At lunch, Yan Si followed Xiao Yi to the pavilion in the imperial garden to partake of the meal; even so, all matters conversely were not as he imagined.
Here there was not only RongCheng but there was also present that Male Imperial Consort; the two people at present were sitting quite close to one another.
The moment he caught sight of them, Yan Si momentarily was flustered and wished to turn back around, yet was blocked by Xiao Yi standing in the way; RongCheng spoke with a smile, "A Si, quickly sit down to partake of the meal."
Xiao Yi also nimbly pulled out a chair, "Master, your person sit down here."
Being placed into a compelled situation, Yan Si nodded his head and slowly sat down, yet knew not yet what to say; with that person present, he felt lacking in naturalness.
At this time, RongCheng only then waved his hand to signal for Xiao Yi to withdraw, and spoke further, "Since returning until now, many events have occurred; we have not possessed any opportunity to partake of a meal together. Taking this occasion, I wish to..."
It turned out the purpose of today's meal was thus; RongCheng wished for him and Shang Yuan to possess an opportunity to become closer to one another, because calculating up to now, the two people still had never yet formally conversed.
Shang Yuan looked at Yan Si, spoke with a smile, "I have heard report that you multiple times rescued His Highness and also myself; even so, we conversely have not yet possessed any occasion to repay you."
Hearing this, Yan Si replied in a small voice, "The Imperial Consort has no requirement to speak in such a manner; eldest brother also multiple times rescued my life indeed."
Seeing the two people conversing with an appearance of aloofness, RongCheng suddenly spoke with a smile, "Look, why do you still call him Imperial Consort? The person is my wife; ought you not to call him..."
... Eldest sister-in-law... he must call him eldest sister-in-law to be correct! Nonetheless, before RongCheng was even capable of finishing his words, he instantly was stamped hard upon his foot by Shang Yuan; that one conversely proposed with a smile, "Although we have never sworn brotherhood, you have already accepted the person as eldest brother; then, can you accept myself also as second elder brother?"
"Second elder brother?" Never expecting that upon reaching this time, there unexpectedly surfaced this many elder brothers... Pondering and thinking for a long time, Yan Si nodded his head and replied, "In such a manner is acceptable too, if the person does not disdain me."
Shang Yuan smiled and shook his head, "Little brother is truly foolish; how could I disdain you."
This matter RongCheng naturally also concurred with; he smiled and pointed his hand at the table of food, saying, "Very well! Very well! Quickly eat the rice, lest it turn cold."
Yan Si faintly nodded his head, focusing intently upon the act of eating rice...
Beholding that the person appeared lacking in naturalness, Shang Yuan took the initiative to gather some food to place into his bowl, saying, "You have no requirement to be shy; you ought also to gather food, eating a bit more only then will you possess strength."
Never expecting Shang Yuan to act in such a manner, Yan Si felt a bit flustered and looked across at RongCheng; the man merely spoke with a smile, "That is right, you ought to strive to eat a bit more."
Afterward, he again gathered food to place into Shang Yuan's bowl, saying, "The same for you as well."
What kind of situation was this? Although the conduct was very ordinary, it unintentionally made a person flustered; both Yan Si and Shang Yuan entirely sensed the bizarre element, solely RongCheng alone did not.
It appeared Shang Yuan had already discerned Yan Si's jealousy before that action of RongCheng.
He hesitated and spoke in a small voice, "I... I also wish for eldest brother to gather food for me too..."
"Is it so, very well." Hearing thus, RongCheng merely laughed heartily and then humored his wish.
Right at this moment, Shang Yuan began to somewhat sense an abnormality, wishing to speak yet knowing not how to speak.
Clearly Yan Si, when being given food gathered by him, manifested surprise, and even looking at his attitude, it appeared he completely disliked it. Oppositely, the moment he was humored in his wish by RongCheng, he instantly brightened up, resembling one who was intensely satisfied.
The matter Shang Yuan thought of was in no way wrong; at present Yan Si was feeling very happy because of being coddled by RongCheng gathering food for him; it caused him to possess a feeling of not falling short of that person by too much, at least regarding the aspect of affection.
The lunch passed away, Yan Si at present was already much happier; on the path of return, he spoke to Xiao Yi, "From this time onward, I have decided."
"Huh?" Xiao Yi upon hearing felt a bit curious and asked, "What has master decided?"
Thinking about a bright tomorrow, Yan Si spoke with an appearance full of determination, "From now on, I will strive harder, I will eat a great deal."
"Is it true, master?" Being capable of hearing such, Xiao Yi truly shed tears of joy, "Then let us together strive! This servant will assist your person!"
Yan Si nodded his head to inwardly form a resolution; from now on, he must live better so as not to cause eldest brother to lose face.
At the same time, Shang Yuan followed RongCheng to return to the Zixuan Palace while within his heart pondering unceasingly; having walked for a session, he suddenly stood stock-still, calling, "Cheng..."
Hearing the person call his name with an appearance of seriousness, RongCheng halted his steps and turned across to look at him, asking, "What is amiss?"
After a period of deep contemplation, Shang Yuan asked haltingly, "That... sworn younger brother... do you not see there is some problem that is very strange?"
Being reminded, RongCheng only then began to ponder, "There is... also a small problem that is a bit strange, but what of it?"
Shang Yuan suddenly let out a breath in a sigh, "I feel that the gaze with which he looks at you..."
He truly knew not how he ought to speak it, but it did not resemble the manner in which a sworn younger brother ordinarily looked at his elder brother: "... Furthermore, there is also the manner in which he wishes for you to care for him... truly it is not normal in the slightest..."
Beholding that the situation appeared tense, RongCheng silently observed Shang Yuan; after a short while, he suddenly burst out laughing and conversely asked teasingly, "Look, you appear as though you are jealous... You are jealous, is it not true?"
Shang Yuan's face abruptly turned red, and he instantly turned away petulantly, "No... there is no... who... who is jealous of you?"
Looking at the person who clearly was blushing entirely to his ears, yet RongCheng still followed along to tease, "Not jealous yet acting like this? Quickly speak, is A Yuan indeed being jealous?"
Shang Yuan still with one mind denied it, "There is not... there is not..."
"But your face has turned entirely red already? Still denying it?"
"It is due to... the weather being sunny and hot."
"Is it so? For what reason do I conversely not see it thus?"
Knowing not why the situation became like this? In the final analysis, Shang Yuan's misgiving all of a sudden became RongCheng's joke, truly causing him to be angry unto death.
Seeing the person appear truly angered, RongCheng unexpectedly pulled Shang Yuan back and simultaneously encircled his waist, comforting him, "Do not be angry! That child is truly very pitiable; perhaps growing up he lacked affection, therefore he became thus. If I leave him be, it is acceptable too, then he will again be all alone by himself, expressing no resentment, but I feel my own self ought not to be like that..."
RongCheng thought that since he had by constraint brought Yan Si back here, then he required to possess more responsibility toward him, and spoke further, "How about Yuan-er try to open your heart more toward the younger brother to see, who knows, he might again cling to you even more than to myself."
"That matter..." Shang Yuan inherently was not a person who understood nothing; although feeling what RongCheng spoke was very reasonable, within his heart he still bore many complications... Through a period of deep contemplation and thought, he nodded his head, "Very well, I will try to see how it is."
Being capable of hearing such, RongCheng felt all the more happy and all the more tightly embraced Shang Yuan; in the final analysis, what else could be better than the family above and below being in harmony?
At that period, Yan Si was like a fragile glass orb easy to shatter; RongCheng brought him back to cherish within his hand. But he knew not, the orb was unceasingly absorbing heat energy from his person, warming up day by day. When that time came, it would turn back to incinerate his intellect, and very possibly would wither away both the trust and the patience of Shang Yuan.
There would then come a day, when the heat energy increased to the peak, the glass orb would explode, unintentionally embedding sharp, lacerating fragments right into the hearts of both people.