The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

"Like this?" Shen Yu quickly leaned forward and pecked Shang JunLin's face. Before Shang JunLin could react, he returned to his previous position.

Now it was Shang JunLin's turn to be stunned. He was only speaking casually and didn't really expect Shen Yu to do anything. Shen Yu rejected him eight or nine times out of ten, and he was almost used to it.

The kiss ended immediately. It was over before Shang JunLin had any time to respond.

Shang JunLin's face stiffened, and he looked over at the young man beside him.

Shen Yu was dressed in light-colored clothes. Because he was indoors, he wasn't wearing a cloak with a fur collar. His palm-sized face seemed to glow in the sunlight, but there was a sly gleam in his eyes.

"You…" Shang JunLin felt helpless. How could he not understand Shen Yu had just done that deliberately?

Shen Yu knew he meant something else—the kiss he wanted was more than a light touch on the cheek. But he said "a kiss", and Shen Yu gave him one, which meant he could say he did what Shang JunLin asked. It made Shang JunLin feel a little bereft.

Shen Yu blinked his eyes with an innocent expression. "I did everything Your Majesty asked. Your Majesty can't give me a hard time later because of it."

Shang JunLin lifted his eyebrows slightly. "When has this emperor ever made things difficult for you?"

"Last time I clearly said no more, but you still didn't let go." Shen Yu had reasons for not agreeing to Shang JunLin's request—Shang JunLin took too long and refused to stop when Shen Yu shouted to stop. After that time in the bath, Shang JunLin occasionally wanted to do more, but Shen Yu didn't agree because he remembered what happened last time.

Shang JunLin squeezed Shen Yu's fingers suggestively. "How long will the noble monarch bear a grudge like this?"

It was like he lit a fire. Shen Yu's fingertips began to burn. He silently retracted his fingers.

Just when his fingers escaped a little, the man caught hold of him more tightly. Shen Yu looked up and saw that the man's face was serious. Only the ink-black color in his eyes revealed a little of his true thoughts.

If they continued this it might happen again. As if he was scalded, Shen Yu got up from the couch. "I suddenly remembered that I asked the small kitchen to prepare some new snacks. I'll go find out why they haven't brought them in yet."

Shen Yu was slightly flustered. Shang JunLin watched him retreat and laughed quietly.

The man's gaze seemed like a physical thing. Shen Yu couldn't ignore it even if he wanted to. The feeling only dissipated when he stepped out of the room.

Meng Gonggong was waiting outside the door. When he saw Shen Yu come out, he was surprised. "Does the noble monarch need something?"

Many times, in order to be alone with Shen Yu, Shang JunLin didn't allow palace servants to wait inside the room. Shen Yu wasn't used to being surrounded by attendants at all times and agreed with Shang JunLin's approach.

However agitated he felt inside, Shen Yu's face didn't show it. "I came to see if the small kitchen is ready to serve the new desserts."

"Is the noble monarch referring to the new styles developed by the small kitchen? They're ready. It isn't the arranged time just yet, and this slave was afraid of disturbing the noble monarch and His Majesty, so I asked them to wait a little."

"Tell someone to bring them in. His Majesty is hungry." Shen Yu mercilessly dumped the blame on Shang JunLin's head.

Meng Gonggong didn't doubt him. He left to give the order.

After waiting outside for a while until he calmed down, Shen Yu returned to the room.

Shang JunLin hadn't moved at all. When he saw Shen Yu come in, the smile in his eyes deepened.

"Your Majesty, the servants from the small kitchen will be here soon." Shen Yu was reminding Shang JunLin that outsiders would be coming, so don't make trouble like before.

"What does the noble monarch think this emperor was about to do just now?" Shang JunLin looked at Shen Yu with interest.

With the people from the small kitchen due to arrive shortly, Shen Yu thought Shang JunLin wouldn't mess around, so he grew bold. "Your Majesty was going to kiss me? Or hug me? Or… me?"

Shen Yu said the middle few words in a tiny voice, but Shang JunLin heard them clearly. He put down the scroll in his hand, stood up from the soft couch and approached Shen Yu step by step.

"Oh? It seems the noble monarch has a clear idea of what this emperor wants. Then does the noble monarch intend to satisfy me?"

The man approached with a bitterly cold aura, as if he'd released the restraints on the fierce beast deep inside. A feeling of aggression poured out from him, assaulting the senses.

His breath was getting closer and closer. Shen Yu had to reach out to touch the man's chest to prevent him from approaching.

Shang JunLin lowered his head, and his hot breath lingered on the sensitive skin of Shen Yu's neck, making him tremble.

"Your Majesty, someone is coming…"

Shen Yu's voice suddenly trailed off. Something warm gently touched the side of his neck.

—Shang JunLin's lips.

One touch and it was gone, as if he was responding to the brief touch of Shen Yu's lips on his face.

Crimson spread from Shen Yu's neck and crept into his cheeks little by little. Soon Shen Yu's whole face was red.

His jade-like skin was dyed scarlet, like a piece of ripe fruit tempting one to taste it.

Shang JunLin's eyes grew darker and deeper. He lifted Shen Yu's chin, and the distance between them got shorter and shorter.

Shen Yu watched the man's handsome face grow larger before him. In those eyes, his reflection was clearly visible, as if they'd somehow sucked him inside. There was nothing else in the world except the two of them.

As if bewitched, Shen Yu didn't refuse. He let Shang JunLin continue to reduce the distance between them.

Shen Yu could feel the arms around his waist getting tighter and tighter. He didn't close his eyes but stared blankly at the man who kept getting closer and closer.

"Is this OK, Ah Yu?"

Between staggered breaths, he heard the man's magnetic voice.

Shen Yu almost imperceptibly nodded his head.

Shang JunLin was about to kiss him when a voice suddenly interrupted.

"Your Majesty, noble monarch, your dessert is here."

It was Meng Gonggong.

Shen Yu snapped back to his senses. In a panic he pushed Shang JunLin away. The other man was unprepared and took a step back.

The two looked at each other.

The seductive atmosphere gradually dissipated into a slightly awkward silence.

Both knew it was impossible to continue.

With a black face Shang JunLin said, "Get in here."

"Pfft," said Shen Yu, shaking with laughter. He rested his forehead on Shang JunLin's shoulder. "Your Majesty can't blame me this time."

He could only blame the people in the kitchen for their timing.

Meng Gonggong heard the deep displeasure in Shang JunLin's voice and was at a loss for words. Wasn't His Majesty hungry? Why was he angry when they delivered his food?

Meng Gonggong didn't dare to delay. He ushered in the palace servants to deliver the pastries prepared by the small kitchen one by one.

Shen Yu was still laughing. He wasn't sure why, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to laugh.

"Stop it," Shang JunLin said helplessly. He patted Shen Yu on the back.

Small confections of various types and colors were placed on the table, and a sweet aroma wafted out. Shen Yu finally remembered that he was the one who asked for them to be served. He stopped laughing, leaned against Shang JunLin's shoulder, and looked at the table.

Red, green, white, round, square, with fruit… Each kind of pastry was half the size of a palm, but the entire table was filled with them. The variety could be appreciated at a glance, and Shen Yu's eyes lit up.

The imperial chef who made desserts in the small kitchen was a master of his craft, using techniques handed down for generations. Because Shang JunLin didn't have much interest in food, the chef hadn't made much use of his skills until Shen Yu entered the palace and plucked him from a crowd of other chefs.

Because he wanted to display his talent, and because he knew Shen Yu liked all kinds of pastries, after the chef came to Yuzhang Palace he devoted himself to making them: sweet, salty, tangy… A variety of flavors.

Today's table was the result of his research during this period.

Shen Yu had specifically asked Shang JunLin when he'd have time and arranged a day to enjoy the new pastries with him.

He just didn't expect it to interrupt that kind of thing….

After delivering the pastries, the palace servants stepped out one after another. Meng Gonggong glanced at His Majesty, whose face showed a hint of frustrated desire, and silently retreated as well.

It appeared, seemed, looked like he'd disturbed His Majesty's good time….

Meng Gonggong retreated outside the room, closed the door, and sighed. Young people have so much energy.

Shen Yu poked Shang JunLin, who was still unhappy. "Your Majesty, come and taste the new pastries made by the small kitchen. I especially saved them so I could try them with you."

Hearing Shen Yu's words, Shang JunLin's face began to improve. He led Shen Yu to the table and sat down.

Although the kiss he wanted was interrupted, Shen Yu was constantly thinking about him, and even shared his favorite sweets with him. When Shang JunLin thought about this, the feelings in his heart smoothed out.

Shen Yu had already been seduced by the sweet smell of the pastries. The moment he sat down, he couldn't wait to pick up a piece with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth.

Mmm~ Delicious!

"Eat slowly. There's a lot here." Shang JunLin wiped the sugar crystals from the corners of Shen Yu's mouth. He gazed intently at Shen Yu without lifting his own chopsticks.

Perhaps because Shen Yu had to drink bitter medicine year round, he was slightly obsessed with sweets. After learning his preferences, Shang JunLin ordered Meng Gonggong to find all the imperial chefs in the palace who were good at making desserts and send them to Yuzhang Palace to cook for Shen Yu every day.

But the amount he ate every day was strictly limited. Eating too many sweets wasn't good for a person's health, so Shen Yu ate just enough to satisfy his craving. There weren't many chances to eat freely like today.

It was all thanks to Shang JunLin. If Shen Yu hadn't come up with the idea of tasting the new recipes with him, this opportunity wouldn't have happened.

"Your Majesty, try some too." Seeing there was nothing in front of Shang JunLin, Shen Yu diverted the chopsticks he was about to send to his mouth and put the soft little pastry into Shang JunLin's bowl.

Because of what happened a moment ago, Shen Yu felt a trace of guilt. He didn't want Shang JunLin to avoid eating desserts in the future because of psychological reasons. Thinking of compensating him a little, Shen Yu paid more attention to Shang JunLin as he ate.

While enjoying a taste, Shen Yu clipped another piece for Shang JunLin. Because he was distracted, he forgot to switch to the serving chopsticks and used his own.

Shang JunLin looked at the pile of little cakes in his bowl and didn't remind Shen Yu. He slowly ate them one by one.

As expected, Shen Yu was soon full, even though most of the pastries on the table went into Shang JunLin's stomach.

In order to settle his stomach, Shang JunLin took Shen Yu for a walk outside.

When winter turned to spring, green tips of grass poked out of the ground, and the barren trees sent forth new buds. Some plants that weren't afraid of the cold had already produced beautiful flowers.

Shen Yu had eaten heartily and was in a particularly good mood. With one hand braced on his back he walked leisurely along the path.

Shang JunLin minded his speed and walked slowly beside him.

Shen Yu looked at Shang JunLin, who had an arm around his waist, and then at himself with one hand on his back, and suddenly laughed out loud.

After the meal, Shang JunLin's mood had completely changed from overcast to sunny. "What's the noble monarch laughing at?"

"Your Majesty, do you think our posture is very…" Shen Yu paused. "Well…strange…?"

"What's strange?" Shang JunLin stopped as well, with one hand still supporting Shen Yu's waist.

"Your Majesty, look at me." Shen Yu straightened up and touched his stomach. "Doesn't it look like I have Your Majesty's baby in my belly?"

—

The author has something to say:

Mini theater a long time in the future~

The man crouched over him, his voice hoarse. "Ah Yu, do you think our baby is in here?"

"Your Majesty, I'm a man. I can't…"

"Ah Yu, think about it before you answer."

Light and shadow overturned. After a long time, the young man called out in a crying voice: "…Yes…"

TL Notes:

A holiday is coming up~ I was stressing because I had a lot to do, but I managed to finish it all today. Hooray!! ٩(◕‿◕)۶ Time to be lazy again…. lol

bear a grudge – 记仇 – bear grudges; harbor bitter resentment, be vindictive

at a loss for words – 丈二和尚摸不着头脑 – lit. like a three-meter high monk, you can't rub his head – unable to make head or tail of …; be all at sea; be completely at a loss; be quite puzzled; be in the dark; puzzled

dessert; snack; light refreshments; pastry – 点心 – diǎn xin

cookie, pastry, cake, confection – 糕点 – gāo diǎn (✿ꈍ ꒳ ꈍ)

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