Chapter 11: Roasted Eggs and Raw Eggs

Chapter 11: Roasted Eggs and Raw Eggs

On a dark, windy night, the backyard, which was usually silent except for birdsong and insects, erupted into a huge argument.

"Can't even get the fire going? Chen Shuoan, if you can't hack it, I'll do it."

"Get outta here, just block the wind for me."

"Okay, okay." Chen Shuoan dusted off his pants, stood up, and quickly chucked a few eggs into the fire.

Zheng Yuanzhi stood off to the side, watching his slick moves with a grin, then said, "I used to do this as a kid too. But after 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 casting weird shadows across their faces.

Chen Shuoan got goosebumps all over his skin.

Li Wei's voice drifted over lazily: "Brother Chen, we all know you're usually sharp, but this time you really dropped the ball."

Chen Shuoan humbly sought guidance, clasping his hands in a respectful gesture: "Please, oh wise master, enlighten me."

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

"..."

Chen Shuoan stared at the shattered shell, caught a whiff of something burnt, and went quiet.

He'd have to seriously reflect on the mistakes he made in this operation.

After everyone finally managed to fish the eggs out of the fire, Zhang Chenggong straight-up claimed the spoils, peeled one open, and shoved it into his mouth.

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

Zhang Chenggong was so burned he could barely talk: "Pretty good, pretty good..."

Chen Shuoan smiled smugly, grabbed two eggs, and stuffed them in his pocket. As he turned to leave, he reminded everyone: "Remember to stomp out the fire, fellas. You set the mountain on fire, you'll rot in jail."

Chen Shuoan snuck back to the front courtyard, walking right past his own room without a second look, and knocked on the door of the room next door where Yuan Rang's light was still on, saying, "Your Highness is still studying? Your humble servant has brought you some warmth."

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

Chen Shuoan had been waiting for that exact moment.

He pushed the door open with a creak, stepping into Yuan Rang's view, bathed in moonlight—clean and pure.

Yuan Rang was caught off guard for a second.

Chen Shuoan didn't look anything like Chen Jingxian. He had these big doe eyes, but there was something strangely alluring about them. His long brows were striking, his lips rosy, and even his earlobes were pale as jade, small and delicate.

He was strikingly beautiful, the kind of looks that could captivate your soul.

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

But the vibe around him was carefree and innocent, totally artless.

Yuan Rang felt his heart skip at this unfamiliar feeling.

Chen Shuoan walked over to Yuan Rang with light steps, not catching the brief shadow that passed through his eyes, and excitedly showed him the two eggs 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 but didn't say anything.

Chen Shuoan felt a little disappointed when he didn't answer, figuring the kid didn't want them.

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

He stared at Chen Shuoan's pale face, his mouth inexplicably dry.

"Give them to me." Yuan Rang reached out, his slender fingers seemingly brushing against the folds of Chen Shuoan's clothes by accident.

There was only a desk between them.

Chen Shuoan thought Yuan Rang was just being stubborn—clearly he wanted the eggs, but he was pretending not to care.

He secretly gloated to himself.

Don't tell me you're immune to eggs. I can see right through your little act.

Yuan Rang took the eggs Chen Shuoan handed him, held them in his palm, and said calmly, "You went inside today?"

"Yeah, but we came out pretty quickly. One, because it was getting dark, and two, because nobody knew the way. We're planning to pick a familiar route and go back in tomorrow."

Chen Shuoan paused, feeling a bit worried for the guy in front of him—at this age, back in the modern world, he'd still be a middle schooler watching cartoons. He couldn't help asking, "And Your Highness? What are your plans?"

"I'll go in with my royal brothers and then split off on my own," Yuan Rang said, rubbing the two eggs in his hand, feeling the absurdity of the world for the first time. He looked up and hesitated before asking, "These eggs—you roasted these just now?"

Chen Shuoan didn't know why the conversation had circled back to the eggs. They'd had way too much screen time tonight.

He was totally confused, staring blankly: "Yeah."

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

Chen Shuoan saw the teasing look on his face and knew something was up. He craned his neck to look at the eggs in his hand.

Sure enough—pure white, not a hint of char. They had to be raw eggs. He'd grabbed the wrong ones!

Yuan Rang watched his ears turn red with amusement, pretending to help him save face while actually making it worse: "Must be the cold weather cooled them off fast."

Chen Shuoan's face turned bright red, and he could almost hear his old biology teacher's patient explanation echoing in his ears: Paramecium can only carry out simple life functions...

He couldn't accept devolving into a paramecium, so he said to Yuan Rang firmly: "I'm going to evolve... I mean—Your Highness, I'll go get you the real warmth I was supposed to bring right now."

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

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

Chen Shuoan agreed, still in a daze.

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

Chen Shuoan was beside himself with regret, biting his blanket in frustration, and then had a pretty awful dream.

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

"Have mercy, good beast!" Chen Shuoan plopped down on the ground, frantically yanked out his money pouch, and shoved it, coins and all, toward the beast's mouth.

The fierce-looking beast nudged the pouch away with its nose, opened its huge maw, and licked Chen Shuoan's face.

Chen Shuoan got mad—briefly—and slowly woke up amid the beast's wild licking.

He sat up and wiped his face all over.

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