SSEWC Chapter 29

In the Emperor’s sleeping chamber,

In a fit of anger, Wen Liangyu hased out all the palace attendants who were there for the spectacle, leaving only Liu Fuyuan and a few standby eunuchs guarding the entrance to the hall.

He knew very well that with He Heng’s current deeply affectionate and somewhat sorrowful demeanor, any attempt to argue with him would be utterly futile.

No matter how he explained it, everyone would perceive him as a scoundrel.

Moreover, Wen Liangyu dared not forcefully drive him away either. He was somewhat afraid that if he did, He Heng would stand at the entrance of his sleeping chamber like “Meng Jiangnu weeping at the Great Wall”¹The story of Meng Jiangnu involves a young bride, Meng Jiangnu, whose husband is conscripted to work on the construction of the Great Wall during the Qin Dynasty in ancient China. When she goes to find him, she discovers he has died due to the harsh conditions of labor. Overwhelmed with grief, Meng Jiangnu’s tears are said to cause a section of the Great Wall to collapse, revealing her husband’s bones. eventually making the whole incident widely known.

This was not a baseless imagination on Wen Liangyu’s part. It was a conclusion he arrived at after careful consideration.

He felt that, given He Heng’s current state, he was quite likely to carry out such a thing.

After a moment, Wen Liangyu lifted his gaze to the man before him.

“What do you want, after all?”

In the end, he chose to compromise.

As long as the other’s demands weren’t too excessive, he was willing to give in.

Whatever it took, as long as it could calm He Heng down and grant him some respite, he was willing to comply.

However, the next moment,

He Heng tucked the pillow into his arms and solemnly declared:

“I want to sleep with you.”

“Cough! Cough! Cough!”

At the very moment He Heng spoke, Wen Liangyu was sipping water from a porcelain cup on the table. Suddenly hearing He Heng express his desire to sleep together, he nearly choked to death.

The young emperor coughed violently, bending over and coughing incessantly, his small face turning bright red.

Seeing the discomfort on the other’s face, He Heng, disregarding his own identity as the Regent, took advantage of his current “amnesia” situation, adhering to the skewed logic that someone with amnesia could do anything. He walked directly over, pulled the young emperor into his arms, and gently patted his back to help him ease his coughing.

“Um~”

The man’s embrace was warm, his movements gentle, and he emitted a faint fragrance of sandalwood that lingered pleasingly in the air. For a moment, Wen Liangyu felt a bit dazed, even finding it quite comfortable to lean against him. He forgot to resist in the first instance.

But he was the Regent, after all. When he remembered the other’s identity, unpleasant memories from the past surged in his mind. The young emperor quickly resisted, placing a hand on He Heng’s shoulder and struggling to break free from his embrace.

In the instant he broke free, there was a slight blush on Wen Liangyu’s earlobes.

He Heng, observing this reaction, slyly hooked the corner of his mouth.

It was the same in the previous world—whether he hugged him or simply touched him casually, the other’s ears would easily turn red, like a little rabbit.

And in the moment when Wen Liangyu looked up, he captured the fleeting smile that graced the man’s lips.

Damn it,

Mocked again,

With this, his ears turned even redder.

Watching He Heng’s increasingly resolute appearance, Wen Liangyu became more and more irritated. Being led by the nose like this—what kind of situation was this?

No, he had to regain control of the situation!

In the current circumstances, if he confronted He Heng head-on, he would undoubtedly be at a disadvantage, just like trying to reason with a fool that never works.

Since the other party was now determined to believe that he was his “wife”, why not seek a way out according to He Heng’s provided script?

As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them!

The young emperor, finally thinking of a way to break the deadlock, clenched his fist in secret, a sly look flashing in his eyes.

He Heng, on the other hand, also noticed. In that moment just now, the young emperor lowered his gaze, and there was a mysterious and unpredictable expression in his eyes, like a little fox calculating who knows what.

Sure enough, the next moment,

When Wen Liangyu lifted his gaze to look at him again, his expression had completely changed.

“Since you insist that I am your wife, then tell me, what is my favorite fruit to eat?”

Upon hearing this, He Heng was momentarily stunned; he was caught off guard by the question.

In the previous world, Shuang Shuang ate all kinds of fruits, without any particular preferences or dislikes.

If he had to pick something, strawberries were a bit special, considering his pheromones were strawberry-scented.

Either that or his own lime flavor.

Could it be that the other person remembered things from the previous world and wanted to use it as a secret signal between them?

Thinking of this, He Heng hesitated for a moment and then said, “Strawberries?”

“No.”

Wen Liangyu immediately extended a finger, making a gesture indicating that it was incorrect, and then smiled, shaking his head.

Guess, just guess randomly. If he can guess it right, consider it his win.

Seeing this, He Heng furrowed his brows and tentatively said, “Lime?”

“No.” Wen Liangyu’s smile deepened.

He didn’t want to play games with the other person anymore. Thinking of this, Wen Liangyu slowly walked up to He Heng, looked at him, parted his lips slightly, and uttered the word firmly,

“Durian.”

His confidence stemmed from the knowledge that durian was something the former Regent despised.

The former Regent was ruthless and bloodthirsty, fearing neither ghosts nor gods. However, he had an intense aversion to the smell of durian. Just a whiff of it could send him into a rage, and in severe cases, he might even faint on the spot.

Regardless of whether the current He Heng had truly lost his memory, it was highly unlikely that his body’s aversion to durian would change.

Wen Liangyu was confident that He Heng wouldn’t be able to withstand the smell of durian.

When He Heng heard the word “durian” he froze in place, his face filled with astonishment.

How did his Shuang Shuang change?

When did he start liking such a foul-smelling thing?

In the moment he was in a daze,

Wen Liangyu raised an eyebrow and, seizing the opportunity, asked, “What’s wrong?”

He Heng’s reaction just now hit the mark, and seeing this, a faint smile played on Wen Liangyu’s lips as he approached step by step.

“Aren’t I your wife? How could you forget even my favorite fruit?”

“N-No,” He Heng lowered his head, feeling cornered by him.

In the end, Wen Liangyu played his trump card.

“I happen to be hungry now, and I want to eat durian. Since you want to sleep with me, you won’t deny me even this, will you?”

Why does it have to be durian, of all things?

Even though He Heng thought like this, he didn’t show it on his face.

“How could I?!”

He crossed his arms, unwilling to appear weak, and said, “Eat it, I’ll let you eat it, not only let you eat it…”

“I’ll eat it with you!”

As soon as he said this, the entire sleeping chamber fell into an eerie silence.

Wen Liangyu’s lips twitched slightly.

Things seemed to have taken an unexpected turn.

However, now that it had come to this, he certainly couldn’t back down.

“Come here!” Wen Liangyu clapped his hands and shouted toward the entrance of the hall.

Liu Fuyuan, who had been waiting at the entrance, immediately pushed open the door and hurried to his side.

“Your Majesty, what are your orders?”

Wen Liangyu glanced at Liu Fuyuan, saying, “Have someone bring in a durian. Remember to choose the largest one.”

Liu Fuyuan also froze. He sneakily glanced at the young emperor and then at the Regent. For some reason, he sensed a tense atmosphere amid the standoff between the two.

The air around was thick with tension, as if the gazes of the two were invisible fuses, ready to explode with the slightest mishap.

Even though he couldn’t fathom why the two of them would want to eat durian in the middle of the night, it was, after all, the Emperor’s command. He bowed respectfully, uttered a deferential “Yes,” and left to carry out the order.

After the durian was brought in, the spacious room was instantly filled with a delightful aroma.

A servant at the side was using a large hammer to crack open the spiky shell of the durian, making the wonderful fragrance even more pervasive.

He Heng sat at the corner of the table, tightly furrowing his brows, covering his mouth with his sleeve,

While Wen Liangyu’s expression wasn’t much better either.

“Your Majesty, Prince Jing,” the servant finished preparing the durian, extracted the pulp, and placed it in front of the two.

“The servant has prepared the durian. You may partake in it.”

After saying this, the servant thoughtfully arranged the utensils in front of them.

Once everyone else had left, the atmosphere in the sleeping chamber once again became tense.

Seeing He Heng’s awkward expression, Wen Liangyu decided to take the initiative. He gestured for He Heng to go first.

“Lord He, why have you been covering your nose with your sleeve? Could it be that you can’t stand the smell of durian?”

“No.”

He Heng pretended to be calm as he moved his sleeve away. However, the moment he did, the pungent smell stung his nose, causing him to cough twice.

“Quite the opposite, the smell is too fragrant. If I were to smell it now, the surprise of eating it later wouldn’t be the same. Good things are meant to be enjoyed when the time comes.”

With that, he put on a look of resignation, scooped up a piece of durian with a spoon, and took a bite in one go.

However, contrary to Wen Liangyu’s expectations, He Heng didn’t spit out the durian due to its smell.

On the contrary,

The texture of the durian flesh was like dense cream as it entered his mouth. Due to being stored in the ice cellar, the sweet and heavy fragrance also carried a slight, refreshing coolness. It melted in the mouth, and it wasn’t as difficult to accept as its smell might suggest.

So, he took a second bite, a third bite, a fourth bite,

Seeing the pain on He Heng’s face disappear and replaced by a delighted expression, Wen Liangyu furrowed his brow in confusion.

Is this still the Regent he knew, who would faint upon smelling durian?

However, does durian really not smell when eaten?

Thinking this, he tentatively took a bite as well.

In the end, the two of them finished off half of the durian together.

After eating the durian, He Heng wiped his mouth, freshened up a bit, and then looked at Wen Liangyu, saying, “Now that the durian is finished, can I sleep with you?”

His tone carried a kind of pride, similar to when one wins a game or a match, especially with the emphasized “you” in his words.

He Heng, at this moment, looked extremely pleased, as if he just needed to engrave “I won” on his forehead.

“Sure.”

After a long pause, Wen Liangyu finally uttered the word.

Seeing this, He Heng, holding a large pillow, was about to walk towards the other’s bed, but was stopped by Wen Liangyu.

“But.”

Right at that moment, Wen Liangyu tossed the durian shells with spikes onto the bed and turned his head away under He Heng’s astonished gaze.

“Include them.”

He Heng: “…”

The air suddenly quieted.

At this moment, his feelings were truly complicated.

Not to mention whether it’s possible to sleep continuously while constantly smelling this stench. What if one accidentally rolls over in the middle of the night and ends up pressing on one of those durian shells? Wouldn’t that result in a bleeding disaster?

Seeing the alternating pale and green colors on the other’s face, Wen Liangyu secretly rejoiced, thinking that this time He Heng wouldn’t insist on sleeping with him again.

After all, who in their right mind would sleep on a bed covered with durian shells?

“Fine!”

However, he hadn’t enjoyed his victory for long before the other person’s voice abruptly interrupted his thoughts.

“What? What did you say?”

Wen Liangyu was momentarily somewhat disbelieving of his own ears.

“I said fine.” He Heng looked at him seriously. “Since you want to sleep with durian, I have no objections. But wait for me a moment.”

After saying that, he swiftly left.

In about the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, He Heng returned.

Upon his return, he had changed into a strong, round figure resembling a Michelin tire.

Just now, he used a rope to tie a quilt around himself, turning his whole person into the appearance of a Michelin tire.

Then, to Wen Liangyu’s astonished gaze, He Heng, resembling a wound-up toy, laboriously moved to the edge of the bed.

With a “bang!”

He Heng lay on the bed and, with a somersault, rolled straight into the inner side of the canopy bed. His mouth carried a triumphant smile as he turned to Wen Liangyu and said:

“Your Majesty, don’t stand there staring. Hurry up and come sleep.”

Wen Liangyu: “…”

He glanced at the bed full of durian shells and the man wrapped up like a pupa on the bed.

Well, well, he had ultimately picked up a stone and hit himself in the foot.

By the time the little emperor finished washing up, He Heng was already lying on the bed asleep.

The spacious canopy bed emitted the even and long breaths of a man. Wen Liangyu felt a bit uncomfortable for a moment. After all, in every night of the past, once it was deep into the night, his sleeping chamber would be exceptionally desolate and empty. He had always been the only one lying on the cold canopy bed, turning and tossing alone until he fell asleep.

Wen Liangyu never summoned anyone to accompany him in bed, nor did he stay overnight in the harem. In fact, since he could remember, every pitch-dark night was spent alone.

Children fear the dark and ghosts, and he was no exception. Especially during the late nights of deep winter, the cold wind outside would make the door panels rustle, producing a eerie sound. The chilling breeze infiltrated the spacious palace, creating continuous strange noises.

As a still young Wen Liangyu, living alone in a spacious and deserted sleeping chamber, his mind would be filled with the supernatural tales from storybooks. He feared that monsters might sneak into the palace while he slept, eating one of his fingers or toes.

Later on, he became accustomed to burying himself under the blanket with a pillow, as if hiding in the covers would keep the ghosts away from him.

This habit persisted until now.

No one could imagine that the dignified and solemn emperor in the court was actually afraid of the dark when sleeping at night.

But now, as Wen Liangyu looked at the other side of the large bed where He Heng was sleeping soundly wrapped up like a “pupa”, he felt as though his fear had disappeared.

He just wanted to laugh.

After hesitating for a moment, Wen Liangyu still lay down on the outer side of the canopy bed with his pillow.

But as soon as he lay down,

“Ah~”

He let out a painful cry.

The moment he lay down, the durian shell pricked Wen Liangyu’s calf.

It hurts so much.

However, at this moment, all the oil lamps in the bedroom had been extinguished, leaving the room in complete darkness. Wen Liangyu couldn’t see anything, but the large bed was covered with “durian traps” and he had no idea how these durian shells were distributed.

In this situation, he couldn’t locate the durian fragments and throw them out.

So now, lying on the bed, Wen Liangyu felt like he was dancing in a minefield.

The next moment, Wen Liangyu shifted his gaze to the inner side where He Heng was lying. The layer of quilt on him seemed to be a very sturdy defense line.

In this situation, Wen Liangyu approached He Heng gently, trying to turn him over. However, the moment he leaned over, He Heng seemed to sense it and extended his two “Michelin tire arms” to firmly embrace the young emperor. He Heng then held him, pressing Wen Liangyu completely against the wall.

The next morning, when Liu Fuyuan came to attend to Wen Liangyu’s dressing in the bedroom, he witnessed this scene: the once neat dragon bed was now covered with broken durian shells.

The young emperor’s exposed forearm revealed fair skin that appeared a bit reddened, likely from being pricked by the durian. At this moment, he was clinging to He Heng, who was wrapped in a blanket, resembling a koala.

Even Liu Fuyuan, an experienced eunuch who had served three generations of emperors, was left dumbfounded upon witnessing this scene. Could it be that the Regent and His Majesty had some peculiar game going on?

Although he didn’t understand, he was deeply shocked.

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  The story of Meng Jiangnu involves a young bride, Meng Jiangnu, whose husband is conscripted to work on the construction of the Great Wall during the Qin Dynasty in ancient China. When she goes to find him, she discovers he has died due to the harsh conditions of labor. Overwhelmed with grief, Meng Jiangnu’s tears are said to cause a section of the Great Wall to collapse, revealing her husband’s bones.