I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character Chapter 35

Xueya on the bed was scared out of his wits, especially after hearing what Cui Lingjing said. He looked at He Xulan, whose gaze was as calm as ever. In a hurry, he wrapped his arms around the other’s neck and anxiously tried to please him with kisses.

Out of sheer fear, his eyes were misted with tears.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Xueya finally couldn’t take it anymore. He loosened his grip on He Xulan and tried to escape under the bed. Standing disheveled on the ground was better than being seen by Cui Lingjing lying disheveled under He Xulan.

But a hand caught Xueya’s waist.

With his other hand, He Xulan slowly pulled the bed curtain shut. By this time, Cui Lingjing had already entered the inner chamber. He scanned the room but didn’t see He Xulan, so naturally, his gaze fell toward the bed.

Upon seeing a pair of shoes under the bed, Cui Lingjing’s already red face grew even redder. His heart raced as he called out to He Xulan, “Godfather.”

“Mmm.”

Sure enough, He Xulan’s voice came from the bed.

Upon confirming his suspicions, Cui Lingjing’s face remained flushed. He stammered, “Godfather, I… I came to help… help you?”

He Xulan’s attention was almost entirely focused on the poor little lamb on the bed. The other was clearly terrified, his face as white as a sheet, his fox-like eyes dull and motionless, his collar wide open, and he didn’t even bother to cover himself.

“Why don’t you help me pick an outfit first?” He Xulan said calmly. “The third wardrobe.”

His fingers wandered unabashedly across the paper, lingering on the delicate, blushing flower drawn there, enticing him to stop.

Cui Lingjing turned toward the wardrobe. Upon seeing the clothes inside, he couldn’t immediately decide. In his eyes, He Xulan looked good in anything, but if he picked something the other didn’t want to wear, it wouldn’t go over well.

“Do you have a preference for colors today?” Cui Lingjing asked.

“White? Red?” He Xulan watched the delicate flower tremble under his hand, much like its owner. “I can’t decide right now, what do you think?”

Cui Lingjing hesitated at the mention of red. He Xulan rarely wore red; the last time was five years ago, when He Xulan entered the palace.

Ordinary men wearing red often appeared frivolous or flirtatious, but He Xulan had no such concerns. That year, Cui Lingjing was only twelve years old, and seeing He Xulan in a bright red ceremonial outfit, he suddenly understood why his father had chosen him as his empress.

He Xulan possessed a proud spirit. He was like an eagle meant to soar the skies, yet this eagle was so perfect, so beautiful, that those who saw him couldn’t help but want to tame him.

People who raise eagles must first tame them, but his father had failed, retreating to a small town in Jiangnan, unable to face He Xulan again.

Naturally, Cui Lingjing also wanted to tame this eagle.

“Do you want to wear red today, Godfather? Although, it seems there’s no red here. I’ll have the tailoring bureau make you new clothes later,” Cui Lingjing suggested, carefully sifting through the wardrobe.

“You decide,” He Xulan said.

Cui Lingjing continued searching, finally pulling out an outfit. “How about this plain Shu brocade?”

“I wore that a few days ago.”

Upon hearing this, Cui Lingjing quickly put it back and began searching again. After a while, he picked another, “What about this moon-white floating light silk?”

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a strange sound from the bed, causing him to immediately turn his head. He stared at the bed curtain, only to see a hand reach out from inside.

The hand held a robe, the one He Xulan had worn earlier. The hand threw the robe to the ground and quickly withdrew.

He Xulan’s voice came again, “Anything else?”

Seeing the discarded robe on the ground, Cui Lingjing’s neck turned red this time. He awkwardly looked away and hurriedly stuffed the clothes back. After a while, he picked another set. “How about this one? Sky-blue woven gold silk.”

He dared not look back, but upon hearing a sound behind him, he couldn’t help but steal a glance. This time, another piece of clothing had appeared on the ground—it was He Xulan’s trousers.

“Is there nothing else?” He Xulan asked again.

“There… there is.” Panicked, Cui Lingjing randomly grabbed a set this time. “What about this snow satin?”

He Xulan hummed in agreement. “That will do.”

Cui Lingjing didn’t immediately bring the clothes to the bed. He stood in front of the wardrobe for a moment, waiting for the noises behind him to stop before slowly approaching the bed.

By now, a pile of clothes had accumulated on the ground.

Cui Lingjing only glanced briefly before quickly averting his gaze, focusing instead on the bed curtain. He swallowed and said softly, “Godfather, I brought the clothes.”

A hand gently parted the bed curtain, revealing half of He Xulan’s face.

He Xulan’s expression remained calm, as did his tone, “Thank you, Your Majesty, but I am not properly dressed. I fear I might offend your noble eyes. Could I trouble you to close your eyes while I take the clothes?”

Hearing the words “not properly dressed,” Cui Lingjing’s face, which had just cooled slightly, flushed again. He immediately closed his eyes, afraid of making a fool of himself in front of He Xulan.

With his eyes closed, Cui Lingjing held out the clothes.

He Xulan glanced at Xueya, who was curled up by his legs. Xueya had been crying out of fear. Upon meeting He Xulan’s gaze, he shook his head slightly, afraid the other would force him to retrieve the clothes from Cui Lingjing, just as he had been forced to throw the previous ones out.

Outside, Cui Lingjing, noticing that He Xulan hadn’t taken the clothes yet, spoke hesitantly, still not daring to open his eyes. “Godfather?”

But he never expected He Xulan to reply—

“Your Majesty, could you pass them inside?”

Xueya was just as shocked. Cui Lingjing standing outside the bed was already terrifying enough, but now He Xulan was asking him to pass the clothes inside. Just as Xueya’s terror peaked, the bed curtain was lifted.

In that instant, Xueya squeezed his eyes shut.

He trembled all over, bracing for Cui Lingjing’s inevitable fury.

He Xulan watched as Cui Lingjing, with his eyes closed, handed the clothes inside. The corner of the clothes touched Xueya’s calf, and Cui Lingjing’s hand nearly brushed him when He Xulan finally spoke, “That’s enough.”

Cui Lingjing released the clothes and withdrew his hand. He sneaked a peek, only to find the bed curtain had been drawn shut again. His heart filled with both disappointment and excitement.

He wondered if He Xulan might ask him to help dress.

In the next moment, that sense of anticipation was dashed.

“Your Majesty, please return to the outer hall. I’ll be out shortly.”

Cui Lingjing paused, unable to hide his disappointment. “Alright, Godfather.”

After Cui Lingjing returned to the outer hall, He Xulan picked up Xueya, who was still curled up in a ball. Gently wiping the tears from the corner of Xueya’s eyes with his thumb, he asked, “Do you know how to help someone get dressed?”

He asked Xueya.

Hearing this, Xueya slowly opened his eyes, still filled with lingering fear. He took a few deep breaths before reaching for the clothes by his calf, trembling as he helped He Xulan put them on. Once the robe was finally on, He Xulan opened the bed curtains and got out, leaving Xueya alone on the bed.

Xueya sat on the bed for a while, hearing the voices of He Xulan and Cui Lingjing outside again, but this time, he couldn’t make out what they were saying. Not that he had the mind to listen; he still hadn’t recovered from the earlier encounter. Cui Lingjing had been far too close to him.

He couldn’t stay in He Xulan’s bedchamber any longer—if he did, he felt like he might die of fright.

Xueya pulled his loose inner garment back over his shoulders and tied the straps properly. Then, quietly, he slipped off the bed. Instead of heading toward the outer hall, he went to the window in the inner hall.

Xueya gently pushed open the window, peeking outside to make sure no one was around. He stepped onto a chair and climbed out, but his limbs were still weak, and he accidentally fell to the ground, the pain nearly causing him to cry out.

Covering his mouth, Xueya didn’t dare waste any time. He got up and limped back to his room, barefoot and hobbling.

***

Cui Lingjing suddenly glanced toward the inner hall, confused. “Godfather, did you just hear something?”

He Xulan looked in the direction of the inner hall for a moment before replying, “No, Your Majesty. Did you hear something?”

“I thought I heard something fall to the ground,” Cui Lingjing frowned.

He Xulan responded, “I didn’t hear anything. Perhaps Your Majesty misheard.”

Few would dare to outright tell Cui Lingjing he was wrong. He Xulan was one of them, and sometimes Yin Qingxuan dared as well. But while Cui Lingjing might get angry at Yin Qingxuan, he wouldn’t dare to with He Xulan.

If He Xulan said he misheard, then surely he must have.

Since helping He Xulan pick out clothes earlier, Cui Lingjing’s mind hadn’t settled. He kept stealing glances at the snow satin robe He Xulan wore, his heart surging with excitement.

He Xulan was wearing the clothes he had personally chosen.

This was the most intimate moment he’d ever shared with He Xulan.

If only he could help He Xulan get dressed himself…

Just thinking about it made Cui Lingjing’s heart race again.

While Cui Lingjing was lost in thought, He Xulan set down his tea cup. “As for Prime Minister Yin’s matter, let’s handle it that way. It’s getting late; Your Majesty should return to review the memorials.”

Upon hearing He Xulan, as usual, dismiss him, Cui Lingjing immediately responded, “There aren’t many memorials to review today. It’s been a long time since I’ve had the pleasure of eating in Godfather’s palace. Might I be fortunate enough today?”

“The small kitchen caught fire yesterday, so I’m afraid I can’t host Your Majesty. You should return,” He Xulan said, his expression turning colder.

Cui Lingjing dared not argue further and reluctantly stood up, walking slowly toward the exit. Even after leaving He Xulan’s bedchamber, the heat coursing through his body hadn’t dissipated.

Standing outside for a moment, Cui Lingjing suddenly remembered Xueya, that troublesome rabbit who looked about five parts like He Xulan. These past two months, he had been too afraid of angering He Xulan to even visit Xueya.

At last night’s welcoming banquet, he had hoped to see Xueya, but hadn’t.

Today, he had a strong urge to see Xueya.

So, Cui Lingjing told his attendants not to follow him, saying that the spring weather was lovely and he wished to take a stroll through the plum blossom grove. But in reality, he was searching for Xueya.

He didn’t know where Xueya lived and couldn’t ask directly, so he had to rely on luck to find him. Turning a corner in the corridor, Cui Lingjing suddenly bumped into someone.

Immediately, his brow furrowed. “Are you not watching where you’re going?”

After scolding, he realized that the person he had bumped into was wearing only an inner garment and no shoes.

Cui Lingjing frowned even deeper, looking at the person with their head lowered. “What’s your name? And why are you dressed like this?”