Guard Dog

chapter 13

Zemin looks at the hand placing a bowl of porridge  beside the hulatang soup. He looks up at Xingchen.

Xingchen stares back at him without any expression. Even every ant of the palace knows that Zemin can't eat spicy food. He either eats sweet dishes or bland dishes. He can't eat H of Hulatang soup. Yet, Yaad or Yang xi doesn't know about this.

Zemin looks away with a deep sigh "what are you doing here ?"

Xingchen doesn't give any reply but he sits beside Zemin while exchanging two soup bowls with each other.

Zemin frowns "what are you doing ? That's my soup."

"Can you eat this ?" Xingchen opens his mouth this time.

"I can. Yaad made it with so much efforts. I need to eat that.."

"So much efforts without caring what you can eat and what you can't ?"

Zemin shrugs "why do you care ? It's my problem."

"I am busy enough, Zemin. I am not here to fight with you... "

"That's what I asked. What are you doing here ? You don't need to worry about me." Zemin takes his bowl back and takes a spoonfull of soup in his mouth.

Xingchen stays silent for sometimes as Zemin's face slowly turns red because of the spices.

Zemin ignores Xingchen's gaze and takes another spoonful. His eyes turn blurry.

Xingchen sighs. He holds Zemin's hand as he proceeds to eat for the third time. "Enough! You have already proved your love for your consort Yaad."

Zemin looks away but he doesn't protest when Xingchen takes away the hutalang soup and feeds him porridge instead.

***

"You said that Zemin misunderstood something between me and Xingchen. They are fighting for me ? Where ?" Zixuan asks Yuzu standing outside Zemin's bedchamber .

Yuzu covers his face to supress his happiness "Well, they look so cute."

"I came all the way here , leaving my breakfast .. just to see my brother being fed like a kid." Zixuan complains. "Now you need to feed me like this."

Yuzu rolls his eyes "I guess, it's better that way. Xingchen would understand his feelings if Zemin gives a little bit cold shoulder to him."

Zixuan nods "and we shouldn't interfere in their life. It's their story." .

"Their story wouldn't start, without me."

Zixuan grins. "No my dear, their story started even before us."

***

Xingchen walks out of Ze-min's room with a serious face. He looks at the empty bowl of hutalang soup in his hand. He is sure that Zemin has no idea about this soup. Neither there is any secret meaning of this soup.

But he is sure these threats aren't as simple as it looks. He looks back at Zemin. Zemin is already engrossed in his papers. Which is weird. Zemin doesn't like to work. Yet .. 

He was about to look away when he sees Zemin wipping his tears away. Xingchen blinks. Why does today's Zemin remind him of the boy he met at the cliff.. 

Xingchen closes his eyes for sometimes. He sees himself standing at the edge of hudian cliff at the edge of fourteen.

"No don't go there ... Come back .. your highness.. you will fall."