LC chapter 35

 

Before Lin Ruan could respond, Meng Zhen asked again, “Who do you think did this?” He looked at Lin Ruan. “Is it clearly targeting you? Could it be Li Mingwen?”

Lin Ruan couldn’t answer, so he asked, “Do I have a deep grudge with him?”

“Besides him, we don’t have any enemies.”

Lin Ruan didn’t have many friends in school. Besides Meng Zhen, his classmates were just acquaintances. Similarly, he had never had any conflicts with anyone at school except Li Mingwen.

After thinking for a moment, Meng Zhen said, “There’s also Young Master Qian, whom we met at the Zhexian Tower last time. But I heard that the Qian family has fallen out of favor with someone and is no longer well. They’ve all left the city and returned to their hometown.”

After pondering for a moment, the two of them decided to ask Li Mingwen first.

Meng Zhen dragged Li Mingwen up to the rooftop. His face filled with impatience, Li Mingwen asked, “What are you doing?”

Lin Ruan was standing there. Li Mingwen’s face stiffened when he saw him. He waved Meng Zhen’s hand away, lowered his head, and straightened his clothes.

Lin Ruan wasted no time. “Those notes—did you do it?”

Li Mingwen replied, “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Meng Zhen shouted, “Stop pretending! Who else could possibly be targeting Lin Ruan?”

Li Mingwen scoffed. “You two are the funny ones, I think. What evidence do you have to accuse me of doing this? You brought me here for no reason. Do you want to hit me?”

“Don’t be so rude!” Meng Zhen glared at Li Mingwen.

Lin Ruan looked at Li Mingwen, bewildered. “Have I ever offended you?” he asked. “Why do you dislike me so much?”

Li Mingwen’s face contorted for a moment at this, but he quickly recovered. He glared at Lin Ruan sarcastically and said, “You overestimate yourself. Do you deserve my dislike?”

He looked Lin Ruan up and down with a superior gaze. “Look at you, all glamorous. But actually, you bought it by selling your body. A man who sells his body for fame and fortune—I think even the lowest prostitute is more noble than you. You’re such a lowly person; you don’t even deserve my dislike.”

“Watch your mouth!” Meng Zhen said, about to charge.

Lin Ruan stopped him, and Li Mingwen turned to Meng Zhen. “I advise you to stay away from him. He’s not from the same social class as us. You won’t lose your status if you’re with him.”

With that, Li Mingwen strolled off. Meng Zhen pouted and said, “What’s wrong with this guy? He keeps talking about low status and class. Is he still living in the last century?”

After that, Meng Zhen turned back to comfort Lin Ruan. “Don’t listen to him. He’s full of rude words. After all, he’s an educated college student.”

Lin Ruan shook his head. He thought this had nothing to do with whether or not he was a college student. As he walked around campus, people looked at him with mockery and sarcasm, avoiding him as if he were a dirty creature whose mere contact would endanger their noble status.

It reminded him of when he first arrived at the palace and the people’s gazes were so similar. They looked at him as if he were a stray dog. They were human, yet they looked at him with a sense of superiority and class.

When he returned to the classroom, he found that someone had splattered ink on his desk. He looked around, but no one met his gaze. The hostility came so suddenly that Lin Ruan was momentarily at a loss.

In the afternoon, Fang Chengze called him over. His architectural drawings had been revised and were ready for the competition. Fang Chengze had him sign a form.

Lin Ruan did as he was told but was quieter than usual.

Fang Chengze hesitated and asked, “Are you okay?”

Lin Ruan raised his head. Fang Chengze said, “I heard about what happened today.”

Lin Ruan fell silent for a moment, then said, “It’s not what’s written on the paper.”

“I believe you,” Fang Chengze said patiently. “If you need any help, just tell me.”

Lin Ruan nodded. After a moment, he asked, “I wasn’t born into a wealthy family like the rumors say. Does that make me lowborn?”

“Of course not!” Fang Cheng flatly denied it. Looking at Lin Ruan, he said, “All people are created equal and shouldn’t be divided based on birth. People are different based on their upbringing, character, ability, and morality, not their birth.”

Lin Ruan was silent for a moment, then nodded and thanked Fang Cheng.

He returned home, went to bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

Zhan Xi returned in the evening, saw that Lin Ruan was not there, and asked, “Where is he?”

Tong Bo replied, “He’s sleeping in his room. I wonder if he’s sick. He hasn’t been downstairs all afternoon.”

Zhan Xi frowned slightly, grabbed his coat, and walked up the stairs.

He pushed open the door and spotted a small bulge on the inner bed. He casually tossed his coat on the sofa, drew aside the beaded curtains, and walked over to the bed.

Lin Ruan was sleeping on his side, curled up with an evident sense of insecurity. Zhan Xi touched his forehead, but he didn’t feel any heat. After a moment’s thought, Zhan Xi decided not to wake Lin Ruan and went downstairs.

By dinnertime, Lin Ruan still hadn’t come down. Zhan Xi asked Aunt Cao to prepare some hot soup and side dishes and brought them upstairs himself.

“That’s rare,” Aunt Cao said. “Our master knows how to serve.”

Tong Bo frowned and repeatedly called him unruly.

Aunt Cao glanced at him and said, “No wonder the children don’t like to hang around you. You’re obsessed with the rules.”

Even Aunt Cao, his most loyal supporter, said that, causing Uncle Tong to sulk off.

Zhan Xi placed the food on the table, went inside, and gently woke Lin Ruan.

Lin Ruan had just woken up from an unpleasant dream. When he opened his eyes and saw Zhan Xi, he felt a sudden wave of grief wash over him and his eyes reddened uncontrollably.

Zhan Xi placed his hands on his shoulders and asked softly, “What’s wrong? Who wronged my little prince?”

Lin Ruan reached out and cupped Zhan Xi’s neck. He desperately needed Zhan Xi’s comfort.

Zhan Xi leaned over, lifted Lin Ruan from the blankets, and cradled him in his arms, soothing him with gentle words.

After a while, Lin Ruan got dressed, washed up, and sat on the sofa to eat. Zhan Xi sat beside him, his eyes fixed on Lin Ruan.

As Lin Ruan ate, he slowly recounted what had happened at school. Zhan Xi’s gaze gradually grew colder. “Do you know who did this?”

Lin Ruan shook his head. His appetite was gone, and he stared at the fragrant fish soup before him. He looked a little dejected.

“Sir, I’m a little upset,” he said. “I can’t figure it out. Did I do something wrong?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Zhan Xi said. “You can’t punish yourself for someone else’s mistakes.”

Lin Ruan tilted his head to look at Zhan Xi. Zhan Xi stroked his back and said, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it.” His voice was slightly cold. “Those who do wrong must pay the price.”

Lin Ruan said nothing. After a moment, he said, “I don’t want to go to school anymore.”

Zhan Xi chuckled softly. It was unusual for Lin Ruan to say such childish things.

“I don’t want to see their eyes,” Lin Ruan repeated. “I’m not happy.”

“Then don’t.” Zhan Xi knew Lin Ruan was just being coquetish. He wasn’t really quitting. He just needed time to heal so that he wouldn’t be hurt by other people’s gazes again.

“Spring is almost over, and you haven’t enjoyed the outdoors yet. How about I take you to Xiaotang Mountain? If you don’t want to go out, we can just stay home and rest,” Zhan Xi said softly.

Lin Ruan nodded, still looking a little listless.

Zhan Xi kissed Lin Ruan’s ear and said, “If you have any grievances, tell me, and I’ll help you.”

Lin Ruan thought for a moment, then continued in a grievant tone, “The day you came back, I made you cherry meat. Did you know that?”

Zhan Xi didn’t quite remember this. Lin Ruan continued, “I had a public speaking competition that day. Because you came back, I couldn’t participate. Otherwise, I might have won. I was waiting in the kitchen. I spent the whole afternoon making these cherry meats, and in the end, you didn’t even eat them.”

Lin Ruan’s porcelain spoon clattered against the bowl as he emphasized, “You didn’t eat a single bite.”

Zhan Xi laughed and pinched the back of Lin Ruan’s neck. He spoke in a low, magnetic voice: “Are you holding a grudge?”

Lin Ruan realized he sounded a bit petty. “Maybe I am. But I’ve had such a hard day—can’t you just let me have this one?”

Zhan Xi’s heart tightened as that familiar ache flooded his chest.

“You…” Zhan Xi’s final words were as soft as a sigh.

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