He didn’t know if it was because of Huo Fenglie’s intent, fiery gaze, but Liu Zhenqing’s heart felt like it was aflame, and he was inexplicably uneasy. There was even a moment where he didn’t want to hear the answer.

“Qing-ge.”

Liu Zhenqing jumped: “Ah?”

“Qing-ge wants to know?”

Liu Zhenqing was truly shocked. He immediately broke away from Huo Fenglie’s embrace, then turned back around to face him and said. “You really have someone you like? Why haven’t you ever mentioned it? Is it a kid from the Imperial Academy? Which girl is it, ah?”

Liu Zhenqing didn’t know if he was excited, eager for gossip, or…..uncomfortable.

He watched Huo Fenglie anxiously, waiting for an answer. But Huo Fenglie lowered his eyes and suddenly said: “Not a girl.”

Liu Zhenqing’s original eagerness turned into confoundment at Huo Fenglie’s words. He stared at Huo Fenglie in bewilderment and said: “If not a girl, then…..a boy? Er-gou, you…..”

Huo Fenglie said directly: “I’m not into all men. Just him.”

Hearing Huo Fenglie say bluntly that he liked someone put Liu Zhenqing in a trance. “Who is it, ah?”

“I don’t want to tell Qing-ge for now.”

Liu Zhenqing said in dissatisfaction: “Er-gou is actually keeping a secret from me? When he reached out to pinch his nose, Huo Fenglie grabbed his wrist.

Liu Zhenqing was startled. The force around his wrist was very similar to the feeling of being pressed down in his dream.

“He doesn’t like me yet, so I want to keep it a secret for now.” Huo Fenglie suppressed his impulses as he said these words. He didn’t want to take the risk of Qing-ge hating him.

Liu Zhenqing was truly in shock, and he was still in a daze as he waited for Li Xingruo and Huo Feihan to come back that afternoon.

Er-gou had someone he liked, it was a boy, and he hadn’t captured his heart yet. No wonder he had refused his family’s marriage arrangements. 

Among Liu Zhenqing’s friends was Song Xingmu, who liked both men and women, so he didn’t have a problem with this. He just felt a little empty inside when Huo Fenglie talked about this matter so seriously. It gave him the illusion that his own child was about to set sail.

Liu Zhenqing sat in a pavilion under the setting sun, watching Huo Fenglie practice martial arts near the stream.

His weapon moved like a dragon, his form strong and vigorous. He really was steadily growing into a good man.

When Liu Zhenqing turned around, he saw Li Xingruo’s shoulders shaking with laughter and Huo Feihan fiddling with the tea set on the table, an awkward look on his face.

“Are you surprised or not?” Liu Zhenqing asked speechlessly.

“Surprised, ah.” Li Xingruo said with a smile.

Liu Zhenqing sent her a suspicious look, then asked Huo Feihan: “Huo-dage, what do you think?”

Huo Feihan quickly shook his head, as if he had no opinion at all.

Although Great Zhou was open about these things, he thought that Huo-dage would be embarrassed that his little brother liked a man – but he showed no reaction at all.

But that was fine. Liu Zhenqing cleared his throat and said: “That brat still won’t tell me who it is. Do you have any clues?”

Li Xingruo just about spit out a mouthful of tea, then gave Liu Zhenqing a thumbs-up.

Huo Feihan watched his little brother training in the distance, and suddenly said: “It’s no use trying to figure it out. My didi is stubborn.”

Liu Zhenqing was taken aback, and said with some worry: “Yes, ah, this kid is stubborn, and if the other person doesn’t like him back…..”

Liu Zhenqing’s complicated emotions instantly transformed into anxiety. Perhaps it was the disaster he’d encountered at birth that had made Huo Fenglie different from others since childhood. He rarely cried. The last time he’d seen him cry was when he was very young. When Liu Zhenqing was sick, others had teased Huo Fenglie that he would die, so he laid beside his bed and guarded him day and night, fearing that Ox-head and Horse-face, the guardians of the underworld, would take him away.

When Liu Zhenqing woke up, Huo Fenglie’s eyes were swollen from tears. If Huo Fenglie were to cry now due to matters of the heart, Liu Zhenqing’s own heart would break. It would be best if the other party could understand Er-gou and like him back. After all, Er-gou was so good. He was talented in both civil and military affairs, and was flawless, ah. How could someone not be moved by his affections?

Just as he was lost in thought, Li Xingruo suddenly smiled mischievously and said: “Ai, it would be great if you were the one Er-gou likes.”

Liu Zhenqing froze. He immediately stared at Li Xingruo and nearly stuttered: “…..What?”

Li Xingruo looked at him with half-closed eyes.

They had grown up together, and naturally had a good understanding of each other. Even Huo Feihan felt a little strange when he saw Liu Zhenqing’s reaction.

Normally, if Li Xingruo made such a joke, Liu Zhenqing would shamelessly go along with it.

But now, seeing how shocked he was, the two of them sensed that something was fishy.

“I think it would be great if he liked you,” Li Xingruo said with a grin.

Liu Zhenqing was embarrassed. After having such a dream that day, how could he not be? “You must be joking. I’m his big brother.”

Li Xingruo said: “You’re the one who’s joking. Good things should be kept within the family. If he must choose a man, it would be best for him to choose you. You know him inside and out, and you’re not his biological brother, so why are you afraid? Er-gou grew up under the eyes of us three, and if he’s hurt by someone else, which of us wouldn’t be sad, ah? So how about it, Shixiong? Just sacrifice yourself, get with Er-gou, and come into the Huo family as my sister-in-law.”

The silver-tongued Liu Zhenqing could only curse with a beet-red face: “Are you out of your mind?!”

What a ridiculous fantasy!

The two of them began quarreling, and the two Huo brothers naturally came over to intervene. Each person held one of them, attempting to separate the two.

In the evening, when they talked about going to the East Palace, it was basically the same as Liu Zhenqing had expected. It was unlikely that a large-scale battle would take place in the west, but there were constantly minor skirmishes. The generals originally stationed there were old, and were unable to control the situation. It was difficult to accumulate military merits in a peaceful and prosperous era. The Crown Prince wanted to train Huo Feihan to shoulder the responsibility of the Huo Family Army in the future, and would naturally pave the way for him. Therefore, Huo Feihan planned to stay in the west with his family for the foreseeable future, and would set off after a period of time.

Huo Feihan and Liu Zhenqing leaned against each other and drank under the moon.

“It’s finally come to this. My life is going to be boring, I might as well go west with you guys,” Liu Zhenqing said, already bored stiff.

“If you go, what about the Crown Prince? Although Great Zhou is stable now, the Crown Prince has yet to succeed the throne, and the process might not be safe. You should stay here by his side and advise him, so that we can all rest assured. And your old man is getting on in years. You should stay for him too.”

Huo Feihan naturally didn’t need to say these things – Liu Zhenqing knew all of this very well, and was just complaining.

“Say…..do you want me to find you a personal bodyguard?” Huo Feihan said out of nowhere.

Liu Zhenqing looked at him in bewilderment: “Bodyguard?”

Li Xingruo brought over some tea and snacks, and said: “It’s not like we don’t worry about you. You’re so prone to causing trouble. You never studied poisons well, and you’re no good at martial arts. How can you get by just by relying on your brain? Feihan and I won’t be here, and the Crown Prince will be out of our reach, so it would be best for you to have a bodyguard with strong martial arts skills.”

“No need.”

Before Liu Zhenqing could speak further, Huo Fenglie came over bearing grilled fish and said directly: “I can be Qing-ge’s bodyguard.”

“Nonsense,” said Huo Feihan. “You still need to study at the Imperial Academy.”

Li Xingruo smiled evilly and said: “Being a bodyguard means keeping close by. Doesn’t Fenglie have a sweetheart? Will he be able to take care of him?”

Huo Fenglie immediately tensed up. He sent a cautious glance toward Liu Zhenqing, then looked at Li Xingruo as if in surrender.

Li Xingruo snickered.

Liu Zhenqing felt a little strange. He really couldn’t conceive of the second son of the Huo family being his bodyguard, but after hearing Li Xingruo’s words, he also felt that Er-gou was putting him in second place to his ‘sweetheart.’

It turned out that it was time for Liu Zhenqing to find a partner, someone who would wholeheartedly put him first and always. 

Otherwise, when Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo left, the Crown Prince ascended the throne to become emperor, and Er-gou was with his sweetheart, the bond between himself and this world would grow weak again, and he would be lonely once more.

Huo Feihan was indeed concerned about the matter of a bodyguard. He was about to travel a long distance away, and was more worried about Liu Zhenqing than about his own brother. If both the older and younger brothers were unable to do it, he had to find someone else for Liu Zhenqing.

Liu Zhenqing had originally wanted to say that he didn’t need a bodyguard, and that if he didn’t leave the capital, no one would dare provoke him. 

However, Huo Feihan felt that the Crown Prince would not allow Liu Zhenqing to serve as a court official, given his temperament. But there may be some things he would rely on Liu Zhenqing to do, so it was best to train a guard who was trustworthy and dedicated to Liu Zhenqing.

Very soon, the two of them brought back a reticent boy and named him Liu Qiao. His training was arranged entirely by Huo Feihan. As for the fact that Huo Fenglie always challenged him to compete with him when he returned, the less said, the better. 

Before Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo were scheduled to set off, the Imperial Examinations came to an end and the Imperial Academy held a Peach Blossom Banquet. The Crown Prince was originally invited to attend, but he was busy, so he designated Huo Feihan and Liu Zhenqing to go in his stead.

Everyone knew that the two of them were favorites of the Crown Prince, and had come to survey the talents for him. They were naturally warmly received, aside from the old gentleman of the Imperial Academy who still remembered the trouble they had caused and regarded them with glares.

However, Liu Zhenqing was in high spirits.

“Why are you so excited today?” Li Xingruo asked curiously.

Liu Zhenqing smiled and said: “It’s a rare chance to come here. With my sharp eyes, I don’t believe I can’t tell which young man Er-gou likes. And aren’t you guys his biological brother and sister-in-law, ah? Aren’t you curious at all?”

Li Xingruo almost laughed out loud, and Huo Feihan said awkwardly: “We’re curious, of course we’re curious…..”

“Let’s go!” Liu Zhenqing said. “Let’s head to Er-gou’s dormitory first! I recall that Er-gou shares a room with the second son of the Bai family – could he be the one?”

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(Alt Universe) Extra 13 << Table of Contents >> (Alt Universe) Extra 15