Chapter 0090: High Walls Divide Two Realms, The Radiant Youth Breaks Through Heart’s Barriers
When Su Qinghe arrived at the backyard, he hadn’t expected both princesses to be there as well.
His footsteps subconsciously halted as he watched the three of them sitting together harmoniously. A sense of timidity rose in Su Qinghe’s heart, uncertain whether he should approach.
Once, he had thought the Second Prince was someone like him.
In their childhood, everyone had held high expectations for them, believing they could become the bright moon rising over the sea. But as years passed, the truth revealed they were merely the most ordinary grains in the vast ocean – their talents insufficient to support their beauty, their abilities unworthy of the doting they received.
Without the protection of maternal families, anyone could step on them, mocking their mediocrity with scornful indifference.
He had chosen to erect high walls to confine himself within, while the Second Prince had chosen to cover himself with sharp thorns, biting anyone who approached. Yet whether soft or prickly, both were merely defenses to protect their pitiful self-esteem, changing nothing.
That day, when the Second Prince said he wanted to be friends, Su Qinghe had felt joy in his heart. The anticipation of finding warmth with his own kind made him momentarily forget that he had been the official Sheng Yiren mentioned in the “northern grain southern transfer” policy, someone who could fight alongside Brother Shen to solve Yi Province’s flood problems.
Watching the Second Prince and Sheng Yiren eloquently discuss distant trade caravans, seeing them attempt to cut through mountains to make Jian’an accessible in all directions, observing them toast each other with tea while wearing confident and dazzling smiles – in that moment, an invisible high wall suddenly rose among the three, completely separating him from the Second Prince and Sheng Yiren.
He suddenly realized with shock that he and the Second Prince had never been alike after all.
The Second Prince truly was as Brother Shen had described.
Intelligent, bold, an exceptionally fine person.
So now, watching that brilliantly radiant Second Prince sitting with the noble and elegant princesses, Su Qinghe felt cowardly, retreated, unable to take another step forward.
They were true celestial nobility standing at the peak, while he was merely mediocre grass that could barely look up to steal a glimpse of light through the gaps in the giant tree’s branches.
Not a swan that could keep pace with the radiant sun.
How could he be worthy of being the Second Prince’s friend? He should know his place. He couldn’t break down his own walls, nor could he break down the walls between himself and others.
Su Qinghe turned to escape, but as soon as he moved, Xie Chengze’s loud yet soft voice called out, “Qinghe! What are you standing there for? I’ve been waiting for you forever – I’m practically dying of craving!”
Not “this prince,” but “I.”
Not “Second Young Master Su,” but “Qinghe.”
Like old friends calling each other by affectionate nicknames, Su Qinghe suddenly realized with shock that the Second Prince had never called him “Second Young Master Su.”
It seemed from beginning to end, he had always called him “Young Master Su” – not because he was the Su Family’s second son, but simply because his surname was Su, because he was Su Qinghe.
He couldn’t help but look up, then unexpectedly saw the beaming young man leaning over the high wall before leaping down from it. In panic, Su Qinghe rushed forward to catch the falling youth, but the young man landed unscathed, walking toward him with light, joyful steps.
With each step, the high wall cracked with massive fissures, trembling on the verge of collapse.
Until the young man walked up to him and reached out to take the red sandalwood food box from his hands, Su Qinghe only snapped back to reality when his hands suddenly felt empty—Xie Chengze was truly standing before him.
The high surrounding wall had been broken with a large hole, and behind it, three little heads peered through the gap, their eyes filled with curiosity toward him.
There was no mockery, no disdain—only long-lost friendly gazes, like gentle rays of light shining upon him.
“Come, sit over here.”
His wrist was enveloped by a slightly cool palm. Su Qinghe looked down at that fair hand, slightly shorter than his own, and for some reason, his fingertips and palm began to tingle and itch.
This… this was the first time he had skin contact with someone outside his family!
His body instantly stiffened like a puppet, as if being pulled by strings as he sat on the stone stool. He lowered his head slightly, not daring to look directly at the others.
“Try these! Qinghe’s pastries are absolutely delicious!” Xie Chengze was practically an evangelist for promotion, eagerly lifting the lid of the food box and arranging the pastry plates on the stone table. His tone rose and fell dramatically, “A masterpiece even the imperial chefs can’t replicate—exclusively for Qinghe’s friends. You deserve to have it~”
Xie Shu and Xie Ping An: …
Second Brother, is this what you’re really like in private?
However, the pastries on the white jade plates did look truly tempting, in styles they had never seen before. The young girl, who naturally had a sweet tooth, couldn’t resist reaching out to pick up a piece and pop it into her mouth.
The next instant, her sparkling eyes widened in astonishment.
“What—what is this! This explosive fragrance, this sweet-as-thick-honey-yet-not-sticky filling—”
“As soft as white clouds, as refreshing as tea stripped of its bitterness—I’ve never tasted anything like this in my life!”
Xie Chengze: …Why are you making up words again!
“Xiaobiao, you try one too.” Xie Chengze pushed a plate over. Zhu Xiaobiao tasted one and immediately shuddered all over. “Last time you said Young Master Su’s pastries were better than the imperial chefs’, I didn’t believe it then… Heavens, with culinary skills like this, if Young Master Su joined the imperial kitchen, he could probably become the head chef right away, couldn’t he?”
“Young Master Su!” Xie Shu immediately turned to Su Qinghe with pleading eyes. “Please! Go work in the imperial kitchen! The imperial kitchen’s pastries are always the same few types—I’ve been eating them for sixteen years! I’m about to get sick of them!!!”
Su Qinghe: ?
Plea—pleading with whom?
“I’d long heard that Young Master Su was skilled in cooking, but I never paid it much mind, thinking it was just ordinary. I never expected such exquisite delicacies—I feel like I’ve missed out on a thousand taels of gold!” Xie Ping An exclaimed, not forgetting to snatch another pastry from Xie Shu’s grasp and stuff it into her mouth.
Xie Chengze: ?
Why does this sound like an ancient version of the “missing out on millions” meme?
Knowing that the two princesses were praising him largely out of respect for Xie Chengze, Su Qinghe slightly raised his hands and bowed in salute, his voice trembling faintly. “Your Highnesses flatter me. It’s merely some clumsy handiwork.”
“I’m not flattering you—I’m giving genuine praise.” The straightforward Xie Shu retorted directly, then slapped Xie Ping An’s hand in annoyance. “Second Sister! Stop eating! Didn’t you say you wanted to lose weight to meet the Tanhualang?”
“Not important, not important.” Xie Ping An raised her arm to block Xie Shu’s attack while reaching for more pastries. “I’ll take some back for Mother to try too. Second Brother, you don’t mind, do you?”
Xie Chengze smiled faintly, “Of course, I mind. Put them all down. I only let you have a taste, not eat them all.”
Xie Shu and Xie Ping An: …
The two young girls immediately sat up straight, not forgetting to stuff the last pastry into their mouths, “Mmm, mmm, we won’t eat anymore.”