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Chapter 32: Winter

Bewildered, Song Song felt like he became the size of a thumb. He was very thirsty, and also very hot. A greet leaf stopped in front of him. That leaf was fresh and plump, and held a sparkling dewdrop at the top. So Song Song marched forward with his little feet and stepped on the leaf.

That leaf was soft and warm, but as soon as he stepped on it, he fell face down and smacked straight into the big dewdrop that was the size of his head. His cheeks were wrapped up by that dewdrop and his sunburnt, fevered face received a slight relief because of the coolness. Subconsciously, he opened his mouth to suck at the liquid inside the dewdrop. When he finished drinking the dewdrop, he licked at the wet spot left on the leaf. His dried throat was moisturized.

That leaf was blown by the wind and Song Song grabbed the veins on the leaf in fear. His body along with the leaf were both swept mid air, somewhat exciting and somewhat scary.

With a light sound, the leaf brought him to land in the water, flowing slowly along the water currents. Song Song continued to lay on top, secretly peeking his head out to look at the scenery to the two sides. Unexpectedly, a huge wave rolled by. The leaf suddenly turned over. Song Song grabbed the leaf like grabbing a life-saving straw. His body swaying left and right as he was swept away by the water currents. The word 'help' was stuck in his throat because he couldn't make any sound under the water.

Suddenly, a bubble appeared underwater and wrapped around his head. Inside this bubble contained a little oxygen. Song Song immediately took a deep breath and let out a weak yell. But who could hear a person's noise underwater?

No one saved him. The oxygen in that bubble was completely exhausted and the feeling of suffocation made tears fill his eye sockets: "Your highness."

The water currents suddenly receded. The leaf over his head saved his life once again. Song Song, who was just lacking oxygen, laid on top of the leaf, panting heavily for breath. He was full of tears from the scare and physically exhausted.

But the experience was far from finished. The leaf suddenly brought him to slide over some uneven stones. Song Song's figure swayed back and forth, shaken until his body trembled and his tears helplessly rolled down. There was another water current that gushed from the cracks of the rock and pushed the leaf upward. Song Song's body that was carried by the leaf, sometimes thrown high to the sky, then sometimes abruptly dropped downward again. His heart felt like it leapt up into his throat.

This kind of experience was really too scary. Song Song cried loudly and hoped someone could save him, but even when his throat became hoarse, there was still not a soul in sight.

He was really too tired. His body curled up softly on the leaf, not knowing who he was begging to: "Please, let me go "

He heard a light chuckle, but he really didn't feel like figuring out just who's been messing with him. He was too sleepy, so tired, and completely sore all over.

Perhaps it was because his begging worked, the leaf started to bring him forward more steadily, only occasionally bumping into some rocks that made his body sway slightly. His cheeks suddenly felt like it was caressed by someone. Confused, he opened his eyes. It seems like he arrived in an ocean of flowers. As his body traveled through, the flowers lowered their stems one by one and used their soft petals to touch him.

He didn't know this was an enticement and foolishly rubbed against the beautiful flower petals in front of him, until the flower's hidden underwater roots suddenly started messing with him again, pushing up the leaf that he was on into the air. At first their movements were very gentle, but gradually, they changed. The strength sometimes light, sometimes heavy, no longer uniform. Song Song's body once again flew in the air. The sound of his crying continued. However, in the face of the harshness of nature, he did not have any strength to resist.

He fell unconscious.

When he woke up, he bewilderedly found himself still laying inside the leaf. He blinked, reached out to touch the leaf and unexpectedly felt something touch his lips. His awareness slowly returned. He saw a handsome face, and this face was very familiar.

"Your high." Opening his mouth, he found his voice hoarse. Dumbly, he looked at the man in front of him. The corner of the other's mouth was upraised, forehead pressed against his. He asked warmly: "What's the matter? You don't remember me?"

The soreness of his body gradually reached his nerve tips. He realized what happened, lowered his head, and closed his eyes again. Coughing, his hoarse voice sounded a bit nasally: "Your highness, you don't need to go to court today?"

His body was suddenly hugged tightly. The man brought him into his arms and said faintly: "With a beauty in my arms, how can I bear to leave?"

Song Song's face started turning red, but he could only remain quietly in the embrace.

They snuggled against each other for a while. Li Xiao suddenly reached his hand and pulled out a item: "Yesterday this king only read the first 3 pages. It truly is ingenious."

Song Song froze, subconsciously looked up towards his hand. As soon as his gaze landed on the book cover, his entire body jolted. He immediately grabbed the corner of his blanket and mumbled: "Your highness where, where did you get that?"

"Didn't Song-er give this to me?" Li Xiao said: "Yesterday, Song-er even said you wanted to research it extensively with this king. Did you forget?"

Reminded by him, the inside Song Song's head finally slowly appeared an image. His ears began to smoke from both sides, face red enough to bleed blood. His thin white fingers squeezed the blanket and carefully pulled it upward, covering his shoulders, mouth, nose, eyes, forehead only revealing a messing head of black long hair: "What does your highness mean...? I, I don't understand."

"Oh, you forgot it?" Li Xiao flipped open the book's first page and said: "If that's the case, we can review it again. I think this first page is worthy of further investigation and it'll help make a deeper impression on Song-er."

Li Xiao turned his gaze, reached out his hand to pull at the blanket. Song Song held tight and refused to let go. However, in terms of strengths, how could he compare to Li Xiao? In the end, the blanket was still forcefully pulled down. Song Song's moist eyes were revealed and just happened to instantly catch sight of the first page. He looked down quickly and stammered: "I, you, you're slandering me I never read that "

Li Xiao chuckled once. Once again, he pulled Song Song, blankets and all, into his arms. Song Song said, biting his lips: "Your highness, wuu. "

Li Xiao kissed him, and said: "If Song-er refuses to admit it, then we can only review it again."

Before he really did as he said, Song Song replied quickly: "I admit it! I admit it! It's me. I I bought it."

His shameful tears spun in his eye sockets because he knew that as a wangfei, to buy this kind of book was indeed pretty inappropriate. He was afraid it would make Li Xiao dislike him.

Li Xiao asked: "When did you buy this?"

"Many days ago." Song Song pursed his lips: "I can't remember clearly."

"Who helped you buy it?"

"I bought it myself."

"... ." Li Xiao was already laughing inside, however, his expression remained indifferent: "How did you manage to find this kind of book?"

"In Hualiu Alley, everyone has their ways."

".... you went by yourself?"

"No." Song Song said: "I happened to hear by chance that in the alleyway that sold ink and paper, there were some not so appropriate shops that also sold this kind of books. I, I let the carriage stop at the entrance, said I was going to buy some ink then, entered alone."

Li Xiao said: "You bought it, yourself?"

Song Song was a little scared and also extremely embarrassed. He lowered his head, used his fingers to wipe at his tears and replied: "I covered my face. No one knew it was me. "

Li Xiao reached out and helped him wipe away his tears: "Why are you crying? If you want more, next time this king will accompany you to buy, en?"

Li Xiao looked like he was the serious and proper type. Song Song never imagined he'd say something like this. He looked up and met the man's gaze. His face was prodded. Then the man kissed away his tears and said: "Unfortunately these days, I will have to trouble my beloved to work hard."

"Work hard for what?"

"Work hard to read this book together with this king." Li Xiao kissed him on the lips again and said lowly: "Who knows, maybe next year, beloved will have your wish fulfilled."

".... !" Song Song's delight didn't last more than 2 seconds before the soreness on his body made him change his mind: "What kind of wish would I have. "

Li Xiao laughed again, pecking him on the nose tip. "If beloved acts suddenly cold, and suddenly hot again, then I really will be heart-broken."

Song Song met his pitch black eyes. The faint emotions inside made him feel slightly nervous. He pressed his lips together, slowly leaned over, and pressed a kiss on Li Xiao's lips.

This kiss reawoken again the desire that Li Xiao pressed down with great difficulty and the man hard dragged Song Song off to review the first 3 pages once more.

When Song Song woke up again, the sky outside was already dark. He rubbed his deflated stomach, and climbed out of bed with some effort. Even while walking, his legs felt like rubber. Therefore, he casually threw on a long shirt and peeked outside. The snow was already a foot thick. He ordered servants to bring him something to eat simply, just to fill his stomach first.

With the snow this big, other than some extremely busy people, very few willingly went out. Song Song rested against the couch reading an account book, mulling over how to open the hot pot business next year in spring. After all, getting everything ready in the winter was pretty difficult.

Suddenly, there was activity heard from outside. It was steward Qi. When he received Song Song's permission, he stamped his feet at the door and then entered wearing a heavy overcoat: "It's almost new years. This is the list of items required. Please look it over, wangfei."

During the new years, not only did they have to prepare the items to be used during the celebrations, they also had to prepare presents for all of Li Xiao's brothers and sisters. Song Song received the list, glanced at it quickly and said: "I'll leave this task to you. Make sure to prepare generously."

"Yes!" Steward Qi accepted the list again and said: "These days the weather's cold. Wangye specifically instructed that if wangfei has no reason, then don't run around outside."

At the moment Song Song didn't even want to move a tiny bit. He said: "Don't worry. I am well aware. You can go instruct the kitchen to make some sheep soup to warm the body and give everyone in the estate a change in their meals."

"This servant speak on behalf of everyone in the estate and thank wangfei for your benevolence."

When Li Xiao returned, he was covered by snowflakes. He patted off the snow at the door, then handed his cloak to a servant and asked: "Where's wangfei?"

"After he finished eating, he fell asleep on the couch."

Li Xiao changed his shoes, lifted the door drapes to look inside and saw Song Song was sleeping sweetly. He smiled then turned to order someone to prepare food. The servant said: "Wangfei ordered people to prepare sheep soup. Sheep meat warms the stomach. Does wangye want some?"

"Make something lighter. I don't want sheep soup."

Song Song fuzzily heard his voice, slowly turned his face and could almost see his figure through the cloth drapes. He yawned, bones sore and lazy all over from the nap. He propped himself up on an arm, about to stand up when Li Xiao entered and asked him: "Do you want to eat something?"

"No, I'm not hungry."

"Seeing the snow coming down this hard, looks like next year there'll be a huge harvest."

Song Song laughed and said: "Last year the snow was one meter deep. It looks like this year won't be any less."

Li Xiao walked over, a hand reaching under his armpit, the other moved under his knees. Song Song didn't have time to react before he was suddenly carried up. Li Xiao said: "If we work hard this year. Next year when everyone reap the harvest, we also won't end up empty-handed. What does Song-er think?"

"What your highness say is reasonable, but" He was carried towards the bed drapes, and abruptly realized that the harvest Li Xiao was talking about meant a different kind of harvest.

The two sat inside. Li Xiao pulled out their book of secret techniques from under the pillow, and flipped through seriously: "Today, we can practice page 4. What does Song-er think about this?"

Song Song moved his waist slightly and chuckled dryly: "Your highness is really studious."

"This king is a naturally born genius. I always learn everything quickly and efficiently. If Song-er doesn't hold us back, then we should be able to finish this book completely before the year is over."

Unsure why, Song Song always felt like Li Xiao was purposely picking on him. His spoken and unspoken words held a hint of punishment. Song Song slowly replied: "Your highness's lofty ambition is admirable, however, it's still better to act according to one's abilities in regards to mortal matters. Showing off will injure the body."

"Try it and you'll know."

"... "