Rong Tang stayed in the courtyard in Yong'an Lane for more than ten days. What was going on in the court and the harem outside had nothing to do with him.
He just coaxed his cub obediently, took medicine obediently, and took care of himself obediently, basking in the early summer sun like a lazy and sleepy millet bug.
Su Huaijing sometimes looked at him and couldn't help thinking: Why bother raising a cat? Tangtang is much more obedient than a cat when he is not angry.
The wind and clouds are still, time passes day by day, gradually bringing the long summer.
One afternoon, Rong Tang was lying in the yard basking in the sun, guessing with the system what delicious food Su Huaijing would give him tonight, when the villain came in from the gate, carrying two boxes, and walked towards him.
Rong Tang lay on the couch and looked at him eagerly.
The corners of Su Huaijing's lips rose uncontrollably, then quickly fell down. He stood next to Rong Tang with a deliberately stern face.
Rong Tang asked, "Is it for me? Is it a gift?"
In fact, he shouldn't be looking forward to gifts so much. Everything in Tang Jing's house belonged to Su Huaijing, and all of Su Huaijing's things were given to Rong Tang unconditionally. Whatever he wanted in this yard, he could just take it.
But when he was lying at home and saw Su Huaijing coming back from outside with two boxes, Rong Tang couldn't help but ask something.
This kind of reaction is especially like when I was in school, a classmate in the next dormitory had a cat. Every time he came back from class, it would rub against the human's trouser legs to see what food its owner brought it when he went out hunting.
Rong Tang put himself in the situation without any psychological burden. He looked at the two brocade boxes in Su Huaijing's hands and guessed what was inside.
Su Huaijing had no choice but to accept his stare, and he couldn't help but feel good when he saw Rong Tang.
Sometimes he felt that Rong Tang was really good at coaxing and comforting him.
During the seven days when he fainted, Su Huaijing's heart was so dark that he wanted to poison and mute any living creature he saw. It didn't make sense that his little Bodhisattva could lie there unable to move or speak, while everyone else was fine.
The day Rong Tang woke up, Su Huaijing's most unspeakable evil thoughts reached their peak.
But when Rong Tang leaned in his arms so docilely, said lightly, "Lock me up," and then really stayed away from him and watched him in the yard every day, Su Huaijing found that his bad thoughts were gradually suppressed.
He had long ceased to be angry.
It would be difficult for him to remain angry with Rong Tang for long.
No one would be willing to be angry with him.
Su Huaijing sighed secretly and replied, "New clothes."
Rong Tang's eyes lit up, and he sat up from the couch with a look of great anticipation: "Did you buy it for me at the store? Let me see!"
Su Huaijing couldn't hold back his smile any longer, he bent down, took his hand and walked into the house: "It's a change of seasons. I measured your size when I made your wedding dress. I went back to the palace to ask my mother for it some time ago, and then I went to the store to order a few summer clothes for you according to your size."
Rong Tang asked casually: "You are back home, does mother miss me?"
Su Huaijing glanced at him and said viciously, "Mother told me to lock you up at home and not let you go out, lest you catch a cold and faint from not eating or sleeping if you go out."
Rong Tang was startled, his neck shrank, and he muttered softly: "I didn't intend to go out."
Su Huaijing's heart softened instantly.
There were four sets of summer clothes in the box, made of fashionable silk and tribute brocade, with intricate and beautiful patterns and exquisite workmanship. Putting them on and holding a fan, anyone who looked at him would see that he was a handsome and elegant young man.
Rong Tang liked it very much. He narrowed his eyes, took out a set and compared it to his body.
Su Huaijing said, "Put it on."
Rong Tang: "What clothes do you change into at home?"
Su Huaijing looked at him for two seconds, couldn't help laughing, and said indulgently: "Take you out of the house, Shudao Pavilion has made a new soup base, take you to eat hot pot."
In the end, he just couldn't bear to lock Rong Tang up for life.
Even the most docile and obedient animals need to run in the woods.
Rong Tang was stunned for a moment, his eyes curved, and he didn't ask him if he was no longer angry: "Okay."
After a pause, he added, "Thank you."
-
Yong'an Lane is to the south of Yujing, and Shudao Pavilion is to the west.
When Rong Tang changed his clothes and went out, he saw Shuangfu and Shuangshou waiting at the horse post in front of the house with their eyes wide open. Their eyes lit up when they saw him.
Rong Tang found it funny: "What's with that look? I'm not dead-"
Before he could finish his words, someone pinched his hand. Rong Tang turned around in pain and saw Su Huaijing staring at him with a warning look, his expression very cold.
Rong Tang immediately backed down: "I just said it casually."
Su Huaijing said in a cold voice: "I don't like it."
Rong Tang pursed his lips and dared not say anything. Shuangfu gave him a look. Before Rong Tang could reply, Su Huaijing pushed him onto the carriage.
Young Master Rong was quite resentful, feeling that he was not treated as well as when he was locked up in the mansion.
He looked at Su Huaijing with a little resentment. Su Huaijing glanced at him and called out helplessly, "Tangtang."
"Yeah." Rong Tang responded.
Su Huaijing felt even more helpless. He pushed the meat jerky prepared in the carriage in front of him. He couldn't tell whether he was requesting or negotiating. Anyway, it didn't sound like an order. If it were Xing Feng, he would probably be so scared that he would kneel on the ground.
He whispered, "Don't scare me all the time."
Rong Tang was slightly startled and blinked.
He said, "Don't fall asleep without saying anything, or I'll feel..."
He paused. Outside the car, the long street was bustling with noise. The evening dusk fell on the imperial capital of Dayu. Children returning home late were laughing and running, hawkers were hawking their wares along the street, white smoke was coming out of the chimneys of houses in groups of three or two, and the aroma of food was wafting in the air.
This is a very ordinary and common day, and it is also a day repeated year after year for millions of people in Dayu.
Su Huaijing lowered his head, his eyelashes covering his eyes, so he couldn't see the color in them. His voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible: "I will feel that you don't want me anymore."
Rong Tang was suddenly startled, his fingers clenched unconsciously, and he grabbed Su Huaijing's hand with his backhand, with deep sorrow flashing across his eyes.
He closed his eyes in panic, relaxed his body before Su Huaijing could react, hid the emotions that suddenly arose, opened his eyes again, patted the back of Su Huaijing's hand, and promised him: "I will not abandon you."
Su Huaijing asked: "Forever?"
Rong Tang was silent for a moment. He wanted to say "until I die" as he did before, but he had just scared Su Huaijing, and he told himself rationally and emotionally that this answer was not appropriate.
So Rong Tang thought about it, looked at Su Huaijing steadily, and said, "Forever."
At least I will never abandon you until I die.
So it's not lying or cheating.
-
Shu Road Pavilion.
The building was as busy as ever. It was clearly summer, but the number of customers coming and going increased instead of decreasing. Rong Tang was once again surprised at the villain's business acumen.
As usual, they didn't need to take a number, as there was a private room on the third floor reserved for them.
Rong Tang stepped in and found a small basin of ice in the corner.
He was slightly surprised and turned around to look at Su Huaijing.
The servant who led them in said, "The boss said he was worried that the guests would feel too spicy or too hot to take off their clothes when eating from the hot pot. He was also worried that the weather would make them catch a cold at night, so he specially prepared ice to cool them down. If you feel cold, just call me and I'll come up and take it away."
Rong Tang shook his head and said no, then happily ran to the window to play with ice cubes.
The productivity of Dayu is low, and many things that are commonplace in modern times are extremely rare here, let alone ice.
In late April, the temperature rose, but it was not extremely hot. Rong Tang could even lie in the yard to bask in the sun. He had ice cubes to cool down while eating hot pot, so it was quite enjoyable no matter how he looked at it.
Rong Tang picked up a piece of crushed ice and played with it in his palm. The evening light shone through the window, making him look particularly gentle.
Su Huaijing wanted to stop him from touching the ice at first, but then he changed his mind and realized that touching the ice would only make his palms a little cold, and it would not be worse than vomiting acid and fainting.
Rong Tang can play however he wants as long as it's within his acceptable range, and Su Huaijing can adjust him back to normal no matter how he plays.
So he ignored it and looked at Rong Tang for a while, then suddenly caught a glimpse of a group of people on the long street downstairs.
Su Huaijing stared at them intently, but before he could say anything, Rong Tang saw them from the window. His eyes lit up, and he turned around and asked, "Huaijing, I saw Ke Hongxue. Can we invite them to come up and eat hotpot together?"
Su Huaijing: “…”
He was silent for a moment, lowered his head and laughed grimly: "Okay."
So Rong Tang turned around and put some ice cubes in it, then raised his hand and waved downstairs: "Master Ke, Master Mu, Xiao Lu, do you want to eat hot pot?"
Su Huaijing looked at his actions and felt that Rong Tang was really good at making him happy.
He was clearly the noble Prince of Ningxuan, clearly a member of a royal family, but he even had to discuss with himself in advance before inviting his friends to dinner.
This feeling of being cherished and respected is truly addictive.
Su Huaijing stood up, walked to the window, took Rong Tang's hand, lowered his head, and slowly wiped the water off his hands from playing with ice cubes.
There were knocks on the door of the private room a few times. The servant pushed the door open and Ke Hongxue came in, fanning herself. She smiled as soon as she saw someone: "Long time no see, my Lord. Are you feeling better?"
Rong Tang wanted to nod, but then he changed his mind, coughed lightly, and said very weakly, "Not good."
Su Huaijing was slightly startled and frowned nervously involuntarily. When he raised his eyes, he caught a glimpse of the light in Rong Tang's eyes. After a second of reaction, he laughed silently and lowered his head without looking at the people at the door.
Rong Tang looked at Ke Hongxue and put the blame on her: "It was your breakfast that made me feel sick and made me dizzy for seven days."
Ke Hongxue was stunned and stopped walking. He looked at him for a long time with eyes slightly wide open, then turned his head to complain to Mu Jingxu: "Senior, he blackmailed me."
Mu Jingxu rolled his eyes at him and said to Rong Tang, "Your Highness has not been at the palace these days? Hongxue and I went to visit you a few days ago, but we heard from the palace gatekeeper that you have not returned since the flower picking party."
Rong Tang was a little surprised. Mu Shaoqing was the most upright person and hated people who formed cliques for personal gain. In the entire court, he only interacted with Ke Hongxue, who could not be considered a court official in the strict sense.
His visit to the palace was noticed by people with ulterior motives, and they would inevitably make up rumors.
Rong Tang was slightly touched and shook his head: "No, I'm not here. I've been living at Huai Jing's and my house these days."
"… "
Su Huaijing paused in wiping his hands and looked up at him unconsciously.
Mu Jingxu seemed to want to say something just now, but he was stuck when he heard this.
The awkwardness that Lu Jiaxi had felt since he entered the door, not knowing where to put his eyes or toes, came back to him.
There was silence in the air for a long time. Ke Hongxue closed her fan and pulled Mu Jingxu's sleeve: "Senior brother, let's go. The prince didn't want to treat us to hot pot. He wanted to show us how loving he and the prince's wife are."
(End of this chapter)