To his surprise, the little one who normally had to be coaxed before she would obediently eat was actually waiting by the door. The moment she saw him return, she stepped forward and hooked her arm around his.
“Your Highness”
Xie Yanzhao paused slightly and lowered his eyes to look at her.
When had he ever received such treatment, with her actually coming out to welcome him?
His brows lifted slightly. He was rather curious to see what she was plotting.
Shen Tinghe led him to his seat, then turned and picked up a small celadon bowl from the dining table. She presented it to him like a treasured offering.
“I personally made this osmanthus and lotus-seed porridge. Try it.”
Xie Yanzhao glanced at the bowl of glossy, thick porridge. A smile appeared in his eyes.
“I never knew Yuanyuan had learned such a skill.”
She had been pampered since childhood, never having to lift a finger around the house. When had she ever done this kind of work?
Shen Tinghe was not flustered at all. Instead, she simply sat on his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head, and smiled confidently.
“I personally supervised the cook. I never left for even a moment. I instructed her on the heat and the amount of sugar. Doesn’t that count as ‘personally making it’?”
Her twisted logic made Xie Yanzhao laugh softly. His arm naturally slipped around her waist.
His spoiled little darling always had the most peculiar arguments.
“If that’s the case,” he said leisurely, leaning back against the chair while keeping his eyes fixed on her, “then feed me a taste.”
Shen Tinghe scooped up a spoonful of porridge, carefully blew on it to cool it, and then brought it to his lips, looking obedient and adorable.
Xie Yanzhao opened his mouth and swallowed the warm porridge, but his gaze remained fixed on her face. His heated stare was almost enough to melt her.
He felt as though his Crown Princess was deliberately seducing him.
Shen Tinghe’s ears grew hot under his gaze. Finally, she put down the bowl and buried her face in the crook of his neck, revealing her true intention.
“Are you going out of the palace tomorrow?”
The corners of Xie Yanzhao’s lips curved into a knowing and pleased smile.
So that was why.
“Yes,” he answered casually, his fingers playing with a loose strand of her hair. “Do you want to go too, Yuanyuan?”
He had already planned to take her with him; he simply had not told her yet. He had never expected her to offer such enthusiastic “flattery” on her own. It was certainly an unexpected bonus.
Shen Tinghe immediately lifted her head, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“I do!”
Xie Yanzhao’s slender fingers gently brushed over her delicate cheek. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze deep as he looked into hers. His voice lowered, carrying a hint of temptation.
“Yuanyuan knows what I want.”
Shen Tinghe bit her lower lip.
What else could this man possibly want? Obviously, he wanted her to trade on her beauty.
Fine, she grumbled inwardly. He was her husband, after all, and he was exceptionally handsome. She wasn’t exactly losing out.
Shen Tinghe willingly wrapped her arms tighter around his shoulders and raised her head to kiss his lips. Though inexperienced, she tried her best to please him, tentatively letting her tongue brush into his mouth.
By the end of the kiss, the initiative had already fallen into Xie Yanzhao’s hands.
A satisfied sigh escaped his throat. His large hand clasped her lower back and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.
His breath completely enveloped her. As their lips met, there was undisguised possessiveness and longing between them.
“Mm… ah…”
Shen Tinghe grew weak from the kiss. Her hand pressed against his chest in an attempt to push him away, but she had no strength left.
Her tongue tingled from his kisses, and her lips ached from the intensity. Small, involuntary whimpers escaped her.
When he finally allowed himself to pull back slightly, Shen Tinghe’s eyes were already shimmering with tears. Her lips glistened and were slightly swollen.
She began to sniffle aggrievedly.
“It hurts… boo-hoo…”
Xie Yanzhao coaxed her with concern.
“Let me see. Did I hurt you?”
But Shen Tinghe buried her face even deeper against him, refusing to let him look, while continuing to whimper and complain.
“All right, don’t cry, Yuanyuan.”
He gently patted her back as though soothing a child.
“I’ll take you out of the palace tomorrow. How does that sound?”
Before he had even finished speaking, the person in his arms immediately lifted her head.
Apart from her slightly red eyes and nose, there was hardly a trace of tears left. Her eyes were clear and bright, gleaming with the satisfaction of a scheme successfully accomplished.
“A gentleman’s word!”
She eagerly added another condition.
“I also want to drink the Qiuhuaniang from Tianlu Residence, and I want the fresh shepherd’s-purse and pork wontons from that old stall at the West Market entrance.”
Xie Yanzhao was rendered speechless by her. He shook his head helplessly and tapped the tip of her nose with his finger.
“All right. Whatever you want.”
Shen Tinghe immediately smiled like a flower and struggled to climb down from his arms.
“Where are you going?”
Xie Yanzhao tightened his arm around her and held her in place.
“I haven’t finished feeding you the porridge yet.”
“You can drink it yourself. Why do you still need me to feed you?”
She said it as though it were perfectly reasonable.
Xie Yanzhao let out a low laugh.
All right. His little ancestor had used him for what she wanted and was now ready to toss him aside, refusing to serve him any longer.
“Very well.”
His arm steadily supported her while his other hand picked up the still-warm bowl of porridge.
“Then I’ll feed you instead.”
Shen Tinghe did not refuse. She comfortably leaned against his chest and began giving him instructions.
“I want to eat the steamed tofu with fresh shrimp first.”
Xie Yanzhao obediently picked up a piece of soft, silky tofu, carefully blew on it until it cooled, and then fed it into her mouth.
He did everything naturally and attentively, as though there were nothing improper about the Crown Prince himself personally serving food to his wife.
The next day.
When Shen Tinghe woke up, Xie Yanzhao beside her was still sleeping with his eyes closed.
She turned onto her side and slowly wriggled beneath the brocade quilt. Eventually, she lay across his chest before poking her rosy, sleepy face out from beneath the edge of the blanket.
“Wake up, husband. It’s time to get up.”
Xie Yanzhao slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was her lying on top of him, her eyes bright and clear.
A trace of helplessness flashed through his eyes, but his arm had already instinctively wrapped around her waist.
“Well, this is unusual.”
His morning voice was slightly hoarse.
“This is the first time I’ve seen Yuanyuan wake up earlier than me.”
After they washed up and changed clothes, the two of them boarded the carriage leaving the palace.
The moment the carriage passed through the palace gates, Shen Tinghe eagerly leaned toward the window and lifted a corner of the curtain.
The long-lost bustle of everyday life immediately rushed toward her.
The shop signs along the streets swayed gently in the morning breeze.
These were all places she had visited before, yet everything now seemed fresh and exciting.
She had only been married into the imperial palace for a little over ten days, yet it somehow felt as though so much time had already passed.
“So happy?”
Xie Yanzhao’s voice came from beside her.
“Of course. Even the air outside feels fresher. The imperial palace is so stuffy. It’s much freer outside.”
Hearing her words, Xie Yanzhao’s eyes darkened.
Suddenly, he did not like the lively, carefree spirit she displayed.
She was like a bird, as though she might spread her wings and fly away from his side at any moment.
And that was something Xie Yanzhao would never allow.
Absolutely never.
The moment Shen Tinghe finished speaking, she felt a tightening around her waist. Her entire body was pulled backward by an irresistible force and fell into a solid embrace.
“What’s wrong?”
Shen Tinghe looked up in confusion and met his deep, dark eyes.
Xie Yanzhao suppressed the turbulent, gloomy emotions surging within him. He forced the familiar gentle smile onto his lips, but his fingers unconsciously tightened around her.
“Don’t lean against the window.”
He made his voice sound calm and steady.
“The wind is cold. Be careful or you’ll end up with a headache.”
“Am I really that delicate?”
She muttered softly.
Xie Yanzhao lowered his head and kissed her lips, using the intimacy to conceal his momentary loss of control.
“Not delicate? Then who was crying last night…?”
Shen Tinghe’s face immediately heated up.
Remembering fragmented moments from the previous night, she shyly buried her face against his chest.
“Don’t say it!”
Xie Yanzhao held her, his chin lightly resting against the top of her head.
From the angle she could not see, the forced gentle smile on his face completely disappeared. His eyes became dark and gloomy, like rain clouds gathering before a storm.
Even with the warmth and softness of his beloved in his arms, he could not calm the possessiveness raging within him.
Perhaps, from now on, he should take her outside less often.
If she became too accustomed to the taste of freedom, if her heart became too wild and her wings grew too strong, she might stop being obedient.
And when that happened, he might end up doing things that Yuanyuan would not like.