HXC Chapter79

The moon was as round as a plate, and it was the Mid-Autumn Festival. Laughter could occasionally be heard from within the Shen Mansion. It was such a lively and bustling atmosphere.

Outside the courtyard, an Eight Immortals table was set up for the moon-worship ceremony. Two red candles were lit on each side and the table was laden with delicious delicacies. As the wind blew, the candlelight flickered.

“Is your lord not back yet?” Ji Zhen stood in front of the courtyard while craning his neck and pouting slightly.

This morning, Shen Yanqing had promised him that he would definitely come back early for dinner. But in the evening, when Ji Zhen sent someone to fetch him, he learned that Shen Yanqing was tied up with official duties and would only be able to return to the mansion later.

What on earth were the court officials doing? They wouldn’t let people be with their families even on such a wonderful day.

Ji Zhen unhappily returned to the ceremonial table, thinking that since these offerings would eventually be eaten after the moon worship, he would quietly reach out to grab a piece of osmanthus cake from the plate. Before his fingertips could touch it, a strong and broad hand gripped his.

He quickly turned his head. Shen Yanqing, who was dressed in his dark blue official robe, stood under the moonlight while looking at him with a gentle smile.

Ji Zhen felt annoyed and huffed as he tried to pull his hand back.

Shen Yanqing held on tighter and teased, “Where did this little cat’s paw come from, daring to even steal from the Moon Goddess’s offerings?”

The two servant girls serving in the courtyard covered their mouths and giggled. Ji Zhen immediately felt a little flustered and waved his hand. “You guys are no longer needed here. Go back and celebrate the festival.”

Only after Shen Yanqing and Ji Zhen were the only ones left, Shen Yanqing used a little force to pull Ji Zhen into his arms. He spoke before Ji Zhen could, “It’s not that I wanted to break my promise. It was truly an important matter. If you are angry, you can scold me to vent your frustration.”

Shen Yanqing had been drinking medicine for years and had a faint scent of it on him. As Ji Zhen smelled it, he couldn’t stay angry anymore and just grumbled, “Even if I were angry, it wouldn’t be at you either.”

“Then who are you angry at?”

“Of course, it’s…” Ji Zhen fell silent. He wasn’t so foolish as to dare to scold the court. “I’m not telling you. Let go of me first. We’re going to miss the time to worship the Moon Goddess.”

Only then did Shen Yanqing let go. He took out six sticks of sandalwood incense, lit them, and gave half to Ji Zhen. Together, they knelt on the bluestone slab and prayed devoutly.

In previous years, Ji Zhen and Shen Yanqing would go to the market to join the festivities on Mid-Autumn night. However, last month when he went to a temple, he drew a lot for Shen Yanqing, and the divination indicated that Shen Yanqing should not go to crowded places recently.

He told this to Shen Yanqing, who didn’t take it seriously, but it was better to be safe than sorry, so Ji Zhen ultimately gave up the idea of going to the market.

It was also good to worship the Moon Goddess and admire the moon in the courtyard.

He silently prayed, “May the Moon Goddess bless Shen Yanqing with good health and a long life…”

Divine Physician Sai had passed through Jiangnan before the new year and checked Shen Yanqing’s pulse. He had laughed and said that Shen Yanqing had recovered very well and would probably be healthy even when he became an old man with a head full of silver hair.

Ji Zhen was a bit proud of this. Of course, he not only supervised Shen Yanqing’s medicine intake every day, but the tonics he stewed were also a special request to his elder brother to find the most potent supplements from the capital. With his careful care, Shen Yanqing was naturally free of illness and pain.

He was imagining Shen Yanqing with a head full of white hair and suddenly burst out laughing.

Shen Yanqing couldn’t help but smile. He stood up, placed the six sticks of incense into the incense burner, and then took Ji Zhen’s hand. He opened it up and placed an osmanthus cake in his palm. “Eat it now.”

Ji Zhen took a bite of the sweet osmanthus cake and said joyfully, “I have something for you, wait here.”

He scampered into the main room like a startled rabbit. From behind him, Shen Yanqing watched and urged, “Slow down.”

When Ji Zhen came back, he put the rest of the osmanthus cake in his mouth with one hand and hid the other behind his back. He asked indistinctly, “Guess what I’m going to give you?”

Shen Yanqing pretended to be in deep thought, his eyes full of laughter under the moonlight. “I am too foolish, enlighten me, Zhen Zhen.”

Ji Zhen quickly walked over and, taking Shen Yanqing by surprise, gleefully placed a fuzzy tiger-head hat on his head. The hat was too small, of course, and it only messed up Shen Yanqing’s hair bun.

Shen Yanqing laughed and took off the bright yellow hat. “What is this?”

Ji Zhen looked up. “It’s what I grabbed during my one-year-old birthday ceremony. It’s a gift for you.”

Holding the fuzzy tiger-head hat in his palm, his heart also seemed to soften as he held the fuzzy tiger-head hat in his palms. He put the hat on Ji Zhen’s head instead and quietly imagined that Ji Zhen must have looked like an adorable, perfectly carved porcelain doll on his first birthday.

It was a pity that he hadn’t met Ji Zhen then; otherwise, he could have claimed to be his childhood sweetheart. Would Ji Zhen have clung to him while calling him Yanqing Gege then?

Ji Zhen hadn’t heard Shen Yanqing’s reply for a long time, so he blinked. “You don’t like it?”

Shen Yanqing pulled Ji Zhen to sit on the wicker chair in the courtyard.

There was only one chair and it was not big enough for two, so Ji Zhen had to sit on his lap. He wrapped his arms around Shen Yanqing’s neck and kissed his chin without giving up. “Tell me, do you like it or not? If you don’t, I won’t give it to you.”

As Ji Zhen said this, he tried to grab the tiger-head hat from Shen Yanqing’s hand. Shen Yanqing dodged, smiling as he gazed at him. “You really want me to say it?”

Shen Yanqing’s eyes were both dark and deep. Being looked at in that way, Ji Zhen felt a bit shy. He mumbled, “If you don’t want to say it, then forget it…”

Ji Zhen gestured to get up, but Shen Yanqing steadied him and tightened his hand around his waist. Then he lowered his head and kissed Ji Zhen.

“Mmm…” Ji Zhen’s body softened, and his voice was muffled. “You’re doing that again.”

The two of them were both breathless. Ji Zhen vaguely heard Shen Yanqing give a low “hmm,” not knowing if it was because of the kiss or if he was answering his question.

When they parted, Ji Zhen’s face was already flushed red. He caught sight of the moon hanging high in the sky out of the corner of his eye and said in embarrassment, “Isn’t it not so good…”

Shen Yanqing gently stroked his rising and falling back. “The Moon Goddess would also wish for us to be well.”

Ji Zhen also laughed and burrowed into Shen Yanqing’s embrace. “I think so too.”

The moonlight flowed like water while a gentle breeze stirred the air, and the fragrance of osmanthus was intoxicating.

Low murmurs filled the courtyard.

As the saying goes, “May we live long and share the beauty of the moon, even when a thousand miles apart.” It was indeed a beautiful night.

The author has something to say:

Lord Shen and Zhen Zhen wish everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival.

T/N: Truly the end now guys. This is such a bittersweet story😭I love it so much. I was going to post only three extras today and save the other three for tomorrow, but I just couldn’t resist :3 Thank you all for reading, I hope you guys enjoy it. See you next~