“Cough… cough…”
The Third Prince was practicing calligraphy when Mu Xueshi coughed deliberately behind him, hands hidden behind his back like a child bearing treasure.
The prince did not turn.
Brush poised in his right hand, left resting lightly upon the desk, his gaze remained fixed upon the bold characters before him.
Disappointed, Mu Xueshi cleared his throat again.
“Xi, what’s so interesting there? Look at this instead!”
At the sound of his childhood name, warmth stirred in the Third Prince’s chest. Seeing Mu Xueshi’s bright eyes and animated expression, his demeanor softened despite himself.
Mu Xueshi had noticed—whenever he called him “Xi,” the prince always yielded. It made him seem almost childlike, like a boy soothed by the gentle call of his given name.
Without thinking, Mu Xueshi reached out and brushed his fingers lightly through the prince’s hair, tenderness brimming in his eyes.
The Third Prince stiffened.
Was this not deliberate seduction?
Yet strangely, the closer Mu Xueshi drew, the more he wished to retreat. He had never imagined himself seeking warmth—but these days, he found himself doing precisely that.
Smack.
He slapped Mu Xueshi’s hand away, frost returning to his expression.
Unbothered, Mu Xueshi leaned closer, hands still hidden.
“Guess what I’ve got?”
The Third Prince merely stared at him, expression unreadable.
Like a deflated ball, Mu Xueshi’s excitement faded. His hand drooped, treasure forgotten. With a sigh, he turned to leave.
“Do not even think of it,” the Third Prince said coldly to his retreating back.
Mu Xueshi spun around and pulled a face.
“I was waiting for you to say that. I wasn’t planning to leave anyway!”
Frowning, the Third Prince accepted the offered “masterpiece.”
The moment he saw it, fury surged within him. He nearly tore Mu Xueshi apart to join his beloved creatures in death.
For Mu Xueshi’s masterpiece—
Was a collection of preserved specimens.
After wandering the prince’s garden for two days, he had carefully studied every insect. Discovering that none existed alone, he had captured one of each species to preserve.
A seven-colored butterfly.
A headless dung beetle.
Leeches.
Venom lice…
All were Gu-creatures the Third Prince treasured.
Though he had never openly cultivated them, the rare flora in his courtyard had all been planted for their sake.
And now—
One of each lay lifeless in Mu Xueshi’s hands.
Futile Devices Scans 
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