Chapter 42
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Jiang Juan said curiously, “What do you mean, ‘break’? I just bumped it, I’m not broken.”
Xue Fangli didn’t comment, lowering his eyes. Jiang Juan had rolled up his trousers high, and his body was well-proportioned. Even his legs were slender and straight, with only one spot showing a color.
— On his knee, there was a faint pink.
He had only bumped it, causing a slight abrasion on his tender skin. There was no bleeding, but Xue Fangli still bent down and picked Jiang Juan up from the ground.
Jiang Juan: “There’s no blood, so it should be fine, right?”
Xue Fangli: “You still claim it’s fine?”
It wasn’t a major issue, just quite painful. Jiang Juan couldn’t bear it and honestly complained, “It really hurts.”
Xue Fangli gave him a sidelong glance, “So delicate.”
Jiang Juan: “……”
Xue Fangli should have stayed silent.
He placed Jiang Juan on the couch and, without turning back, instructed, “Bring a basin of hot water and a box of skin ointment.”
The maid hurried away and soon returned with everything. Jiang Juan focused on removing his shoes and socks, bending his leg to check for other injuries. Fortunately, only his knee had been grazed, which relieved him.
“This doesn’t need any ointment, right?”
Jiang Juan knew too well that applying ointment would only make the already painful knee hurt more. He said, “It’s getting dark, Your Highness. Let’s go see the fireworks.”
Xue Fangli didn’t respond. He took the damp handkerchief from the maid and began to clean Jiang Juan’s knee. As he was about to touch it, Jiang Juan, startled, began to push him away. Xue Fangli restrained his wrists, and Jiang Juan, almost instinctively, tried to kick him with his feet.
He didn’t succeed.
Jiang Juan’s injured knee happened to be the one with the small leaf sandalwood Buddha beads on it. Xue Fangli grabbed his ankle, halting his movements. The beads continued to sway on his ankle.
The dark wooden beads contrasted sharply with Jiang Juan’s pale skin. They fit him well—clean and untarnished—but they didn’t quite match him; the beads were slightly oversized, silently indicating something.
—They had been taken from the previous owner’s wrist and deliberately placed on Jiang Juan’s ankle.
The Buddha beads were sacred, but now, hanging on Jiang Juan’s ankle, they took on an unintended air of ownership.
As Xue Fangli looked at the beads, his hand, which was holding Jiang Juan’s ankle, began to caress the beads, moving them gently. He touched the small leaf sandalwood beads, and Jiang Juan felt an unbearable itch. His smooth toes curled almost uncontrollably, and he tried to pull away, but his ankle was held too tightly.
“Let go.”
Jiang Juan said softly, “This feels so strange.”
Xue Fangli asked, “What’s strange about it?”
His tone was indifferent, and even as he spoke, his fingers continued to caress the beads, as if leisurely playing with them. But it didn’t quite feel like playing with beads, since his gaze remained fixed on Jiang Juan’s curled toes.
Jiang Juan: “Everything feels strange.”
Xue Fangli: “How about this?”
He moved his fingers from the beads to the outside of Jiang Juan’s ankle bone.
The touch was cool, but as soon as it made contact, Jiang Juan felt an intense heat. His reaction was as if he had been scalded; he jerked back suddenly and accidentally stepped into the basin of water on the floor.
With a splash, water flew everywhere, soaking Jiang Juan’s leg and Xue Fangli’s sleeve. At that moment, the room was silent except for the persistent sound of splashing water.
“I didn’t do it on purpose.”
After a long while, Jiang Juan spoke up timidly. Xue Fangli glanced at him but said nothing, only continuing to tend to Jiang Juan’s knee.
Jiang Juan, eager to avoid the medicine and escape, repeated his plea, “Your Highness, let’s go see the fireworks.”
What he was thinking was all too clear. Xue Fangli looked at him, and after a moment, he knew that the medicine had gone cold. Reheating it would only make it more bitter. Forcing him to drink it might result in more trouble.
“Forget the medicine, if you don’t want to drink then don’t.” Xue Fangli said slowly. “No matter how much you supplement, if you’re in a bad mood, your heart disease will still act up.”
Jiang Juan blinked, quite pleased with his insight. “Yes, I can’t get angry.”
Xue Fangli continued, “Take a bath first, then we’ll go see the fireworks.”
Jiang Juan wanted to delay it and come back later, fearing he might miss them. “I don’t—” Before he could finish, Xue Fangli gave him a look and asked faintly, “You’re all wet. Do you want to catch a cold? If you don’t drink the medicine, but catch a cold, you’ll have to drink every dose properly.”
Jiang Juan: “…”
He felt somewhat intimidated and quickly slipped on his shoes, allowing the maid to lead him to the bath.
After changing into clean clothes and getting himself ready, Jiang Juan eagerly urged Xue Fangli, “Your Highness, let’s go see the fireworks.”
Xue Fangli nodded, “Go ahead.”
Jiang Juan grabbed his hand to drag him along, but Xue Fangli remained motionless. Jiang Juan turned back in confusion. Xue Fangli indifferently said, “When did I agree to go with you?”
Jiang Juan: “?”
No way, after wasting so much time, His Highness had to go. Jiang Juan gave him a glance and slowly asked, “Your Highness, aren’t you going?”
“If Your Highness doesn’t go, I’ll be in a bad mood. If I’m in a bad mood, my heart disease might act up. And if my heart disease acts up, Your Highness won’t have peace either.”
It wasn’t a reminder but a blatant threat.
Under the light, the young man’s eyelashes fluttered, and his eyes were full of life. Xue Fangli stared for a long time. No matter how dissatisfied or irritated he was, all his chaotic emotions seemed to vanish at that moment. He was almost melting in the young man’s gaze.
“Let me have no peace…”
Xue Fangli’s lips curled into a gentle smile. “Then I suppose I’ll have to go.”
The fireworks were set off in the palace, which was some distance from the residence. To see them properly, they needed to go to Zhuque Street. However, no matter how urgent Jiang Juan was, they still didn’t manage to catch them in time.
In the deepening night, a loud explosion was heard as fireworks burst into the sky. Jiang Juan sat in the carriage and could only see a small falling tail.
“It’s started.”
Jiang Juan looked up, “Your Highness, look quickly.”
Xue Fangli wasn’t very interested in fireworks. While Jiang Juan was watching the display, Xue Fangli was watching Jiang Juan. He asked, “Do you like watching fireworks?”
Jiang Juan responded with a “Yes.”
His health was poor, and every year he longed for the New Year’s Eve fireworks. He wanted to see them in person, but due to the large crowds and his fragile heart, he had to settle for watching the live stream instead.
After a while, Jiang Juan still saw only a small tail of the fireworks and felt a bit disappointed. He slumped by the window and asked forlornly, “Your Highness, should we head back now?”
Xue Fangli glanced at him and asked indifferently, “Don’t want to watch anymore?”
Hearing the implication in his words, Jiang Juan was startled. “Huh? There’s more?”
Xue Fangli nodded. “Yes, there is.”
Jiang Juan immediately cheered up again. “I want to see, I want to see more.”
The carriage continued towards Zhuque Street. Xue Fangli, with his dignified demeanor, lifted a corner of the curtain and looked towards Steward Gao, who, with a somber smile, willingly jumped out of the carriage.
It had started again—His Highness was up to his antics!
—Before His Royal Consort arrived at Zhuque Street, he was determined to get more fireworks and let His Royal Consort enjoy them to the fullest!
Zhuque Street, the most prosperous market in the capital, had a platform known as Zhuque Terrace for viewing from a high vantage point.
The carriage stopped nearby, but Jiang Juan was reluctant to get out.
“It’s so high.”
Jiang Juan just wanted to see the fireworks and wasn’t keen on climbing a high building. He said earnestly, “Your Highness, it’s fine to watch from the carriage, no need to go up.”
Xue Fangli remained unmoved. “Get down.”
Jiang Juan hesitated for a long time. Xue Fangli extended a hand towards him, and Jiang Juan had no choice but to take it, slowly stepping out of the carriage. But before his feet could touch the ground, Xue Fangli abruptly pulled him forward.
He was pulled into Xue Fangli’s embrace.
Jiang Juan was startled, and Xue Fangli took the opportunity to lift him up and carry him up Zhuque Terrace.
Jiang Juan was stunned and quickly clung to him.
It was nice to be carried, but Zhuque Terrace was so high, Jiang Juan felt a bit scared. He nervously said, “Your Highness, put me down. I want to walk on my own.”
“Walk on your own?” Xue Fangli glanced at him. “You tripped and just hurt your knee in the residence; if you fall here, it won’t be just your knee.”
“But…”
Jiang Juan, worried, asked, “Your Highness, are you sure you can manage?”
Xue Fangli paused, with a half-smile, asked, “If I can’t, can you?”
Jiang Juan thought he was more capable than Xue Fangli, but realizing his words might hurt Xue Fangli’s pride, he quickly added, “Your Highness, you’re definitely capable. You’re the best.”
Xue Fangli: “…”
He ignored Jiang Juan and continued carrying him up the stairs.
But Jiang Juan was still scared. After all, if Xue Fangli couldn’t hold up, he would also end up in trouble. Jiang Juan said, “Your Highness, let’s stay here. I don’t want to go further up.”
“I really don’t want to go up any higher.”
Xue Fangli lowered his gaze and saw Jiang Juan nestled in his arms, almost too afraid to look down. He responded with a soft “Mm” and gently set Jiang Juan down from his embrace.
They hadn’t reached the very top, but they had climbed to the middle. Jiang Juan, not overly concerned, sat down on the steps and invited Xue Fangli to join him. “Your Highness, sit here.”
Xue Fangli glanced at him and, lifting his robe, sat down beside him. Although they were sitting on the ground, his posture remained elegantly composed.
At this moment, the evening breeze was gentle, and the night sky was as calm as water.
Jiang Juan looked up at the sky and uncertainly asked Xue Fangli, “Your Highness, will there really be more fireworks?”
Xue Fangli nodded. “Yes.”
With his certainty, Jiang Juan was convinced. He looked left and right, about to say something to Xue Fangli, when suddenly there was a loud “Boom!” Fireworks shot into the air, slowly blooming and scattering stardust all around.
“Boom boom boom—!”
Fireworks burst one after another, filling the sky with a spectacular display of fiery trees, silver flowers, and radiant lights.
Jiang Juan tilted his head back, watching intently for a long time. He suddenly remembered something and took out a scroll from his sleeve.
“Your Highness, this is for you.”
Xue Fangli looked over and was momentarily taken aback.
“This is the painting I asked you about this afternoon,” Jiang Juan explained. “When we were at Baihua Garden, His Majesty had Yang Liusheng help restore an old painting. I remembered you had an even more severely damaged old painting, so I asked him to restore it as well and promised he would make the painting.”
“…But he even wanted to paint another one and said the previous one was taken by someone. How could anyone steal my portrait?”
This was the message Lan Ting had relayed from Yang Liusheng earlier. Jiang Juan found it strange, but that wasn’t the point. He urged Xue Fangli, “Your Highness, please open it and see if it’s been restored properly.”
Xue Fangli made no move but continued to stare at Jiang Juan.
In the flickering light of the fireworks, the young man’s face was intermittently illuminated. He smiled with his eyes and brows curved, his soft lips curving upward, and his gaze was clear and pure.
Jiang Juan asked, “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”
Xue Fangli said, “You…”
He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse as he uttered a single word, but then he was at a loss for what else to say.
The youth asked for the painting to restore the old artwork for him.
The youth agreed to paint it, also for the purpose of restoring the old artwork.
It was all for him, and yet, it was also because of him.
Xue Fangli and Jiang Juan locked eyes, and he recalled his many moments of emotional turmoil and the many times he had exercised self-restraint.
It was a fleeting thought that had taken root.
If he hadn’t harbored such thoughts, how could he have felt like walking on thin ice every day, seeing danger in everything, and constantly second-guessing himself?
If he hadn’t been moved, how could he have wanted the youth to feel affection for him, yet also feared that he might be too pained, wanting the youth to fear him, yet also worried that the fear might be so great that the youth wouldn’t even want to lean into his embrace when crying?
He had long been moved by these thoughts.
Perhaps it was the youth’s smile, with eyes crinkling as he called him a good person. Perhaps it was the youth crying inconsolably in his arms while still trying to comfort him. Perhaps it was the way he had received the divination slip at the Arhat Hall…
He had been cautious, had restrained himself repeatedly, and yet—he found it hard to control his emotions.
At this moment, the long-suppressed and deeply buried desire within him finally burst forth, surging uncontrollably.
He wanted many things, yet he wanted so little.
He wanted Jiang Juan; he wanted Jiang Juan’s heart and eyes to be entirely his; he wanted everything of Jiang Juan’s to belong to him alone. All he wanted was Jiang Juan.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Xue Fangli finally spoke. He looked at Jiang Juan with an inscrutable expression, but his tone was soft and gentle.
“From now on, I will care only for you. How do you feel about that?”
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Obrigada pela tradução