Chapter 9

Shi Changyuan's voice carried a smile, yet it made Lin Ling shiver for no reason. He blinked and looked over with an utterly innocent expression.

What should I do? He looks angry...

That look was so frank and easy to read that it seemed to be directly asking Shi Changyuan himself.

Shi Changyuan remained silent, and so did Lin Ling. After the two held their ground for a while, Shi Changyuan was ultimately the one who sighed.

He reached out and grabbed the back of Lin Ling's neck, like catching a cat from his own home stealing food. "Swallow it first."

It was bad enough that he could not bear to scold the cat; he even had to worry about it choking on its food.

Lin Ling chewed, chewed, chewed with his left cheek, then, tired of that, switched to his right cheek and continued chewing. The palace attendants and eunuchs following Shi Changyuan all stood around watching Mushroom eat, making him the center of attention.

Mushroom had never been watched by so many people before. He was so nervous that he chewed faster and more urgently.

Shi Changyuan immediately pinched Lin Ling's cheek, utterly helpless. "Be careful not to bite yourself."

The moment Lin Ling swallowed the food in his mouth, he looked at Shi Changyuan with sparkling eyes. "You're done with court?"

"Mm." Shi Changyuan's thumb unconsciously brushed lightly over Lin Ling's cheek.

Caressing and pinching felt different. Mushroom spirits had skin that was white and tender; a light pinch would leave marks, as though one were truly squeezing a fresh young mushroom. With even a little force, it would be squeezed until its juices ran out.

But such a gentle caress gave him an even more vivid sense of real skin.

Lin Ling shrank his neck and laughed. "That tickles." He turned his head, trying to dodge, and Shi Changyuan withdrew his hand.

"I worked hard at court, while you've been having quite the time."

Lin Ling guiltily averted his gaze.

He knew that Shi Changyuan went to court at five in the morning and could not eat a proper meal until nearly noon. He had to receive countless ministers in between and could only eat a few pastries.

"Not at all, I've been working hard too!" The not-very-clever Mushroom wracked his brains for an excuse, his eyes rolling round and round.

"I'm your shadow guard, right? A shadow guard's duty is to protect your safety!"

Lin Ling spoke with conviction. "I was testing for poison for you!"

A poisonous mushroom testing for poison—only he could come up with that.

Shi Changyuan smiled. "Oh? Then did you test anything out?"

"I did!"

Lin Ling was brimming with confidence. Counting on his fingers, he listed them as though they were treasures. "The osmanthus cake was so sweet, the jujube cake was a little sour, and the imperial chef

Uncle

newly developed egg yolk thousand-layer cake had a complicated preparation process, but it was really delicious!!!"

Shi Changyuan wore an expression that said it was exactly as he had expected. "Glutton."

Seeing Lin Ling's unconvinced face, Shi Changyuan suddenly asked, "What did you eat before this?"

"Mushrooms don't need to eat."

Whenever it involved his identity as a mushroom, Lin Ling became extremely cautious. He leaned close to the emperor's ear and shared a little secret known only to the two of them.

"We can grow in dark, damp places."

This behavior was far too intimate. Shi Changyuan raised his eyes slightly and swept his gaze around. Every palace attendant nearby stared at their noses and hearts, not daring to show the slightest objection.

Shi Changyuan understood at once. "Was this your first time eating?"

Lin Ling hurriedly nodded, looking at Shi Changyuan with even more innocent eyes. His face practically spelled out the words "impossible to resist."

Shi Changyuan let out a soft, amused sigh. "How pitiful."

"But these are all unfinished dishes, hardly the best."

Looking at the youth before him, so delighted he had forgotten everything else, Shi Changyuan reached out and gently kneaded the back of Lin Ling's neck. In a soft, tempting voice, he asked, "Would you like to try Imperial Cuisine?"

"...Imperial Cuisine?"

Lin Ling's eyes lit up. Though he could not tell from the name what kind of delicious food Imperial Cuisine was, he was willing to believe in the pinnacle of humanity's culinary achievements!!

"Yes, yes! I'll go try it!"

Lin Ling nodded repeatedly, then turned and headed straight for the kitchen, only to be caught by the collar by the already-prepared Shi Changyuan.

"Imperial Cuisine isn't a type of pastry." Shi Changyuan was unusually patient.

"It's a general term for the food eaten by the emperor. Even if you ask them, they would not dare casually give it to you."

Shi Changyuan bent down close to Lin Ling. Their eyes met as he slowly enunciated every word. "You can't eat it."

Upon hearing the three words "can't eat it," Lin Ling felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

"All right." Shi Changyuan straightened, his tone light as if nothing had happened. "Since you've been having so much fun here, there's no need to dwell on it."

"I've just left court and haven't had a drop of water. I won't keep you company."

With that, Shi Changyuan turned and left, the line of palace attendants behind him departing in a rustle as well.

"Oh!"

Shunde followed behind Shi Changyuan, deliberately lagging two steps behind. As he passed Lin Ling, he quietly reminded him in a tone of frustrated disappointment, "Young Master Lin, think about it. Whoever gets to eat it, ask him!"

In a flash of insight, Lin Ling understood. He turned and ran after Shi Changyuan.

"Your Majesty, wait for me! Your Majesty!"

The youth behind him called out "Your Majesty" again and again, his eyes shining with an unprecedented sincerity and devotion. It was as though only now did he understand what the emperor before him meant in this world—

The corners of Shi Changyuan's lips curled up as he deliberately slowed his pace.

After only a few steps, Lin Ling was already a little out of breath. He stayed by Shi Changyuan's side, his gaze blazing as he edged closer and rubbed against him, asking in a clingy whisper,

"Does Your Majesty need someone to dine with you?"

"Look at me, look at me!"

With Shi Changyuan's help, Lin Ling got to eat the legendary Imperial Cuisine and was overjoyed. The only downside was that he seemed to have eaten a little too much.

Lin Ling did not dare make a sound. He merely told Shi Changyuan that he wanted to go for a walk.

Shi Changyuan looked at the Mushroom who had no sense of restraint at all, smiled, and did not expose Lin Ling, who would likely become embarrassed and angry. He only said, "Don't run around."