CH 38.3

A lamp was quietly lit in the room. Lin Bozhou changed his clothes after bathing, and his over-controlling desire made him habitually ask You Jin, “How is Huan Huan today?”

“Studied in the morning, drew in the afternoon……” You Jin thought and replied, “And went to play in the evening.”

Lin Bozhou’s figure walking towards the main hall paused, and he asked, “Hearing that this prince is not coming back tonight, was Huan Huan not angry?”

You Jin pondered for a moment. “…… Probably not.”

“……”

Lin Bozhou lowered his eyes and gritted his teeth silently. He wasted his time in Imperial Concubine Xi’s birthday feeling distracted and couldn’t even drink the wine, just thinking of Meng Huan standing at the door waiting anxiously for him, wishing he could leave the table on the spot.

Ultimately, Lin Bozhou did not respond and walked to the bed chamber. The light was dim, and a small figure lay on the bed. Meng Huan set his hair loose and closed his eyes, sleeping soundly.

The quilt was vaguely glowing.

Lin Bozhou’s eyelids twitched, and he gently lifted his hand on the corner of the quilt. A silk bag was on the side of Meng Huan’s pillow, glittering with fireflies flying inside. He cupped the small bag in his hand as if to keep the moon in it.

The young man hugged the silk bag of fireflies to sleep as if finding a treasure and refused to let go.

Lin Bozhou lowered his eyes and saw a wooden flute beside the bag of fireflies.

His originally relaxed eyebrows rose high. He picked up the wooden flute in his hands and repeatedly checked it; a layer of faint shadow covered the end of his eyes.

A moment later, he returned the wooden flute and found the dozing You Jin outside the hall. “Who has been in contact with Huan Huan recently?”

You Jin stumbled and realized that Lin Bozhou’s face was not good. Feeling a knot in his throat, he hurriedly spoke up.

–

Meng Huan slept until midnight, when he noticed that Lin Bozhou seemed to have returned.

He held him in his arms and kissed his forehead. Then he did not move much and fell silent.

Meng Huan smelled some alcohol, guessing it was on Lin Bozhou but not heavy. He ran too crazy in the evening when catching fireflies and was really sleepy, so he did not open his eyes and just rubbed against his arms.

He grabbed Lin Bozhou’s inner clothes, head against his arms, and slept heavily.

But the next morning, when he opened his eyes in a daze, the pillow was empty, and Lin Bozhou had gone to court again.

“……”

Meng Huan closed his eyes and found that he and Lin Bozhou seemed to have only nighttime.

The Dark Prince; a fully justified reputation.

–

After washing up a little, Meng Huan had to go to the pavilion to learn to read and write.

The residence was bright and spacious, but what Meng Huan liked the most was the lotus pond, which was cool, long, winding, and beautiful, and he often drew in this place.

After learning in the morning, he would draw in the evening. When Meng Huan was bored, Xue Hong and Xue Yan appeared one after the other, probably looking for him after practicing and smiling at him from afar.

Meng Huan just curved his lips; they were followed by a flamboyant gentleman with a fan, Cui Han.

Seeing him, Meng Huan’s lips curved tightly.

“Your Highness and Young Master Cui are life-saving benefactors of this servant. This servant has cultivated eight lifetimes of good fortune to meet the two noblemen.” Xue Hong said, “Young master Cui wants to see Your Highness, so this servant led the way.”

Cui Han cupped his hand. “Your Highness.”

Meng Huan resisted the urge to roll his eyes and sat back on the stool, continuing to draw.

“Your Highness, this junior has studied painting a little,” Cui Han turned around behind him. “Your Highness’s painting, the imagery is extensive, the strokes are exquisite, and the application of the light composition is always appropriate. A glance shows that it’s a masterwork.”

Meng Huan let him stare, drawing two strokes and stopping to watch the servants play cuju instead. Unexpectedly, Cui Han entered the crowd, hooked the ball on his leg with beautiful legwork, and kicked it beautifully.

“……”

Meng Huan said, “Is there nothing you can’t do?”

Cui Han smiled. “This junior can’t read, do essays, can’t take tests, but is very good at eating and drinking.”

Meng Huan gave him a round of applause. “Excellent.”

The weather was hot, so the actresses and maids went to the pool, half sitting, sticking their legs into the cold water and playing around.

The pool was emerald green, reflecting a bit of vermilion hairpin, giving off the feeling of <<A Dream of Red Mansions>>. Meng Huan couldn’t help but think, was this the country Lin Bozhou had fought for with hard work?

With a plop, someone walked to a deeper place in the pond. Meng Huan just wanted to stop it but saw that person grab a black carp and hold it up. “Your Highness!”

“Wow, so awesome.”

“The fish in the pond is so fertile, huh?”

“I want to go down and catch a fish too……”

The sound of excited talking rang out.

In summer, it was most enjoyable to catch fish in the water.

Meng Huan did not dare to go down, so he looked at the bottom and wondered for a moment when someone came up with the phrase, “Compete who caught more crabs.” Several male servants were stirring the water, making the pond turbid.

When Meng Huan laughed, he found a pair of eyes looking at him, like a night ghost spying on his every move, giving him a chill at the back.

Turning his head, the creepiness disappeared and became loose when he met eyes with Cui Han.

“Your Highness, this junior also knows how to catch fish.” After finishing, Cui Han pulled up his trouser, ignoring the servant’s voice beside him, walked to the pond, and said, “Let me also participate!” Then he poked around in the cracks of the rocks.

Meng Huan blinked and looked at him with a bit of confusion.

A moment later, Cui Han threw up a black carp, still bouncing around in the pavilion, and said aloud, “Your Highness, do you see it? Such a fat fish!”

Meng Huan: “…… Saw it.”

He lowered his head and continued to grope for fish. Then, he seemed to lunge forward as if unstable and half of his body smashed into the water. Loud shrieks sounded around him, and Meng Huan held the railing. But unexpectedly, he emerged again from the water with moss on top of his head and laughed. “Hahahaha. The water is really cool!”

“……”

Feeling somewhat amused, Meng Huan couldn’t help but laugh.