EHW Ch29

As Gu Fangzhi’s irreverent yet somewhat charming laughter filled the air, Pei Xin, having nothing better to do, kept up his cold, detached expression and sank into the bleak contemplation of life’s meaning.

Once, he had thought the world was cruel.

But after stepping out from under the umbrella Gu Fangzhi once held over him, he realized,
the world hadn’t been raining at all.

Pei Xin: “……”

Meanwhile, Gu Fangzhi finally laughed enough. Under Yang Luhai’s horrified stare, he “loaded” the save file.

Pei Xin: “Ha.”

Gu Fangzhi bit the tip of his tongue to stop himself from laughing again, straightened his face, and looked at Pei Xin.

“Your Majesty, is that acceptable?”

Pei Xin: “?”

Between Gu Fangzhi’s repeated spellcasting and timeline resets, Pei Xin felt he’d somehow aged several years. His memory wasn’t what it used to be.

Acceptable… what for again?

Oh, right. Gu Fangzhi had asked if he could return home after Pei Xin fell asleep, to look after the child.

Pei Xin rubbed his temples and replied with a low voice, “Granted.”

Gu Fangzhi smiled and thanked him.

As the time drew near, Yang Luhai announced the evening meal.

The palace dishes suited Gu Fangzhi’s taste, delicate in appearance, rich in color and flavor.

Pei Xin, however, didn’t share the sentiment. After just a few spoonfuls of jade rice porridge, he said he was full.

He hadn’t slept well for two nights; his chest felt heavy and dull, and his appetite was poor.

Those few spoonfuls he’d eaten were only because watching Gu Fangzhi enjoy his meal had oddly stirred a faint hunger.

Yang Luhai grew worried.

He picked up his chopsticks to serve Pei Xin. “Your Majesty, you’ve hardly eaten since yesterday. Please, have a bit more.”

Pei Xin pushed his hand away. “No need.”

Yang Luhai’s face creased with worry, but he could do nothing.

Then Gu Fangzhi stood up.

He stepped forward and gently took the silver chopsticks from Yang Luhai’s hands.

Pei Xin frowned, clearly displeased with his forwardness.

“What are you doing, teacher?”

Gu Fangzhi smiled faintly.

“There’s a saying: ‘People are iron, food is steel, and the bed is a magnet.’”

Pei Xin: “?”

Gu Fangzhi continued serenely, “Food, health, and sleep are all connected. Please, Your Majesty, eat a little more, it’ll help you rest tonight.”

He lifted the chopsticks gracefully, his sleeve draped neatly, and placed a piece of green vegetable into Pei Xin’s bowl.

Pei Xin didn’t move or speak.

Yang Luhai, acting as his external voice, said quickly, “Lord Gu, His Majesty doesn’t like vegetables.”

Indeed, though emperors weren’t supposed to show preferences, Pei Xin had plenty.

He disliked overly sweet things, mushy textures, greasy or spicy dishes, and, of course, many greens.

Gu Fangzhi let out a soft “hm?” and said, “A child who still picks his food.”

Pei Xin: “……”

He was furious.

Yet he neither slammed the table, nor scowled, nor scolded-

 He simply… got angry in silence.

‘Don’t get mad. Getting mad only hurts yourself. And getting mad at him is pointless anyway.’

Gu Fangzhi quietly “loaded” the scene again.

Not to change the dish, but because Pei Xin’s pale face clearly had something to do with eating too little, and being too picky.

He tried several persuasion lines, one after another.

“Your Majesty, tonight’s dishes are prepared differently. They’re especially good.”
Pei Xin refused.

“Your Majesty, vegetables aid in sleep.”

Pei Xin refused again.

“Little green veggie, fresh and bright, eat it once, and sleep all night! Strong and happy, full of might!”

Pei Xin’s face went pitch-black.

In the background, Yang Luhai’s voice droned like static:

“Lord Gu, Lord Gu, Lord Gu, His Majesty doesn’t like it, doesn’t like it, doesn’t like it…”

After a few rounds of back-and-forth, Gu Fangzhi suddenly clicked his tongue and reached forward, hand extended toward Pei Xin’s forehead.

Pei Xin’s instincts were sharp. His vision darkened for a moment as he swiftly grabbed Gu Fangzhi’s wrist.

The man’s wrist was slender yet firm, bone structure distinct, warm to the touch under Pei Xin’s palm.

Pei Xin asked, “What are you doing, teacher?”

Gu Fangzhi didn’t answer. Instead, he kept the pose and flicked Pei Xin lightly on the forehead.
“You won’t eat this, you won’t eat that.”

Pei Xin froze, then shot to his feet.

Physical contact!?

Now Gu Fangzhi was laying hands on him too!?

He opened his mouth to speak, but his vision went black again.

The next instant, the fuming emperor found himself seated neatly back in his chair.

The bowls and chopsticks he’d just knocked over, or sent flying with his robe, had returned to their original positions.

Gu Fangzhi placed the same green vegetable in his bowl.

Yang Luhai: “Lord Gu, His Majesty doesn’t like vegetables.”

This time, Pei Xin said nothing.

He silently picked up his chopsticks and ate the greens.

Usually, he found them bitter. But tonight, the bitterness didn’t matter.

No vegetable could ever be as bitter as his heart.

After dinner, Pei Xin spent some time reviewing memorials.

Meanwhile, Gu Fangzhi asked Yang Luhai to send a message to the Gu residence, telling Manman and Gu Yunchuan to sleep first, that he’d return later.

Just as Yang finished relaying the order, a young eunuch arrived with new clothing for Gu Fangzhi.

Yang said, smiling, “From now on, when Lord Gu stands night watch, there’s no need to wear ill-fitting clothes.”

From now on?

So serving night watch for Pei Xin was now his permanent post?

Gu Fangzhi didn’t exactly mind, but he wasn’t thrilled either.

Yang added cheerfully, “His Majesty even had a chest of gold melon seeds sent to you.”

At those words, Gu Fangzhi’s calm heartbeat suddenly quickened.

He fought down the smile tugging at his lips, reached out to take the clothes,
but fumbled, and dropped them straight to the floor.

He reloaded.

This time, he caught them steadily and held them up against his arm to check the fit,
perfect.

He thanked Yang politely. “Eunuch Yang, you’re very attentive.”

Yang shook his head. “It was His Majesty’s order.”

…Pei Xin had noticed that even his underclothes last time were too big?

Gu Fangzhi turned to glance toward the inner hall.

By candlelight, the young emperor was bent over a memorial, brush in hand, head slightly lowered, stray strands of hair falling across his forehead.

His brows furrowed faintly, his thin lips pressed tight, apparently vexed by some difficult petition.

Seeing him so focused, Gu Fangzhi felt oddly relieved.

But just as he looked away, he felt a murderous glare stabbing into his back like a blade.

Damn that old man!

There went the entire page of imperial red annotations Pei Xin had just written,  ruined, thanks to Gu Fangzhi.

Because of him, Pei Xin had eaten vegetables tonight, and now had to rewrite his memorial several times.

His mood was in ruins.