Tan Hua - Chapter 22

Song Liqing returned to Qilin Mansion first and made some honey yogurt to relieve hangovers. He thought Jun Qiyu must have been drinking heavily at the banquet and would come back feeling miserable.

Expecting Jun Qiyu not to return until midnight, Song Liqing also tidied up Jun Qiyu’s clothes, which were infused with a faint scent of dragon’s saliva and Jun Qiyu’s fragrance, making Song Liqing feel at ease.

As soon as Xiaodi entered, he anxiously stopped him, “Young Master, don’t always do things yourself. If you do my job, what am I supposed to do?”

“I have nothing else to do anyway,” Song Liqing said with a smile.

He lowered his brows, thinking that there wasn’t much time left.

Who knows, one day, Jun Qiyu might remember his kindness and reminisce about him.

Xiaodi thought he was feeling low. “His Highness has such a bad temper, and yet you’re still so good to him.”

Song Liqing smiled and said, “He used to be very good to me… Sometimes, I feel like he’s a spoiled younger brother. What’s this?”

Song Liqing picked up a golden-red silk pouch embroidered with a pattern of mandarin ducks and intertwined branches. There was something inside.

“Oh, it’s what His Highness brought back a few days ago,” Xiaodi replied. “I’m sure it’s a gift for you based on the embroidery pattern.”

Song Liqing’s heart fluttered with anticipation.

“He didn’t mention it before.”

Song Liqing didn’t want to touch his things without permission, and he didn’t dare to hope too much, so he prepared to put it back.

“It’s a gift for you anyway. You’ll know if you open it,” Xiaodi said eagerly.

Unable to resist his urging, Song Liqing opened the pouch, revealing a chicken-blood stone the size of a goose egg. It was transparent and flawless, carved into the shape of a red bean, with two lines of characters engraved on it: Jun Qiyu and Song Liqing.

“I told you!” Xiaodi exclaimed excitedly. “It’s a gift for you!”

Overwhelmed with joy, Song Liqing’s mind was clouded, forgetting to think.

His heart pounded with excitement, feeling as if everything was unreal.

Could it be that Jun Qiyu also had feelings for him? Was it just because of the arranged marriage that he resisted until now?

“Why didn’t he say anything?” Song Liqing wondered.

“He must have secretly arranged for someone to carve the jade, preparing to surprise you on your birthday!” Xiaodi laughed, full of envy. “It’s great. It turns out that His Highness, who always looks silly, has such a thoughtful heart in private.”

“You’re too outspoken.”

Though he scolded, Song Liqing’s lips still curled up slightly, feeling extremely embarrassed.

He began to feel that everything was worth looking forward to.

Even if there wasn’t much time left, as long as Jun Qiyu loved him, the days ahead would not be in vain.

“Young Master, what’s this?” Xiaodi pointed to a small tuft of hair in the pouch.

Song Liqing thought for a moment and said, “This is a lock of hair cut on the first birthday. It’s a custom of the Chu people in the past. Parents would preserve this lock of hair, and when the child gets married, the husband and wife will tie their hair together as a symbol of never parting.”

“Then tie yours and His Highness’s together quickly!” Xiaodi urged him.

Song Liqing shook his head gently. “I was raised by various families and adopted by my fathers when I was two years old. Where would this lock of hair come from?”

Song Liqing felt disappointed.

Perhaps this relationship was destined to have regrets from the beginning, with someone missing.

Xiaodi took the initiative to bring scissors.

“Who cares? As long as it’s hair, it’s fine!”

Encouraged by him, Song Liqing cut off a small strand of green silk and tied it together with Jun Qiyu’s hair.

Looking at the hair bound together by a red string, Song Liqing felt moved inexplicably, as if wanting to cry tears of joy. In this life, they were also considered bound by their hair.

The master and servant immersed themselves in joy. It wasn’t until Jun Qiyu walked behind them that they realized.

“Qiyu!” Song Liqing felt embarrassed, as if being caught red-handed. “Why did you come back so early?”

Jun Qiyu unexpectedly remained silent, staring fixedly at Song Liqing.

Song Liqing noticed his unusual expression, his face turning ashen, his dark eyes like bottomless pits, his whole demeanor as if emanating a chilling aura.

“I… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have touched your things without permission…”

Hastily, Song Liqing put the chicken bloodstone, red beans, and fetal hair back into the red packet.

Jun Qiyu remained silent, his gaze filled with… hatred, for reasons unknown to Song Liqing.

“Qiyu, I noticed… our names are carved on it. Following our tradition, I tied our hair together.”

Originally joyful, Song Liqing couldn’t help but feel cautious now, his smile faint and tentative, overshadowed by apprehension.

“…Are the things inside meant for me?”

Crack—

Before Song Liqing could react, a slap landed on his face, sending him flying and crashing to the ground, his elbow scraping against the floor.

His ears rang, a long buzzing noise, so he couldn’t make out the words of insult Jun Qiyu hurled at him.

“You shameless scum!”

With his vision darkening and his cheeks burning, unsure if they were swelling, Song Liqing’s hand throbbed with pain as he touched it.

Startled by this sudden turn of events, Xiaodi burst into tears, rushing to help the fallen Song Liqing. But seeing Jun Qiyu’s unabated anger, she could only kneel in front of him.

“Your Highness! Your Highness! You can’t do this…”

“Get out.”

Jun Qiyu uttered three words to her, and his attendants outside promptly dragged Xiaodi away.

Inside the room, only Song Liqing and Jun Qiyu remained.

Only after the pain subsided did Song Liqing timidly look at Jun Qiyu.

This was the first time Jun Qiyu had laid hands on him. In the past, no matter how angry Jun Qiyu was, he had never struck him.

The physical pain was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.

Once certain boundaries were crossed, it proved that Jun Qiyu truly had no pity for him.

This slap shattered the faint hope Song Liqing had just kindled, plunging his barely warmed heart into an icy abyss.

“Qiyu…”

Song Liqing wanted to ask why, but his lips were split, making it difficult to speak.

Jun Qiyu approached him, squatting down slowly this time.

He didn’t strike again but grabbed Song Liqing’s neck.

“When did it happen?” Jun Qiyu gritted his teeth, his voice dripping with malice. “Huh?”

Choking for air, Song Liqing’s vision blurred, as if shrouded in darkness, unable to see Jun Qiyu’s face clearly, only hearing his chilling voice.

“Tell me, when did you start hooking up with Pei Xingxu?”

“I didn’t… I didn’t.”

Trembling, Song Liqing tried to retreat, backing into the corner, curling up and shivering.

Jun Qiyu looked at his clear face, his expression reaching the pinnacle of malevolence.

“Since your ambiguous relationship with Qi Mao began, I should have been wary of you. Whenever there’s an opportunity, you seduce men left and right. Truly like father, like son. What skills could you learn from your little dad? Isn’t it just showing off your body? Both father and son are scum from the same mold!”

Author’s Note:

Please don’t kill the author (bursting with will to live).