Yingqu Liuzi was pampered by her wealthy daddy.

That afternoon, Shen Yu'an was painting in his studio. The room on the third floor faced south and had excellent natural light.

He set up his easel by the window, mixed the paints, and painted a small oil painting.

The painting depicts the Thames River at dusk, the very view they saw on the day they confessed their love.

He got up to get another tube of paint when he was halfway through painting, and didn't pay attention to where he was stepping when he came back.

The small bottle of turpentine was placed at the edge of the carpet. He kicked it, and the bottle tipped over, spilling the liquid and soaking a large area of ​​the carpet. The edges were also stained with undried blue paint.

Shen Yu'an was stunned for two seconds.

He squatted down and tried to wipe it with a tissue, but the blue paint had seeped into the fibers of the wool carpet and couldn't be wiped off no matter how hard he tried.

The carpet was light gray, with the blue standing out prominently, like a scar.

Shen Yu'an's head buzzed for a moment.

He knew the price of that rug. Although Caesar didn't flaunt his wealth, nothing in this mansion was cheap.

The paintings in the corridor are originals, the furniture is antique, and he had heard the butler mention this carpet before, saying it was a handmade wool carpet imported from Persia.

He made a mess. It was paint, the kind that can't be washed off.

Shen Yu'an squatted on the ground, clutching a tissue in her hand, staring at the blue stain, her mind in turmoil.

He wanted to ask the housekeeper for help, but felt it was too embarrassing.

He wanted to tell Xize, but he was afraid that Xize would think he was being inappropriate.

This is what Xize saw when he came in.

Shen Yu'an squatted down next to the carpet, clutching a wad of wet tissues in her hand. There was a noticeable blue stain on the carpet in front of her.

His shoulders were hunched, his head was down, and he looked small and flustered.

Xize walked over and squatted down next to him.

"What's wrong?"

Shen Yu'an heard his voice, looked up, and her eyes were a little red.

"Daddy, I've dirtied the carpet."

Xize looked down at the blue stain.

"Turpentine and pigments."

"Um..." Shen Yu'an's voice trailed off, "I kicked over the bottle without noticing. I tried to wipe it off, but it won't come off. I'm sorry."

After saying "I'm sorry," he lowered his head again, his fingers clenching the tissue tightly.

Xize stopped looking at the carpet.

He turned his head, looked at Shen Yu'an's lowered head and reddened ear tips, reached out and took the crumpled tissue from his hand, and threw it into the trash can next to him.

"Are your hands injured?"

Shen Yu'an paused for a moment, then looked up.

"what?"

"Did you get turpentine on your hands?" Caesar pulled his hand over, turning it over to look at the back of his hand and then at his palm, making sure there were no red marks on his skin. "What about your eyes? Did any get in your eyes?"

Shen Yu'an shook his head, opened his mouth as if to talk about the carpet.

Xize interrupted him.

"It's good that you're not injured. Be careful when using turpentine in the future; it hurts if you get it on your hands."

"carpet……"

"The carpet is fine." Caesar stood up, walked to the door, and called out "James" downstairs.

The housekeeper came up quickly.

"Sir, what can I do for you?"

"Replace this carpet in the studio. Have someone deliver a new one tomorrow; choose a dark color, it'll get dirty more easily."

Mr. James glanced at the stain on the carpet, then at the young man standing beside him with his head down, said nothing more, nodded, and left.

Shen Yu'an stood there, watching the butler's departing figure, his mind still reeling.

Is that all? Such an expensive carpet, just replaced like that. Xize didn't even frown, nor did he glance at it twice. From the moment he entered until now, his eyes hadn't left Shen Yu'an.

Xize walked back, stood in front of Shen Yu'an, and looked down at him.

"What are you still standing there for? Keep drawing."

Shen Yu'an raised her head, the redness in her eyes still lingering.

"Daddy, aren't you angry?"

Why are you angry?

"I've dirtied the carpet. It's such an expensive carpet."

Xize looked at him and reached out to pinch his cheek.

"Even the most expensive carpet is still someone's walking on it; if it gets dirty, just replace it. As long as your hand isn't injured, it's fine."

Shen Yu'an sniffed, took a step forward, and buried her face in Xize's chest.

"How can you be so kind?"

Xize hugged him and patted him on the back.

"You're my baby, if I don't treat you well, who else should I treat well?"

Shen Yu'an stayed in his arms for a while, then chuckled softly. He looked up, his eyes bright, the panic from before completely gone.

"I continued drawing."

"Mmm." Xize leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Come down for dinner after you're done drawing."

Xize went out. Shen Yu'an returned to the easel, picked up a brush, dipped it in paint, and continued painting the Thames River.

He made a couple of strokes, then glanced at the carpet beneath his feet. The butler explained that it would be replaced with a new, dark-colored one tomorrow, one that wouldn't get dirty easily. Xize probably chose a dark color because he was afraid Xize would get it dirty again.

Shen Yu'an's lips curved slightly.

He was mixing paints with his head down, his hands were steady, and he was in a good mood.

The carpet will be replaced, but he will remember this day. He dirtied the carpet, but Caesar didn't even look at it; he was only concerned with his hands.

He'll probably make a lot more mess in the future. Paint drips on the table, water spills on the floor.

But Shen Yu'an is no longer afraid.

He knew that Xize wouldn't blame him, wouldn't blame him for anything.

Even if he messes up the whole house, Caesar will probably just say "It's okay" and then have someone clean it up.

Shen Yu'an put down his paintbrush and glanced at the garden outside the window.

The sun was shining brightly, the lawn was lush and green, and a few pigeons were walking in the shade of the trees.

He decided that after finishing the painting, he would go to the kitchen to see what delicious food his aunt had prepared that day.

Then when Xize came back that night, he wanted to kiss him.

The carpet is dirty today, but my heart is full.

Early on a weekend morning, Xize woke Shen Yu'an up, saying he would take him to a country estate for a couple of days. Shen Yu'an sat up groggily, the blanket slipping up to his waist, his hair a mess.

"countryside?"

"Yeah. It's a two-hour drive. There are meadows there, and the air is fresh."

Shen Yu'an rubbed his eyes, got out of bed to wash up, changed his clothes, ate breakfast, and got into the car.

After driving for more than two hours, the road became narrower and narrower as we left central London, with more and more trees on both sides.

Shen Yu'an leaned back in his seat, looking out the window at the green fields and the occasional flock of sheep, feeling quite pleased. He hadn't left the city in a long time.

The manor was larger than Shen Yu'an had imagined.

After the car entered the gate, it took several more minutes to reach the main house.

It was a stone house, much older than any London house, with vines climbing the walls and a very thick old oak tree by the door. The surrounding area was all grass, stretching as far as the eye could see.

"It's huge." Shen Yu'an stood at the door and walked around, feeling that the view was too open.

Xize came over from behind and draped a coat over his shoulders.

"It's windy, put it on."

Shen Yu'an wrapped his coat tighter and asked, "What are we doing today?"

Xize pointed to the grass in the distance.

"horse riding."

Shen Yu'an followed his hand and saw someone leading out two horses from beside the stable.

One was dark brown, very large and tall, with a glossy coat. The other was shorter, white, and looked much more docile.

"I can't ride," Shen Yu'an said.

"I'll teach you. That white horse is very well-behaved; it's specially for beginners."

The two walked to the stable, and Xize mounted the large brown horse first, his movements swift and agile. He sat on the horse's back, taller than usual, and Shen Yu'an looked up at him, feeling an even stronger sense of oppression.

"Get on." Xize rode his horse to Shen Yu'an's side and held out his hand to him.

Shen Yu'an tried to get on the horse in the stirrups, but couldn't after a couple of attempts. The white horse was too tall, and his legs weren't long enough; he struggled for a long time before finally managing to get on.

Xize smiled. He dismounted, walked behind Shen Yu'an, grabbed his waist with both hands, and lifted him up.

When Shen Yu'an was lifted onto the horse, she let out an "Ah!" and blushed after she was settled.

"I can do it myself."

"Hmm," Caesar returned to his horse, "Next time you can ride by yourself."

Xize rode his horse in front, while Shen Yu'an followed beside him on a white horse.

The white horse was very well-behaved, walking very slowly. Caesar's brown horse led the way, and the white horse obediently followed.

The grassland was vast, stretching as far as the eye could see. Sitting on horseback, Shen Yu'an had a much higher vantage point than usual, allowing him to see distant hills and even further into the woods.

The wind blew in my face; it wasn't cold, and it carried the scent of grass and earth.

He relaxed after riding for a while. The white horse was very steady, and he didn't need to exert too much effort to control the reins; he only needed to hold them lightly.

Xize slowed down and rode his horse closer to him.

"How is it?"

"It's fun," Shen Yu'an laughed. "It's so well-behaved."

Its name is Xiaoxue.

"Xiaoxue?" Shen Yu'an looked down at the white horse, thinking the name suited it well. "It sounds nice."

The two men rode their horses slowly forward, circling the edge of the meadow.

Xize would occasionally remind him to sit up straighter or not to hold the reins too tightly, and Shen Yu'an would do as he was told.

When they reached the edge of the meadow, there was a downhill slope. Xize rode his horse and blocked Shen Yu'an's path.

"This road is a bit steep, stay behind me and don't let the horse run."

Shen Yu'an nodded, feeling at ease as he watched Xize's broad back as he rode ahead. His horse followed the path Xize's horse had taken, descending steadily step by step.

After going downhill, the road became flat. Xize returned to his side, and the two rode side by side.

"Are you tired?" Xize asked.

"Not tired."

Shen Yu'an shook his head. He wasn't tired at all; the horse was moving very slowly, and he could just sit there. Besides, the scenery he saw while sitting on horseback was different from what he usually saw, and he found it novel and enjoyable.

When they reached the end of the meadow, Xize stopped and dismounted. He tied the reins to a nearby wooden post, then walked over to Shen Yu'an and reached out to help him down.

Shen Yu'an's legs felt a little weak when she landed, as it was her first time riding a horse and her inner thighs were a bit sore.

Xize helped him stand up and looked down at him.

"Are your legs sore?"

"Just a little bit." Shen Yu'an smiled sheepishly.

Xize didn't say anything, but reached out and massaged the outside of Shen Yu'an's thigh. The movement was very natural, as if he were massaging his own leg. Shen Yu'an's ears burned from the massage, and he moved away slightly.

"It's not sour anymore, it's not sour anymore."

Xize withdrew his hand and smiled.

There is a big tree next to the meadow, and under its shade is a flat area.

Caesar had a blanket laid out beforehand, along with a small basket containing sandwiches and drinks.

Two people sat under a tree eating. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling on the blanket and shimmering.

Shen Yu'an leaned against a tree trunk, munching on a sandwich, watching the two horses grazing leisurely on the grass in the distance.

"This place is really nice," Shen Yu'an said.

"Come again often." Xize sat down next to him, holding a cup of tea. "It's even better in summer; the grass is full of flowers."

Shen Yu'an imagined what it would look like with flowers covering the ground and thought it was wonderful.

He finished his sandwich and rested his head on Caesar's shoulder. Caesar didn't move, letting him lean on it. The two sat quietly for a while, the wind rustling the leaves.

"Daddy," Shen Yu'an called out.

"Um."

"I'm so happy today."

Xize turned his head and kissed the top of his head.

"If you're happy, stay a couple more days."

Shen Yu'an smiled, closed her eyes, and leaned on Xize's shoulder to bask in the sun.

In the distance, two horses were still grazing with their heads down, their tails swishing back and forth. The green of the grassland stretched to the horizon, the wind was warm, and the sunlight was golden.

Shen Yu'an felt that this was the best weekend ever.

Better than anything else.