Mu Xueshi’s large eyes rolled thoughtfully. In the next instant, he understood what the Third Prince meant and burst out laughing. “I get it! I get it! Xi, you’re really smart. How did I miss that? You mean my father was beaten to death before he was burned, so someone must have attacked him first. In other words, his death wasn’t accidental. It was murder!”
The moment he finished speaking, a sharp knock landed on his forehead. Stars exploded before his eyes. Clutching the sore spot, Mu Xueshi looked at the Third Prince in confusion, unable to understand why the prince had suddenly struck him.
The Third Prince said nothing more. With a grave expression, he crouched down and examined the floor and the surrounding tables and stools, ignoring Mu Xueshi.
Mu Xueshi did not dare ask where he had gone wrong. After thinking for a while, realization suddenly dawned on him. The Third Prince had already explained this earlier: they had ruled out the possibility that the Grand Tutor had died before the fire.
“Aiya, my memory!” Mu Xueshi slapped his own forehead and silently cursed himself.
He glanced at the Third Prince again and noticed him feeling along the leg of a wooden stool. Mu Xueshi leaned closer and peered around without much purpose. “So, Xi… what are you looking at?” he asked ingratiatingly.
The Third Prince did not respond. It was as though he had heard nothing.
Mu Xueshi asked several more times, but the prince continued to ignore him. Perhaps the prince thought him too foolish to discuss the matter with, or perhaps he was simply concentrating on clearing Mu Xueshi’s name and had no time for his nonsense.
Mu Xueshi pouted, sighed heavily, and sat down on the floor, silently watching the Third Prince. When the prince focused on something, his expression became extremely serious. And truthfully, he looked most handsome at times like this, every feature seemingly flawless.
Mu Xueshi stared for quite a while before realizing what he was doing. This was ridiculous! He pinched his own thigh hard, forcing himself to look away. Yet for some reason, lately he kept wanting to look at the Third Prince. If he did not, an itch seemed to stir inside him. Even while cursing himself for being abnormal, he could not help sneaking another glance.
“Who’s there?”
The Third Prince suddenly frowned and asked coldly. Although he did not turn his head, he had clearly sensed a shadow moving by the window.
Mu Xueshi jumped in fright and hurriedly looked around. Just then, Wu Cai pushed open the door. Raising his phoenix-shaped eyes, he gave the two men inside a charming smile.
“I came to report that the evening meal is ready. Your Highness and Young Master may dine now.”
After speaking, Wu Cai let his gaze linger on the Third Prince for quite some time, the interest in his eyes unmistakable. But when he looked at Mu Xueshi, that admiration immediately vanished, replaced by cold disdain.
Mu Xueshi noticed none of Wu Cai’s hostility. What he did notice was that Wu Cai was looking at the Third Prince with the same appreciative gaze he himself often wore. For some inexplicable reason, the sight made him uncomfortable, so he deliberately stepped in front of the prince, standing so close to Wu Cai that he blocked the man’s entire line of sight.
“Thanks!” Mu Xueshi forced a friendly smile at Wu Cai.
Wu Cai immediately recognized the voice. It was still the familiar voice from before, yet the tone seemed to belong to an entirely different person. The former Mu Xueshi had always been sparing with words. Forget offering thanks, he had not even bothered to defend himself when others misunderstood him.
“Come on, come on, let’s go eat!” Mu Xueshi said, deliberately rising onto his toes and draping an arm over the Third Prince’s shoulders to show off how close they were.
Although the Third Prince remained indifferent, he did not reject the gesture. He understood Mu Xueshi’s little scheme, and seeing the youth’s tense, possessive expression brought the faintest trace of amusement to his lips.