The Green Tea is Always Targeting The Wrong Person (GREENTEA)
Xino clenched his fists while his always arrogant thick eyebrows furrowed, revealing an unwavering determination.
He said firmly, "I disagree. I would rather take thirty lashes than accept such a punishment."
Lafa narrowed his eyes and a sharp glint flash in his dark red pupils. His icy aura pressed down on everyone that forced them to lower their heads and hold their breaths, not daring to provoke the dragon's wrath.
Only Yue Chu seemed to understand as he cast a helpless yet slightly resentful glance at Lafa in silence.
He knew Xino wouldn't like his suggestion, but His Majesty insisted on having him propose it.
The perceptive Lafa easily caught Yue Chu's subtle look. The boiling anger in his heart was instantly extinguished, as if doused by a gentle rain.
He had always thought Yue Chu was eternally gentle, but now he saw this little temper. Surprisingly, he didn't dislike it—in fact, he found it somewhat endearing.
Lafa's voice carried a warning and tinged with dissatisfaction at Xino's inexplicable behavior. "Xino, don't speak such willful words."
But Xino didn't care.
He couldn't remove his shirt because Anna's name was already tattooed on his chest. If everyone saw it, Anna would be in danger, and he would never allow that.
So what if he took ten lashes? It didn't matter!
Xino didn't even think about Feilin and Dila, who were being punished alongside him for no reason. In his heart, there was only a burning passion and all for Anna.
He raised his chin while stubbornly staring at his father, and said word by word, "I! Refuse!"
Lafa's eyes turned cold and his brow darkening like a storm cloud, lightning flashing within.
As Lafa was about to erupt in anger, Yue Chu quickly stepped forward and bowed gracefully. "Your Majesty, His Highness isn't entirely wrong. This punishment would indeed damage his dignity. Why not let me take the punishment in his place? As long as the Prince can make up for his mistake in the upcoming trial, it should suffice."
How could that be?
The thought instantly crossed Lafa's mind, though he couldn't quite explain why he disagreed.
Yue Chu's arrangement wasn't unreasonable—Xino was of noble birth, and having someone else take his place was acceptable. But...
He gazed at Yue Chu's face.
Those clear eyes blinked slowly at him, and their long, thick lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, with their sincerity almost unbearable to look at.
Lafa felt somewhat uneasy and lowered his gaze before gesturing slightly to indicate his permission.
Xino breathed a small sigh of relief. As long as he didn't have to remove his shirt, any arrangement was fine. He quietly stepped aside and not noticing the deep disappointment in Lafa's eyes.
The scorching sunlight filtered through the thin clouds and reflected off the white marble tiles, casting a dazzling silver glow.
In the empty square, Yue Chu and the other two were stripped to the waist and tightly bound to the pillars.
Feilin, of course, wasn't completely bare—she wore an intricate bustier that revealed her graceful figure.
Yue Chu's skin was radiantly white, especially under the sunlight, as if it were edged with light and resembling an angel emerging from holy radiance. When clothed, he appeared like a gentle and harmless scholar, but without his shirt, his well-defined abs became apparent.
His muscle lines were elegant, not as bulging as Dila's, but more in line with vampire aesthetics. The usually deserted daytime square was now bustling with vampires coming and going, all just to steal a few more glances.
The bats hanging upside down from the eaves nearby were practically straining their eyes, but they dared not leave because they were bound by their master's orders.
Dila squirmed uncomfortably as his skin itch under the piercing sunlight. His eyes darted everywhere—sky, ground, Feilin—but he avoided looking at Yue Chu, because he was afraid he might accidentally reveal something unsightly. After all, he was being punished in public with no chance to hide or escape.
Feilin, on the other hand, turned her head and admired Yue Chu for a while before sighing heavily and her eyes stinging as if they might tear up.
She felt lost.
After years of dedication, she suddenly realized that the master she had devoted her life to was nothing like she had imagined. It felt as if her entire world had crumbled and left her directionless.
She silently looked down at the ground, where the shadows of the three of them merged into an oddly harmonious image. At that moment, a somewhat irreverent thought crossed her mind. She quickly shook her head and tried to banish the idea but for some reason, it lingered.
If only...
Dila, unable to stand the silence, muttered under his breath, "What is His Highness thinking? Sneaking out during the trial was already a huge mistake, and now he refuses to accept a lighter punishment. I really can't figure him out anymore."
Yue Chu slowly smiled and exhaled to ease his discomfort. "It must be hard for you. Not particularly bright to begin with, and now you have to rack your brains to understand His Highness's thoughts."
Dila's eyes widened as he glared at Yue Chu but when he met those soft, smiling eyes, he quickly looked away.
He stammered in protest, "Are you comforting me or insulting me?"
Yue Chu didn't hesitate. "Of course, I'm comforting you. But I also don't understand why His Highness refused the punishment in the end. From what I know, if each of you had taken ten lashes, the next few months would have been unbearable. The pain of silver scraping into your bones is not something ordinary people can endure. This punishment is for vampires who have committed grave crimes, but you only made a minor mistake. There was no need for it."
Yue Chu looked genuinely puzzled and unable to comprehend why the Prince would rather drag his two attendants into suffering than accept his suggestion. If it was just to spite him, it was far too willful.
He sighed. "You two really have it tough."
Dila nodded vigorously.
It really was tough.
The chances to show off were few, but getting dragged into trouble was all too common. Especially him—he had been the Prince's scapegoat since childhood and always taking the beatings from their teachers.
Feilin rolled her enchanting eyes.
This fool, how could he just blurt out his thoughts like that? Even if he felt that way, he should have kept it buried deep inside.
Yue Chu looked at the two of them seriously. "Still, I suggest you have a deeper conversation with His Highness. Otherwise, in the long run, you'll only grow further apart."
Feilin was taken aback.
She hadn't expected Yue Chu to speak so sincerely.
The slight suspicion she had felt earlier immediately vanished.
She smiled bitterly. If only it were that easy. Whether His Highness would open up to them was another matter.
She silently looked down at the ground and realised that, as Yue Chu had said, they were indeed growing further apart.
Yue Chu lowered his eyes to hide the playful amusement within.
How pitiful...
.............
The next day, the sun was bright but the closed room allowed only a sliver of light.
The unadorned room held only a single moonflower that Yue Chu had placed upon his arrival and with everything else untouched.
It seemed he knew he wouldn't stay here long, so he left little trace, as if he were merely a passing traveler, coming and going in haste.
Lafa sat by the bed while his deep red eyes showed a hint of pity as he gazed at Yue Chu's fair, smooth back, but now marred by rose-colored burn marks. His icy heart felt as if pierced by needles, and a fine, dense pain spread through him.
Yue Chu lay on the bed with his cheek resting on the pillow. The usual softness in his expression was replaced by a faint sorrow, like autumn morning mist enveloping him.
"Your Majesty..."
Yue Chu's dry, cracked lips moved slightly and with his voice hoarse and weak, it carried a heartbreaking sadness. Even in his sleep, the way he called out that name was filled with humble devotion.
His fingers twitched slightly and the pale pink nails gleaming like fine seashells, as if trying to grasp something but only finding empty air.
Lafa couldn't help but lower his head and his long, silvery hair spilled onto the bed and Yue Chu's body. He carefully reached out to place his hand in Yue Chu's palm, but he was afraid that his sharp black nails might scratch the delicate skin.
Yue Chu seemed to sense it because he tightly gripped Lafa's fingers and a satisfied smile spread across his lips.
Lafa's stiff lips twitched and his heart softened like spring water.
He wanted to smile along with Yue Chu but ultimately couldn't, so his expression sank into the shadows like an eternal snow-capped mountain.
When Yue Chu awoke, he saw a figure sitting by his bed while flipping through his notes. He almost instantly lunged forward without hesitation, but the figure easily dodged, and Yue Chu realized it was His Majesty Lafa.
He was startled and quickly retracted his hand before bowing swiftly. When he looked up again, a bright smile adorned his face that was shining even more brilliant than the light filling the room as evening fell.
Yue Chu: "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I was still half-asleep."
Lafa didn't mind.
In fact, he felt a pang of guilt.
Yue Chu's reaction clearly showed he felt no sense of belonging here, and no trust in those around him. His defenses were always up, and all of this was due to Lafa's suppression and neglect.
Lafa: "It's fine. I came to check on you. Are your wounds still painful?"
Yue Chu's starry eyes sparkled, and he quickly shook his head.
They were just minor injuries—how could they hurt? He opened the heavy curtains to let the silver moonlight stream through the glass.
The beautiful moonflower and the moonlight complemented each other, casting a warm glow over the room.
He invited Lafa to sit before taking out some dried orange leaves that Salu had picked and dried for him, and brewed a cup of tea for Lafa.
Vampires generally didn't enjoy human food, but Yue Chu didn't like adding blood to the tea, so he served it plain.
He smiled at Lafa. "Your Majesty, please try this. It's a new tea I learned to make with mint and honey. It has a nice flavor."
Lafa took a sip.
It was indeed somewhat fragrant. He didn't particularly like it, but he didn't dislike it either.
Yue Chu was happy, though his joy was tinged with a hint of melancholy, which he tried hard to conceal but couldn't escape Lafa's notice.
Tomorrow, he will leave this place.
This was likely the last time he would be so close to His Majesty.
Yue Chu didn't know why Lafa had come today, but he wasn't worried. He wouldn't cling stubbornly to the royal city. Whatever His Majesty asked, he would do.
Lafa tightened his grip on the smooth handle of the cup as his heart overflowed with tenderness.
There was a saying that went something like this: children who are too well-behaved inevitably receive less attention and Yue Chu was like that. Sometimes, Lafa even forgot that this was just a young, naive vampire.
At that moment, he made up his mind.
Setting the cup down, Lafa looked up at Yue Chu with his crimson eyes deep as a blood-red sea.
"Yue Chu, you may stay in the royal city."