The frightening look in Yichen’s eyes vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared.
He calmly withdrew his gaze from Xiao Mei as though nothing had happened.
The oppressive atmosphere in the courtyard instantly disappeared.
Xiao Mei secretly let out the breath she had been holding.
"What... what terrifying eyes..."
"For just a moment, I truly thought he would kill me..."
She lowered her head and quietly placed the tray of tea and pastries on the stone table before respectfully stepping aside.
Meanwhile, Yichen walked naturally toward the empty reclining chair beside Shen Xuan.
Without waiting for an invitation, he sat down.
The sunlight filtered gently through the branches above, scattering patches of golden light across the courtyard.
The fragrance of blooming flowers lingered in the air.
For a while...
Neither of them spoke.
Only the occasional sound of pages turning could be heard.
Finally, Yichen broke the silence.
"What are you reading, Little Sister?"
His voice was gentle.
Almost indulgent.
Shen Xuan did not even lift her head.
"It’s a collection of strange stories."
She casually turned another page before picking up a piece of osmanthus pastry.
Crunch.
Then another.
Crunch.
Only after swallowing did she secretly glance at him.
Yichen was looking at her with the same gentle gaze as before.
Shen Xuan shivered inwardly.
"Fortunately..."
"He only treats me as a younger sister."
"Otherwise..."
"This level of tenderness would be absolutely terrifying."
"Wait..."
"No."
"Even treating me like a younger sister is already a little terrifying."
She hesitated for a moment before lowering the book.
"You... can simply call me Awu."
She paused.
"Little Sister is..."
Her cheeks twitched awkwardly.
"...a little cringeworthy."
The last two words were barely louder than a whisper.
Yet Yichen heard them clearly.
His eyes curved ever so slightly.
"Very well."
"Awu."
He spoke her nickname naturally.
As though he had called her that countless times before.
For some inexplicable reason...
The simple word sounded unusually warm coming from him.
Shen Xuan, however, nearly choked on her pastry.
"He actually agreed?"
"Wait..."
"Doesn’t only Father, Mother, Grandmother, Big Sister and my brothers call me Awu?"
"Even Sister-in-law only started calling me Awu after entering the family."
"Why does he sound so happy?"
She secretly glanced at him again.
Sure enough...
The corners of Yichen’s lips had lifted ever so slightly.
Although the smile was faint...
It was genuine.
Shen Xuan silently sighed.
"Forget it."
"It’s just a name."
"A salted fish shouldn’t overthink these things."
After reaching that conclusion...
She happily returned to her book.
Meanwhile...
Yichen simply sat quietly beside her.
Neither spoke again.
One read peacefully.
The other quietly watched.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Then fifteen.
Twenty.
Finally...
Shen Xuan slowly lowered her book.
She secretly looked sideways.
Yichen was still watching her.
He wasn’t reading.
He wasn’t drinking tea.
He wasn’t eating the pastries Xiao Mei had prepared.
He was simply...
Watching her.
Shen Xuan blinked.
"Does he not get bored?"
"Has he seriously been staring at me this entire time?"
"Doesn’t he have anything better to do?"
She quietly convinced herself.
"Never mind."
"If he likes watching people read books..."
"He can continue watching."
"I’ll pretend he doesn’t exist."
With that...
She picked up another pastry.
Turned another page.
Continued reading.
Another half an hour quietly slipped by.
The afternoon breeze gradually became cooler.
Dark clouds unknowingly gathered above the Shen Residence.
Shen Xuan’s eyelids slowly became heavier.
Her book gradually slipped lower.
Then...
Without realizing it...
She leaned back against the reclining chair.
The book gently slid forward...
Landing squarely over her face.
Not long afterward...
Soft, even breathing could be heard.
She had fallen asleep.
Yichen quietly looked at the sleeping girl.
The courtyard suddenly became peaceful.
The only sounds were the rustling leaves and the distant rumble of approaching thunder.
He slowly lifted his head.
Dark clouds now covered the sky.
The wind had become noticeably stronger.
Rain was coming.
Without speaking...
He looked toward Xiao Mei.
The maid immediately understood.
Although she still felt somewhat intimidated by him...
She hurried inside and returned carrying Shen Xuan’s rabbit-fur cloak.
Yichen accepted it.
His movements were unexpectedly gentle as he carefully draped it around Shen Xuan’s small shoulders.
The little girl instinctively snuggled deeper into its warmth without waking.
A faint smile appeared in Yichen’s eyes.
Then...
He bent down.
One arm slipped beneath her knees.
The other supported her back.
With surprising ease...
He lifted Shen Xuan into his arms.
"Young—"
Xiao Mei subconsciously cried out.
Before another word could leave her mouth...
Yichen looked at her.
Just one glance.
Nothing more.
Yet...
The warning hidden within those calm eyes immediately silenced her.
Xiao Mei pressed her lips together.
She silently followed behind him.
Yichen carried Shen Xuan toward her room with slow, steady steps.
The sleeping girl remained completely unaware.
Her head naturally rested against his shoulder.
One tiny hand even unconsciously grabbed a fold of his sleeve.
Watching this scene...
Xiao Mei’s expression gradually became strange.
"If I didn’t know any better..."
"I’d think Young Master was carrying his own little bride."
The thought had barely crossed her mind before she hurriedly shook her head.
"No, no..."
"What nonsense am I thinking?"
Inside the room...
Yichen carefully laid Shen Xuan upon the bed.
He adjusted the pillow beneath her head.
Pulled the quilt over her small body.
Even tucked the corners neatly around her so no cold air could slip inside.
Only after making sure she was sleeping comfortably did he straighten.
He quietly stood beside the bed.
Looking down at her sleeping face.
His expression was unreadable.
No one knew what he was thinking.
After a long while...
He silently turned around and left the room.
Xiao Mei watched him disappear beyond the doorway.
Then looked back at Shen Xuan.
She couldn’t help muttering under her breath.
"He really..."
"...treats Young Miss like his own little bride."
The steady rhythm of rain striking the roof gradually pulled Shen Xuan from her sleep.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
She slowly opened her eyes.
For a brief moment...
She simply lay there blankly.
Then she stretched lazily beneath the quilt.
"...Mm..."
"What a wonderful nap."
Another clap of thunder echoed outside.
Shen Xuan turned toward the window.
Rain poured from the darkened sky, washing over the tiled roofs of the Shen Residence.
The fragrance of wet earth drifted into the room.
Her eyes brightened.
"It’s raining."
"I love rainy days."
She smiled foolishly to herself.
Rainy days were perfect for sleeping.
Perfect for reading.
Perfect for doing absolutely nothing.
Exactly the lifestyle of a proper salted fish.
She slowly looked around the room.
"...Hm?"
"Where are Xiao Mei and Xia Cao?"
Usually...
One of them would always remain by her side.
Today, however...
The room was strangely quiet.
She shrugged.
"They’re probably busy."
"They’ll wake me when dinner is ready."
With that thought...
She happily pulled the quilt over herself again.
Closed her eyes.
And prepared to continue sleeping.
Not long afterward...
She vaguely sensed someone’s presence inside the room.
At first...
She assumed one of her maids had returned.
Without opening her eyes, she mumbled sleepily,
"Xiao Mei..."
No answer.
Instead...
The room remained unusually silent.
Shen Xuan slowly frowned.
Something felt...
Wrong.
She immediately sat upright.
Her sleepy eyes looked toward the doorway.
The next moment...
Her pupils shrank.
Standing quietly inside the room...
Was a familiar figure.
His black robes were completely soaked by the rain.
Drops of water slowly fell from the ends of his sleeves onto the wooden floor.
His handsome face remained as calm as ever.
Yet his dark eyes never left Shen Xuan.
Shen Xuan stared blankly.
"...Zhang Jingyuan?"
The words escaped her mouth before she could stop them.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Only after realizing what she had said did Shen Xuan slowly cover her mouth.
Her face instantly turned pale.
"Finished."
"I called him by his given name..."
"Again!"
"At this rate..."
"Even ten lives won’t be enough for me."
"Please..."
"Let the heroine’s halo save me one more time..."
To her surprise...
Zhang Jingyuan showed no displeasure.
Instead...
He slowly walked toward the bedside.
His rain-soaked robes brushed softly against the floor.
When he reached her bed...
He quietly sat down on the chair beside it.
For a brief moment...
Neither of them spoke.
The sound of rain filled the silence between them.
Then...
In an unexpectedly gentle voice...
He called,
"...Awu."
Shen Xuan’s eyes widened.
Her entire body stiffened.
"Awu?"
"He called me Awu?"
"Wait..."
"Who gave him permission?"
"Why does everyone suddenly want to call me Awu today?"
"First Yichen..."
"Now the Crown Prince too?"
"Is today some kind of ’Call Shen Xuan by Her Childhood Name’ festival?!"
She stared at Zhang Jingyuan in complete bewilderment, utterly unable to understand what in the world was happening.
A/N: Drop a comment if you’re enjoying the story so far.