Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 94

Wu Jing was crying even more bitterly than before when he couldn’t hold back his emotions. He wasn’t crying for any other reason than because he felt deeply ashamed of himself.

 

He had already been reduced to this state by someone else, yet he couldn’t learn his lesson. Even after being let go, he still found himself crawling back.

 

He was clearly terrified, unable to even imagine that the person who had just acted that way was really himself. He was even more afraid of what worse things he might endure next.

 

But… but he still turned back…

 

He didn’t even know why.

 

Wu Jing felt even more ashamed of himself, crying so hard that he had to keep opening his mouth to take small, gasping breaths, all the while trying to comfort himself by thinking that the other person was just sick.

 

He wondered if it would be too heartless to abandon someone now, as if he were the kind of person who only helps when things are good, but leaves as soon as things get tough.

 

Wu Jing’s mind was in turmoil, filled with a jumble of chaotic thoughts, all piling up as if he were trying to hypnotize himself into forgetting those shameful moments from earlier.

 

But he couldn’t really pretend that nothing had happened.

 

When Ning Qinghong gently brushed away the tears on his face with the palm of his hand, Wu Jing instinctively held back his sobs, looking at him with trembling eyes.

 

Even though he was terrified, he just stood there, frozen, holding back his tears, his mind full of the other person, too scared to even think of running away.

 

Ning Qinghong’s long fingers gently threaded through the boy’s hair, brushing past his ear and neck, cupping his tear-streaked face. He looked down at him silently for a long time, his gaze calm but hiding a trace of something obscure and unreadable.

 

Wu Jing didn’t even dare to breathe, only daring to take very shallow breaths, wondering if he had said something wrong again. His fingertips started to tremble, and he didn’t dare utter a single word.

 

He didn’t even dare to call him “Brother.”

 

It wasn’t until a sudden “grumble—” sounded that Wu Jing froze, cautiously lowering his head to glance at his stomach. It was a bit empty—he hadn’t eaten dinner, so naturally, he was hungry now.

 

The boy bit his lip, standing there in embarrassment, but he didn’t have the courage to say he wanted something to eat.

 

He felt both aggrieved and miserable.

 

After a moment, he sensed Ning Qinghong leaning down, and heard him speak in a slightly cold voice, “Since Wu Wu wants to stay, you’ll need to learn some new rules.”

 

What new rules?

 

Wu Jing blinked in confusion, a bad feeling creeping up on him. He wanted to step back but forced himself to stay put.

 

Ning Qinghong’s voice softened, “Don’t be afraid.”

 

At last, he was comforted with a gentle word.

 

Wu Jing, treated so tenderly, finally relaxed his tense nerves just a little. But when he looked up and met Ning Qinghong’s gaze, still cold and distant, he realized that the other person was probably still in a bad mood. He only dared to nod timidly, but then grew a bit bolder, staring at him expectantly.

 

Ning Qinghong watched him for a while, then lowered his head and gently kissed the boy’s brows and eyes. His thin lips inevitably touched the boy’s tears, but he didn’t mind, only sighing softly.

 

“Forget it.”

 

 

By the time the servants brought the food over, an hour had already passed. The meal wasn’t taken to the dining hall but was delivered dish after dish to the table in the bedroom.

 

At this moment, the Lord was sitting with his eyes closed in a grand armchair, with someone sitting on his lap, covered by a fur cloak, making it impossible to see their face.

 

Let alone that the boy had buried his entire face in the other person’s shoulder and neck, with only his slender fingers clutching the fabric of Ning Qinghong’s robe, the knuckles white with tension, yet the joints flushed with a faint pink.

 

Apart from that, no other sound could be heard.

 

The Lord held the boy quietly, occasionally stroking his back, his fingers moving gently from the black hair down to the end. The tenderness in his actions was evident at a glance.

 

The servants didn’t dare look too much, only saying, “Your Majesty, the meal is ready. Would you like a bowl of medicinal porridge? You haven’t eaten anything all day—”

 

Ning Qinghong made a gesture, signaling them to leave.

 

It wasn’t necessary.

 

Wu Jing, half-conscious, heard something. Even though he was embarrassed, he instinctively lifted his face slightly, only to have the hand at the back of his head gently press him back down.

 

Ning Qinghong lowered his voice, reminding him, “The others are still here.”

 

Wu Jing didn’t dare move again.

 

It wasn’t until there was no sound at all behind him that he dared to lift his flushed face. Even breathing was a little difficult, his brows and eyes wet, and it was clear he was feeling uncomfortable.

 

But he didn’t dare say it out loud, only dared to shift slightly on Ning Qinghong’s lap, enduring the discomfort, breathing shallowly, and glancing at the table full of exquisite dishes.

 

The smell of meat and vegetables filled his nose.

 

Actually, it wasn’t unbearable. After all, it was an inanimate object, not like earlier when someone was grabbing or moving him. As long as he was careful to avoid it, he could endure it.

 

He just had to ignore it.

 

Wu Jing looked at the dishes on the table and swallowed, instinctively glancing at the person beside him. The other person simply kept his eyes closed, holding him loosely, not saying anything, and seemingly a bit tired.

 

Seeing that the person seemed to give tacit permission, Wu Jing leaned forward and reached for the chopsticks.

 

Because he still felt uncomfortable, he didn’t dare to eat too much, only cautiously taking small bites and swallowing softly. The warm food settled in his stomach, and he only gradually started to relax after feeling somewhat full.

 

Finally, he held a warm bowl of creamy sweet custard, quietly eating it one spoonful at a time.

 

His curved brows and eyes showed that he was happy.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Wu Jing noticed something. He turned his head and saw that the person beside him had, at some point, opened his eyes and was quietly watching him.

 

He didn’t dare to keep eating and froze in place.

 

But then he recalled what the servant had said earlier. After a moment of hesitation, he awkwardly lifted his bowl and handed it over, clumsily meeting the person’s gaze for a while before nervously scooping up a spoonful and holding it up to the person’s face.

 

Wu Jing wasn’t sure if the other person would eat it. He thought probably not, but he still wanted to try.

 

Even without an appetite, one still gets hungry. Eating at least a little would definitely make him feel better, even if only a bit.

 

He hesitated for a long time, nervously holding out the spoon and meeting the person’s gaze, only to lower his eyes in disappointment when there was no response. He thought about quietly taking the bowl back to eat by himself.

 

Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, the person in front of him frowned slightly and then calmly leaned forward to take a bite.

 

Wu Jing’s eyes lit up instantly. He wanted to move closer but was too scared to do so.

 

Sitting in the person’s arms, he lowered his head and offered another spoonful of the sweet custard.

 

Ning Qinghong ate it one bite at a time, following Wu Jing’s movements.

 

Wu Jing slowly relaxed, wanting to say something. He opened his mouth but then closed it again. His courage slowly returned, so he put down the sweet custard and picked up a small porcelain plate, carefully selecting some vegetables and meat to offer, looking at the other person expectantly.

 

Ning Qinghong’s brows were slightly furrowed, but there wasn’t much rejection in his expression, which remained indifferent as he quietly ate.

 

As Wu Jing clumsily fed him, he mustered the courage several times to speak, only to deflate each time, repeatedly opening and closing his mouth. When he offered the last piece of meat and saw the other person slightly turn his head as if to say “enough,” he anxiously blurted out in a small voice, “C-can you eat half a bowl more of the sweet custard?”

 

“Eating only medicinal food all the time… it’s not good for your health.”

 

“Brother, eat with me.”

 

He stammered, still very scared.

 

His whole demeanor was cautious, as if afraid that if he was rejected, he would be left to suffer in silence without telling anyone.

 

He’d need a lot of coaxing, and without it, he’d just shrink into himself.

 

Ning Qinghong sighed, seeming to compromise. “Bring it over.”

 

Wu Jing’s eyes slowly brightened, but he was also confused, not understanding why the person was sometimes easy to talk to and sometimes difficult to approach.

 

He couldn’t figure out the person’s boundaries. Perhaps because of these small matters, the person didn’t have the energy to care and just went along with him.

 

Ning Qinghong held the bowl as if he were drinking wine, lowering his eyes as he finished the bowl of sweet custard that Wu Jing had eaten from. He then drank half a cup of tea to cleanse his palate before saying, “Come here.”

 

Wu Jing hurriedly wrapped himself in the fur cloak, and only after the servants had cleared away the leftovers and left the room did he dare to come out.

 

In fact, it was just his guilty conscience. Even if he didn’t cover himself with the fur cloak, he was already dressed, and even if his face was a little red, others wouldn’t notice.

 

Wu Jing was still fretting over this when, suddenly and without warning, he was scooped up by Ning Qinghong. He panicked and clung to him, afraid that in this face-to-face position, he would lose his grip and fall. His legs tensed up in response.

 

His eyes began to fill with tears again.

 

When he felt the person’s fingers reaching down, he buried his head even deeper, holding his breath and whimpering as the person, walking with him in his arms, slowly and carefully removed the tightly wrapped three-finger-thick jade from him.

 

Because the movements were gentle and nothing was disturbed, Wu Jing felt a bit more comfortable. Only a small amount of softened ointment seeped out, which the person patiently wiped away with a cloth before pulling up his inner pants.

 

Through teary eyes, he vaguely saw the other person rinse the jade in warm water, wrap it in a clean cloth, and place it back in the wooden box.

 

Ning Qinghong said softly, “From now on, use the medicinal jade for an hour before bed. It will make Wu Wu feel better.”

 

Medicinal jade? Better?

 

Wu Jing listened in a daze, realizing that the other person might not just be cruelly teasing him. Detecting a gentler tone, he instinctively moved closer, nodding obediently with tearful eyes.

 

Ning Qinghong looked at Wu Jing, who was staring at him blankly with an upturned face. His gaze slowly softened, and he sighed softly, saying, “It’s fine if you’re not too clever.”

 

His tone was still calm,

 

But it carried more patience.

 

“But if you can’t bear it, you’ll have to learn to be smarter.”

 

“If you’ve grown legs, you should learn to use them.”

 

“Talking to me about it is useless, Wu Wu.”

 

Ning Qinghong’s words were ambiguous, as if he were talking about that incident, but also as if he were referring to something else. Wu Jing, already dazed, was left even more confused, and the final cautionary note made his heart tighten with anxiety.