The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 41

Wen Reian

2004 years after The Long Night

Jingshén

<Kitchen>

After bringing water back to fill the pots, Reian got to work helping the others clean the kitchen. It was his turn this week, and even if it wasn't, he needed something to help take his mind off of a few things. Well, a thing. A person-

"Wen Reian!"

Hardly startled, the boy turned to see Cheng Mu grinning at him from the doorway, holding a satchel of apples. From where they were scrubbing the floor, the younger boys; Tian Ju and Cai Le-Ling glanced up and blinked confused, round eyes...

"Mu Mu?!" A'Ju cried. "Those are for the celebration, not to eat!"

The older boy, about sixteen, laughed loudly as he teased the two children by waving the bag just out of reach.

When Reian went to reach for it Cheng Mu pulled away, his usual brand of mischief and trouble-making gleaming bright in his eyes.

Reian sighed. "A'Cheng, please give them back."

The boy just stuck his chin out and frowned.

"If you're so powerful now, Wen Reian, you can come get them yourself!"

Reian heard A'Ju and A'Ling complain loudly, their tiny voices beginning to argue.

"That's not fair!"

"Mu Mu, don't be mean!"

Reian wasn't bothered by the boy's teasing. It took a lot of patience to live in such a place as this and if he grew frustrated by every little prank and rumor, he'd drive himself mad. So turning over his shoulder, Wen Reian smiled and in a calm voice said to the two boys...

"It's alright, don't worry."

A'Ju stared up at him. "Rei Rei, are you really powerful now? Xie Xie said so-"

Xie Xie also thinks sleeping two hours a night is healthy...

Before Wen Rei could decide how to reply, a deep voice echoed from the doorway.

"What's going on here?"

As his heart began beating wildly, Reian already knew who it was before he even turned around.

Yi-jun stood behind Cheng Mu, staring right at Reian. It was the first time they had seen each other in several days, since what had happened in the green house, and despite having plenty of time to figure out what to say, Wen Reian was still quite nervous to be face to face with the King again...

A'Ju wasted no time-

"Mister King Sir, Mu Mu has taken all the apples for the celebration!"

Reian was about to tell Yi-jun to just go wait outside for a few moments, but then the King crossed his arms-

"I see... well, that doesn't seem fair."

Reian noticed that Cheng Mu had started looking nervous, his eyes shifting back and forth. When Yi-jun placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, he jumped...

Wen Rei heard what the King whispered then;

"Wen Reian might be too kind to stop you, but I've dealt with a lot of apple thieves in my day... Off you go now-"