Chapter 33: His Highness and I Are the Best in the World

Chapter 33: His Highness and I Are the Absolute Best in the World

"So what'd you and His Highness go do?"

Chen Shuo'an looked at Zhang Chenggong's sleazy mug shoved right in his face and felt utterly speechless.

"What do you think we did?"

Zhang Chenggong gave a dirty chuckle, his imagination running wild: "Did His Highness teach you a good lesson, make you cry your eyes out and bawl like a baby?"

Huh?

Why would he need to be taught a lesson? What, was he some kind of loser?

Chen Shuo'an got riled up by his words. He punched the guy's arm and said coldly, "Believe me, I'll beat you until you're the one bawling your eyes out."

Li Wei stood nearby, shocked that Zhang Chenggong had the guts to mess with the guy himself, and rushed over to mediate: "Shuo'an, cut him some slack. Zhang Chenggong's been a few fries short of a Happy Meal since he was a kid—don't scramble whatever's left of his brains."

"Do you two have the wrong idea about me and His Highness? You keep talking nonsense nobody can make heads or tails of."

Qin Zhonglian thought to himself, It's not us who's got it wrong—it's you who's got His Highness all wrong.

He decided to give this idiot a nudge and couldn't help asking, "So what do you think your deal with His Highness is right now?"

Chen Shuo'an said without a shred of shame, about to say they were like brothers, when he suddenly realized calling himself a prince's brother was a bit too much. He spoke weakly, "Friends... maybe?"

Qin Zhonglian: "..."

His Highness basically wants to be glued to your side like a Siamese twin every damn day, and you're still standing there going "duh"?!

So disappointed he could spit, he patted Chen Shuo'an's shoulder, looking like he had a lot to say but swallowed it back.

"Ignorance is bliss. Keep it that way."

Chen Shuo'an felt like the whole world had ditched him. He looked around and caught Zheng Yuanzhi's equally clueless, wide-eyed stare, like he'd found his tribe. He latched onto him like a lifeline, trying to figure out what the hell Qin Zhonglian was getting at.

Zheng Yuanzhi stared off into space, mumbling, "I don't know. The teacher never covered that."

After going back and forth with no luck, the other three all had that "divine secrets can't be spilled" look on their faces, telling them to go figure it out themselves.

Chen Shuo'an: "..."

Figure it out, my ass.

These guys usually talk out of their asses with zero filter, but now they're clammed up tighter than a newborn's mouth.

Chen Shuo'an mentally added every single one of them to his shit list.

And so, the brotherhood fell apart, and Chen Shuo'an sobbed alone till sunrise.

"So how's Gangpao these days?"

Just thinking about it made Chen Shuo'an's head hurt again.

Before the dog, life was a mess of little problems; after the dog, it's just fur everywhere.

He waved his hand helplessly and said painfully, "He eats more and craps and pees more, but he's getting prettier by the day."

Li Wei couldn't even picture what "handsome" would look like on Chen Gangpao. Baffled, he asked, "What makes you say that?"

Chen Shuo'an had that proud-dad look on his face: "The fur around Gangpao's mouth's gone all white. I'm telling you, soon he'll be a real little white dog."

Li Wei: "..."

Defying genetics, rewriting the legend of fur color.

What an inspiring pup. Clap if you get it!

Zheng Yuanzhi remembered the little dog he'd picked up half a year ago—black head, white fur everywhere else—and cracked up: "Is he gonna go his whole life thinking he's a little white dog?"

Chen Shuo'an had a max-level beauty filter when it came to Chen Gangpao. He said darkly to Zheng Yuanzhi, "You're mocking him? Let me warn you, Gangpao's about to bloom. Ignore him now, but once he becomes a stunningly gorgeous dog, you won't be able to reach his level."

Unexpectedly, Zheng Yuanzhi laughed even harder: "It's not that he's blooming—I think you're the one who's delusional."

Chen Shuo'an: "..."

What now? Was he the common class enemy of these people? Why was everyone ganging up on him and his adorable little dog?

He slammed the table, deciding to bring Chen Gangpao out for a walk in front of them that afternoon to show off his breathtaking beauty. He'd just stood up when Zhang Zhi walked in and caught him red-handed.

"Shuo'an, why are you so energetic today? Don't you usually get so sleepy seeing this old man that you go meet the Duke of Zhou? Did something good happen? Why not share it with everyone."

Facing Master Zhang's rapid-fire triple question, Chen Shuo'an's little face flushed bright red. His so-called friends at the side were bent over the table, laughing silently and without restraint, making the whole study feel as festive as New Year's money envelopes.

Chen Shuo'an: "..."

Does building your happiness on my misery double your joy or something?

Chen Shuo'an was utterly isolated, and in his flustered helplessness, he met Yuan Rang's teasing gaze from the front row.

The man seemed to be in a good mood, his usually pressed-thin lips curved into a relaxed, light arc.

In his daze, Chen Shuo'an could read his lip movements.

"Shuo'an, what good news do you have?"

Chen Shuo'an licked his lips, slightly dry from nervousness, and spoke seriously and slowly, as if a little embarrassed: "Being close with His Highness the Sixth Prince makes me very happy."

Yuan Rang froze abruptly.

His ears were tinged with a faint red, his gaze flustered but not evasive. His burning eyes locked firmly onto the standing youth in the moon-white robe, his expression wild and obsessive.

Shuo'an was simply too wonderful.

So wonderful that he nearly forgot how hard loneliness was to endure, how bone-deep the pain was, what suffering tasted like.

He resolved to walk to Chen Shuo'an's side in radiant glory.

Zhang Chenggong let out a piercing shriek of excitement below, leading the cheers, and the entire study turned into something like Water Curtain Cave on Flower-Fruit Mountain, so noisy it made one's heart itch.

Chen Shuo'an couldn't understand why everyone was so excited. The boisterous atmosphere made his own heartbeat thunder in his ears.

He felt a little lost, not knowing where this emotion came from, and could only look to Yuan Rang for help.

The man's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, as if a laugh escaped from deep in his throat. Then he turned his face away, no longer hiding the tender, lingering smile.

Chen Shuo'an: "..."

Why does he look like he's enjoying this a little too much?

Yuan Rang, meaning to help him out of a tight spot, stood up and drawled, a far cry from his usual quiet self.

"I'm delighted too."

The cheers suddenly swelled, mixed with Zhang Chenggong's embarrassing monkey screeches.

Chen Shuoan cracked up immediately.

Now that's more like it—give and take, and everyone's happy.

He, Chen Shuoan, and His Highness the Sixth Prince were the absolute best of friends in the entire world.

After all, Yuan Rang had personally stamped his seal of approval.

School was already out, and Qin Zhonglian made a graceful turn, waved goodbye to everyone, and left with a dashing silhouette: "See you all at noon tomorrow, fellas."

Chen Shuoan was baffled and asked earnestly, his tone tinged with a hint of reluctance: "Why does he have to see us at noon tomorrow? Did he secretly take leave behind our backs?!"

He was a mess of dark, screeching, writhing jealousy.

Jealousy had warped his face into something unrecognizable.

I don't want to go to school either!

Li Wei kindly patted his head: "The day after tomorrow is the Emperor's birthday banquet. Tomorrow, all the ministers will go to Daxiangguo Temple to pray for the Emperor. Now do you understand?"

Chen Shuoan nodded earnestly, this time truly taking it to heart.

To really learn the ropes, he'd need to stick around here for a few more years.