MTCCP Chapter 13

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It was not until the end of the month that Yue Yiwan remembered to go home to visit his relatives.

When he first entered the palace, Teacher Feng had told him that even if he became the Crown Princess in the future, he could still visit his family twice a month. If there was something urgent, taking extended leave from the palace was not a difficult matter.

After all, this wasn’t the olden days—basic personal freedom was still necessary.

In September, he was busy picking up his old skills. If he wasn’t cutting coats in the workshop, he was tinkering with needlework. Even as one person, he was so busy that he barely had time to eat.

In an era where the internet was widespread, being isolated for a few years could drive a person mad. For many young people nowadays, as long as they had food, drinks, and Wi-Fi, they could stay home for ten years.

Yue Yiwan confirmed the leave dates with his father and found a free slot to spend two days at home.

When he changed into sneakers and a long coat, he felt a bit like a tourist again. Hua Muzhi was still accompanying his mother on a visit to an orphanage, so they didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. He simply left like that.

He rode in a carriage, playing on his phone as it wobbled out of the palace. The family driver was already waiting in the designated spot.

Master Hou gave a slight bow as a farewell gesture. Yue Yiwan waved his hand and got into the car to go home.

The journey was no different from before.

Tourists from various countries come here. The streets bustled with activity, and gigantic billboards advertised new phones capable of full projection.

While waiting at a red light, Yue Yiwan glanced up at a distant skyscraper and turned to see a blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigner trying to gnaw on a lantern. The wick swayed downward.

Or maybe not—

Forget it.

He rubbed his temples, feeling as if he had just woken from a dream.

Seriously, it was already 2030, and the gap between the royal family and modern society was still ridiculously stark.

Yue Pin, who rarely stayed in the country and had free time, personally cooked a meal for his two sons. Yue Zhigu, who had been extremely busy since getting married, even pushed aside some social engagements to come home for a visit.

When the two brothers met, they couldn’t help but tease each other a bit before heading to the kitchen to help their father.

Duck pieces were chopped and marinated with green onions and ginger, ready to be cooked into a pot of beer duck. Sweet osmanthus fish was already plated and only needed to be steamed for fifteen minutes. Yue Yiwan busied himself picking cauliflower while chatting with his father and brother.

“—So they really use antiques to eat with?”

“They’ve put away the pure gold dishes, saying they’re worried about heavy metal poisoning,” Yue Yiwan explained. “The pure silver tableware that used to be for concubines and illegitimate children is actually good for health, so they use those now.”

“And what about the palace legends?” Yue Zhigu said as he coated chicken wings in breadcrumbs. “Aren’t there stories that every time it rains or thunders, you can see the ghosts of old palace maids lining up along the palace walls?”

Yue Yiwan blinked, thinking how, every time it rained, there were two people sneaking off to write poetry and turning the servants’ path into a BBS message board.

At work, Yue Pin was stern and silent. A single lift of his eyebrow was enough to make his subordinates want to cry while holding their project plans. But at home, he had no airs at all, even picking out roasted lamb leg for his two sons during dinner.

Finally freed from palace etiquette, Yue Yiwan devoured the lamb leg, getting sesame seeds and oil all over his face. He grabbed a napkin, wiped his face, and said, “Dad, your cooking is still the best.”

Yue Pin laughed, wiped some sesame seeds off his son’s cheek, and poured him a glass of yogurt.

The two brothers had been raised solely by their father, and their tastes had been completely shaped by him. People often said men couldn’t raise children well, but with enough effort, there was nothing they couldn’t do.

After dinner, Yue Zhigu had to return to work for a meeting, and their father went to bed early, exhausted from his daily grind.

Yue Yiwan wandered around the house for a while before grabbing his phone and keys and heading out.

He rented a shared bike and rode out of the wealthy district to the nearby Liangnan Night Market.

This area was crowded with tourists and was one of the highlights of the capital. Thanks to strict government regulation, the prices were always reasonable.

Since he was full from dinner, the night market snacks all seemed greasy to him. After a quick glance, he headed to the nearby pedestrian street instead.

The dense crowds forced Yue Yiwan to walk his bike slowly.

Yesterday, he was sitting with the Empress Dowager, sipping a cup of pre-rain Dragon Well tea while she chatted about trivial matters. Today, he was strolling through a shopping district alone.

Neon lights from the shopping mall hung high in the air, advertising the latest sci-fi blockbuster.

Couples held hands with heart-shaped balloons tied to their wrists, while children jumped around with cotton candy in hand.

There was a long queue in front of a trendy milk tea shop, and clothing store staff stood at the doors, enthusiastically inviting passersby to come in.

Has Hua Muzhi ever seen such a bustling scene?

Has he ever tasted passion fruit soda?

Yue Yiwan suddenly had a thought—he wanted to bring him something.

He walked into a supermarket and looked around, but at the moment, everything seemed a bit too cheap.

Coming from a wealthy family himself, Yue Yiwan was well aware of what it meant to have taste. However, the standards in the palace were not as more refined than those of the wealthy stores. To Hua Muzhi, there likely wasn’t anything particularly novel here.

After circling the shelves twice, Yue Yiwan picked up a bag of yogurt-flavored chips, a pack of five-spice broad beans, and, just before checking out, thought of something else. He dashed over to grab a bag of spicy crab-flavored ramen snacks—the kind only kids ate.

Hmm, all of it was classic junk food.

With a bag of snacks in hand, Yue Yiwan wandered along with the crowd again.

This place didn’t just have shopping centers for eating, drinking, and entertainment; there were also small shops selling souvenirs and trinkets.

An elderly man selling sugar paintings was using sugar syrup to draw a small dove, surrounded by a group of children.

Yue Yiwan leaned over to look at it for a while, and suddenly took out a hundred yuan and stretched out his hand to say, "Grandpa, can you let me draw one?"

　　

The old man took the money and cheerfully agreed.

Yue Yiwan scooped up a ladle of amber-colored sugar syrup, focused for a moment, and then started drawing on the stone slab. His strokes were bold and fluid, creating a Qilin with a lion’s head, dragon scales, and a cow’s tail. Even the mane was meticulously detailed.

(Photo of Qilin)

link: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Qilin

The old man had just confirmed that the money wasn’t counterfeit when the children around them erupted into cheers. He turned to look and was stunned.

How—how is he so good?

How does this young man even know how to do this?

Yue Yiwan, thoroughly enjoying himself, handed over another 100 yuan and then drew an eight-headed serpent for a little boy who was chewing on his fingers. Even the serpent’s fangs were vividly detailed.

Tourists started taking photos, mistaking him for some kind of expert.

Amused, Yue Yiwan grabbed the completed Qilin and looked around the crowd. He spotted a same-sex couple standing not far away. Both men were strikingly handsome.

The one with softer features seemed familiar, like an actor he might have seen somewhere.

“Here, it’s for you,” Yue Yiwan said, handing the sugar-painting to one of the men.

The recipient looked visibly surprised and instinctively glanced at his partner as he accepted the sugar painting.

The couple shared a bold kiss and smiled as they thanked Yue Yiwan.

Before he could pay again, the old man hurriedly waved him off. “No need, no need. You can draw here all night if you want.”

Yue Yiwan chuckled and, for his final creation, poured sugar into the shape of a hippogriff from Harry Potter.

(Photo of Hippogriff)

link:

https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Hippogriff

As he was about to leave, the old man suddenly called out to him.

“Why don’t you teach me how to do that?”

The children around him nodded eagerly, all wanting to learn.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Yue Yiwan said with a laugh. “I’m just doodling.”

As he walked away, he bit off the eagle’s head from the sugar-painting hippogriff.

It was surprisingly sweet.

By the time he rode his bike home, it was already midnight.

At this hour, the elders in the palace were probably all sound asleep.

Yue Yiwan unlocked the door with his fingerprint and, upon entering, saw his father, who had woken up halfway through the night for some tea.

“—Out buying snacks again?” Yue Pin waved a hand. “Make sure to brush your teeth before bed. Don’t end up with cavities in your twenties.”

“Got it, will do.”

Yue Pin yawned, drank half a cup of tea, and urged him to go to bed.

“Alright, alright—”

Halfway to his room, Yue Yiwan suddenly turned back and gave his dad a hug.

“Whoa, what’s this about?” Yue Pin’s drowsiness disappeared. “Did something upset you?”

“No, I just think you’re really great,” Yue Yiwan said, clinging to his dad like a kid. “I really like you.”

“Alright, alright, you’re a grown man now.” Yue Pin ruffled his youngest son’s hair and waved him off. “Go eat your chips.”

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