The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

40

"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.