Xue Shengjing froze for a moment. He had heard correctly: this little eunuch wanted to cling to his thigh, to claim him as an elder brother. A man of my standing, swearing brotherhood with a little eunuch from Great Kang? If word got out, wouldn't everyone under heaven laugh their teeth off?
Hu Xiaotian said, "Your Highness, just pretend I never said anything. I know someone of my station could never aspire to a connection with you. Rest assured, I won't bear you any resentment over this. I'll still devote myself heart and soul to treating you, giving it everything I have. Of course, I hope you'll be considerate of me too. Should the results fall short of your expectations, please be forgiving."
Gooseflesh rose all over Xue Shengjing. Damn it, what's that supposed to mean? Isn't he threatening me? What does he mean, 'fall short of your expectations'? I can't afford the slightest risk to my manhood! Boy, don't you dare play games with me! Then he reconsidered. All he wants is a powerful thigh to cling to. Let him cling, then. Mine is thick enough that he might not even be able to get his arms around it. So what if we're brothers? I don't even care about my real brothers, let alone a brother in name. With that thought, Xue Shengjing broke into a beaming smile. "Brother Hu, you've read my mind. What do you mean, you could never aspire to a connection with me? Since you're willing to acknowledge me as your elder brother, I'll gladly accept you as my younger brother."
Hu Xiaotian sneered inwardly. You'll accept me as your little brother? If circumstances hadn't forced my hand, I'd never swear brotherhood with a hypocrite like you. His face, however, radiated excitement as he reached