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Concubine Xu continued to stare at Xueyan’s dark circles intensely.

Shen Chuwei watched as Concubine Xu deliberately brought up the dark circles.

Once she started mocking someone, Concubine Xu’s mouth wouldn’t stop until she made you speechless and embarrassed.

She listened from the side, feeling especially refreshed.

Feeling uneasy under the intense stare, Xueyan thought, who stares at someone like that?

"I did not sleep well last night, and why I didn’t, my sisters should surely know," she said.

Her implication was that she did not sleep well because it had been her wedding night with Xiao Jinyan, and they had been busy; wasn’t that normal?

"Concubine Xue is just too modest. I’m such a fool, I really don’t know why Concubine Xue didn’t sleep well. I heard His Highness was so busy he stayed up late and rested in the study room," said Concubine Xu, blinking innocently.

Xueyan’s expression turned sour; she thought nobody knew that Xiao Jinyan had been so busy last night that he rested in the study room instead.

Who would have thought that Concubine Xu would find out so quickly? How could her information network be so efficient?

Shen Chuwei specially brought over a cup of fresh tea, "Concubine Xu, have some tea to soothe your throat."

Seeing the tea, Concubine Xu’s smile overflowed, "After chatting for a bit, I am indeed a bit thirsty."

She took the teacup from Shen Chuwei’s hands, lifted the lid, and took a sip to moisten her throat.

Xueyan found the actions of the two more irritating as she watched.

With a smile, she continued, "His Highness was so busy last night; he specifically ordered someone to tell me not to wait for him, saying he would come after getting things done. But as he was too busy, I wanted to wait for him; seeing him so occupied, I didn’t call him over. "

After just two sips of tea, Concubine Xu knew that Xueyan was lying. Clearly, His Highness didn’t want to go to her place, and yet she made it sound so nice, tsk tsk!

Shen Chuwei ignored Xueyan’s incessant fabrications and said to Concubine Xu, "Concubine Xu, let’s go to Xiyun Pavilion."

"Sure," Concubine Xu readily agreed. She set down her teacup on the low table, stood up, and followed Shen Chuwei out.

Seeing that they were about to leave, Xueyan followed them.

"What are you going to do at Xiyun Pavilion?" she asked.

Shen Chuwei turned her head back, a slight smile on her face, "To collect eggs."

On hearing about collecting eggs, Xueyan immediately stopped. The thought of the dirty chicken coop and the foul smell of chicken droppings made her want to vomit.

"I just remembered I have something else to do. I’ll head back first," she said.

Then, walking with graceful steps, she left Hehuan Hall.

As soon as Xueyan had left, Concubine Xu looked at Shen Chuwei with puzzlement, "Lady Shen, what is ’collecting eggs’?"

Shen Chuwei chuckled, "Collecting eggs means to enjoy delicious things."

Enlightened, Concubine Xu said, "Oh, I see. To think there’s such a saying for enjoying tasty food, I’ve learned something new."

Without further explanation, Shen Chuwei and Concubine Xu headed to the back courtyard of Xiyun Pavilion.

Cherries and peaches were already ripe.

Seeing the trees full of cherries and peaches, Concubine Xu was astounded.

"Lady Shen, when did Xiyun Pavilion get fruit trees?" she asked.

Looking at the fruit-laden trees, Shen Chuwei felt a sense of achievement, "I planted them last year. The fruit is ripe now, and ready to eat."

"Then I must try some," Concubine Xu said, walking under the cherry tree. Gazing at the plump, crimson cherries, one could find it hard to choose.

Shen Chuwei, too eager to wait, picked a large one, wiped it casually with a handkerchief, and bit into it. It was sour and sweet, tasting quite delicious.

Concubine Xu picked several cherries. Seeing Shen Chuwei eating directly was a bit shocking to her: "Lady Shen, aren’t you going to wash them before eating?"

Shen Chuwei smiled, "These are organic fruits, pesticide-free, so you can eat them with peace of mind."

"Organic fruits?" Concubine Xu was bewildered.

"It’s okay if you don’t understand, just eat them confidently," said Shen Chuwei, and she picked another cherry, wiped it casually with her handkerchief, and popped it into her mouth.

Seeing that, Concubine Xu couldn’t resist any longer. She took a cherry, mimicked Shen Chuwei’s actions, wiped it with her handkerchief, and then bit into it. It was sour and sweet, indeed fresher when directly picked.

"Lady Shen, what fruit is this? It’s so delicious."

"Cherry." Shen Chuwei chuckled twice, picked a few more, and continued eating.

Concubine Xu was very happy eating them, suddenly remembering last year when she saw Shen Chuwei eating strawberries. She craved them but Shen Chuwei stubbornly refused to share.

Before, she used to find Shen Chuwei disagreeable, but now they were getting along so well.

Who would have thought?

Lost in thought, Concubine Xu couldn’t help but laugh.

Seeing how happily Concubine Xu was laughing, Shen Chuwei couldn’t resist asking, "Concubine Xu, what are you laughing at?"

Concubine Xu looked at Shen Chuwei and told her everything she was thinking.

After listening, Shen Chuwei also couldn’t help but burst into laughter, "I’m protective of my food, when there’s only a little left, I don’t want to share it with anyone."

Concubine Xu snorted, "You’re clearly stingy, and still smacking your lips, tempting others."

Shen Chuwei didn’t take it to heart, when there was only a little left, she wouldn’t share it with anyone.

With a casual wave towards the few fruit trees, she said, "Look, all of these are mine, feel free to eat as much as you want."

Concubine Xu, looking at all the cherries, felt she could eat them for a long time and was extremely delighted.

The two of them stood under the tree and ate for a while.

Concubine Xu couldn’t resist asking, "If His Highness asks you for some, would you give him any?"

When Xiao Jinyan was mentioned, Shen Chuwei thought for a moment and said, "It depends on how much I have left. If there’s only a little, then I can only eat it myself."

Concubine Xu couldn’t help but give a thumbs up, "You really are stingy, it’s confirmed now."

Confirmed, that was a new word she had learned from a storybook.

Shen Chuwei thought about it and seemed to agree that she was indeed stingy, but there was no helping it, she was protective of her food!

After eating cherries for a while, they moved under the peach tree.

The peaches were big and red, tempting at first glance.

It wasn’t until they were stuffed that they staggered out of the backyard with their bulging bellies.

Shen Chuwei didn’t forget to order the little rabbit to pick more to give away.

The little rabbit picked a basket of cherries and a basket of peaches.

Shen Chuwei decided to send some to Lady Tao.

When Xiao Jinyan arrived, he saw lotus flowers with united petals, and two baskets of fruit on the low table.

"Where did you get this fruit from?"

Chuwei lifted her chin, "I grew them myself, just picked, very fresh."

A look of surprise flashed through Jinyan’s eyes, "You grew them? How long have you been here?"

Xiao Jinyan might not know much about planting trees, but he knew that fruit trees planted in one year didn’t yield fruit that quickly.

"Yes, a year, my young tree seedlings are different from others," Shen Chuwei explained.

Xiao Jinyan asked again, "Planted at Xiyun Pavilion?"

Shen Chuwei nodded, "Yes, if not planted at Xiyun Pavilion, there’s no other place to, and you wouldn’t let me plant in Hehuan Hall."

The last sentence was spoken in an extremely soft voice.

"Why haven’t I seen them?" Xiao Jinyan had been to Xiyun Pavilion many times and never saw the fruit trees.

"They’re in the backyard, next to the vegetable garden. It’s normal that you didn’t see them." Shen Chuwei then asked, "Would Your Highness like to send some for Prince Yu to try?"

Xiao Jinyan nodded, "Mhm."

He suddenly thought of the Empress Dowager and wondered whether she liked to eat them or not?