Chapter 8

Lin Ling also watched Shi Changyuan's movements, his calm eyes making it seem as though Shi Changyuan were merely wiping away ordinary water stains.

"Done."

After cleaning his hands, Shi Changyuan said to Lin Ling, "Give it to me."

Lin Ling placed the flowerpot in Shi Changyuan's palm, blinked, and suddenly said, "I'm not scared."

Shi Changyuan raised an eyebrow at that, somewhat surprised that the not-too-bright Mushroom had belatedly figured out his earlier question.

"Why would I be scared?" The young man's eyes shone brightly.

"You didn't scold me."

Chapter 8

Shi Changyuan burst out laughing, the coldness in his eyes fading away.

"Mm. I didn't scold you."

Having received Shi Changyuan's confirmation once more, Mushroom immediately lifted his little face, clasped his hands behind his back, puffed out his chest, and looked proud. "Of course I knew that. I'm not stupid."

"They got scolded because they must have done something bad." Lin Ling spoke as though it were only natural. "Mushroom wouldn't do bad things."

As Lin Ling spoke, he returned to the Imperial Study with Shi Changyuan.

Watching the Emperor carry the flowerpot himself without letting anyone else touch it, then looking at the chattering young man beside him, Shunde silently slowed his pace to give the two of them a little

space.

For the entire day, Lin Ling talked nonstop beside Shi Changyuan's desk.

At first, he meticulously explained how to raise a mushroom and what precautions to take. Later, he simply talked about strange things he had seen or little trivial matters.

Shi Changyuan listened carefully to every word, occasionally giving a brief reply, until Mushroom tired himself out and fell asleep.

The Imperial Study, which had never before heard loud conversation, was now unusually lively, almost filled with laughter.

The palace servants attending nearby unconsciously relaxed the nerves that had been tense for so long.

The wind of approaching autumn brushed past the window lattice. Looking at the young man asleep beside his desk, Shi Changyuan beckoned for Shunde to bring a cloak.

"Your Majesty, Young Master Lin is lying here..."

Shunde had intended to cover Young Master Lin with the cloak, but Shi Changyuan took it from him first. He could only stand there at a loss.

"Let him sleep here."

Shi Changyuan glanced at Lin Ling, who was sprawled at his left hand, then picked up his memorials again.

When Lin Ling woke again, he was lying on a chaise lounge in the side hall, a wrinkled cloak bundled around him.

It was already the fifth watch outside. Shi Changyuan had gone to court early, while three palace servants had been left in the side hall to attend him.

"Young Master Lin is awake?"

One of the young eunuchs stepped forward and asked quietly, "Would you like to eat?"

Little Mushroom sat up groggily, staring blankly at the surroundings and the palace servants as his mind slowly started up—then he was utterly startled.

"You, I—"

Mushroom stammered incoherently, not knowing what to say.

This was the first time he had fallen asleep in front of humans.

Previously, no matter how late Lin Ling stayed in the Imperial Study, when Shi Changyuan extinguished the lamps and went to rest, Lin Ling would leap onto a beam, pretend to be a secret guard, and return to his own hidden corner.

Of course, that was only an illusion for the other humans. The instant he leaped onto the beam, he returned to his mushroom form to rest.

And naturally, Mushroom had never been in the habit of being woken up. He always slept until he woke on his own, then found another opportunity to appear before Shi Changyuan.

Thus, Mushroom had thought his secret guard act was perfect, absolutely flawless.

But now it was all over—

Mushroom pulled the cloak over his head and chose to quietly play dead.

But this young eunuch clearly did not have Shunde's tact. In the darkness, he could not see Lin Ling's expression, and when he received no reply, he hesitated before asking again.

"Young Master Lin, would... would you like to eat?"

The chaise lounge remained silent for several seconds, before a muffled thud suddenly erupted, as if something heavy had hit the ground.

Lin Ling sprang off the lounge and rushed in front of the young eunuch. "You mean eating?"

Lin Ling's eyes shone startlingly brightly in the darkness, filled with excitement and surprise.

He had never eaten human food before!!!

The young eunuch seemed startled by Lin Ling as well and stammered even worse. "Y-yes..."

"Okay! Let's go!"

With a very clear goal in mind, Lin Ling grabbed a small lantern and dashed out the door into the dim early dawn.

The young eunuch was somewhat bewildered. He had just been about to summon the meal when he saw Young Master Lin head straight for the kitchen. He could only tremble as he followed behind.

It was five in the morning, and the Imperial Kitchen was already bustling. After all, the Emperor's breakfast was at nine, and before then they had to prepare exquisitely delicious dishes with elaborate

preparation.

So after court, Shi Changyuan hurried back to the Imperial Study and found no one there.

After asking the palace servants, he rubbed the space between his brows and, for the first time, condescended to set foot in the kitchen.

The moment he entered the Imperial Kitchen's courtyard, he heard laughter and cheerful chatter inside. Kitchen maids kept laughingly saying things like, "Eat more slowly," and, "Be careful not to choke."

The person he had come to catch was thriving inside, calling every woman auntie and sweet-talking everyone in the Imperial Kitchen into a daze. They each gave him a little something to taste.

But Shunde's shout upon entering the courtyard instantly shattered the scene. Everyone immediately dropped to their knees in alarm and uncertainty.

Their swift bows made Lin Ling, who was a beat too slow, especially conspicuous. Standing there stiffly like a crane among chickens, he was spotted by Shi Changyuan at once.

Shi Changyuan looked at Lin Ling's puffed cheeks. He was standing there with a pastry clearly just stuffed into his mouth, not yet having had time to chew.

In a rather good mood, he waved his hand and dismissed everyone else from the kitchen, leaving only the furtive, exceedingly suspicious Mushroom before him.

"Why did you stop eating?"