TTTQF Chapter 73

Sleeping Here Today

With a hint of guilt towards Pei Che, Jiang Miao goes all out and prepares a large table of dishes. Pei Che doesn’t act as if he is above it all today; he helps by peeling some garlic and other things beside him.

When Xiao Shitou and Pei Mu come over after washing their hands, they are astonished by the large spread of food. Xiao Shitou quietly whispers in Pei Mu’s ear, “Brother is biased. As soon as Brother Pei Che arrives, he makes so many delicious dishes!” These days, Jiang Miao experiments for the breakfast shop, making elaborate breakfasts, but the dinners have become a bit perfunctory. Recently, there has even only been noodles for the past two days, so it’s no wonder Xiao Shitou says that.

A trace of confusion flashes in Pei Mu’s eyes. What does bias mean?

Xiao Shitou understands his expression: “Bias means, Dahua gives birth to so many kittens, but you only pet Xiao Baidian and only give Xiao Baidian food to eat.”

Pei Mu ponders for a moment and nods. Xiao Baidian is different, so Brother is also different in Brother Miao’s heart.

Pei Che doesn’t notice that his younger brother has quietly grown up in places he doesn’t see, even learning to think independently, unlike the hollow puppet he used to be.

It is rare for the four of them to gather together, and the meal is very enjoyable. After eating, Jiang Miao makes some hawthorn tea to aid digestion. Seeing that the pot of tea is almost finished and Pei Che still shows no signs of wanting to leave, Jiang Miao says, “It’s getting late.”

Pei Che looks outside and says, “It is indeed getting late.” Despite this, he still sits calmly in the chair with no sign of moving.

“It’s dark now; it’s not convenient to travel. Aren’t you going to go back?” With the hint failing, Jiang Miao has to be direct.

“I’m not leaving today.” Pei Che lifts his cup and takes a sip of the sweet and sour hawthorn tea, seemingly unconcerned about how shocked Jiang Miao is by his words.

“You’re not leaving? You’re going to sleep here?”

“Mm!” Pei Che’s attitude is resolute. Since it isn’t a holiday or festival, if he goes back to the Duke's Mansion now, he will definitely be interrogated by his grandmother. It is better not to leave and to return directly to the Imperial Academy early the next morning.

A few years ago, due to the lax attitude of the Imperial Academy students, who often wander around with nothing to do, they eventually get into trouble. This enrages the emperor, who demands that all students must reside on campus and that no vacations be granted except during New Year and festivals, even eliminating their rest days.

Jiang Miao sighs, “Brother, look around. Is there any space left for you to sleep here?” There are only two rooms with one bed, and the bed is already occupied by one adult and two children. Adding another person would surely make it collapse.

“I can just stay in the study for the night,” Pei Che says nonchalantly.

“Please, Xiao Shitou’s study has nothing but a table and chairs. Do you think there’s a couch like in your study?” Ancient people aren’t used to staying up all night. Staying in the study all night—how would you manage to go to school the next day? “Why don’t you stay at an inn outside?” Jiang Miao suggests.

Pei Che looks troubled, furrowing his brows, as if recalling something that fills him with resistance.

Thinking that he skips school because of him, Jiang Miao compromises, “Forget it, you can sleep on the bed.”

“Will there be enough room?” Pei Che asks, somewhat excited. He has never slept in the same bed with others before.

“There’s enough room. The bed is quite spacious for two children and one adult.” Jiang Miao compares silently and finds that Pei Che is only a bit taller than him and not overweight, so there should be no problem.

“And what about you?” Pei Che raises an eyebrow. He thought that Jiang Miao was suggesting everyone will sleep together.

“Me? I’ll just sleep on a mat on the floor,” Jiang Miao says. When he first started making a living, he didn’t have much money and stayed at a friend’s rented house for a few days, sleeping on a mat on the floor at that time.

“Sleep on the floor? Sleep directly on the floor? Never mind, I’ll just go to the study to read,” Pei Che decides, thinking he can manage one night.

“It’s not exactly sleeping directly on the floor.” Jiang Miao goes out a few times, brings in a large pile of straw, and lays it thickly in a corner against the wall. Then he takes a mat and a blanket from the cupboard and spreads them on top.

Xiao Shitou excitedly runs over and flops down on the makeshift bed, rolling around. He is familiar with this setup; in previous years, when visiting relatives with his third uncle and aunt for New Year’s, everyone slept on the floor because there were too many people.

Pei Mu follows him, pressing the soft straw mat with his hands and tentatively sitting down with a look of amazement. He has never seen such a bedding arrangement before.

“Brother, can I sleep on the mat with you tonight, and let Xiao Mu and his brother sleep in the bed?” Xiao Shitou suggests.

Pei Mu’s small face quickly falls, and he throws himself down with a sigh, showing his displeasure. He wants to sleep on the mat too!

“Alright, you can sleep on the floor with me.” Jiang Miao looks at the spacious area and thinks it won’t be a problem to sleep there occasionally. He opens the cupboard and takes out a large blanket to use later.

Pei Che looks at the lively scene over there and can’t help but feel a bit excluded. Although the bed is technically his, the people on it have all left.

When Jiang Miao comes out with the two children after they finish washing up, he finds that Pei Che has already laid down on the makeshift bed.

“What are you doing?”

“As a guest, how could I take over someone else's bed?” Pei Che replies.

“Speak plainly!”

“I want to sleep here.”

Jiang Miao feels helpless and can’t understand why this young lord would prefer to sleep on the floor instead of the bed. What’s the difference between him and a child?

“So what about you two? Are you sleeping in the bed or here?” Jiang Miao doesn’t want to argue with him and just asks the two children.

Xiao Shitou and Pei Mu are torn. Emotionally, they prefer to sleep with Jiang Miao, but rationally, they know this is a rare opportunity to sleep on the mat, and who knows when they’ll get another chance.

The two make their choice, and Jiang Miao, seeing them settled and covered, happily heads for the big bed. He can hardly remember the last time he slept alone. It feels so good to stretch out his arms and legs freely.

Jiang Miao blows out the candle and goes to sleep contentedly. Pei Che, having finally gotten his way, is initially excited, but once the two children fall asleep, the nightmare begins.

It is either Pei Mu placing his hand on his face or Xiao Shitou kicking around with his feet. No sooner does he manage to adjust the two of them into place than they revert to their old ways within a quarter of an hour.

Pei Che stares blankly at the dark ceiling, feeling exhausted. The sound of Jiang Miao’s peaceful breathing from the bed only makes him more uncomfortable. After being assaulted by the little octopuses once again, he gets up from the floor.

After adjusting the blankets for the two children, Pei Che quietly climbs into the bed. Jiang Miao, who had been sprawling out before sleep, is now lying neatly. It seems that after sleeping with the two children for a while, he unconsciously keeps his movements restrained.

The moment Pei Che's head touches the pillow, he feels a wave of drowsiness wash over him. He closes his eyes and, accompanied by the gentle sound of breathing beside him, falls into a deep, sweet sleep.

…

In his groggy state, Jiang Miao feels someone squeeze in beside him. He thinks it is Xiao Shitou or Pei Mu, so he reaches out to pull them into his arms and pat their backs.

But after touching for a while, he feels something is off. How come this back is even wider than his own?

Jiang Miao sleepily opens his eyes. The room is still dim, but with the faint light, he sees a large, handsome face next to his pillow. He is startled and recoils, bumping his head against the wall and letting out a surprised "Ouch!"

Pei Che also wakes up at this point and sees Jiang Miao with tears in his eyes, holding his head and glaring at him. He is momentarily confused.

“Hey, what are you doing in my bed?”

Pei Che answers with indignation, “How was I to know they would sleep so before they fall asleep?”

“Then just bring them up here,” Jiang Miao says, still quite annoyed. Waking up to find a large man next to you—who can stand that?

“During a deep sleep, if someone disturbs you, it’s bound to be unpleasant. Rather than waking them, it’s better if I come up myself. I’ve heard that among friends, sleeping close together is common. Why are you making such a fuss?” Pei Che is somewhat puzzled, as books often say this.

“You still have the nerve to be confused?” Jiang Miao rolls his eyes and says with irritation, “From the way you’re talking, it sounds like you often sleep with those people with the surname Han?”

“Are you referring to Han Qin and the others? Not really.” Pei Che can’t help but think about it and shiver.

“That’s settled then. The idea of friends sleeping closely is just a lie,” Jiang Miao says. It’s normal for girls to sleep together, but two men sharing a bed feels a little awkward.

“Not at all,” Pei Che suddenly wears a mocking expression. “It’s not that I wouldn’t be willing to sleep close together with them; it’s just that each of them has a guest room at home.” Only at Jiang Miao’s place would one additional person mean someone has to sleep on the floor.

Jiang Miao is speechless. “Alright then, next time, go to those friends with guest rooms and don’t sleep here!”

“Are you angry?”

“Angry? Why would I be angry? Isn’t this just the truth?” Jiang Miao snorts coldly.

“If you were willing to stay at Jiang’s residence, you wouldn’t be without a guest room,” Pei Che says.

“Don’t!” Jiang Miao is alarmed at the mention of Jiang's residence. “Those people are still eager to meet the man whom the Young Master has been betrothed to. If I move in, wouldn’t I be giving myself away? It’d be no fun with people watching me everywhere I go.”

“I thought it was because their service was lacking that you didn’t like staying there.”

“Well, that too,” Jiang Miao admits, “but it’s not about poor service. It’s that they serve too well—someone even takes the trouble to hand over the handkerchiefs. It’s too decadent!” Jiang Miao is afraid he’ll be corrupted by such pampered living. He can’t adapt to this kind of capitalist lifestyle.

“Decadent?” Pei Che is puzzled. Having always been served since birth, he doesn’t understand why Jiang Miao views such expected treatment as a sign of decadence.

“It’s not that either. It’s just that I’m used to being poor and can’t adapt to that kind of life.” Jiang Miao has no intention of discussing ideas about equality. He’s just an ordinary person and doesn’t have the ability to talk about such things. Maybe he can discuss it in his next life, if he were to be born as an emperor or something.

“People often say it’s easy to move from frugality to luxury, but hard to move from luxury to frugality. You seem different,” Pei Che says with a smile.

The two of them lie in bed, chatting naturally, creating a harmony even more evident than that of couples who share the same bed but have different dreams.

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