MLIAM Chapter 17

Chapter 17: First Acquaintance – Even boys need to protect themselves when they’re out and about…

Chapter 17: First Acquaintance – Even boys need to protect themselves when they’re out and about…

Mentioning Princess Jiangning, Yu Shuli recalled an incident from many years ago.

At that time, Wei Yan had just separated from his family. Several of his uncles bullied him, causing trouble during the division of the family property. Wei Yan endured it all to get away as soon as possible.

He thought better days were ahead, but Madam Wu became seriously ill.

The old madam used all her dowry, but it still wasn’t enough.

Wei Yan didn’t have the money to hire a doctor or buy medicine, so he had to swallow his pride and beg his former classmates for help.

He was once a nobleman, fortunate enough to study at the Imperial private school when the old Prime Minister was alive, and even received guidance from the Grand Tutor.

But after losing his father, his support, and being ostracized by his clan, his family declined.

When he saw those classmates again, before Wei Yan could even speak, he only saw contemptuous and dismissive looks in their eyes, as well as vague excuses.

As the sun set, he visited every one of his classmates’ homes in The Capital City, only to be turned away or politely refused.

The final rays of sunset burned the streets red. He walked aimlessly, feeling lost and helpless, without even the strength to go home.

He was afraid to see his mother’s and grandmother’s expectant eyes.

He wandered along the street in a daze and bumped into someone.

Wei Yan looked up and saw a delicate and handsome young boy.

His eyes were red, his eyelashes wet with tears, one side of his face bore a large palm print, yet he was still holding an sesame cake in his hand, munching on it.

“Sorry, I accidentally bumped into you,” Wei Yan said.

The boy looked up at him, then immediately turned his face away, covering the injured side, trying to hide it: “Oh, it’s not your fault, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued to walk and take large bites of the sesame cake.

Such an ordinary sesame cake seemed like a delicacy in his mouth.

Wei Yan saw how deliciously he was eating and remembered that he hadn’t eaten all day either.

He pressed his empty stomach and looked at the boy crying and eating, guessing that he had also encountered something bad. He felt a pang of sympathy. “What’s wrong? Were you bullied?” The palm print on his face was truly frightening.

The young boy seemed unwilling to pay attention to him, shifted his body, but stopped walking and gave him a strange look.

Wei Yan understood that he was being nosy and quickly bowed. “I apologize.”

“Hey, you, are you born to look down on yourself? Always apologizing.” The young boy finally stopped his sinful eating and looked up at him. “You didn’t do anything wrong, why do you always apologize so submissively? Do you naturally like to please others?”

His tone was aggressive, but Wei Yan didn’t feel offended.

On the contrary, this was the first time he had received respect – from a stranger.

Wei Yan nodded, feeling that what the other said was indeed correct. His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Yes, I like to please others.” He wanted to turn around and leave.

Then they both heard his stomach growl loudly.

The boy looked up, the teardrops hanging on his eyelashes falling down. He widened his round eyes, seemingly in disbelief.

“You struck up a conversation with me just because you wanted my sesame cake?”

Wei Yan had wanted to leave gracefully, but now he was awkwardly speechless.

He wanted to say no, but the boy had a “I can’t believe this” expression, and quickly split half of the cake and gave it to him.

Wei Yan stared at the oily hand holding out half of the cake, and for the first time, his cleanliness didn’t kick in. He slowly took it and glanced at the boy.

Seeing that he wasn’t joking, he finally felt relieved and began to gobble it down.

Half a cake wasn’t much and wasn’t a delicacy.

But Wei Yan felt that it was the most delicious thing he had eaten in his life.

Neither of them spoke, and they both finished the cake with lingering satisfaction.

The boy unceremoniously wiped his oily hands on his beautiful clothes, then reached out his hand again. “My name is Yu Shuli, what’s your name?”

Wei Yan looked at the beautiful hands and hesitated, not daring to reach out.

The person in front of him was no ordinary person.

He should have realized it sooner.

Everyone in the country knew that General Yu had a beloved son named Yu Shuli. Recently, he had been specially appointed by the Emperor to reside in The Capital City.

The boy didn’t mind, he kept holding out his hand, as if he wouldn’t take it back if Wei Yan didn’t reach out.

After a moment, Wei Yan gave in. He copied Yu Shuli’s actions, vigorously wiping his hands clean on his clothes, then reached out his hand.

Their palms briefly met, and he whispered, “My name is Wei Yan.” Then he quickly withdrew his hand.

“Oh, Wei Yan.” Yu Shuli nodded. “Okay, the cake is finished, you should go home, your family must be worried.”

Wei Yan said “Mm,” but seeing that he didn’t move, he carefully asked, “What about you?”

Yu Shuli “Humph”d. “I’m not going back, I argued with my old man.”

Wei Yan said enviously, “That’s good…”

Yu Shuli glared at him. “Are you sick? Arguing is good?”

Wei Yan thought, this young Master Yu has quite a temper. He smiled gently. “Of course it’s good, I don’t even have a father anymore, I envy you being able to argue with your father.”

Yu Shuli was stunned, then scratched his head, his voice softened. “Sorry, I didn’t know.”

“It’s… okay,” Wei Yan said. “You should go home, your family will be worried.”

The two finished the cake, and now twilight was falling and it was getting late.

This street wasn’t a busy one, and there were almost no pedestrians, naturally there was no candlelight either.

“What about you?” Yu Shuli asked back, “It’s so late, you’re wandering around outside, aren’t your family worried?”

“I…” After spending time with Yu Shuli, Wei Yan had briefly forgotten the painful things at home, but after his reminder, he inevitably remembered them again.

But perhaps because he had suddenly received kindness from a stranger, Wei Yan perked up this time.

He hurriedly said goodbye to Yu Shuli. “I have something to do, I’m not going back yet.”

Yu Shuli saw that he was very good-looking, and also had a gentle and refined demeanor, and was worried that he wasn’t safe alone. Fortunately, he originally wasn’t planning to go home, so he chased after him and said, “Let me accompany you? What do you have to do?”

“No need,” Wei Yan refused coldly.

He felt inexplicably awkward, seemingly not wanting the golden and precious young master in front of him to know about his poor family situation.

Who knew that Yu Shuli was particularly enthusiastic. “Yes, yes, even boys need to protect themselves when they’re out and about. You look so weak, you don’t know martial arts, do you?”

Wei Yan actually did.

But in the moonlight, he caught a glimpse of the hint of worry in Yu Shuli’s eyes, and the words that came out of his mouth instantly turned into: “No, I don’t.”