AMLFS Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Father is Ill

Song Huaixi had a good, long sleep, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

The moment he opened his eyes, he saw Zhao Fangye by the desk.

“Zhao Fangye!” Song Huaixi called out in surprise, rolling over in bed and quickly sitting up.

Turning his head, he looked out the window and realized it was already late.

Zhao Fangye was still sitting here.

Song Huaixi asked in confusion, “Didn’t you have to attend court?”

“No.” Zhao Fangye walked over to him and smoothed out his messy hair.

He picked up the clothes set aside and helped him put them on, “I have a few days off.”

After bringing Song Huaixi back from the academy a few days ago, Zhao Fangye had claimed illness and stopped attending court.

“Oh. That’s great!” Song Huaixi’s eyebrows curved into a smile, cooperating with his movements and keeping his eyes fixed on him, “That means you can spend the whole day with me!”

Hearing this, Zhao Fangye’s lips curved upwards. After helping him put on his clothes, he bent down, grabbed his wiggling ankles, and put socks on his tender feet, “So happy?”

Song Huaixi readily admitted it, nodding his head, “Yes. Very happy.”

Before, when he went to school, he couldn’t see Zhao Fangye for half the morning. He was naturally delighted to be able to spend an entire day together.

Patting his head, Zhao Fangye stood up and took his hand, “Then how about I spend the whole day with Huaixi today?”

“Okay! Okay! I want you to tell me stories, teach me how to write, and go to the garden with Little Wolf,” Song Huaixi said, already anticipating and starting to make demands.

“Alright, whatever you want.”

Turning past the screen, they went to the front hall. Breakfast was already prepared.

On the table were fresh chicken porridge, yam and jujube cake, ruyi rolls, pine nut and goose oil rolls, and several refreshing side dishes.

Everything was according to Song Huaixi’s preferences. Song Huaixi didn’t like overly sweet flavors, so the kitchen paid attention to this, even the desserts were chosen to be sweet and sour.

Zhao Fangye picked up a pine nut and goose oil roll and placed it on the small plate in front of him, “Eat more, you’re too thin.”

When Zhao Fangye held Song Huaixi in his arms at night, he felt his slender waist and thin wrists; there wasn’t much meat on him at all.

He couldn’t understand why, despite the abundance of delicacies in the Ning Wang Mansion, this person was still so thin. It was almost spring, but he was no different from when they first met during their wedding.

A beautiful face, a pointed chin with only a hint of baby fat, and no roundness to be seen.

“Mm. I know,” Song Huaixi said, biting into the pine nut and goose oil roll, his eyes lighting up, “Delicious!”

Seeing the lively expression on his face, Zhao Fangye smiled at him and pushed the plate of pine nut and goose oil rolls towards him, “If you like it, have more.”

He didn’t understand why Zhao Fangye always said he was thin. He even had a little belly since coming to the Wang Mansion. But the food in the Wang Mansion was really delicious, with a different variety of dishes every day.

He naturally wouldn’t refuse Zhao Fangye’s offer of food.

As the two were eating, Butler Wang walked in from outside and stood by the table, observing that they were having a good time.

After a pause, he said, “Someone from the Song Mansion came to report that Song Zigen is ill and would like to invite the Wangfei back to the mansion.”

“What!?”

Upon hearing this, Song Huaixi immediately put down the half-eaten goose oil roll, instantly becoming anxious, “What happened to Father?! Why is he sick! I want to go home and find Father!”

Saying that, he didn’t even have time to think. Song Huaixi stood up from the stool and was about to walk out.

Zhao Fangye reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him into his arms to comfort him, “Huaixi, don’t worry, finish your meal and this Wang will go back with you.”

Enclosed in Zhao Fangye’s arms, Song Huaixi was so anxious that he was stamping his feet, unable to listen to anything.

He struggled to get out, “Father is sick, I want to go back. Zhao Fangye, Father is sick!”

When Song Huaixi was little, he overheard his mother talking about his grandfather, saying that his grandfather was sick.

Later, his grandfather died. The people in the household were afraid that little Song Huaixi would be sad, so they didn’t tell him what happened. As a result, Song Huaixi only knew that people would die when they got sick.

Including the several times he had been sick in the Wang Mansion, he thought he was going to die.

Zhao Fangye glanced at Butler Wang, signaling him to go down and prepare.

Butler Wang had a look of helplessness on his face. He didn’t expect the Wangfei to react so strongly. If he had known, he wouldn’t have reported it during breakfast.

He had inadvertently disturbed the two of them during their meal.

Seeing that Song Huaixi’s eyes were red with anxiety in his arms, Zhao Fangye reached out and cupped his face, kissing his red eyes.

He gently comforted him, “Huaixi, it’s okay. Don’t worry, Song Zigen will be fine. Listen to me, eat breakfast first, or you won’t have the strength to travel on an empty stomach.”

Soothed by the gentle voice, Song Huaixi couldn’t suppress the fear and unease in his heart. He grabbed Zhao Fangye’s wrist and said in a trembling voice, “Don’t let Father be sick, don’t let Father die.”

Zhao Fangye was helpless when he heard this. So that’s what he was worried about.

Silly boy.

Wiping his wet eyelashes, he picked him up and placed him on his lap, “It’s just an illness, he won’t die.”

“Really?” Hearing him say this, Song Huaixi immediately calmed down, looking at him uncertainly, “Really won’t die?”

“No,” Zhao Fangye scratched the tip of his nose, seeing his confused look, “You get better by taking medicine when you’re sick, didn’t Huaixi get sick before too?”

Song Huaixi was now somewhat confused, his perception in his mind had been broken. He was stunned like a dumb rabbit.

But at least he had calmed down.

Zhao Fangye fed the unfinished chicken porridge to his lips, “Eat first, after we finish, we’ll go back to the Song Mansion.”

After breakfast, the two rode in a carriage back to the Song Mansion.

As soon as they got out of the carriage, Song Huaixi rushed into the Song Mansion without even putting on his cloak.

There was still some thin ice formed from fine snow on the ground. Song Huaixi slipped and almost fell. Zhao Fangye quickly stepped forward to catch his leaning body, frowning, “Walk slower.”

Saying that, he put the cloak in his hand on him and tied it up. Although it was already early spring, the wind in the capital was still a bit cold.

Song Lianyu, receiving the notification, hurried out to greet the two. Seeing Zhao Fangye bowing his head to tie the cloak for his younger brother, his sharp eyebrows became gentle and delicate.

Men understood men the most, and Song Lianyu felt relieved. It seemed that Huaixi’s marriage to Prince Zhao of the Ning district could be considered a blessing in disguise.

“Brother!” Song Huaixi saw Song Lianyu and immediately called out crisply.

Song Lianyu looked at him with a doting smile on his face, stepped forward to touch the top of Song Huaixi’s head and pinched his cheeks, his tone affectionate, “Huaixi is back. You seem to have gained a little weight. Your sister-in-law and parents are waiting for you inside.”

Song Huaixi immediately stepped forward and grabbed Song Lianyu’s sleeve, his eyes moist, “Brother! What happened to Father? Why is he sick?”

Zhao Fangye stood beside Song Huaixi, watching the intimate actions of the two brothers. A hint of displeasure flashed across his pale eyes.

“It’s nothing. Huaixi, don’t worry. Father just misses you.”

Song Lianyu’s eyes flashed with forbearance, his gaze hesitating between Song Huaixi and Zhao Fangye for a moment, before landing on their clasped hands.

He gave Song Huaixi a comforting smile, not wanting him to know the inside story.

Looking at Zhao Fangye, Song Lianyu stepped aside, “Prince Zhao, the wind is strong outside, let’s go in.”

Song Huaixi immediately stepped forward, wanting to cling to his brother, but unexpectedly, his wrist was pulled by Zhao Fangye and he fell into his arms.

Zhao Fangye said in a deep voice in his ear, “Why are you running? Be careful of the slippery ground.”

“Oh.”

Song Huaixi still wanted to ask his brother how Father got sick, but looking at his brother’s back in front, they were a long distance apart.

He gave up and obediently let Zhao Fangye hold his hand and slowly walk into the mansion.