A perfectly good meal left Ning Xuan with nothing but a belly full of anger. He had truly suffered outrageous misfortune lately, with one absurd misunderstanding following another. Today’s incident was especially inexplicable. Heaven knew what the exalted Fifth Prince, Prince Rong—someone Ning Xuan would avoid at all costs—even looked like. How had the two of them become connected? And in such a “wonderful” manner at that! Ning Xuan had even been forced to endure everyone’s contempt for no reason.
Chewing resentfully on a stalk of straw, Ning Xuan carried a stack of books unsteadily toward the lotus pond. He dropped heavily into his usual place, tossed the books down with a thump, and began flipping through them without any real purpose.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?” Without warning, someone sharply rapped him on the head. Ning Xuan immediately clutched his aching forehead with a miserable expression, tears gathering in his eyes.
He turned around painfully and, sure enough, saw the number-one source of all his disasters. Bitterness flooded Ning Xuan’s heart.
Yihua looked at Ning Xuan’s pitiful, tearful, yet visibly resentful expression. His phoenix eyes were raised at the corners, and his gaze brimmed with tears he stubbornly refused to shed. Only Ning Xuan himself remained unaware of how captivating and soul-stirring he looked.
“Look at you. I haven’t seen you for only a day. Who managed to upset you this badly?” Yihua asked with amusement.
Ning Xuan gritted his teeth, turned around as though he had seen nothing, and continued airing his books. He silently repeated that what the eyes did not see could not trouble the heart.
“I don’t think I’ve offended you, have I?” Yihua crouched beside Ning Xuan, wearing a helpless smile.
Had Yihua said nothing, Ning Xuan might have remained calmer. The question only made his anger surge. Although Yihua’s words had been casually spoken, keeping one’s word was one of the most basic principles of being human. Yihua had been the one who said he would come yesterday, and Yihua had also been the one who left Ning Xuan waiting for nothing. Ultimately, Ning Xuan knew the greater fault lay with himself for caring too much and taking the matter seriously. Even so, Yihua was still responsible for carelessly creating the expectation in the first place. The more Ning Xuan thought about it, the less willing he became to acknowledge him. Although he did not want to look, the corner of his eye still caught Yihua’s smiling, helpless expression. Ning Xuan simply turned his entire body away and left only his back for Yihua to stare at.
Watching Ning Xuan sulk at him for reasons he could not understand, Yihua did not know whether to become angry or laugh. Never since his birth had anyone dared treat him this way. Everyone around him exhausted their minds devising new ways to please him. Yet when he took the initiative to approach Ning Xuan, the boy refused even to appreciate it!
Yihua had been raised in luxury and accustomed to being cherished and protected in the palms of everyone’s hands. His pride would not permit him to degrade himself any further. He abruptly stood, anger unmistakable in his eyes. The person with his back turned remained entirely unaware and continued casually flipping through the pages. When Ning Xuan made no attempt to soften, Yihua swept his sleeve aside, turned with a cold expression, and walked away without another word. Yet after taking only a few steps, he turned back. He appeared to struggle with himself for a long while before taking an exquisite paper parcel from inside his robe—the same kind he had brought the previous morning. Without saying a word, he tossed it beside Ning Xuan’s feet and turned away again.
Ning Xuan listened to the footsteps gradually fading behind him and glanced at the familiar parcel by his feet. His teeth itched with even greater anger. Damn it! Does he think he’s dismissing a beggar? He broke his word, yet instead of saying anything, he thinks he can settle the matter with a few pastries? Damn it! These educated ancient people are all impossible. Either they grovel for wealth and status, or they’re so stubborn and foul-tempered that they cannot even say “I’m sorry”!
Ning Xuan disdainfully kicked the parcel away and continued airing the books as though nothing had happened. What he did not know was how much thought and effort had gone into creating even the smallest portion of those seemingly ordinary yet exquisite pastries, or how precious the ingredients were. They were delicacies countless people could never taste even once in their entire lives. Ning Xuan also did not know that to Yihua, a promise had always been no more than a word. It possessed no deeper meaning. Obtaining a promise from him was simple, but making him keep and fulfill that promise was almost impossible. As for lowering his head and apologizing, such a thing would have been an unheard-of wonder in the Hua Dynasty.
But that would come later. Ning Xuan could not know it now, nor would he. By the time he eventually understood, he would already be powerless to change anything.
Ning Xuan returned to the library carrying a stack of aired books. The sun had already sunk in the west, and lamps were gradually being lit throughout the various wings and courtyards. After a full day’s labor, exhaustion showed on everyone’s faces. When Mo Qi and Qing Zhu saw Ning Xuan return, both looked as though they had seen a ghost. They stammered for a long time before finally forcing out several words. “You— Why are you still here?”
Ning Xuan wanted nothing more than to roll across the floor in despair. Just how pathetic had his situation become? It was bad enough that the other servants and maids looked at him through biased eyes, exchanged meaningful glances, and made sarcastic remarks. Why were even his own friends so eager to drive him away?
“Why shouldn’t I be here? Isn’t every day like this?” Ning Xuan shot them an irritated look.
“Th-this is different now. Are you defying an order because you think you’ve lived too long?” Sweat covered Qing Zhu’s anxious face, but Ning Xuan behaved as though nothing were wrong and continued returning every book to the place where he had found it.
“What order? I’ve behaved myself perfectly, so don’t accuse me of anything.” A book he had just returned to the shelf sent up a cloud of dust, making Ning Xuan sneeze repeatedly. He silently reminded himself that he absolutely had to clean this area the next day.
Qing Zhu and Mo Qi exchanged helpless looks, their expressions stiff and wooden. At that moment, Xiao Tang, the steward responsible for the library area, rushed through the door as though his eyebrows were on fire. Sweat covered his head, and he did not even have time to wipe it away. He panted heavily as his shifty eyes swept through the room. His sharp gaze caught sight of Ning Xuan, almost completely concealed behind layers of shelves and books with only a corner of his robe visible. Xiao Tang’s expression, which had looked as though the sky were about to collapse, immediately brightened. Even his dark pupils seemed to glitter in the candlelight. He piled an ingratiating, kindly smile onto his face and hurried toward Ning Xuan in several long strides.
“Oh, my little ancestor! I’ve nearly died searching for you!” Only then did Xiao Tang find time to raise his sleeve and wipe the sweat covering his forehead.
At the sight of Xiao Tang—who ordinarily threw his weight around, flaunted his authority, strutted arrogantly, and treated Ning Xuan with complete disdain, even inventing faults whenever he wanted to demonstrate his power—now approaching Ning Xuan with such caution and a smiling face, Qing Zhu and Mo Qi nearly injured their lungs suppressing their laughter. Their faces turned crimson from the effort. But rank was rank, and a person even one level above could crush those below. The two could only lower their heads, raise one eyebrow to sneak glances at Xiao Tang’s embarrassment, and let their shoulders shake like sieves.
“Steward Tang.” Ning Xuan set aside his work, turned, and bowed with a respectful and sincere expression. Yet how could he possibly fail to notice the shoulders trembling so violently beside him that they nearly caused an earthquake? He silently cursed, Damn it! So you two are allowed to stand there enjoying the show and laughing yourselves senseless, while I have to handle everything at the front and perform the entertainment for you as well!
Leave a Reply