Page 37

"My hand has grown a Mushroom." Shi Changyuan looked at the groggy Lin Ling, smiling as he spoke and reaching out to give him a pinch.

Shi Changyuan held up Lin Ling's chin, and Lin Ling unconsciously rubbed against his hand. After waking up, it took him a while to react before his ears and entire face turned red in an instant.

Unable to bear the disturbance any longer, Lin Ling simply took the initiative to start a conversation, trying to chat himself awake.

"Oh, right, I never got the chance to ask you. When I came down the mountain, why were you still there?" Lin Ling looked at Shi Changyuan in confusion.

"I seemed to decide to come down the mountain on a whim. Don't tell me you saw it coming?"

At that, Shi Changyuan lowered his eyes. He seemed unwilling to answer and vaguely said, "Mm, I just happened not to have left."

Mushroom was far too sleepy to notice. Otherwise, he definitely would have sensed that something was off about Shi Changyuan's mood.

"Okay." Lin Ling's eyelids drooped, and his mind could no longer function properly. He could only follow Shi Changyuan's words. "Then that was really lucky. If you hadn't stayed, I would've had to walk—walk for ten days and ten nights before getting back to the Capital City."

"By then, I definitely would've been a travel-worn... dusty... Mushroom."

Seeing Lin Ling's voice grow softer and softer, Shi Changyuan lowered his own voice as well. "I wouldn't mind."

"I'd like even a pitch-black Mushroom."

Only after Lin Ling's breathing gradually steadied did Shi Changyuan dare to voice the question that had been hanging over his heart all along—

"So, will Mushroom leave again?"

Lin Ling could run down the mountain by himself, spend ten days and ten nights running back to the Capital City. Then he could also run out of the Capital City by himself and spend ten days and ten nights running back to some deep mountain.

He could even have his spirit-bird friends carry him across the world, where no one could find him or catch him.

...How was he supposed to keep him here?

Shi Changyuan worked through the piled-up memorials until deep into the night, though it was mostly for appearances' sake. The whole of Great Li was under his close watch; any truly urgent matter would reach him first, and he would handle it at once.

"Ling Ling, it's time to go back and rest."

Shi Changyuan reached out to pick Lin Ling up, but Lin Ling woke at once and staggered forward on his own.

Seeing Lin Ling sway as he walked, Shi Changyuan considered taking his hand. But Lin Ling paused at every intersection, as though thinking—or sleepwalking. Shi Changyuan suddenly wanted to let Mushroom wander on his own and see where he would end up.

Shi Changyuan took the lantern from Shunde and walked half a step behind and to Lin Ling's side, lighting the way for him.

Mushroom's memory was still rather good. Even though he had been away from the palace for nearly ten days, he still knew every road here well. He could return to Li'an Hall even with his eyes half closed.

Lin Ling stepped through the gates of Li'an Hall and headed straight inside, passing around the covered corridor and arriving at his side hall.

Shi Changyuan stopped, but Lin Ling did not. He walked right past him, unconsciously heading toward Shi Changyuan's bedchamber.

He watched Lin Ling climb onto his bed with practiced ease, roll himself into a bundle in the quilt, and smile helplessly. "Do you really think this is your home?"

Lin Ling could not offer any response. The moment his head touched the pillow, he fell completely asleep.

Shi Changyuan looked at the person before him, then lay down beside him and held the treasure he had recovered.

This time, with a single turn, Lin Ling landed precisely in Shi Changyuan's arms.

II

Perhaps Lin Ling had truly slept enough during hibernation, or perhaps sleeping in Shi Changyuan's arms was simply too comfortable. For once, Lin Ling opened his eyes before Shi Changyuan did.

From the faint candlelight in the room, Lin Ling could guess that Shi Changyuan had only recently lain down, and that morning court would begin again before long.

By the dim light, he wanted to turn his head and look at Shi Changyuan. But the moment he moved, Shi Changyuan woke up, and their eyes met.

"Did I wake you?"

Shi Changyuan sat up and asked the palace servants keeping watch outside.

Lin Ling shook his head and sat up as well. Seeing that Shunde had already lit a large lamp outside, he realized something. "Are you getting ready for court?"

"Mm."

Shi Changyuan got up and draped an outer robe over himself. He turned back to look at Lin Ling, who was still slowly putting on his shoes by the bed. "Ling Ling, you're not going back to sleep?"

"I think I've rested enough." Lin Ling's eyes curved as he said with curiosity, "I don't think I've ever gotten up with you before."

Shi Changyuan laughed at that. "Oh? Then when Lin Ling was learning to read before, weren't you getting up with me?"

Lin Ling froze. Realizing he had given himself away, he turned and tried to burrow back into the quilt, only for Shi Changyuan to seize his ankle and drag him back.

"Since you're already up, get dressed." Shi Changyuan chuckled as he peeled Mushroom out of the blankets and picked up the clothes that had long been prepared nearby.

Lin Ling had always dressed himself before, often battling those ties for a long time. This was the first time someone else had helped him, and he was somewhat unaccustomed to it.

Yet, behind the dimly lit screen, Shi Changyuan wore only an outer robe, his long black hair cascading down his back as he lowered his head to tie Lin Ling's sash. For some reason, Lin Ling found him... far too good-looking.

Gulp.

Mushroom swallowed.

He felt like the scholar from storybooks who had been seduced by a fox spirit. Yet he was clearly the spirit, while the other person was human.

"Done." Shi Changyuan quickly dressed up his Mushroom, then had Shunde bring in the clothes for court.

With his head lowered, Shunde hesitated for only a moment before setting down the tray holding the clothes and withdrawing.

Lin Ling noticed Shunde leaving and was just about to ask why when he heard Shi Changyuan say behind him, "Give me a hand, Little Mushroom."

Humans valued returning favors, and Mushroom understood that well. So when Shi Changyuan asked him for help, Mushroom did not refuse.

Lin Ling's ten fingers were not as nimble as a human's. Humans had used theirs from birth, after all, while Lin Ling had only been using his for a year. He tugged Shi Changyuan's sash, circled Shi Changyuan's waist twice, returned to the front, and tied a knot.