Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]-Chapter 33: Budding Lotus — IV

Li Xinyuan allowed the man to lead him, though he had no idea where Liu Mingyun was taking him, he decided to trust him anyway.

The Crown Prince’s hand was larger than Li Xinyuan’s, it was much more calloused then his. And it was warmer too.

Perhaps it was because the Crown Prince’s palace was always full of the scent of incense, the man too smelled like it. It was not a strong fragrance but rather a mellow scent. It was warm, somewhat musky. It was comforting, much like the Crown Prince himself.

Though technically the surgeon shouldn’t be feeling it with him just yet.

It reminded Li Xinyuan of the gardens he used to visit in his last life. There were times when he would feel himself drained out of his worth, doing too many surgeries in a single day, flying around one too many countries for seminars, the list was endless, really. And so, Li Xinyuan had to take a break, surrounded by nothing but the fragrance, warmth and twittering company that nature had to offer for the likes of him.

There was no rest for the wicked. And so, Li Xinyuan was easily the wickedest of all. With nothing but his own thoughts to accompany him in the warmth of the sun, the mellow fragrance of flowers. Though Li Xinyuan himself was partial to the scents which reminded him of winter.

The Crown Prince, however, exuded the warm fragrance of pine, mellow and somewhat woody. With the undertones of cedar around his person, Li Xinyuan loved the wisps of his scent that caressed his nose once occasionally as they traversed through the distance that seemed to go on endlessly.

Subconsciously, Li Xinyuan found himself holding onto the man’s hand a little bit tighter, giving his hand a small squeeze in the process.

As he felt the gazes of the people around them, the surgeon walked closer to the man, leaning into his side as they roamed, seemingly aimless, hand-in-hand and no words spoken.

This little movement of his was caught by the protagonist as the man glanced at him from the corner of his eyes but said nothing, allowing him to continue walking by his side.

Even when he shouldn’t. Not yet, at least. But allowed it nevertheless.

Murmurs were disregarded, prying gazes flinching away when the heir apparent met them, crimson eyes cold as ever, completely unlike the amusement he had shown Li Xinyuan not to long ago.

Had the surgeon not been a man confident in his own senses, he might have doubted himself, wondering if what he had seen was but a figment of his imagination.

The product of his nameless, senseless and without a label fantasies.

But it was not. It was real. And the thought filled him with an uncanny warmth, something he wasn’t willing to consider, much less confront so soon.

Liu Mingyun’s warmth, his gentle, less rigorous side was reserved only for those whom he considered his own, he considered close. On more than one occasion, the surgeon was allowed to see that side of him.

In all honesty, it was a wonderful feeling. It made a strange sense of pride swim in his chest when he thought that Liu Mingyun considered him a friend. Someone close enough for him to be comfortable in his own skin when around him.

What more could Li Xinyuan ask for, really?

The surgeon felt a smile tug at his lips at the straying thoughts as he ducked his head to hide the upcurve of his lips, hoping that no one saw him.

And if they did, hopefully they would die seeing his ethereally handsome face with a smile like that.

It was, after all, a smile Li Xinyuan didn’t allow himself to wear often, neither in this nor in the last life. He had hoped to forget this smile.

But he couldn’t. It came back to haunt him. It always did. It was painful but Li Xinyuan was far from weak.

He was stronger than this. A simple smile of his own making shouldn’t make him feel weak. It shouldn’t make him feel as though he was nothing short of pathetic.

It was an unpleasant feeling. It was a prison of its own, a sordid memory unknown to all but him and him alone.

A burden made for none but his shoulders. Just his and no one else’s.

Stamping down the smile and the memories of the past long gone, it brought with itself. Li Xinyuan squeezed Liu Mingyun’s hand, wishing to seek some form of comfort from the man’s touch.

It was not a comfort he should wish for. Not a comfort he was destined for. But Li Xinyuan wished — for the briefest moment — to be comforted.

A gentle squeeze was returned to him, almost instantly dispersing the rolling dark clouds of gloom surrounding his person as a warmth, akin to the first ray of the kind sun falling over a trembling leaf drenched in the morning dew, washed over him, a swift reassuring.

A grounding touch, a tethering warmth.

Li Xinyuan looked up, he was met with the Crown Prince’s eyes, crimson like the sanguine of blood, at the behest of the gods his irises were the most beautiful, searched for his own, disguised worry pooled in them as the man leaned a little closer.

Breathtaking. Li Xinyuan’s traitorous heart thump. It missed a beat. The surgeon couldn’t blame it. It was his heart, after all.

Li Xinyuan knew no love, not in a romantic sense at least. But he did know the love one friend held for another. A platonic emotion, the seed of a platonic relation.

The surgeon was well acquainted with it.

The moment Liu Mingyun leaned closer to him, his lips a kiss away from his ear, his warm breath ghosted over his skin, spilled down his neck. "Are you well, Xin’er?" He inquired.

His voice was soft, baritone and coloured in the lightest hue of concern. Just enough to get his intentions across.

It made Li Xinyuan’s breath release in relief. Thoughts drifting away from the memories that only held displeasure for him as he mulled over his answer.

"You do not seem so well." Liu Mingyun continued, not quite waiting for the surgeon’s answer. "Is there a worry that plagues you? The clouds of solemn gloom are fleeting around you, Xinyuan." He murmured.

Li Xinyuan looked down. Was he so easy to read? He couldn’t help but wonder.

"This lowly servant is well now, Your Highness." He replied a beat later, eyes turning to crescents as he smiled.

Liu Mingyun observed him, looking as though he was not quite convinced by the surgeon’s words.

Mercifully, he pried no more than Li Xinyuan was willing to share. Instead his feet came to a halt in front of a humongous building, rugged and rough. It was reminiscent of those smithys drawn in those manhwas.

It gave off nothing if not a heat so scorching that it made Li Xinyuan use his Qi to cover his body to keep his temperature normal.

"Your Highness?" He asked, unsure despite the inkling in his heart.

Liu Mingyun smiled down at him, the very picture of benevolence as he let go of his hand and made a slight sweeping gesture towards the entrance.

"With the behest of the Heavenly Dragon," he began as Li Xinyuan blinked. "This Prince invites Li Xinyuan to the Imperial Armoury and Smithy." He put finger on his lips, making a shushing gesture as he did so.

"Not many are fortunate enough to visit a place like this, Xinyuan. You, on the other hand, will have a weapon made just for you, one that will not betray you. One that shall resonate with your soul." He whispered softly, his body so very close to the surgeon’s.