Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Translator: Silvery ButterflyquYoEZkDaACTaFZWRGgLvAHtxmkDNS

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Xiao Bao was at a loss, unable to recall a single word of his prepared speech. He could only look at Huai En with guilt, grievance, and hope.nKHSaRvIUicXmuUOagmQxfLHJzQDfr

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Unfortunately, Xiao Bao was clearly no match in a test of endurance. Under Huai En’s relentless gaze, he completely surrendered. Dragging his stiff body forward, he lowered his head and whispered in a pleading tone, “Are you still mad at me?”QXmydgXuNYUVmANBWRjiVHxCQeUYlr

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Huai En said nothing, continuing to scrutinize him with a critical eye.HuPDSvzjZZuVBDhpSGDRIrKwECOmtI

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“It hurt a lot that day…… You were really ruthless. Why couldn’t you just listen to my explanation?”YBhsuPBDrUHgdfuobvLfZBLSLyNUHA

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For some reason, this statement triggered something in Huai En. He exploded in anger, “You dare to mention that day to me!”JdobVDFFTUjfRWcaGvoAmFiBqUwFWl

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Xiao Bao grabbed his sleeve anxiously, “You can’t wrong me like this. I didn’t do anything. I went to Master Liu’s place to get a medicinal recipe for my father. Who knew they would all be there? I couldn’t refuse their hospitality. I didn’t want to go. I planned to have a drink and leave……”bTNZypzfixqfQvUvWJxynniFseaKjD

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Huai En flung his hand away and coldly retorted, “You didn’t do anything because I got there early enough.”DoXirgRpBgcYgUEYmGkGBJmOfXDmjb

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Xiao Bao’s eyes reddened, “You don’t trust me at all. I know I had a bad reputation before, but now my heart belongs only to you. How can you not listen to my explanation and resort to such extremes? How can you be so heartless?”ZaVxKblNKwFdxLJxhQAFTBNBNXTCOq

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Huai En restrained himself, but his hand seemed to have a mind of its own. He slapped Xiao Bao, knocking him to the ground, and then stepped on his chest, shouting angrily, “You debase yourself and blame me for being ruthless. Consider yourself lucky I didn’t strangle you! If you end up on top of another woman, should I sit down for a heart-to-heart with you first? Is this the first time you’ve realized how ruthless I can be? If you dare to deceive me, you should have the courage to face the consequences! You want to live a life of pleasure? I’ll help you! Take your sweet talk and so-called sincerity and feed it to the dogs!”VoNaGEyLwrbBBsOwqmDIBnusmPXVXw

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Huai En was so furious that his hands clenched into fists inside his sleeves, his nails digging into his flesh unnoticed. He needed to leave before he lost his remaining self-control.HBLrtpaToHRDblFCUqgIzBggbDuFvr

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This was the most Xiao Bao had ever heard Huai En speak since knowing him, and it was also the most devastating. It felt as if his world was collapsing, and he had to grab onto something. Before his mind could react, his hands had already clasped around Huai En’s departing leg.TWjqUouajcxTGQIGxqGAoRKirZEekR

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Huai En, caught in a surge of anger, hesitated. Looking down, he roared, “What are you doing? Let go!”kqteneAwrGMGiVassBZdVFBolZTwBk

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Xiao Bao clung tightly to Huai En’s leg, refusing to let go, crying as he said, “Huai En, I was wrong, don’t go, I won’t say anything anymore. It’s all my fault. Don’t be mad at me, don’t leave. I won’t dare to do it again. I’ll listen to whatever you say. Just don’t leave.”BtQqlSknRluLaFCkKcOFjCTtHMrwPX

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Tears streamed down Xiao Bao’s cheeks and into his mouth. By the end, his words became more and more unclear, and he looked increasingly pitiful.EjgWKRIDyCXxfLtoamskJvAoBKVpDj

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He had long since lost all dignity in front of Huai En, so this was no different. What was the point of shame, or pride? If those things were useful, would he be feeling so miserable? If Huai En didn’t want him anymore, he wouldn’t want anything else. What good would face be then? Just thinking about Huai En leaving and never caring about him again felt like having his heart gouged out. All the little moments between them were things he had shamelessly fought for. He wasn’t made of stone; of course he knew what it was to feel embarrassed, ashamed, and heartbroken. But that was all he knew. Just one smile from Huai En was enough to make him forget everything. That’s why he said he must be bewitched, possessed. He had always been so useless. He had handed his whole life over to this person, yet this person still didn’t care. What else could he do but give his heart and soul?xXzMXzCWCDzlLJKHCGIkEMAkBBqMNd

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Huai En looked down at Xiao Bao’s tear-streaked face, feeling both disdain and heartache.SjnDPDnsiKBVdvnTlBiByjeKdqssaG

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In his memory, this face was always full of expressions. When happy, he smiled; when sad, he cried. When dissatisfied, he complained. When he wanted something, he asked. Even if he tried to deceive or play tricks, it was easily seen through. From character to ability, he wasn’t worth admiring, not even enough to make Huai En reluctantly call him competent. Just as he couldn’t understand what Xiao Bao saw in him, he also didn’t understand how he had unknowingly become so attached to this person.kHvhqNjxmlFrwtSJeHELSdZXheiOaM

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What he said earlier about letting him go was just words spoken in anger. Whether Jin Xiao Bao liked it or not, he couldn’t escape from his grasp. Even if Jin Xiao Bao had no redeeming qualities, only he knew that this was the only person in the world who genuinely cared for him, wanting nothing but him.bLXUgednDBnyizpTLZiJyiKbdaAdYB

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He didn’t demand Xiao Bao to be talented in literature or martial arts or to have profound understanding and righteousness. He only wanted Xiao Bao to be by his side at all times, with eyes only for him, accompanying him until they grew old.RcBQGzgFMUDQrFghGEEZIKhzXGbpiV

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Looking at that tear-streaked face, even if he was angry, he couldn’t bring himself to express it.NXAGlXecpFIzNWDExRVgPKrzfxLFIn

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Huai En sighed deeply, grabbing Xiao Bao’s arm, trying to pull him up from the ground. “Get up.”zDfzkgAEDtCgEbVNpOizjIBYBPZtGv

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Xiao Bao clung tighter to his leg, choking with sobs, “Are you leaving? Don’t leave.”ohYvzeKcAwLBOheqgYqeVEhGeqjpbO

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Huai En didn’t respond. With a tug, he lifted Xiao Bao up, took a few steps back, and placed him on the bed.YGxyypkZQJNWNSMpEGTtLoXomSufxb

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Xiao Bao switched to grabbing Huai En’s arm, holding on tightly.IZYdodcTyKbrFtsSCjAWkESurImEXv

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Huai En sat down beside him, holding Xiao Bao’s round face in his hands. He roughly wiped the tears off Xiao Bao’s face with his thumbs and sighed, “How can you cry so much? You’re a grown man, and you still cry like this. Aren’t you ashamed?”JmWViEbXNsbvyeYPcJrcRqcBJBsAen

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Xiao Bao blinked and stared at him.COQhhoQoXmbXYrhosycAFPJshsSfwF

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“I really don’t know what to do with you……,” Huai En muttered, almost to himself. Then, he looked deeply into Xiao Bao’s eyes and said sternly, “Tell me, will you ever go to that place again?”vrCmpBCjqQwZRvtMmuszTFoIUoXJzS

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Xiao Bao’s eyebrows lifted, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, and he shook his head vigorously, “Absolutely not.”hlYHDWTZRJtvGHXkgLUdiLEBEBjdsm

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“Will you ever like anyone else, whether male or female?”UcMCxKtJJWPnPiwMjzeEmSnhsFfDfl

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“Absolutely not. I only like you, and I will only ever like you, until death.”ZnQrxXecglctmFclYeXnxBArgaxTyZ

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Huai En pressed his lips together, looking at him for a long moment before saying, “I don’t care if what you say is true or not, or how much you can achieve. If you ever do it again, I will not forgive you. Do you understand?”wmxZtwvkpaSlSPJGcaMMuWNjABmRSc

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Xiao Bao nodded vigorously, almost bursting into tears again, this time from happiness. If Huai En was saying this, then it meant that the storm was almost over.yjqVaclKYTJmSXLURxpAldpHbJwwVK

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Huai En still had feelings for him, even if just a little, as long as there were feelings, it was enough.ScMhAYIONHyNzhUSUGEnEkUhqJvEYq

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Gently touching the swollen side of Xiao Bao’s face, Huai En frowned, feeling a bit remorseful, “Does it hurt?”XimGrAtVhzKrjRcOppslssgJYsgqLt

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Xiao Bao nodded, afraid that Huai En wouldn’t understand, and made a pained and aggrieved expression.MwOaeOBkswNqGpCGNHneatSaDTmoXE

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Huai En’s cold palm pressed against Xiao Bao’s face, gently rubbing it. “Don’t make me angry in the future. If you make me angry again……”rGMAZaDDvdggbrGfUTbSZXfLJQwiHT

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Xiao Bao’s body trembled, his shoulders shrank, and his head drooped.klbSIlJgHXHHNxUjdADcZOnrXPweUh

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Huai En lifted his face, holding it and looking at him seriously. “Don’t be afraid. Even if you make me angry again, I won’t hit you.”yarxDhxruIOfEyjZrrFTNPntuMWpCA

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Xiao Bao’s eyes widened, and he asked skeptically, “Really?”cXoeKgUovGBqdAsErmpsmpyNrmurwo

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“Really. You’re a delicate young master, as fragile as porcelain. I never wanted to hurt you, but you’re even more delicate than the wolf cubs I used to raise. They weren’t even as heavy as one of your arms. I won’t hit you anymore.”PKvrkVPNUIUxIAAwHjtoFJCqbYCpID

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Xiao Bao burrowed into his embrace, hugging his waist, and mumbled, “You have to keep your word. If I do something wrong, tell me. I will change. I’ll listen to you from now on. Just don’t hit me. I’m most afraid of pain.”qyUgpBNecOlGAhqznmSYVifmViLtMN

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Huai En paused and said, “I won’t hit you, but there are other ways to deal with you. Behave yourself and don’t have any more crooked thoughts.”xGYwYwJYwhPHbEpPrVrWpzXQdbbgem

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“I won’t dare to anymore……”xwCtJpuJNNJuFhmbCuuGgUmkhcJlzz

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Huai En held the person in his arms, feeling a deep sense of desolation. Xiao Bao cared about him a lot. While this made him somewhat pleased, it didn’t ease his anxiety. He couldn’t fully trust something he couldn’t completely control. Xiao Bao’s reputation was well-known; they were from entirely different worlds. Even if Xiao Bao was infatuated with him now, what about the future? What if he aged and his looks faded?zwnLAGYAMEaZInajUnWBxrarJifgAp

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If someone had told him before that he would worry about getting old and ugly and being abandoned, he would have snapped their neck on the spot. But now, he found himself actually considering such ridiculous thoughts.GVtahaqIDvTtunBGjEOdErWzaqqUsx

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Why would Jin Xiao Bao like him? Besides his face, what else could it be? Even at the beginning, it was because he disguised himself as a woman that Xiao Bao got entangled with him. In a few years, when he grew taller and his features hardened, would Xiao Bao still treasure him? If one day Xiao Bao stopped caring about him…… he couldn’t bear to think about it, nor could he let that happen. Xiao Bao was fickle and lacked perseverance. If he couldn’t ensure Xiao Bao “wouldn’t,” he had to make sure Xiao Bao “couldn’t” and “didn’t dare.” Only by keeping Xiao Bao tightly in his grasp could he feel at ease.izfBtvxutSjwjOiwwidGPuuGAzhqEm

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The person in his arms moved, lifting his head to gently kiss him from the corner of his mouth down to his jawline, then softly sucking on his Adam’s apple, while his hands tugged at his waistband.YXJNXaMzluDWmBxNHoQoBKGZSbxhCB

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Huai En pressed down on Xiao Bao’s hands, looking down at him. Xiao Bao’s expression was one of offering himself in sacrifice, clearly trying to please him.nsVjecLliTYizZeVlTCLZpMerKVusI

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Glancing out the window, Huai En noticed how late it had gotten……roaXaJJYbZRuxapIIHpgSTIWVfVOQa

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Xiao Bao leaned in for another kiss. “Baby, let me make you feel good today, okay? As long as you aren’t angry anymore, I’ll do anything you say.”LrCKESzZnrfVbIrJhcjAmItPswjWyB

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Huai En pressed him down, and they both rolled onto the bed.DflgimNkojDfubbAqEkumGHkkNjRIt

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Xiao Bao still felt lingering fear from that day. He was already so scared, and although he had healed, it seemed like the pain was starting again. However, he thought this was the best way to please Huai En. As long as it made Huai En happy, he would endure the pain.DNSanWPkTiwjBAWfqLPjcbSsdoFGWD

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Unexpectedly, Huai En held him and lay down but didn’t continue. He just buried his head in Xiao Bao’s neck and whispered, “Don’t move. Just let me hold you for a while.”xuNUnxrfLjsmDHSpIZNpJzFeyaCWfC

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Xiao Bao relaxed all his limbs and hugged him back. They lay there intimately and quietly. Xiao Bao couldn’t help but recall the endless tender moments in the cave, but for some reason, the same actions that had once felt blissful and beautiful now felt as if something heavy was pressing on his chest, causing a suffocating feeling he couldn’t quite describe.RrBobdFYOqguBtHLePZsmrSTVErIaY

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No one was willing to be the first to break this rare and gentle tranquility. Just as Xiao Bao was drowsily falling asleep, dreaming of reconciling with Huai En and thinking they would sleep peacefully until morning, a muffled clang of metal abruptly intruded between them.feEKMDULzPlMrBIekARlQWCHeDVBoI

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Xiao Bao, who was in a daze, suddenly woke up. Unexpectedly, the person he was holding reacted even more strongly, his body visibly trembling. Xiao Bao turned over and patted his back. “It’s nothing, just the night watchman.”YpLCxTKeWwqZhUEiyHSaJOuAvKybEw

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However, the person in his arms was breathing unevenly, his head buried as he asked, “Xiao Bao, you did something wrong, and I don’t blame you. If I did something wrong, would you blame me?”qWFJEpehpbJhAXkXENXsLomJrKmVrx

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Xiao Bao was stunned by his question and answered without thinking, “Of course not, how could I ever blame you?”LYeADimKVcmuqMZVBmVuLdhCfpoSuA

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Huai En lifted his head, his eyes flashing with a strange light in the darkness. “Really?”SeqlCdRwNgIkPRdfikmrdMEMEJxjry

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Xiao Bao instinctively replied, “Really,” but felt a sudden panic. “Huai En, what are you trying to say……”DkTxkUiwDKEjJQBcBxPtfvNxXXVEiN

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He had never seen Huai En with such an expression before. It was like the sea, with turbulent undercurrents beneath a calm surface. His eyebrows, usually as serene as distant mountains, now showed intense struggle, as if he couldn’t advance nor retreat. However, these emotions vanished in an instant, leaving only calmness and determination in his eyes when Xiao Bao looked again.WJKVTZyDzTVDZPIOMkbKfGEdgWnCQp

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“Xiao Bao, have I ever told you my family name?”eRGJHKWiFbCoIDvjlgRccGLLLvPUov

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Xiao Bao stared at him blankly, feeling a chaotic turmoil in his chest that left him breathless. Instinctively, he didn’t want to hear anything more.oosWpXtmhnncZKpUAxPkicRVYPYCXK

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With the indifference and calmness from when they first met, Huai En clearly said, “Xiao Bao, remember all the things you’ve said, and remember my name. My family name is Zong Zheng, Zong Zheng Huai En.”PfEjxhtaiWTZyMvPmUzISxgVzyvkNz

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Zong Zheng…… Zong Zheng!!!oqJBFvRlCXDMBDYcLXkhMYIKXWKnIY

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Xiao Bao could no longer think. A numbness spread across the back of his neck, and he fell into darkness.OFAkmaLAdCnyaqKcOKoBiWKJoxZgbX

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Huai En’s flickering eyes silently watched the person in his arms. His tightly pressed lips and stiff jawline betrayed his inner turmoil. He softly kissed Xiao Bao’s brows, eyes, nose, and lips, wanting to engrave his sleeping face into his heart and into every inch of his skin.ZajNWcRuDZLwWkUigQMSopCyHiZZkq

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Despite his deep reluctance, despite his confusion—he who had never regretted his decisions—was now beginning to waver. But he could no longer stop the unfolding events. He only hoped that this time he was still making the right choice.VPsjgMugolMafuANXuvqHRcXxNSprJ

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“Xiao Bao, don’t blame me. I will come back for you. Don’t blame me. Wait for me to come back.” The gentle murmurs of his vow quickly vanished into the air. The warmth in the room was blown away by the night wind, and the sudden drop in temperature made the person on the bed frown, but he did not wake up……iFazvYuqXSTLMYHGUCogsemxrfHQgM

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