CHAPTER 135: WHY ARE YOU SAD?

Jian Ci stared at the ice cream in his hand. It looked far too good to refuse, glowing softly in shades of gold and pink, but his mood was affecting his appetite. Still, the thought that Yu Xi had bought it especially for him made his lips curve into a smile. He scooped out a generous spoonful and tasted it.

The moment the sweetness melted on his tongue, Jian Ci’s eyes lit up. He turned to Yu Xi, his expression bright. Yu Xi met his gaze, half-teasing. "What? You don’t like it?"

Jian Ci shook his head quickly. "Did you put extra honeyed fruit?"

"I did," Yu Xi admitted. "Is it too much?"

Yu Xi knew Jian Ci’s taste buds better than anyone. Jian Ci had no limit when it came to sweetness—the more sugar, the better.

Jian Ci grinned. "No. I love it. It tastes so good."

He began to dig in, his sulking mood lifting with each bite. Yu Xi ate his own ice cream, but his attention was mostly on Jian Ci. Watching him enjoy it so earnestly made Yu Xi’s chest ache with warmth. Jian Ci looked so cute that Yu Xi couldn’t help but stare for a long time.

Almost without thinking, Yu Xi reached out and poked Jian Ci’s cheek. Jian Ci blinked, then smirked. "What’s wrong?"

Yu Xi noticed the smug curve at the corner of his lips and chuckled softly. Jian Ci tilted his head. "What?"

Yu Xi handed him a paper towel, gesturing to his own lips. "You have something here."

Jian Ci took the paper towel and tried to wipe his mouth, but instead of cleaning the spot, he missed it entirely and smeared the ice cream further across his cheek. Yu Xi chuckled softly as he continued eating, the sound warm and amused. Jian Ci narrowed his eyes. "You are laughing at me instead of helping me."

Yu Xi shook his head, teasing. "You are a grown adult. You don’t need my help."

Jian Ci could have let it go, but that wasn’t his style. With a mischievous grin, he scooped a bit of ice cream onto his spoon and dabbed it onto Yu Xi’s cheek.

Yu Xi turned his head sharply, incredulous. "Are you serious?"

Jian Ci laughed, his tiger tooth flashing. "Now we have no choice but to help each other. I scratch your back, you scratch mine."

"So childish," Yu Xi muttered, though he allowed Jian Ci to wipe his cheek clean.

When Jian Ci finished, Yu Xi took the same paper towel from him. He leaned close, twisting his body at an awkward angle to reach the furthest side of Jian Ci’s face. Their proximity was undeniable—Yu Xi could feel Jian Ci’s breath brushing against his neck, warm and steady.

He wiped the last smear away, his voice low. "Why are you sad?"

Jian Ci’s eyes flickered, but he forced a smile. "I am not sad."

Yu Xi looked at him, his gaze sharp yet gentle, as though silently saying really? The unspoken weight lingered between them, heavier than the sweetness of the ice cream.

Jian Ci sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping as though the weight of his memories pressed down on him. "When something like this happens," he murmured, "I just think of my mother."

Yu Xi pulled back slightly, having finished wiping his cheek, and sat quietly, waiting with patience for Jian Ci to continue.

"You know what happened to my mum," Jian Ci said, his voice cracking. "Rui-ge never wanted me to know the details, on how really bad it was... but I still saw it." His words trembled, heavy with grief. "They didn’t want me to know, but I saw the pictures on Starnet. She was... she was beaten badly."

Yu Xi bit his lip, his chest tightening at the raw pain radiating from Jian Ci. He wished he could take that suffering away, make it his own burden instead. Slowly, he reached out and held Jian Ci’s hand, grounding him.

Jian Ci looked at him, his eyes shadowed. "She is a powerful Esper, with an entire fleet under her command. But her legacy was tainted by that bastard. She’s now remembered as the first Esper to be a consort. And when she was beaten, they all said, ’They are both Espers, she should be able to take that beating.’"

Yu Xi’s jaw tightened, his fist clenching so hard his nails dug into his skin. Rage burned inside him. He wanted nothing more than to drag Thaurion here, throw him at Jian Ci’s feet, and let him vent every ounce of his fury.

Jian Ci’s voice was low but heavy with emotion. "That’s why it pisses me off so much. I don’t want to see someone I care about get hurt and go through what my mother went through."

Yu Xi’s heart clenched at the rawness in his tone. "I am sorry," he whispered.

Jian Ci shook his head, his fingers intertwining with Yu Xi’s, playing with them absentmindedly. "You don’t need to apologize. I should be apologizing for losing my shit constantly."

Yu Xi gave him a faint smile. "You can lose your shit in front of me anytime. I won’t hold it against you."

Their gazes met, lingering, unspoken words hanging between them. For a moment, the world seemed to quiet around them.

It was Xiaobao who broke the silence, her voice bright. "Do they look pretty?"

Yu Xi let go of Jian Ci’s hand and turned to look at the bouquet Xiaobao held. The flowers were vibrant, woven together in a cheerful arrangement. He smiled softly. "Mum would love them."

"Of course she would," Xiaobao said proudly. "I picked them while you were lazing around."

Jian Ci smirked, leaning back. "I can make a better bouquet than you. My flower arrangement game is good."

Xiaobao sneered, her eyes narrowing. "You?... you are just lying so you can impress my gege."

Jian Ci’s grin widened, his tiger tooth flashing. "Impress your gege, yes. Lie, no."

Jian Ci rose to his feet, determination flashing in his violet eyes. "I will make you the most beautiful bouquet you have ever seen," he declared with confidence.

Xiaobao, never one to back down, crossed her arms and smirked. "Alright. And we will let Yu Xi pick the best."

Yu Xi blinked, exasperated. "..." He sighed. "What won’t you two compete on? Everything with you is a competition."

Jian Ci tilted his head, playful. "And if I win, what do I get?"

Xiaobao grinned mischievously. "Whoever wins gets to sleep in Xi-ge’s room tonight."

Yu Xi nearly dropped his ice cream. "..." He groaned. "You both have your own rooms to sleep in."

But neither Xiaobao nor Jian Ci paid him any attention. They marched toward the flowerbeds, their rivalry ignited.