Chapter 450: Chapter 253: Growing Up Doesn’t Seem to Be a Good Thing
Xingde Palace, in the courtyard of the Eighth Prince.
Zhao Yao, Tong Xi, and Yu Hai were building a snowman together. The Eighth Prince, holding a hot water bottle with both hands, stood under the veranda watching the three of them build the snowman.
They used two stones for the snowman’s eyes, a piece of wood for the nose, and two branches for the snowman’s hands.
Zhao Yao felt something was missing from the snowman, so he hurriedly asked Yu Hai to get a piece of old cloth.
Yu Hai didn’t understand, but obediently went to get an old cloth and brought it over.
"Your Highness, what do you want this old cloth for?"
"You’ll find out soon." Zhao Yao took the cloth and wrapped it around the snowman’s neck, "Now it’s right... no, it’s still missing a hat. Yu Hai, get a hat too."
"Your Highness, what kind of hat?"
"Do you have a straw hat?"
"A straw hat, I need to search for that."
The Eighth Prince, standing under the veranda, saw Zhao Yao’s little face and nose turning red from the cold and quickly waved to him, "Tenth brother, come over."
Zhao Yao sniffled due to the cold. He ran towards the Eighth Prince, asking, "Eighth brother, what’s up?"
The Eighth Prince picked up the hot water bottle and pressed it against Zhao Yao’s face. He said with some concern, "Look at your red face, aren’t you cold?"
"I’m not cold." Zhao Yao said, grasping the Eighth Prince’s hands, "See, my hands are warm."
"It’s snowing, you shouldn’t play anymore."
"Eighth brother, I’m not cold." Zhao Yao handed the hot water bottle back to the Eighth Prince, "Eighth brother, you should go back inside so you don’t catch a cold."
"Your Highness, I found the straw hat." Yu Hai came over, holding the straw hat.
Zhao Yao said, "Put it on the snowman."
"Okay." After putting the straw hat on the snowman’s head, Yu Hai noticed that the snowman suddenly became very cute.
"Doesn’t it look cuter with the hat and scarf?" Zhao Yao patted the snowman’s big belly and said with a grin, "This is how you build a snowman properly."
Zhao Yao stood next to the snowman, hugged its shoulder, and cheerfully said to the Eighth Prince under the veranda, "Eighth brother, draw me and the snowman."
The Eighth Prince smiled gently, with a soft expression, "Okay, I’ll draw it."
Zhao Yao suddenly squatted down, made a snowball, and threw it at Tong Xi.
Tong Xi, who was suddenly hit, was taken aback, "Your Highness?"
"Tong Xi, Yu Hai, let’s have a snowball fight." Last winter, Zhao Yao was sick and bedridden. He hadn’t gone out all winter. This year, he’s lively and energetic, so of course, he wants to make up for what he missed last winter, like building a snowman and having a snowball fight.
"Your Highness, please go easy on us."
The Eighth Prince stood under the veranda, amusedly watching Zhao Yao and the others having a snowball fight.
Tong Xi and Yu Hai were hesitant to hit Zhao Yao, being careful. But Zhao Yao showed no mercy, hitting them with snowballs all over their faces.
After playing for a while, they were covered from head to toe in snow. The Eighth Prince, worried Zhao Yao might catch a cold, quickly urged Zhao Yao to go inside and instructed Yu Hai to prepare hot water.
Zhao Yao comfortably took a hot bath and then, with a frown on his small face, finished a bowl of ginger soup.
In the study of the Eighth Prince, Zhao Yao and the Eighth Prince sat in front of the brazier, warming themselves.
Rice cakes and chestnuts were roasting beside the brazier. Occasionally, one would hear the chestnuts popping.
Yu Hai served milk tea and snacks.
Zhao Yao sipped the milk tea, ate snacks and chestnuts, and let out a satisfied sigh, "This is the life."
The Eighth Prince was amused by Zhao Yao’s remark and lightly knocked on Zhao Yao’s little head.
"What, wasn’t your life like this before?"
"No, only days without studying are like this."
With a pop, another chestnut burst open. Zhao Yao quickly picked it up, peeled off the shell, and handed the chestnut to the Eighth Prince.
"Freshly roasted chestnuts are so fragrant, sweet, and delicious. Eighth brother, eat it quickly."
The Eighth Prince didn’t hold back, took the chestnut, and put it into his mouth.
Outside, the snow was falling, the wind was blowing. Inside, the fire was burning, creating a sense of warmth.
Zhao Yao picked up a freshly roasted rice cake and started eating it. After taking a couple of bites, he suddenly cried out.
Seeing blood suddenly flow from Zhao Yao’s mouth, the Eighth Prince was startled and asked nervously, "Tenth brother, what’s wrong?" Then he quickly said to Yu Hai, "Call the Imperial Physician."
Zhao Yao pulled the Eighth Prince, shaking his head, "No need to call the Imperial Physician." With that, he spat out the rice cake and his tooth together, crying sadly, "Eighth brother, I’ve lost a tooth."