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"Princess?" Shuiyao was shocked and quickly went forward to help Xueyan, who had fallen into the chicken coop.

There was plenty of chicken droppings in the coop, getting on her dress and hands.

Xueyan almost vomited in disgust.

With Shuiyao’s support, Xueyan left Xiyun Pavilion in a disheveled state, inwardly fuming.

Once everyone had left, Chun Xi couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore. "Xuetuan is so powerful, actually managing to knock Concubine Xue flying."

Shen Chuwei remained noncommittal.

When the night was deep and quiet

Shen Chuwei was sleeping fitfully, feeling something ticklish on her cheek, not just there, but also on her lips and neck.

She let out a dissatisfied hum, scratched her neck, and turned over.

But as soon as she had turned, before she could settle in, she was flipped back over again.

Xiao Jinyan looked down at Shen Chuwei’s sprawled out sleeping position, wearing only a thin, strappy dress. He frowned, finding it less convenient than a bellyband.

Even so, Shen Chuwei, deeply asleep, showed no sign of waking.

Xiao Jinyan watched her like this, his Adam’s apple moving, then leaned down to kiss her lips.

Shen Chuwei suddenly opened her eyes, only to see a pair of narrow phoenix eyes tightly closed.

Ink-black hair cascaded down, enveloping her face with a refreshing bamboo scent lingering in the strands.

Xiao Jinyan chuckled softly, "Awake now?"

Shen Chuwei rubbed her eyes, "Your Highness, why did you wake me? I was dreaming of a giant burger and had just taken a bite... then,"

Shen Chuwei paused and stared at Xiao Jinyan’s lips for a moment, which seemed to have swollen~

No need to guess, in her dream, she wasn’t munching on a giant burger, but on Xiao Jinyan~

Xiao Jinyan usually climbed into bed in the middle of the night without waking her up.

His voice hoarse, Xiao Jinyan said, "Missed you."

He had been busy recently, and it was rare for him to rest early tonight. Seeing Shen Chuwei’s sleeping form and the exposed, fragrant shoulders, it was hard not to become aroused,

Shen Chuwei looked at him with a puzzled face, "Your Highness sees me every day, how could you miss me?"

Xiao Jinyan propped himself up on the bed with one hand and caressed her delicate, fair cheek with the other, tracing her features, "This ’miss’ is not the same as that ’miss’."

Shen Chuwei paused upon hearing this, still not understanding the difference between the ’miss’ he was referring to and the one she understood.

Thinking it over, she extended her arms to wrap around Xiao Jinyan’s neck, "Now that Your Highness has seen me, do you still miss me?"

Xiao Jinyan’s fingers lingered on her collarbone, "It’s precisely because I have seen you, that I feel such longing."

Shen Chuwei pondered over the meaning of these words, not understanding at all. The ancients really were, biting words and chewing characters, and reserved.

"Your Highness, can you just speak plainly?"

Xiao Jinyan let out a soft chuckle.

Shen Chuwei, a bit disgruntled, said, "I’m not ashamed to ask questions, but Your Highness mocks me. This will affect my enthusiasm to learn in the future."

Xiao Jinyan hadn’t expected her to bring up not being ashamed to ask questions.

He exhaled two words, "Share the bed."

Shen Chuwei was startled.

After all this time, wasn’t it just sharing the bed?

Now she understood why the ancients spoke of romantic involvement with such indirectness and elegance.

Even sharing the bed could be dressed up with a heap of romantic terms.

"If you simply said ’share the bed,’ I would have understood."

Xiao Jinyan began to untie his own clothes, "That’s too blunt."

Shen Chuwei watched his actions, her face flushing, "Although it’s blunt, it is clear and easy to understand."

"As long as you understand now," Xiao Jinyan leaned in once more, savoring the unique sweet fragrance of peach blossoms that belonged only to her.

At this time, Xiao Jinyan usually doesn’t like to bring up other matters.

Shen Chuwei had mentioned it a few times before, but after being tossed around by Xiao Jinyan, she didn’t bring it up again.

Otherwise, she definitely would have remarked, "Xuetuan was quite impressive tonight."

The candlelight within the bedchamber only went out at the fourth watch of the night.

The next day, Shen Chuwei was so tired that she could hardly stand it.

When Xiao Jinyan returned from the morning court, Shen Chuwei was still sprawled on the bed asleep.

He sat down by the bed and, watching her tangled hair, his slender fingers gently brushed it behind her ear, "Little Nine, it’s time to wake up."

By this time, Shen Chuwei was also roused by hunger. Opening her eyes and seeing the culprit, she glared at Xiao Jinyan, but it lacked any real force.

In Xiao Jinyan’s eyes, that was just adorable.

Shen Chuwei complained, "Concubine is like this because of whom?"

As soon as she spoke, her voice was raspy to the extreme.

Xiao Jinyan nodded in admission of guilt, "It’s my fault. What would you like, Little Nine?"

"You have to prepare a portion of crystal pork knuckle for the concubine at least." Shen Chuwei thought about it, one portion of crystal pork knuckle would hardly make up for what she encountered, she put up two fingers with a no-room-for-negotiation expression, "No, definitely two portions to compensate the concubine. "

Xiao Jinyan watched her serious little expression and couldn’t help but laugh, "Alright, I’ll have someone prepare two portions of crystal pork knuckle for lunch."

"That’s more like it." The thought of two portions of crystal pork knuckle for lunch suddenly made Shen Chuwei ecstatic, and the soreness in her body seemed to lessen quite a bit.

Xiao Jinyan, seeing Shen Chuwei so happy and satisfied over two portions of crystal pork knuckle, suddenly pondered a question.

"Between crystal pork knuckle and me, who would you choose?"

Shen Chuwei blurted out almost without thinking, "Of course, the crystal pork knuckle, it’s two portions."

Xiao Jinyan: "..." Crystal pork knuckle is more important than he is?

Xiao Jinyan never dreamed that the clown would turn out to be himself.

The air suddenly felt less breathable.

Xiao Jinyan reminded her, "The crystal pork knuckle will be gone after you eat it."

But he, a real person, will stay with you until the end.

You’re smart, right?

Shen Chuwei responded, "It’s precisely because it fills the concubine’s stomach that it won’t last."

Xiao Jinyan: "..."

Shen Chuwei saw the smile at Xiao Jinyan’s lips gradually fade and realized that her answer did not please him.

She quickly added, "Your Highness is equally important, the concubine chooses both."

Xiao Jinyan was already hurt; the mere existence of crystal pork knuckle overshadowed him, let alone braised pork, grilled lamb, hotpot, fruits, and such.

If these were all added up, would there still be a place for him in her heart?

"Your Highness, you’re an adult now, don’t haggle with crystal pork knuckle, after it’s gone there are still cherries and peaches..."

Shen Chuwei originally intended to comfort Xiao Jinyan, but her words ended up cutting deeper, a veritable coup de grace.

See, there’s even a line of cherries and peaches waiting~

"I can’t take it anymore, the concubine needs to get out of bed and eat to sustain life." Shen Chuwei was so hungry she couldn’t stand it anymore, she threw off the covers intending to get out of bed, but tragedy ensued.

Her legs went weak and she plopped right back down.

Xiao Jinyan’s quick reflexes came to the rescue as he reached out to catch her waist and promptly pulled her back, "Take it slow."

Shen Chuwei indicated that she was already moving slowly enough, it wasn’t her fault her legs were weak!

"Why did you suddenly fall? Are you not feeling well somewhere?" After saying this, Xiao Jinyan instinctively ordered, "Liu Xi, summon Imperial Doctor Wen."

Liu Xi, who had been standing at the doorway, acknowledged the command and was about to leave.

Shen Chuwei hastily shouted, "No need, no need, I’m fine."

If the Imperial Doctor came to check and the reason was revealed, wouldn’t that be utterly embarrassing?