The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

55

Shen Yu didn't return to his senses for a long time.

He only mentioned the swing to Shang JunLin once. He had no idea that in the blink of an eye, Shang JunLin would build a swing for him in Yuzhang Palace.

The swing wasn't important. What was rare was that as an emperor, Shang JunLin kept him in his thoughts.

"I like it a lot." Shen Yu turned around and met the man's eyes, which were full of tenderness. He repeated, "I really like it very much, Your Majesty."

"Go and have a look." Shang JunLin took Shen Yu's hand and walked to the swing.

The man's hand was warm and strong. Shen Yu's fingers curled gently in the man's palm, like a tired bird finding shelter from the wind and rain.

Shen Yu surveyed the swing that had appeared so suddenly. The rope was two fingers thick, wrapped in green vines that were decorated with white flowers. The seat underneath was wide enough for him and Shang JunLin to sit together.

Shen Yu walked around the swing and felt a tingling in his heart.

"Your Majesty, I'll sit down, and you can push me." Shen Yu took his place on the swing.

To make it more comfortable, the seat was covered with a thick, plush blanket to add warmth and reduce the hardness of the surface.

Shang JunLin walked behind Shen Yu and slowly pushed on the rope.

Shen Yu sat there, swaying as the swing rose and fell. A light breeze brushed his cheeks, and his hair streamed behind him.

Every time he fell, Shen Yu's hair followed the wind and fluttered against Shang JunLin's chest and hands.

His eyes narrowed with contentment. After swinging for a while, Shen Yu realized it wasn't good to make Shang JunLin keep pushing him. The next time he returned to the ground, he tugged Shang JunLin's sleeve.

"What's the matter?" Shang JunLin grasped the rope of the swing and stopped it.

Shen Yu turned his head and looked up at him. "I'd like Your Majesty to accompany me."

Shang JunLin paused for a moment, but in the end he couldn't resist the idea of joining Shen Yu on the swing. He went over and sat down beside him.

Instead of making the palace servants push the swing for them, they let it sway slowly. Shen Yu leaned on Shang JunLin's shoulder and talked about his childhood.

"Back then, Shen QingRan loved to run over and show off in front of me. The Zhenbei Marquis made a swing for him in the courtyard. He liked it so much he dragged me to see it." Shen Yu's gaze drifted away. "He wanted me to watch him play."

Many years had passed, and Shen Yu had forgotten most of these things. Today, as he sat on the swing, the long-lost memories returned.

"He was laughing so loudly, and I was standing not far away. I wanted to try it too, to see what it felt like to fly up into the air, but I knew Shen QingRan wouldn't let me. He was always like that. Whenever he got something good, he had to show off to me."

After saying this, Shen Yu chuckled. "At the time, I still had illusions about the Zhenbei Marquis. I actually went to him and naïvely asked for the same thing. You can imagine the result."

Shang JunLin stroked Shen Yu's hair. "It's the Zhenbei Marquis' fault."

"Later, I gradually learned that I couldn't rely on the Zhenbei Marquis. No matter how much I wanted something, I wouldn't ask him."

But could the things a child wanted truly be that valuable? Under those requests was a simple desire for affection. Unfortunately, the Zhenbei Marquis never gave him even the slightest bit of warmth.