Chapter 80
Note: Early chapter release, thanks to Sakuradahl's support on Ko-Fi (´｡• ◡ •｡`) ♡
Little Mu Cai was stunned.
He tilted his face upward, noticing an odd look on the usually stoic face of his older brother, Qin Zhongjin. Being young, Mu Cai didn't realize this implied that the other party had exposed his emotions.
Qin Zhongjin, standing outside the virtual scene, suddenly lifted the corner of his mouth.
These were his memories from his past life, awakened using blood as a medium. Qin Zhongjin knew his own thoughts at the time. Notably, due to his powerful ability, he could selectively broadcast his psychological state to others.
As Mu Cai was intently watching the scenes in the virtual environment, a few echoing words suddenly reached his ears:
["Why isn't he kissing me yet? Didn't they say if I kissed him, he would kiss me back?"]
["Kiss me quickly, kiss me quickly!"]
The voice was tender, with a hint of urgency. Mu Cai's eyes widened. After confirming for quite a long time, he realized that the voice was actually from the seven-year-old Qin Zhongjin standing in front of him.
What was happening?
Mu Cai glanced at Qin Zhongjin beside him and saw that the other person had their eyes closed and a smile on their face, looking in his direction. The man's clothes were disheveled, and there was blood at the corner of his mouth. He took long strides to Mu Cai, wrapping his arms around his shoulders.
Qin Zhongjin leaned down, his lips close to Mu Cai's ear, and whispered with a grin, "Cai Cai, did you hear that? That was what I was thinking at that time."
A light blush suddenly appeared on Mu Cai's snow-white face.
Turning his head, he saw the seven-year-old Qin Zhongjin with a hint of nervousness and anticipation on his face. His gaze was firmly fixed on the little Mu Cai in front of him, and in his mind, he was repeatedly reminding himself:
["Kiss me, kiss me quickly!"]
["If you don't kiss me soon, I'll have to kiss you again! I definitely have to kiss you more than the emperor, our father!"]
The petite Mu Cai, of course, couldn't hear the desires in the person's heart standing before him. He stood there, puzzled for a moment. Not addressing the kiss, he abruptly turned and huffed as he placed the food box on a table nearby.
A clear disappointment showed on Qin Zhongjin's face.
Though he was happy to kiss Mu Cai, he would be even happier if Mu Cai kissed him.
Qin Zhongjin followed the other person for a few steps, intending to lean down and kiss the small soft cheeks again. However, he saw Mu Cai suddenly turn around. The little one’s white, soft hands gripped Qin Zhongjin's clothes fiercely. Making an effort to stand on tiptoes, with his red pouting lips, he planted a loud "smack" on his face. It was a moist kiss, even leaving a bit of saliva mark.
Shock flickered across Qin Zhongjin's face, followed by unabashed elation.
Seeing this, the princes on the side became somewhat restless, tempted to try.
Little Mu Cai would actually reciprocate a kiss! They also wanted to kiss Mu Cai, and wanted to be kissed by him!
Among them, Qin Zhongyi was particularly quick to act. A model of 'act immediately as saying it', he ran towards them and only took two steps before he was blocked.
Qin Zhongjin kept Mu Cai behind him, his still young voice loudly declaring, "Teacher, I have placed the copied text on the desk. Can I leave the class now?"
The teacher, who was enjoying the drama playing out, was suddenly called out and immediately responded subconsciously, "Yes, yes. Now that the assignment is done, if the third prince has other matters, feel free to leave."
The princes had been taking classes for several months and were gradually learning to read and write simple texts. Being their teacher at the Imperial Academy, it was only natural for me to start teaching them characters stroke by stroke. Every time they finished a lesson, he would have them transcribe the lesson. Those who finished their task could leave the classroom early.
The other princes, listening to the back-and-forth conversations between the teacher and Prince Qin Zhongjin, felt overwhelmed. An activity as tranquil as writing was a great torment to these playful youngsters.
Having obtained permission, Qin Zhongjin instantaneously grabbed the food box on the desk and took Mu Cai's soft little hand, stepping out of the classroom with seemingly solemn and stable, yet brisk and buoyant strides. With his short legs, Mu Cai struggled to keep up.
Shutting the door behind him, and blocking out the lamentations and countless following gazes from within the room, Qin Zhongjin finally found solace.
Little Mu Cai was gasping for breath at his side and couldn't help but complain, "Brother Zhongjin, you run so fast, I can't catch up."
Qin Zhongjin immediately apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, Cai Cai. But, I don't want you to be kissed by them."
Mu Cai, upon hearing this, was a bit puzzled. "Why?"
Qin Zhongjin didn't seem too happy, saying, "Do you really want to be kissed by them? Qin Zhongyi, Qin Zhongying, Qin Zhongxi — if they kiss you, do you want to kiss them back one by one?"
Little Mu Cai's face almost crinkled up like a bun as he thought hard, eventually concluding based on his own preferences, "I don't want to kiss the Eldest Prince, the Second Prince, and the Fourth Prince."
Qin Zhongjin couldn't help but smile, although he quickly controlled his emotions and solemnly said, "Then, don't let them kiss you. Otherwise, you'll have to kiss them back. You probably don't want to be kissed by them either, do you?"
By the end of his statement, there was a hint of threat in his tone.
Mu Cai thought Big Brother Zhongjin seemed very scary at this moment. Instinctively sensing danger, he promptly covered his chubby cheeks with both hands, leaving only his big eyes exposed. He solemnly said, "I will protect my face!"
The seven-year-old Qin Zhongjin nodded in satisfaction. After that, as if remembering something, he added, "And protect yourself everywhere else too!"
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Standing outside the virtual scene, Qin Zhongjin let out a chuckle.
His hand successfully blocked Mu Cai's waist, drawing him into his embrace and holding him tightly together.
At this moment, Mu Cai's back was pressed against the other person's chest. He heard a soft chuckle in his ear, the vibration from the chest reaching his body. A slight breeze blew across his ear, making Mu Cai feel ticklish and subconsciously struggle a bit.
However, in the next moment, the two hands around his waist tightened, firmly locking him in their embrace.
Mu Cai immediately stopped moving.
So far, Qin Zhongjin had not harmed anyone. He just wanted to watch the entire memory of their past life with Mu Cai, who thus allowed the other person's actions. In addition, Mu Cai was worried about Qin Zhongjin's injuries and didn't want to have any conflicts with him; thus, he was more tolerant.
Yet, Mu Cai's tolerance led to the other person becoming more emboldened. As he looked at the scene before him, he suddenly felt a gentle touch on his cheek.
Qin Zhongjin gave him a light kiss, without any hint of passion, resembling a dragonfly touching water. It made one wonder if the touch just now was an illusion. Only the tightening arms around his waist and the faint panting in his ear revealed the turmoil in the person behind him.
A realization struck Mu Cai's heart.
He turned his face and started to speak, "You..."
However, before Mu Cai could finish his sentence, he felt a head suddenly lean over. His lips grazed soft, warm skin.
"Cai Cai, you're such a good boy," Qin Zhongjin chuckled. "I kissed you, and you kissed back."
Ignoring him, Mu Cai turned his head back around.
Indeed, he should not have softened his heart. He should just let this person amuse himself.
Despite this, Qin Zhongjin was not disheartened. Staring at the other person's earlobe, as red as a ruby, he broke into a silent smile.
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By now, the scene within the virtual environment had changed.
The two individuals in the picture had grown quite a bit taller. The visual seemed to depict a time when Mu Cai was around 11 or 12 years old. At this age, the royal princes had already begun learning horse riding, martial arts, and archery.
Naturally, those studying alongside the princes also had to learn. The princes had already chosen their favorite horses from the royal stables and were standing beside them. The companions also had the privilege of selecting a horse from the royal stables.
At this moment, Qin Zhongjin was choosing a horse for Mu Cai.
Mu Cai had set his eyes on a tall, black stallion. He knew little about horses and often chose what appeared to be the strongest and tallest. Just as he pointed to the horse he desired and was about to ask Qin Zhongjin for it, Qin decisively denied his request and instead suggested a small, date-red horse for Mu Cai.
Somewhat dismayed, Mu Cai asked, "Why should I ride this one? It's too small. The horse Brother Zhongjin rides is much larger, and I want to ride that one too."
With a suppressed chuckle, Qin answered, "Because you are smaller, it's more suitable for you to ride a smaller horse."
A protesting Mu Cai declared, "I'm not small. I'm already over eleven years old, and I'll be twelve soon!"
Doing his best to hold back his laughter, Qin said, "Oh? But you're still the smallest here. Look at you, now look at me." He even used his hand to compare the height of Mu Cai and himself. Mu Cai's height barely reached Qin's chin.
Mu Cai was furious. He had always been a slower grower compared to his peers, and the princes and their companions in the palace were two or three years older than him. This made him the shortest among them and he often became the butt of their jokes.
He could ignore the others, but now even Brother Zhongjin made him the subject of his banter, which upset him.
When Mu Cai was upset, he would ignore people.
Qin Zhongjin loved watching everything about Mu Cai, feeling that his expressions, even when he was angry, were captivating. His eyes sparkled in such a way that they could steal one's heart away. Although Qin Zhongjin loved this about him, he did not want Mu Cai to be angry. Because when Mu Cai was angry, he wouldn't pay any attention to anyone, and Qin Zhongjin couldn't bear being ignored by him.
So, Qin Zhongjin rushed forward trying to appease him, "Don't be upset, Cai Cai. The tall, black stallion is too unruly. Given your age, you might have difficulty controlling it. Besides, it's quite tall, it could be dangerous for you to ride. This small, date-red horse might be small but it's gentle and will listen to you. I'm just thinking on your behalf."
Still upset, Mu Cai retorted, "So thinking about me gives you the right to ridicule me?"
"Of course not," Qin Zhongjin quickly apologized and immediately proposed a solution, "I was wrong. You can punish me however you want, Cai Cai."
Mu Cai's eyes twinkled as he contemplated and finally said, "Then, you should get a smack on your hand."
Saying this, he turned around. His eyes curled up like crescents and the corners of his rosy lips curled up. His white face shone under the sunlight, his beauty was breathtaking. "If you ever bully me again, I'll smack your hand!"
Seemingly enchanted, Qin Zhongjin extended his hand, looking intently at him, "Okay."
Mu Cai lightly smacked his hand, the soft touch of his fingertips skimming across the palm made his whole body shiver involuntarily.
If it wasn't for the court eunuch calling out, Qin Zhongjin might have made a fool of himself.
Quickly, Mu Cai led the small, date-red horse to stand in front of the master who was teaching horse-riding. The horse he led seemed out of place among all other horses, but nobody laughed at him. There was even a sense that it should be so.
The master was especially indulgent towards Mu Cai and didn't assign him any hard tasks. Mu Cai was initially apprehensive about his first horse ride. But later, as he found the date-red horse really gentle and obedient, his confidence gradually grew and he began instructing the little horse to saunter around as he pleased.
As Mu Cai rode the date-red horse around, he watched the princes in another training field trying to tame the tall horses. Just like Qin Zhongjin said, those tall horses were quite stubborn and resisted discipline. If it weren't for the special training masters, these royal companions might have been thrown off their horses long ago.
Mu Cai was riding on his little pony, watching with fear and anxiety. He found Qin Zhongjin's situation slightly less nerve-wracking. Despite his young age, Qin Zhongjin exhibited remarkable composure. He remained silent, leaning over the back of his horse, gripping it tightly between his legs and around its neck, demonstrating a steady control.
Eventually, the horse Qin Zhongjin was riding became tired from its own antics. It calmed down after Qin Zhongjin fed it a handful of grass and subjected it to his authority.
Seeing that Qin Zhongjin had finished with his work, Mu Cai hurriedly dismounted from his own date-red pony. After leading the pony over to graze, he excitedly walked towards Qin Zhongjin. As he walked, he felt discomfort around his waist; the traditional attire he was wearing for horse riding was tied too tightly. In his prior movement on the horse, his clothes had shifted out of place, making Mu Cai feel even more uncomfortable.
Qin Zhongjin had just tamed his horse and was gently touching its neck to build a bond. Then he heard the reminder from a servant at his side. He immediately turned around and saw a young man in front of him adjusting his belt. The ill-fitting traditional attire instantly dropped from the front, causing his pristine white inner garment to loosen, revealing Mu Cai's delicate collarbone and a small patch of his pale, thin chest.
For a moment, Qin Zhongjin forgot how to speak. He forgot he was still in the horse handling field, forgot about the servant standing beside him. His eyes could only see the approaching young man wearing loose and hanging clothes.
Only when Mu Cai arrived at Qin Zhongjin, did he notice something odd about his expression. Qin Zhongjin looked frightful, as if he wanted to swallow Mu Cai whole. Mu Cai shrank back subconsciously, asking, "Brother Zhongjin?"
It was the ethereal and pleasing sound of his voice that brought Qin Zhongjin back to his senses.
His gaze instantly became more profound, his dark pupils making a quick observation. That's when he noticed the situation was amiss.
When Mu Cai approached him earlier, he had not concealed himself. The loose front of his attire was seemingly visible to everyone present. Now, all the princes and their companions were looking in this direction, especially Qin Zhongyi, whose greed matched his own!
A hard-to-express emotion rose in Qin Zhongjin's heart. He wanted to hide this innocent-looking person standing before him, and stamp his name on him. He didn't want anyone else to look or even think about Mu Cai!
Mu Cai should be his, in this life and all lives to follow. Because whenever Qin Zhongjin imagined Mu Cai revealing such a sight in front of another person, being so defenseless in front of another, he, Qin Zhongjin, found himself unable to control the ferocity in his heart.
After Qin Zhongjin was awakened by his call, Mu Cai felt that he looked even more terrifying.
He couldn't help but take a step back.
But with that single step backward, Qin Zhongjin promptly stretched his hand out to firmly grasp Mu Cai's wrist. Luckily, he managed to control his strength, so Mu Cai didn't experience any pain. Qin Zhongjin restrained himself, saying, "Be a good boy, Mu Cai. First, get dressed properly so that you don't catch a cold. When it's rest time, you can loosen your clothes and lay on my lap."
Obediently, Mu Cai put his clothes back on. However, he couldn't tie the belt properly, so Qin Zhongjin ended up doing it for him.
Those warm hands slid around his waist, lingering for quite a while, only pulling away just as Mu Cai couldn't resist asking what he was doing.
That night, Qin Zhongjin, who was nearly fifteen years old, slept in a light gauze tent and had a feverish dream.
What he dreamed about, nobody standing outside the simulation scene knew. Because Qin Zhongjin cut off that part of the scene directly.
After removing the scene, he leaned down to Mu Cai's ear and softly murmured, "I dreamed of you."
Mu Cai's body quivered slightly at this whisper, then, his eyes widened as he looked at the virtual scene, with his pale face involuntarily blushing.
On the virtual image, a young man, Qin Zhongjin, let out a low grunt within the lightly draped tent. He had long kicked off his blanket, revealing damp trousers beneath him. Those paying close attention could notice this aspect of the third prince within the semi-visible drapery.
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Author's Note:
Qin Zhongjin: I dreamt of Cai wearing this morning's attire, half-draped, sitting in front of my bed &…&%@#@_@)@(@ (10,000 words omitted here)
Mu Cai: ??? Handcuff him! I never require evidence when I catch culprits!
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