Chapter 0299: Blushing Xie Chengze, Trembling-hearted Shen Yuan
Half a month later.
The aftershocks in the strong earthquake zones along the seismic belt gradually ceased.
The last group of common people embarked on their journey back home. When they returned to Pingcheng, they found it completely transformed—the mountains and fields were in disarray, with no trace of the familiar village they once knew.
Mountains had collapsed, the ground had shifted, and the former village roads were severed. Walking through the area felt like arriving at a new settlement—everything was unfamiliar, and everything had to be rebuilt from scratch.
The imperial court dispatched officials, and it was said that one of them, named Jing Ze, served as an inspector to survey the new boundaries of Pingcheng. He allocated land and village locations for each household and brought newly developed agricultural tools from the Ministry of Works to ensure the people could rebuild Pingcheng quickly, so as not to miss the autumn planting and the plowing and fertilizing of the land.
Another high-ranking official from the Ministry of Works, named Su Qinghe, came personally to teach craftsmen how to manufacture these tools and promote their usage to the farmers, earning widespread admiration and respect from the people.
Many scholars who had not yet been appointed to official positions were also assigned roles and sent to the earthquake-affected areas to assist the prefect in rebuilding the cities and villages. To encourage and comfort the people and maintain their morale, they even constructed a “Virtuous Fish Temple,” hiring skilled craftsmen to carve an immortal statue of the Virtuous Fish Cult Leader and enshrine it in the temple, seeking its protection.
Xie Chengze returned to Jizhou. The moment his right foot stepped over the threshold of the Zhuolu County government office, he saw Shen Yuan standing in the courtyard, dressed in white, with the slender Azure Sword at his waist. Shen Yuan stood with his arms crossed, casting a calm glance in his direction.
Xie Chengze: …
Xie Chengze withdrew his right foot, tilting his head back with a sorrowful expression, as if avoiding entry would spare him from a certain someone’s scolding.
Seeing Xie Chengze hesitate to enter, Shen Yuan felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. He turned and strode toward the young man, intending to reprimand him for neglecting his health and safety—for running around and exhausting himself both physically and mentally. But as he gazed at that thin, sharply defined face and met the young man’s clear, guilty yet unrepentant eyes, Shen Yuan could only let out a deep sigh.
How could he bear to scold him?
He didn’t want him to suffer even the slightest grievance—not a single word or expression.
Watching the young man lower his head guiltily and rub the tip of his nose, Shen Yuan reached out and pulled the slender youth into an embrace. “It’s good that you’re back.”
He’s grown thinner again.
What is Xie Shoujun doing? Doesn’t he know how to take care of a child?
Shen Yuan glanced at Xie Shoujun, who had just stepped out of the carriage behind Xie Chengze, his dissatisfaction reaching its peak, as if questioning what use Xie Shoujun was by Xie Chengze’s side.
Xie Shoujun lifted Xie Zimiao forward, gesturing to the extra pounds on the boy’s face and his noticeably taller frame, as if to prove his competence in raising children.
It was just that Xie Chengze had suffered severe injuries earlier, damaging his internal organs and making it difficult for him to absorb nutrients from food.
Only then did Shen Yuan retract his accusatory gaze. He gently released the young man from his embrace and was about to say something when he suddenly noticed Xie Chengze’s ears were bright red, his cheeks flushed and warm. Xie Chengze’s fingers tightly gripped the hem of his robe, and he seemed extremely uneasy, his eyes darting around, refusing to settle on Shen Yuan’s face.
Shen Yuan stared at him, momentarily dazed, and only after a long while did the tips of his own ears belatedly flush red.
Wh-what’s wrong?
Did he find the embrace too sudden, too presumptuous?
He just… missed him terribly.
He feared that after such a long separation, their relationship might have grown distant, so he was eager to use this method to quickly close the gap between them.
Both of their expressions turned awkward. After a moment, Xie Chengze took the initiative to lift his head, his cheeks flushed bright red as he said, “Shen Yuan, actually I…”
Shen Yuan grew tense as well. He lowered his head, staring into the young man’s eyes, and whispered, “Mm… go on.”
“Actually, I… I’ve been holding it in the whole way.” Xie Chengze clenched his buttocks, embarrassed. “I just got the urge again. Could you let me go use the latrine first?”
Shen Yuan: “…”
Shen Yuan was utterly shattered.
He stiffly turned aside, having already forgotten what expression was on his face. “Mm, mm… Of course, Your Highness, please go ahead.”
Xie Chengze hastily lifted the hem of his robe and scurried into the county office with small, hurried steps.
Xie Shoujun stepped forward to follow. As he passed by Shen Yuan, who was frozen in place, he inexplicably chuckled, “Heh heh.”
Shen Yuan: …
Xie Zimiao quickly followed as well. Blinking his bright, innocent eyes, he tilted his head and asked, “Lord Shen, you also think Second Brother is very comfortable to hug, right?”
Shen Yuan, exposed, fled in disarray.
Xie Zimiao couldn’t help but scratch his head, his pure and harmless face filled with naive confusion. “What’s there to be shy about? Second Brother really is soft.”
Ever since he was a child, he had loved hugging Second Brother, nibbling on his hands and cheeks.
Shaking his head, Xie Zimiao left the spot.
—
After collecting himself, Shen Yuan returned to the courtyard and saw Xie Chengze with his sleeves rolled up, revealing his slender, pale forearms as he crouched by a copper basin, washing his hands while holding the hem of his robe.
His long fingers moved back and forth, scrubbing and rinsing, causing ripples to spread continuously across the water in the copper basin.
Shen Yuan crouched down beside him and tested the water temperature—it was warm.
It seemed Zhu Xiaobiao was taking good care of Xie Chengze. Despite the young man’s lack of princely airs, he hadn’t neglected his duties and was still diligent and attentive.
Xie Chengze glanced at Shen Yuan and said warmly, “Want to wash together? I can teach you.”
“Join my Virtuous Fish Sect, and I guarantee you a lifetime free of illness and disaster!” the young man declared proudly.
Shen Yuan couldn’t help but chuckle softly. He mimicked the young man’s actions, step by step washing his hands. After a long while, he grasped Xie Chengze’s hand in the water.
“Xie Chengze,” he asked, lifting his head with an intensely serious gaze, “do you want to return to the capital?”
If he didn’t want to return to the capital, then Shen Yuan would find a way to suppress Xie Jinyu, allowing him the freedom to travel abroad—free from being trapped deep within the palace, from becoming a possession of the princes, and from being burdened by natural disasters and human strife, suffering heartache and shortened lifespan.
Even if the cost was never seeing each other again, only gazing at the moon to ease his longing.
Shen Yuan only wanted to respect Xie Chengze’s truest, deepest desire.
Xie Chengze lifted his head and blinked.
He looked at Shen Yuan, his clear and pure gaze just like when they first met—never containing falsehood, only sincerity that could be proven by baring his heart. “Wherever you are, that’s where I’ll be.”
Shen Yuan’s heart trembled.
Inexpressible emotions surged in his chest, quietly passing his tight, choked-up throat and lingering on his slightly trembling lips, unable to form a single word.
How could he not wish for Xie Chengze to always stay by his side?
Whenever he looked at him, his heart would grow joyful and peaceful, briefly forgetting the nightmares of the past and giving him a reason to keep persevering.
Perhaps, Xie Jinyu also relied on Xie Chengze in this way—unable to leave Chengze, just like the withdrawal symptoms after inhaling poisonous incense. Once lost, it brings pain, bitterness, rage, and irritation.
One is ultimately lonely.
That is why we yearn to find like-minded companions.