TRM Chapter 11

Zhou Jingyuan had indeed always been very concerned about Qiao Guanxing leaving the palace previously.

But beyond just anger, there was more confusion, bewilderment, and even some unspoken sense of grievance.

He couldn’t understand why Qiao Guanxing would want to leave him. He reflected on whether he had done something wrong or if there was something outside the palace that Qiao Guanxing was more attracted to—some place or person he longed for?

Every time he thought about these possibilities, a bitter, sour feeling would settle in his chest, like the oppressive air before a summer storm.

Even though Zhou Jingyuan had a thousand questions, as a reserved crown prince, he didn’t know how to ask them, so he kept his frustration to himself, trying to resolve the issue by doing what he thought was the right thing.

So after living in the Eastern Palace for over a month, Qiao Guanxing finally, albeit slowly, realized a very serious issue:

— His once generous superior suddenly wasn’t giving him any money.

The former Crown Prince would never delay paying the poor worker’s wages. When Zhou Jingyuan was in a good mood, after Qiao Guanxing poured him a cup of tea, he would often give him a little something as a reward.

But ever since they moved to the Eastern Palace, for such a long time, Zhou Jingyuan hadn’t paid him anything in terms of wages!

Although Qiao Guanxing didn’t need to save up money as much anymore, not getting paid at all was completely unacceptable!

Qiao Guanxing felt both upset and angry. This was the reward he deserved for his labor.

So, he decided to work even harder in serving the Crown Prince, hoping that by doing so, he could wake up Zhou Jingyuan’s conscience as a once-generous superior.

That evening, when they sat down for dinner, as soon as Zhou Jingyuan took his seat, he saw his little liar with bright eyes, holding his chopsticks, and eagerly asking him:

“Your Highness, would you like some fish?”

Zhou Jingyuan raised an eyebrow, nodded slightly, and immediately, the best piece of fish was placed in his bowl.

He looked at Qiao Guanxing, who asked again, “Shall I serve you some soup?”

As he said this, Qiao Guanxing’s eyes curved slightly, revealing a small dimple by his lips, looking very obedient.

This put Zhou Jingyuan in a good mood. “Mm.”

Determined to work hard, Qiao Guanxing continued, and the atmosphere between the two of them during dinner was quite pleasant. Zhou Jingyuan’s expression visibly softened.

Seeing this, Qiao Guanxing politely asked:

“Your Highness, how is the dinner? Is it to your liking?”

Zhou Jingyuan silently looked at him for a while before reaching out to ruffle his head. “Mm.”

Receiving his superior’s acknowledgment of his work, Qiao Guanxing felt encouraged and decided to bring up the issue of his wages. But before he could say anything, Zhou Jingyuan interrupted him.

The Crown Prince shifted his gaze elsewhere and spoke softly, “I need to go to the study to handle some state affairs.”

Qiao Guanxing was taken aback for a moment. “…Alright, Your Highness, please remember not to stay too late.”

He didn’t pay too much attention to it, thinking that he would have plenty of opportunities to bring it up later. But after that night, every time he tried to steer the conversation toward the topic, Zhou Jingyuan would skillfully change the subject, avoiding it completely.

As a result, Qiao Guanxing never received his pay.

The dishes he served were eaten by Zhou Jingyuan, the stories he told were listened to, and all the care he showed was accepted without any issue.

But no money was given.

Qiao Guanxing was left feeling deeply confused and frustrated. He didn’t really understand why Zhou Jingyuan was doing this, but after thinking it over, he wasn’t really angry either.

Because even if Zhou Jingyuan didn’t give him money, he was still willing to care for him.

Suddenly, Qiao Guanxing’s heart gave an unexpected, heavy thud.

It felt as though a stone had been tossed into the water, sending ripples throughout his heart that didn’t subside for a long time.

This feeling was new to him. He had grown up in hardship, and money was essential for survival. He couldn’t help but care about it.

In his teenage years, he had worked in a small restaurant near school, and if the boss shorted him by even a few dozen yuan, he would insist on getting it back.

But when it came to Zhou Jingyuan, it was completely different. Very different.

Qiao Guanxing didn’t even know when it started, but he realized that he could no longer see Zhou Jingyuan as the superior who held power over life and death, the one he needed to please.

He cared for Zhou Jingyuan because he simply wanted to.

After coming to this realization, Qiao Guanxing felt a little lost. His mind was in chaos, and his heart was in turmoil.

It was rare for him to spend an entire day not saying much, not clinging to Zhou Jingyuan, and not talking about this or that. He just sat alone under the corridor, staring at a few mint plants, lost in thought.

It was Zhou Jingyuan who wasn’t used to this.

The Crown Prince passed by the corridor countless times that afternoon, and eventually, he simply sat nearby. Qiao Guanxing watched the mint, while Zhou Jingyuan watched him.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Qiao Guanxing was mad at him.

Was it because he hadn’t given this little liar any money or valuables recently?

Zhou Jingyuan wasn’t blind to what Qiao Guanxing had been doing. He just simply didn’t want to give him any.

He had been furious when Qiao Guanxing left the palace before, and the money for his escape had been given by him, which made him even angrier.

Without money, one couldn’t get far. This was the best way to keep Qiao Guanxing by his side, and it seemed to be working.

But… Qiao Guanxing didn’t seem to be happy.

After a whole day of sorting out his thoughts, Zhou Jingyuan still hadn’t made sense of things. Qiao Guanxing was naturally not sensitive to these subtle feelings that couldn’t be rationalized, so he decided to follow his heart.

After all, he was happy with things as they were right now.

Once he had made up his mind, he took a deep breath. The refreshing scent of mint filled his nostrils, and his mood lightened.

Just as he was about to go inside to see what Zhou Jingyuan was doing, he ran into the Crown Prince, who was coming out.

Before he could react, Zhou Jingyuan grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the inner chambers.

“Your Highness?”

Zhou Jingyuan lifted the curtain to the inner chamber, pulled out a thick stack of silver notes from a box, and handed them over with a serious expression. “Here.”

“…Huh?”

Qiao Guanxing instinctively reached out and took the unexpected fortune, still in a daze, and before he could say anything, he saw Zhou Jingyuan point to two small chests in the corner, filled with gold, silver, and jewels.

“These are all for you.” Zhou Jingyuan stood beside him, holding his hand and not letting go, instead tightening his grip slightly.

It was the first time the Crown Prince had so directly said something like this. His ears turned red, and his voice was soft and low.

“Don’t be upset.”

“I just don’t want you to leave again.”

That night, when they went to bed together, neither of them spoke. The bright moonlight filled the room, and the sound of insects outside the window was long and distant. The subtle, sticky atmosphere was like trembling strings on a musical instrument, and both of their hearts were in turmoil, rising and swelling in unison.

Qiao Guanxing’s thoughts, which had been unclear, seemed to find a thread, slowly unraveling. Just as he was about to see the whole picture, Zhou Jingyuan suddenly spoke.

“Qiao Guanxing.”

Zhou Jingyuan rarely called him by his full name. As soon as the words left his lips, both of their hearts skipped a beat.

“Mm?”

Zhou Jingyuan finally asked the question he had been thinking about for a long time.

“Tell me, why did you leave before?”

Qiao Guanxing froze for a moment. After thinking for a while, he realized there was nothing he couldn’t say now. He trusted that Zhou Jingyuan wouldn’t do anything to him anymore.

So he replied directly, “I was afraid that once you gained power, you would kill me.”

“…What?”

Zhou Jingyuan frowned in disbelief.

The little liar thought he would kill him.

Those words struck like a cold, sharp sword, unexpectedly wounding him. The delicate and soft affection Zhou Jingyuan had for him was completely replaced by bitterness and anger.

How could he ever kill Qiao Guanxing!

For a long time, Zhou Jingyuan had believed that their mutual feelings were something delicate, like a thin sheet of paper he carefully watched over, not letting anyone touch.

He thought it was a love letter from two hearts that understood each other, and one day, Qiao Guanxing would come over and join him in guarding it, and they would recall their lifetime together.

But Qiao Guanxing did come, and without a hint of hesitation, he tore that paper apart with a single sentence.

The only thing Zhou Jingyuan could no longer hide was his own self-deception.

Zhou Jingyuan took a deep breath. His fingertips trembled, and after holding back for a while, he couldn’t stop himself. He pressed Qiao Guanxing’s neck and pulled him tightly into his arms, his voice hoarse, “You really didn’t… not notice at all?”

Qiao Guanxing, who was suddenly embraced, was stunned. He reached up to gently pat Zhou Jingyuan’s back, still not understanding why Zhou Jingyuan was suddenly so angry, and could only softly say, “Mianmian, what should I have noticed? Tell me.”

But this gentle comfort was like adding fuel to the fire. Zhou Jingyuan gritted his teeth and hugged him even tighter.

“I will never trust your words again, you liar!”

…It was clearly Qiao Guanxing who had shown so much affection for him first.

It was over. Out of nowhere, the trust between superior and subordinate completely collapsed.

Qiao Guanxing was surrounded by Zhou Jingyuan’s faint mint scent. He opened his mouth several times, only to close it again. Thinking about what Zhou Jingyuan had just said, he really didn’t dare speak anymore.

…Why did things suddenly turn sour?

He furrowed his brow slightly, trying to figure out why the unpredictable Crown Prince was upset this time.

The sound of their heartbeats echoed in his ears, a bit quick, but strong.

Qiao Guanxing suddenly had an epiphany, and for the first time, he was sensitive to this—

Was he angry because he said he was worried that Zhou Jingyuan might kill him?

Of course, Zhou Jingyuan wouldn’t kill him, but back then, he hadn’t figured it out… So, was Zhou Jingyuan angry because of his mistrust?

Finally understanding the root of the issue, Qiao Guanxing let out a small sigh. He was thinking about how to explain this to Zhou Jingyuan when he suddenly heard the angry and somewhat aggrieved words again.

“Qiao Guanxing, why aren’t you comforting me yet?”

Qiao Guanxing’s heart immediately softened. He rubbed his cheek against Zhou Jingyuan’s shoulder, and all the emotions he hadn’t figured out yet naturally flowed out like water.

He spoke softly, “I understand. I know the Crown Prince won’t kill me.”

The bright, watery moonlight shone on his slightly trembling eyelashes, and their gazes met, their breaths mingling.

“Here.” In this isolated world, “I only believe in Mianmian.”

After he said this, Zhou Jingyuan was clearly stunned. His heartbeat quickened, like it was graced by a sudden spring rain.

Finally, Zhou Jingyuan closed his eyes, sighed in resignation, and held him even tighter, gently pressing his cheek against Qiao Guanxing’s face.

Though he wanted more, at least for tonight, this was enough.