A Unscheduled Fall

There were no empty, contrasting spots on the lawn: it was green. A feast for the eyes, as comfortable as a mattress. It was a pleasure to sit on it through a soft and light blanket, which kept company with the colorful flowers of the landscape, the soothing sound of the water that let itself go down the waterfall and, above all, the laughter and smiles that there they had sprung up on the people around it. On the one hand, it could remember Hong Kong Park, a public park of the modern era, which could be considered as a large relaxation area that opened between the skyscrapers of the neighborhood that housed it. But its rarity was hidden in the contrast that was present between the green of nature and the concrete. It was minutes from the house where Peng Xiao lived with his sister and her mother before that strange and unreal transmigration. That park was also Peng Xuan's favorite spot when it came to a gallant date with his crush.

Just seeing how much food they had available and how appetizing looked to their eyes, their stomachs began to grumble: they absolutely wanted to taste it all!

And how to blame them, they were really at the chef's kiss, one would say in the future. Song Liuhua was the first to sit down clapping her hands at the same time as her smile of joy, followed by Rong Xuan who immediately took the chopsticks in his hand intent on staring at his prey. When he finally wanted to take that piece of food and bring it to his mouth, the girl slapped his hand scolding him. Song Liuyuan was ready to sit next to his sister but that gesture was abruptly interrupted by the third prince who placed himself in the middle, taking the place coveted by the young Mr. Song, who had to refrain from killing him with a blow. Xun Fang noticed the scene, seeing her young lady's cheeks getting more and more rosy. She gave poor Zhang Chen a blow with her elbow, beckoning him to look at the future couple but, the servant's gaze ended up on his own master: he would have liked to be next to Song Liuhua only for practicality but, apparently, the young Chu Jinyan had went to great lengths to keep them separate. Song Liuyuan adjusted his dress and then sat down, unfortunately for him, next to the third prince who smiled mockingly at it. Now that everyone had taken their places, including the two loyal servants forced to join them by the young Song Liuhua, they could begin to enjoy that vastness of colorful food. There were many typical dishes, still traditionally cooked: it was difficult to choose where to start.

When Song Liuyuan took his bowl and started thinking about what to eat first, he found himself having a steamed dumpling in the object he held in his hands. He frowned and then turned to the man beside him, who pretended nothing happened, taking a different portion from that of the other.

Song Liuyuan found himself snorting and looking away from that individual but, despite everything, he took the ravioli between his chopsticks and gave it a bite: he wanted so much to refuse or simply change the portion with that of the third prince but, even if he was pained to admit it, he had always had a soft spot for that type of dish.

Chu Jinyan smiled in a hidden way, so that the young man who approached him wouldn't notice. Song Liuyuan's intuition was right: it was he who had put that steamed dumpling in the bowl, hoping that the other wouldn't refuse it. He remembered that time when he had met him after a long time, in an inn in the city: he had only taken some steamed ravioli and tasted them with joy before meeting his gaze, which gesture made the joy that had previously been painted there disappear on his face. He never thought he could be there again, next to him, without him looking at him or deflecting him. It was all in the past now, even that memory. At that moment, he only wanted to think about the future and about a new possible friendship with that same boy who in previous times he had forced to be hated.

All of this passed into the sight of Zhang Chen, who increasingly haunted his mind with all kinds of possible questions, some with an answer and others without.

They were all connected to that exact thought... That way, it would explain many things, such as why the third prince didn't want to marry sweet Liuhua and, again, why he felt uncomfortable about touching a woman. He had also seen in previous years how careful the boy was in staying away from any detail concerning physical contact with any type of person but, still unanswered, it was why he had no problem with regards to touching his young master. The only right thing that crossed his mind was to stand still and watch the situation unfold.

There wasn't a lot of chatter, on the contrary, there was more laughter than anything else: Rong Xuan enjoyed telling funny stories about his past while Song Liuhua, in addition to trying to catch the attention of the handsome prince who stood by her side, enjoyed making fun of her stepbrother, also trying to imitate him in his exploits (which the boy didn't understand, of course), of the last twelve years.

When it was time to return the opposing objects to the right picnic baskets, Chu Jinyan once again found himself talking to Song Liuyuan.

Chu Jinyan: «ah, Liuyuan: can you honor me with your help?»

Song Liuyuan, who was trying to help the two servants tidy up, stopped every single movement for several seconds, raising his head only afterwards and exchanging an annoyed look with the handsome young man in the blue clothes: «you can ask someone else».

Chu Jinyan: «I've already asked you by now»

The third prince was increasingly curious to find out what he had been missing, to enlighten his wisdom on the hidden aspects of that boy. He had asked that question hoping for a positive answer. Before arriving in that place, he had freely given himself to the imagination, creating a real scenario to be able to share with him the young boy who still didn't deign to accept him.

Song Liuyuan: «What the heck do you still want?»

There was no other kind of conversation. When he had finished announcing that sentence, the third prince took a few steps back, opening a passageway next to him. With a wave of his arms he made it clear to Song Liuyuan to precede him on the walk. The boy snorted again, then giving what he had placed in the hands of his servant, so as to have a free hold on whatever happened. He exchanged yet another lightning glance with the young royal and, immediately after, he walked down that arc of the road.

Behind him Chu Jinyan smiled happily, gesturing to his friend to cover him in case they noticed their departure.

Rong Xuan didn't understand at first, frowning and mimicking a movement of his mouth so that the prince could read his lips but, unfortunately, he didn't even deign to do so. He blinked, scratching an indefinite spot on his head: what did his lord mean with that stiff neck movement?

He shook his head and went back to the girl in the pastel yellow dresses, who, in addition to helping her, was also attributing more light to the place with her positive mood and the splendid smile that she harbored on her white lips.

As for the two boys who had now gone away to take a strange path indicated by the older of the two, this time, they weren't next to each other but one behind the other. Chu Jinyan was following the young boy in the red and white clothes with extreme distances, without removing his hands joined behind his back. A disastrous silence was created but, finally, Song Liuyuan woke up and turned to the other in an irritated way.

Song Liuyuan: «Tell me what we do in the middle of this dense forest! I swear if you brought me here for-»

Chu Jinyan: «as I already told you, I want you to help me look for something»

Song Liuyuan sighed bringing his arms crossed to his chest waiting for a possible explanation from the other, which wasn't long in coming: «I need some Di Ding. My mother hasn't been feeling well for days and her fever is only getting worse: I wanted to help her in some way and it occurred to me to take her some flowers of this type maybe, she would be able to heal very soon with a herbal extract of this type».

Song Liuyuan admitted to himself that, strangely, what that boy had exposed him made sense. He remembered as a child that his grandmother had talked to him about how some types of flowers were miraculous in ancient times and, even today, many doctors used this possibility instead of various medicines that would only harm our body. It was a natural and above all healthy method.

The young boy at this point undid his previous gesture, once again looking at the man in front of him and then inspecting around them.

Song Liuyuan: «Then let's get a move on and find them. I don't want to worry my sister further»

Chu Jinyan laughed slightly, tilting his head slightly towards him, now intent on looking back and forth in the hope of finding what they were looking for.

Chu Jinyan: «You really worry a lot about her, don't you?»

Song Liuyuan: «of course I do. After all, she's my sister, and since I'm his older brother, it's my job to care for her and protect her from men like you!»

Chu Jinyan giggling: «men like me? Why, what kind of man am I in your opinion?»

It was amazing how that boy in front of him changed personality with the passage of a single minute. He had seen him irritated and now, he had taken on a demeanor of total frankness. In the meantime they again found themselves walking that path surrounded by greenery, among the chirping of birds that flew carefree between one branch and another. The excuse that Chu Jinyan himself had created, in his thought, seemed more than perfect: in reality he didn't even know if they had really found those flowers but, even if they did, at least, now he could enjoy a moment alone in presence. of the young Song.

Song Liuyuan: «stubborn, irritating and shameful: ah, I bet you're a womanizer even if you show yourself with that little idiot innocent face of yours in their eyes. Tsk, someone like you will never have my little sister as a wife, it would just be a waste»

The third prince listened to his sermon and nodded attentively. He was funny how he was offending him right now. He laughed again: «I bet that even if my little idiot innocent face may turn out to be false, in reality you gave it a thought»

Song Liuyuan: «YOU! -»

He had turned in the throes of wanting to kill him: a spontaneous movement that only made him more irritated as soon as he crossed his swaggering smile. He had also turned out to be a pervert now. No, he couldn't allow that marriage to his sister!

He decided at that moment that he would do everything to not let him marry, he should also give his life!

Song Liuyuan: «...»

Song Liuyuan: «fuck you».

He turned his heels with a flick of his sleeve, trying to calm down in every possible way and, after taking a few steps forward in anger, he noticed the flowers they were looking for near a bush near the emptiness of a small ravine. He bent down to check if they were really those or the like and smiled satisfied.

Song Liuyuan: «look, here are your flowers! Now let's go back before I punches you in the face»

He tossed him a bunch of those violets, easily pulled out of the ground due to his irritated mood. The prince caught them in the air, keeping the same bold smile that had infuriated the boy, following his next movement, surpassing his figure only to return to the road back.

Chu Jinyan: «you're really aggressive»

The young Song rolled his eyes and, turning back to him, stopped at the same point where he was just before, he brought his index finger to point him and bring it to a minimum distance between them.

Song Liuyuan: «It's your fault and your cheekiness alone! I'll do anything not to marry you my sister, you're just a fucking pervert and-»

He didn't have time to finish that sentence that he found himself once again in contact with the body of the third prince. Chu Jinyan had opened his eyes wide when he saw something clearly fast coming from behind the minor's shoulders, headed right towards them: for this he hastened to cover the shoulders of the young Song Liuyuan to protect him but, in addition to having suffered a wound on his left shoulder, they found themselves rolling towards what would be their end. Not surprisingly, the only one to find himself in the balance between life and death, was if nothing else Song Liuyuan who was holding tightly to the arm of the third prince with both hands, in the throes of hysterics.

Song Liuyuan: «you-... Ah, remind me not to follow you anymore, it's as if being with you were signing my death contract!»

Shortly thereafter he noticed the wound on his shoulder, blinking incredulously. Chu Jinyan was holding back all kinds of pain, moaning silently and trying in every way to rescue his friend.

Song Liuyuan: «ah, you're hurt-»

Chu Jinyan: «It's not serious, it's just a scratch but, I'm glad you're worrying about me»

Song Liuyuan: «...»

Song Liuyuan: «You're truly ashamed, even in a situation like this!»

Chu Jinyan laughed slightly and, by attributing the necessary strength, was about to be able to save the young Mr. Song... If it wasn't for the next movement. Not only had they been attacked by surprise, but those same people were also approaching and, had it not been for Song Liuyuan, Chu Jinyan would have been beheaded in an instant with a clean swipe of the sword. Song Liuyuan had seen a man behind him, lurking and ready for action but with agility, and above all courage, he managed to push himself with the help of his feet, against the rocky wall of that cliff, also taking the third prince with him.

When they found themselves falling Chu Jinyan didn't want to believe it: he had calculated that presence behind him but, he would never have thought that the minor could act of his own free will!

And now he found himself falling from such a vivid height in company, holding tight to the same boy who had managed to get him out of the clutches of some kind of killer.