Meanwhile, Ling Chen’s precious younger brother was, at that moment, entirely focused on his beloved Ah Wu.
“Ah Wu, I find myself liking you more and more,” Ling Rui said as he continued washing, his gaze fixed on Ah Wu without blinking.
His memory still hadn’t returned, so to him, Ah Wu was someone he had only met a few days ago.
But despite only knowing Ah Wu for a short time, Ling Rui found himself utterly smitten.
He had the look of someone completely in love, and the words he said were sweet beyond belief.
Ah Wu silently listened, seemingly indifferent, but in reality, he was remembering every word Ling Rui said.
“Ah Wu, do you like me?” After saying all those sweet words, Ling Rui suddenly became unsure as he noticed Ah Wu’s silence.
Ah Wu remained tense, carefully considering his response.
He wasn’t sure how to handle the still-confused Ling Rui.
If he said he liked him, Ling Rui might remember it when he regained his memory, which could make things awkward between them later.
But if he said he didn’t like him, Ling Rui would surely be heartbroken right now.
Time ticked by.
Ling Rui kept staring at Ah Wu, determined to get an answer.
Even though Ah Wu wasn’t looking directly at him, he could feel Ling Rui’s burning gaze.
Neither of them spoke again, and the silence grew thicker and heavier with each passing moment.
Ah Wu’s clenched fists relaxed and tightened again, and after a long pause, he finally began to speak.
“Zai Zai, in this world, I only—”
Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden knock on the door interrupted him.
“Little Seven, you’ve been in there for half an hour already. Aren’t you done yet?” Ling Chen, hearing from the attendants outside that the young prince had been bathing for half an hour, grew worried and knocked on the door.
Ling Rui, upset at the interruption, looked toward the door.
His face visibly fell, showing his displeasure.
“Who’s calling me?” he asked.
“Your big brother.”
Ling Rui: “…”
Ling Rui had no memory of his older brother, and he frowned tightly as he stepped out of the tub.
He got out so abruptly that Ah Wu didn’t even have time to react.
Although they had seen each other like this before, Ah Wu still couldn’t handle it calmly.
Instinctively, he closed his eyes.
Ling Rui fumbled with his clothes, his attention focused on the door, so he didn’t notice Ah Wu’s reaction.
After a moment, Ling Rui finished dressing, and when he looked up at Ah Wu, Ah Wu had just opened his eyes.
“Let’s go,” Ah Wu said. “Your big brother hasn’t seen you in a long time.”
Ling Rui had no recollection of his older brother, but he reached out his hand, gazing at Ah Wu with puppy-like eyes. “Hold my hand.”
Ah Wu hesitated for a moment, then took his hand.
The two of them walked out hand in hand, and when Ling Chen saw them together, he wasn’t the least bit surprised.
Even the fact that the two were holding hands didn’t seem unusual to Ling Chen.
Not only did Ling Chen find nothing strange about it, but Murong Xu, standing beside him, was also completely unfazed.
Both of their gazes were firmly fixed on Ling Rui.
“Little Seven, you’re finally back.”
Ling Chen stepped forward and carefully examined Ling Rui from head to toe.
Only after confirming that Ling Rui was safe and sound did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
“Good, you’re okay.”
If something had truly happened to Ling Rui, Ling Chen didn’t know how he could bear it.
After checking Ling Rui’s body, Ling Chen gently pinched his face, feeling pained. “Our Little Seven has really suffered.”
“I didn’t suffer.”
Ling Rui, whose face was being pinched, answered softly.
In his mind, meeting Ah Wu and forgetting about their romance wasn’t suffering at all—he felt more like he was in bliss. How could he have suffered?
Ling Rui’s soft words and the fact that he remained rooted to the spot made Ling Chen, who had been filled with the joy of reuniting with his younger brother, finally realize something was wrong.
“Little Seven?”
Ling Chen’s expression tightened as he took another closer look at his brother. “What… what happened to you?”
Normally, Little Seven would have rushed over to him by now, calling him “big brother” affectionately.
But now, he’d been standing here for quite some time, and Little Seven hadn’t moved.
“He’s forgotten everything from the past,” Ah Wu explained simply, his tone calm. But Ling Chen and Murong Xu were both shocked.
“What?!”
Murong Xu, shocked and enraged, looked like he wanted to storm off and destroy the tribe that had done this. “Where did those people get the audacity? How dare they mess with the royal family like this?!”
A prince of the empire, with his memory erased by some scheme, intended to be kept and married off to one of their women for breeding—this was practically asking for the annihilation of their entire clan.
No, given their low numbers and poor birth rates, wiping out nine generations wouldn’t even amount to much.
“Shui Shui is coming. Let him check on Little Seven.”
“Alright.”
Ah Wu also trusted Shui Shui’s medical skills.
Ling Rui sat quietly like a little quail, listening to their conversation. For some reason, when he heard Shui Shui’s name, he felt an inexplicable sense of calm wash over him.
Soon, he saw Shui Shui.
Shui Shui was dressed in a light green robe made of high-quality fabric, but the patterns on it seemed a bit inappropriate for him to wear. The design was something only the royal family was permitted to use. It was clear that this robe was a gift from someone in the royal family.
Ling Chen didn’t care about Shui Shui’s violation of dress codes. As soon as Shui Shui arrived, Ling Chen immediately repeated what Ah Wu had told him earlier.
Shui Shui listened quietly, then turned to look at Ling Rui.
Their eyes met, and after a few seconds, Shui Shui pressed his lips together before asking, “Who am I?”
Ling Rui: “…”
Ling Rui had genuinely forgotten everyone equally.
However, even though he had lost his memory, he wasn’t clueless. He knew the name of the person in front of him who was about to examine him.
“Shui Shui.”
Ling Rui answered honestly, “Other people called your name.”
He wasn’t deaf, after all. He had heard them.
Shui Shui: “…”
The expression on Shui Shui’s delicate face instantly went blank.
If Ling Yi were here, he would have immediately recognized that Shui Shui was angry.
Without saying anything further, the irritated Shui Shui had Ling Rui lie down and skillfully checked his pulse.
“I brought someone back from their clan. This person might be able to solve Little Seven’s problem.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Shui Shui, still expressionless, flatly refused to use anyone else. He was confident that he could help Little Seven recover on his own.
After conducting a thorough examination of Ling Rui, Shui Shui had a clear idea of what was going on.
With a stern face, he gave orders: “Aside from my medicine, Little Seven cannot take any other medicine.”
“Mm! Don’t worry, I’ll only drink your medicine,” Ling Rui replied, giving Shui Shui a smile. For some reason, just seeing Shui Shui made him feel close to him.
Seeing Ling Rui’s smiling eyes, Shui Shui’s previously stern expression finally softened a little.
Shui Shui then went to prepare the antidote.
He wasn’t one for many words, often answering in only a few terse sentences when asked several questions. Regarding Ling Rui’s condition, Shui Shui gave a simple explanation before going to work on the antidote: “He’s been poisoned.”
The poison was what caused Ling Rui to forget his past. Once the poison was neutralized, Ling Rui would be able to remember everything.
After explaining, Shui Shui immersed himself in preparing the antidote. He didn’t allow anyone to disturb him while he worked.
Even if the Emperor himself, Ling Chen, came to ask about the antidote too many times, Shui Shui wouldn’t hesitate to turn his back on him and completely ignore him.
Luckily, Ling Chen was a benevolent ruler. Faced with Shui Shui’s indifference, he didn’t get angry and quietly excused himself.
While Shui Shui was busy preparing the antidote, Ling Rui continued spending time with his companion.
“Ah Wu, can we go a bit farther?”
At sunset, Ah Wu had returned to his beast form. Ling Rui sat on his back as they watched the sun set. They were neither too close nor too far from the camp.
Ling Rui’s face was half-buried in Ah Wu’s fur. He wasn’t afraid of Ah Wu’s beast form in the slightest.
In fact, he thought Ah Wu looked incredibly cool like this!
“Ah Wu, hurry up! Let’s go farther, or else my uncle will come looking for me again.”
Ever since Ling Rui had gone missing and returned, his family members in the camp were worried about him. His eldest brother, uncles, aunts, and even his little companions constantly came by to check on him out of concern.
But after being checked on by everyone one by one, Ling Rui was getting anxious.
He had no private time for himself at all.
He had finally started his romance, and at this crucial moment, not being able to spend time alone with his lover felt like pure torture!
When there were others around, Ah Wu would hold his hand, but—
Ah Wu wouldn’t let him kiss.
Every time, Ling Rui had to seize the opportunity when others weren’t paying attention to forcefully steal a kiss by turning Ah Wu’s face toward him.
Tonight, they finally managed to sneak away for a date, and Ling Rui wanted to go further away from the camp and return even later.
Ah Wu let out a low growl.
Ling Rui could translate the sound perfectly.
Ah Wu was saying, “If we come back late, your big brother and the others will worry.”
“I left them a note.”
Ling Rui hugged Ah Wu’s neck and nuzzled him. “I told them I went out with you to relax. They won’t worry when they see the note.”
With Ah Wu by his side, the people at the camp truly wouldn’t be concerned.
“Ah Wu, can we go a bit further, please?”
Ling Rui’s coaxing was something Ah Wu couldn’t resist.
Before long, Ah Wu started walking, taking Ling Rui to a more distant place.
They ended up on a grassy field, lying down and gazing at the stars.
Under the starlight, they kissed.
Ling Rui loved kissing, though he wasn’t very skilled at it.
If Ah Wu kissed him a little too hard, his eyes would water involuntarily.
Those watery eyes were very enticing.
“Ah Wu, Shui Shui hasn’t made the antidote yet.”
“Mm, I know.”
Ah Wu knew that, but he didn’t understand why Ling Rui brought it up.
Ling Rui, with his tearful eyes and reddened cheeks, tugged on Ah Wu.
“Ah Wu, I have another kind of poison, and it’s about to take effect.”
Ling Rui was afflicted with multiple toxins—one made him lose his memory, and another was designed to push him toward a romantic encounter.
Only at this moment did Ah Wu finally understand what he meant.
“Zai Zai, we’re still outside.”
“We can set up a tent!”
Ling Rui had brought a bag with him when they left, and it had a tent along with other essentials.
When he left the camp tonight, he had already planned on not returning.
Ah Wu watched as Ling Rui took out the tent, his mind racing.
The antidote would be ready soon, and whatever was going on between him and Zai Zai would soon come to an end.
In these final moments, he wanted to maintain some dignity for Zai Zai.
“Zai Zai.”
As Ah Wu helped set up the tent, he tried to divert Ling Rui’s attention. “Do you want to feel the wind? I can take you to a nice breeze.”
“No, it’s cold.”
Ling Rui wasn’t swayed and continued setting up the tent, panting from the effort but refusing to stop.
Once the tent was up, he crawled inside and let out a satisfied sigh.
“Ah Wu, come on!”
Ling Rui beckoned to him like a little bandit summoning a helpless village girl to serve him.
Ah Wu stood outside the tent, torn between entering and staying put.
While the two were at a stalemate in and out of the tent, back at the camp, Ling Chen, who was still awake, was talking to Murong Xu.
“Where do you think Ah Wu has taken Little Seven so late at night?”
Ling Chen, draped in a coat, was still thinking about his younger brother.
Murong Xu handed him a hand warmer and casually replied, “Who knows what kind of mischief those two are up to. Don’t worry about them. By the way, I got a lot of information out of Tang Er…”
Murong Xu continued discussing important matters, but Ling Chen was too preoccupied to pay attention.
“I’ll need to have a talk with Little Seven when he comes back tomorrow.”
“It was fine when he was younger and clingy with Ah Wu, but now that he’s older, he can’t keep acting like this.”
After Ling Chen spoke, Murong Xu, who felt ignored, muttered, “Even if you talk to him, it won’t help. The only way he’ll stop clinging to Ah Wu is if the sky falls.”
No, even if the sky did fall, the little one would probably cling to Ah Wu and watch it happen together.
Ling Chen frowned even more deeply after hearing that.
“Why are you worrying about Little Seven for no reason?”
Murong Xu, seeing Ling Chen’s frown, found it a bit perplexing. “What’s so bad about him being close to Ah Wu?”
“Old Fourth already has children, and I expect Ling Fu will have news soon too. Ling Yi is in poor health and doesn’t want to settle down. Now Little Seven is the only one left.”
As the eldest brother, Ling Chen felt responsible for ensuring that all his siblings were well settled.
Murong Xu: “…”
Murong Xu looked at Ling Chen’s worried face and couldn’t help but tease him. “You haven’t even settled your own life, and now you want to manage Little Seven’s.”
