#riches

“Don’t freeze,” Shen Jiu scolds him, and he wraps their hands together instead, fingers interlocking with fingers. Both of their hands are ice cold, so it brings little relief - but just a bit. It’s better than nothing. “You’ll only make trouble for me.”

“… Alright,” Yue Qi says, but in the end he pretends to forget Shen Jiu’s words and starts to breathe on his hands for him again only some minutes later. Stubborn and stupid, impulsive and softhearted - such a terrible combination of traits, this boy wouldn’t survive a single winter without Shen Jiu to look after him.

It’s a good thing Yue Qi has him; who knows what a terrible state he would end up in without him.

The Deceitfulness of Riches

Artist: Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale (British, 1872–1945)

Date: 1901

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Private Collection

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