The boy spoke these words, lowering his head as if absent-minded, and also seemed a little sulky. His fair little face seemed somewhat at a loss.
Lin Bozhou cast his eyes down, looking into his eyes, and said, "You blame me for not coming to see you?"
His tone was low, carrying a hint of seductive playfulness, like a whispered inquiry.
This sentence made Meng Huan stiffen. He raised his head, feeling a bit unsure of what to say. It was just a casual remark, and he didn't expect Lin Bozhou to interpret it in such a suggestive way, leaving him unsure of how to respond.
"Not... not really," Meng Huan wanted to shake his head, but Lin Bozhou had already sat down.
"Then I will stay tonight to accompany you," Lin Bozhou said.
Meng Huan swallowed the rest of his words.
The more he explained, the more it seemed like he was sulking, and it would indicate that he had feelings for Lin Bozhou... Maybe it's better to just play the obedient concubine, Meng Huan thought.
"Your handwriting is not beautiful. Sit down," Lin Bozhou picked up the brush on the table, "I'll teach you how to write."
Knowing that he was right, Meng Huan blushed but obediently sat beside him. Lin Bozhou took his hand, his fingers brushing against the ink stains.
"Why are you acting like a three-year-old child?" Lin Bozhou teased.
Meng Huan didn't speak and watched as Lin Bozhou took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and gently wiped his hand.
"Before, you were renowned for your talent, famous in the capital as a young scholar. Now, you can't even write or read?" Lin Bozhou seemed to be amused.
Meng Huan felt guilty and said, "Ever since the accident, I've forgotten many things. Maybe I injured my brain."
"Perhaps," Lin Bozhou gently adjusted his fingers, fixing the brush in the correct position, and said, "Write like this; otherwise, your wrist will get tired after writing too much."
"Mmm," Meng Huan acknowledged.
Lin Bozhou's hands were cool, but when he touched Meng Huan's hand, it inexplicably turned warm, and his fingertips felt ticklish, creating a strange sensation. Meng Huan's "High Affinity Point" system would always react this way when Lin Bozhou touched him, making his face turn red and his heart race.
"I'll teach you the writing style for these dozens of characters. Follow the order I show you and write them one by one," Lin Bozhou took out another sheet of paper and picked up the brush again, saying, "Understood?"
"Yes," Meng Huan nodded.
The courtyard was quiet, with only the sound of pages turning. Lin Bozhou's handwriting was indeed exquisite. In an era where letters were prevalent, having beautiful handwriting was a valuable asset. The book mentioned that Lin Bozhou had worked hard to gain recognition from scholars, putting much effort into his literary skills. He wrote even in the harsh winter, his hands becoming frostbitten, with blood flowing onto the paper, and it was through such dedication that he developed such exceptional penmanship.
Meng Huan couldn't help but admire his hand.
"Why are you looking?" Lin Bozhou noticed.
Meng Huan didn't know how to respond and brushed it off.
He wanted to find the scar on Lin Bozhou's hand and indeed spotted some dark brown pigmentations, likely the scars from an old wound.
—It's no wonder the virtuous characters in this book were all at the mercy of Lin Bozhou.
Lost in thought, a maid approached and asked softly
, "Madam, is it time for dinner?"
Upon hearing about food, Meng Huan's eyes lit up, and he asked subtly, "Where will the lord have his meal?"
He hoped Lin Bozhou would understand this as a subtle hint to leave.
"Right here," Lin Bozhou focused on writing and replied calmly.
"Here?"
Lin Bozhou asked, "Don't want to?"
Meng Huan fell silent and looked towards Fengzhi, "Prepare the meal."
However, Fengzhi's expression seemed a little uneasy.
Meng Huan realized she wanted to say something. He stood up and walked to the kitchen with her, asking, "What's wrong?"
Fengzhi said, "I don't know why, but the lord's outings have suddenly become stricter these past few days. The servant who used to help us buy groceries, Xiao Shun, can no longer leave the estate. So now, there's nothing in the kitchen, and we can't light the stove."
"How are we going to eat then? We can't let the lord go hungry," Meng Huan pondered and suggested, "Should we ask the food department to prepare dinner?"
Fengzhi nodded, "I'll go right away."
However... remembering the leftover food from the previous days, they probably wouldn't dare to be so bold while Lin Bozhou was still present.
Meng Huan didn't worry further and returned to the courtyard. Lin Bozhou had already written a character at the far right of the draft paper and instructed Meng Huan to write following the order.
Unable to bear his poor handwriting, Lin Bozhou said, "Come here and practice."
Feeling the pressure of a strict teacher, Meng Huan picked up the brush and obediently wrote each stroke. He had a steady grip, but his structure was lacking, resulting in crooked and uneven characters, especially when compared to Lin Bozhou's elegant calligraphy.
The more he wrote, the less confident Meng Huan became, especially with Lin Bozhou's gaze fixed on him. His ears turned red, and he buried his head heavily.
After writing the last character of the first row, he whispered, "I'm embarrassed."
"You know you're embarrassed," Lin Bozhou remarked.
Meng Huan lowered his head like a scolded primary school student.
"I'm sorry for the lesson, my lord," he said quietly.
However, his eyes shifted, and he wasn't entirely convinced.
Lin Bozhou sighed, stood up, and used his fan to adjust his robe sleeve. He extended a clean and slender wrist, saying, "Give me your hand."
"Huh?" Meng Huan was confused.
"Give me your hand," Lin Bozhou repeated, placing his large hand over Meng Huan's hand back.
He had distinct knuckles, slender and clean, but Meng Huan's hands were even smaller, easily held by him. Their backs and palms touched, emanating warmth, their skins in close contact, causing a tingling sensation as if their palms were electrified.
Meng Huan lowered his head, feeling Lin Bozhou leaning against his back, casting a shadow that covered him entirely. The faint scent of sandalwood wafted from Lin Bozhou's clothes, entering Meng Huan's lungs, making his head dizzy and his vision blurred.
"Don't exert force with your hand, just follow my writing," Lin Bozhou said.
"Mm," Meng Huan replied.
The hand that he held tightly didn't feel like his own. Meng Huan felt stiff, and his hand began to stiffen too. As Lin Bozhou rubbed against it, the fair skin turned slightly reddish.
Lin Bozhou asked, "Are you this nervous?"
"I'm not used to it," Meng Huan could only say.
"After finishing this character, you can do it yourself," Lin Bozhou said.
The lifeline was within reach, and Meng Huan found it especially difficult to write each stroke, as if he was moving a heavy mountain. When Lin Bozhou released his hand, the back of Meng Huan's hand glistened with perspiration, and his forehead became flushed with heat.
Lin Bozhou lowered his eyes and smiled, saying, "Keep writing."
Meng Huan awkwardly held the brush and, "pa ji," the characters he wrote immediately collapsed.
"The skill of calligraphy isn't developed overnight; it takes years of practice," Lin Bozhou raised an eyebrow. "Take it slowly, don't rush."
Meng Huan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At that moment, servants came in from the entrance, carrying dishes in their hands.
"Time for dinner?" Meng Huan asked, surprised. "Already?"
However, when the dishes were placed on the table, there were only two or three of them. The Grand Eunuch, You Jin, furrowed his brow and said, "Didn't you see His Highness here? What is this? It doesn't follow the proper rules."
The maidservant hurried to remove the dishes, but Lin Bozhou lazily slouched in his chair, raising his hand to signal them to stay and asked, "Is this the only food my lady gets for every meal?"
Meng Huan fell silent.
"My lady loves to eat, wants to taste everything. Are these few dishes enough?" Lin Bozhou used his chopsticks to uncover a covered bowl and said, "Let me see what kind of soup this is—"
As he uncovered it, there was a bowl of vegetable and tofu soup with a few pieces of yellow vegetable leaves floating in it. The soup was dark and had a hint of sourness mixed with the tofu.
The air grew significantly quieter.
Lin Bozhou raised an eyebrow and gently opened the lid of another bowl.
Inside was a plate of mashed fish, mostly bones with only a small amount of meat, all messily arranged in the dish.
"Hmm?" Lin Bozhou questioned lightly.
The scene fell into a chilling silence. Everyone present felt a bone-chilling coldness on their backs, making their knees weak and their throats dry, as if maggots were crawling on their bones. It not only made their backs feel cold but also made it impossible to speak.
Lin Bozhou frowned, his air of elegance disappeared, replaced by a calmness that ruled over the situation. "Go and summon Chen An, the Chief Justice of the Household's Judicial Office, and the Commander of the Royal Household Guards."
The Grand Eunuch, You Jin, broke out in
a cold sweat.
The Chief Justice was in charge of the judicial matters of the royal household, while the Commander of the Royal Household Guards commanded the royal household's military.
This meant someone would be executed!
Fear filled everyone's expressions, and Meng Huan realized the severity of the situation. He looked at Lin Bozhou and said, "Husband..."
The young man seemed startled, turned his head to look at him, his expression somewhat dazed.
The regent prince, dressed in exquisite clothing, sat in his chair and smiled, "Huan Huan, come and sit here."
This man, who would be executing someone in the next second, remained gentle toward him.
But Meng Huan understood the bloodlust and cruelty that lay beneath his gentle surface.
Meng Huan licked his lips and attempted to explain, "Actually, it's just that Xu Fanggu and the group who were involved in the fight have a problem. The others have no issues. My lord, please don't be too angry..."
Lin Bozhou's eyes seemed to be filled with a gentle breeze, infinitely warm, and he smiled slightly, saying, "The situation is much more serious than the lady thinks, but the lady doesn't need to worry."
He patted the seat beside him, and Meng Huan walked over to his side.
His hand was held by Lin Bozhou, and his breath brushed against Meng Huan's ear.
"I will ensure justice for you, my dear."