บท 221: Wiles

Yan Zheyun's mind went blank. At that point, all thoughts of watching his step and making sure his enemies couldn't get a hold of him dissolved. Before he knew it, he had sprinted towards the pond, Xiao De hot on his heels, his frantic pleas for Yan Zheyun to mind his step largely falling on deaf ears. 

Liu An's place in his heart had steadily morphed over the months. He was an adorable boy, and feeling kindness towards him wasn't difficult. But the time spent together with Liu An in his care had shifted the trajectory somewhat. Liu An was no longer just a student or his boyfriend's younger brother. He certainly had never been just a means of securing Liu Yao's reign, one of an arsenal of tools they could use to gain leverage in the situation where Liu Yao was accountable for naming an heir but unwilling to produce one himself.