Chapter 63 Eight-Year-Old Yu

“Your Second Highness?” Yan Mu was stunned.

Chu Cong saw that Yan Mu didn’t take it, so he asked rhetorically, “If you don’t wipe your sweat with a handkerchief, do you want to wipe it on such nice clothes?”.

Yan Mu hesitated for a moment, then took it.

Chu Cong’s handkerchief had a faint ambergris fragrance. Yan Mu simply wiped herself a few times, then held the handkerchief in her hand.

Should I return it to Chu Cong now, or wait until I’ve washed it to return it?

Yan Mu pondered.

One could see that the handkerchief was expensive. Yan Mu was afraid that she would be careless and accidentally ruin the handkerchief if she washed it.

The bookstore hadn’t made a profit yet. If she ruined another handkerchief while washing it, then she would owe more and more money to Chu Cong.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Zyd Yw takrrle vbl bydejlanbklq vktbvla yde vktbvla.

Fldpkdt Zyd Yw’p ekzlxxy, qsa y xsxldv, Ubw Usdt eked’v jdso oblvbla vs zywtb sa nau.

Tl blze swv bkp byde, pktdyzkdt Zyd Yw vs alvwad vbl bydejlanbklq vs bkx yqvla pbl oyp esdl wpkdt kv.&dcpr;

Zyd Yw pktble kd alzklq yde bydele vbl bydejlanbklq cynj.

Mbl tszeld bydejlanbklq oyp pzktbvzu eyxr, yde pvykdle okvb y vbkd zyula sq aswtl yde rsoela.

Ubw Usdt tzydnle yv vbl olv xyajp, vbld vwnjle vbl bydejlanbklq cynj kdvs bkp pzllhl.

“Zsw zssj tsse kd vbkp swvqkv,” Ubw Usdt pweeldzu pyke.

“Twb?” Zyd Yw zsolale bla blye vs zssj yv bla nzsvblp, vbld bsdlpvzu pyke, “Rv pwal zssjp tsse, cwv kv’p fwpv vss vkakdt vs olya.”

“That’s also true,” Chu Cong laughed and said.

“Did Your Second Highness find me because of Yu Yuan?” Yan Mu asked.

“……Mmm.”

Chu Cong seemed like he hadn’t expected Yan Mu’s question, as he paused for a moment before answering.

“Is Your Second Highness also worried that Yu Yuan is related to the Eldest Prince?” Yan Mu started to feel nervous.

Chu Cong was Yu Yuan’s direct superior. If he was suspicious of Yu Yuan, then Yu Yuan’s future would be very difficult.

Chu Cong frowned, and he was about to speak when Yu Yuan’s voice came from behind.

“Second Highness,” Yu Yuan greeted as he came to Yan Mu’s side.

His body still had the sweet smell of pastries, and although he’d washed his hands, his sleeves were still stained with white flour.

Chu Cong held back the words he wanted to say and responded lightly.

“Does Second Highness want something from Ah Mu?” The teenager asked, without being haughty or humble.

He was like a mountain, standing beside Yna Mu with the stance of a guardian.

Chu Cong stared at Yu Yuan for a long while and didn’t speak.

Yan Mu was caught in the middle, and couldn’t help but feel a little tension in the air.

Chu Cong had just come to find her to ask about Yu Yuan’s origin.

She was a little worried that if Yu Yuan found out, he would overthink it.

So, she stepped out to smooth things over, “His Second Highness came to ask me about the store.”

After speaking, she spontaneously pulled Yu Yuan’s sleeve and patted away the flour stains left on his sleeve.

“Are you done with the chores in the kitchen?” Yan Mu changed the topic.

“……There aren’t enough eggs left to make cakes, I came out to get some,” Yu Yuan said.

“The cakes sold out so quickly?” Yan Mu exclaimed.

“Yep,” Yu Yuan nodded and added, “Also, ‘The Real or Fake Daughter¹千金 (qiānjīn) – honorific way of addressing someone’s daughter; can also mean daughter of someone rich’ is sold out too, we’ll have to ask the printing shop to print more.”

Yan Mu felt a little dizzy.

She wasn’t good at calculations, and even after counting with her fingers for a long time, she couldn’t figure out how much money she’d earned.

“Am I rich now?” Yan Mu turned her head to ask Yu Yuan.

“Not bad, but you still have to give dividends to His Second Highness.” A smile flashed in Yu Yuan’s eyes.

Seeing the two chatting and laughing, Chu Cong only felt like the atmosphere was too harmonious for him to join in on.

He coughed lightly, trying to get Yan Mu’s attention.

“After running the business for a month, you calculate the cost and the profit, then I’ll send someone to pick up the account book,” Chu Cong said.

Yan Mu hurriedly responded.

Chu Cong strolled around the VIP lounge area, ate some pastries, then left.

Watching Chu Cong’s figure disappear, Yan Mu finally felt relieved now that she’d sent away Party A²甲方 (jiǎfāng) – first party; AKA Chu Cong.

She was about to go to the side room to rest, but hadn’t expected Yu Yuan to follow her.

Yan Mu was so tired that she just fell on the bed and buried her head in a pillow.

“What’s wrong?” Yan Mu asked blearily.

Yu Yuan casually stroked her long hair and indifferently said, “Ah Mu seems to know a lot of things.”

Strange pastries, bubbling drinks, and novel and interesting storybooks³话本 (huàběn) – printed versions of the prompt-books used by popular storytellers in Song and Yuan times (salient features of huaben stories: use of the vernacular larded with the stock expressions of professional storytellers; liberal admixture of colloquialisms and archaisms; frequent inclusion of rhymed passages, idioms, or poems for narrative or descriptive purposes; a routine preamble before the feature story); Song and Yuan literary form based on vernacular folk stories.

All of them were fresh variations that he’d never seen before.

Yu Yuan’s words made Yan Mu tremble, and she hurriedly got up from the bed.

Yan Mu tried to hide her nervousness with a smile, “I-I read about them from books. There’s a good saying: “Study will give both wealth and beauty⁴Full idiom: 书中自有黄金屋, 书中自有颜如玉 (shūzhōng zìyǒu huángjīnwū, shūzhōng zìyǒu yánrúyù) – lit. in books are sumptuous houses and graceful ladies (proverb); fig. be diligent in your studies, success and glory will follow.””

Yu Yuan looked at her steadily for a long time, before finally letting out a hum.

I wonder if he believes me or not.

Yan Mu was apprehensive inside.

She was worried that Yu Yuan would continue to ask, but luckily, he didn’t keep pressing her⁵刨根问底 (páogēn-wèndǐ) – to dig up roots and inquire at the base (idiom);.

So, Yan Mu tentatively said, “I’m going to rest.”

Who knew that Yu Yuan just glanced at her, then took off his shoes and coat extremely naturally, and lay down beside Yan Mu.

His movements were so natural, that when Yan Mu returned to her senses, Yu Yuan was already lying down beside her.

“Get up, this is my bed.” Yan Mu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Yu Yuan turned a deaf ear and tried to play it off.

He got an inch and wanted a foot⁶得寸进尺 (décùn-jìnchǐ) – an idiom; fig. not satisfied with small gains so he turned his body and wrapped his arm around Yan Mu’s waist.

The young girl’s waist was soft and slender, and it didn’t seem quite the same as his.

“Hey,” Yan Mu pushed Yu Yuan’s shoulder and said. “Don’t pretend to be asleep, I know you’re awake.”

The teenager opened his eyes. Yan Mu’s figure was clearly reflected in his dark gaze.

“I helped out a lot in the kitchen.” Yu Yuan lowered his eyes, his long, thin eyelashes trembled slightly, looking extremely aggrieved.

“Besides, I also went to the storeroom to move things around, my hands really hurt.” He pouted and rubbed against the crook of Yan Mu’s neck, “In the end, not only did Ah Mu not give me a reward, but you still want to kick me out.”

The teenager’s tone was full of accusations.

For a moment, Yan Mu felt like she was a black-hearted capitalist.

“T-then, what reward do you want?” Yan Mu asked with some embarrassment, knowing that she was in the wrong.

Yu Yuan’s body froze, suddenly remembering the scene when Yan Mu had kissed Ah Yu’s face that day.

So, he raised his head, looked at Yan Mu extremely innocently and said, “I want Ah Mu’s kiss.”

“Cough, cough, cough, cough……” Yan Mu choked.

Her face was flushed and she kept patting her chest.

Yu Yuan didn’t seem to expect Yan Mu to have such a big reaction.

He frowned and worriedly asked, “Are you alright?”

As he spoke, he also reached out and patted Yan Mu’s back.

Yan Mu jerked her head up and stared at Yu Yuan for a long time.

“Ah Mu?” Yu Yuan was a little uncomfortable from her stare.

Yan Mu didn’t speak and looked at Yu Yuan carefully.

Yu Yuan looked frank, as if he didn’t know anything about it.

Perhaps I’m overthinking it.

Yan Mu sighed in relief.

“Why do you suddenly want a kiss?” Because her past deeds weighed on her conscience, Yan Mu felt extremely uncomfortable upon mention of the word ‘kiss’.

“Ah Yu said that you had kissed him before,” Yu Yuan pretended to be calm and said.

“Ah Yu is just eight years old, how old are you?” Yan Mu was amused by him.

Yu Yuan’s expression was normal as he buried his head into the crook of Yan Mu’s neck and whispered, “I’m also eight years old.”

Yan Mu laughed.

Her body shook from laughter, and her wide collar slid down a bit, revealing her round shoulders.

Yu Yuan took his eyes off her shoulders with difficulty, then reached out and pulled her collar up.

“Then, I’ll call you Eight-Year-Old Yu from now on, okay?” Yan Mu laughed so hard that tears came out of her eyes.

If someone had told her before she’d transmigrated, that her book’s male lead would claim to be eight years old, then she would’ve felt like she’d mischaracterized him.

The teenager’s face was very close, and looked extremely serious.

He wiped the tears off the corners of Yan Mu’s eyes with his fingertips and calmly said, “If Ah Mu is happy, it doesn’t matter what you call me.”

What she called out was nothing but a term of address. As long as Yan Mu was happy with it, he would be happy too.

“Okay, Eight-Year-Old Yu.” Yan Mu amused by Yu Yuan and in good humor. She moved inside and said, “You can only sleep for a short while.”

Yu Yuan obediently laid down, on the same pillow as Yan Mu.

He was silent for a while, then softly said, “I’m going to be busy again soon.”

“Will I not see you for a long time?” Yan Mu opened her eyes, a little worried, as she remembered that she had to replenish her lifespan.

“About a month or two,” Yu Yuan said, after thinking it over.

The mission this time was related to the Eldest Prince.

After all, Chu Cong was suspicious of him.

The best way to prove his loyalty was to cut off the head of the enemy camp’s great general with own hands.

However, Yu Yuan didn’t plan to tell this kind of thing to Yan Mu.

If Ah Mu knew he was in such a dangerous situation, she would be too worried to sleep.

Yu Yuan’s eyes softened, and he couldn’t help but reach out to touch Yan Mu’s head.

Yan Mu seemed to be thinking of something. After a while, she stifled a response, “…..Mmm.”

“You must be careful.” Yan Mu’s face looked worried.

“Ah Mu, don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Yu Yuan’s hand on Yan Mu’s head slipped down slightly, and covered the young girl’s bright eyes.

Her vision suddenly fell into darkness, and Yan Mu blinked as her eyes adjusted.

The young girl’s long and thin eyelashes brushed against  his palm, creating a tingling sensation.

Yu Yuan took out a handkerchief and wiped the rouge off for the young girl extremely seriously.

“Yu Yuan?” The young girl softly called.

Yu Yuan is helping me remove my makeup?

Yan Mu was stunned.

It was currently noon. She just wanted to take a nap for two hours. Besides, she didn’t want to go to the trouble of removing her makeup.

Yan Mu opened her mouth, and was about to say something, but the teenager used his finger and gently placed it on her lips.

“Ah Mu, don’t talk.”

Yu Yuan’s voice rang in her ears, and his warm breath sprinkled on her neck, bringing shivers.

The teenager seemed to be very persistent in removing her makeup. He first used the handkerchief to carefully wipe, then used his fingers to rub the young girl’s lips over and over again.

Yan Mu couldn’t see anything, so her entire body was focused on her lips.

The teenager’s rubbing grew stronger and stronger, and her lips felt painfully hot and seemed to be swollen.

“Yu Yuan,” she had no choice but to stop him.

The teenager’s movement came to an abrupt halt.

The hand that was covering her eyes was then removed.

Suddenly exposed to light, Yan Mu was a little disoriented.

She slightly frowned and lifted her hand to shield herself from the dazzling afternoon sunlight.

Yu Yuan got up and pulled the bed curtains closed.

The curtains covered every side, partitioning out a small world.

The teenager lay beside her, resting on the same pillow, so close that Yan Mu could count his eyelashes.

She didn’t feel anything when the curtains were open just now. Now that they were lowered, in such a small space, Yan Mu realized how close she was to Yu Yuan. 

Remembering that she was about to steal a kiss, Yan Mu felt inexplicably nervous inside.

————————————————————————————————————

The author has something to say:

Yu Yuan: I’m extremely persistent in removing makeup? No, I’m just restraining myself from kissing……

---

Edited by: Gaze