Xie Yanzhao pulled up her fallen sleeve, covering that patch of skin once more, his voice betraying neither joy nor anger. “I am not angry with you.”
He leaned down, his warm breath brushing past her ear as he spoke word by word, “I am angry with myself.”
Before the words had fully faded, he lifted her chin and kissed her, carefully tracing the shape of her lips with a pressure that was neither too light nor too heavy.
Xie Yanzhao drew back slightly. “Angry at how I taught Yuanyuan so well. You think of others, but do you ever think of yourself?”
Shen Tinghe’s lips glistened from his kiss. “I didn’t expect Ji Yunzhan to be so bold either. Did she not consider the consequences?”
“Some people, when they go mad, care about nothing.”
Xie Yanzhao’s voice turned cold. At the mention of Ji Yunzhan, the chill in his eyes seemed almost capable of freezing the air.
But Shen Tinghe did not wish to continue this topic any further.
She didn’t even ask how Ji Yunzhan was faring now. Because she knew there were plenty of others who would settle this score for her.
She nestled deeper into Xie Yanzhao’s embrace, her voice soft and sweet. “Brother, I’m hungry.”
Seeing her so dependent and delicate, Xie Yanzhao’s anger was replaced by heartache.
He reached out and pinched the tip of her upturned nose. “You should go hungry. Let Yuanyuan learn her lesson.”
But Shen Tinghe was not afraid. She pouted and simply collapsed into his arms. “If Your Highness can bear it, then punish me.”
Xie Yanzhao’s gaze softened, a helpless yet doting smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
How could he ever bear it?
The moment he learned she had fainted from the incident, he wished he could have flown to her side immediately.
A servant brought in the Baiyi lotus seed soup freshly simmered in the kitchen. Made with the finest Xiang lotus seeds and simmered over a low flame for two hours, it melted in the mouth.
Shen Tinghe leaned lazily against Xie Yanzhao’s chest.
He sat by the couch, one arm wrapped around her waist, letting her rest comfortably against his arm, while the other hand held a white porcelain bowl. He scooped up a spoonful of the soup, blew on it gently by his lips, and then brought it to her mouth.
Shen Tinghe obediently opened her mouth and took in the spoonful of sweet, sticky soup.
The soft, glutinous texture of the lotus seeds blended with the clear sweetness of rock sugar, dissolving on her tongue.
She narrowed her eyes and let out a satisfied sigh.
If this scene were witnessed by others, it would surely shock them.
Who was Xie Yanzhao?
The Heir Apparent of the Dazhao Dynasty, the future emperor, a figure of incomparable nobility. In court, he was known for his solemn dignity and decisive authority, so imposing that even princes and ministers held their breath in his presence.
Yet, with Shen Tinghe, he could set aside all his status, willingly performing such servile tasks as feeding her soup and wiping her mouth, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
As he fed her, Xie Yanzhao spoke calmly. “For the next two months, you will stay within the residence. Do not go anywhere.”
Shen Tinghe was taken aback. She lifted her head from his chest, blinking her clear eyes filled with confusion and a hint of grievance.
“Ah? I…”
Before she could finish, he fed her another spoonful of soup, effectively silencing her.
Watching her puffed-up cheeks, the amusement in his eyes deepened. “Acting spoiled or throwing a tantrum won’t work this time, Yuanyuan. This is an order.”
Shen Tinghe simply sat up from his embrace, kneeling on the couch as she looked up at him, trying her best to make her eyes appear even more pitiful.
“Staying in the residence for two whole months will be so boring for me. When people are bored, they start overthinking, and when they overthink, they become sad. Would Brother bear to see that?”
She deliberately drew out her tone, her voice dripping with coquettishness, and even extended a small hand to gently tug at his sleeve.
Xie Yanzhao looked at her deliberately feigned obedient appearance, the smile at the corner of his lips never fading.
He reached out and lightly tapped the tip of her nose, his tone teasing: “This brother is still willing to part with it.”
Shen Tinghe’s face instantly fell.
Xie Yanzhao, however, acted as if he hadn’t noticed and continued: “For these two months, you will stay peacefully in the residence, waiting to marry into the Eastern Palace.”
Hearing this, Shen Tinghe knew that acting cute and obedient was completely useless.
She withdrew her hand in a huff, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and turned her face away: “Hmph, I want to return to the residence, otherwise Mother will worry.”
Without even asking, she knew this was the estate in the western part of the city, purchased by Xie Yanzhao in her name.
Since the two were not yet married, it was improper for an unmarried young lady like her to frequently enter the palace, and it was also inconvenient for Xie Yanzhao to visit the Prince’s residence late at night, hence this estate was arranged.
Xie Yanzhao looked at her pouting, angry expression and found it utterly adorable.
He extended his arm, pulling her back into his embrace, ignoring her struggles as he held her and lay down together on the couch.
“I have already sent someone to inform Lady Shen. Yuanyuan, stay with me and rest for a while.”
Shen Tinghe looked at the weariness on his face and felt a pang of heartache.
She didn’t know how long he had been handling government affairs again.
Though she continued to complain verbally, her arms honestly wrapped around his waist.
“Your Highness truly knows how to order people around…”
Feeling the movement of the person in his arms, Xie Yanzhao wore a satisfied and reassured smile at the corner of his lips.
Only with her by his side could he truly let down all his defenses.
Before nightfall, Xie Yanzhao escorted Shen Tinghe to the back gate of the Prince’s residence.
Inside the carriage, Xie Yanzhao personally fastened the plain white fox fur cloak for Shen Tinghe, his movements meticulous and gentle, tying a neat bow at her chest.
“Have you remembered everything I said?”
Shen Tinghe lazily lifted her eyes, replying with careless indifference: “Do not leave the residence, rest well to recover from the injury, do not eat spicy foods recklessly, do not stay up late reading medical books.”
As she spoke, she deliberately drew out her tone, as if mimicking him.
Xie Yanzhao looked at her boneless posture, picked her up, and lightly pecked her soft lips: “Be good, go on.”
Shen Tinghe jumped out of the carriage as if fleeing, entering the back gate without looking back.
Xie Yanzhao leaned against the carriage, his gaze closely following her retreating figure until that slender silhouette completely disappeared into the depths of the courtyard before he lowered the carriage curtain.
Xie Yanzhao withdrew his gaze, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing together as if the lingering fragrance from her hair still remained there.
“Heartless little Jiaojiao.”
He murmured softly, his eyes brimming with doting affection.
As soon as Shen Tinghe returned to her own courtyard, she kicked off the soft boots on her feet and threw herself onto the soft canopy bed.
Grabbing a soft pillow, she swung it wildly at the air.
“Stinky Xie Yanzhao, bad Xie Yanzhao, this isn’t allowed, that isn’t allowed, tyrant.”
At that moment, outside on the roof, a dark figure silently crouched on the tiles—it was the shadow guard sent by the Crown Prince to record Shen Tinghe’s daily activities.
Upon hearing the word “tyrant” from inside the room, the shadow guard’s hand suddenly froze. He stiffly maintained his posture, his mind blank.
This… should this be recorded?
He was new, having been assigned here only a few days ago, and had never seen anyone dare to address the Crown Prince like this.
Could this be recorded? Would he not die?
The secret guard wrestled with his conscience internally, scratching his head and ears before finally writing in his notebook:
“…After returning to her courtyard, Miss Shen said in her room: ‘Stinky Crown Prince, bad Crown Prince.'”
After writing, he stared at that line for a long time, silently reading it over again before finally letting out a sigh of relief.
“This way… it should be a bit more tactful.”
Little did he know that Qing Lan and the other three maidservants attending inside the room had long grown accustomed to such behavior.
Not a ripple of surprise showed on their faces.
Not to mention within her own courtyard—even in front of the Crown Prince himself, the young lady dared to be this “treasonous.”