SLLBTT Chapter 20
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
⋇⊶⊰Chapter 20⊱⊷⋇
Honestly, Liu Jiao wasn't quite sure why apologizing involved undressing, but since the Great King earnestly and seriously suggested it, it must be the right thing to do, right?
Perhaps having experienced several "intimate moments," Liu Jiao had grown accustomed to undressing in front of the Great King. He untied his green silk robe, revealing his fair skin.
The Snow Wolf King sat on the couch, turned to see Liu Jiao still kneeling by the door, and said, "Come here."
Liu Jiao, now n*ked, crawled towards him. His lifeless tail trailed on the ground, brushing against the carpet with a rustling sound, like the wind rustling through leaves.
The Snow Wolf King lay on the bed, looking somewhat weary. Seeing him seemingly resting, Liu Jiao didn't dare disturb him, holding his breath, kneeling on the ground, motionless.
Liu Jiao knelt on the ground, feeling tormented. Although the fur carpet beneath was soft, and kneeling wasn't uncomfortable, his heart was in suspense.
After a brief rest, the Snow Wolf King slowly opened his eyes and said, "Why aren't you speaking?"
"This servant dare not speak," Liu Jiao bowed his head, "Afraid of offending the Great King!"
The Snow Wolf King chuckled. "How could you offend me?"
"This servant doesn't know."
The Snow Wolf King asked, "Do you know your offense?"
Liu Jiao, bewildered, responded, "This servant... also doesn't know."
Observing Liu Jiao's bewildered expression, the Snow Wolf King sighed. "Then why do you look so nervous?"
"I... I'm worried..."
"Worried about what? Speak up."
Liu Jiao said, "I'm worried that if I don't go back to study now, I might struggle in tomorrow's exam..."
The Snow Wolf King couldn't hold back a laugh as he lay back on the bed, waving his hand, "Go ahead!"
"R-really?" Seeing the Snow Wolf King quite displeased, Liu Jiao became even more uneasy.
"Go," the Snow Wolf King said, "Return to your residence."
Liu Jiao, feeling even more uneasy at these words, didn't know what to do. Following the Snow Wolf King's instructions, he bowed and took his leave.
The Snow Wolf King glanced over. "Put on your clothes before you leave."
"Oh, yes, Great King." Liu Jiao nearly forgot...
Hurriedly dressing, Liu Jiao returned to Chunguang Pavilion. Dinner arrived, but Liu Jiao didn't eat much, which surprised Da Huangya and Ah Ye. Liu Jiao not eating meat? This was unusual.
They asked, "Master, why no appetite? Are you feeling unwell?"
Liu Jiao shook his head, "No, just feeling troubled!"
Thinking Liu Jiao was worried about exams, they advised him to focus on studying and indulge in a feast after the exams.
However, Liu Jiao's mind wasn't on studying. He only thought about Snow Wolf King's attitude today. Suddenly, the Snow Wolf King turned cold towards him, making him quite upset. The more upset he felt, the more restless he became. Unable to concentrate on his books, he sighed repeatedly.
Unable to hold back, Ah Ye asked, "What's really going on, Master?"
After some thought, Liu Jiao answered, "I seem to have offended the Great King. He is upset with me."
"Heavens!" Ah Ye exclaimed, shocked, "Why didn't you say such a significant thing earlier?"
Liu Jiao replied, "I... I thought I should come back to study and prepare for the exam first..."
Ah Ye's forehead throbbed with pain. After a while, he said, "Master, are you being foolish? With your current level, studying more won't make a difference. You're bound to perform poorly in the exam! But even if you don't excel academically and the Great King likes you, your life will be comfortable. However, if you offend the Great King, how will you survive in the harem?"
With Ah Ye's reminder, Liu Jiao suddenly saw the light. He exclaimed, "Right, studying is not more important than pleasing the Great King!"
"Exactly," Ah Ye said, "You should prioritize the Great King!"
Liu Jiao finally realized how foolish he had been during the day. Consumed by the upcoming exams, he had been oblivious to the Snow Wolf King's unhappiness. This wouldn't do. He needed to make the Snow Wolf King happy.
He grasped this realization a bit late. The Snow Wolf King had been unhappy for most of the day. Even the Snow Hall felt colder than usual. Hong Huli and Lanmao were shivering, fearing they'd face repercussions.
Despite having read official reports for most of the night and completing today's "diligent governance" tasks exceptionally well, the Snow Wolf King couldn't find joy. He threw the tablet, which Hong Huli failed to catch, shattering the screen. Hong Huli knelt and apologized, "Great King, I was wrong..."
"Wrong? Do you even understand what's wrong?" the Snow Wolf King coldly demanded.
"I..." Hong Huli knew he was the target of displaced anger, but he could only respond with the standard apology, "I am guilty and deserve death!"
The Snow Wolf King snorted coldly, turned and walked towards the front hall. Suddenly, he heard a faint sound and turned around, hands behind his back, heading towards the side hall.
Seeing the lights on in the side hall, the Snow Wolf King pushed the door open and found Liu Jiao kneeling under the light. Liu Jiao looked up, somewhat timid, and said, "Great King... I've come to admit my guilt... very sincerely. You see, I've even undressed..."
Although unsure about the etiquette of undressing, Liu Jiao thought following the Snow Wolf King's instructions was the right thing to do!