At dawn the next morning, Fang Su woke up leisurely from his dream, before opening his eyes, the events of last night emerged in his mind making him unable to look at the man next to him. His body wasn’t exhausted, but he was still feeling lazy, he didn’t want to make a single movement, so he took the opportunity to lie down, and did not even want to get up. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, that way he also could avoid talking to Tang QiaoYuan.

　　Tang QiaoYuan has awakened for who knows how long, and has kept his eyes on Fang Su’s sleeping appearance, now, he could see that he was clearly awake but was still pretending to sleep, even so, he didn’t expose him, he chuckled lowly and sat up, and got out of bed to freshen up first.　　

　　Fang Su heard his movements and quietly opened his eyes, the several scratch marks on Tang QiaoYuan’s back were very eye-catching, it only takes one glance to understand how he had gotten them. He immediately closed his eyes with shame, unstoppable fragments of last night appeared in his mind, he felt his whole body heat up. As a result, he was even more reluctant to get up, wishing to spend the whole day wrapped in the quilt.

Although he thought that way, in the end, he couldn’t do as he wished.  

　　Tang Qiao Yuan did not urge him, and only sent people to bring breakfast to the room. There was an unknown number of sumptuous dishes, a fragrant smell filled up the room, making people salivate. 

　　 The scent drifted closer and closer, the tantalizing smell drifted under his nose, Fang Su couldn’t help himself  anymore and opened his eyes, he noticed that Tang QiaoYuan was teasing him on purpose, he held a small porcelain bowl with a small bun inside and approached him, letting out a low chuckle: “Crab roe xiaolongbao.”

　 Now he really could not pretend anymore, Fang Su looked at him with a faint red face, his lips slowly curled up into a smile. 

　　Tang QiaoYuan put the bowl on the low bedside table, and held Fang Su up, when he put his palm on his back, he was taking note in his heart that Fang Su was too thin, so thin that it made his heartache when he touched him, he helplessly smiled and asked: “I brought all the good things on the table but you always only have few bites, how will I fatten you up?” 

　　 Fang Su followed his words and took a look at the table in front of him, it was only breakfast but a whole table was set up, the dishes were more abundant day after day, afraid that he wasn’t able to pick what he likes. Fang Su actually likes everything but he got used to little food during all these years and has a small appetite. Whenever he looks at those delicious dishes his heart longs for it but his energy is lacking. 

　“You’ve prepared way too much…” Fang Su replied softly.

　　Tang QiaoYuan pretended not to understand “Don’t tell me that if I prepare less it would make you eat more? What is this reasoning? Then, in the future I will only prepare a bowl of meat for you, will you be able to finish it cleanly?

　Fang Su was unable to answer, he couldn’t compare to his silver tongue.

　　Tang QiaoYuan laughed for a while, he bent over to help Fang Su wear his socks and shoes, and added: “Eat whatever you like, it would be great even if you were to eat one more bite.”

　　Fang Su nodded, Tang QiaoYuan felt relieved for a while and personally waited on him by washing his face and rinsing his mouth, then took him to sit by the desk once he was done, and said: “Today’s weather is pleasing, let’s pick a set of light clothes for you and tie your hair up, it is already summer, if you leave your hair scattered it will inevitably make you feel stuffy and make you sweat. 

　　Fang Su held the small bowl of white fungus soup1 with both hands to drink it, while watching Tang QiaoYuan’s movement from the side of his eyes. When he heard the words “hair tie”, he was suddenly stunned and seemed to have thought of something, then opened his mouth to call him: “QiaoYuan”

　　Tang QiaoYuan’s eyes and eyebrows were filled with joy, he loved to hear Fang Su call him so gently. Looking back, he answered and listened to his question: “Where is the luggage that I previously requested to be put away?”

　　“What luggage?” Tang QiaoYuan blurted out, after asking, he came back to his senses, and thought that it must be what Fang Su brought with him when he first came to the mansion, “You’ve mentioned it at that time, I had sent someone to retrieve it from the other yard, it should be stored somewhere inside the room, let’s just ask.”

　　Tang QiaoYuan said that as he walked to the windows, He called for several maids who were waiting in the corridors. The maids entered the room, but after listening to the question, they were all confused; after thinking for a long time one of them remembered: “It seems like this luggage has already been thrown away.”

　　Tang QiaoYuan immediately pulled a long face and said: “Who allowed you to throw it.”

　　The maid saw that he was angry, instantly she knelt down and confessed her mistake, the other maids knelt down as well for fear of incurring his anger. Fang Su was slightly surprised when he saw that, he quickly put down the bowl and spoon, and soothe Tang QiaoYuan before he became angry: “There is no harm, don’t be angry…”

　　Tang QiaoYuan looked at him sideways, and saw that his eyes were full of disappointment and anxiety, yet he was still looking after them by giving some justification, thus the reprimand that was at the tip of his tongue was not able to come out.

　　“Master” the maid kneeling on the ground was terrified, she didn’t even dare utter a word, but when she saw Fang Su was pleading for them, she then whispered, “There were only two old pieces of cloth in that luggage, this servant would never dare make such a rash decision, it was Miss Bai Ping who said that there was no need to keep them, that’s why…”

　　Tang QiaoYuan frowned, he could not understand how Bai Ping, who has always been meticulous, could make such a mistake, when he seemed very displeased, the girl who was just mentioned rushed inside the room after she heard what was being said.

　　Bai Ping lifted the beaded curtain, after she entered the room, she delicately greeted with a bow “ Master”, then without being asked, immediately turned her body to Fang Su’s direction and bowed: “Madam, the wooden hairpin inside the luggage, this servant has taken the initiative to put it inside the dressing table’s small drawer for you.”

　　Fang Su’s eyes were overjoyed, before he could ask her how she knew what he was cherishing, he stood up and walked up to the dressing table. Inside the drawer, there was a cloth that was meticulously packaged, he opened the fabric and saw the simple hairpin that was with him for more than ten years was gently laying inside. Fang Su’s mood recovered from his loss, and turned his head to thank Bai Ping:  “Thank you very much, Miss Bai Ping.”

　　“Madam is too serious.” Bai Ping responded with a smile and took the frightened maids to retreat from the room when the moment was right. Before leaving, her eyes swept over Tang QiaoYuan’s face and saw the softness in the eyes of someone who has never shown any, her heart paused slightly, she can’t help but think that this madam who suddenly came to the mansion may really be the precious jade of this whole house.  

　Bai Ping was quietly rejoicing and secretly embraced this treasure.

　　After the brief storm has unfolded inside the room, the hostility Tang QiaoYuan inadvertently revealed has disappeared. He approached Fang Su to look at the object in his hand and asked: “Su Su wants to go out wearing this hairpin?”

　　Fang Su was in a good mood after he was able to find his precious thing,  when he heard Tang QiaoYuan, he chuckled and shook his head light-heartedly “It’s a hairpin made for women, how can I use it… this is a relic left by my mother, it has accompanied me for ten years, I forgot to look for it earlier…”

　As he spoke, Fang Su felt more and more guilty.

　　In the past, this hairpin was always quietly pressed under his pillow. If he had been wronged during the day, then he would take it out at night for a look and feel comforted. But now that he came to Tang QiaoYuan’s side, he suddenly gained a thoughtful and considerate love, which has actually replaced the protection given by this hairpin, he felt so comfortable that he had forgotten to keep it with him at all times. 　　

　Fang Su’s eyes became slightly red and his heart inexplicably throbbed with remorse.

　When the person behind heard him mention his close relative, he stretched out his arms and hugged him to his chest.

　In this light summer, the floating clouds were thin.

　　Lin Zhou city is habitually lively, with streets bustling with pedestrians, street vendors lining up along the road, and occasionally children are frolicking on the street. 

　　Fang Su wore a goose yellow garment, and walked unhurriedly with Tang QiaoYuan, his fingers under his sleeves were pinched, and played with, he was shy at first, but later his attention was diverted away by the dazzling things on the street and he gradually relaxed, no matter how sticky Tang QiaoYuan was, he just turned his head and looked at the new things.

　　As they walked, Tang QiaoYuan couldn’t help but laugh, he suddenly hooked an arm around his waist, not caring if people were looking at them, he pretended to complain: “Once Su Su is outside the mansion, he doesn’t even look at me anymore.” 

　 Fang Su’s face became warm, then heard him joke again in a low voice: “It is better to be in the mansion, at least when you are in the mansion you would steal a few glances at me.” 

　Fang Su had nowhere to hide, even his ears were burning up. He originally thought that Tang QiaoYuan was unaware of his act, but he was actually seen through all this time. 

　　 Tang QiaoYuan didn’t want to let him go yet, he held him tighter and asked him with a chuckle: “Does the outside look better or does your husband look better? hm?” 

　　Fang Su dodged his head to avoid him, but Tang QiaoYuan refused to loosen his hold deliberately, making him unable to avoid him no matter what he did. He was afraid of attracting others’ attention, and could only reply in a whisper: “You look better…”

　 Tang QiaoYuan couldn’t stop himself from laughing and wanted to kiss him on the face, but he was afraid it would make him so embarrassed that he would refuse to move forward, he weighed the situation and decided to endure it, and stopped teasing him. 

　　Tang QiaoYuan retracted his arm, Fang Su turned around to look around him, it seemed that no idlers were looking at them, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. What he didn’t know was that in Lin Zhou city, rare were those who were unaware of Tang QiaoYuan’s identity. Those people were afraid of him to some extent, they didn’t dare to look at him disrespectfully, in case it would anger him, it would only bring them a life of bad luck. 

　　Everyone on the street turned a blind eye, talking and walking respectively, the children were probably the only fearless ones, blinking with their pairs of big innocent eyes and looking up at them, their eyes met with Fang Su’s, they would grin and make shameful grimaces at him. 

　　Fang Su gradually relaxed, maybe because he was affected by the children, a big smile appeared on his face, his fingers curled imperceptibly and hooked Tang QiaoYuan’s palm.

　　 Not far away, a youngster about ten years old looked at them in surprise, an unbelievable expression could be seen on his face.

Translated & Proofread by: Milktea & Gemini (shorten our id lol)

Notes :

WordPress is still driving me nuts, the typo is still tiny tiny, I basically just copy-paste the chapter and run away because I can’t deal with it.