Zong Rui’s voice.
“Lingling,” Zong Rui looked at him with a smile on his face, “It’s raining outside; don’t run around.”
Qing Lingling bit his lip and stayed put, not daring to go out again.
“Oh, what an interesting day, two good shows in a row.” Zong Rui no longer looked at Qing Lingling. He picked up his cup and took a sip of wine. Looking up, he saw Shangguan Jie staring blankly and couldn’t help but laugh, “Jinhe, don’t just stand there. He’s already gone.”
Shangguan Jie snapped out of it but didn’t reply. He just raised his hand and touched the tip of his nose. There was a lingering scent of citrus camellia oil there, the fragrance from Pei Xiting’s hair.
—
That very day, Mei Xiu sent someone to the Pei family to apologize, merely stating that Fourth Miss Pei was both beautiful and intelligent, and it would be a pity for her to be his concubine, so the matter was dropped.
Pei Yan and Wang-shi were puzzled and inwardly annoyed at the Young Marquis’s frivolous and unreliable nature, but since the marriage was never formally settled, they could only exchange pleasantries and let the matter go despite feeling some regrets.
The mother and daughter, however, felt a new lease on life. Li-yiniang immediately wanted to thank Pei Xiting but was stopped by her daughter.
Pei Qinghe wiped away her tears and considered for a moment before saying, “Third Brother saved me, but it upset Father and Madam’s plans. If you now go to Third Brother, it will arouse Father and Madam’s suspicion and cause trouble for Third Brother.”
Li-yiniang came to her senses and said, “That’s true. Then we…”
Pei Qinghe said, “A great kindness needs no words of thanks. Even if our strength is weak, there will be a time for us to repay it.”
Her tone was gentle, but her eyes were firm. Li-yiniang couldn’t help but shed tears again. The mother and daughter, having survived a calamity, embraced each other, weeping with joy.
On the other side, Mei Xiu caught Mei Yi’s tail, patiently waiting for three days. Finally, he got his chance when Mei Yi used the excuse of going on an outing with classmates to the city outskirts but halfway detoured to the manor to spend intimate time with Xiao Chunhong.
As soon as Mei Yi had taken off his trousers, Mei Xiu kicked open the door, startling Mei Yi, whose face turned pale. Then he saw Qu Lan standing behind Mei Xiu.
Qu Lan, who dared to love and hate, didn’t hesitate even while crying. She gave a command, and the Qu family’s servants immediately dragged Mei Yi from the bed and beat him soundly, severing all ties.
Although Mei Xiu was delighted to see the mother and son humiliated, he also had to consider Qu Lan’s desire not to let dirty things tarnish the Qu family’s reputation. Thus, he had to give up the idea of widely publicizing it and making it known to everyone.
To everyone’s surprise, that Xiao Chunhong had another background.
“When the servant went to grab her, she actually leaped from the bed, kicked the servant away, and ran out. If Fourth Zong, whom I had dragged along to watch the show, hadn’t stopped her in time, she would have escaped!”
Mei Xiu picked up the water cup on the table and took a sip. Seeing Pei Xiting staring at him, he couldn’t help but be startled. “Why are you looking at me?”
Young Marquis Mei had reaped a rich harvest and was in high spirits. After returning from outside the city, he immediately rushed to Lanyin Street to report the results to Pei Xiting, his strategist, truly clearing their old feud.
Pei Xiting rested his chin on his hand, lazily saying, “I’m waiting for you to finish speaking.”
“Oh.” Mei Xiu put down the water cup, leaned on the table, and stared at Pei Xiting. “Guess what happened next? That Xiao Chunhong was actually able to exchange blows with Fourth Zong! Although she was still subdued, how could a wild prostitute have such skills? She’s clearly a martial artist!”
Pei Xiting pondered, “Oh?”
“That’s not all; we found a knife under her bed!” Mei Xiu slapped the table. “This woman is suspicious!”
Pei Xiting asked, “Where is she?”
“Dali Temple.” Mei Xiu said.
Pei Xiting said, “Oh,” upon hearing this. “Good, I understand.”
His tone clearly implied, “you may withdraw now.” Mei Xiu gave a light snort and didn’t insist on staying. He turned and walked away with the swagger of a victorious rooster, full of momentum.
Pei Xiting did not get up to see him off. He leaned back against the bamboo chair. The courtyard gate opened and closed. He stared blankly at the gray-blue sky and unconsciously closed his eyes.
As drowsiness enveloped him, he heard the sound of the door opening again. Pei Xiting tilted his head but didn’t open his eyes, mumbling, “You’re back…”
“Who’s back?”
A cool voice rained down on Pei Xiting’s face like raindrops. He immediately opened his eyes and turned his head to see that it was none other than the Crown Prince standing by the bamboo chair.
Although he had invited the Crown Prince to sit in his courtyard a long time ago, His Royal Highness knew how to distinguish between close and distant relationships and would not casually enter and exit a subordinate’s home. Therefore, suddenly seeing him now, Pei Xiting was momentarily dazed, thinking he was dreaming.
He had been dreaming of the Crown Prince a lot lately.
Both clean and unclean, all sorts of strange dreams.
Yuan Fang said it was “what you think in the day, you dream at night.” The doctor said “we can’t cure lovesickness here,” and suggested he go to a temple to tie a peach blossom knot and pray to the Matchmaker God.
Pei Xiting hadn’t gone to pray to the Matchmaker God and also didn’t reject the Crown Prince in his dream. Now, he looked up at the Crown Prince, blinking a few times to confirm that it was indeed the real person.
“Why are you here?” Pei Xiting propped himself up by the armrest and courteously bowed.
The Crown Prince said, “A walk.”
Little King ran in from the doorway, wedged itself between its master and Pei Xiting, wagging its head and rubbing against both their calves, even nudging Pei Xiting with its rear.
Pei Xiting smiled. While inviting the Crown Prince to sit, he patted the round head by his leg and said, “There’s osmanthus wine inside, Your Highness, would you like a cup?”
Recently, osmanthus wine had become popular, but the Crown Prince hadn’t tasted any yet. Hearing this, he said, “Good.”
“Please wait.” Pei Xiting left the words and went inside with Little King following behind.
The Crown Prince surveyed the small courtyard. To the left of the well were two watermelons and a small bamboo basket of radishes that Pei Xiting disliked. In the open space beside it, a small table was set up, covered with books drying in the sun. In the corner was a clothesline made of bamboo poles, where Pei Xiting and Yuan Fang’s clothes hung in a row.
The rose wall on the right was half withered and half blooming, still exuding charm, clearly well-cared for. However, there was an empty space in front of the wall, as if something was missing.
Pei Xiting emerged from the house with Little King. Little King stood tall and proud, a small and cute watermelon hat perched on its forehead. It seemed to like it very much, and even went up to its master to show it off.
The Crown Prince said nothing, only reached out and straightened its hat. Little King rubbed against his hand and ambled away contentedly.
Pei Xiting poured wine for the Crown Prince and said, “This is something I got from a mysterious chef. It’s very delicious, Your Highness, please try it.”
To his surprise, the Crown Prince took a sip and said, “Wine brewed by Chef Wei.”
“So you’ve also been fed by Uncle Wei,” Pei Xiting said, sitting beside the Crown Prince.
“He brews it every year, buries it under the big tree outside the Longhe Division’s kitchen, and takes it out for everyone to drink when the time comes.” The Crown Prince glanced at Pei Xiting, who was drinking cup after cup, knowing this one was the new favorite of the kitchen. It was said that the number of times fish was cooked in the kitchen had increased recently.
It seemed that as long as Pei Xiting was willing, he could easily win people over, regardless of gender or age—oh, and a little tiger too.
Uncle Wei knew Pei Xiting didn’t like overly sweet wine, so he specially chose these two jars. Pei Xiting chilled one and left the other outside to have a small drink before bed as a sleep aid.
Little King wandered around the courtyard, then slowly ambled out again. Pei Xiting glanced at it and said, “Is it okay to just let it wander out like that?”
“No matter, Shaoyun will watch it,” the Crown Prince took a sip of wine. “Yuan Fang isn’t here?”
“He’s recently obsessed with making meat pies, so he went to learn from Butcher Li and will be back later,” Pei Xiting said. “Are you looking for him?”
The Crown Prince said, “No.”
“Alright.” Pei Xiting refilled the Crown Prince’s cup. Just as he was about to ask if His Highness needed any snacks to go with the wine, he heard a knock at the door.
“Is Pei-wenshu in?”
The voice was gentle; it was Doctor Su from next door.
Pei Xiting asked for the Crown Prince’s consent, then got up and pulled open the half-door that was slightly ajar. “Doctor Su, His Highness is in the courtyard.”
Doctor Su was surprised for a moment at the mention, then returned to normal, entering the courtyard through the path Pei Xiting had opened for him.
Pei Xiting quietly closed the door and turned to see Doctor Su greeting the Crown Prince. The two must have been acquainted, as the Crown Prince called him “Chongyan.”
Pei Xiting suddenly remembered that the Crown Prince’s preference for appearance was Doctor Su.
Su Chongyan exchanged a few words with the Crown Prince, then turned to Pei Xiting and said, “Pei-wenshu, didn’t you ask me for a prescription to calm and cool you down yesterday? Here.”
Pei Xiting reached out and took the small medicine bottle, feeling a little guilty, as the “culprit” who caused him to need medicine and couldn’t be cured even after seeing three different doctors was sitting right beside him.
At least he’s a skilled actor. Pei Xiting maintained a normal expression, thanked him, and said, “Doctor Su, why don’t you sit down and have a couple of drinks too?”
“No, I have to see a patient tomorrow, and I need to go back and check the pulse records. I can’t drink wine.” Doctor Su turned and bowed to the Crown Prince, then nodded farewell to Pei Xiting and left.
Pei Xiting sat back down and placed the medicine bottle aside. The Crown Prince glanced at it and said, “What illness is it that hasn’t gotten better for so long?”
Pei Xiting dared not say that ever since he read that storybook, his heart had been restless and he couldn’t unwind. He could only say, “I’m not sick, just have too much internal heat. Perhaps it’s because autumn has arrived, and it’s dry.”
He certainly didn’t look sick, so the Crown Prince didn’t ask further, just hummed, “Has ‘Song of the Boatman’ been copied?”
He expected Pei Xiting to brush it off again, but to his surprise, the man raised an eyebrow, triumphantly got up, and brought a thin booklet from the house, placing it before him. “Please inspect it.”
Then he sat back down, a picture of calm self-assurance, inviting him to peruse.
The Crown Prince withdrew his gaze and reached out to flip through the pages, examining them one by one. Surprisingly, Pei Xiting, who hadn’t been diligent at first, actually wrote each piece consistently and carefully.
Pei Xiting also hadn’t expected His Royal Highness to check each piece. He wondered if it was leisure or strictness, and as he pondered, he became engrossed in watching.
Since childhood, he had seen countless beautiful faces, and he himself possessed a handsome appearance that garnered compliments from everyone. Therefore, his standards for looks could be described as nitpicking. He could discover and acknowledge a person’s beauty, but rarely was he amazed. Yet, His Royal Highness was indeed captivating in every way. So captivating that a pair of incredibly beautiful yet aloof eyes made him stumble, now completely infatuated and unwilling to turn back.
The deep indigo of night pressed down, and the night wind blew, stirring Pei Xiting’s heart. He watched the Crown Prince, who was lowering his eyes and turning pages, pouring all his attention onto the book, yet sparing not a glance for him. Unconsciously, he drank cup after cup.
The sound of turning pages and the dripping of wine alternated, one following the other. Neither of them spoke again. The candle lamp in the courtyard flickered in the wind.
Suddenly, with a “thud,” the wine cup toppled, slipping from his fair fingertips and rolling to the edge of the table, narrowly avoiding falling.
Pei Xiting had unknowingly finished an entire pot of wine. The immediate effects weren’t severe, but the after-effects rushed to his head. Finally, he closed his eyes, no longer looking at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince also finally raised his gaze and looked at Pei Xiting.
Those restless eyes closed, and his flushed face buried into his arms. The Crown Prince closed the book. A moment later, he rose and walked close to Pei Xiting.
He reached out and brushed away a strand of hair from Pei Xiting’s face, his fingertips sliding down from the fluffy eyebrows and touching the warm cheeks. Pei Xiting seemed to feel something and let out a confused “hmm,” rubbing his arm.
The Crown Prince looked at him for a long time and stopped to leave but was grabbed by his sleeve. Pei Xiting bumped his head against the Crown Prince’s arm, then rubbed and embraced him, holding on very tightly.
Pei Xiting smacked his lips twice and said hoarsely, “Don’t go…”
That round head, like a fierce little ball, bumped with a thud, making the Crown Prince’s heart skip a beat.
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