I Don't Want to Be a Charmboy【Quick Wear】

When Lin Shen woke up, he was already on the familiar couch in the East Palace.

The quilt was soft and the incense was light, but he still frowned slightly because of the soreness in his shoulders and neck. Just as he was about to sit up, a pair of broad hands reached out in time and steadily supported his back.

"Awake? Is anything bothering you?"

His deep voice carried an almost imperceptible tension.

Lin Shen turned his head and saw Emperor Qi, Lin Lisheng, sitting by the couch.

The man was dressed in casual clothes, and there was a hint of weariness between his brows, suggesting that he had been watching over him for a while.

Lin Shen shook his head slightly, his voice still hoarse from just waking up, "I'm fine, you don't need to worry."

Lin Lisheng carefully examined the emperor's face and, seeing that he was indeed fine except for being tired, breathed a barely audible sigh of relief. He gestured to the old eunuch Li Quan, who was standing to the side, and Li Quan immediately bowed and carefully handed the bowl of medicine that had been kept warm to the emperor.

Lin Lisheng took the white porcelain medicine bowl, stirred it gently with a spoon, and then blew on the rising steam before bringing it to Lin Shen's lips.

"Take the medicine first. It's cold in the mountains, so don't catch a cold."

The medicine was dark black and had a bitter taste.

Lin Shen was quite shrewd; he didn't say much and took small sips of the drink from his father's hand.

His long eyelashes drooped, casting a small shadow under his eyes, and his submissive appearance softened Lin Lisheng's gaze.

After finishing the bowl of medicine, Lin Shen felt an unbearable bitterness in his mouth when a candied plum was precisely placed between his lips.

The sweetness instantly dispelled the bitterness, and he subconsciously pursed his lips, his rosy lips inadvertently brushing against Lin Lisheng's fingertips that he hadn't had time to retract.

The warm, moist touch swept over him, and Lin Lisheng's fingertips curled almost imperceptibly. His heart trembled inexplicably, but he withdrew his hand without showing any emotion. His tone was as calm as ever, but upon closer listening, it was two degrees lower than usual.

"Never take such risks again in the future. I was very worried yesterday."

Lin Shen swallowed the candied fruit, the sweetness spreading and dispelling some of the embarrassment. He explained, "I know I was wrong. No one expected to encounter a pack of wolves. Fortunately... in the end, we escaped unharmed."

He paused, recalling the pale face in the cave, and looked up to ask, "By the way, how is Fourth Brother's injury? What did the imperial physician say?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Lisheng's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but his tone remained calm: "It's nothing. The imperial physician has already examined him, and he should be fine."

He had not actually visited them in person, but had only heard the palace servants' report. He was just saying it casually and did not want to say more about the matter.

Lin Shen was relieved. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Father, now that I am alright, I think I should go and see my fourth brother later. He was seriously injured and frightened yesterday."

Looking at the concern in his son's clear eyes, Lin Lisheng remained silent for a moment before finally nodding.

"Very well, I will accompany you."

The imperial carriage did not make a great show of itself, but only brought a small number of attendants. It passed through many palaces and headed towards the palace where the fourth prince lived, which was located in a slightly remote area.

The hall was rather deserted, filled with the smell of medicine.

Lin Ming was sitting on the headboard, his left arm wrapped in thick gauze, his face still pale.

He clearly hadn't expected the emperor to come in person. When he saw Lin Lisheng and Lin Shen step in together, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes. He then struggled to get out of bed to pay his respects.

"No need for formalities." Lin Lisheng raised his hand slightly, his voice revealing little emotion. "You're seriously injured, so you should rest well."

His gaze fell on Lin Ming's bandaged arm, lingered for only a moment, and then looked away without asking any questions about the details of the injury, as if it were just an insignificant decoration.

Lin Shen quickly walked to the bedside, his tone filled with genuine concern: "Fourth brother, how are you feeling? Is the wound still very painful?"

Lin Ming lowered his eyes, concealing the expression in them, and said in a low voice, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am... well. The imperial physician said that with proper rest and recuperation, there will be no major problems."

"That's good." Lin Shen felt a little relieved, and said gently, "Thanks to you yesterday..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Lisheng calmly interrupted him, his tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"Since there is nothing seriously wrong, you can rest and recuperate. If you need anything, just tell the palace servants."

These words sound like concern, but they actually convey a sense of alienation, clearly drawing a line between them.

Lin Ming lowered his head even further, his voice becoming even more respectful: "Thank you for your concern, Father. I understand."

Lin Lisheng nodded slightly, seemingly not intending to stay any longer, and turned his gaze to Lin Shen: "Bao'er, seeing that he is alright, you should go back and rest too. You still look unwell."

Seeing that Lin Ming was indeed in poor spirits, Lin Shen nodded and said, "Then you should rest well, Fourth Brother. We will come to see you another day."

As the group was talking, a series of slightly hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall, accompanied by the clear tinkling of jade pendants.

A fragrant breeze wafted in before anyone else, and then a slender and beautiful figure appeared at the doorway—it was Consort Jin, Lin Ming's birth mother.

She was clearly dressed up carefully, wearing a peach-colored palace dress with intricate intertwined floral patterns embroidered in gold thread on the skirt. Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a hairpin with dangling pearls. Her makeup was exquisite, and her eyes were full of affection, which was completely out of place with the cold, medicinal smell and sickly atmosphere in the palace.

As soon as she entered, her gaze fell precisely on Lin Lisheng, who was dressed in casual clothes and had an upright posture. Her eyes lit up instantly, as if she hadn't seen her seriously injured son on the bed. She walked straight toward the emperor, her voice so sweet and delicate that it could melt your heart.

"Your Majesty, why didn't you send anyone to inform me of your arrival? I've missed you terribly..."

As she spoke, she reached out and took Lin Lisheng's arm in an intimate gesture.

Lin Lisheng frowned almost imperceptibly. Just as she was about to touch him, he slightly turned to avoid her. His gaze swept over her overly flamboyant attire, and his voice was cold and clear, carrying obvious displeasure.

"Consort Jin, the Fourth Prince is so badly injured and lying on his bed. As his mother, how can you still have the mind to dress up like this?"

Consort Jin's charming smile froze instantly, as if she had been frozen, making her look somewhat comical.

She awkwardly withdrew her hand, gave a few dry laughs, and her eyes flickered as she tried to explain.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me... I was overjoyed to hear of Your Majesty's arrival, but also worried about my son, which is why I rushed here. It was not intentional... Ah Ming, are you... is something wrong?"

Her gaze seemed to have just noticed Lin Ming on the bed. She glanced at him hastily, her tone somewhat perfunctory, far less enthusiastic and attentive than she had been to the emperor earlier.

From the moment she entered, Lin Ming's expression remained indifferent, his eyes lowered, making it impossible to discern his emotions.

Upon hearing his mother's belated and half-hearted inquiry, he couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

The wound on his left arm still throbbed, a reminder of the life-or-death experience he had gone through the previous day.

But his mother, ever since she entered the palace, has only been focused on attracting the emperor's attention and vying for that elusive favor, and has not even bothered to offer a sincere word of concern.

His right hand, which was under the quilt, curled slightly, but his face remained gentle and respectful, and he replied in a calm and even voice.

"Thank you for your concern, Mother. I am fine. The imperial physician said that I just need to rest and recuperate."

Upon hearing this, Consort Jin felt as if she had accomplished her mission and immediately turned to Lin Lisheng, trying to make up for the points she had just lost, her tone filled with grievance.

"Your Majesty, you see, A-Ming said he's fine. Boys are tough, a little injury is nothing to worry about..."

"Enough." Lin Lisheng interrupted her, his tone even colder. "Since you're here, take good care of the Fourth Prince. The Crown Prince and I have other matters to attend to, so we'll take our leave first."

He really didn't want to stay there a moment longer; the atmosphere inside the hall was extremely unpleasant to him.

After saying that, he didn't look at Consort Jin's instantly pale face, put his arm around Lin Shen's shoulder, and turned to leave.

As Lin Shen was being led away by his father, he couldn't help but look back.

Consort Jin stood there, her face flushed and pale, filled with regret and resentment.

Lin Ming, lying on the bed, still had his head bowed. His slender figure appeared particularly lonely and desolate against the backdrop of the vast palace and his beautiful birth mother.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating the dust motes floating in the air, but seemed unable to penetrate the depths of the boy's downcast eyes.

Lin Shen sighed softly in his heart, withdrew his gaze, and left the cold and oppressive palace with his father.