Chapter 30

The small courtyards in Song Garden are just temporary residences. But Prince Ningxuan is of noble blood. After a day’s cleaning by Shuang Fu and Shuang Shou, the place has become filled with many familiar ambiances.

Unfortunately, there aren’t enough rooms, and there is no way to open up a separate study room. Shuang Fu sought the steward to set up a beauty couch and ordered the attendants to carry it into the courtyard. Then he covered it with the blanket and quilt brought from the palace. He located a laurel tree with lush leaves in the courtyard, and around it, he placed a stone table, a few chairs, and a chessboard, thus creating a leisurely and comfortable place—perfect for reading, practicing calligraphy, and enjoying the spring sunshine.

As soon as Rong Tang returned to the yard, he was pleasantly surprised by Shuang Fu. His gaze is bright as he hurries over and promptly nests there.

Su Huaijing, amused by it, accepted his fate. He returned to the room to dig out a few storybooks and the snacks that he’d asked Xingfeng to specially queue up to purchase before coming here. They were sorted onto plates, placed on a small tray, and brought to the stone table in the courtyard.

Rong Tang has already cast off his shoes and is sitting on the small couch. Earlier, he felt a bit cold due to the wind when he was on the island in the middle of the lake, but after walking all the way back, his body has warmed up a little and he no longer feels cold.

Su Huaijing prepared all the storybooks and snacks he wanted to eat, then sat down to tend to the two peonies.

Su Huaijing hadn’t brought scissors when he plucked flowers. Rong Tang casually glanced over and saw that the severed ends were extremely sharp and smooth.

He discreetly clicked his tongue and inwardly told himself that the main villain’s power shouldn’t be underestimated.

It’s just…

Isn’t it a little overkill to use it to pick two flowers aaa?

Rong Tang’s fingers are lodged in the pages of the book, and there isn’t any movement for a long time. Su Huaijing caught a glimpse of him staring at him entranced, and the corners of his lips raised a bit with satisfaction, like a creature that had been successfully appeased.

The porcelain basin that can hold water was sourced from the warehouse. It’s a large, shallow-mouthed, pale blue basin with two bi-colour koi painted on the bottom. Su Huaijing filled half the basin with water, placed a few smooth, round stones in it, snapped off an end of an osmanthus branch, before removing the stray leaves and twigs. After comparing it, he snipped off the excess, selected an angle, and put it into the basin as a base.

The two peonies have double petals, one pink-white and the other yellow-white. The colours are similar to the camellias seen in Tanghua Courtyard and Yong’an Lane during the start of the third month. Rong Tang can’t tell whether it was a coincidence or Su Huaijing’s intention.

He is spellbound watching Su Huaijing’s movements. The main villain’s slender fingers carelessly brush over the petals, occasionally catching a few water drops from the basin, coalescing on his fingertips, and then dropping gently with a “pop” sound, causing ripples on the water surface on the side of the basin. The rippling swells of water flow over the bi-colour koi, making them appear like swimming fish following the waves, which is particularly interesting.

Warm sunlight trickles through the leaf gaps of the laurel tree, flitting little by little until they land on Su Huaijing’s eyelashes. Coupled with the expression of him arranging flowers that are especially pleasing to the eye, Rong Tang couldn’t help but sigh for the thousandth and one time that the villain is really, really, super good-looking.

“Tangtang.” Su Huaijing suddenly calls him with a warm expression. He looks down at the flowers in the porcelain basin and asks with a smile, “What are you looking at?”

Rong Tang is exceptionally honest: “Looking at you.”

Su Huaijing is stunned for a moment, and his eyebrows lift a little, his gaze shifting to the flower branches in the basin, as if he’s looking for a more suitable position for the base, though he seems to be observing his little Buddha through the water. He asks casually, “Do you like what you see?”

Rong Tang nods: “I do.”

The young prince is so thin-skinned that one can’t bear to tease him, but when he unconsciously says something he thinks is honest, it makes others want to pester him.

Su Huaijing pauses for a moment. The scissors in his hand slip into the wrong position, and he accidentally cuts an extra bit.

Su Huaijing is a tad sympathetic, but then he hears Rong Tang say again, most seriously, “You are really good-looking, Huaijing.”

Thus, that tiny bit of sympathy suddenly disappears. It’s rare for Su Huaijing to be distracted while doing something, and he even has the impulse not to continue at all.

The handle of the scissors is wrapped in string, which feels rough and harsh to the touch. Su Huaijing slides his fingers over it twice before he can’t bear it anymore and puts it aside. The peonies were also chucked into the water, and he raised his eyes to look at Rong Tang. His voice is deep, like he is coaxing or deceiving: “Tangtang, say it again.”

Rong Tang is slightly startled. A hint of alertness causes him to frown, and he leans back a little.

Su Huaijing sits in the chair, his gaze raised at Rong Tang. His phoenix eyes sparkle brilliantly, like those of a hunter who’s set a net.

Rong Tang wavers for a split second and says, “You seem to be tricking me.”

Not hearing the answer he wants, Su Huaijing feels a little agitated. He lowers his hand to his side, and through his robe, he accurately locates the waist tablet engraved with “good fortune and longevity.” He rubs it comfortingly, feeling a little wronged and bearing a little bit of subtle resentment: “It was obviously Tangtang gege who seduced me first.”

Rong Tang: “.…..”

Su Huaijing fishes the peonies out of the clear water, lowers his head to avoid looking at Rong Tang, and just says, “Tangtang gege wants to read storybooks, so I found them for you; if you want to eat snacks, I’ve prepared them for you. You want to bask in the sun or blow in the wind? I’ll ask Shuang Fu to arrange it… Originally, you were reading a book and I was arranging flowers; everything was fine——”

He pauses as he speaks, lifting his eyes to throw a glance at Rong Tang, and reiterates, “You are the one who seduced me first.”

“After seducing me, you refuse to admit it.” The lower Su Huaijing’s voice became, the more Rong Tang felt something was amiss. In the end, the main villain’s voice has the volume of a mosquito’s hum, yet Rong Tang senses that his flustered face is hot.

Despite that, Su Huaijing sighs softly, as if he’s conceded but also appearing aggrieved: “If you’re not going to admit it, never mind. Besides, there is nothing I can do against you.”

Rong Tang: “???”

Rong Tang: “!!!”

You’re literally tricking me aaa! ! !

Rong Tang is astonished; his eyes are as wide as copper bells. He is staring at Su Huaijing’s head, racking his brains to think of what to say in order to make him stop.

The system says faintly: [Don’t think anymore, host; you can’t defeat him.]

Rong Tang retorts obstinately, “I don’t believe it.”

The system heartlessly shatters his fantasy: [Do you need me to help you recall how many times your little wife has used this manner of speaking that resembles displeasure, resentment, blame, and resignation to make you lay your arms down and surrender?]

Rong Tang: “…”

Rong Tang droops.

“He really has no baggage at all.” Rong Tang says furiously.

The system gave a cold snort, wondering, “He’s chasing his wife; what kind of baggage does he need?”. His host is as clueless as a little idiot, unable to discern anything.

The system seemed to resent him for failing to meet its expectations, so it remained silent for two seconds before urging, [But I can give you some advice.]

Rong Tang’s eyes suddenly lit up: “Thank you so much, my most beloved system!”

System: [……]

The system hangs for two seconds and says, [Tell him exaggerated truths and see who can outlast the other.]

Rong Tang: “?”

System: [For example, if you think the main villain is very good-looking, then you say he is 100% good-looking; if you think the main villain is very smart, then you say he is a hundred percent smart.]

“Sincerity is the ultimate skill?” Rong Tang concludes.

The system is very proud: [Ng!]

Rong Tang wrinkles his face and falls silent for a moment, then says, “But he is one thousand and one points good-looking and one thousand and one points smart. How do I exaggerate that?”

[……]

The data flow becomes stagnant for a moment, and the ball of white light floats in the system space for a long time. When it finally comes back to life, no expression can be seen, but it appears like it is extremely angry. It postured as if lifting a mountain and fiercely slammed itself downward, precisely slamming on the torso of the little fool sitting on the beauty couch.

The system jumped back and forth many times, attempting to beat its own host to death with its weight: [You, Can’t, Be, Saved! ! !]

After it said this angrily, it immediately went offline and dormant to avoid being infuriated to death by the host.

Rong Tang calls twice but can’t get it to reappear. He sighs silently to himself. Only then did he react in the midst of panic after being teased by Su Huaijing just now. He lowers his body, begins to focus again on watching him arrange flowers, and subsequently says, “You’re very attractive.”

Su Huaijing is stupefied for a moment. “Ng?”

Rong Tang said, “Didn’t you ask me to say it again? You are super good-looking, Su Huaijing.”

All the flowers in Song Garden have been carefully cultivated. The gardening expenses utilised by Sheng Chengxing on this estate every year number in the tens of thousands. The peonies are placed on the white pointed sections, the pink contrasting with the white, and are reflected in the water, resembling the lively and beautiful embroidery crafted onto silk by the finest Suzhou embroiderers.

Su Huaijing has already placed a peony in the basin. Rong Tang leans over and touches it. When his fingertips touched the cool drops of water, he added, “You’re good-looking, intelligent, gentle, patient, and considerate. You can cook, make kites, and even arrange flowers…”

Rong Tang pauses, his gaze moving from the peony petals to Su Huaijing’s profile, ponders for a moment, and says, “And very tough.”

“Su Huaijing, you are simply the most outstanding person in the world.” Rong Tang says softly.

——I shall give you one thousand and one points.

The red-painted loft is situated within easy reach. If you stand up and take a quick look, from the inside to the outside, everywhere in this estate exudes an aura of intricacy and luxury.

There are those gathering their friends, while others are having a good time drinking.

And beneath the red-painted loft, amid the scattered light and shadows cast by an osmanthus tree, the person who said he wanted to read storybooks is watching someone else arrange flowers, and the person who is supposed to be arranging flowers forgets to move.

Su Huaijing remains in a prolonged state of bewilderment, experiencing an almost surreal sensation verging on an auditory illusion.

He blinks most lightly, causing his crow-feather-like eyelashes to flutter.

As such, Rong Tang finds another point of praise: “Your eyelashes are so long and curled, wow—the shape of your eyes is so beautiful!”

To anyone else, these words may ring fabricated and hollow, but when spoken by Prince Rong, they carry a genuine sincerity that precludes any suspicion.

Su Huaijing extricates himself from the illusion and smiles: “Then, does Tangtang like it?”

Rong Tang: “What?”

Su Huaijing places the last peony flower properly and pushes the porcelain basin a little further away to bask beneath the ample spring light. When it catches the wind, it’s like the fish have come to life, chasing after the flowers. Countless beautiful scenes unfold in the spring garden.

Su Huaijing wipes his hands with a handkerchief and asks the person who’s praising him so generously, “I’m good-looking, intelligent, gentle, patient, considerate… Tangtang doesn’t like it?”

I’ve weaved a net, covered it with soft grass blades, and placed attractive berries on it.

You’ll readily jump in, right?