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Lin Xian looked at the woman whose eyes were not fully open yet, speaking in a whiny tone, and his face looked rather unpleasant.

"Look at whose bed this is?"

"Isn’t a bed meant for sleeping?" Shen Chuwei stretched languidly, and only then did she fully open her eyes. Upon seeing Xiao Jinyan, she noticed something off about his expression and complexion.

Lin Xian asked coldly, "Did you drug me last night?"

Shen Chuwei was completely baffled. "No, why would I drug you?"

Lin Xian continued, "Then why are you sleeping in my bed? What happened last night?"

Shen Chuwei paused, a bad feeling creeping upon her. "Don’t you remember?"

Lin Xian retorted, "If I remembered, would I need to ask you?"

Shen Chuwei stared at Xiao Jinyan in front of her, lost in thought. He was so different from the night before. Could it be that he had forgotten everything in just one night?

"You remembered who I was last night, so how come you’ve forgotten after just one sleep?"

Lin Xian said, "I don’t remember what happened last night, that’s why I’m asking you if you drugged me."

Shen Chuwei faintly realized that the Xiao Jinyan in front of her still didn’t remember her, and there was something odd about the Xiao Jinyan of the previous night too.

She felt a wave of disappointment; the joy she had felt the night before had vanished in an instant.

"I didn’t drug you."

Lin Xian himself didn’t understand what had happened either; he had no recollection of the previous night’s events.

He considered the time, realizing that the maids would soon come in to tidy the room. It wasn’t a big deal for him, a man, but for her, a woman, even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn’t wash away the scandal.

He urged her, "Hurry and go back."

Shen Chuwei glanced at the stone-faced Xiao Jinyan in front of her, realizing that all talks of sweet after bitter were deceptive.

She got off the bed, picked up the clothes beside her to dress, then slipped on her shoes, grabbed her medicine box, opened the door, and walked out.

Lin Xian watched as her petite silhouette vanished at the doorway, his brows deeply furrowed, unable to fathom how things had come to this.

Shen Chuwei carried the medicine box back to her own guest room.

Qin Xiao had been waiting at the door since early morning. Seeing her return from the place across, he stepped forward and asked, "Did the master stay overnight?"

Shen Chuwei placed the medicine box on the table, nodding listlessly, "Mhm."

Not just because she hadn’t slept well, but mostly because Xiao Jinyan had forgotten her again.

Qin Xiao pressed further, "Then, does the master remember now?"

Shen Chuwei shook her head, speaking in a muffled tone, "No, I’ve been driven out again."

Qin Xiao was baffled, not comprehending the meaning behind Shen Chuwei’s words.

"I’m going back to sleep," said Shen Chuwei, who wanted to think of nothing at the moment. She approached the bed, kicked off her shoes, and lay down on it, falling asleep once more.

Qin Xiao felt something had happened, wondering when had the master ever driven the Crown Princess out of his room before?

He glanced at Shen Chuwei lying on the bed, then stepped out and closed the door, choosing to stand guard outside.

It was the growling of her stomach that woke Shen Chuwei up—she was starving.

After washing up, she discovered it was already noon. No wonder she was so hungry.

After eating her noon meal, Shen Chuwei stretched out on a couch, took out some chocolate from her space, unwrapped it, and began to eat one piece after another.

Xuetuan approached, eyeing the chocolate in Shen Chuwei’s hand, licked its lips, and seemed to want some.

Shen Chuwei glanced at Xuetuan and, without stinginess, took more chocolate from her space. After unwrapping it, she handed it to Xuetuan.

Xuetuan, particular about cleanliness, carried the chocolate to a chair before starting to eat it gracefully.

Shen Chuwei ate three pieces of chocolate, rinsed her mouth, and then took an afternoon nap.

When she woke up again, it was late afternoon. Shen Chuwei went out for a walk on her own and, as she passed by the garden, overheard a conversation.

"We haven’t seen each other for a few years. I never imagined that upon our next meeting, you’d have already become a monk."

"My master once said that everything is a matter of fate. When fate arrives, things naturally happen."

Shen Chuwei walked a few steps, then doubled back, because the voice sounded very familiar. She pushed through the bushes as tall as a person and saw two figures sitting in the pavilion, one was Ouyang Jingyuan, and the other was Wu Tan.

It had been a long time since she had seen Wu Tan, and she noticed that he seemed to have matured, shedding his youthful look, just like Xiao Jinyan had. As they grew older, they naturally changed.

She happily approached, "Third Master, Little Master Wu Tan."

Ouyang Jingyuan, upon seeing Shen Chuwei approaching, stood up, seemingly surprised, and asked, "Doctor Shen, you know Wu Tan?"

Shen Chuwei smiled and nodded, "Yes, we met at the White Horse Temple in Daxia."

She looked at Wu Tan curiously, her expression one of pleasant surprise, "Little Master Wu Tan, how did you come here?"

Seeing Shen Chuwei, Wu Tan also seemed surprised, "I came to visit a friend. Shen..." Wu Tan hesitated for a moment, unsure how to address her in this context.

Shen Chuwei’s eyes curved into a smile. "Just call me Doctor Shen," she proposed.

Wu Tan nodded, "Doctor Shen, what brings you here?"

"Of course, it’s related to business," Shen Chuwei replied vaguely, eyeing Wu Tan up and down, noting that he seemed to have grown taller.

"How have you been these past years?" she inquired.

Wu Tan brought his palms together in a respectful gesture, "As a monk, I have been well, and I appreciate Doctor Shen’s concern."

Seeing that everyone was acquainted, Ouyang Jingyuan no longer needed to make introductions. He said with a smile, "Let’s sit down and chat, shall we?"

Shen Chuwei readily nodded, "Sure."

Wu Tan agreed, "Alright."

The three of them settled down around the table.

Shen Chuwei picked up a pastry, took a bite, and savored it. Every place had its own signature pastries, and the ones here were quite decent.

Ouyang Jingyuan poured her a cup of hot tea and placed it to her right.

Shen Chuwei nodded her thanks, and while eating the pastries, she asked curiously, "Third Master, how did you and Little Master Wu Tan become acquainted?"

Ouyang Jingyuan glanced at Wu Tan and explained with a smile, "We met in Nanzhao Country years ago, and it’s been several years since we last saw each other."

At this, Shen Chuwei turned to Wu Tan with interest, "Then, Little Master Wu Tan, did you know Xiao Jinyan when you were in Nanzhao Country?"

Meanwhile, back in the guest room

Seeing Xuetuan rush in, Lin Xian thought Shen Chuwei had arrived. He looked up towards the doorway, but he didn’t see her figure.