…He almost wanted to grit his teeth and utter a refusal, but seeing Ji Ziran obediently flashing a sweet smile while his unseeing, wide eyes gazed precisely toward him though his focus wandered slightly Ji Ziyu frowned. “Hurry up.”
That familiar sensation was welling up once more, bringing a faint, melancholic ache to his heart… an inexplicable emotion he could not quite accurately define.
Was it a soft heart, or a pang of aching tenderness?
Having thoroughly explored to his heart’s content, Ji Ziran even leaned in to sniff his neck before giving himself a sniff. “Xiaoyu, how come you don’t have a milky fragrance on you?”
Tugging Ji Ziran aside and seating him next to the little dragon, Ji Ziyu straightened his garments, looked at the irresistibly tender-looking Ji Ziran, and kept a silent, internal retort bottled up: A milky fragrance? That’s something that only suits someone like you!
After a brief moment of lament, Ji Ziran instinctively felt around beside him and scooped up the little dragon. “Right, what are we going to do with him?”
The little dragon puffed out cheeks that were already thoroughly round. Having presumably gathered that Ji Ziran and Ji Ziyu were discussing him, he hurriedly wrapped himself tightly around Ji Ziran’s finger, his large eyes radiating an unmistakable message of I want to stay with Ranran. He even let out a continuous stream of squeaking “goo-qiu goo-qiu” noises
“Bring him along to King Yue’s place?” Ji Ziran frowned. “No matter how I think about it, that just doesn’t feel right!”
Chapter 036: The Baby White Dragon
Whimpering and whining, the little dragon stubbornly refused to be separated from Ji Ziran. As Ji Ziran petted him, he felt that despite being round and soft all over, the little creature’s body was actually rather pliable and squishy. Still, perhaps owing to his dragon lineage, he was already capable of flapping his tiny wings to flutter through the air a few times.
Ji Ziran sighed in admiration. “So cute…”
Sensing that Ji Ziran was praising him, the little dragon thrashed his tail with vigor, shaking his little bottom from side to side while rubbing his cheek continuously against Ji Ziran’s finger amidst an endless chorus of “goo-qiu goo-qiu.”
The notion Ji Ziran had briefly entertained that they needed to prioritize the bigger picture and leave the little dragon behind instantly collapsed!
The dragon was barely any larger than his fist. In the dead of winter, with his robes being both thick and oversized, concealing such a tiny creature was remarkably convenient.
Using his finger to rub the soft, downy tuft of curls atop the little fellow’s head, he coaxed, “You’ll be a good boy and listen, right?”
The little dragon nodded earnestly, leaning forward to plant a kiss on Ji Ziran’s finger. “Goo-qiu goo-qiu~”
Reaching out, Ji Ziyu grabbed the little dragon by its wings and pried it off Ji Ziran’s finger. “No.”
Eyes widening in protest, Ji Ziran lunged forward, intending to snatch the baby dragon right back.
Yet because he was blind, a sudden surge of momentum nearly sent him tumbling right off the bed. Casually tossing the little white dragon behind his back with one hand, Ji Ziyu caught Ji Ziran securely, his voice dropping into a frosty register: “Focus on taking care of yourself first.”
Before Ji Ziran could formulate a retort, two simultaneous sounds rang out.
“Goo-qiu goo-qiu!!”
“My, what is this?”
Carrying a stack of brand-new garments, Mia had not even stepped fully into the room when she was greeted by the chaotic commotion spilling through the propped-open doorway. While finding it mildly amusing, a pang of bittersweet affection tugged at her heart. Taking a few steps around the screen, her face was unceremoniously bonked by a soft, squishy object.
Reaching up to pluck the item off her nose, Mia brought it closer for inspection and blinked in bewilderment. The baby white dragon looked equally dizzy, blinking his big, sapphire-blue eyes with lingering apprehension.
“Yaaah~~~”
“Do they seriously still not remember that I haven’t even had dinner yet, and I’m already supposed to leave?” Ji Ziran unthinkingly pouted in profound dissatisfaction.
Ji Ziyu, on the other hand, appeared thoroughly satisfied with the current state of affairs
A room full of women, gathered around a palm-sized baby dragon, busy tailoring custom garments for it. Even Xueyi Wright had been coaxed into a buoyant mood; rising from the bed to recline on a lounge chair, she shared the beaming smiles of the surrounding retinue of maidservants.
The baby dragon exhibited not an ounce of stranger-anxiety, letting himself be coddled and dressed up by a bevy of pretty older sisters while wearing an expression of pure, unadulterated bliss.
Hand in hand with Ji Ziyu, Ji Ziran walked all the way to Yuexuan Palace accompanied by Huaide. Before parting, Ji Ziran clutched tightly onto Ji Ziyu’s hand, utterly reluctant to let go.
Perhaps having basked in warmth for too long, he had nearly forgotten the solitary desolation of his past life. Confronted with the prospect of plunging back into that isolated state, Ji Ziran felt an overwhelming surge of panic clutching at his chest.
Sighing inwardly, Ji Ziyu felt a trace of unfamiliar awkwardness as he reached out to pull Ji Ziran into a brief embrace. “Rest assured, I’ll come visit you.”
Pursing his lips, Ji Ziran pushed him away defensively. “I am not scared!”
Receiving no reply from Ji Ziyu, Ji Ziran awkwardly scratched his chubby cheek, then held up a tiny pinky finger to measure a minuscule segment: “Just… just a tiny bit, alright?”
A smile flickered in Ji Ziyu’s eyes. He genuinely found the occasional gestures Ji Ziran blurted out to be indescribably endearing.
Patting Ji Ziran’s head, Ji Ziyu cast a glance toward Huaide. That single look caused Huaide who had been standing off to the side reflecting on how deeply attached the seventeenth and eighteenth princes were to one another to jump violently. The moment his eyes met Ji Ziyu’s gaze, a chill shot straight from the crown of his head down to the soles of his feet!
Fleshing his face into a warm smile, Huaide assured Ji Ziyu, “King Yue genuinely adores the Eighteenth Prince and is simply bringing him over for a few days of companionship; the Seventeenth Prince needn’t worry. If you miss the Eighteenth Prince, you are welcome to come visit at any time.”
Naturally, this also reflected the Emperor’s underlying intent.
Silently wiping away cold sweat internally, Huaide muttered to himself: This Seventeenth Prince is truly terrifying! Having served the Emperor for so many years, Huaide considered himself well-acquainted with every conceivable scenario. Combined with a mercurial, unpredictable monarch, he had long believed himself immune to intimidation.
Yet a single glare from Ji Ziyu had nearly turned his legs to jelly. He shuddered to imagine just how terrifyingly intimidating the Seventeenth Prince would become once he grew to adulthood.
Just as Ji Ziran was wrestling with his reluctance to part with Ji Ziyu, King Yue having waited inside for a spell without seeing them arrive—personally stepped out to greet them.
Chapter 037: Little Temper (Part 1)
Hoisted up like a chubby little dumpling, Ji Ziran waved a hand toward Ji Ziyu, and the trace of melancholy clouding his features vanished in an instant. Rubbing his chin, Ji Ziran felt a lingering sense of puzzlement: King Yue is a man, so why is his form for holding a child so textbook-standard?
Ji Ziyu displayed zero intention of exchanging pleasantries with King Yue; casting a final glance at Ji Ziran, he turned around and walked back alone.
With a wry, helpless chuckle, King Yue remarked, “The Seventeenth Prince certainly seems to detest me.”
With deadpan earnestness, Ji Ziran declared, “No, he doesn’t.”
Xiaoyu simply lacked any surplus emotional bandwidth to waste on irrelevant strangers!
Ji Ziran’s expression was so transparent that King Yue couldn’t help sighing. “You don’t seem particularly fond of me either.”
Mentally nodding in agreement, Ji Ziran thought: Why on earth should I like you? I have my hands full just loving Xiaoyu, Mother, and Mia and the others!
Beaming amiably as though completely unbothered, King Yue carried Ji Ziran indoors. “What does little eighteenth fancy eating? I’ve had the servants prepare a wide array of delicacies; give them a taste, and let me know if any particular dish strikes your fancy.”
A sudden frown crossed Ji Ziran’s face as a thought struck him: I haven’t the slightest clue what a baby white dragon eats!
Meanwhile, standing behind them, Huaide mopped his brow, hastily instructing the servants to bring the items inside before excusing himself to report back to duty and attend to Ji Aotian’s evening meal.
To King Yue’s inquiries, Ji Ziran offered lukewarm responses, his little nose twitching as he diligently sniffed the ambient aromas.
Amused, King Yue pinched his nose gently. “Don’t worry, I’ll be staying right here these next few days to help you get familiar with your surroundings.”
Pondering the time it had taken them to walk here from the front courtyard, Ji Ziran tilted his head to think for a moment, then earnestly informed King Yue: “I don’t think a few days will be nearly enough.”
King Yue blinked in surprise, then conceded with a smile, “Very well, I’ll accompany you for as long as it takes.”
“You shouldn’t just go making promises you can’t keep, you know!” Ji Ziran reminded him. “Besides, once spring arrives, Xiaoyu and I will be heading off to academy together.”
The prospect evidently brought immense joy to Ji Ziran, as the corners of his lips curved upward into an irrepressible smile every time the subject arose.
The spread prepared by King Yue was indeed extravagant, arranged with meticulous thoughtfulness. Every dish served to Ji Ziran came in individual miniature portions, each pierced with a toothpick so he could easily pick out whatever caught his fancy from the larger platters. This thoughtful arrangement meant Ji Ziran didn’t require someone hovering over him to feed every single bite.
Smiling faintly, Ji Ziran focused earnestly on his meal.
“Little eighteenth seems to favor sweets~” King Yue propped his chin up, watching him eat with an amused smile. “Eating so many sugary treats before bed careful you don’t rot your teeth out, little one!”
Pursing his lips, Ji Ziran couldn’t help thinking that King Yue and his Emperor Father truly deserved each other! Their conversational style—contradicting their own premise mid-sentence had to be some kind of medical condition… or perhaps a contagious plague!
“Oh, that’s right!” As if struck by a sudden recollection, King Yue continued, his voice laced with amusement, “I heard that you and the seventeenth prince have slept side by side every single night since you were babies. Fearing you might have trouble sleeping in a strange bed once separated, I specially had several children of similar build to the seventeenth prince brought over. Once you’re done eating, you can go take a look and pick one out to cuddle while you sleep.”
“Ahem, ahem~” Ji Ziran was right in the middle of slurping the hot broth out of a soup dumpling when this declaration struck his ears. The broth sprayed everywhere, and he choked violently.
“Careful now.” King Yue patted him comfortingly on the back while a nearby maidservant hastily stepped forward with a clean handkerchief to wipe away the oily mess. Another maidservant promptly poured a fresh cup of tea.
Taking a sip of tea, Ji Ziran patted his chest with a small hand, nursing lingering palpitations.
“You can’t see a thing, of course… but you can still go check them out and feel around.” King Yue curled the corners of his lips into a smile, his eyes curving into crescents, looking precisely like a cat plotting some mischief.
Chapter 038: Little Temper (Part 2)
Following dinner, Ji Ziran requested King Yue to guide the way, opting to feel his way forward step-by-step.
Glancing down at Ji Ziran’s delicate, fair little hands brushing against the surrounding furnishings, King Yue noted the slight frown knitting together those young brows and the profound concentration masking his features, prompting a gentle pang of sympathy.
“Um…” Ji Ziran abruptly halted in his tracks, tilting his head up in thought for a moment. “Could someone fetch me a walking stick? Something just a little taller than half my height will do.”
King Yue promptly instructed the attendants standing behind them to prepare one, then reached down to clasp Ji Ziran’s hand. “Before that arrives, I’ll be holding your hand every step of the way.”
Ji Ziran offered a polite smile, offering no resistance. Yet internally, he reflected that if it were Xiaoyu, even if they walked through the dead of night, the boy would simply remain quietly by his side in tranquil companionship.
Touching his chin with one hand, Ji Ziran pressed his tender lips together, a whirlwind of thoughts spinning through his mind. Yet the moment his thoughts drifted back to Xiaoyu that precocious, gentle, and in his eyes utterly adorable boy a chill flashed across his pitch-black eyes, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the cold expressions Ji Ziyu habitually wore.
These were moments of warmth he had scraped and clawed to attain; no matter who attempted to snatch them away, he would never permit it!
The journey proceeded without…