HNYWEF -Chapter 144 The Remaining Sanity

Li Shimin stood in the hall, still not fully recovered from what Zhou Yi had just said.

When the door was pushed open, he looked up and froze for a moment upon seeing the purple-robed figure enter.

Zhou Xiong.

He was in court attire, standing at the doorway, his face completely expressionless.

Behind him were Zhou Yi and Li Lizhi. The two stood just behind him and did not come in.

Li Shimin opened his mouth.

“Zhou Xiong… you…”

Zhou Xiong ignored him.

He walked in and glanced around.

His gaze swept over the long table, over the dishes that had not yet been cleared away, over Li Chengqian and Li Tai standing to the side, over Empress Changsun—finally landing on Li Shimin’s face.

Then he moved.

He walked to the dining table and sat down next to the seat Li Shimin had just been in.

Picked up the chopsticks.

Took a bite of a dish.

Put it into his mouth.

Chewed.

Swallowed.

Li Shimin stood there watching him.

Zhou Yi stood at the doorway, wanting to go over, but not daring to.

Li Lizhi held his hand and didn’t move either.

Zhou Xiong picked up another bite.

Li Shimin still said nothing.

Zhou Xiong ate another mouthful.

Then he finally spoke.

“By the way, that batch of weapons you confiscated from me last time—did you send them to the Ministry of Works?”

He looked at Li Shimin, chopsticks still in hand.

“Those were meant to be teaching models. Don’t let them get melted down. There are a few composite-steel pieces in there—I wasted a lot of material on them.”

Li Shimin stood motionless.

“And didn’t you say you wanted me to become some kind of Deputy Director in the Directorate of Construction?”

He looked into Zhou Xiong’s eyes.

He was smiling, moving, speaking—but beneath that gaze, there was still chaos.

It hadn’t dispersed.

Still hadn’t.

Zhou Xiong picked up another bite.

“And about that Cheng Yaojin matter.”

He set down his chopsticks and looked at Li Shimin.

“I cracked his head open last time. I should go apologize.”

He shook his head slightly.

“Bring two jars of wine later. Let him curse me a bit and we’ll call it even.”

Li Shimin still said nothing.

After a moment, Zhou Xiong picked up another bite.

He ate a couple more mouthfuls, then suddenly looked up.

He glanced at Li Shimin, then at Li Chengqian and Li Tai, then at Empress Changsun, then at the two by the door.

He frowned.

“Why aren’t you all eating? I’m the only one eating—how awkward is that?”

Only then did Li Shimin move.

He walked over and stopped in front of Zhou Xiong.

Extended his hand.

Pressed it onto Zhou Xiong’s hand holding the chopsticks.

Zhou Xiong froze.

He looked up at Li Shimin.

His mouth opened—the familiar curse was about to come out—

But Li Shimin spoke first.

“Letting you eat our leftovers like this would be too embarrassing.”

The words got stuck in Zhou Xiong’s throat.

Li Shimin didn’t let go.

He turned and called outside.

“Someone!”

A eunuch rushed in.

Li Shimin said, “Have the Imperial Kitchen prepare a full new table. Quickly.”

The eunuch hurried out again.

Li Shimin turned back to Zhou Xiong.

His hand was still holding Zhou Xiong’s.

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

They stared at each other.

Zhou Xiong’s lips moved.

He wanted to curse.

But it didn’t come out.

He looked into Li Shimin’s eyes.

There was something there.

He couldn’t describe it.

He lowered his head and looked at the hand being held down.

Then he looked up again.

“Li Er.”

Li Shimin waited.

Zhou Xiong said, “You son of a—”

He paused.

“—you’re pretty good at handling things.”

Li Shimin froze for a moment.

Then he suddenly let out a soft laugh.

Very light.

He released his hand.

And sat down beside him.

“Wait a bit. The hot dishes will be here soon.”

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

Said nothing.

But he didn’t curse again.

Zhou Yi stood at the doorway, watching everything from start to finish.

Watching Li Shimin holding his father’s hand, watching that expression his father had when he failed to curse, watching the two of them sit there without speaking anymore.

His eyes suddenly felt a little sore.

He didn’t know why.

Li Lizhi gently squeezed his hand.

Zhou Yi lowered his head and looked at her.

She didn’t speak, only looked at him.

But he understood that gaze.

It’s okay.

At least for this moment, it was okay.

Zhou Xiong sat there and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

He looked at Li Shimin.

“That Cheng Yaojin matter—you help me say something.”

Li Shimin nodded.

“Alright.”

Zhou Xiong continued, “And keep an eye on those weapons.”

Li Shimin nodded again.

“Alright.”

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

“Why do you only nod and not speak?”

Li Shimin thought for a moment.

“What do you want to hear?”

Zhou Xiong froze.

Then he suddenly smiled.

Not that strange smile—this one was real.

Soft.

“Forget it. You should just stay quiet.”

Li Shimin didn’t speak.

But the corners of his mouth lifted slightly too.

The eunuchs returned with freshly prepared dishes and set the table.

Steam rose warmly, and the aroma filled the entire hall.

Zhou Xiong picked up his chopsticks.

Took a bite.

Chewed.

Nodded.

Li Shimin sat beside him, watching him eat.

Saying nothing.

Zhou Yi and Li Lizhi quietly moved inside and sat in a corner.

Li Chengqian and Li Tai exchanged glances and returned to their seats as well.

Empress Changsun had servants add more bowls and chopsticks.

A family gathered around a new table.

No one mentioned what had happened earlier.

Zhou Xiong ate for a while, then suddenly looked up.

He glanced at Zhou Yi.

“What are you doing sitting so far away? Come over and eat.”

Zhou Yi froze.

Then stood up and walked over.

Sat down beside his father.

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

Said nothing.

He picked up a piece of meat and placed it into his bowl.

Zhou Yi looked down at it.

His eyes reddened again.

But he didn’t cry.

He picked it up and ate it.

Zhou Xiong then placed another bite into Li Lizhi’s bowl.

Li Lizhi looked up at him.

Zhou Xiong said, “Eat.”

She nodded.

And ate.

The hall grew quiet.

Only the sound of chopsticks and bowls.

And the faint crackle of burning charcoal.

Outside, snow was still falling.

And it was falling harder.