Chapter 11

 "It's called Sweetie," Bao Ning smiled as he introduced it to Pei Yuan.

"I met it yesterday?" Pei Yuan furrowed his brow, tossing the puppy's neck aside and rubbing his temples.

Yesterday was a blur for Pei Yuan. All he remembered was drinking a lot, his stomach aching terribly. He lay on the kang to soothe his stomach, and eventually fell asleep.

In the evening, he vaguely remembered waking up once, mumbling nonsense, eating a little, and that's it.

His memory was fragmented, even the events before getting drunk were hazy. He truly didn't recall seeing this dog.

Sweetie looked at him with round eyes, sticking out its pink tongue to lick his hand. Pei Yuan shuddered and pushed it further away.

He looked at Bao Ning, his tone not so pleasant. "Why did you bring it into my room?"

Bao Ning pursed her lips, thinking this man had quite the bad temper.

Last night, he was pulling her sleeve, begging her not to leave. But now, he acted as if nothing happened, still wearing that scowling face, as if she owed him something.

"I have some chickens and ducks in the room, they're still small. Sweetie is mischievous, I'm afraid it will cause trouble, so I wanted you to help me keep an eye on it," Bao Ning explained.

Only then did Pei Yuan notice the scarf around Bao Ning's neck. His eyes showed a moment of surprise. "Aren't you hot?"

Bao Ning was speechless. After a while, she asked hesitantly, "You really don't remember anything?"

"Wait, let me think again," Pei Yuan pinched his brow, trying hard to piece together yesterday's memories.

He remembered some things. Someone had come to his room at night, it couldn't have been anyone else but Bao Ning. Yes, Bao Ning's little brother had visited during the day, and the kid didn't seem to like him much, saying he wanted to take his sister away. Pei Yuan didn't care, but he felt uneasy. When he felt uncomfortable, he wanted to drink.

He accidentally drank too much, his stomach acted up, nearly making him faint. Then, someone came in, talked to him for a while, wiped his face, and cooked porridge for him.

Pei Yuan knew his own habits. He had been accustomed to staying alert at night during his early years in the military. If someone approached him at night, they were likely to face some trouble.

Looking back at Bao Ning, Pei Yuan felt guilty. "...Did I do that?"

Bao Ning, angry and aggrieved, said, "You really don't remember, you brute!"

"Let me see what I've done." Pei Yuan beckoned to her, reaching out to untie the scarf around her neck. It was a suggestive move, which made Bao Ning's heart skip a beat. She stepped back, blocking his view.

The bruises on her wrist were visible now, shocking.

Pei Yuan felt a pang in his heart. He felt his throat dry. "Does it hurt?"

Bao Ning looked at him but didn't speak. Her emotions were written all over her face. Pei Yuan could tell she was unhappy, disappointed, and sad.

But he didn't know how to comfort her.

Apologizing was always difficult, especially for someone like him who wasn't used to admitting mistakes, especially to a woman, without experience.

After a long silence, Pei Yuan finally said, "I was wrong. Go back and apply some medicine, don't be angry."

Bao Ning felt melancholic. If he hadn't spoken, it would have been better. His casual words made her feel uneasy.

"What's wrong with you?" Bao Ning asked.

Pei Yuan looked at her blankly. After a while, he became irritated. "It's almost the same, I've done enough."

He was really despicable. Bao Ning was usually easy-going, but in front of Pei Yuan, she realized her usual ways of comforting herself were useless.

He had that ability, whether through words or silence, whether through gaze or tone, to infuriate you to the brink of madness.

"I won't argue with you," Bao Ning said softly. She bent down to pick up Sweetie, wanting to leave.

Feeling guilty, Pei Yuan grunted twice, then added, "Leave the dog, I'll take care of it."

"No need," Bao Ning replied.

"Just leave it, stop with the nonsense," Pei Yuan said impatiently.

Bao Ning looked into Pei Yuan's eyes, feeling a pain in her heart. She rubbed her chest, trying to calm herself down.

Although he didn't remember, Pei Yuan had changed a lot after last night.

In the past, he wouldn't have said so much. He would have just glanced at her with half-opened eyes, gestured for her to leave, or said nothing at all, just raised his chin, signaling for them to go.

Bao Ning started to miss the past. He'd better off not saying anything, just keeping his mouth shut.

She didn't know which was his true nature.

Sweetie squirmed in Bao Ning's arms, wanting to go down. Bao Ning's wrist was hurt by its struggles. She let go, and it pounced into Pei Yuan's arms.

Pei Yuan pushed it away disdainfully. "What's this dog's name?"

"Bao Ning replied, "Sweetie."

"What a lousy name." Pei Yuan lifted one of Sweetie's hind legs oddly. "Isn't this a male dog?"

Sweetie blushed and hid its leg.

Bao Ning didn't want to argue with him. She followed his lead. "Then what do you want to call it?"

Pei Yuan flicked its ear. "Yellow fur all over, a little mutt. Let's just call it Ah Huang."

As if his naming was any better. Bao Ning thought sarcastically, but she couldn't object. She just nodded. "Okay."

Pei Yuan fell silent. Bao Ning patted her skirt and said, "I'll go cook."

She still seemed a bit low. Pei Yuan glanced at her and made a strange sound of acknowledgment, feeling strange inside.

As Bao Ning was about to leave, Pei Yuan thought for a moment, then said, "Um, you apply some medicine first. Later, bring some medicinal wine here, I'll massage it for you, it'll heal faster."

Bao Ning turned back to look at him, nodded, and didn't take it to heart.

Her figure disappeared at the door. Pei Yuan watched, feeling a bit lost and unable to describe the feeling.

It was the first time he had let down his pride to console someone. Although he had indeed done wrong.

Ah Huang wiggled its butt and came over again, eager to bite his hand. Pei Yuan pushed it away with annoyance. "Can't you be more manly, always sticking to me like that, what kind of appearance is that!"

Ah Huang didn't understand what he said, tilting its head.

Pei Yuan pointed to the end of the kang, furrowing his brows. "Sit properly, don't bother me!"

----------------

He was truly annoyed by this dog. It wouldn't listen no matter what he said, and he couldn't bring himself to harm it. It had a round, chubby appearance, with big paws. Pei Yuan figured he could crush it with just two fingers.

But he didn't dare to be rough. Otherwise, Bao Ning would definitely get angry.

Pei Yuan wanted to get along well with her now. He didn't want to make her angry.

Although when she got angry, it wasn't intimidating at all. At most, she just wouldn't talk, hanging her head like a grazing rabbit.

After a while, Bao Ning came to bring food. Meatball soup and scallion pancakes, steaming hot and fragrant.

Pei Yuan ate silently while she teased the little dog, her eyes bright as if she had forgotten the unpleasantness earlier.

Pei Yuan had been secretly observing her expression all along, feeling much relieved when he saw her like this.

In his impression, Bao Ning had always been gentle, even if she was upset, it never lasted more than a day.

Pei Yuan broke a pancake in half and dipped it in the soup to soften it before eating.

"Fourth Prince, take your time eating. Call me if you need more," Bao Ning stood up, holding Ah Huang, and smiled at Pei Yuan. "I'll leave first."

The term "Fourth Prince" sounded strange to Pei Yuan, although she had always called him that before. But now it sounded uncomfortable, distant.

Pei Yuan wanted to improve their relationship, so he pointed to the opposite seat. "Sit down and eat together."

Bao Ning said, "I've already eaten."

Pei Yuan insisted, "Then eat a little more."

Bowen didn't know what was wrong with him, furrowing her brows. "Fourth Prince, are you still drunk?"

"...Forget it, he shouldn't have said anything."

Pei Yuan pointed outside. "Get out."

Bao Ning really left with Ah Huang. Along the way, she talked softly with the little dog, scratching her neck one moment, and touching her tail the next.

Was it necessary to be so close to a dog? It seemed more appropriate to be polite to him instead.

Pei Yuan poked at his food, shaking off the inexplicable emotions in his heart, and continued eating.

...

Days passed by quietly, and soon spring came.

Ah Huang grew a lot, and Pei Yuan's leg wound had healed almost completely.

They continued to get along as before, which Bao Ning found fine. Pei Yuan mostly stayed indoors, rarely going out except to bask in the sun occasionally, but he mostly sat by the window. Perhaps due to the lack of sunlight, his mood was gloomy, and his temper fluctuated, sometimes good and sometimes bad, like a moody monkey.

When he was in a good mood, he spoke kindly, but he would soon become unhappy, wearing a frown and not speaking much.

Bao Ning got used to it and just let him be.

She had tried to ask about Pei Yuan's leg wound, but he had always avoided the topic, refusing to talk about it. Bao Ning had thought about giving him a massage, but Pei Yuan was unwilling, and he would get annoyed if she pushed.

On this day of the vernal equinox, Bao Ning was busy making spring pancakes in the kitchen.

She thought she would give Pei Yuan some good food later, let him have some wine, cheer him up, and then ask about his leg.

They couldn't delay it any longer. He was still young, and he had to stand up eventually.

Pei Yuan was in the room playing with corn kernels, flicking them with his index finger. The kernels flew out like arrows, sticking into the door, nearly halfway through.

The chickens Bao Ning raised had grown quite big too, scattered in the courtyard, pecking around in groups of three or five.

Pei Yuan was annoyed by this, so he flicked a few more kernels, scattering the chickens.

He wasn't as skilled as before. A trace of gloom flashed in Pei Yuan's eyes.

The courtyard was unusually quiet in the afternoon, with occasional sounds from the chickens and ducks, and the sound of Bao Ning chopping vegetables in the western wing.

When the carriage from the Ministry of Works arrived, Ah Huang had already heard the sound and woke up from its nap, running out. Pei Yuan also heard it and looked outside.

A chief eunuch got off the carriage, using a feather duster to brush away the dust and then looked around the courtyard, his eyes widening in surprise.

Someone outside shouted, "Chief Huang is here! Why aren't you coming out to greet the guest?"

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