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Shen Chuwei felt that after spending enough time together, a couple could guess what the other was thinking with just a glance or a gesture—that was what you’d call understanding.

She had hinted so obviously, yet Xiao Jinyan still hadn’t realized she wanted to satisfy her cravings with those street snacks.

"Your Highness doesn’t understand me at all."

Xiao Jinyan looked at the puffed-up Chuwei, not at all annoyed, and asked in a low voice, "Then does Chuwei understand me?"

"Of course I do. Your Highness has a fondness for cleanliness, has little interest in culinary delights, is devoted to Daxia, and wishes to achieve great feats," Shen Chuwei said, looking at Xiao Jinyan with proud eyes.

Xiao Jinyan asked, "Is that all?"

Shen Chuwei was taken aback. She suddenly thought of the hidden portrait and the jade stone. Could it be that she didn’t understand Xiao Jinyan enough?

"Your Highness has secrets in your heart, but you’re not willing to share them with me."

Xiao Jinyan paused, stunned. Could Chuwei really know that he could read minds? That was the only secret he hadn’t told her.

As for the years as a hostage, they weren’t a secret, he just preferred not to mention them.

Shen Chuwei continued, "In fact, everyone has secrets they can’t speak of."

She too had her secrets. Should they accidentally come to light one day and Xiao Jinyan questioned her, she’d have the confidence to retort.

Xiao Jinyan nodded in agreement, "It’s not easy to be so understanding."

Shen Chuwei chuckled, "All that I should do, I wish Your Highness could be just as understanding in the future."

Xiao Jinyan chuckled softly, "Naturally."

Shen Chuwei extended her finger, "Your Highness, let’s pinky swear to keep our words."

Xiao Jinyan looked down at her slender little finger and her smug little face, vaguely guessing this was going to be a trap.

"Your Highness?" Shen Chuwei, not hesitating, took his hand, pinky hooked with pinky, smiling triumphantly, "Let’s agree to this."

Xiao Jinyan stared at their pinkies locked together, and at her proud, joyful smile, his mind flashed with several scenes that overlapped with the one before him.

Shen Chuwei noticed Xiao Jinyan staring mutely at her, and waved her hand in front of his face, "Your Highness?"

Xiao Jinyan, brought back to reality by the scene before him, was also filled with questions. It always seemed that through Chuwei, fragments flickered in his mind.

"Do you have secrets you’re keeping from me?"

Shen Chuwei shook her head firmly.

The secret of a time traveler must never be told.

Xiao Jinyan looked at her guilty expression; clearly, there were secrets she was keeping from him.

At that moment, Qin Xiao’s voice came from outside the carriage, "Master, I have purchased the items."

Xiao Jinyan withdrew his gaze, lifted his hand to pull aside the carriage curtain, and saw Qin Xiao bringing in a bag of goods; he took it and then let the curtain fall back.

Shen Chuwei eyed the bamboo stick of the candied haw, inhaled the savory aroma of the meat patty—the bag was filled with food.

"Your Highness, I think we do have a good understanding after all."

Xiao Jinyan looked at Shen Chuwei, who was eyeing the greasepaper bag in his hands hungrily; he said helplessly, "It’s no injustice to say our daughter takes after you."

Just like Chuwei, Susu was especially interested in food and her weight had already surpassed her brother’s, her little cheeks pudgy.

"As long as the son takes after Your Highness!" Shen Chuwei said as she took the greasepaper bag from Xiao Jinyan’s hands and peeked inside to see the assortment of treats.

Xiao Jinyan retorted, "Is our son’s love for sleep also because he takes after me?"

Shen Chuwei bit into the meat patty and cheekily responded with her mouth full, "Our son is just as smart as Your Highness."

Xiao Jinyan chuckled lowly, "Can you tell if an unborn child in August is smart or not?"

Shen Chuwei, still chewing on her meat patty, replied, "With a father as intelligent as you, he can only be smarter. Don’t worry, Your Highness, our son will be even more brilliant."

Xiao Jinyan shook his head, amused, then took out tea utensils and tea leaves, calmly brewing tea.

Shen Chuwei, munching on her meat patty, watched Xiao Jinyan making tea, his every move exuding the Crown Prince’s elegance and nobility.

Xiao Jinyan poured her a cup of hot tea and set it before her, "Have some tea to cut the greasiness."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Shen Chuwei, feeling quite thirsty, picked up the cup of tea, sniffing and sipping several times, soothing her throat.

Xiao Jinyan watched her drinking tea and gnawing on the meat patty, imagining her childhood appearance, automatically conjuring up her childhood image in his mind, overlapping once again with the portrait hidden away.

He suddenly asked, "Did you visit Nanzhao Country when you were a child?"

Shen Chuwei instinctively inquired, "Where is Nanzhao Country?"