Chapter 56: The Crown Prince, Ex-Husband of the Transmigrated Woman (4)

Xie Hui watched the little one running so fast and threw a snowball hidden in his hand at his shoulder.

Xie Shen, who had been trying to catch up with his imperial father, was completely stunned by the sudden impact of the snowball.

For a moment, Xie Hui was distracted by the words of the client in the system space: “Don’t bully my son.” The next second, the dazed little boy retaliated, throwing a snowball directly at Xie Hui’s face. The icy touch caught Xie Hui off guard for a moment.

Naturally, he wouldn’t get upset over something this trivial. He wouldn’t spoil the little one’s fun.

So, when Xie Shen sat on the ground, laughing happily, Xie Hui made an extra-large snowball and walked over, smashing it onto his feet. Seeing his lower body buried in the snow, Xie Hui reached out and playfully tapped his nose.

“Shen’er, can you still run now?”

Xie Shen followed his imperial father’s gaze to his legs buried in the snow. Taking advantage of his imperial father’s momentary distraction, he quickly pulled his legs out and threw a hidden snowball at his father’s face.

“Of course I can!”

Since he was playing with a child, Xie Hui had been careful, only throwing snowballs at his chest and shoulders. But he hadn’t expected this little rascal, once he got carried away, to aim every snowball directly at his face.

After the child was worn out from playing, Xie Hui carried him back to the palace. The servants had already prepared hot water.

Since Xie Hui’s own clothes were also damp with snow, Xie Shen was bathed by his personal wet nurse.

After changing into fresh clothes, Xie Hui sat behind his desk. Snow had just started falling, making the view outside the window exceptionally beautiful.

The serene atmosphere of the snowy scenery was soon disrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Xie Shen ran towards his imperial father on his short little legs, calling out to him in his soft, childish voice.

Young children forget things quickly. After his father had played with him once, he was no longer as fearful as before. His curiosity was strong—he tiptoed by his father’s side, trying to peek at what was on his desk.

Xie Hui leaned back slightly and watched the little boy go from tiptoeing unsuccessfully to jumping but still unable to see. He was putting in a great deal of effort.

Xie Shen noticed that his father hadn’t stopped him and suddenly felt uneasy. He was worried that the documents on the desk might be his schoolwork.

Before this, Xie Hui hadn’t really interacted much with the client. This time, he took the initiative to speak.

“Look at him. He isn’t even as tall as the desk yet. How could you bear to make him practice writing every day?”

In the system space, the client had been watching his son bouncing around, his robe tassels swaying with his movements, finding it amusing. But hearing the task taker’s words, his smile froze.

As an emperor, he naturally wouldn’t easily admit he was wrong. However, he began to reflect—had he really been in the wrong?

“What do you want to see?”

Xie Hui picked him up and let him sit on his lap.

Still not giving up, Xie Shen leaned forward, peeking at the documents on the desk. Once he confirmed they weren’t his school assignments, he let out a deep sigh of relief. Then, tilting his head up, he grinned at his imperial father.

A child’s teeth were often uneven. When he smiled, his eyes squinted, and his little white teeth looked especially endearing.

“Your son just wanted to see what Father was reading.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not your schoolwork.”

This child’s schoolwork was indeed poor. His writing looked like chicken scratch, and the client had punished him countless times because of it.

Even when Xie Shen grew older, his sloppy handwriting often led to his father’s reprimands.

Xie Hui took his little hand in his palm and carefully examined it, doubting whether such tiny hands could properly hold a brush.

Xie Shen also seemed to recall past experiences. Remembering how his father had repeatedly scolded him for his ugly handwriting, he lowered his head, leaning against his father’s chest. After a long silence, he muttered in a muffled voice:

“Father, I will practice my handwriting diligently when I return…”

“I will work hard and not let Father down after arranging such great teachers for me.”

Children’s actions are often subconscious. Even Xie Shen himself probably didn’t realize that whenever he was upset or feeling wronged, he would pout, as if he disliked himself.

Thinking carefully, Xie Hui realized that the teacher chosen for this child wasn’t necessarily the best choice.

The client had devoted himself entirely to state affairs, loving his people more than his own son. Thus, he had chosen the most renowned scholar of the time to teach his child, without considering if the choice was truly suitable.

The scholar was an exceptional poet, but being skilled in composing poetry didn’t necessarily mean he was good at teaching.

“What need is there for a famous teacher?”

Xie Hui’s words made the young crown prince instinctively look up.

“Huh?”

“I will teach you myself.”

At his words, an attendant promptly stepped forward to prepare the brush and ink. Xie Hui didn’t use the brush he usually used for reading memorials. Instead, he ordered a slightly smaller one to be brought.

He let Xie Shen hold the brush, wrapping his small hand in his own. With patience, he guided him to write his own name on the rice paper.

“Wow, Father’s handwriting is so beautiful~”

When the final stroke was completed, Xie Shen put down the brush and clapped his hands excitedly. The crisp sound of his tiny palms meeting echoed in the room, making Xie Hui’s lips curl slightly.

“You little flatterer. When it comes to calligraphy, Father is nowhere near as skilled as your teacher.”

Hearing his father’s words, Xie Shen frowned in disagreement and softly refuted,

“That’s not true. Father’s handwriting is the best.”

Xie Hui didn’t argue with him on this point. He taught him to write a few more times before letting him try on his own. When the boy’s strokes turned messy and uneven, instead of scolding him, Xie Hui patiently corrected him again.

But no matter how many times he was taught, the child still struggled. When Xie Hui held his hand, his writing was decent. But once he let go, each stroke turned wobbly and distorted.

Then, Xie Hui saw the little one put down his brush. The way he placed it made it clear he was frustrated.

Before Xie Hui could say anything, he saw the child rub his face with his tiny hand.

Lowering his head to look, he saw that Xie Shen’s clear eyes were already brimming with tears. Sniffling, the little boy spoke in a flustered and aggrieved tone:

“Father… Am I useless? You’ve taught me so many times…”

As he spoke, the tears began to fall, and Xie Shen hurriedly wiped them away with his hands.

Xie Hui, the one teaching, hadn’t even shown a hint of disappointment, yet Xie Shen, the one learning, was already frustrated with himself.

For a moment, Xie Hui felt both heartache for the child’s sensibility and obedience, and amusement at the situation.

Especially when he saw Xie Shen wiping his tears and unintentionally smearing ink all over his fair little face. The inky smudge stood out starkly against his porcelain-white skin, making Xie Hui chuckle.

“How are you useless, little kitten?”