The Crown Prince Ascends the Entertainment Throne - Chapter 13

The two sat down in an Italian-style cafe next to the bookstore. Zhao Yan flipped through the menu, while the waiter, dressed in a butler uniform and carrying a tray, peered at the boy sitting opposite his regular customer with a knowing look.

He appeared to have just reached adulthood, dressed in a loose hoodie and cargo pants. His slightly long hair was pinned back with a hair clip, and a faint, subtle anxiety lingered on his scholarly face.

Perhaps it was because he was thin, or perhaps it was his large, dark pupils and slightly curled lashes, or maybe it was that face, so pale that one could almost see the fibers beneath the skin, that made him look quite pitiful.

Young Master Zhao has always liked the pure, innocent types. But this time, why a boy?

The waiter’s fingers unconsciously brushed against the base of his tray. As Zhao Yan placed the menu back onto his tray, the waiter had no choice but to put his curiosity aside and nod. Still, he could not help but steal a few extra glances at Xiang Xu before heading down.

Xiang Xu was already too preoccupied to notice these trivialities. His thoughts were completely consumed by what Zhao Yan had said before taking him out of the bookstore.

“Xiang Xu, do you not remember me?”

For Xiang Xu, these words were not a joyous reunion of old friends, but a source of deep trepidation.

If the person before him were Zhao Wulang, the little prince from the Yin Dynasty, he would never address him so casually. Even though they were best friends, Zhao Yan always addressed him as “Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Xiang Xu had once suggested he could be more intimate, as they were not just childhood friends but also cousins.

“Rituals and protocol must be upheld,” the stern and proper Zhao Yan had replied.

Therefore, the person before him was not the Zhao Wulang of the Yin Dynasty. Perhaps, like his Imperial Sister, he simply happened to look identical.

And the person this Zhao Yan knew was likely the original Xiang Xu, before he had been possessed.

Dealing with his Imperial Sister was already giving Xiang Xu a headache, but because the original Xiang Xu and his sister had not been on good terms, he had a little more room to maneuver.

But when reuniting with a long-lost friend, the most common topic was the past. If they started talking about the past, Xiang Xu would be exposed in an instant.

Although his facial expression remained unchanged, his brain was spinning at lightning speed.

A sigh broke the long silence. Xiang Xu raised his eyes. The moment he met Zhao Yan’s gaze, the other man’s eyes darted away, his lips pressing even tighter as if trying to suppress some deep emotion.

After another long silence, Zhao Yan finally made up his mind and turned his sunglasses-wearing face back toward him. “After that, are you okay?”

What did he mean by “after that”? Xiang Xu frowned slightly. On the surface, he acted as though he understood, but his hand under the small table clenched tightly.

The man, having finally worked up the courage, suddenly deflated. He hunched his shoulders, looking suddenly more aged and world-weary.

“It is my fault. I am not worthy of being your friend. If you do not want to remember those things, forgetting them is fine too.” Zhao Yan recalled the note the cashier had shown him. The more he spoke, the more aged his voice sounded. His body hunched further and further forward until he finally buried his head in his hands. His fingers pressed hard against his scalp, and the tendons connected to his knuckles were trembling.

Xiang Xu was stunned for a moment, but he reacted quickly.

“I have forgotten everything about my past self.” Zhao Yan’s words provided him a way out, allowing Xiang Xu to gloss over the hard-to-explain details of his past.

He keenly sensed that there was hidden information in Zhao Yan’s words, perhaps related to why they had drifted apart, or perhaps Xiang Xu had been deeply hurt at the time, which exacerbated his illness.

These were things he could not guess. Xiang Xu knew now was not the time to pry for the truth.

To him, Zhao Yan was a total stranger. However, seeing the man display such agony while wearing his old friend’s face, he could not bear it and smoothly offered him a way to save face.

“I am doing very well now.”

Zhao Yan did not seem to grasp the kindness of the offer. He finally raised his head and looked into Xiang Xu’s black eyes. “You say that, but it is clearly not the case.”

The dark brown sunglasses had been removed. Xiang Xu saw a pair of sincere, red-rimmed eyes. These eyes were waiting for Xiang Xu to reveal his current situation so that he could make amends and soothe his own self-reproach and anxiety.

Xiang Xu could see his intentions, but the biggest problem was that he did not even know his own situation very well.

Why was a healthy person being supported by his sister? Where were their parents? Why did he waste his days playing games and even suffer from psychological issues? Xiang Xu had only been here for a short time, and the struggle to survive occupied all his time; he had no opportunity to find those answers.

Fortunately, the waiter rang the bell at that moment. Zhao Yan quickly composed his emotions and leaned back, pretending to be relaxed.

Exquisite desserts and a coffee with a little kitten foam were placed in front of them.

Sweetness was good for soothing emotions. Although Zhao Yan sighed while eating his chocolate canelé, his expression softened significantly.

“Do you like eating these?” Xiang Xu’s sudden initiative made Zhao Yan look up in pleasant surprise. He understood clearly that the other party taking the initiative to speak meant he had forgiven him.

He only liked desserts moderately, but he still nodded.

The next second, he saw a faint smile on Xiang Xu’s face. This smile left him momentarily dazed, as if he and Xiang Xu were still as they were before. They had once vowed to eat every delicacy on the street outside their school, to discover fun places, and to always invite each other next time. They loved going to the arcade downtown; Xiang Xu had a sharp mind and great technical skills, which often made him envious.

Good-looking, a great personality, and a sharp mind—Xiang Xu had always been a leader among their peers, destined for a future more brilliant and glorious than anyone else.

Xiang Xu’s eyes curved into crescents as he pushed the bear pancake toward Zhao Yan. “You have it. I do not really care for it.”

Zhao Yan immediately put his sunglasses back on, though the corners of his mouth twitched.

When he saw the surveillance footage, it took him a long time to confirm that the person in the video was truly Xiang Xu. That moment of avoidance and remorse had hit him with a whirlwind of complex emotions.

Later, Sister Wen asked him more about the boy.

Seeing Zhao Yan take the cake, Xiang Xu picked up his bear-themed coffee and took a sip; the taste was quite novel. His face carried a restrained satisfaction. Zhao Yan no longer brought up their past, and he felt much more relaxed now.

Zhao Yan’s habit of liking sweets had not changed. Xiang Xu remembered as a child, Zhao Yan would sneak into the Scripture Depository to visit him, carrying pastries stolen from his home. Just as he finished copying a scroll and was about to have a taste, he would find that this guy had already eaten it all without leaving even a crumb. The two of them would often end up in a fistfight.

Back then, they got along so naturally, without any sense of hierarchy between monarch and subject. Zhao Wulang was the youngest in his family and was quite pampered; even if he acted like a playboy, no one would ever hit him. But unexpectedly, after one trip to Lianhua Temple, he underwent a drastic change in personality. He stopped going out to play, practiced self-restraint and adhered strictly to the rules daily. Only when it came to sweet things would he show a sliver of desire, looking like a normal human being.

The Zhao Yan before him looked up pitifully. “Xiang Xu, you are still as kind as ever.”

To be honest, although this Zhao Yan was not that Zhao Yan, seeing that familiar face warmed Xiang Xu’s heart.

The atmosphere felt as fresh as a sky washed clean by rain.

When the sun shone through the tinted glass onto the tray stained with cream on the coffee table, Xiang Xu turned his head to look out the window.

“It is getting late. I will send you home.” Zhao Yan noticed his wandering mind.

“No, I have an appointment. It is just…” Xiang Xu looked at the plates and cups on the table, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“I will cover the bill. After all, I am the one apologizing to you, whether it is for Xiao Zhou framing you or for before. No, let us not talk about before since you have forgotten.” Zhao Yan immediately shifted the subject. “By the way! Would you like to work at our Reverie? Three employees left this month, and the bookstore is a bit short-staffed. It is not out of sympathy, and you are not a special hire. You know I am very fair and impartial, even now that I am the boss. Even if you are my buddy, it is the same. This is just…”

“Okay.” Xiang Xu cut off his defense and agreed decisively.

“Really?”

Seeing how excited the other man was made Xiang Xu feel a bit embarrassed.

Zhao Yan was clearly the one helping him, even going so far as to make up excuses to spare his pride. Xiang Xu just agreed, yet Zhao Yan acted so grateful.

He felt truly thankful for Zhao Yan. Not only did he treat him to food and save him lunch money, but he also arranged a job when he was worrying about his livelihood. Finally, he would not have to worry about his next meal.

Xiang Xu felt that his luck had been truly incredible these past few days.

“Really, thank you. I happen to be looking for a job lately.”

“Great! Tomorrow—no, tomorrow is too rushed. The day after tomorrow, which happens to be the start of next month. Can you come to work the day after tomorrow? Or any day, just pick one.”

Zhao Yan’s face was full of eagerness. Because this was so different from the stoic little prince in his memory, Xiang Xu could not help but laugh out loud.

“The day after tomorrow, then. Thank you, but…” Thinking of his promise to Old Xu, Xiang Xu asked cautiously, “Is it okay if I only work half a day?”

“No problem! We can just pay you as a part-time worker!” Zhao Yan agreed very readily.

Sunlight crawled onto the back of Xiang Xu’s hand, warmly brushing against his fingers. He stood up and bid Zhao Yan goodbye.

Old Xu was also happy that Xiang Xu found a job. “Not bad, you even know to save time for our lessons. You are not a waste of my care.”

After exercising, Xiang Xu originally wanted to go to the original noodle shop, but since he was in a great mood, he wandered the streets for a while longer. He wandered into another street where a sign read “Free Refills.”

One bowl of noodles was 10 yuan, but refills were free. He used to spend 14 yuan for two bowls; now it only cost 10 yuan. Plus, the more he ate, the more he saved. Xiang Xu did a quick calculation, beamed with joy, and stepped into the noodle shop.

From this small incident, Xiang Xu learned a life lesson: Opportunities are always accompanied by risks. If one has the courage to take risks and try, there might just be a better outcome.

In front of the original Lucky Cat noodle shop, a commercial van was parked.

The window rolled down. Mu Lianyi narrowed his eyes and peered into the window. He looked very carefully, wishing his gaze could penetrate the not-so-clean glass and shoot a hole through the shop.

“Boss, should we go in and take a look?” After Mu Lianyi stared intently for two minutes, Li Li finally could not help but speak up.

“Are you joking? Wouldn’t that lower my status?” Li Li was fiercely glared at by his boss. He shrank his neck, preparing to be scolded, but then heard a click—Mu Lianyi had already opened the car door and stepped out, not forgetting to put on his mask and hat.

When will I ever get used to the boss’s hypocrisy? Li Li paused for a second and immediately followed him. His boss walked forward without looking to the side, as if afraid of being seen by others.

The noodle shop owner was chatting with a waiter, wondering why the young man who had eaten at his shop for seven consecutive days had not shown up today, when the door was pushed open. A man with a very imposing presence strode in, followed by an assistant in a sharp suit.