“It’s nothing of the sort.”
Shen Qingtang quickly shook her head, wiping the tears from the corner of her eye with a trembling voice. “My stepmother has always been kind to me, and the servants in the household dare not neglect me. Please don’t overthink it, Elder Brother.”
Yet Shen Zheng’s furrowed brow did not relax as he pressed further, “Then did Lu Rongyu upset you? Speaking of which, now that you’re ill, has he come to see you?”
“He doesn’t know about my illness yet.”
Shen Qingtang shook her head gently, her voice softening. “Brother Rongyu has just entered the Hanlin Academy and is swamped with official duties. I don’t want him to be distracted by such trivial matters concerning me.”
“Trivial matters? Taking care of you is his responsibility!”
Shen Zheng retorted with a frown, his tone tinged with disapproval. “When Mother arranged your engagement, it was because she saw his steady nature and sincere character from a young age, believing he could take good care of you.”
He then shifted the topic, saying, “Tomorrow, I’ll send someone to the Lu residence to deliver a message, urging him to come see you as soon as possible.”
Shen Qingtang initially wanted to refuse, but she did have matters to discuss with Lu Rongyu.
Moreover, with the Crown Prince’s spies all around her, even sending a message to Lu Rongyu was difficult.
If her elder brother was willing to help, she could legitimately meet with Lu Rongyu—a rare opportunity indeed.
After hesitating for a moment, she whispered, “Then… Elder Brother, just send someone to the Lu residence to inform him. Tell him not to rush… He can visit me after his duties end or during his day off.”
The warning Xiao Chengyu had given her at Qingfeng Tea House still echoed in her ears. If Lu Rongyu neglected his official duties in his haste to see her, it might harm him.
Shen Zheng sighed helplessly, “You… you’re just too considerate, always thinking of others like this.”
After chatting a while longer, Shen Zheng instructed the maids to take good care of Shen Qingtang before leaving.
The next day.
From the morning onward, Shen Qingtang secretly hoped for Lu Rongyu’s visit. If he had received the message, he would surely come to see her after his duties ended.
Perhaps he might even drop by during his lunch break.
However, instead of Lu Rongyu, it was Xiao Chengyu who arrived again.
Hearing the maids in the courtyard greeting and paying respects to Xiao Chengyu, Shen Qingtang immediately frowned.
She had woken up early, and pretending to be asleep now was clearly inappropriate.
In the past, even when she was ill, the Crown Prince wouldn’t visit her every day.
Besides, she was already of age. Even as cousins by blood, shouldn’t he maintain some boundaries?
Before long, Xiao Chengyu entered.
“Cousin, you’re here,” Shen Qingtang said, attempting to rise and bow, but Xiao Chengyu quickly stepped forward and pressed her shoulder down.
“Just rest properly. Since when have we needed such formalities between us?”
With that, he sat down by the bedside, studying Shen Qingtang’s complexion. “How are you feeling? Is there anywhere you’re still uncomfortable?”
Shen Qingtang shook her head gently. “It’s just a minor cold, nothing serious. There’s no need for you to worry, Cousin.”
Xiao Chengyu frowned. “How did you catch a cold out of the blue? It must be that the maids in your courtyard aren’t attentive enough. Why don’t I assign a few steady-handed palace maids from the Eastern Palace to take care of you?”
Shen Qingtang’s heart skipped a beat. She already had Jinshu, who was the Crown Prince’s person, by her side. If more palace maids were sent to watch over her, wouldn’t she have even less freedom?
She quickly said, “Cousin, it’s not their fault. The maids have been very careful in their service. I was the one who kicked off the blankets restlessly in my sleep and caught a chill by accident.”
Xiao Chengyu still wouldn’t give up: “Even if it’s not their fault, having a few more people attend to you daily would still be good.”
Shen Qingtang promptly responded, “Cousin, Jinshu and Huaping have served me for over ten years—I’m long accustomed to having them by my side. If a few unfamiliar faces were added, I’m afraid I wouldn’t adjust well, and besides, I don’t like having so many people following me around.”
Xiao Chengyu glanced at her twice before conceding, “Very well, since Tangtang says so, we’ll give them another chance.”
His gaze swept coldly over Jinshu and Huaping standing nearby. “If you let the young lady fall ill again, you need not remain by her side any longer.”
The two maids immediately knelt. “We will serve the young lady with utmost dedication.”
Xiao Chengyu withdrew his gaze and waved them away.
Seeing that Xiao Chengyu had abandoned the idea of sending palace maids, Shen Qingtang breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Just as she was contemplating how to make Xiao Chengyu leave quickly, she suddenly heard him thinking: 【If I can bring Tangtang to the Eastern Palace soon, I’ll hold her while sleeping tonight. Then she won’t kick off the brocade quilt and catch cold.】
Hearing Xiao Chengyu’s inner thoughts, Shen Qingtang’s breath caught. Her fingers clutching the brocade quilt tightened instantly.
Before she could recover, she heard Xiao Chengyu’s cold mental scoff, his tone dripping with malice: 【I previously thought Shen Zheng didn’t usually reside in the Marquis’ residence, so I didn’t pay him any mind. I never expected him to be so meddlesome, even sending someone specifically to deliver a message to Lu Rongyu at the Lu residence.】
【Fortunately, I had already planted informants in the Lu residence. That letter never reached Lu Rongyu’s hands.】
Shen Qingtang looked up and met his downward gaze. The possessiveness in his eyes was so intense it seemed about to overflow, like an impenetrable net firmly trapping her.
And his inner voice continued: 【Since Tangtang can’t see Lu Rongyu, her feelings will naturally fade…】
A chill ran from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head. Shen Qingtang’s face gradually turned pale.
So… even the letter Big Brother sent to Lu Rongyu had been intercepted by him!
What exactly did Xiao Chengyu want to do?
Did he truly intend to destroy her childhood engagement and confine her in the Eastern Palace for life?
Just then, Ding Ru Shan’s voice came from outside the courtyard, carrying cheerful concern.
Following this, Huaping gently lifted the curtain and entered, cautiously reporting, “Young Lady, Cousin has come to see you.”
Shen Qingtang grasped at this lifeline and was about to have Huaping invite Ding Ru Shan in when Xiao Chengyu spoke first, his voice cold and brooking no argument: “My cousin needs quiet rest. Send her away.”
Huaping froze momentarily, not daring to question, and quickly bowed before retreating.
Turning back to Shen Qingtang, Xiao Chengyu’s tone softened slightly, though impatience lurked in his eyes. “How much longer does this cousin of yours plan to stay at the Marquis’ residence?”
“Cousin comes to stay at the residence for some time every year…” Shen Qingtang lowered her long lashes, her voice faint, her fingertips subtly curling. “Cousin, I’m rather tired…”
She wanted to use this as an excuse to make him leave quickly.
Xiao Chengyu hummed in acknowledgment, reaching out to pull up the slipped brocade quilt for her. Though his movements appeared gentle, his tone held an undeniable finality: “Then rest well. I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”
“You’re coming again tomorrow?” Shen Qingtang nearly failed to maintain her composure, feeling both shocked and anxious.
He was the Crown Prince—visiting his unrelated cousin every day. Was he not afraid others would notice his intentions?
Or had he simply grown too lazy to conceal them?
She quickly spoke to dissuade him: “Cousin, you handle numerous affairs of state daily. There’s truly no need to visit every day. Moreover, Tangtang has grown up now. Between cousins…”
Before she could finish saying “We should keep our distance,” Xiao Chengyu’s hand suddenly reached out. His cool fingertips gripped her chin with a force that, while not strong, carried an inescapable pressure.