Tan Hua - Chapter 78

 

 

“Don’t eat too much.”

 

In the end, Jun Qiyu gave in and took the initiative to search the kitchen for Song Liqing.

 

To say the cooking in the Western Regions was lackluster would be an understatement—it’s coarse and crude compared to the delicate and diverse cuisine of Jing Kingdom. This was the kitchen of Loulan’s royal city, meant for the royal family.

 

Jun Qiyu brought everything that looked decent to the table.

 

“Eat, I’ll go get some fresh air.”

 

Jun Qiyu said in a hoarse voice.

 

Then, Song Liqing grabbed his wrist.

 

The soft, cool touch from his wrist sent a tingling sensation through Jun Qiyu’s body.

 

This was the first time Song Liqing had actively touched him in such a long while.

 

Though he was hiding his identity, Jun Qiyu’s heart raced. He had missed this kind of skin-to-skin contact for too long.

 

“Don’t go, little cousin. It’s so late, no one will notice,” Song Liqing invited him. “Come, sit, let’s eat together.”

 

“I…”

 

Jun Qiyu was reluctant to be too close to him.

 

But how could he refuse Song Liqing’s invitation?

 

“It’s fine, if anyone finds out, you can just run away. If Brother Xingxu blames me, I’ll take all the blame. I won’t give you away.” Song Liqing persuaded. “Besides, I still need you to help me with the dishes.”

 

Song Liqing picked up his chopsticks, holding them like a crab’s claws, and fumbled in the air for a moment.

 

“Please…” His voice was soft and delicate, a tone Jun Qiyu had never heard before, making Jun Qiyu temporarily lose his wits, agreeing to everything.

 

The two of them began eating heartily. The dishes were heavy with oil and spices, and Song Liqing ate with grease all over his mouth.

 

“Ah… hiccup, I’m a bit choked.” Song Liqing said, “Little cousin, could you find something to drink, something to soothe my throat?”

 

Jun Qiyu stood up and searched the kitchen.

 

“There’s nothing, only some wine.”

 

“Wine is fine,” Song Liqing replied.

 

“Can you drink wine?”

 

Jun Qiyu had never seen him drink to excess. In his impression, Song Liqing only took a sip out of courtesy at banquets.

 

“The sweet milk wine from Loulan isn’t strong, it won’t get you drunk, and it’s thirst-quenching.”

 

Jun Qiyu frowned. “Can your body handle it? If you drink a glass, didn’t all the medicinal food from earlier go to waste?”

 

“Milk wine is made from milk, how could it be bad for your body?” Song Liqing argued, his logic unconvincing.

 

Jun Qiyu couldn’t find a way to counter his reasoning.

 

“You can only have one glass.”

 

Jun Qiyu sighed and went to pour him some milk wine.

 

“Huh?” Song Liqing said strangely. “Why do you like to control me, little cousin?”

 

Jun Qiyu almost spilled the wine as Song Liqing spoke.

 

“Brother said your health isn’t good.”

 

Jun Qiyu said simply. He didn’t want to say too much—better to say less.

 

“I’m fine now.”

 

Song Liqing took a small cup of sweet milk wine and took a small sip, smacking his lips. Then he extended the cup towards Jun Qiyu.

 

“Come, let’s toast. We’re on the same side now.”

 

“Same side?”

 

Although Jun Qiyu wasn’t sure what “side” this referred to, Song Liqing had grouped him with him on the same side.

 

Jun Qiyu felt a sense of mission, and he raised his cup to meet Song Liqing’s.

 

Song Liqing clinked his cup with Jun Qiyu’s.

 

“The secret eating side.”

 

“…”

 

“Haha!” Song Liqing said proudly. “Now we’re in this together, like peas in a pod. You can’t go tell Brother Xingxu. This is our little secret, remember?”

 

“Okay, I remember.”

 

This secret was really small.

 

It felt like playing house.

 

Jun Qiyu had never really played with kids his age. His fun was in fighting and killing. This little secret, however, made warmth rise in his heart.

 

His childhood innocence felt so distant now, so far that he couldn’t even recall it.

 

In fact, the happiest days of his life had been with Song Liqing at the academy.

 

It was when he first left the palace, when he escaped his father’s supervision, and when he was first free to cause mischief and show off.

 

After coming to the Western Regions, he had no opportunity for childishness. The desolate wilderness and harsh sands of the northwest were the backdrop to his entire youth.

 

So, Jun Qiyu didn’t have much of an interest in playfulness. But now, Song Liqing brought a lively spring of youth to his parched heart.

 

Jun Qiyu happily drank the sweet milk wine in one gulp. To him, it was no different from drinking water, with no taste of alcohol at all.

 

“Come, come, fill it up, little cousin.”

 

Song Liqing had clearly relaxed a lot after drinking, even his voice no longer strained.

 

“I’ll tell you another little secret.”

 

Song Liqing mysteriously waved his finger.

 

Jun Qiyu leaned in a little. “What?”

 

“Actually, I’m from the heavens.” Song Liqing said, followed by a long belch. “Ugh—”

 

“Huh?”

 

Jun Qiyu saw his cheeks flush a rosy red. After just one cup of sweet milk wine, he was already drunk.

 

As expected, he gets drunk as soon as he touches alcohol.

 

Song Liqing began babbling nonsense, speaking in a disjointed way. “Actually, I died. Yeah, I died, and then I went to heaven. It was so cold up there, so cold I couldn’t even open my eyes. But I knew it was heaven for sure. Maybe I didn’t believe in Buddha, so Buddha didn’t take me to the Western Paradise but threw me into the coldest hell. I didn’t do anything wrong in this life…”

 

This… must be Song Liqing’s experience on the verge of death.

 

Jun Qiyu watched him speak incoherently, his hands gesturing wildly, momentarily distracted.

 

Jun Qiyu was drawn to his pure, innocent demeanor… even though he wasn’t mentally impaired, he was the most genuine and sincere person, though he always pretended to be mature and thoughtful for everyone.

 

“…Then I slept for a really long time. I don’t know how long I slept.” Song Liqing continued vaguely, “When I opened my eyes, I was back in the human world. Isn’t that amazing? I didn’t reincarnate, though.”

 

“…It is amazing.”

 

Jun Qiyu responded in agreement.

 

“Right, hiccup…”

 

Song Liqing drunkenly lowered his head, occasionally hiccupping, spitting out bubbles from the milk wine.

 

The wine jug was refilled and emptied again, mostly with Jun Qiyu drinking while Song Liqing slurred about random things. Eventually, his head drooped, and he collapsed onto the table.

 

Jun Qiyu wasn’t sure if he had passed out from drunkenness or if he had fallen asleep.

 

He gently patted Song Liqing’s shoulder.

 

Just when Jun Qiyu thought he had lost consciousness, Song Liqing suddenly lifted his head, his eyes filled with tears.

 

Jun Qiyu was startled.

 

Then he heard Song Liqing sobbing loudly, “Wuwuwu… I lied, I sneaked food, I drank wine… I never dared to before, I’m not a good kid anymore.”

 

Jun Qiyu held back a smile.

 

So he still felt guilty, even when drunk.

 

“No, even though you lied, sneaked food, and drank wine, you’re still a good kid.” Jun Qiyu could only comfort him in a gentle tone.

 

“Why?” Song Liqing stopped crying for a moment.

 

“At least… at least you know guilt.” Jun Qiyu didn’t know how to comfort people, so he awkwardly said, “When I do bad things, I don’t even feel guilty, I just feel at ease.”

 

Hearing that, Song Liqing became even sadder, “Wuwuwu, with me like this, the old tutor won’t like me. He’ll kick me out of the academy, and my father won’t like me either, he’ll drive me away, then… then I’ll have no home, wuwuwu…”

 

Jun Qiyu suddenly felt heartache. He had the confidence to act recklessly because he was the Crown Prince of Jing Kingdom. The entire palace, even the entire kingdom, was his home.

 

But Song Liqing lived in constant fear, for he had already sown the seeds of displacement long ago.

 

After crying for a while, Song Liqing gritted his teeth and said, “It’s all his fault!”

 

“Whose fault?” Jun Qiyu whispered.

 

“The little demon, he led me astray.” Song Liqing said sorrowfully. “If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t dare to drink wine or lie. It’s all his fault…”

 

Jun Qiyu couldn’t help but smile. He was the “little demon” that Song Liqing couldn’t forget, influencing even officials with his behavior.

 

Song Liqing was so drunk that after a while of complaining, he fell asleep on the table, snoring loudly.

 

Jun Qiyu glanced at the moon outside—it was getting late.

 

He stood up and carried the unconscious Song Liqing. Song Liqing was still small and light, not heavy at all in his arms.

 

But Jun Qiyu felt at peace in his heart.

 

The most important person was in his arms, and his heart, which had been adrift for over a year, now had a place to settle.

 

Jun Qiyu didn’t know where Song Liqing’s room was, so he could only take him to the guest room arranged by Pei Xingxu for him.

 

As soon as he placed Song Liqing on the bed, before Jun Qiyu could straighten up, Song Liqing suddenly woke up, wrapping his arms around his neck.

 

“Mm…”

 

Song Liqing made a half-awake sound. Jun Qiyu froze, not daring to move.

 

Jun Qiyu’s eyes widened in shock. Song Liqing had actually pulled him into his embrace, sniffing at his body.

 

They were so close that Jun Qiyu could even feel his breath, making his skin tingle with an unfamiliar sensation, mixed with a long-lost comfort.

 

Song Liqing’s nose brushed against Jun Qiyu’s Adam’s apple, and Jun Qiyu’s mind went blank.

 

“Mm? This scent… so familiar…”

 

Song Liqing mumbled drunkenly, his eyes hazy, but even in that daze, there was a chilling charm in him, making one want to explore and get closer. His lips were slightly puckered, and the alcohol flush on his face looked like morning sun just picked, soft and tempting.

 

Jun Qiyu swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

 

He almost forgot himself and kissed him.

 

“Seems… seems like…”

 

Song Liqing’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if trying hard to recall, but he couldn’t think clearly at that moment, and he stammered, unable to finish his sentence.

 

Jun Qiyu breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“Drunk… will you forget tomorrow?”

 

Jun Qiyu’s desire to kiss him didn’t diminish; no matter how much he suppressed it, it couldn’t be stopped.

 

He had never been drunk before, so he couldn’t be sure if Song Liqing would remember what had happened the next day.

 

Jun Qiyu hesitated for a moment, and then his instincts overtook his rationality.

 

His lips brushed against Song Liqing’s, just a light touch, without any passionate movement.

 

Yet, such a simple kiss, feeling Song Liqing’s breath and warmth, made Jun Qiyu feel for the first time what the old drama would describe as the earth shaking, the sun and moon turning upside down.