Chapter 55: I think you want me!

  Qiao Yurun's back stiffened for a moment, then slowly turned around, with a hint of forced smile, "The Duke is joking."

  Behind the crowd, a lone figure of Cui Chu stood under a pear tree, its white flowers falling on his water-colored clothes, which he casually brushed off with his jade-white fingers. The women's gazes followed that smiling gesture, drifting and fluttering, involuntarily holding their breath.

  "Rushing back and forth, I'm so tired." Rong Chu smiled and said, "Fortunately, we didn't miss the good show."

  He was spotless from head to toe, and even his clothes looked new, without a speck of dust. Yet he spoke with not a hint of embarrassment on his face.

  Tai Shi Lan gave him a glance - finally willing to come out?

  Jingtai blue is in Erwu Camp, how can Rong Chu leave?

  "Row the boat." Rong Chu turned his head and said to those behind him, "Let you accompany Miss Qiao for a good stroll, but you're good, you've abandoned her. Look at you, Miss Qiao rarely comes over, and she still has to worry about official business."

  Li Fu Zhou emerged from behind the tree, and he indeed had a somewhat dusty look, his hair slightly disheveled. The kind of casual air that was different from his usual clean and refreshing demeanor made the women's eyes light up again.

  The two of them stood together, like a clear brook flowing through a forest of red maples, or a stretch of emerald green pines winding between snowy mountains, with a beauty that was uniquely pure and lovely amidst the vibrant colors.

  The women's eyes lit up, but Qiao Yu's eyes dimmed slightly, biting her lip and looking at Li Fu Zhou with a pitiful expression, saying softly: "Don't blame Mr. Li, it was my own fault for being willful and abandoning him..."

  Li Fu Zhou walked directly towards her.

  "How did you get hurt?" he asked softly, taking out a tube of ointment from his bosom and handing it over. "Apply this, the swelling will be gone in half an hour."

  Qiao Yurun didn't expect him to be so considerate and concerned, and was taken aback as he hastily accepted.

  At this time, she was filled with tender feelings and couldn't help herself. She didn't want to accuse or make a scene, but it wasn't right either. However, she didn't want to let go, and from an angle where Li Fu Zhou couldn't see, she gave Tai Shi Lan a cold glance. Suddenly, she smiled and said, "It's actually a small matter, considering Mr. Li's face, I won't pursue the crime of Tai Shi young lady being rude to her superior, however..."

  She said softly, "Ta Shi's daughter is too impulsive and prone to being overly critical, which isn't good. Today, I've learned a lesson from the students of Er Wu Camp, and it has given me this feeling. The students of Guang Wu Camp are all talents that will be the pillars of our Southern Qi, and we can't take teaching matters lightly. Here's what I think: recently, our Western Bureau has been investigating a case of spies in Zhongzhou Province, and we need to station some people there for an extended period. We can leave some of our Western Bureau elites to stay at Er Wu Camp for a long time to assist with the teaching." She smiled at the principal, "What do you think?"

  In front of the students, Rong Chu's identity was not made public, so she naturally sought the opinion of the General Hospital. However, the General Hospital did not dare to make a decision and glanced at Rong Chu with the corner of his eye. Rong Chu smiled and neither confirmed nor denied it. The General Hospital had no choice but to give in and said with a smile: "The elite of the Western Bureau are renowned throughout the land, and being able to teach at the 25th Camp is a blessing for us."

  The sons of humble families all changed color, they all looked at Tai Shi Lan with one eye, everyone knew that this was obviously aimed at Tai Shi Lan. These people stayed behind, in the future, everyone, especially Tai Shi Lan, would have good days to live?

  Qiao Yurun saw that no one in the high-level dared to oppose, smiled contentedly, nodded to everyone, and pulled Li Fuzhou's sleeve: "Fuzhou, let them handle the rest of the matter, we will go for a walk on that unfinished Jade Kettle Peak again."

  Li Fu Zhou smiled and responded, Qiao Yu Ruan walked past Tai Shi Lan's side with a gentle smile, without even glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

  She had just walked past when she heard Rong Chu say to the Dean, "Although Lord Qiao is magnanimous and does not pursue the matter, the 25th camp cannot fail to give Lord Qiao justice. Ta Shi Lan and other students who committed crimes against their superiors should be punished."

  Everyone was stunned. They looked at each other in dismay, and Qiao Yurun also turned back in shock.

  "I think, the annual examination and training period is approaching soon, why not let them go out for practice a little earlier. Of course, we can't look for too comfortable a place, otherwise it wouldn't be called punishment. Hmm... I heard that the Western Bandits are quite rampant near Beishan, which is close to the northwest border, with a fierce folk culture and mixed dragons and snakes, making it an ideal place for training people, let's go there."

  The general was taken aback, and could only bitterly smile and nod his head.

  Qiao Yurun's footsteps suddenly stumbled slightly.

  She turned her head, a flash of anger in her eyes, directly meeting the smiling gaze of Rong Chu.

  "Lord Qiao." Rong Chu came over at a moderate pace and asked with a smile, "Is it fair?"

  Qiao Yurun clenched her teeth for a moment, then smiled and nodded. Stiffly, she said: "Thank you, Princess Guo, for upholding justice."

  The last two words were bitten very heavily, as if wanting to shatter teeth.

  Rong Chu seemed to have not heard the sound of teeth chattering, and nodded in satisfaction. He reached out to lift her chin, and whispered softly by her ear, "So, as a thank you, remember to take good care of her for me."

  Qiao Yu's eyes widened as she stared at Rong Chu, and after a while, she suddenly smiled.

  "National Duke." She batted her eyelashes, "You should be congratulated, I didn't expect Miss Sun to pass away and you've already found a new love. If the Empress Dowager knew, she would be overjoyed."

  "Why would the empress dowager know?" Rong Chu smiled elegantly and said, "Would Officer Qiao tell her?"

  "What do you think?" Qiao Yurun swept her hair back, glanced at Rong Chu with a slanted gaze, and smiled radiantly.

  "It doesn't matter." Rong Chu gazed deeply at her, his eyes seemingly full of deep emotions, "The Empress Dowager will think that I'm just flirting because if she asks about my new love, I'll ask to marry Qiao Nuangong."

  Qiao Yurun's hand, which was sweeping through her hair, stopped at her temple, and her face turned deathly pale.

  "So, take good care of Tai Shi Lan." Rong Chu smoothed her hair, his expression intimate as if to a close friend, "If she loses a single strand of hair, it's because Xi Ju pulled it out; if she lacks a piece of fingernail, it's because Xi Ju nibbled on it; if she loses a pound of flesh..." He smiled, "Xi Ju will lose even more flesh."

  Qiao Yurun gazed at him steadily, her chest heaving, after a long while, she lowered her eyes and said, "Yes."

  Rong Chu smiled, and the sunlight in his smile thinned out, transforming into a gradually spreading dusk.

  The people around them gazed at the couple whispering to each other, their posture intimate, smiling brightly from start to finish, like a loving couple, everyone felt delighted and pleased, even the tense atmosphere relaxed slightly.

  Tai Shi Lan, however, felt that the two people's auras were very cold and gloomy, like the dark edges of this beautiful sunset.

  After a while, Qiao Yurun finally left, still maintaining her calm smile, only with a slightly pale face. She took away Zheng Ying and Yang Gonggong. As for how she would deal with the two "criminals", Ta Shi Lan did not interfere and did not plan to interfere.

  Before her power is enough to change more reality, she will stand still and learn to accept hatred.

  Of course, one day she will make this world hate her as much as it hates her.

  The principal looked at Tai Shi Lan with a cold gaze in a place where Rong Chu didn't see, and then led the high-level officials to leave. The noble sons left reluctantly, but the poor students didn't leave, they gathered around Tai Shi Lan in twos and threes, silently.

  If the previous course selection contest still made some people hesitate, today Taishi Lan's direct confrontation with the formidable Western Bureau, successfully saving Hua Xunhuan, is enough to make everyone involuntarily make a choice.

  "Ta Shi Lan." Hua Xun walked over, looked at her seriously for a while, and suddenly burst out laughing. "At first I laughed at your arrogance, now it seems that the arrogant one is myself. Alright, this friend of mine is settled, as for whether I'm worth you befriending...". She raised her chin, "I'll prove it to you too."

  "Nonsense," said Taishi Lan.

  She's not even a friend, what right does she have to interfere?

  Hua Xun's eyes lit up, Su Ya was on one side, revealing a faint smile, generally bright.

  "The northern Yan City examination and exercise, I don't know how the Institute will allocate them," said Xiao Daqiang. "The northern Yan City has 13 villages, towns, and small cities. With our seniority, we may go to do recording, assisting history, inspecting, gate officials, post officers, as well as tax collection officials, water conservancy officials, and granary officials. If the students are outstanding in martial arts, they may go to the Tianji Army of Xiling Province or the Upper Garrison Camp, serving as warehouse, military, cavalry, and armor officials."

  In other words, there are many choices, but they may not necessarily come together.

  Tai Shi Lan didn't mind this either. She was used to fighting alone, and now that these people were surrounding her, although she wasn't uncomfortable, she felt noisy and stifled.

  "Rong Chu." Seeing Rong Chu coming over, she took the opportunity to push through the crowd and welcome him.

  It's rare to see her taking the initiative, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. However, she saw him looking at Li Fu Zhou hastily leaving, and said: "Does he have something to do? Then you remember to bid farewell to him on my behalf, I'm leaving early tomorrow morning."

  The faint smile at the corner of her lips faded away. She gazed at her lightly for a moment before saying, "Not going to bid me farewell?"

  Tai Shi Lan gave him a strange look and was too lazy to answer such an uninteresting question.

  Living in your house, what's the need for farewell?

  "Didn't you ask me what I just said to Qiao Yurun?" Chong Chu took a step forward, his face tilted at an angle, making it impossible for Taishi Lan to see his eyes.

  "It's all just a trick of the mind." She said, brushing him aside and turning back.

  "I proposed to her." said Shu Yu behind him with a smile.

  Tai Shi Lan stopped and thought for a moment before saying, "It's quite suitable."

  A figure flashed by, and Rong Chu was already in front of her, this time smiling even more happily, "Ta Shi Lan, shouldn't you fight for your fiancée status?"

  "If I want you, no one can take you away from me; if I don't want you, no one can provoke me into wanting you, not even with the temptation of the entire world."

  Rong Chu gazed at her narrow and long eyes, this woman, her eyes were not icy, nor stone, but vast earth, thick soil, she didn't inherently refuse everything, she just wanted to walk into her mysterious realm, distant and arduous.

  "He suddenly really wanted..." he said slowly, "wanted you to ask me..."

  "Huh?" Tai Shi Kan turned his head, cupping a hand around his ear.

  Rong Chu was in a daze, subconsciously raising his voice, "I think you want me!"

  Tai Shi Lan immediately nodded, "Let's see how things go."

  “……”

  The whole audience was silent.

  The flower that was drinking water suddenly squirted Su Ya in the face.

  Xiao Daqiang looked at Rong Chu with admiration, then looked at Tai Shi Lan with envy, and finally looked at Xiong Xiaojia with eager anticipation. Xiong Xiaojia's face turned red as she twisted and turned, bent down and whispered in his ear: "Hmm... I think you want me..."

  Xiao Da's eyebrows flew up and his face changed color, his expression so fierce that he almost spat out a mouthful of old blood...

  Rong Chu died under the gaze of everyone, and Leng Mian Fu Hei Mo Wang returned to his residence without haste. The news that he was about to leave was told to Jing Tai Lan, and the little guy immediately cheered up.

  Tai Shi Lan was thinking, should she escape at night? It's already a miracle that Rong Chu allowed her to sneak into the 25th camp with the Jing Tai Blue, would he really allow her to take the Jing Tai Blue to Bei Yan City?

  There are too many strange things in this world, the disappearance of Jingtai blue did not cause a stir, what should be searched for is not being searched for, what should be pursued is not being pursued, what has been found is not being retrieved, yet it refuses to leave.

  Things have become so bizarre that Taishi knew she must have touched the edge of some deep-seated conspiracy, and as long as Jing Tai was by her side, her danger would never dissipate.

  This is also the reason why she was cold to Rong Chu - not everyone who tolerates you is a good person. How much kindness does Rong Chu's indulgence have? Every time he helped her out of trouble, was it simply because he wanted to help her, or was he testing her even more?

  Before understanding a person's true intentions, it is better to choose to protect oneself coldly.

  After some thought, she walked to the window and the faint breathing sounds from all directions told her that it was almost impossible to take Jing Tai Blue away.

  Tai Shi Lan sat down, no longer thinking too much. The separation from Jing Tai Lan was inevitable and there was no need to struggle in vain. What she needed to do now was to take advantage of the rare period when no one disturbed her, and keep Jing Tai Lan by her side for a few more days, so that she could teach him some things he wouldn't have learned otherwise.

  After some thought, she instructed her maid to arrange dinner.

  When the lights were turned on, dinner was served. Jingtai Blue ran over with his own small bowl and chopsticks. He had recently been trained to take care of his own things, including setting out his own bowl and chopsticks for meals and washing them clean afterwards.

  The dishes on the table were steaming hot, and Jing Tai Lan's eyes widened in confusion.

  What is that green bean? Pea? It seems bigger than pea.

  What's that green sprout in the pancake? It emits a strange smell.

  Why are there two fish? Both of the fish look very strange.

  The door curtain was suddenly lifted, and Rong Chu came in uninvited, leaning against the door frame with a smile: "I heard that you changed the dishes prepared in the kitchen today. Are you planning to hold a farewell banquet for yourself? As the host, I have to come and make an appearance."

  He looked at the table with great interest, a little curious about what Taishi Kan, who seemed to care about nothing, actually liked to eat.

  Tai Shi Lan didn't even give this self-talking guy a glance, he was clearly just freeloading.

  Rong Chu didn't stand on ceremony and sat down at the table edge, stretching out his hand.

  Tai Shi Lan blinked at him.

  He looked at Tai Shi Lan.

  Tai Shi Lan opened her eyes wide.

  He gazed at Tai Shi Lan.

  Accustomed to being stretched out in mid-air, waiting for the hand that will roll up its sleeves, stretching out lonely...

  Rong Chu didn't feel embarrassed at all, and instead, he stared provocatively at Tai Shi Lan.

  Tai Shi Lan thought for a moment, took a cloth and stuffed it into Rong Chu's hand.

  ……

  The national duke put down the towel and went out to wash his hands. Tai Shi Lan neatly arranged the blue and white porcelain bowls and chopsticks for himself, and sat down to eat.

  Chu returned home, but everyone had already eaten and no one was waiting for him.

  In front of him, there was indeed a bowl and chopsticks. Tai Shi Lan hadn't planned to really not let him eat, but the delicate porcelain gold-edged bowl he had prepared for him was quite exquisite, and it didn't match with Tai Shi Lan's blue-edged large bowl, or the small blue-edged bowl in Jingtai Blue style.

  Rong Chu took a look at the matching bowl, his lips moved slightly, but in the end he didn't ask to change bowls - no need to ask, it was definitely not his.

  Jing Tai Lan didn't even lift his head, eating with gusto, completely unaware of the bittersweet journey that Guo Gong Ye had just experienced. Although he had been following Tai Shi Lan recently and his appetite had improved a lot, Rong Chu rarely saw him eat so intently, her gaze involuntarily sweeping across the table.

  His eyebrows immediately shot up high.

  "Are you giving this to him?"

  "Hmm?" Tai Shi Kan glanced at the table, spring bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, fragrant eggplant stir-fry, braised puffer fish, carp lung soup, roasted lamb chops.

  Jingtai Lan Gege smiled and picked up a handful of broad beans with her hand.

  "Wait, you can't..." Rong Chu's voice trailed off as she watched Jing Tai Lan stuff the broad bean into his mouth.

  "Try this." Tai Shi Lan cracked open the scrambled eggs with chives and handed a piece to Jing Tai Lan, who hesitated as he stared at the eggs, unsure if he should eat it.

  "This girl doesn't know what kind of sprout it is, the taste is really special." The maid said with a smile, "We've never seen it before either."

  "There's something with an unusual smell that he can't eat..." Rong Chuhua said halfway, suddenly placing her chopsticks horizontally in front of Jing Tai, "Something you've never eaten before? Take it away!"

  Tai Shi Lan gave him a cold glance, took a bite of the scrambled eggs with chives, and Jing Tai Lan stared at her with wide eyes, finally unable to bear his curiosity, and snatched the scrambled eggs from under her chopsticks.

  He scrunched up his little face as he took a bite of the chives, but then his eyes lit up and he quickly swallowed three to five times. He grabbed the plate with one hand and wielded the small spoon with the other, attacking the dish with a flurry of clinking sounds.

  Rong Chu's face didn't look very good, frowning as he stared at the puffed up Jing Tai Lan - was it really that delicious?

  Jingtai Blue ate half of the scrambled eggs with chives, contentedly let out a burp, and then attacked the puffer fish again with his spoon.

  That dish of braised puffer fish suddenly disappeared and landed in Rong Chu's hands.

  "This thing is poisonous, he can't eat it."

  Jingtai blue forty-five degrees angel looking up at his mother, wanting to seek answers.

  Tai Shi Lan put down her chopsticks.

  "Are you going to tell me next that broad beans are seasonal vegetables and can't be eaten?"

  Chu was silent and calm.

  "Carassius has few lungs, can't he eat?"

  ……

  "Pufferfish is poisonous, can't eat it?"

  ……

  "Does coriander have an unusual smell? Can't he eat it?"

  "This is the rule." Rong Chu said calmly.

  "Ah, rules dictate that he can only have warm dishes for the rest of his life." Tai Shi Lan's tone was even more indifferent. "The large kitchen is heated at all twelve times, using regular ingredients and methods, with a normal flavor, neither hot nor cold. The eternal braised abalone and duck in a clear broth, stewed mountain chicken with red and white sausage."

  "It is also a delicacy among humans." Rong Chu furrowed his brow, "Ordinary people can't get it in their lifetime."

  "Ordinary people may not necessarily eat swallow's nest and camel's hump, but they can eat broad beans in spring, taste reed shoots in summer, and have salted fish and stinky meat in autumn and winter, which are all true flavors of the world."

  "Inferior food." Zhong Chu disdainfully said.

  "Food has no hierarchy. To determine its quality by taste is narrow-mindedness."

  "You're just being unreasonable and forcing your point of view."

  "I don't need to argue with you." Tai Shi Lan handed Jing Tai a plate of stir-fried peas, "Tomorrow, have someone thread it with needle and thread, hang it around your neck, and eat while playing."

  "Good, good." Jing Tai's blue eyes sparkled as he nodded like a little dog.

  "How dirty!" Chong Chu exclaimed, "No way!"

  "He is happy."

  "What if I get sick?"

  "He is a human being, not a weak grass." Tai Shi Lan turned around to look at him, "Maybe you see him as a golden boy who must be careful everywhere, but I think that before he took on those responsibilities, he was first and foremost a person, a child."

  "He's just a kid, he should be able to enjoy his childhood, go wild when he needs to, play when he wants to, roll around if he feels like it, scream if he wants to." Ta Shi said calmly, "No one has the right to take away such happiness and freedom."

  "Overindulgence often leads to spoiled children."

  "Unrestrained nature does not equal indulgence of human nature." Tai Shi Lan patted Jing Tai Blue's head, "What do you want to do now?"

  I want to sing.

  "Then sing."

  Jing Tai blue opened his throat and sang, "yi yi ya ya" without knowing what it was, the decibel was sharp and the tone was terrifying, the maid swayed and almost fell, Rong Chu covered her chest with her hand.

  Taishi Lan's face didn't change color.

  She said after finishing the song: "Very good, what else do you want?"

  "Silk bean necklace... Hehe, what you just said."

  "Okay, but you have to memorize Chapter 4 of 'The Great Learning' tonight."

  "Good." Jingtailan, who usually resisted reciting books, nodded repeatedly.

  Tai Shi Lan turned his head to look at Rong Chu, and Rong Chu's expression was a bit dazed.

  He suddenly remembered his childhood, study room, bedroom, bedroom, study room. In memory, there seemed to be no green grass and blue sky, no wild running, no passionate laughter, no scenery of this moment, pure and bright smile.

  Before today, he had never seen Jingdezhen porcelain, such pure and trusting, heartfelt laughter.

  I never thought that there was anything wrong with the childhood of these aristocratic youngsters, but at this moment, I suddenly feel that perhaps it's indeed a bit off.

  In the depths of his heart, a solid fortress of consciousness had a fine crack, and a bright and persistent light from outside illuminated it.

  Chu's breathing was disrupted for a moment.

  "Why can't we eat these..." Jing Tai Lan suddenly asked.

  Chu was silent, the answer had been familiar, but at this moment she didn't want to say it again.

  "Because many people think that if you eat seasonal things, you will ask for them at non-seasonal times and can't get them, it's killing," said Tai Shi Lan. "Jing Tai blue, silkworm beans, and fragrant clover are only available in the spring. If the puffer fish is not handled properly, it will be toxic. The carp lung is a local specialty fish that is also only available during the spring floods. So, would you want to eat these things in winter?"

  "No." Jing Tai Lan shook his head, "There isn't any in winter."

  "If you want to eat in winter and the chef can't get it out, will you kill him?"

  "Why?" Jing Tai Lan's eyes widened, "There isn't any in winter!"

  The same sentence, his tone in the next sentence was extremely surprised.

  It's not that I don't think so, but rather I just feel it shouldn't be that way.

  It's not just a matter of not thinking it's possible to make mistakes, but rather that it shouldn't be done from the very beginning.

  "A principle that can prevent him from making mistakes again, why not tell him and instead take away his right to choose?" Tai Shi Lan raised her head and asked Rong Chu, "Do you guys treat him as a human being?"

  Speechless with admiration.

  Then he found out there was no food on the table...

  "Serve the braised abalone and steamed duck in a casserole, with sautéed mountain chicken and red and white sausage." Taishi Lan picked up the blue porcelain vase and instructed the maid.

  Rong Chu's eyes sank again, and Tai Shi Lan didn't care about him - being ill, helping you keep your noble habits, what's wrong with that?

  She was only interested in breaking the shackles of Jingdezhen and her own.

  Little did she know, Rong Chu hated her most for this very point - why didn't you try breaking me? Huh?

  "Still want to eat chives... eggs... eggs..." Jing Tai Lan reluctantly grasped the edge of the table, his butt stuck far away.

  "Eating too much without digesting." Tai Shi Lan ordered her maid to carry him away.

  "No! No!" Jing Tai Blue suddenly shrieked, her legs frantically kicking the maid's belly, "Want to eat! Want to eat!"

  "It's gone, go recite the book." Tai Shi Lan signaled to the maid not to bother him and continued walking. Jing Tai Blue suddenly shouted, stretched out her hand to grab the maid's hair, grasped it tightly in her hand and pulled hard, "Don't——don't——" she roared loudly, shaking heaven and earth. The maid was grabbed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes.

  He had always been obedient, this was the first time he lost his temper, and once he did, it was almost hysterical, a rare frenzy. Tai Shi was stunned for a moment, suddenly realizing that he had made a mistake.

  She had always been teaching him to "accept", but never noticed that this kid would not tolerate refusal or deprivation of what he truly wanted.

  It's not surprising that he would have this problem, or rather, he should have this problem. However, when Tai Shi saw the little paws of Jing Tai Lan ruthlessly pulling the hair of the servant girls, his anger suddenly flared up.

  She took a deep breath and didn't lose her temper, went over to press down on the flailing paws of Jing Tai Lan, looked into his eyes, and said word by word: "Jing Tai Lan, listen to me, Xiang Chun is hard to come by, there's none around here, let her go, if you want to eat it, you'll have to wait until tomorrow."

  "No! No!" Jing Tai Lan didn't listen to what she said at all, kicking and scratching wildly, "Xiang Chuan! Xiang Chuan!"

  "Jing Tai Blue!" Ta Shi Lan coldly shouted, and went to pry open Jing Tai Blue's hand.

  The little madman had only one thought in his mind at this moment, "things were being robbed", whoever blocked him was his enemy, he immediately retreated flexibly to the back, still holding his small ceramic bowl in his hand, raised it and waved it to block.

  "Bang."

  A crisp cracking sound drowned out the shrill cries, and Jing Tai Blue clutched half a broken bowl, motionless.

  The maid's mouth was agape, her face deathly pale.

  Rong Chu suddenly flew over quickly, snatched the half-ceramic bowl from Jing Tai Lan's hand, and Jing Tai Lan was stunned, not knowing what to do.

  Tai Shi covered his forehead and remained still.

  "Let me see." Rong Chu's voice was slightly urgent as he reached out to pry open her hand.

  Tai Shi Lan wanted to dodge, but his dizziness and blurred vision couldn't withstand the force. As soon as he let go, a stream of fresh blood flowed slowly down from his forehead.

  A bright red bloodstain spread from the clean forehead, and a strand of black hair was soaked soft.

  Jing Tai's eyes widened as much as they could, and in the dark pupils, a blood color and infinite terror gradually spread.

  He seemed to want to rush forward, yet also seemed to want to avoid it, opening his hands in uncertainty of what to do. His body suddenly arched backward with great force, and with a loud crash, the back of his head struck the chin of the maid who was holding him. The maid cried out in pain, but he seemed to feel nothing at all.

  Tai Shi Lan opened his eyes wide and stared straight into Jing Tai Lan's eyes, seeing the child's enormous terror.

  She didn't want to scare Jing Tai Lan at first, but now she suddenly felt that it was good for him to face her bleeding directly.

  But she didn't intend to overcorrect, and instead let herself be beaten to death in order to deepen the impression - education also has its limits, and at any time should not plant seeds of fear in children.

  She was focused on the blue and white porcelain and didn't notice Rong Chu's gaze.

  Perhaps Rong Chu himself didn't even notice at this moment, but when he looked at the wound that wasn't particularly big, his eyes were actually anxious.

  "Someone's coming!" he said, "Quickly bring the medicine box..."

  His words were cut off by Tai Shiyan.

  She let go of his hand and faced the blue, the blue covered his eyes and desperately twisted his body backwards. Taishi Lan took him from the maid's hands.

  Jingtai blue fell into her arms, and her stiff body suddenly softened. She put down the hand covering her eyes, looked up at her wound in horror, and stretched out her small fat hand to try to block the bleeding wound.

  The wound was about to stop bleeding, but with this touch, it suddenly burst out fresh blood again. Rong Chu wanted to stop it, but Tai Shi Lan stopped him with his eyes.

  Jingtai Lan panicked and found that he couldn't stop the bleeding. Tears suddenly rolled down his face in streams.

  In an instant, the long and curled eyelashes were covered with misty water droplets, he started to sob, "......you're going to die......I'm going to kill you......"

  "Jingtai blue." Tai Shi Lan leaned his head on his small shoulders, "No, I won't die."

  "Really......?"

  "I won't die," said Taishi Ran. "But if the wound had gone down a bit, to the eyes, or up a bit, piercing the temple, perhaps I really would have died."

  Jingtai Lan shivered with a chill, her eyes filled with both relief and fear.

  "You remember," Tai Shi said slowly, "a person's life can be very strong and also very fragile. A consumptive ghost can live for decades with a cough, while a robust man may die from one punch. But in any case, life only happens once, so respect it."

  Jingtai Lan looked at her with a seemingly understanding yet confused expression, his voice hoarse as he said: "......They say I can kill..."

  "Was I wrong just now?"

  "There is no..."

  "So you think what you did was right?"

  "No..." The voice was as small as a mosquito's hum.

  "You made an innocent me bleed," said Taishi Ran. "Do you still hope for something like this to happen in the future?"

  "No...no..." Jing Tai Lan shook his head violently, making Ta Shi feel dizzy.

  A pair of hands gently supported her from behind, the fragrance of Chinese angelica and osmanthus was faintly discernible, it was Rong Chu.

  Tai Shi's body softened a bit, and he didn't even bother to struggle, leaning back against Rong Chu's chest.

  Yeah, the maiden's tone doesn't seem too strong, but leaning against his chest is quite comfortable. Tai Shi Lan blinked, thinking no wonder many women are infatuated with men's broad chests, the sense of containment and protection they provide can make even the strongest woman's heart sink instantly, as if she had found a haven.

  Rong Chu seemed to let out a soft sigh and pulled her in even tighter.

  "Jingtai blue." Tai Shi Lan hugged the child's small, soft body and whispered in his ear, "Tell me, you hate losing, don't you?"

  The blue porcelain vase suddenly shook violently.

  He lifted his eyelids, tears still wet, the terror in his eyes had just dissipated, and a darkness caused by the cruelty of the world's affairs rose up. That darkness came suddenly, shrouding his brightness, he was like being struck by an arrow of truth, overflowing with wounds.

  Tai Shi Lan pressed his fluffy head against himself, holding him close, his voice barely audible.

  "Has someone ever taken away something you loved...?"

  Jingtai Lan sat stiffly on her lap, dazed for a long time, and suddenly buried his head in her arms!

  He threw himself at her with such force, as if to crush himself into her breast, to scatter himself in her arms, or to shatter the heavy burden that his small heart had borne for so long.

  He almost felt a chill in his jaw the moment he sensed that Taishi was approaching.

  Those were tears splashing instantly.

  Chu's body moved slightly behind him, as if to block the blow, but in the end he stopped, only holding Tai Shi Lan more tightly.

  "...my dog..." Jing Tai Lan turned over in Taishi's arms, not wailing loudly, but each sob was the most mournful sound in the mountains, a sorrow that belonged to a child who couldn't save himself, "...she killed..."

  "......Little Treasure......play with me......she killed......"

  "...Cui Qiao...taught me to cultivate my body...she killed..."

  "...my toys...she burned them all..."

  Tai Shi's chest gradually became icy cold, and was soaked layer by layer with tears.

  The fabric that touches the skin, carries not tears, but a child who owns the world, with happiness that everyone thinks is inevitable and unparalleled, once the most desperate and lonely loss.

  He was the master of that palace, the master of the world, the master of all things. Yet this small master sat under the high and lofty藻井 of Jinghua Hall, his bare feet stuck to the icy cold golden bricks, listening repeatedly to those who belonged to him, loved him, and whom he had also loved, as they departed with mournful cries and sobs.

  From then on he hated losing and therefore did not dare love again.

  Because of his young and tender heart, he gradually came to know that when he loved, liked, and cared for something, a pair of icy hands and an icy voice would take away all the warmth, beauty, and loveliness, letting the golden dragon chair's icy armrest tell him what it means to be lonely.

  Jingtai blue was stuck to Taishi Lan's chest, the faint smell of blood reminded him of those nights when he stepped on golden bricks with bare feet, such nights seemed endless and infinite, at the end of a nightmare.

  His tears flowed silently and endlessly, as if they would never stop. He wasn't quite sure why he was crying, but he just felt a deep sadness.

  Tai Shi's chest was icy cold, the child's face stuck to her cheek was also icy cold, and Rong Chu's fingers supporting her shoulder from behind were equally chilly.

  The jade steps are like snow and moonlight is cold, in the heavy curtains, the three people embracing each other, seem to be a statue that does not want to leave each other.

  Rong Chu let out a soft sigh and murmured, "How did I suddenly feel that this scene belongs to me..."

  And there's one more thing I didn't say, "Like many years later, a family of three..."

  Because he knows it's absurd, so he doesn't say anything.

  Tai Shi Lan didn't understand what he meant either, she focused on Jing Tai Lan, watching him cry to the point of convulsions, his small body shaking violently. He turned his head and looked at Rong Chu, who brushed his sleeve and pressed his sleep acupoint.

  Venting excessively can also harm oneself, this is just right.

  She picked up the sleeping Jing Tai Lan, slowly wiping away his tear stains. Ta Shi Lan remained silent, lost in thought as he wiped, completely forgetting that his own head was still bleeding until Rong Chu couldn't help but say: "Can I bandage you now?"

  Tai Shi didn't even turn his head, and with a swift motion, he took out a white cloth from the hand of the maid beside him and wiped it clean. There was some golden ointment on the tray, he lifted his head, poured some powder into his palm, ready to apply it to the wound.

  Rong Chu suddenly slapped her hand away, one hand holding the ointment and the other pressing against her neck. "Let go, aren't you afraid of leaving a scar?"

  "Let go, don't pinch my neck!" Tai Shi Lan hated it when others pinched her neck, making her feel like a cat being strangled, and the next moment Master Rong might pick her up and swing her around.

  Rong Chu's fingers touched her earlobe again, and she shuddered all over, almost immediately, her ears turned red.

  Rong Chu's attention was not on her sensitive areas at this time, and she didn't care about Tai Shi Lan's resistance. She brushed aside her disheveled hair that was stained with blood, her tone not very polite, but her movements were extremely meticulous. Her hair was stuck together with blood, some of it close to the wound, so she used her fingernails to carefully tease out the tangles, afraid of pulling on the hair and disturbing the injury.

  The wound is in a good location, just below the eye and above the temple. I'm afraid it's inevitable that there will be scarring, but it can be covered with hair. Yan Chu rushed to get the golden ointment and treated herself, also because she wanted to treat the wound as flat and closed as possible, so that the scar would not be obvious in the future.

  If you scatter and tie up like Tai Shiyan, it's likely that you'll end up as a red earthworm.

  I've never seen a woman like her who doesn't care about her appearance!

  Is she taking herself lightly or her future lightly?

  Rong Chu's emotions were not calm, but her movements remained gentle. The two of them leaned in extremely close, both subconsciously holding their breath. However, no matter how hard they tried to hold it in, the fragrance that was always present on Rong Chu, like a delicate orchid, still wafted into Tai Shi Lan's nostrils. Tai Shi Lan opened his eyes and saw Rong Chu's face right before him, so close that he couldn't find any pores or imperfections, only the fine glow of her skin, like jade or moonlight, like the most exquisite silk in the world.

  His slightly drooping eyelashes brushed out a faint arc, like the most serene island in the world, floating at the end of the misty clouds.

  Tai Shi Lan closed her eyes.

  Beautiful appearance deceives people, but it's just a skull.

  So ugly, so ugly.

  He glanced at her lightly with a hint of disdain - huh, he thought he looked the most handsome from that angle just now, but this zombie girl couldn't take it?

  "Alright." He gently pressed the wound with his fingers, wiped his hand clean on a handkerchief handed over by the maid beside him, and lowered his head to see Tai Shi Lan's face raised up, with pale pink thin lips right in front of him.

  His hand suddenly stopped.

  He had always known that her lips were beautifully shaped, thin and enticing, but from this angle, under the soft light, the subtle pout of a line, with clear contours, between softness and brightness, the curve of her lips, and that layer of smooth pale pink color, suddenly made his heart skip a beat.

  His heart sank, his consciousness was also sinking, almost without hesitation, he suddenly, quickly lowered his head.

  Digression

  Let's talk about something that makes everyone happy. Last year, during the break after finishing writing "Qian Jin", I was tired of revising and decided to write some other things. The most I wrote were monthly vote tickets, all sorts of them - crying for votes, rolling on the ground for votes, artistic votes, robbing votes, green tea votes, female Han paper votes, singing for votes, shouting for votes, inflatable doll running naked for votes... I was so happy and excited that I couldn't help myself, and stored a big pile of them. I plan to use them in the future, one by one, every month, changing styles every day, wanting to show off my style, level, and new era standards. I won't stop until I've used up all my tricks on the first day...

  As a result, Xiangxiang revised it...revised and revised again...

  That whole pile of white is gone... all gone...

  There are still hairy tickets at the beginning of the month!

  Still need to buy tickets at the beginning of the month!

  At the beginning of the month, having to buy a ticket is like asking readers to pay extra money!

  At the beginning of the month, just squat down and write well, you!

  Cry blind...

  (Said with a straight face after selling cuteness: Do you know about the revised version? Don't be under pressure. By the way, thanks to those awesome people who bought tickets at the beginning of the month, my titanium alloy nearsighted eyes are shining brightly...)