Yuan Zheng dreamed of the first time he met Cen Yelan.
The emperor doted on Yuan Zheng. There were more than ten princes, big and small, but he was the only one who sat on the emperor’s lap. He was seven or eight years old and small in stature. He lay on the table and looked at the young man who was getting closer and closer.
Cen Yelan has a good appearance, is young, and has great potential. He followed General Cen Xi to report.
The emperor pointed at Cen Yelan and said to him, “Young people are formidable. This boy will surely be a pillar of the country in the future.”
Yuan Zheng blinked and said nothing.
The emperor was happy and rewarded Cen Xi with Cen Yelan to sit in the front. They were close to each other, so Yuan Zheng would steal a glance at him from time to time. Yuan Zheng never liked such scenes, as they were very boring, but his emperor father liked to bring him along.
Cen Yelan sat upright, with a distant and cold look between his eyes. Yuan Zheng thought, Hypocritical, little old-fashioned. He picked up a few lychees from the table. The lychees were all plump and round, they were tribute from Lingnan. Yuan Zheng grabbed one and threw it to Cen Yelan.
Cen Yelan turned his head and looked over, only to meet the child’s inquiring and mischievous gaze. He turned away expressionlessly.
Yuan Zheng threw again, and Cen Yelan was hit on the shoulder, but he remained motionless with a cold face. Yuan Zheng threw the last one in his hand after throwing two or three times, but Cen Yelan caught it steadily. Yuan Zheng slid down from the emperor’s legs, quietly walked up to him, and said, ‘Your name is Cen Yelan?’
Cen Yelan looked at him coldly, ‘Your Highness.’
Yuan Zheng smiled and raised his chin to indicate the lychee in his hand. ‘I’ll give it to you to eat.’
Cen Yelan said indifferently, ‘Thank you, Your Highness.’
Yuan Zheng put his face in front of him and said, ‘Eat it. It’s very sweet. It was just delivered to the palace yesterday.’
Cen Yelan raised his eyes. He had a pair of beautiful, dark eyes, just like the black gems that the emperor gave him to play with. Yuan Zheng kicked the table in front of him with his toes. ‘What are you staying still for? Eat quickly.’
Cen Yelan held the cool lychee in his palm, peeled it open, revealing the fresh and tender white flesh inside, and put it into his mouth. Yuan Zheng asked him with a smile, ‘How is it? Is it delicious?’
Cen Yelan hummed indifferently.
Yuan Zheng stared at him for a while. He stared at the white flesh, the thin red lips, and the slow eating. In a moment, the scene changed, and Yuan Zheng seemed to be back to that night when Cen Yelan was done unconscious by him, and Yuan Zheng leaned over to kiss his lips. His breath was hot, and his body and skin were sweating. They were so close, it was addictive.
Yuan Zheng touched Cen Yelan’s chin and temples, kissing him more passionately, rubbing his neck with the tip of his teeth, leaving bite marks.
Suddenly, Yuan Zheng woke up, staring at the bed curtain for a while, and then he heard the sound of rain, and then he remembered where he was.
In late autumn and early winter, after a rain, Hanzhou became extremely cold, as if it was already midwinter.
Yuan Zheng remembered that he hadn’t seen Cen Yelan for several days already since that night. He didn’t know whether it was intentional or not, but he just said that casually, and Fang Jing said, “I heard from the servants that he is sick and is staying at Physician Xiao Su’s house. It’s strange that he doesn’t go home even though he is sick.”
Yuan Zheng was startled. “He’s sick?”
Fang Jing picked up a piece of raw meat to feed Yuan Zheng’s gyrfalcon. His finger was pecked, and he poked it unwillingly. “Yes, it seems that he has been bedridden for two days already, and the high fever won’t go away.”
Yuan Zheng let out an “Oh!” Cen Yelan looked very solid but could not stand being screwed. Although he thought so, but he couldn’t help thinking about it in his heart as if something was hanging. However, it would be a bit embarrassing if he said that he would go and see Cen Yelan.
Yuan Zheng was very agitated. Seeing Fang Jing always teasing his gyrfalcon, he impatiently kicked him and drove him away.
He looked at the gyrfalcon pecking at the food for a while, then poked its head with his fingers. The little thing recognized its master and was very obedient. Yuan Zheng was pleased. He pulled its wings and head and said, “General Xiao Cen is so well-behaved.”
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the sky and the earth were covered with a desolate white curtain. Su Chenzhao was busy making medicine under the hut. He huddled up in a thick cotton robe, his nose was red from the cold, but his expression was very focused.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, the wooden door banged loudly. Su Chenzhao thought he had heard it wrong at first, but after listening for a while, he felt that the other party was impatient and seemed to be about to kick the door, so he hurried to open it.
As soon as the door opened, a tall figure was seen standing outside. He was holding an umbrella and wearing a black fox cloak. He looked noble and flamboyant, with a very handsome face, but there was a hint of arrogance and impatience between his eyes.
It was the troublesome Seventh Prince.
Su Chenzhao looked at him slowly, somewhat dully, and said, “Does Your Highness the Seventh Prince want to diagnose illness?”
Yuan Zheng didn’t comment but pushed the door open and walked in. He looked around the simple house and asked, “Where’s Cen Yelan?”
Su Chenzhao suddenly realized, “You want to see the General ah, the General doesn’t receive guests.”
“Am I a guest?” Yuan Zheng snorted and walked in. Su Chenzhao stopped him, “You can’t come in. The General doesn’t see outsiders.”
Not sure which word annoyed Yuan Zheng. He glanced at Su Chenzhao. Su Chenzhao was just a physician and didn’t know how to fight. Yuan Zheng pushed him back two steps and coldly said, “How dare you stop me?”
Su Chenzhao was a little stunned. He pursed his lips and said with his neck stiff, “The General said that if there’s anything, you can talk about it after he returns.”
Seeing him protecting Cen Yelan like this, Yuan Zheng felt angry and laughed, saying, “Get lost.”
A hoarse voice came over, “Chenzhao.”
Yuan Zheng looked over immediately. The window was open. Cen Yelan was standing in the room, dressed in black, which made his face look very pale. He looked at him coldly.
Cen Yelan said to Su Chenzhao, “The tea is cold, Chenzhao, please make me a pot of hot tea.”
Su Chenzhao said yes, glanced at Yuan Zheng again, and then went to the kitchen to boil water.
It was misty with drizzle. Yuan Zheng was standing in the yard holding an umbrella, looking at Cen Yelan. The other party looked unhappy and indeed seemed a little sick, but his attitude was still stern and unapproachable.
Yuan Zheng suddenly felt a tingling sensation in his heart, as if a cat’s claws were scratching him.
