Chapter 016: Learning to Count

Lin Shouyan asked Qi Zhen, “Did you eat the iron plate noodles?”

Qi Zhen took off his outer garment, “I did.”

“Was it good?”

“Yeah.” Qi Zhen leaned in, “You haven’t learned many characters, but you’re quick to the kitchen. Are you planning to cook for me?”

Lin Shouyan shook his head, “It’s stewed dishes every day, I’m tired of it.”

Qi Zhen raised an eyebrow slightly, “Didn’t you eat like this at home before?”

Lin Shouyan took a couple of seconds to react, then smiled, “There’s a slight difference. Yan Yan doesn’t cook, just stands by and orders them around.”

Qi Zhen was already thinking about finding a Jiangnan chef for him.

“Did you make it with an iron shield?”

“Yeah.”

“Tomorrow I’ll have them make an iron pot for you.”

Lin Shouyan laughed.

That would be great, he could try some new dishes.

Qi Zhen stood by the bed, looking at his gentle face under the candlelight, and leaned down to kiss Lin Shouyan.

It wasn’t a simple peck, but a deep, passionate kiss.

The meaning was clear.

Lin Shouyan’s eyes widened slightly.

No way.

Bro, I’ve seen you working overtime for days, so I kindly shared some fried noodles with you, to earn some goodwill.

You’re full, and now you’re coming at me with full force?

Qi Zhen raised his voice, “Xu Fuquan.”

Xu Fuquan was waiting outside for orders.

“Tell those who come tomorrow that I’ll handle any issues the day after.”

Xu Fuquan was quick-witted and understood immediately.

“And prepare some hot water.”

“Yes.”

Lin Shouyan’s eyes widened.

Qi Zhen isn’t going to work tomorrow?

Is he planning to battle with him until dawn tonight?!

Lin Shouyan instinctively backed away, “Brother, aren’t you tired?”

Qi Zhen caught up to him and kissed him, his hand rubbing his waist, and soon his clothes were undone. After sleeping with him for so long, the habit of sleeping without clothes was lost.

“I’m full.”

“Then…”

“So I’m going to eat Yan Yan.”

Lin Shouyan’s heart trembled, his bottom line shifted back a bit, and thinking about going back later without such a high-quality bed partner, he didn’t really want to refuse. He quietly bargained for his own sake, “Then take it easy.”

Qi Zhen kissed him again, “Like this, Yan Yan calls me ‘husband,’ and counts to a hundred, then I’ll stop.”

Oh, come on!

Lin Shouyan was shocked beyond words.

No wonder he’s watched 10 terabytes of videos, he even knows this kind of play?

Lin Shouyan shyly smiled, thinking that when he couldn’t hold on anymore, he’d count faster. Then he suddenly realized a serious problem.

His smile froze.

“Brother, Yan Yan can only count to thirty.”

Qi Zhen chuckled briefly, “Really? Yan Yan knows eighty-eight thousand, how can you only count to thirty?”

…

Lin Shouyan swore on his man’s dignity!

Qi Zhen, this jerk, definitely knew!

That laugh was proof!

Damn it!

The fool persona is screwing me over!

–

Lin Shouyan felt like he called ‘husband’ over five hundred times and ‘darling’ over three hundred times.

When Qi Zhen carried Lin Shouyan into the bath, he hoarsely instructed the servants to change the bedding. He even generously had Xu Fuquan give some money to the people who washed the sheets.

Lin Shouyan wished he could die on the spot.

What’s the money for?

Sympathy for the hard work of washing the sheets?

Lin Shouyan was so mad that the first thing he said the next day was, “Crown Prince brother, Yan Yan doesn’t want to be with you anymore.”

He wrapped himself in the blanket, head down, not seeing Qi Zhen pause for two seconds, a dense smile in his eyes.

Qi Zhen flicked his forehead, “Dream on.”

Lin Shouyan huffed twice, really ignoring Qi Zhen.

But if Lin Shouyan was really just Lin Shouyan, Qi Zhen might not be able to handle him for a while.

But handling a fool is too easy.

Lin Shouyan had to maintain his fool persona.

So, when Qi Zhen brought in a beautiful rabbit lantern, Lin Shouyan could only excitedly run to him, sit at the desk with Qi Zhen holding him, and write on the rabbit lantern.

The little fool knew too few characters, and just started learning, so his writing was ugly. Most of it was Qi Zhen writing for him, only leaving a name at the end.

“Is Yan Yan’s writing too ugly?”

“No, when I first learned to write, I wasn’t as good as you.”

Lin Shouyan was stunned.

Even though he deliberately twisted the characters, hearing this answer still made him smile.

Qi Zhen put the rabbit lantern aside, pulled him onto his lap, and holding his hand, taught him to write New Year greetings, telling him to practice this for the next few days.

Lin Shouyan wrote for a while and didn’t want to continue, asking Qi Zhen to teach him to count.

He absolutely wouldn’t fall in the same pit twice.

Lin Shouyan leaned against Qi Zhen’s chest, unable to see Qi Zhen’s lips curl up.

Qi Zhen held his hand to teach him. After a while, he let him practice on his own. Lin Shouyan pretended to remember for a bit, but his hand holding the brush gradually became restless.

Inadvertently, he turned it.

The ink on the brush sprayed in all directions without missing a spot.

Lin Shouyan and Qi Zhen, including the vase in the corner, were all marked with a horizontal ink streak.

Qi Zhen lowered his eyes.

Lin Shouyan giggled foolishly, sheepishly putting down the brush.

An accident, an accident.

Qi Zhen: “Got it?”

“Uh… maybe.”

“Let’s test it.”

“Huh?”

Qi Zhen placed his hand on Lin Shouyan’s leg,

slightly spreading them apart.

Lin Shouyan suddenly stiffened.

Qi Zhen whispered in his ear, “Count yourself.”