Chapter 11: Roasted Eggs and Raw Eggs

Chapter 11: Roasted Eggs and Raw Eggs

The night was dark and the wind was howling. The backyard, which usually had no sound except for birds chirping and insects buzzing, suddenly exploded into a big argument.

"Can't even get the fire started? Chen Shuoan, if you can't hack it, let me do it."

"Piss off! Just block the wind for me, will you?"

"Alright, alright." Chen Shuoan slapped his butt and got up, quickly chucking a few eggs in.

Zheng Yuanzhi stood off to the side, watching his slick moves with a grin, then said, "I did this kind of thing when I was a kid too. But once my dad took me to the capital, I never got the chance again."

Li Wei and Zhang Chenggong also sat down around the fire. The dancing flames flickered across their faces, making them look a little creepy.

Chen Shuoan got goosebumps all over his skin.

Li Wei's voice came drifting over, all lazy-like: "Brother Chen, even though your brains are usually plain for everyone to see, this time you really dropped the ball."

Chen Shuoan humbly asked for guidance, cupping his fists with a look of pure modesty: "Please, oh wise master, enlighten me."

Li Wei lunged over and locked his arm around Chen Shuoan's neck, shoving him toward the fire so he could get a better look: "One of the eggs is busted."

"..."

Chen Shuoan stared at the busted eggshells, took in the burnt smell in the air, and went quiet.

He would have to seriously reflect on what went wrong in this operation.

When everyone finally managed to fish the eggs out of the fire, Zhang Chenggong straight-up claimed the fruits of their labor, peeled one and shoved it right into his mouth.

"How is it? How is it?" Chen Shuoan asked impatiently.

Zhang Chenggong was so burned he could barely talk straight: "Not bad... not bad at all..."

Chen Shuoan smiled with confidence, grabbed two eggs, and stuffed them in his pocket. As he turned to leave, he made sure to remind everyone: "Remember to stomp out the fire, boys. Set the mountain on fire, and you'll rot in jail."

Chen Shuoan snuck back to the front courtyard, walking past his own room without a second glance, and instead knocked on the door of the next room—Yuan Rang's, which was still lit. He said, "Your Highness is still hitting the books? Your humble servant has brought you some warmth."

Yuan Rang was sitting at his desk, reading. Hearing that, he raised an eyebrow, sat up straighter, and said, "Come in."

Chen Shuoan had been waiting for that exact line.

With a "creak—" he pushed the door open, stepping into Yuan Rang's view all bathed in moonlight, clean and pure.

Yuan Rang was stunned for a second.

Chen Shuoan didn't look anything like Chen Jingxian. He had a pair of deer-like eyes, but there was something weirdly alluring about them. His long brows were striking, his lips were rosy, and even his earlobes were fair as jade—small and delicate.

It was a stunningly beautiful look, the kind that grabs your soul.

Yuan Rang figured he must've gotten it from his mother.

But the vibe this guy gave off was carefree and easygoing, innocent and full of life.

Yuan Rang's heart gave a little tremble at this unfamiliar feeling.

Chen Shuoan walked briskly to Yuan Rang's side, not catching the brief shadow that flickered through his eyes, and excitedly showed him the two eggs tucked in his arms.

"Your Highness, I just roasted these eggs. Want to try one?"

Yuan Rang looked down at the eggs cradled in Chen Shuoan's arms and didn't say a word.

Chen Shuoan felt a little let down when he didn't answer, figuring the kid didn't want any.

Yuan Rang suddenly stood up, bringing his gaze level with Chen Shuoan's.

He stared at Chen Shuoan's fair face, feeling inexplicably dry in the throat.

"Hand them over." Yuan Rang reached out his hand toward Chen Shuoan, his slender fingers seemingly brushing, almost by accident, against the folds of Chen Shuoan's clothes.

There was only a desk between them.

Chen Shuoan thought Yuan Rang was being ridiculously stubborn. Look at him—he obviously wanted to eat them, but he was acting all uninterested.

He was secretly gloating.

Don't tell me you're immune to eggs. I think you're just playing coy.

Yuan Rang took the eggs Chen Shuoan handed him and held them in his hand, saying calmly, "You went inside the inner grounds today?"

Chen Shuoan answered truthfully: "Yes, but we came out shortly after. One, it was getting dark, and two, nobody knew the way. We're planning to pick a familiar path and head back in tomorrow."

Chen Shuoan paused, a bit worried about the person before him. At this age, in modern times, he'd still be a middle schooler binge-watching cartoons. He couldn't help asking, "And Your Highness? Any plans?"

"I'll go in with my royal brothers and then break off on my own," Yuan Rang said, rubbing the two eggs in his hands, feeling the absurdity of the world for the first time. He looked up and chose his words carefully: "These eggs—you roasted them just now?"

Chen Shuoan didn't know why the topic had circled back to the eggs. He felt they were getting way too much screen time tonight.

Completely baffled, he stared blankly and said, "Yeah."

Yuan Rang couldn't help but chuckle at his dazed expression. "I see."

Chen Shuoan saw the teasing look on his face and sensed trouble. He craned his neck to look at the eggs in his hand.

Good grief—pure white with not a trace of charring. They were probably two raw eggs. He'd grabbed the wrong ones!

Yuan Rang, with a mischievous streak, watched his ears turn red and pretended to help him save face, but actually poured fuel on the fire: "It must be that the cold weather cooled them down quickly."

Chen Shuoan's face flushed bright red. In his ears echoed the earnest explanation from his old biology teacher: Paramecia can only carry out simple life activities...

He couldn't accept devolving into a paramecium. With a determined expression, he said to Yuan Rang, "I need to evolve... I mean—Your Highness, I'll go right now and bring you the real warmth I intended to give."

Yuan Rang calmly grabbed his arm, his grip light, his voice soft.

Chen Shuoan heard him say: "It's already late. Go back and rest. When we return to the capital, you can make it up to me—how about that?"

Chen Shuoan agreed in a daze.

It wasn't until he had washed up and lay in bed that it suddenly hit him—His Highness the Sixth Prince was trying to swindle a free meal out of him!

Chen Shuoan was consumed by regret, so furious he bit his blanket, and even had a rather unpleasant dream.

In the dream, a money-devouring beast chased after him. He ran and ran, until he finally couldn't run anymore.

"Spare me, good beast!" Chen Shuoan plopped down on the ground, frantically pulling out his money pouch, handing it over—coins and cloth together—to the beast's mouth.

The fierce-looking creature nudged the pouch away with its nose and opened its massive jaws to lick Chen Shuoan's face.

Chen Shuoan got angry, but only managed to be angry for a moment, slowly waking up amid the beast's wild licking.

He sat up and wiped his face haphazardly.

What the heck was that thing, acting like a dog.