Chapter 16

Everything around them was pitch-black. Only the distant mourning hall blazed with light, its wavering candles illuminating the eerily ghostly white silk. The man keeping vigil nodded off, utterly exhausted.

The night was chilly. Meng Zhou unconsciously tightened his arms around Chu Huaiyin's neck and rested his head on his shoulder, getting a little dew on his chin.

Wrapped in Chu Huaiyin's cloak, he had been carried on his back to the Liu residence's garden. Below them lay a still pond without a ripple, a dark mass in the night, like a black hole that swallowed everything.

A lantern was pressed into his hand. Chu Huaiyin blew on a fire starter, lit the lantern, then tossed the fire starter into the lake.

Propelled by internal energy, the fire starter sliced through the mirrorlike surface like a sharp, enormous blade, a white gleam even appearing where the edges met. Then, like a heavy stone falling into water, it struck the lakebed with a thud, disturbing the creatures sleeping there.

Meng Zhou was utterly bewildered by Chu Huaiyin's series of actions, but the next moment, the sight before him left him speechless.

In an instant, dozens of blood-red holes rose from the surface of the lake and slowly converged on the rock where they stood.

Those things shone with a terrifying red light, their lingering reflections printed on the water like the lantern in Meng Zhou's hand. They were eyes!

It was easy to imagine how enormous the bodies beneath the water must be.

"Crocodiles," Meng Zhou murmured. He had almost become food for these beasts, his flesh and bones torn apart until only a pool of bloody water remained, slowly dispersing in the morning until it was too faint to see.

Feeling the five fingers on his shoulder tighten around his clothes, Chu Huaiyin pretended to loosen the hand supporting Meng Zhou.

The rock had room for only one person to stand. Meng Zhou hastily locked all four limbs around Chu Huaiyin, wishing he could put even his teeth to use. In the end, he did not dare bite Chu Huaiyin so disrespectfully and ground his teeth instead.

"I want you to swear here that you will never put yourself in danger without permission again in this lifetime."

"Or else?" Meng Zhou looked around. He had never imagined that one day he would be forced to swear an oath before crocodiles as though they were gods.

"There is no 'or else,'" Chu Huaiyin said coolly.

"Or else you'll throw me down right now," Meng Zhou instructed him, heedless of death.

Ungrateful little wretch! Chu Huaiyin was so furious that he nearly granted his wish, only to hear Meng Zhou's soft, earnest voice.

"I, Meng Zhou, swear that from this day forward, I will never put myself in danger without Chu Huaiyin's permission."

Even the coldest, most unfeeling person could sense genuine warmth from others, much less Meng Zhou, a man of flesh and blood.

Across two lifetimes, this was the first time Meng Zhou had felt cared for and cherished. He had once experienced Jiang Yao's familial affection through this identity, but that had been so long ago, so distant and insubstantial that he could not grasp it. Chu Huaiyin was also rather different from Jiang Yao, though Meng Zhou could not say exactly how. Perhaps this was the... great friendship that countless people yearned for?

Where Chu Huaiyin could not see, he secretly wiped the corners of his eyes, brushing away the tears chilled by the wind and leaving behind a heart warmed by sincerity.

"You're getting bolder and bolder. You even dare address me by name." The wind scattered Chu Huaiyin's voice into the night, making it difficult to hear, but he sounded pleased on the whole.

He could tell that Meng Zhou was different this time, rather than merely agreeing on the surface and forgetting everything the moment he turned away.

"What, still not convinced?" Chu Huaiyin turned his head to tease him.

"I am!" Meng Zhou felt terribly wronged. I've never been this sincere with you before, all right?

"Then why are you grinding your teeth..." His attention had been entirely on Meng Zhou before. Now that he had received the promise he wanted, Chu Huaiyin abruptly realized something was wrong. He immediately leaped into the air and said in a low voice, "Hold tight."

An adult crocodile lunged up like a starving wolf pouncing on prey, instantly taking the spot where they had stood. A fierce gust from its claws struck their faces, carrying a thick, fishy stench and a spray of water.

One second later, and Meng Zhou, whose back had been turned to it, might have had half his back torn off.

Chu Huaiyin dropped swiftly, using the force of his descent to sweep a kick into the crocodile and send it back into the lake. The three-meter-long crocodile fell from the rock and struck the surface with an earth-shattering smack, throwing up a splash twice a person's height, as though a filthy downpour had fallen.

Meng Zhou immediately threw away the lantern. Its wick soaked in the water, and its light gradually died. Their surroundings darkened, and without a light source, the crocodiles floundered blindly before sinking beneath the water one by one.

"Who's over there?"

The commotion alerted the night patrol, who watched from a distance without daring to approach.

"What else could it be? Some foolish waterbird must have landed on that monster's head and become its dinner."

"It's so late, brothers. Let's not go over. I certainly don't dare."

"The young master hasn't fed them for days. Any living thing that gets close gets torn apart and fought over until there isn't a scrap left."

"Come on, let's look elsewhere."

Chu Huaiyin carried Meng Zhou back to shore and untied his splashed cloak.

Still shaken, Meng Zhou listened carefully to the sounds in the water and asked, "Aren't you afraid they'll crawl up here?"

"A ring of medicinal powder has been scattered along the bank. They're extremely averse to it and won't come up."

Logically, for Chu Huaiyin to bring Meng Zhou somewhere so dangerous, he must have made foolproof preparations beforehand. How could a crocodile have lunged at them? Unless... Chu Huaiyin shook his head with a laugh. How could that be?

This powder worked every time, except around someone pregnant. The aura a pregnant person unwittingly released would weaken its effects, but he and Meng Zhou were both men, so naturally that could not be the reason.

Reassuring himself, Chu Huaiyin said, "I carry some on me too. That one was probably too hungry to care."

Seeing that Meng Zhou was still dazed, Chu Huaiyin smiled. "Want revenge? I can wipe away this powder. Tomorrow they'll come out of the water and crawl everywhere. With all that greasy fat on Liu Hongbao, he'll certainly be very popular."

Meng Zhou pictured the scene and shook his head.

Satisfying, but too brutal. There were innocent people in the residence too.

Chu Huaiyin pinched his cheek. "Then why are you standing there? Waiting for me to carry you back?"

You want to use me as a mount? Not a chance.

Meng Zhou gave an enormous yawn.

"Fine. A little give-and-take." Chu Huaiyin crouched in front of him.

Meng Zhou readily settled onto his back. It really was more comfortable here. He could venture anywhere alone, braving dragons' pools and tigers' dens, so why was he so lazy beside Chu Huaiyin tonight that he acted as if his legs were broken?

He must have contracted some selectively triggered laziness.

"Is that how you use 'give-and-take'?"

"Mind your own business."

"You should say, 'If you're seeing the Buddha off, see him all the way west.'" Sprawled on the future emperor's back, Meng Zhou offered grand advice with his half-baked knowledge.

"Say 'Buddha' one more time. I dare you."

"I won't, I won't." How had he forgotten about that? Meng Zhou closed his eyes with a smile, resting his head sideways on Chu Huaiyin's shoulder, and gradually drifted into dreams amid his slow, steady steps.

Chu Huaiyin laid the sleeping Meng Zhou on his own bed. The dampness in the room made him frown.

He's lived somewhere like this for over a decade?

The moment Chu Huaiyin let go, Meng Zhou instinctively wriggled, pulled the quilt over his head, and curled up against the wall.

A few strands of black hair peeked out from under the quilt. Chu Huaiyin pinched them and rubbed them between his fingers. They felt soft, far more docile than their owner. Who knew what this kitten thought about all day? He wanted to shave off all his fur over some stupid business. Once he was bald, there would be nothing to tug.

The next morning, the enticing aroma of food woke Meng Zhou. He twitched his nose, followed the scent to the door, and opened it to find Ji Yang outside with a food box.

Before Ji Yang had silently counted to ten, the door creaked open. He carried the food box inside with easy familiarity, set it on the table, and took out a bowl of... water?

"This is for rinsing your mouth." Rinsing with it complemented the flavor of the fish.

"This is sliced fish congee."

A fresh, piping-hot bowl of fish congee was placed before him. The blue-and-white porcelain bowl held milky broth, its soft, sticky grains of rice surrounding tender, silky fish, whetting his appetite.

Before he could react, a spoon appeared in his hand.

This was the first time since arriving here that Meng Zhou had been waited on so attentively. Normally, he would be washing up now before going to the bun shop to buy two steamed buns.

The high life.

Meng Zhou felt a little envious of Chu Huaiyin.

With the first mouthful of congee in his stomach, Meng Zhou's muddled brain began working. He remembered Chu Huaiyin hauling him out of bed halfway through the night to look at crocodiles and forcing him to swear an oath.

And now he was being so thoughtful first thing in the morning.

Scare me, then give me a fish?

Is he playing with a cat?

Meng Zhou grumbled inwardly as he wolfed down his food.

Ji Yang explained from beside him, "My master sent me over this first time. Another hidden guard will take over after this. I'll have him come in shortly so you can recognize him, Lord Meng. Whatever you want to eat, whenever you want to eat, just tell him."

"Is Prince Huai this generous to all his trusted aides?"

Ji Yang shook his head instinctively. How could he be? Look at him, the foremost trusted aide, sent off to deliver breakfast first thing in the morning.

Remembering that the person asking was Meng Zhou, and that this might amount to sullying Prince Huai's reputation, Ji Yang quickly gave two emphatic nods.

He practically nodded his head off.

"He treats us extremely well." There was just a little preferential treatment.

Author's note: Kitten Meng: Great friendship, just like Marx and Engels.