"Hmm..." Su Fuliu nodded, then lay back down in a daze.
Looking at Su Fuliu on the bed, Feng Muting had no desire to attend the morning court session. He had wanted to skip it before, but Su Fuliu scolded him, so he was now obediently attending the session, otherwise Su Fuliu would get angry again.
"Tsk, give me a kiss before you leave." Feng Muting muttered, then ran over, climbed onto the bed, and stole a kiss from Su Fuliu.
"Mmm...Tinglang..." Su Fuliu was already half asleep, but after Feng Muting's frantic kisses, she became completely dazed.
Feng Muting reluctantly let go of Su Fuliu, then covered him with the blanket before leaving.
When Su Fuliu recovered, he was fully awake. He sat up, rubbed his back, yawned, and muttered to himself, "I wonder if Qing'er is awake yet."
After he got up, he went to see Qing'er.
When they arrived, Qing'er was crying.
He quickly went inside and saw the wet nurse carrying Qing'er around the room, coaxing him.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying like this, Qing'er? Are you hungry?" Su Fuliu asked.
"The little prince just finished eating. He didn't wet or poop. I don't know what's wrong. He's been crying since earlier," the wet nurse replied.
"Let me see." Su Fuliu walked over and took Qing'er from her hands. Strangely enough, Qing'er, who had been crying nonstop, stopped crying as soon as she was in his hands.
The wet nurse was also surprised: "No matter how I tried to coax him, it was no use. But as soon as he was in Empress Xiao's arms, the little prince stopped crying. It seems that the little prince misses Empress Xiao and wants her to hold him."
Upon hearing this, Su Fuliu looked down at Qing'er in his arms and smiled, "So Qing'er wants Brother Liu to hug her. Okay, okay, Brother Liu will hug you."
After that, he carried Qing'er back to his bedchamber. Since he had nothing else to do, he decided to help take care of Qing'er.
Feng Muting, who had been eagerly awaiting the end of the morning court session, rushed back like a whirlwind. He was just about to give his Liu Bao a big hug when he saw Liu Bao hugging his crybaby brother, and couldn't help but pout.
When he saw Su Fuliu holding Qing'er and gently coaxing her, he had a thought of throwing the little one out.
"Liu Bao, shall we have breakfast together?" Feng Muting walked over and stuck close to Su Fuliu.
Wherever Su Fuliu carried Qing'er, he followed.
"Okay, then have someone prepare breakfast." Su Fuliu nodded.
Feng Muting quickly ordered someone to prepare breakfast, then returned and said, "We're about to have breakfast, so Liu Bao shouldn't hold Qing'er anymore. Let the wet nurse take him back."
“Breakfast hasn’t arrived yet, no rush,” Su Fuliu replied.
Feng Muting glanced at Qing'er, then reached out to take him from Su Fuliu's arms: "Let me hold him for a while, you must be tired of holding him."
However, Su Fuliu avoided the question, saying, "No need. How can such a small child be tired after just a short while? It's Tinglang who's tired from going to the morning court so early. After breakfast, I'll accompany Tinglang to the Imperial Study to handle the memorials."
Su Fuliu didn't want Feng Muting to work so hard, so he had always been the one to help process the memorials, while Feng Muting just lent a hand.
If it weren't inappropriate, he would have liked to take Feng Muting's place at the morning court session so that Feng Muting could sleep a little longer.
Chapter 2 Extra: Stay (2)
“Okay.” Feng Muting readily agreed, because this way he could be alone with Su Fuliu.
After finishing breakfast, Feng Muting immediately had the wet nurse take Qing'er away, and then he took Su Fuliu's hand and led him to the Imperial Study.
Upon arriving at the Imperial Study, Su Fuliu sat down and began reviewing memorials.
Feng Muting sat close to him and said, "I'm so happy. With Liu Bao around, I have nothing to worry about. It's just that Liu Bao has to work hard. Let me massage Liu Bao's shoulders and legs."
Su Fuliu was focused on reviewing the memorials and didn't say much. Seeing that he didn't speak, Feng Muting took the initiative to massage his shoulders, taking very good care of him: "How is it, Liu Bao, is it comfortable?"
"Hmm." Su Fuliu's gaze fell on the memorial, and she responded while pondering it.
Feng Muting looked at the earnest Su Fuliu and smiled helplessly. He also felt sorry for Su Fuliu working so hard and having to review so many memorials for him, but there was nothing he could do. If he didn't allow it, Su Fuliu would be unhappy. He knew that Su Fuliu just didn't want him to be too tired and wanted to share the burden with him.
But in order not to upset his Liu Bao, he had no choice but to agree.
"Tinglang, I'm a little thirsty." Su Fuliu looked at Feng Muting, who was sitting next to her and had already started massaging her legs.
"Liu Bao, wait here." After saying that, Feng Muting jumped up and ran to have someone prepare tea.
The palace maid dared not delay and ran off to prepare tea. However, when she returned, Feng Muting scolded her: "You're taking so long to bring tea. Do you want Empress Xiao to go thirsty?"
The palace maid was scolded, and immediately lowered her head, trembling and with tears in her eyes.
"Tinglang," Su Fuliu called out.
Feng Muting quickly dismissed the palace maid and then ran back with the tea: "Liu Bao, the tea is here. Let me pour you a cup. Check if it's too hot. If it is, I'll blow on it and let it cool down before you drink it."
Su Fuliu looked at him and shook her head: "Tinglang is really something, criticizing others like this. He'll scare them away and see who dares to serve you then."
“I don’t need anyone to wait on me. I only need Liu Bao.” After Feng Muting finished speaking, he blew on the tea in his hand. After blowing on it for a while, he felt it was warm, so he handed it to Su Fuliu. “Liu Bao, have some tea.”
"Thank you, Tinglang." Su Fuliu took the tea and drank it all in one gulp, showing how thirsty she was.
Feng Muting, however, looked unhappy.
Su Fuliu looked at him, puzzled: "Tinglang, what's wrong? Why do you suddenly seem unhappy?"
"Liu Bao just thanked me," Feng Muting said, dissatisfied.
Su Fuliu was stunned for a moment: "Huh?"
"What do you mean 'oh'? Liu Bao just thanked me, and I'm very angry!" Feng Muting replied.
Su Fuliu was completely bewildered: "You handed me tea, so shouldn't I thank you? Why are you angry?"
“No! When I offer you tea, it’s because I care about you, pamper you, and treat you well. You should just accept it without worry. But you have to say thank you. That’s the kind of thing a stranger would say. Is Liu Bao trying to distance herself from me?” Feng Muting asked rhetorically.
Su Fuliu was quite bewildered by Feng Muting's aggrieved expression. He had only said thank you, so why did it upset Feng Muting so much?
"Tinglang...you, you shouldn't be like this..." Su Fuliu didn't know where to begin in trying to coax him.
"Liu Bao, are you saying I'm being unreasonable?" Feng Muting asked rhetorically, making Su Fuliu's head buzz.
Chapter 3 Side Story: Stay (Part 3)
"No, I didn't. I just drank some tea and said thank you. I didn't mean anything else. Why is Tinglang misunderstanding me so much?" Su Fuliu suddenly became a little anxious.
Taking advantage of the situation, Feng Muting hugged him and said, "I'm sorry, Liu Bao. I'm too fragile and too afraid that Liu Bao won't like me or want me anymore."
Su Fuliu shook her head: "How could I not want Tinglang? The one who should be afraid... is clearly me..."
"Liu Bao is so outstanding, I wish I could hide her away and cherish her like a treasure."
“Tinglang has been treating me like a treasure, always listening to my every word, taking good care of me, and showing me all his tenderness.” Su Fuliu looked at Feng Muting in front of her, her eyes suddenly stinging.
"Because my Liu Bao deserves it, deserves the best in the world, deserves my love with all my might, so Liu Bao, don't be afraid anymore. Even if I don't want myself, I won't abandon you. But you, you can't abandon your Ting Lang. Your Ting Lang is going to have you for life. If you don't let him have you, he'll die, starve to death."
Su Fuliu was almost brought to tears by Feng Muting's words, but upon hearing the second half of his sentence, she laughed the moment her tears fell.
He slapped Feng Muting: "Tinglang is so annoying, you always make me laugh and cry at the same time."
Feng Muting chuckled after hearing this, then leaned close to his ear and whispered, "No way, I always make you cry, but I've never seen you smile."
Upon hearing this, Su Fuliu's face flushed instantly. He was so ashamed and indignant that he tried to push Feng Muting away, but Feng Muting wouldn't let him go and bit his mouth, which was about to swear.
“Tinglang, if you say such things again, believe me I’ll strip you… um… um…” Su Fuliu had finally mastered the words, but Feng Muting didn’t give him a chance to curse.
After kissing for a long time, Feng Muting reluctantly let go of Su Fuliu. If Su Fuliu hadn't been almost fainting from the kiss, he wouldn't have let him go so easily.
Su Fuliu, panting heavily, withdrew from Feng Muting's embrace, then picked up her pen and continued to angrily review the memorials, her face as red as a ripe tomato in the field.
Feng Muting sat to the side, looking at Su Fuliu's swollen lips, and said with lingering satisfaction, "Liu Bao, let's not approve it anymore. Let's go back to the palace and do something else?"
Su Fuliu didn't even look at him and said, "I don't want to. If I go back with you, how will I be able to finish reviewing the rest of my memorials!"
"I'll approve the rest later, you can rest." Feng Muting looked at him with shining eyes, wishing he could pounce on him right now.
"That won't work either. If I fail to get approval later, it proves that you've made me suffer terribly. If I know I'll suffer terribly, why would I go back with you? Wouldn't I be stupid?"
Su Fuliu dared not go back with Feng Muting just like that. Putting aside everything else, it was still daytime. What if Feng Muting ate all day and then wanted to eat again at night? He couldn't handle it. He had to think about his poor back.
Feng Muting was stunned. Su Fuliu's words made a lot of sense, and he couldn't find the words to refute them for a moment.
"Alright, Tinglang, if you have nothing to do, go check on Qing'er. He should have woken up from his nap by now. I wonder if he cried. As his older brother, you should go and check on him!" Su Fuliu urged.
Chapter 4 Extra: Stay (Part 4)
Without the slightest hesitation, Feng Muting replied with two words: "No."
He didn't want to look at that little one. All that little one did was cry and pee. He had already been pee-covered in that little one at least ten times.
A few times, he even pooped along with the poop.
So now he really dislikes that little one.
He would only take Su Fuliu's arms if he was worried about tiring her out.
Seeing Feng Muting's reaction, Su Fuliu couldn't help but laugh: "Tinglang, that's your own brother, how can you be so disgusted with him?"
"Only Liu Bao has the good temper to coax him. If it were me, I wouldn't spoil him."
"How old is he? He can't even talk yet. Should we scold him instead of comforting him?"
Feng Muting snorted lightly: "Like father, like son."
"..." Su Fuliu glanced helplessly at Feng Muting and said nothing more. Since Feng Muting didn't want to leave, she could only let him stay here.
But Mu Ting wasn't about to sit quietly on the sidelines doing nothing.
He suddenly reached out and picked up Su Fuliu, then let him sit on his lap, saying, "I'll be Liu Bao's cushion, so Liu Bao won't have a sore bottom after sitting for a long time."
“No need, Tinglang, I…” Su Fuliu said as she tried to get up.
But Feng Muting added, "Liu Bao, don't move around. Otherwise, I won't be responsible if anything happens."
Su Fuliu instantly recalled how he used to sit on Feng Muting's lap to review memorials. Back then, he was so immature that he kept moving around, causing Feng Muting to bring little Tingting out and not be able to bring him back for a long time.
Upon hearing this, he immediately froze, obediently sitting on Feng Muting's lap to continue reviewing the memorials.
“Liu Bao must be feeling uncomfortable from sitting for so long. Shall I massage your back for you?” Feng Muting said “considerately.”
"No, no need..." Su Fuliu dared not let Feng Muting touch him again. Feng Muting had no self-control at all. Giving him a shoulder massage and leg rub was enough. If he massaged his waist, that would be terrible. Before he could even massage three times, Feng Muting would probably take little Tingting out for a walk.
"Liu Bao, don't be so polite with me. You've worked so hard to help me with the affairs of state. It's nothing for me to massage your back now. If you refuse again, you'll be treating me like an outsider, and that will make me angry."
Hearing Feng Muting say that, Su Fuliu had no reason to refuse again.
Now he's in a bind. He can't refuse, and he doesn't dare to move. Isn't he just a little rabbit waiting to be slaughtered?