The new injuries piled atop the old, forcing RongCheng to postpone his return. He could only sigh, the worry on his face growing more and more pronounced.
Yan Si approached from a distance and sat beside RongCheng. Seeing him gazing at his jade pendant and sighing repeatedly, he asked with a hint of curiosity, "Are you still worried about your wife, Brother?"
RongCheng gave a slight nod. "So many days have passed, and leaving him alone in the imperial palace, I truly can't feel at ease."
That day, he had only intended to be gone for a day, and since he was heading to a dangerous place, he did not bring him along.RongCheng had promised to return soon, yet here he was...
"The imperial palace?" Yan Si grew even more perplexed upon hearing this. He asked, "Is it... very dangerous there?"
He couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of place it was, and of course, he was unaware of the lurking dangers behind its magnificent and luxurious facade.
"It's not merely dangerous... but extremely dangerous." It was a place where even RongCheng, who lived there, never felt at ease. Thinking of it, he suddenly sighed, "I hope nothing has happened."
Father-emperor and mother-empress surely would not go so far as to make things difficult for him. RongCheng had also secretly dispatched his trusted personal guards to protect him, so nothing serious should have occurred...
Even so, with RongCheng himself having been the target of an assassination, couldn't foresee what might happen... He suddenly had a very bad premonition.
Yan Si, by his side, was tending to his wounds. He spoke, "Brother, don't worry. Just focus on recovering quickly and return to find him."
At this point, that was the only way. RongCheng gave a slight nod. "Very well. I have troubled you."
"It's no trouble at all..." Not a bit of trouble.
Yan Si was so focused on worrying about RongCheng that he seemed to forget himself. That day, his own hand had been scraped by a leopard's claws. Though not as severe as the other man's, it was by no means a minor injury, yet he had only treated it hastily and left it be. He disregarded his own well-being, pouring all his energy day after day into healing RongCheng. Every night, he would slump beside him to watch over him, not bothering to pay attention to rest or food... To him, at this moment, RongCheng was the most important person.
Knowing he would not be able to stay close to him for much longer, Yan Si wanted to make the most of this precious time by his side. When RongCheng left, he could sleep to his heart's content, it wouldn't be too late.
Meanwhile, RongCheng, already weak, was consumed with worry for his wife who might be in danger, leaving him no time to notice Yan Si. He even began to take the latter's care and attention for granted.
In the end, Yan Si neglected himself even further; as RongCheng slowly regained his strength, he in turn began to waste away.
It was now the fifteenth day in the cave, and RongCheng's injuries had healed considerably. To give him a comfortable place to sleep, Yan Si returned to his own nest of leaves for the night. The moment he lay down, he fell into a deep sleep, completely lost to the world.
When he awoke, it was still the middle of the night. However, he was no longer on his leaf bed, but pressed close against RongCheng's chest. Startled, Yan Si immediately struggled to sit up, repeatedly asking himself, "Why... why am I sleeping here?"
He distinctly remembered sleeping on that leaf nest just moments ago.
Awakened by Yan Si, RongCheng also sat up, helping him lie back down. "I brought you here," he said.
Why did he have to keep doing this?
At this moment, RongCheng seemed angry. He scolded in a low voice, "Did I not tell you to stop neglecting yourself? And yet, you have let yourself fall into such a state."
Suddenly scolded, Yan Si's heart grew heavy with sorrow. He just shook his head and said, "Brother, you don't need to worry. I... cannot die."
Then, he turned and fumbled in the darkness to find RongCheng's hand to check his pulse, and spoke softly, "Your injuries have recovered a great deal. I can see you're truly worried about your wife at home. Why don't you return at once tomorrow morning?"
Yan Si was not wrong. RongCheng's heart was indeed burning with anxiety, yet...
After a moment of silent thought, he hesitantly proposed, "Occasionally... occasionally, could you return here to visit me?"
So that should he miss him, he could still have hope of seeing him again one day. Otherwise, for the rest of his life, there would truly be nothing left for him to cherish or wait for.
RongCheng suddenly gripped Yan Si's hand tightly, shaking his head as he asked, "Why would I need to return to this place?"
Upon hearing this, Yan Si's heart suddenly felt a sharp pang of pain. His eyes began to well up with tears. He quickly sat up and asked, "No... no... did you not promise me a new set of clothes? Have you forgotten? Have you truly forgotten?"
Even though the debt of kindness had been repaid, but... but... if he never returned, what was there left for him to hope for? The days in this cave would be as miserable as before, all hope would turn to despair, and a new set of clothes...
...A new set of clothes would only remain a dream.
At this moment, RongCheng suddenly pulled Yan Si into his embrace and said, "I will give you many new clothes... Because you will be coming with me. Why would I need to return to this place?"
"No!" Yan Si struggled out of RongCheng's embrace, shaking his head. "I will not go... I absolutely do not want to go! You can just leave me here, visit me occasionally... give me a few apples, that is all... that is all I need."
RongCheng sighed, stroking Yan Si's head. He said softly, "My foolish little brother, how can I leave you here like that? Come with me."
"No! I am afraid... I am afraid of the world outside... I will not go... I do not want to go." He would suppress his feelings and wait here, even for countless years... Who would have thought that this brief encounter would leave so much longing in Yan Si's heart, for this person had treated him better than anyone else in the world.
Yan Si knew his own lowly status and had a vague idea of RongCheng's. For him to agree to a bond with someone like himself was already beyond his wildest dreams; he truly dared not think of anything further.
RongCheng once again took Yan Si's hand, saying resolutely, "Do not be afraid. With your brother here, no one will dare to bully you. I will not let anything harm you, so will you come with me? I cannot be at ease if you continue to drift aimlessly in this cave."
"I... I will still live." What was so bad about the cave? Why was he so insistent on making him leave?
Hearing this, RongCheng suddenly ground out, "It is not about merely living. I know you will live, but I do not want you to continue living like this. Do you understand?"
"I... I..." The scolding words frightened Yan Si, and his body began to tremble on its own.
Seeing him in this state, RongCheng suddenly felt a pang of heartache. He pulled Yan Si into his arms and held him tight, comforting him, "Trust your brother. Leave with me, and also promise me that you will live a good life. Do not let me down, can you? Promise me!"
"I..." Yan Si hesitated, unable to answer, for he himself did not yet understand what it meant to live a good life.
RongCheng tightened his embrace around Yan Si, saying, "We have sworn a bond, we have cut our blood and made an oath. Do you wish for your brother to truly be punished by Heaven and Earth? Quickly... promise me."
"Punished by Heaven and Earth?! No... I do not want that!" How could he bear to see him punished by Heaven and Earth?
"Then you must come with me. Shall we leave together tomorrow?"
Suddenly caught in such a difficult situation, Yan Si finally had no choice but to nod in agreement, stammering, "Is it... is it very frightening out there?"
Wherever he went, Yan Si had only ever seen vicious women and men who were always ready to strike him. When he was at the Shi General's Residence, he had to try his best to suppress his fear to investigate the truth.
RongCheng stroked his head and smiled, "No. There are still many good things, especially when..."
"When?"
RongCheng's gaze suddenly became very gentle. He said, "Especially when you find the person you love most in this world, and you spend unforgettable, happy days with them."
Does such a person truly exist in this world?
But... if he spoke of such a person, had he not already found him?
The warm, deep voice was like honey poured into his heart. By his side, Yan Si felt incredibly at ease... He loved him so much... so, so much... more than he could count. Though he did not yet know what happiness truly was, the time they had spent together were days he would never forget for the rest of his life.
"So that is what love is?" Is it the love a younger brother has for his elder brother?
So that's what it was. If so, he would dedicate his whole life to loving him. But what about him?
"Will you, Brother, be by my side and protect me for all of life?"
Although RongCheng did not understand what Yan Si meant, he still nodded. "Yes, I will always be by your side."
Hearing these words, Yan Si's heart suddenly filled with joy. His heart pounded in his chest, and he felt so ecstatic he wanted to leap into his arms and embrace him.
The two had planned to leave the next morning, but Yan Si's health was still very weak, and RongCheng had not yet fully recovered either. In the end, they had to stay in the cave for a few more days.
In the days that followed, Yan Si finally began to feel what joy and happiness were. It was being in RongCheng's arms, being held and warmed by him, and peacefully sinking into a beautiful dream.
"I hope these warm days will last forever..."