Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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General Zhenyuan and the others originally thought that Lu Huan had been demoted by the emperor to guard the imperial tombs, but after Lu Huan explained, they understood.
Lu Huan’s decision was indeed correct. Currently, several princes in the capital all desired the throne. Originally, these ambitions could perhaps be somewhat restrained, but after Lu Huan returned to the capital as the Ninth Prince, the Second and Fifth Princes became restless. If Lu Huan had remained in the capital, he would undoubtedly have faced their open and covert attacks.
Lu Huan didn’t find this a threat; he could simply deal with whatever came his way. However, if things continued like this, he wouldn’t have time to do anything else. Rather than getting bogged down in a battle for the throne, he’d rather spend his time on things that benefited the common people.
Their ambition to ascend the throne was not inherently wrong, but even if they overthrew their rivals one by one and became emperors, the people of Yan would still be in dire straits. The hearts of the people would not be won over.
The seven-day mourning period in the capital had ended, and the city was covered in white mourning banners.
After the heavy rain stopped, the palace sent two columns of imperial guards to reward Lu Huan and escort him to the imperial mausoleum.
After all, he was a prince, and guarding the imperial mausoleum couldn’t really be that austere. On the contrary, the place where Lu Huan lived was called Taishan Palace, which was not much different from the prince’s residence in the capital, but it was a bit cold and quiet. Apart from the Imperial Guards stationed there and some of the Yulin Guards he brought from the northern border, there was no longer any bustling and lively street market in the capital.
With the constant stream of officials no longer visiting, Lu Huan sent everyone away, leaving only a trusted servant by his side. He then began a quiet and secluded retreat, copying scriptures in accordance with the regulations for guarding the imperial tombs.
….
Meanwhile, Su Xi had three days to register for school, so she decided to wait until Lu Huan arrived at the Taishan Imperial Palace and settled in before starting school together. After all, there were many things Lu Huan didn’t know, and he hadn’t been to her school much, so Su Xi was worried he might get lost.
Around six o’clock that morning, Lu Huan arrived. After Su Xi waited for him to change his clothes, she took him out to do the first thing before school started—
Get a haircut!
With hair that long, Lu Huan definitely wouldn’t be able to get into the school; the dean of students would definitely stop him.
“Are you sure you want to cut it short?” Su Xi reached out and touched Lu Huan’s long, black hair. Seeing his calm and collected demeanor, she felt even more heartbroken than he was.
She asked, “What about your side? All the men in Yan wear jade crowns and have long hair. Wouldn’t it be strange if they found out your hair is so short?”
Lu Huan said, “The Taishan Palace is deserted and almost no one goes there. I am surrounded by trusted confidants, so it’s fine. If I need to go down the mountain, I can just wear a light veil. By the time I return to the capital next year, my hair should have grown long.”
Su Xi was still reluctant to part with his hair, so she asked Lu Huan to walk a little further away and took a few photos of him with long hair, which she saved on her phone. Only then did she take him to a popular online store that she had booked in advance.
The two entered the store. It was a little after eight in the morning, and the popular store had just opened. There were no other customers, only the stylist.
When the Tony saw Lu Huan, he was utterly astonished, his expression exaggerated: “Handsome guy, what kind of haircut would you like?”
Lu Huan said, “Ask her.”
Su Xi searched for photos of her favorite young male idol on her phone and asked the stylist to cut her hair like this: “Can this style be cut?”
Tony quickly replied, “Of course! And your friend’s final version should look much better than the person in the photo!”
Lu Huan glanced at the photo on Su Xi’s phone, his jealousy flaring up inside him. He then said coldly, “I don’t want to be compared to this person. Just give me a buzz cut.”
Su Xi burst out laughing and pressed him down into a chair: “You’re more handsome than him!”
Lu Huan’s expression softened slightly.
The Tony started cutting Lu Huan’s hair, and Su Xi took the opportunity to go out and eat a bowl of wontons.
After finishing their meal and taking a walk, Lu Huan walked in and just then pulled off the apron covering him and stood up.
Su Xi’s gaze fell on his face, and she was stunned by his beauty.
Lu Huan was already handsome enough with long hair, such that his every move carried the air of an ancient scholar. But after cutting his hair short, he seemed to have completely changed. His eyes looked dark and sharp, unconsciously exuding a chill, and the moment he stood up, he stood tall and straight like a poplar in the wind.
Having shed some of the air of a thousand years, he looked like the clean-cut, tall boy who would always stand out from the crowd in any school.
Yet, compared to all those who were good-looking, he possessed an even more aloof and upright demeanor.
Su Xi suspected that as soon as he entered the school, he would become the most handsome man in the city by appearing on various university forums.
To take it a step further, someone might submit their post to @Peerless Beauty bot on Weibo.
Su Xi started thinking of hiding him away.
Lu Huan felt a chill on his neck. He was not used to not having hair down to his shoulders, so he couldn’t help but touch the hedgehog’s head.
He walked towards Su Xi and asked, “Do I look like one of the people here now?”
The long legs took a step towards her, and Su Xi felt dizzy.
Su Xi didn’t have time to answer him. Seeing that even Tony the hairstylist couldn’t help but stare at Lu Huan, she quickly grabbed Lu Huan’s hand and left the trendy store.
….
After getting his hair cut short, the two returned to her apartment building. Lu Huan waited downstairs, while Su Xi sneaked up, packed Lu Huan’s clothes and other belongings into a box, and brought it down to him.
Having these things in Su Xi’s room always felt like a ticking time bomb to her, for fear that her cleaning mother would find them one day. Now that Lu Huan had taken them to the apartment over there, she could finally put her mind at ease.
Next, the two split up into two groups.
Lu Huan went to handle the transfer procedures, while Su Xi went home to pack her things, as Mother Su would be bringing her to school in the afternoon.
Su Xi was overjoyed at the thought of seeing Lu Huan at school and maybe even getting the teacher to arrange for them to be deskmates. She felt the weather was bright and her steps were light.
As Mother Su helped her pack, she saw Su Xi still humming a song and found it all very strange. Su Xi was always listless at the start of the school year, so why was she so excited today?!
Mother Su asked, “What’s making you so happy?”
Su Xi answered without batting an eye, “The thought of being able to devote myself to the endless, sleepless study of my senior year of high school fills me with excitement!”
Mom: …
Mother Su was very pleased and rewarded Su Xi with an extra chicken leg at noon. In the afternoon, she asked Father Su to come back and drive the two of them to school.
Vehicles were not allowed on campus, and her father had other things to do, so he left first.
After registering at the classroom, Mother Su and Su Xi listened to the homeroom teacher’s praise and received their keys. Then, they dragged their suitcases to the dormitory building.
Before leaving, Su Xi glanced furtively at the homeroom teacher’s registration form, but didn’t see Lu Huan’s name. She wanted to turn the page to take another look, but the homeroom teacher put down his teacup and turned around, so she quickly put the registration form down, feeling guilty.
There were several dormitory buildings, divided into girls’ dormitories and boys’ dormitories.
The place was bustling with parents and students, making it difficult to tell who was who at a glance; it was quite chaotic.
Mother Su pulled the suitcase, and Su Xi carried the schoolbag as they walked towards the dormitory building. But when they got downstairs, Mother Su looked at the steps and was dumbfounded: “Which floor is your dormitory on?”
Su Xi glanced at the key number: “506… fifth floor.”
She quickly stepped forward and picked up her suitcase: “Let me do it, Mom, your back isn’t good, take it easy.”
“Let me do it, let me do it, Xi Xi, put it down.” Mother Su felt sorry for her daughter and said with dissatisfaction, “How come your dormitory is on such a high floor? You’ll be exhausted from climbing up and down. Put it down quickly, don’t make a fuss, I’ll do it.”
As Mother Su went to fetch the luggage, Su Xi struggled to lift it with both hands and moved it up a few steps.
Just then, Mother Su suddenly heard a clear and pleasant boy’s voice from behind her: “Su Xi, let me help you.”
Before Mother Su could react, a tall, handsome boy with such striking good looks that all the aunties in the neighborhood would stop doing their square dancing strode over. He easily lifted Su Xi’s suitcase with one hand, and after glancing at Su Xi’s backpack, he casually took it off as well.
He looked up at Mother Su, smiled, and said in a gentle and polite tone, “Hello, are you… Su Xi’s older sister? I’m her classmate.”
Su Xi: …
Drama queen!
She mentally ranted, then glanced back at her mother, only to find her beaming from ear to ear. Her mother tucked her hair behind her ear and said, “You’re such a good girl. You’re not my older sister, I’m Xi Xi’s mom.”
As if he had been abrupt, Lu Huan immediately became somewhat flustered: “Hello, Auntie, I’m sorry.”
Before he could finish speaking, Mother Su said understandingly and forgivingly, “It’s alright, I do look younger than I am. Well then, I’ll leave this to you, thank you so much. What’s your name?”
Lu Huan looked at Su Xi, a triumphant smile in his dark eyes that only Su Xi could understand: “Lu Huan.”
He carried Su Xi’s suitcase and walked up the stairs with ease, but out of courtesy, he always stayed a few steps ahead of Su Xi and her mother, and would stop every now and then to wait for her mother.
Watching from behind, Mother Su suddenly nudged Su Xi’s arm and said with a smug look, “Looks like I really do look younger. Is it because of the haircut I got recently? But your classmate seems to be doing very well in school. Let him come over to our house sometime.”
Su Xi: ………………
Mother, what about your principles?
What do you mean by “seems to be doing very well in school”? Is it based on their looks?
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