I Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder, Only to be Desired by the Dragon King - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Jealousy — It seems Chu Heng has once again mimicked his appearance to trick Qingqing…

Shen Youqing was teased awake by the fragrant scent of lotus pastries wafting in from the window.

As his consciousness slowly surfaced from the gloom, his nose was greeted by the familiar scent of calming incense mixed with the buttery, sweet aroma of pastries.

Hmm? This is my bedroom at the Shen estate. It seemed he hadn’t drowned, hadn’t been fed to the fish, and hadn’t transmigrated back to the modern world.

His throat was parched and tight. Just as he reached up to rub his temples, he heard soft movements by the bedside.

“Wah! Daddy is awake!” It was Little Fu’s (Little Duckling) crisp shout.

Little Fu and Little Black had been sitting at the round table eating lotus pastries. They had been taking turns glancing at the beautiful teenager lying on the bed. It happened to be Little Fu’s turn to watch. He had just taken a large “awuu” bite of a pastry and turned his head habitually, only to see the boy on the bed opening his eyes.

After his shout, he immediately dropped the half-eaten pastry, jumped off his stool, and lunged toward the bed in a few short steps. “Daddy, you’re finally awake! Brother and I cried so many times!”

Little Black followed closely behind, his chubby face still sporting red circles around his eyes from crying. He grabbed one of Shen Youqing’s hands and refused to let go. “Daddy, you’re finally back safe. If you hadn’t come back, I would have died of crying, woo woo woo.”

Shen Youqing’s heart warmed. His voice was raspy: “I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“The Young Master is awake!?” A maid coming in with honey water rushed forward, handing him a warm cup. “Madam was just talking about you; I’ll go inform her immediately!”

Shen Youqing took a few sips of the honey water, finally easing the dryness in his throat. He rubbed his aching forehead and slowly sat up. His body still felt heavy and sore, and the fragmented memories in his mind began to piece together—the weightless vertigo of the cliff fall, the bone-chilling cold of the pool, and that cool, handsome guy in the moon-white robes with a bleeding back… and the scales he had touched?

So, was it indeed Feng Xiuyan who rushed over to save them?

As he was pondering, Madam Shen hurried in, her eyes rimmed with red. She grabbed his hand, her fingertips trembling with lingering fear. “Qingqing, you’re finally awake! I’ve been out of my mind these past few days; you nearly scared me to death!”

“Mom, I’m fine now.” Shen Youqing squeezed her hand back, his tone softening. “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

The moment the words left his mouth, he couldn’t help but ask: “Mom, was it Feng Xiuyan who saved me?”

“It was him,” Madam Shen nodded, her voice full of gratitude. “Lord Dragon King said that when he found you, you were already unconscious and running a frighteningly high fever!”

Shen Youqing felt a wave of relief. He muttered to himself: As expected, having a Dragon King boyfriend is reassuring! He really shows up when it counts; the security level is maxed out.

Madam Shen handed him a bowl of warm lotus seed soup. “Lord Dragon King said you only have some scrapes on your back, nothing serious, but the fever drained your energy. Drink this while it’s hot.”

“Thanks, Mom.” He took a sip. The sweet, silky lotus paste warmed his stomach. He smacked his lips and asked, “By the way, where is he? Why isn’t he here after saving me?”

Madam Shen suddenly covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes twinkling with teasing.

Shen Youqing looked baffled. “Mom, what are you laughing at? Did I ask something wrong?”

“Not at all.” Madam Shen chuckled for a while before composing herself. “What? You just woke up and you’re already missing him?”

“Pfft—” Shen Youqing nearly choked on his soup, coughing until tears came to his eyes. His cheeks flushed instantly. He didn’t expect people in ancient times to be such gossips!

“Mom! What are you talking about!” He waved his hands frantically. “I was just asking! He saved me, I should say thank you in person! It’s not about ‘missing’ him!”

“Alright, alright, I won’t tease you.” Madam Shen patted his hand. “The Dragon King really went through a lot of trouble for you these past two days.”

She recounted how Feng Xiuyan found him in a hidden cave and took him to an old residence nearby to recover. “He only brought you back this morning at the hour of the Dragon. You were sleeping so deeply you didn’t know a thing. You should have seen him—his face was pale, and he had dark circles under his eyes like he hadn’t slept for a wink. Your father and grandfather tried to get him to rest, but he just gave a few instructions and left in a hurry.”

She giggled again. “You should have seen how reluctant he was to leave. He insisted that you shouldn’t move around once you wake up and said he’d be back as soon as he finished with the Dragon Palace’s affairs.”

The spoon in Shen Youqing’s hand paused. The warmth in his heart replaced the embarrassment. Feng Xiuyan stayed up all night for me? He even got dark circles? His heart skipped a beat, and his lips curved upward uncontrollably.

At that moment, Little Black’s eyes lit up. He pulled a white object from his chest. “Daddy! Father left this for me when he went away!”

Shen Youqing looked down and froze. It was the Sea-Calling Conch he had lost at the cliff!

“Mhm! Father said to use this to notify him as soon as Daddy wakes up!” Little Black didn’t wait for a response. He mimicked Shen Youqing’s usual habit, bringing the conch to his lips and shouting in a childish voice: “Calling Father! Calling Father!”

A voice soon came from the shell, sounding visibly tired and slightly cold from being interrupted: “What is it?”

Little Black was already a bit intimidated by Feng Xiuyan’s natural majesty. Hearing the distant tone, he shrank back a little, his eyes turning timid.

But Little Fu noticed nothing. He stood on his tiptoes, pressing his little head close to the conch. His round cheeks puffed out as he yelled at the top of his lungs: “Father! Daddy is awake! Come back quickly—!”

The moment the words fell, the cold, tired tone vanished instantly. The speed of the voice tripled: “How is your Daddy? Did he say he’s uncomfortable anywhere? Is he in pain??”

The two kids were stunned by the barrage of questions. They looked at Shen Youqing before obediently replying: “Daddy says he’s fine! He just asked when Father is coming as soon as he woke up!”

“Hey—!” Shen Youqing bolted upright, his face exploding in heat. He didn’t ask that the second he woke up! These two little traitors were just causing trouble!

“Qingqing, wait for me. I’m coming over now,” Feng Xiuyan’s voice came through, filled with urgency.

…

The Confrontation

Shen Youqing wanted to hide under his blankets. This felt exactly like a young couple getting caught by their parents. He peeked at Madam Shen, who was still laughing, and then at Little Fu, who tilted his head. “Daddy, your face is so red. Do you miss Father that much? Don’t worry, he said he’s coming soon.”

“I get it. Little Fu, is your pastry finished? Go eat with your brother,” Shen Youqing tried to change the subject.

Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, the door was pushed open.

Feng Xiuyan strode in, his black robes still dusty from travel. He didn’t look at anyone else; his gaze locked onto Shen Youqing. The worry in his eyes was palpable. He reached the bedside and instinctively reached out to feel the boy’s forehead. “Is the fever gone? Any discomfort?”

The coolness of his fingertips made Shen Youqing shrink back slightly, his face turning even redder. “It’s gone. I’m fine,” he whispered.

Madam Shen smiled and took the two children by the hands. “Come along, let’s go taste the sour jujube cakes. They’re fresh out of the oven.”

As the door closed, leaving the two of them alone, a strange silence filled the room. Shen Youqing fidgeted with the edge of his blanket. Finally, he looked at the two dark smudges under Feng Xiuyan’s flawless eyes.

“Um… those dark circles. You stayed up all night taking care of me, didn’t you? Thank you… and sorry for the trouble.”

Feng Xiuyan paused, his fingers curling slightly. His own ears turned pink. He didn’t dare tell the truth—that last night, the soft sensation of their lips together had taken root in his mind, making him toss and turn. He had spent half the night soaking in an icy spring just to suppress the uncontrollable heat in his heart.

He avoided Shen Youqing’s gaze. “It’s fine. As long as you are safe.”

Shen Youqing didn’t notice his abnormality. “By the way! You were the one who saved me at the bottom of the pool, right? I remember touching a large patch of scales right before I went under. It was dark, so I couldn’t tell if they were black or if it was just the night?”

Feng Xiuyan’s embarrassment vanished instantly. His brow furrowed. “That wasn’t me. When I found you, you were already in a cave by the pool, unconscious with a fever.” He paused. “The cave showed signs of being lived in. Someone else saved you first and looked after you for a while.”

Shen Youqing’s eyes lit up as he remembered the handsome guy in the moon-white robes. “Was it the guy who helped me escape the bandit’s nest? Did you see him?”

He started gesturing excitedly. “He looked a lot like you! When I first saw him, I actually thought it was you! But I realized quickly it wasn’t. He was really ‘high-cold’ (aloof)… although you’re pretty cool too, haha…” He went on and on.

Shen Youqing didn’t notice Feng Xiuyan’s face darkening. The air pressure in the room plummeted. Feng Xiuyan’s hands clenched on his knees, his eyes swirling with undisguised jealousy.

“High-cold handsome guy”?!

He was almost certainly talking about his rebellious younger brother, Chu Heng! It seemed Chu Heng had once again used his face to play tricks in front of Qingqing. And if he wasn’t mistaken, Qingqing using the word “handsome” meant he found Chu Heng attractive?

Feng Xiuyan ground his molars. Chu Heng had loved stealing his things since they were children. Now, it seemed he was trying to steal his Qingqing!

“Grit—grit—”

A sudden grinding sound interrupted Shen Youqing. He looked at Feng Xiuyan, puzzled. “Why are you grinding your teeth? Are you too tired? Should you go back and get some sleep?”

Feng Xiuyan snapped back to reality. The thought of Chu Heng aiming for Qingqing had made him so angry he hadn’t realized he was making noise.

“Ahem,” he coughed to cover his loss of composure, touching his lips awkwardly. “It’s nothing. I was just… distracted by a thought.”