WMSG Chapter 4

“Why are you looking at me like that?” the person opposite asked.

Ye Yueshen subconsciously lowered his head to avoid the gaze. He didn’t know what kind of expression he had just had, only that his heart was beating fast and his hands were turning cold.

Seeing Gong Shengyin, the protagonist gong from the original novel who never forgot him, he shouldn’t be afraid, logically speaking. His survival instinct should compel him to cling to this powerful figure in front of him.

But the first thing that came to his mind was that he died because of him. He couldn’t help but look around to see if there was someone hiding somewhere, monitoring him. Every time they saw him interacting with Gong Shengyin, they would record it in their little notebook, adding to his list of crimes.

Gong Shengyin was stung by the fear in his eyes. The gloominess caused by his disappointment appeared in his eyes before he could conceal it, but he quickly masked it.

“You’ve gotten into a lot of trouble because of me, haven’t you?” Gong Shengyin lowered his head pitifully. “Is it that Junzhu, your aunt and uncle, don’t allow you to get too close to me?”

Ye Yueshen really wanted to say that’s right, go away, don’t cause me trouble.

But Gong Shengyin drooped his eyelids in frustration, like a homeless, dirty, and repulsive puppy.

Not long ago, he was also an unwelcome character. He knew how painful every cold word was to hear.

So Ye Yueshen couldn’t say any harsh words. He took a step back to create distance. “It’s not like that. It’s just… I’m aloof and don’t want to have deep relationships with people. Anyone who gets close will burden me, and any kindness is a burden to me. Fortunately, Your Highness is a gentleman who keeps his relationships light, not the kind of overly enthusiastic, scheming person who causes trouble.”

As expected, Gong Shengyin felt as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat, and he couldn’t get any closer.

Even if no one was chasing after him because of Gong Shengyin, Ye Yueshen didn’t want to have a deep relationship with him. After all, Gong Shengyin was the protagonist gong, and the protagonist gong would eventually be with the protagonist shou.

He, the white moonlight, was just appearing as a supporting character. In order for the protagonists to have a happy ending as soon as possible, he didn’t want to add to the drama.

Gong Shengyin didn’t speak. After a moment of silence, he raised his head and touched his hair. Because of his sudden movement, Ye Yueshen subconsciously looked over.

His sleeve was facing Ye Yueshen. The solid forearm showed a clear outline of muscles and bulging blue veins.

But what attracted Ye Yueshen’s attention more was the tattered undergarment…

Ye Yueshen wasn’t feeling well. He had worn ill-fitting old clothes when he was living under someone else’s roof, but he had never worn such torn clothes with sleeves frayed into strips.

Gong Shengyin was a prince, but he was bullied to this extent, no wonder he turned dark.

Survival instinct didn’t overcome sympathy. Ye Yueshen only hesitated for a moment before pulling Gong Shengyin behind the screen.

“Take off your autumn clothes, I’ll trade with you.” Ye Yueshen awkwardly untied the belt around his waist.

Gong Shengyin stood there in confusion. “This… what autumn clothes? Are you talking about the undergarment?”

“Yes.” Ye Yueshen had already taken off his outer robe and casually draped it on the screen, then took off his undergarment without hesitation.

Gong Shengyin’s eyes widened slightly. Ye Yueshen was bare-chested, with a graceful neckline, rounded shoulders, clearly visible collarbones, and a slender waist. His outer pants hung loosely on his plump hips.

In stark contrast to the glamorous and seductive scene was Ye Yueshen’s calm and almost unrestrained tone. “Hurry up and take it off, I’m cold.”

Gong Shengyin hesitated for a moment, then took off his own undergarment. His sturdy arms and strong abdominal muscles didn’t receive a single glance of pity from Ye Yueshen.

Ye Yueshen put on his torn undergarment and quickly put on his outer robe, silently struggling with the complicated waistband.

“Let me help you.” Gong Shengyin helped him tidy up his clothes before lowering his head to tidy up his own.

Ye Yueshen thought about how to avoid hurting his self-esteem and asked him, “I think you have the look of an emperor. How about I invest in you now, in exchange for wealth and glory in my next life? I’ll bring you some clothes when I enter the palace another day, or do you have any other needs? Money is also fine.”

Gong Shengyin looked at him with a complicated expression, his lips slightly opening and closing, but he couldn’t say a word.

Ye Yueshen added lightly, “But don’t ask for too much.”

Coming to a strange place, Ye Yueshen wasn’t sure if he had the ability to make money. The original novel didn’t mention any ways to earn money.

Gong Shengyin smiled. “You’re so good to me. No one has ever cared about me before.”

Ye Yueshen was speechless.

Wasn’t he supposed to be a dark-bellied and vengeful person? Ye Yueshen almost felt sorry for his naivety.

He walked out from behind the screen and sat down, pushing the remaining pineapple to Gong Shengyin, who had come out with him. “Want some?”

Gong Shengyin sat next to him, picked up a silver fruit pick from the side closest to Ye Yueshen, and stabbed a piece of pineapple to eat. “This is tribute, right? It’s my first time seeing it.”

Hearing that made Ye Yueshen feel even more soft-hearted, but he still said coldly on the surface, “Then you can eat it all, I find it too sour.”

“You’re so good to me,” Gong Shengyin said softly.

…

“I swapped clothes with you, so we’re friends now,” Ye Yueshen said. “When I marry, I’ll invite you to my wedding.”

He deliberately pretended to be casual, committed to drawing a clear line between them.

“You’re getting married?” Gong Shengyin was a little surprised.

“Yes,” Ye Yueshen said. “I’m not young anymore, what’s so strange about getting married and having children?”

Gong Shengyin said, “But royal children only marry their principal wife at adulthood, and the Junzhu is the Empress Dowager’s adopted daughter, and your family is also related to the imperial family. Don’t you have to wait until adulthood?”

Ye Yueshen didn’t know about this, and was speechless for a moment.

“There’s no precedent in the royal family for getting married before adulthood,” Gong Shengyin earnestly explained to him. “There are many who don’t marry for a long time after adulthood, like Ninth Imperial Uncle.”

“Shengyin.” A low, cold voice came from behind them, not quite a question, but the tone wasn’t very pleasant.

The sudden appearance of the third voice startled Ye Yueshen. He instinctively thought of some kind of supernatural phenomenon. With a shiver, he subconsciously moved closer to Gong Shengyin while looking in the direction of the voice.

The “supernatural being,” Gong Xunwu, was standing coldly behind them.

Gong Shengyin, who had been caught talking behind his back, wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. He first soothed the frightened Ye Yueshen with a pat, then saluted. “Greetings, Ninth Imperial Uncle.”

Ye Yueshen sighed inwardly. As expected of the protagonist gong, he wasn’t afraid even when meeting a senior with greater status and power during his dormant period.

This made him think that he was just a cannon fodder supporting character who would die soon, and he immediately felt resentment towards the two favored people.

“Greetings, Qi Wang,” Ye Yueshen imitated clumsily, making every movement vaguely, trying to achieve a dazzling effect with speed so that Gong Xunwu couldn’t see clearly.

Just as he was getting up like Gong Shengyin, his shoulder was held down by Gong Xunwu.

Out of a desire to defuse the situation, Gong Shengyin quickly spoke, but didn’t mention that they had exchanged undergarments. “This nephew is taking advantage of the Empress Dowager’s gift of tribute from Nanzhao.”

…

So Gong Shengyin very obediently took his leave according to Gong Xunwu’s temperament. “Imperial Uncle, this nephew has homework to do.”

Ye Yueshen followed suit. “Your Highness, I’m also leaving the palace.”

Gong Xunwu frowned almost imperceptibly. Others couldn’t tell, but Ye Yueshen, who had been disliked before, was familiar with every kind of malicious expression and saw his displeasure.

Gong Xunwu went inside without saying a word. An older palace servant guarding not far away walked up to Ye Yueshen and said, “Gongzi Yue, you made a mistake in etiquette just now. That’s the etiquette for a prince. Also, it’s not proper for you to address His Highness with ‘you, you, me, me’ just now.”

So that’s how it was.

After hearing that, Ye Yueshen gathered himself up like a night-blooming cereus that had finished blooming, becoming very withdrawn and dejected.

Ye Yueshen’s head was throbbing, and his impression of Gong Xunwu was very bad. It reminded him of a rest day in elementary school when he walked five kilometers to school to meet his benefactor. The benefactor was a taciturn, high-ranking middle-aged man. He wrote a thank-you letter as required and bowed three times in succession, finally receiving a fifty-yuan donation. The other party was dissatisfied that he didn’t smile when taking pictures, saying he had no manners.

The matron comforted him, “Fortunately, Qi Wang doesn’t want to dwell on these things.”

Compared to that, Gong Xunwu was still pretty good, Ye Yueshen cheered himself up again.

The Fourth Prince claimed that he had been punished by the teacher to write an essay and didn’t come, but sent a message: Another day, the Prince’s Estate will host a banquet, inviting brother Yue to come and drink.

When the Junzhu came out again, she had changed into a smiling expression, but there were still some red blood streaks from crying in the whites of her eyes.

Ye Yueshen couldn’t help but take her hand. “Mother.”

“Was the pineapple delicious?” the Junzhu asked him, unwilling for him to ask about the “adult’s” affairs.

Ye Yueshen had actually only eaten one piece reluctantly, it was too sour.

He didn’t speak, and subconsciously hunched his back. The Junzhu patted him lightly on the back. “Stand up straight, who taught you to cower?”

Ye Yueshen wasn’t used to the Junzhu’s temperament of caring warmly one moment and changing her face to scold him the next. He grunted and didn’t say anything more.

When they returned to the Marquis’s residence, Ye Daijin and Ye Yuanshen had just finished their morning court session and arrived home. The father and son stood on either side, Ye Daijin supporting the Junzhu, and Ye Yuanshen extended a hand to Ye Yueshen.

Ye Yueshen was even more unaccustomed to this kind of warm mutual assistance. He wiped his palm on his lapel, worried that the pineapple juice would disgust his brother.

Ye Yuanshen was amused by his childish action, and wrapped both arms around him to lift him down.

Ye Yueshen exclaimed and pushed Ye Yuanshen away, running inside. He stood behind the door, looking at the water stains on his lapel.

“What’s wrong?” The brother followed up in confusion, seeing his younger brother take out a lump wrapped in a handkerchief from his arms, with water dripping down.

Ye Yueshen handed it over. “Tribute from Nanzhao, the Empress Dowager said it’s called pineapple.”

“Ai…” The Junzhu stepped over the threshold in surprise and annoyance, pointing her fingers in the air a few times. “When did you pocket the tribute bestowed by the Empress Dowager? This is against the rules!”

Ye Yueshen stood there helplessly. Would taking tribute out of the palace in private be as serious as Ye Lingshen stealing jade? Had he caused trouble… Ye Yueshen looked at the Junzhu nervously. Every time before being scolded, he would habitually become numb.

Ye Yuanshen was a little surprised. In his impression, his younger brother, who was favored by his parents and grew up being the center of attention, inevitably had some arrogance born of praise and flattery, and would never do such a thing as pocketing food and bringing it back.

“Mother,” Ye Yuanshen said, “What’s done is done, blaming him is useless.”

Ye Yueshen explained, “The Empress Dowager said it was tribute from Nanzhao, so I wanted you to try it.”

“Then thank you for Xiao Yue’s kindness,” Ye Yuanshen put an arm loosely around his back, called out “Mother,” and shook his head lightly at the Junzhu.

Ye Yuanshen became the first family member to win over Ye Yueshen’s heart, eating the messy, sour pineapple without minding, and saying with a straight face, “It’s very fresh, thank you Xiao Yue for thinking of us, your brother is very gratified.”

Perhaps in order not to spoil the fun, the whole family tried it in support, only Ye Lingshen glanced at it and was about to run, but was called back by his brother, picked the smallest piece and threw it into his mouth, grinning and saying it wasn’t sour at all.

Ye Yueshen forced a smile, but his mood was very bad.

He felt that his current psychology and personality were not very sound, so sensitive that even a little awkwardness could make him lose control.

But his collapse wouldn’t burst out like a flood, it was just a surging undercurrent locked in his heart.

He lay in bed and moped for a while, attracted by a refreshing scent. He got out of bed and found a Buddha’s hand citrus that felt hard to the touch, put it in front of his nose and sniffed it, confirming that it was the scent he liked.

So he gradually fell asleep while holding the Buddha’s hand citrus.

The next day, he dreamed of standing in a valley picking oranges. When he looked up, he found that the mountains on both sides were moving towards him rapidly, and with a bang, they sandwiched him.

Ye Yueshen woke up in shock, and found that it was Ye Lingshen patting him. “Get up quickly, I’ll take you to a good place.”