Adventures of Zhuo Yichen in Gong family, part 2
(Continuation of this)
Gong Ziyu almost choked on air when he saw a white figure jumping up and down under the only fruit tree in Jue palace's courtyard. This addition was few years old, none of them able to understand why a man like Gong Shangjue who thought of such things as frivolity would plant a tree like that in his courtyard. The small figure continued their attempts at swiping the fruit from the tree, with varying success. Dressed in pale cream and white robes with cream colored fur cloak and a gleaming gold headband, the slim figure looked like a fairy that had deigned to bless the mere peasents like them with its presence.
Curious, Gong Ziyu sneaked closer, because how was it possible Gong Shangjue, who was a notorious stickler for rules, to allow anyone inside the palace? It couldn't even be a servent, with that gleaming gold headband that although looked thin, was expensive for any servent.
Upon closer look, Gong Ziyu really choked on air when he realized that the figure he called ethreal in his heart (ok who was he kidding? He really thought that brat was pretty for a moment) was Gong Yuanzhi.
Feeling mischievous, he snuck up to his brat of a cousin and called his name, delighting in the way the smaller figure let out a shriek and then outright cackling when Gong Yuanzhi ran behind the tree and hugged the trunk, peeking out from the side to look at him.
Gong Ziyu couldn't help but admit that the little brat really looked cute. Only in his heart though because if Yuanzhi could read his thoughts, he would have already taken his head off.
"And what are you doing here instead of the clinic?" He leaned forward, leering at him, having way too much fun.
Yuanzhi stammered out. "I was... I wanted that fruit..."
Gong Ziyu easily jumped up and snagged a plum one, waving it in the air mockingly. "Oh this? But I thought you could already reach the branches by now? Are you still a pip squeak?"
"You-!" Gong Yuanzhi indignantly shouted, his red cheeks puffing up, coming at him. Gong Ziyu jumped back, a smarmy grin appearing on his face. "Ah ah ah! I am older than you, call me gege!"
To his surprise, the brat deflated, looking down at his feet. "... gege."
Gong Ziyu's eyes widened at the low sound. He couldn't believe his ears! The brat who always insulted him and never let a chance to disrepect his entire family was calling him gege! And so adorably too! Maybe the brat was sick, his brain addled with some poison or something.
Perhaps it was the all that wine that he consumed, or maybe the idea that today he could mess with his normally thorny, poisonous hedgehog like cousin was too tempting to let go that he siddled closer. He teased him, enjoying the way his cheeks reddened from embarrassment. He swiped more fruit, finally sharing it with Yuanzhi, and regaling him with embellished tales of his adventures outside the residence that was too tempting to ignore for a child who had never seen the outside world, taking delight in the way Yuanzhi's eyes narrowed and widened like a kitten, letting out oohs and awwhs at the appropriate places.
As he was convincing his younger cousin to go with him outside without informing Gong Shangjue, both of them were caught unawares as a heavy black cloak landed on Yuanzhi's head, who let out an oomf, staggering under the weight of heavy fabric. Before he could even right the fabric, their assailants were on them.
"Didi," Gong Shangjue's voice freeze them both. "Did I not tell you to stay inside?"
Gong Yuanzhi immediately turned, facing his brother. "And I didn't! I stayed in the courtyard, he was the one to come here. I only wanted some fruits! And I met no one else, promise!"
Their older cousin raised an eyebrow, looking pointedly at Gong Ziyu.
"But I thought he was family, not a stranger! Isn't it safe with him? He was talking about some pavilion outside and jiejies there-"
"Jin Fu." Gong Shangjue's voice was so cold that Gong Ziyu shuddered with fright. That's it. This was the end. The man was going to murder him for mentioning the brothel to his didi. Thank you everyone for all the support they gave to him, because today that would end as no one will be able to find his body.
The Jade Guard only nodded and darted forward, easily picking up their youngest cousin like a sack of potatoes who let out a squeak, protesting his treatment. Gong Ziyu only heard a single sentence from the jade guard in answer "And how will we answer your gege if something happened to you outside?"
It was weird thing to say, considering the gege in question was the one to catch them, but he was too worried about his life to care about the mystery. He was frozen like a dear, trapped under the dark gaze of his oldest cousin. Finally, Gong Shangjuebstepped closer, making him wilt even before he opened his mouth.
"I do not care what you get upto on your own, Gong Ziyu, but do not drag Gong Yuanzhi in your antics. Understood?"
"Crystal" he squeaked out, almost breaking out in a run when his older cousin waved his hand dismissively. He finally stopped at some distance, hands braced on his knees, panting. He threw a last look at the Jue residence, catching sight of a pouting Yuanzhi being handed fruit from his gege who was firmly shuffling him inside, not letting him even peek back. His gaze me the Gong Shanjue again, and this time, he bolted, vowing to not even stray close to the brat lest his brother dug out his entrails and hung him from them.
Why had Gong Shangjue forbidden their youngest cousin from meating others? Why was he behaving as if Gong Yuanzhi was a pure maiden though, hiding him from everyone's gaze?
Alas, he loved his entrails inside his body too much to investigate this mystery.
