Hugging the cloak
Ah Fei’s mother was a Zhou person, so he could speak the Zhou language and wear the clothes of the Zhou people. When he left the room, Hongdou was already instructing people to prepare the meals. Ah Fei could hear the sound of light footsteps outside.
——Quite a lot.
There was just one dinner, but there were more than a dozen maids bustling outside.
At this moment, Zhou Huaiyan was sprawling on a chair, reading. Though the books he was reading were not serious. They were either story-telling scripts from commoners or travel notes written by wanderers. He even read some officially banned materials depicting foreigners.
The young man’s sitting posture had never followed social etiquette. He either leans lazily on the back of a chair or rests his chin on one hand. There must also be a small cup of hot tea and a plate of sweet cakes next to him.
Such a posture would be called undisciplined if done by others, but if it were replaced by Zhou Huaiyan, it seemed to be a bit more elegant.
Ah Fei once heard those people calling the young man Your Highness. But the princes of the Zhou Dynasty should all live in the imperial palace or the prince’s residence. The only one who could stay in the Grand Duke’s Mansion…… that should be the Ninth Prince.
Ah Fei has heard the rumors about His Little Highness——
Inborn weakness, arrogance and willfulness, and incompetence.
But after matching the rumors with the real person, Ah Fei began to doubt his guess again. He couldn’t help but go and take a look at him.
The clear and bright candle flame reflected on the young man’s hair, giving off a slight golden light, causing the side of his face to appear like smooth jade. His slender eyelashes were like butterfly wings, resting quietly and reservedly, casting a little dark shadow.
His beautiful facial features seemed to have been meticulously carved by Heaven, without a single flaw to be found.
This made Ah Fei suddenly recall what he had once heard from the roadside storyteller——
The young master’s beauty was unmatched and like no other in the whole world.
Regardless of gender, his master had a very beautiful face.
At this moment, Zhou Huaiyan finally noticed this cautious gaze. When he raised his eyes, he saw the kitten standing at the door, looking at him from a distance. His eyes were unblinking, looking awkward and nervous.
He was still hugging his red cloak tightly in his arms.
——It seems that he likes it very much.
Zhou Huaiyan reached this conclusion, even thinking about whether to make another one for him alone.
“Hmm, is Ah Fei done dressing up?”
He waved with a gentle smile on his face.
“Come here and let me take a look.”
The kitten heard the master’s call. He hesitated for a second, and then slowly walked over.
He didn’t get too close, only choosing a distance that allowed Zhou Huaiyan to see clearly without touching him. According to the customary rules for foreigners, slaves were dirty and were only allowed to touch their masters when needed.
——This was the iron rule that Ah Fei was taught.
However, as soon as he stood still, the young man suddenly reached out and pulled him closer. A hint of confusion and panic flashed through the kitten’s eyes, but he never resisted and merely followed the master’s wishes in drawing him near. His whole body was as stiff as a wooden stake.
Zhou Huaiyan found it funny.
“Why are you standing so far away? I won’t eat you.”
“……”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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It seemed as though it was carefully carved out of warm jade by a highly skilled craftsman.
How could such a glorious master, like the son of God, touch a lowly slave like him?
Ah Fei pursed his lips tightly, his eyes a little sore. Yet suddenly, he felt warmth above his head.
……Eh?
The kitten’s eyes widened subconsciously.
Ah Fei couldn’t find his hair tie, so his long, curly black hair came loose behind his back. It was smooth, fluffy, curly, and extremely beautiful.
Zhou Huaiyan looked at him, feeling tempted. He couldn’t bear it any longer, so he took action.
Unlike most naturally curly hair, which was frizzy and rough, Ah Fei’s hair was soft, smooth, and thick. It really felt the same as Cuicui’s long, curly hair.
“Ah Fei’s hair is really beautiful.”
He praised him lightly.
The little slave looked up in shock. His emerald cat eyes were full of disbelief. In the eyes of the Zhou people and foreigners, people with inherent curly hair like him… would be regarded as heretical, barbaric, and lowly.
Ah Fei was once classified in the lowest position because of his naturally curly hair. So before meeting Zhou Huaiyan, no one wanted him.
Zhou Huaiyan understood the surprise and doubt in the kitten’s eyes. He didn’t explain it. He just circled a strand between his fingers and played with it casually.
“You’ve been hugging that since the afternoon up until now. Do you like it so much?”
He glanced at the cloak in the kitten’s arms.
The young man still remembered the way he was buried firmly in it. It was so cute.
Zhou Huaiyan’s teasing tone was misunderstood by Ah Fei as an accusation. The latter immediately panicked. He wanted to return the cloak but was afraid that the master would dislike the cloak for having been touched by him. For a moment, he didn’t know what to do.
“No, it’s not……”
The kitten was anxious and panicked, his eyes clearly red.
Zhou Huaiyan heard his hoarse and thin voice but could not clearly hear what he was saying. He only felt that it was like a kitten purring, making people go soft.
It was just a cloak. Zhou Huaiyan originally used the Sichuan brocade gifted by the emperor as the cat’s nest. It was a pity that Cuicui still disliked it and preferred the small pot made of rattan.
Looking into the little slave’s emerald eyes, he couldn’t help but overlap Cuicui and Ah Fei again. They were both of a foreign race and had a pair of emerald eyes.
The young man stroked the top of Ah Fei’s soft hair,
“Since Ah Fei likes it so much, let me give it to you as a reward.”
“……Eh?”
Ah Fei was suddenly dumbfounded. He looked down at the exquisite and luxurious cloak in his arms and then looked up at the master’s gentle face.
How could someone be so kind to a slave?
Zhou Huaiyan failed to understand the kitten’s confusion and continued to ask,
“How old is Ah Fei this year?”
The kitten gestured using the hand holding the cloak. He first opened both of his hands and made a sign of ten, and then made a sign of six.
Sixteen.
Some nobles preferred younger ones, while others preferred older ones. Ah Fei carefully observed his master’s expression, guessing what kind of person he would be.
“Six……teen?”
Zhou Huaiyan was stunned.
He couldn’t help but stand up and compare himself to the kitten’s height. He would turn nineteen in a few months and was exactly 1.8 meters tall. However, Ah Fei, who claimed to be sixteen, looked only 1.6 meters tall.
Zhou Huaiyan always thought that his kitten was only thirteen or fourteen years old, but he was actually already sixteen?
Foreigners lived in the north and were excellent in horsemanship and archery. Whether due to genetic factors or habitual factors, they were generally taller than the Zhou people. But Ah Fei’s height turned out to be shorter than that of Zhou people of the same age.
Is it because of malnutrition?
Zhou Huaiyan’s eyebrows furrowed. He looked up and down at the kitten’s thin body, seemingly lost in thought.
“You indeed look a little thinner.”
His gaze fell on the kitten’s face again. His chin was sharp, and his jawline was so distinct that it was somewhat deep. Although his cheeks were a little too thin, his facial features could vaguely make out the depth and handsomeness unique to foreign men.
“Why don’t you even have any flesh on your face……”
Zhou Huaiyan’s tone was somewhat regretful. He still preferred kittens with round faces. However, this expression turned into dissatisfaction in Ah Fei’s eyes. Dissatisfied with his age, dissatisfied with his body, and dissatisfied with his face.
Ah Fei understood that everything about him was not in line with his master’s preferences. Let alone sleeping with him tonight; he might even be discarded by his master soon.
The kitten’s complexion turned pale.
At this moment, fear and sadness were like venomous snakes, ruthlessly biting his heart. He subconsciously hugged the cloak in his arms tighter, as if he wanted to hide himself.
Just at this time, Hongdou came in.
“Your Highness, dinner is ready.”
“Mmn.”
Zhou Huaiyan nodded. He stood up, intending to set the cloak aside from the kitten’s arms, but when he reached out, he unexpectedly couldn’t remove it.
“……Ah Fei?”
Zhou Huaiyan began to have doubts about his own strength for the first time.
Although he looked sick on the surface, he was not weaker than a malnourished kitten. The young man looked at the little slave who was urgently hugging the cloak tightly, not letting it go. He found it ridiculous. He couldn’t help but poke his forehead.
“Really, no matter how much you like it, you shouldn’t hold it even while eating.”
His gentle and soft tone made Ah Fei finally come back from his fear. He hastily let go of it. Zhou Huaiyan put the cloak aside, very naturally took the kitten’s hand, and walked out.
Seeing this, Hongdou finally couldn’t help it anymore,
“Your Highness, according to the rules, he must not eat with the master.”
Zhou Huaiyan walked forward indifferently.
“Your Highness, these are the rules.”
Seeing him being willful like this, Hongdou inevitably recalled all the things that happened back then. She sighed and stopped persuading anymore.
Ah Fei didn’t hear what they were talking about. At that moment, when Zhou Huaiyan reached out to pull him, his mind instantly went blank.
The master’s hand was much larger than his, with fingers as slender and beautiful as bamboo joints and skin that was delicate and soft. Now that they held hands, he could even feel the other party’s temperature coming from his palm.
He stared blankly at the hands holding his own. The scene in front of him stretched infinitely, magnified, and fixed in his mind…
The kitten kept staring at his hands, which somewhat confused Zhou Huaiyan.
“What’s wrong?”
“……!!!”
Ah Fei was startled. He frantically shook his head right away. He quickly let go of Zhou Huaiyan’s hand. His ears suddenly turned red, and, in just a few breaths, they grew bloody red.
Fortunately, Zhou Huaiyan didn’t notice this detail. He waved his hand, leaving only Hongdou to serve the meal. Ah Fei lowered his head and stood obediently next to the table. The table was filled with delicious foods. The aroma was so rich that the kitten, who had been hungry for a long time, couldn’t help but salivate.
Seeing the kitten’s gluttonous look, Zhou Huaiyan found it funny.
“Sit down and eat.”
Hongdou reluctantly gave him a set of bowls and chopsticks. Ah Fei suspected that he was hallucinating. Seeing that the kitten was still motionless, Zhou Huaiyan’s face turned solemn.
“Getting disobedient?”
“……!!!”
The kitten was so scared that he repeatedly shook his head, ran over immediately, and sat next to him obediently. Zhou Huaiyan gave him a lot of dishes, but Ah Fei was so scared that he didn’t even dare to eat them. He could only carefully pick up the white rice on the edge of the bowl.
Even the rice alone was already hundreds of times better than before. It was so delicious that the kitten wanted to cry.
Seeing this familiar and absurd scene, Hongdou couldn’t help it again.
“Your Highness, that’s all for tonight. You can’t do this in front of the Grand Duke tomorrow.”
Zhou Huaiyan turned a deaf ear and gave the kitten a chicken leg.
“Eat more, you’re too thin.”
The master was complaining that he was thin!
Originally, the kitten only dared to eat a little rice. But when he heard this, he immediately stuffed the chicken leg into his mouth.
His actions truly resembled a bit of Cuicui’s food rush in the past.
Hongdou: “……”
Zhou Huaiyan was very happy. He casually ate and suddenly threw out a sentence lightly,
“Remember to prepare nightclothes for Ah Fei. He will sleep with me tonight.”
“……!!!”
After he finished speaking, before Hongdou could express her shock, the kitten next to him let out a series of shocking coughs.
“Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough……!!!”
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Thx for the translation :)))
Ah Fei: ⁄(⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄
Hongdou: (╬⁽⁽ ⁰ ⁾⁾ Д ⁽⁽ ⁰ ⁾⁾)
I know they’re probably just gonna cuddle but the images won’t stop flashing in my mind 😳