6 – Just say I’ve fallen for someone else?
With Wen Nian’s affirmation, Shi Sui relaxed a bit, picked up her chopsticks, and began to help herself to the meat. Indeed, it was the work of a palace chef—the flavors lingered on the lips and teeth, rich yet not greasy, perfectly suited to Shi Sui’s taste. Adhering to the principle of “no talking while eating,” she soon polished off half a bowl of sweet and sour pork.
Although Wen Nian had agreed to dine with Shi Sui, he merely sampled a little of each dish, taking only a few bites in total. Then, he lifted his gaze to watch Shi Sui eat, as though he found her more captivating than the food itself.
Wen Nian couldn’t understand why someone could eat so messily. Rumors had it that the Little Princess of Guyu County was a refined lady of noble birth, renowned throughout the land for her beauty and talent. Now, however, that seemed open to question.
Still, she was far more interesting than those proper young ladies.
Moreover, she had a remarkably good attitude. If anyone else had been caught red-handed in a scheme like bride-snatching, they would hardly be as carefree and unconcerned as she was, still thinking about eating as if nothing had happened.
Wen Nian noticed that the plate in front of him was nearly empty. He observed that Shi Sui had a peculiar eating habit: she was quite lazy, eating more of the dishes closer to her, and when she grew tired, she would pause to rest and daydream, her eyes somewhat vacant.
Shi Sui was still young, with stunning yet youthful features. Though her appearance was bright and elegant, her unique temperament lent her an unexpectedly soft and endearing illusion. With her lashes lowered, she gazed affectionately at the array of dishes before her, seemingly pondering what to eat next.
Wen Nian pushed the two plates of meat in front of him toward her and remarked with a smile, “You certainly have an appetite.”
Shi Sui removed the chopsticks from her mouth and replied sweetly, “Because Your Highness is keeping me company today, my appetite is particularly good.”
Wen Nian noticed that Shi Sui had genuinely switched her self-reference to “I.” He had never been fond of rigid constraints or cumbersome rituals and etiquette, but Shi Sui seemed to be the only one who, like him, had cast them all aside.
The Youth watched Shi Sui eat for a while longer, as if searching for a topic of conversation, and asked, “Do you like sweet and sour pork?”
Shi Sui replied, “I don’t think anyone could resist a plate of delicious meat.”
The thought of surviving on boiled cabbage, steamed buns, and pickled vegetables for over a decade in her past life made Shi Sui’s heart ache. This time around, she was determined to make up for it by eating her fill.
Wen Nian asked, “Apart from meat, what else do you like to eat?”
Shi Sui thought for a moment and answered earnestly, “The meat you just set aside.”
Wen Nian: “…”
Wen Nian was somewhat puzzled. Considering Shi Sui’s fondness for meat, he assumed it must have its unique appeal. He raised his chopsticks, intending to pick up a piece of meat, but hesitated mid-air. After a long pause, he still didn’t take any, eventually settling for a vegetable instead.
Shi Sui silently observed his actions. She noticed that Wen Nian had been eating for quite some time without touching a single piece of meat. So, he was a vegetarian—no wonder he was so slender.
Shi Sui asked, “Your Highness? Don’t you like meat?”
The Youth raised an eyebrow slightly. “Why do you call me ‘Your Highness’?”
Shi Sui blinked, hesitated for a moment, and replied uncertainly, “What else should I call you then… Nian Nian?”
But that didn’t sound very nice either…
Wen Nian nearly choked, but after recovering, he couldn’t help but laugh at Shi Sui’s remark. His dark eyes lingered on her as he chuckled for a while before leisurely saying, “Call me Dongzhi. It’s my childhood name.”
Born on the winter solstice, Wen Nian’s mother used to call him that.
Shi Sui softly repeated “Winter Solstice” twice and found it rather pleasant, so she smiled and said, “I don’t have a nickname. You can call me whatever you like.”
Wen Nian looked at Shi Sui’s puffed-up cheeks and thought seriously for a moment before saying, “Don’t you have one? Little Glutinous Rice Ball?”
Shi Sui: “…” Wasn’t that something you made up? How dare you mention it? It’s hardly elegant, you know?
Shi Sui ignored him, a silent protest of sorts, but the youth didn’t seem to mind at all. He casually glanced toward Zhuye nearby and said, “Go fetch a few jugs of wine.”
Zhuye gave a slight nod and slowly made his way to the kitchen.
Shi Sui knew the principles of “too much talk leads to mistakes” and “curiosity killed the cat.” She generally didn’t pry into matters that didn’t directly concern her, lest she say the wrong thing and upset the little black flower. If he got angry and killed her, it would be a loss she couldn’t afford.
So Shi Sui ate in silence. Before long, Zhuye returned with two jars of wine and placed them on the table. Without a word, the youth poured her a cup and asked, “Care for a drink?”
Before her book transmigration, Shi Sui was a lightweight, unable to hold her liquor. Now, feeling a sudden craving, she genuinely wanted to taste the wine here. It was a fruit wine, light and sweet. The original body had a high alcohol tolerance, and after drinking an entire jar, she remained alert and lively.
Wen Nian unhurriedly opened the second jar.
Shi Sui: …Damn, with this attitude, are you planning to drink until you drop?
Isn’t this going to kill me?
So Shi Sui put on an especially clumsy performance of instantly getting drunk. With a thud, she slumped onto the table, unconscious.
Wen Nian, who was still pouring the wine and hadn’t even started trying to get her drunk: “…”
The youth lowered his gaze and stared at Shi Sui for a long while. The night wind was cool, and the only sound was the rustling of leaves in the breeze. He raised an eyebrow slightly and said leisurely, “Speaking of which, today is technically our wedding day. It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t do something, would it?”
Shi Sui, who was pretending to be dead: “…”
Shi Sui: See, this guy really is after my figure and looks! But then why did you try to get me drunk? Could it be that you prefer someone who’s as still as a corpse? I don’t get it.
Wen Nian leaned in closer. He always carried the clean, crisp scent of snow, a faint and pleasant fragrance that could only be noticed when he was near.
Shi Sui felt the youth’s hand gently rest on her waist, making her itch slightly. She instinctively shifted to the side, but he had no intention of letting her off. Suddenly, Shi Sui felt as though he was deliberately tickling her. Unable to bear the ticklish sensation, she abruptly sat up.
Wen Nian was taken aback for a moment before slowly asking, “…Why are you awake?”
Shi Sui: How dare you ask? Weren’t you the one tickling me??
Seeing Shi Sui awake, Wen Nian sat back and didn’t beat around the bush. He smiled and said, “So you weren’t drunk after all.”
Shi Sui: “…Actually, my alcohol tolerance isn’t bad.”
“That’s fine too,” Wen Nian said. “Let’s get straight to the point. Show me the jade pendant that person gave you today.”
Shi Sui didn’t react: “Huh? What jade pendant?”
Wen Nian lightly gritted his teeth and said in a leisurely tone, “Or should I say—”
“A token of love?”
Shi Sui: Oh no, he’s definitely here to settle the score. I knew he couldn’t stay this calm when he’s practically being cuckolded.
Shi Sui: “My relationship with Mu He is rather complicated, but I can assure you, it’s definitely not what Your Highness thinks.”
The youth raised an eyebrow: “Oh? Why don’t you tell me about it?”
Shi Sui asked: “If I tell you, will Your Highness believe me?”
“Not sure.” The youth smiled, tossing the crisp jujube in his hand, then lazily leaned back in his chair and took a bite. He said with a grin, “Maybe, depending on my mood.”
The thought process of this little black flower truly isn’t something ordinary people can fathom. After all that fuss, he got himself drunk just to steal the jade pendant?
His temperament was unpredictable, and Shi Sui couldn’t quite get a read on him. But it was good that Wen Nian brought it up himself. If this matter remained unresolved between them, it would likely become a major problem in the future.
After all, in many TV dramas, the breakdown of the relationship between the male and female leads often starts with small issues that accumulate over time. So, addressing problems promptly is undoubtedly the best strategy.
Besides, she wasn’t entirely unprepared.
If she really gave the jade pendant to Wen Nian, given his nature, he would probably follow the clues and uncover Mu He’s identity. Wouldn’t that still lead to exposing Mu He’s status as a prince born outside the palace?
If that happened, wouldn’t they just end up back on the original plotline?
So, after a moment of consideration, Shi Sui took a red agate jade pendant from her waist and handed it to him, sighing as she said, “It’s not a token of love at all. Your Highness may not know this, but Mu He was adopted by my father since childhood. Though he has no official status, he’s practically like a half-brother to me. Your Highness, do you think I could fall in love with my own brother?”
“That day, Mu He acted impulsively and did something like that. He grew up with me since we were young and definitely didn’t want me to marry someone I didn’t know. Thankfully, Your Highness is kind-hearted and let him off. Otherwise… I really wouldn’t know how to explain it to my father, nor how to face Your Highness…”
As Shi Sui spoke, tears began to fall, her crying delicate and pitiful, almost breathless. She thought to herself, with the original female lead’s stunningly beautiful face, surely no one could resist her when she cried like this?
Wen Nian looked up at her. Shi Sui’s words were sincere, positioning Mu He as a brother, which effectively clarified their relationship. Yet, as she cried, he felt an inexplicable irritation and instinctively reached out to wipe her tears, saying, “You’d better think carefully. If you lie to me, I can kill you at any time.”
Shi Sui internally: Good grief! How can you say something like that to such a helpless and pitiful beauty? Stay single for the rest of your life!
Wen Nian continued to wipe her tears and asked softly, “You see him as a brother, but what about him?”
So, Shi Sui sniffled. This time, she understood and decisively threw Mu He under the bus, adding, “Blame my damnable beauty.”
Wen Nian: “…”
Wen Nian took the red agate jade pendant Shi Sui handed him and couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation: “Little sticky rice ball, are you treating me like a fool? Do you think I can’t tell red from white?”
Shi Sui: “…I grabbed the wrong one.”
When Shi Sui received the jade pendant from Mu He, she had already guessed that Wen Nian would suspect this. In truth, there’s always a way out. Mu He’s birth mother had no power or influence, and after marrying the emperor, she remained unfavored. Her dowry consisted of ordinary gold and silver jewelry. At the time, Mu He went missing during the palace coup, and his mother gave him a jade pendant to verify his identity in the future.
Perhaps because he was too young at the time, or maybe due to the amnesia trope commonly used in such melodramatic TV dramas, the original novel never explained why Mu He couldn’t remember his childhood.
Since the jade pendant was not unique, merely an ordinary piece of craftsmanship, Shi Sui seized this loophole. When changing clothes upon arriving at the estate, she deliberately selected several jade pendants from the dowry the princess had brought upon her marriage—ones with similar colors and shapes to that pendant—and hung them all at her waist as a precaution. Wen Nian might suspect something, but dispelling his doubts couldn’t be done in one go. Shi Sui thought to hand over another white jade pendant instead.
Wen Nian examined the pendant for a moment and said, “The thing he left for you, you’re just giving it to me like this?”
Shi Sui thought for a moment and replied very sincerely, “If you insist on thinking that way, why not just consider that I’ve shifted my affections? Would that make you feel better?”
Wen Nian burst out laughing, not expecting her to say such a thing. He laughed for a long while without speaking.