Chapter 108 – I am deeply moved by His Highness’ pride.

Translator: Rin    Editor: Mars    Proofreader: Ume

The person sitting behind the curtain was wearing a white undergarment, with long black hair hanging loosely. His handsome face had no expression at all, but there was a hint of gloom between his eyebrows, which made people feel fearful.

But Jiang Li was not an ordinary person. After all, he had lived several lifetimes and would not be afraid so easily.

Facing the person in front of him, he was more concerned about whether the other person was his lover.

On the contrary, Sister Zhou was startled by his bold move of looking directly at His Highness the Crown Prince. She reached out and tugged on his sleeve and then respectfully said to the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, this is Xiao Lizi, he’s here to serve you.”

Jiang Li reacted quickly, bowed his head, and knelt down: “Servant Xiao Lizi, have met His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Regardless of whether the prince in front of him was his lover, in this situation, he could not let the other person get angry, lest he lose his life.

Although Little Cutie System said that if the task was not completed, the file could be deleted and started over, the feeling of death was not pleasant, so there was no need to try. Besides, a great man knows when to yield and when not, so it was not a big deal to kneel down. What’s more, he used to kneel a lot during filming long ago.

“Get up.” Xiao Qiheng said.

Jiang Li and Sister Zhou stood up, and heard the other party say again, “You, come here.”

Sister Zhou pushed Jiang Li, who quickly stepped forward.

In the memory of the original host, His Highness the Crown Prince had disabled legs. Although after these years of recuperation, the condition was much better than when he could not even move and could stand with crutches, he was still unable to walk.

So he bent down in front of the other party and said, “Your Highness, this servant will help you freshen up.”

Xiao Qiheng nodded and waved to Sister Zhou. Sister Zhou came over understandingly, said “I’ll prepare the food” and then left.

Jiang Li and Xiao Qiheng were the only ones left in the room. Jiang Li first took a coat from the side and put it on the other party to avoid catching cold, and then went to get the mouthwash and washbasin that had been prepared.

After helping Xiao Qiheng to wash up, Jiang Li dried his hands, and lifted the brocade quilt covering Xiao Qiheng’s legs. He reached out to lift his legs, intending to help him get up, but stopped as soon as his hands touched the other person.

Perhaps for comfort reasons, the material of Xiao Qiheng’s pants was very thin, so Jiang Li noticed the difference between his legs and ordinary people’s legs as soon as he touched them.

Xiao Qiheng was sitting on the bed. Judging from his upper body, he should be very tall, but Jiang Li felt that his legs were out of proportion to his body shape.

It was probably the muscle atrophy caused by being disabled for so many years.

Jiang Li realized this problem and thought about how he could not walk all year round and suffered from other people’s gossip like a half-wasted person. A bitter and distressed feeling suddenly arose in his heart, and his fingers unconsciously gently touched the other person’s knee.

“Lord Host, love is being restrained!”

System reminded Jiang Li quietly in his mind.

This sentence almost meant that Xiao Qiheng was his lover. At this moment, Jiang Li really didn’t know whether he was more happy to be reunited with his lover or more distressed that he had been treated like this.

“What are you doing?”

When he was losing his composure, a cold voice suddenly sounded in his ears. His sensitive alertness allowed him to detect danger coming from behind, and he reflexively wanted to avoid it. However, when he thought of the current situation, he restrained himself. Within a second, a hand was clenched around his neck.

There was a sudden pain around his neck. Jiang Li looked up and saw Xiao Qiheng staring at him. His dark pupils were like a pool of quiet stagnant water, but there was a frightening chill. He was obviously dissatisfied with his behavior just then.

Xiao Qiheng’s behavior was exactly the same as Jiang Zhan’s reaction in the first world when he found out he had recognized the wrong person.

Jiang Li had mixed feelings in his heart, but he also knew that now was not the time to express his true feelings. The other party didn’t even know who he was and would just think that he was speaking nonsense, drag him out, and kill him with a cane beating. After all, in the memory of the original host, since His Highness the Crown Prince’s legs were disabled, his personality had changed drastically and his behavior and actions had become unpredictable.

So he suppressed the feelings of pity and reluctance in his heart, reached out to break away from Xiao Qiheng’s hand, and said with difficulty: “Your Highness… I have something to say…”

Xiao Qiheng looked at him. His hand did not loosen but clenched tighter and tighter. His tone was gloomy: “Although I am a useless person now, I can still make your life worse than death.”

These legs were his bottom line, and what this little thing did just now was undoubtedly a challenge to him.

Jiang Li’s body was only fourteen years old, and his body was not fully developed yet. He was thin and petite, his slender neck was even so fragile that it would break if Xiao Qiheng twisted it slightly.

Jiang Li had difficulty breathing due to him clenching, the air in his lungs was squeezed out little by little, and his face slowly turned red.

“Damn, he is trying to kill laozi.” Jiang Li said to System in his heart, “No, strike first.”

System: “… Do as you like.”

When Jiang Li felt that he was almost facing a shortage of oxygen, he couldn’t bear it anymore and was about to resist, but Xiao Qiheng suddenly let go of his hand and threw him aside.

Jiang Li fell to the ground and coughed twice. There was a burning pain in his neck. He knew that there must be finger marks from the clench without looking.

Xiao Qiheng looked at his palms and his brows gradually furrowed.

He did not know why, but he couldn’t make the last move just now, which was really strange.

Slowly closing his fingers into a fist, Xiao Qiheng looked down at Jiang Li who was coughing on the ground: “What do you have to say?”

Jiang Li finally regained his breath and silently kept this incident on record in his mind. After hearing his words, he got up from the ground and said, “Your Highness, this servant was just thinking that autumn has come, it is wet and cold in autumn. Your Highness’s legs will be better with proper massage. This servant overstepped the line earlier. Your Highness, please forgive me.”

“Oh?”

Xiao Qiheng raised his eyebrows slightly, “From what you said, do you know something about this?”

“My mother has also once injured her leg. She suffered unbearable pain in her knees when the weather was wet and cold. Especially at night, she could not sleep lying on the bed. In order to fulfill the responsibility as a son, this servant learned some massage skills from a village doctor when I was a child.”

Jiang Li talked nonsense seriously, saying that his mother had injured her leg. The original host’s mother died of illness. He was just saying this to get a chance to stay with Xiao Qiheng.

In addition to Xiao Zhuozi, there was another Xiao Luzi beside Xiao Qiheng. If he didn’t take this opportunity to stay, with his original identity of doing random chores in the outer courtyard, it would be difficult to find opportunities to get close to him in the future.

Thinking of this, Jiang Li said again: “I am willing to share your worries for Your Highness. I hope Your Highness will give me a chance to make amends.”

Xiao Qiheng nodded his hand as if he was thinking about it.

Jiang Li struck while the iron was hot and continued to persuade: “Your Highness, please believe that this servant has really learned this before. Even the doctor in the village praised me for learning well. In this case, you might as well give it a try. If it’s really useless, it’s not too late to take this servant’s life.”

“This mouth is quite eloquent.” Xiao Qiheng sneered. Seeing that the symptoms mentioned by the young eunuch were somewhat similar to his, he said, “I will give you this opportunity.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Jiang Li got up from the ground, patted his clothes, and went aside to clean his hands before returning.

Xiao Qiheng’s legs had been disabled for many years, and he was imprisoned in a remote place like Qinghe Hall. There was no imperial doctor around to treat him well. No matter how much care and attention he took, in the ancient era when medical equipment was lagging, it would inevitably leave a lot of sequelae, such as muscle atrophy, followed by rheumatoid arthritis.

Massage could not be done through clothing. After Jiang Li asked Xiao Qiheng for permission, he gently opened his pants and exposed his legs.

Although he already knew that Xiao Qiheng’s legs would suffer from muscle atrophy, Jiang Li couldn’t help but feel the heat in his eyes when he saw his legs which were obviously different from ordinary people.

This was the person he had been in love with for three lifetimes. Before he found him, how much pain did he endure without him knowing it?

His grandfather died tragically, his mother committed suicide, his legs were disabled, and he was imprisoned in a deserted side hall by his father.

How did he come to this after all these years?

“What are you doing standing still?” Xiao Qiheng saw that he was motionless and asked, “Why don’t you take action?”

“Yes.”

Jiang Li gathered his thoughts and placed his hands on the legs that had become slightly deformed.

When his hands touched, Xiao Qiheng’s hands slowly clenched into fists, and the gloom in his eyes gradually emerged.

Jiang Li’s massage skills were actually learned in his earliest life. At that time, he was not well-known, and his agent helped him get a Chinese doctor role in a Republican film. The character was good at acupuncture and acupoint massage.

Acupuncture was difficult to learn. After all, Jiang Li had no foundation, but he went to an expert to learn a lot about acupoint massage, which he coincidentally was able to put to good use.

He found the acupuncture points and massaged them gently. He waited for Xiao Qiheng to adapt to the intensity of the massage before slowly increasing the intensity. While pressing, he asked Xiao Qiheng how he felt, so as to grasp the intensity he could bear.

Under his massage, Xiao Qiheng gradually felt that the coldness on his legs dissipated a little and the originally cold soles of his feet also gradually felt a warmth. Although it was not obvious, it was not as cold as before.

Over the years, his legs were not completely numb, but they were always cold. Even if he soaked his legs in hot water for a long time before going to bed, once he left the hot water, they would soon become cold again. Due to his disability causing blood blockage, his insteps often became swollen.

Xiao Qiheng’s sight fell on Jiang Li, who was lowering his head and massaging him seriously. His initially clenched fingers relaxed a little, thinking that Jiang Li might still be of some use.

At this time, Sister Zhou came over to report that breakfast had been prepared.

Jiang Li withdrew his hand and pulled down Xiao Qiheng’s trouser legs: “Your Highness, go and have breakfast first.”

“En.” Xiao Qiheng responded.

Jiang Li helped him put on his clothes, moved his legs off the edge of the bed, and then pushed the wooden wheelchair to the edge of the bed. He then bent down and turned his back to him.

Xiao Qiheng looked at his thin back: “What are you doing?”

“I’ll carry you on my back.” Jiang Li turned around and said, that considering Xiao Qiheng’s current situation, it would still be difficult for him to get out of bed by himself.

“Carry me on your back? With a body as small as yours?” Xiao Qiheng seemed to have heard something funny and he let out a few deep laughs from his throat, which actually made him feel a little happy.

“Your Highness, don’t underestimate me. In fact, I’m very strong and I won’t make you fall.” Jiang Li assured with a serious tone, still facing away from him.

Xiao Qiheng didn’t respond, reached for the crutch beside him, and tapped Jiang Li’s back with the end of the stick: “Get out of the way.”

Jiang Li stepped aside for no apparent reason. When he turned around, he saw Xiao Qiheng slamming the crutch in his hand on the ground, using the force to lift up, turning around, and sitting safely in the wheelchair.

Jiang Li: “…” This works too?

Xiao Qiheng raised his head and glanced at him. He reacted and pushed Xiao Qiheng to the side hall for breakfast.

Not long after breakfast, Xiao Qiheng had to take a bath. This was his habit, and he took a bath in the morning and evening.

There was a bathroom behind the bedroom and there was a bathing pool dedicated to Xiao Qiheng. The palace maid Cui Ya had already prepared the bathing water, and Jiang Li pushed Xiao Qiheng over.

The bathing pool was not big, but it was more than enough for one person to bathe in. It was much more comfortable than using a bathtub.

Jiang Li helped Xiao Qiheng take off his clothes and finally stopped with only a piece of underwear left. Remembering that Sister Zhou said that the prince didn’t like people being present when he was taking a bath, he left.

As soon as he went outside and closed the door, Jiang Li heard the sound of water coming from inside, which should be the sound of Xiao Qiheng getting into the pool.

Not knowing how long the other party would be washing, Jiang Li waited at the door while asking System to bring up the mission tablet.

[Main mission – Xiao Qiheng, side mission – live well. 】

The main mission was the same in every world, which was to capture the male lead. What Jiang Li didn’t expect was that the side mission would be so simple, just to live well.

But when he thought about it, it seemed that it was not easy for a helpless little eunuch to live safely in the palace.

Jiang Li felt his head hurt again when he thought about the eunuch issue.

The eunuchs of this dynasty did not completely remove their bodies during purification. Instead, they had their testicles cut off, which was also known as the progeny bag.

Even though his balls were gone, Jiang Li remembered that he still felt pain when he touched himself there.

“…What the hell are these settings?” Jiang Li pressed his forehead with a headache, “Little Cutie, I want to complain.”

“Ahem.” System said, “Host, please be calm.”

“Are you laughing?” Jiang Li asked as he could hear a hint of laughter.

“…No.” System explained, “Actually, you don’t have to worry.”

“Um?”

“Because there’s no use worrying.”

“…”

Jiang Li didn’t want to talk to System, which had grown from Little Cutie to a veteran. His eyes fell on the mission columns of the previous worlds. The words, “Completed” were displayed behind the three taskbars.

Jiang Zhan, Chi Fang, Lu Heng.

Jiang Li stretched out his hand and gently touched these three names, with endless tenderness and love in his eyes. Falling in love with them every day was infinite wealth to him.

No matter how many years had passed, he still remembered the first time he saw them and also remembered the look when he sent them away.

“Come.”

The sound from the bathroom interrupted Jiang Li’s thoughts. Jiang Li put away his mission tablet and pushed the door open.

Xiao Qiheng had already come out of the bath. He was holding a crutch with one hand and a wheelchair with the other, barely standing. His wet black hair was stuck to his chest. The water droplets slid down little by little along the lines of the texture and sank into his waistband.

Jiang Li took down a clean brocade cloth from the shelf nearby, stepped forward, and wiped the water droplets from Xiao Qiheng’s hair and body. He then bent down to help him take off his soaked underwear.

In ancient times, there was no underwear. When Xiao Qiheng took them off, something between his legs was exposed and little Qiheng came face to face with Jiang Li.

Compared to his muscularly atrophied legs, little Qiheng was very well developed with perfect shape and length.

Seeing it, Jiang Li couldn’t help but think of his little thing with the balls cut off of it. In comparison, they were an earthworm and a python. He suddenly felt sad and almost burst into tears.

Xiao Qiheng, when he saw Jiang Li stop while taking off his clothes halfway, said: “What are you in a daze about?”

Jiang Li looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

Xiao Qiheng frowned: “Why are you crying?”

Jiang Li’s face showed emotion and his tone was full of admiration: “This servant has the honor to see the pride of His Highness the Crown Prince today. I am deeply moved by His Highness’ pride and can’t help myself for a moment. Please forgive me.”

Xiao Qiheng: “…”

Where was this little bastard full of nonsense raised at?