30: Chapter 30 The Tragic Little Prince's Nobleman 12
No one should be coming for a while, right? Lu Zhan got up, climbed out of bed, pushed aside the gauze curtains, and walked out.
He wore a white robe. The prayer beads he had been holding were removed and wrapped a few times around his left wrist, making his skin appear even fairer. His face was cold and aloof, his features stunning, and his eyes remained as indifferent as ever.
He looked around the place. He had to admit, all the furnishings in this room were very familiar. If he remembered correctly, it was exactly the same as the room he had lived in at the State Preceptors Residence before.
Although he hadn't seen outside, it was clearly the State Preceptors Residence in the Imperial Capital.
Having been gone for six years, the place was so clean and tidy that it felt as if no one had ever left. It must have been maintained by the Little Madman; he doubted anyone else would set foot here.
Lu Zhan walked around, looking at things and nodding from time to time. When he passed the shelf where the scriptures were kept, he saw several rare, one-of-a-kind books that were hard to find in the world. It was evident this wasn't the work of a moment, and his mood improved slightly because of it.
No matter how perverse and cruel the Little Madman had become on the surface, inside, he still retained some of the appearance of the youth he once was.
Before long, Lu Zhan returned to the bed and lay back down, quickly slipping back into his persona.
He did this to avoid Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan returning too quickly and catching him, which would ruin all his previous efforts and cause the persona he had established to collapse completely. Therefore, Lu Zhan took it quite seriously.
...
Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan had intentionally left earlier. From head to toe, following the memory of his former self, he had tidied himself up thoroughly. He had also repeatedly adjusted his facial expressions in the mirror, lingering for a long time before finally heading out.
At a glance, the current Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan looked vastly different from the young emperor he had been before.
He wore a cyan-white robe, a pale green that exuded an elegant freshness. A jade hairpin of the same color held up most of his hair, while the rest cascaded down his back, with a few strands falling over his chest, adding a sense of youthful freedom. His long, narrow Phoenix eyes were clear and innocent, and his face held a soft, obedient smile.
At first glance, one would only think that this was probably some exquisite, beautiful, and naive young master from a noble family.
Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan walked all the way to the door. He had been a bit nervous on the way, and now he was even more apprehensive, terrified that he might have forgotten something or failed to recall a detail, leading to a mistake.
Standing at the door, he went through everything in his mind two or three times. Only after confirming that he was basically the same as he had once been, with no omissions, did he slowly push the door open and walk inside.
Hearing the sound, Lu Zhan did not speak or move, simply maintaining his state.
Walking a few steps, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan saw the layers of exquisite gauze curtains and the yellow rosewood canopy bed partially hidden behind them.
Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan remembered that this was a furnishing his Master liked. His Master had always been like this—not fond of gold, silver, jewelry, or fine clothes, but rather partial to various precious woods.
Pushing aside the layers of gauze curtains, the figure curled up under the quilt came into Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan's view.
"Master is awake? How did he wake up so quickly? He had only been gone for a moment."
Because the sleep-inducing medicine could not be taken too often, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan, fearing that side effects would affect his Master's health, had stopped the medicine once he felt the duration of sleep was sufficient to reach the State Preceptors Residence.
If he had known this would happen, he should have stayed here earlier.
Then again, it was a good thing he wasn't there just now, or wouldn't that have caused his Master's emotions to fluctuate even more violently?
Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan gently lifted most of the quilt, revealing a curved back that was trembling slightly, betraying the unease of its owner.
As for the remaining part, he felt a spot being gripped tightly, and Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan understood.
A look of pain appeared in his eyes. He raised his hand to gently stroke the thin back in front of him and coaxed him in a low voice.
"Master, don't be afraid. It's Nickname, not anyone else."
His soft words were filled with deep attachment.
"Nickname..."
A trembling voice came from behind the quilt, carrying a trace of uncertainty.
"It is Nickname, Master. Let's come out first, okay? Don't stifle yourself."
Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan coaxed him gently and dotingly, his face also appearing extremely obedient.
Although he heard no response, he felt the spot where the quilt was being gripped loosen. A faint sense of joy welled up in his heart; this was a very good start.
Without the quilt covering him, Lu Zhan's figure was completely exposed, falling into Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan's view.
His eyes were still a bit cloudy, and he was in a daze, his left hand resting on his chest. Compared to that day, it was already much better.
Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan's gaze shifted down a bit. The scene that appeared in his eyes almost caused the expression he had deliberately maintained to collapse, but as if thinking of something, he quickly regained his senses and composed himself.
He hadn't expected that even though they had already left that small courtyard of the Sacred Sect and had already tidied up and changed into clean clothes.
His Master's right hand was still, just like before, covering that part of his robe, as if this had become an action deeply engraved in his subconscious that had to be remembered.
No matter how remorseful and self-blaming he felt, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan knew he must not break down; his Master was still waiting for him.
"Master, get up and look at me. It's Nickname."
Lu Zhan looked back, his cloudy eyes seemingly confirming something.
Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan did not urge him, just quietly letting the person on the bed look him over.
After a long while, as if he had confirmed something, he sat up slightly and turned outward, his right hand still tightly gripping that part of his robe, revealing nothing.
"Nickname... I knew it... He is not... Nickname... I didn't... Don't listen to his nonsense..."
Intermittent words reached his ears, not coherent at all, not even forming a complete sentence.
"Mm, Master, you don't need to say more. Nickname knows that Master is not at fault."
Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan raised his hand and placed it over Lu Zhan's right hand, wanting to pry it open.
But as soon as he made the move, the youth who had been peaceful just a moment ago instantly recoiled.
"Nickname... Dirty... Will you... look down on me..."
Upon hearing this, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan couldn't hold it back. His face was full of remorse and self-blame, his eyes turned red, and hot tears fell, soaking into the bedding.
As if seeking atonement, he knelt in front of the youth, one hand stroking his back, the other gently resting on his right hand. His Phoenix eyes were soft yet firm as he looked directly into those slightly cloudy eyes and said, word for word.
"In Nickname's heart, Master has always been as cold and indifferent as a deity, aloof and proud, the most holy of all. You are like the blue lotus beneath the Buddha, rising from the mud without being stained, washed by the clear ripples without being seductive."
Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan felt the hand tightly gripping the robe finally slowly release. He did not disturb the youth again, just looked at him quietly.