Page 214

After Chun Xi had finished packing, she saw Shen Chuwei standing still and approached her quietly to ask, "Miss, what are you doing?"

Shen Chuwei stared at the horse carriage in front of her and replied, "I’m reflecting on life."

Chun Xi had a puzzled look on her face. Reflecting on life?

How does one suddenly reflect on life?

Then it dawned on her, "Could it be that His Highness bullied Miss?"

Shen Chuwei paused upon hearing this, then vigorously nodded her head. More than bullied, he had been utterly ruthless.

Xiao Jinyan had planned to leave Yongqian City that afternoon, knowing that they would sleep in the horse carriage tonight, and that’s why he had claimed last night for himself.

Such calculation!

Seeing Shen Chuwei, Chun Xi couldn’t help but feel a surge of sympathy. "His Highness really should know better. How can a man bully a woman? With Miss being so delicate, what if bullying her leads to some mishap? How can that be good?"

Shen Chuwei nodded in agreement. I’m still sore all over now!

Even my walk looks a bit awkward~

Xiao Jinyan came over and saw the master and servant whispering together. He said in a stern voice, "It’s time to get on the carriage."

Suddenly hearing Xiao Jinyan’s voice, Shen Chuwei timidly responded with an "Oh."

Then she moved behind Xiao Jinyan and followed him onto the horse carriage.

Chun Xi glared at Xiao Jinyan and made a face, "Always bullying my mistress. Next time when you come to Hehuan Hall for a meal, I won’t add any salt!"

Qin Xiao came over and heard Chun Xi mumbling. He nudged her with his elbow, "Little brother, what are you muttering about?"

As a martial artist, Qin Xiao was robust, and Chun Xi, a fragile palace maid, couldn’t withstand such a nudge. She immediately covered her arm in pain, looking up at Qin Xiao guiltily, "Nothing, nothing at all."

But Qin Xiao said, "I quite clearly heard you say that you’d leave out the salt. Can you even eat food without salt?"

Chun Xi couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Qin Xiao. Even though he heard, he still asked; she lifted her chin and denied it, "You must’ve heard wrong. I didn’t say that."

Qin Xiao pinched Chun Xi’s slender arms and legs and clicked his tongue twice, "How old are you and Brother Shen? Why are you so delicate?"

"How can you just pinch someone’s arm like that? Shameless!" Chun Xi’s face turned red as she huffed and ran off.

Qin Xiao looked at his hand, "I only pinched a bit, why is a boy making such a fuss? And now I’m a scoundrel? How have I been a scoundrel?"

Weichi walked over and slapped Qin Xiao’s shoulder hard, "What are you blabbering on about? Bitching and moaning, let’s go!"

With that, Weichi strode away.

Leaving Qin Xiao alone in a whirl of confusion, "Am I really bitching and moaning?"

By the horse carriage, Xiao Jinyan turned his head to look at Shen Chuwei and extended his hand toward her, "You go first."

Shen Chuwei was startled for a moment, looking at the hand offered to her with astonishment. The fingers were long and clean, without a trace of dust.

But after two nights together, her mind filled with inappropriate images whenever she saw that hand.

She took his hand and felt another hand on her waist, tightly embracing her and lifting her onto the horse carriage.

Shen Chuwei was indeed light, and Xiao Jinyan lifted her with almost no effort, reminding her, "Be careful not to fall."

Shen Chuwei looked back at Xiao Jinyan and, seeing his handsome face, felt there was a bit of smugness in it.

Xiao Jinyan said, "What are you staring at? Get in."

"Oh," Shen Chuwei replied sheepishly, retracting her gaze and crouching as she entered the horse carriage.

Xiao Jinyan boarded the carriage with practiced ease.

The party set off grandly for the Capital.

In the horse carriage

Shen Chuwei took out the pastries she had bought the day before, one by one, and arranged them on the low table.

Seeing this, Xiao Jinyan prepared tea to accompany the pastries; he pulled open a drawer to get the tea set, first boiled a pot of hot water, then steeped the tea.

Although Xiao Jinyan had always been attended to, the task of making tea had never fallen to him, but he knew how to steep tea.

Shen Chuwei was quite fond of tea, but not skilled in making it; it was always Chun Xi who steeped the tea and placed it before her.

She watched Xiao Jinyan’s tea-making gestures, elegant and noble, a pleasant sight to the eyes.

Had it been her, it would likely have resembled the "guzzling" that Xiao Jinyan had described, lacking any elegance and nobility.

It was now the third quarter of the shen hour, and Shen Chuwei had long been hungry.

She picked up a piece of Tea Cake, about to bring it to her mouth, but when she saw Xiao Jinyan sitting opposite her, she remembered he was the Crown Prince and, restraining herself, held back from eating and instead passed the Tea Cake to him.

With her voice still hoarse, she asked, "Your Highness, would you like some Tea Cake?"

Xiao Jinyan, having finished making tea, looked at the Tea Cake in her hand, "I’ll try a little."

He took the Tea Cake from Shen Chuwei’s hand, brought it to his mouth, and bit off a piece. Its texture was somewhat similar to Osmanthus Cake, but the flavor was different.

Seeing him eat, Shen Chuwei then took a piece, brought it to her mouth, and bit off a little. It was somewhat sweet, but the taste was acceptable.

She ate three pieces in succession, and just as she was about to reach for the fourth, Xiao Jinyan stopped her, "Eat less sweet food and drink some tea."

As he spoke, a cup of tea was passed over.

When the Crown Prince spoke, of course, Shen Chuwei dared not disobey; besides, she was feeling somewhat thirsty by then.

She took the teacup from his hand, brought it to her lips, and took a sip; it was just right to quench her thirst.

Xiao Jinyan asked, "Do you still like it?"

Shen Chuwei, not knowledgeable about tea but simply from the perspective of drinking, responded, "It’s quite nice."

Xiao Jinyan nodded and picked up the teapot. Seeing this, Shen Chuwei hurriedly passed her teacup over.

The scalding tea was poured into the tiny cup without a spill, which spoke volumes about his Kung Fu skills.

Shen Chuwei brought the cup to her lips and still finished the tea in one gulp.

Xiao Jinyan saw this and corrected her, "Savor it slowly."

"I was thirsty," Shen Chuwei replied, setting down the teacup and casually picking up a piece of Date Paste Cake to bite into.

Xiao Jinyan reminded her, "You should still be mindful in front of others."

"I don’t show my face, so outsiders can’t see me," Shen Chuwei retorted, and then she stuffed the half remaining Date Paste Cake in her hand into her mouth in one go.

Xiao Jinyan, seeing this, felt somewhat exasperated, "In the future, you will have to accompany me to various important events; how can you not show your face then?"

With her cheeks puffed out, Shen Chuwei replied, "Let the Crown Princess do it in the future; I am a Lady and don’t need to attend such important events."

There would certainly be a Crown Princess in the future, and if things went as expected, it would be Lady Chang who would attend all the significant events; Shen Chuwei was not in the running.

This was the second time Xiao Jinyan had heard Shen Chuwei push him towards another woman. The last time she suggested he choose someone else, and this time, she directly told him to take another woman to important events.

"You want me to take someone else?" he asked.

"I am a Lady; it’s not appropriate," Shen Chuwei replied meekly.

Xiao Jinyan nodded thoughtfully, "Hmm, I see. Next time there’s a banquet, I’ll just take someone else then."

Upon hearing about a banquet, Shen Chuwei swallowed the Date Paste Cake in her mouth, "Your Highness, when it comes to attending banquets, I am certainly up to the task. No one could be more suitable than me."

"You are a Lady; it’s not appropriate," Xiao Jinyan replied, leisurely sipping his tea, but internally snorting at how proactive she was when it came to eating.