<h4>Chapter 40</h4>


    <i> Editors: SimoB and yummers</i>


    With five days to go before the one month deadline, Yu Chennian’s animosity value stopped to 55 and refused to drop any further throughout the day.


    The System began to fret.


    It fretted by whispering incessantly: [Host, Host......are there really no problems? Is it really okay like this? There are only five days left ying.]


    The System that learned how to yingyingying couldn’t stir up Shi Qing’s heart that was as hard as steel.


    Currently, it was time for an afternoon nap. Yu Chennian hadn’t woken up yet.


    He wasfortably enjoying the warmth that was radiating from Yu Chennian as heid in the other’s arms.


    [What’s the rush? Have you noticed that Yu Chennian’s body is bing more and more pleasing to touch?]


    He poked at the firm muscles in front of him repeatedly as he spoke.


    [Ying...] The System swallowed back its tears with great difficulty and said pitifully: [But there are only five days left until the full month.]


    [The animosity value still hasn’t dropped to 50, so we will be thrown out by the World’s consciousness. There’s just five points left, just five......]


    If the difference wasrge enough to be hopeless, it wouldn’t be so anxious.


    But there were only five more to go!!


    With onest push, they could make it!


    It’s a pity that Yu Chennian’s animosity refused to drop just five more points.


    Shi Qing was still in no hurry.


    [Be good. Go read the ‘ssic of Mountains and Seas’. Wasn’t a picture book edition just released?]


    The System had always been unable to deal with its own Host. Upon seeing Shi Qing being so uncooperative, the System could only run away while crying.


    Shi Qing carried on with touching Yu Chennian like before after it had left. He took advantage of Yu Chennian’satose state and poked at the youth continuously to his heart’s desire.


    This continued until the strong muscles by his hand moved and bulged slightly. Then, a long and slender hand approached, grasping Shi Qing’s hand in its palm. His grip was strong, but he only slightly circled the young, white, and tender fingertips without using any strength.


    “You’re awake?”


    The little master, who had done all sorts of things to the other person while they were asleep, didn’t feel guilty at all. He said hello naturally, before removing his hand from Yu Chennian’s grip and continuing to poke: “For some reason I think you’re sturdier than before. This growth is happening way too fast.”


    Yu Chennian tried his best to ignore his unceasing actions. He answered in a deep voice: “I’ve been eating more meals these days.”


    “I eat a lot too, ah. But howe my belly only grew fatter.”


    Shi Qing bowed his head and touched his abdomen with an unhappy face: “I didn’t get any taller either.”


    Yu Chennian nced at his t abdomen and said honestly: “You are not fat.”


    “How can I not be? I’ve grown a lot of meat here.”


    The little master’s little temper rose again. He grabbed Yu Chennian’s hand andnded it on his abdomen. “Touch it. Do you see how much meat there is?”


    Putting Yu Chennian’s hand on his stomach, Shi Qing’s white and delicate face was full of unhappiness. He continued to mutter: “It’s really strange. We do the same things and eat almost the same meals everyday, so why is it that only you can grow tall and strong? Your muscles are so hard too. Meanwhile, I can only grow a lump of fatty meat.”


    Yu Chennian’s ears were filled with the little boy’s whines and discontent as his hands rubbed the fatty meat Shi Qing was referring to.


    It really wasn’t fat. It was actually pretty t. But the originally soft stomach grew even more tender with someone warming the bed and after being fed well this winter.


    Through the clothes, Yu Chennian could even think of how delicate and white this ce would be. There shouldn’t be many soft spots that could be pinched, just a small handful.


    Only three words could describe it: plump, silky, and tender.


    The young man pinched it with his fingers almost unconsciously.


    “Aiya!”


    The body underneath his hand immediately sprung up like a live fish after being tickled.


    Shi Qing directed an indignant re at Yu Chennian: “What are you doing!”


    Yu Chennian realized what he had done when he noticed the angry re. His hands dropped immediately as his head lowered slightly.


    “Sorry.”


    “Humph!”


    The little master threw off the warm nket. Due to his nap, his white face was flushed, which made him appear rather shy.


    After he sat down, he made an announcement, “Today I have a ydate with my friend. You’reing along with me.”


    Without waiting for Yu Chennian to respond, he bossily added: “You’re not allowed to refuse. I’ve already informed His Majesty; he also agreed to let you go out with me.”


    Yu Chennian was silent for a few seconds.


    “Okay.”


    He saw how overjoyed Shi Qing was by his agreement. His eyebrows and eyes all revealed his arrogance as they rose up. His pride appeared to be flowing through his whole body. Yu Chennian was able to guess some of the little master’s inner thoughts.


    He had probably bragged to his friends outside the pce about how a prince followed him as a valet or something.


    The little master, who wanted to show off quickly, climbed off the bed and called the eunuch outside to dress him. He urged Yu Chennian hurriedly.


    “Hurry up!”


    His tone clearly indicated amand, but his naturally soft and waxy voice made it sound like he was acting spoiled.


    Yu Chennian stood up in silence and began to dress himself as well.


    Since he stayed at Shi Qing’s residence so often recently, all of his few cloaks were stored here.


    Perhaps the little boy himself didn’t notice, but he began to stick to Yu Chennian more and more.


    He needed to be apanied by Yu Chennian no matter what he did, or else he’d be grumpy.


    But Yu Chennian’s emotions grew more and moreplicated over time.


    Shi Qing was happy to take him everywhere, and he was happy toply as well.


    But at the same time, there was an unresolved knot at the bottom of his heart.


    Shi Qing only saw him as a servant and ymate, but he wanted to be something different from that.


    He wanted more.


    Shi Qing finished changing his clothes and heard that someone outside had made a bowl of peony flowers carved out of ice. He ran out excitedly to have a look.


    Only Yu Chennian, the eunuch who served him, and the eunuch that came to inform him about the ice sculptures were left in the room.


    The young man continued to adjust his waist ornaments like he usually did.


    “Your Highness, let this one......”


    The eunuch came forward with a bowed face and began to help Yu Chennian earnestly.


    When the eunuch who served Shi Qing saw this scene, his heart was filled with disdain.


    This was just an unfavoured prince that anyone could step on, but this guy was so obsequious. Couldn’t he see the situation clearly?


    He didn’t want to stand there and watch Yu Chennian get dressed either. He turned around and left to find Shi Qing.


    There were only two people left in the room.


    Yu Chennian opened his arms and raised his head only slightly, but his temperament was quite different from the wooden impression he left on others. He asked lightly: “How did it go?”


    The eunuch replied: “It was as Your Highness predicted. The Hu people have repeatedly vited the border. They’ve already taken three cities, but they were all deste ces anyway.”


    “As long as it’s a part of our country’s territory, regardless of whether it’s deste or not, it’s still a great shame for other countries to be able to conquer it. The court will most likely be thrown into uproar by this news.” There were no superfluous expressions on the young man’s face. He only asked: “Who is the general of the Hu people?”


    “It’s their second prince; the one who is brave and skilled at fighting.”


    “Go back to tell Uncle to contact some old ministers. When the news of war is carried back, let them petition for a prince to lead our forces in the war since the Hu people are also sending out a prince. Three of our country’s cities have been taken in a row. Say that this is the best way to regain our nation’s prestige.”


    “Understood.”


    “Also, tell my uncle that I must be the one to go to war in the end.”


    The eunuch looked up in surprise: “Your Highness?!”


    Yu Chennian said with a wave: “Leave.”


    The eunuch hesitated for a few seconds. But he bowed respectfully and left.


    After standing in the room for a while, the young man stepped out the door, and went to the end of the corridor. There, he saw the youth looking at the ice sculptures with great interest.


    He had a bright smile without a trace of pride on his face, which was truly rare for him. Just like a child, he used his white fingertips to carefully touch the petals carved out of ice.


    While having a good time, Shi Qing inadvertently looked back at him. He immediately smiled and waved him over: “Yu Chennian, look at how much this flower sculpture resembles the real thing.”


    The little master was born prematurely, so in the past—even in the summer— his family would not allow him to touch more ice than was necessary, let alone make ice sculptures for him to y with in winter.


    This was the first time he had ever seen ice sculptures.


    The youth strode over with big steps.


    He stared at the crystal clear ice sculpture before suddenly asking: “Do you like peonies? Or do you like ice sculptures?”


    Shi Qing huffed and lightly kicked Yu Chennian with his foot. He raised his little chin arrogantly: “I’m not gonna tell you.”


    Yu Chennian didn’t get an answer, but he wasn’t disappointed.


    He only looked at the bowl of ice sculptures in front of him with unfathomably deep eyes.


    He thought, since Shi Qing didn’t specify, he probably liked peony ice sculptures.


    If one day, he covered the pce with peony ice sculptures— Shi Qing would be even more happy, right?


    Author’s Note:


    Why do I feel like Big Nian is like a wild horse that broke free of its reins and started following after a strange man?


    No!


    No!


    I must be mistaken!


    Everyone please give a warm wee to the other new editor for this novel, yummers!