Chapter 33: Li You Hugged a Ball of Fire Part 1

“Your Highness Li You! You can’t skip class!!”

The maid sister’s call came from the other end of the garden, startling the butterflies in the flowerbeds into scattering in all directions. Li You, who carried a small bamboo basket on his back, turned around guiltily for a glance before sneaking away on tiptoe.

Once he escaped the garden, he bounded along like a rabbit finally set free, fishing rod in hand, all the way to a small stream near the back of the Imperial Palace. He set down the bamboo basket, shaded his forehead with his hand, squinted up at the fine sunlight, then bent down to remove his shoes and socks before stepping into the crystal-clear stream water. His feet carefully moved over the icy stones.

He picked a good spot, unfolded his little stool, set up the fishing rod, tossed in the fish bait that Li Ye had gotten for him the day before, then sat down on the stool. His eyes shone brightly as he stared at the stream: “Come on, little fish, bite the hook.”

The boy wore a shirt and shorts, his bare feet in the water, expectantly watching the motionless rod like a large cat.

Li You liked eating fish and liked fishing, but he did not like combat classes.

On such fine weather, he ought to come out and bask in the sun instead of spending the whole day in the combat arena getting beaten up.

A tadpole brushed against the boy’s foot in the stream water, sending a tingling itch through him. He curled his toes, bent down with his head lowered, cupped a handful of water in both hands, and watched the lost tadpole dart about aimlessly in his palm.

Li You curved his eyes into a smile and released the tadpole back into the water. When he looked up, he saw the bobber on the water’s surface twitch. His eyes lit up as he abruptly stood and yanked the rod back. But he discovered the bait was gone from the hook, with no fish caught.

“What the heck.” Li You pursed his lips and muttered at the rippling water surface, “Sneaky fish.”

His first cast came up empty, but Li You grew more determined with each failure. He patiently fished the whole day and later simply waded into the river to catch fish and shrimp by hand.

The sun slanted low, fiery clouds in the sky scattering orange-red light across the earth’s surface, reminding the boy it was time to go home.

Li You looked at his haul in the bamboo basket, wiped his face with the back of his hand, did not bother putting his shoes back on, packed up his things, picked up the basket, hooked his shoes over his finger, and strolled back leisurely while humming a little tune.

As he neared the back garden of the Imperial Palace, he spotted Li Ye standing by a tree not far away around the corner. Li You froze for a moment, his little tune cutting off as he finally remembered to look down at his bare feet.

He glanced at Li Ye. The other had not yet changed out of his black combat uniform, his slightly long black hair tied into a small ponytail, and he was gazing down at the Light Brain.

Just like every other time, after a full day of combat classes, Li Ye had not a speck of dust on him anywhere. He looked proper, as if he had not fought at all. This was completely different from their eldest, second, and third brothers and sister, who always came back from class in a sorry state, and from Li You himself.

Li You stared dazedly at his brother’s profile, recalling those foreknown miserable futures. His toes unconsciously curled again, and he pursed his lips, standing rooted to the spot without moving.

At that moment, Li Ye suddenly turned his face toward him. Their gazes collided squarely.

Li You shuddered, his heart inexplicably racing. He quickly forced a smile and called out obediently, “Bro.”

Li Ye looked at him, his gaze shifting downward to his feet. He stepped forward, took the bamboo basket and shoes from Li You’s hands, and asked, “Did you have fun?”

“Heh heh.” Li You scratched his cheek with a finger. “You didn’t tell the teacher I snuck out to fish, right?”

“I did.”

“Ah?” Li You was shocked and trotted after Li Ye. “But yesterday you clearly said you wouldn’t tell them!”

Li Ye slowed his steps, glanced at him, reached out with a fingertip to wipe the dirt from Li You’s cheek, then withdrew his gaze. “Little fool.”

Li You blanked for a moment, then realized what happened. He puffed up indignantly. “If I’m a little fool, then you’re a big bad egg!”

He followed closely at Li Ye’s side, step for step. Li Ye did not walk fast, but Li You still had to trot a few steps now and then.

That year, Li You was fourteen, and Li Ye was seventeen.

Li You was no fool; he knew too much. But he was also afraid. He had to pretend in front of Li Ye that he knew nothing at all, which was an incredibly difficult thing for him.

He had persisted like this for many years now.

He feared his brother, but Li Ye was his family, the brother he could never bring himself to ignore.

“Bro, you still haven’t treated me to ice cream today.”

“We’ll do it after we get back.”

“Okay～”

After every combat class, whether Li You lost or skipped it entirely, Li Ye always bought him ice cream or a little cake.

Without fail.

Li You had many muddled dreams. He dreamed Li Ye tried to prepare the fish he had caught, only to burn down the kitchen.

He dreamed Li Ye won the combat tournament hosted by the imperial nobles for five straight years, then handed him the trophy and said, “Hold onto this for me.”

He dreamed he secretly slipped out to investigate Kailenoa despite everyone’s knowledge, only to be punished by their father to kneel until dawn upon his return, his face slapped several times. He held back his tears and refused to tell the truth, while his brother stayed by his side the whole night, applying ice to treat his wounds without asking a single question.

He dreamed of the great catastrophe’s arrival, their father and mother dying in battle while he hid in his room and cried. Li Ye silently held him, gently patting his back just like when they were little.

He dreamed that, in the very end, before heading to the battlefield, Li Ye hugged him tightly and said, “Protect yourself. Wait for me to come back. I’ll tell you everything.”

Later, Li Ye led the army to stabilize the chaos but got caught in the erupting pollution source, unable to save himself.

Even later, Li You climbed to the top of the Furnace.

He had not protected himself, nor obediently waited for Li Ye’s return.

He saved everyone and gave up himself.

Li You woke up with tears in his eyes and struggled to open them. The hazy light before him stung painfully.

He closed his eyes again, curled up, hugged himself tightly, drenched in sweat, alternately hot and cold as if caught between ice and fire. It hurt, and he felt so sad.

He lay trapped in the bedding but felt no warmth or softness at all. The sodden sensation clung to him like a soaked garment, heavy and sticky.

Li You breathed laboriously, his mind a chaotic mush like a pot of burned porridge. He could not think, could not fully open his eyes. His long-empty stomach rumbled in protest with “gurgle gurgle” sounds, keeping him from sleep and adding to his irritation.

This was worse than the most severe fever he had ever had.

Li You struggled to think that he needed to find some medicine; he was definitely sick, and a serious illness without medicine could be fatal.

He laboriously swallowed, his parched throat nearly smoking. He pushed up his limp body, and the slightest movement made his head ache fiercely. A hard-to-describe discomfort also pulsed in his lower abdomen.

Li You stared blankly at the hands propping him up on the mattress. His eyeballs moved with effort, his completely rigid mind stuttering repeatedly before a sliver of thought formed, only to be shattered by a faint noise from outside the room.

He shifted his gaze. His fever-reddened eyes lifted toward the half-open door, catching only a sliver of light and shadow from the gap, along with a fleeting black silhouette.

Li You opened his mouth but made no sound. He lowered his head, raised a hand, and knocked his aching skull a few times. His loose pale golden long hair was disheveled and curly, the ends draped over his shoulders and brushing his shoulder blades, making him itch a bit.

Li You sneezed.

He finally pieced together a bit of memory from the chaos.

His brother was back.

Li Ye, who had left the lab several days ago, had returned.

But why did not Li Ye come in to check on him?

Had he forgotten there was still a cat in the lab?

Did not plan to keep it anymore…

Li Ye…