“Ugh… He fainted?”
Shen Hongyuan immediately hurried over to his son. His stern expression turned concerned as he crouched beside Shen Yanzhou and carefully examined his condition.
After checking him thoroughly, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries. His son had merely lost consciousness after taking Chang Shiyue’s strike, his body apparently too weak to withstand even a controlled blow.
Shen Hongyuan shook his head helplessly.
“This useless brat…”
He bent down, lifted Shen Yanzhou into his arms, and carried him toward his room.
Once they arrived, he gently laid his son on the bed before turning to Chang Shiyue.
“Shiyue, you should return home for now. Let your father-in-law take care of this. And please forgive your useless fiancé.”
He sighed deeply as he glanced at the unconscious young man.
Chang Shiyue shook her head.
“It’s all right, Father-in-law. I would like to stay here and accompany him until he wakes up. After all, he ended up like this because of me. I should stay and apologize to him when he regains consciousness.”
“Ugh, there’s no need for that, my dear daughter-in-law. He’s simply too weak. This has nothing to do with you.”
“Even so, I hope you won’t refuse my request.”
Shen Hongyuan studied her for a moment before finally giving in.
“Very well. You may stay.”
“Thank you, Father-in-law.”
Chang Shiyue bowed respectfully.
Afterward, Shen Hongyuan left the room, leaving her alone with the unconscious Shen Yanzhou.
Shen Yanzhou remained motionless on his bed.
Chang Shiyue sat beside him, quietly observing the handsome young man.
Now that he wasn't running his mouth or wearing his usual mischievous grin, she could finally appreciate his appearance without being interrupted by his shameless remarks.
His black eyebrows were well-defined, framing a pair of eyes that usually sparkled with mischief. His nose was straight and elegant, perfectly complementing his handsome features. His lips were naturally shaped, while his jawline was firm and well-defined.
His skin was smooth and fair, and his long black hair, usually tied neatly with a simple ornament, had come slightly loose. Several strands rested against his forehead, giving him an unexpectedly gentle appearance.
Even unconscious, he possessed the kind of handsome face that could easily attract the attention of young women throughout Qinghe Prefecture.
Chang Shiyue stared at him for a little longer than she intended.
He really is quite handsome…
The moment that thought crossed her mind, she felt her cheeks grow warm.
She quickly lowered her gaze.
What am I thinking?
She had known Shen Yanzhou for years. He was her fiancé, after all. There was nothing unusual about his appearance that she hadn't seen before.
And yet, for some reason, looking at him now made her feel strangely embarrassed.
Perhaps it was because he was finally quiet for once.
That thought almost brought a smile to her lips.
She immediately shook her head, as though trying to chase away her wandering thoughts.
After glancing around and confirming that nobody else was in the room, she slowly reached for the thin veil covering her nose and mouth.
The veil was fastened behind her head. She carefully loosened it and removed it, setting it aside.
With the veil gone, her entire face was finally revealed.
Chang Shiyue's beauty was breathtaking.
Her face possessed an exquisite oval shape, with delicate contours and a naturally graceful jawline. Her skin was as white as freshly fallen snow, smooth and luminous like the finest jade. There was not a single blemish to mar her complexion.
Her slender eyebrows curved elegantly above her phoenix-shaped eyes. Those eyes were clear and bright, their dark irises carrying a quiet depth that seemed to reflect both intelligence and composure. The slightly raised outer corners gave her gaze a naturally dignified elegance.
Her nose was straight and delicate, perfectly proportioned to her face. Beneath it rested a pair of soft, rosy lips, their natural color resembling flower petals touched by the morning dew.
Her long black hair framed her face like silk. Most of it was gathered into a neat bun, secured by a simple white jade hairpin, while a few loose strands rested beside her temples.
She wore no extravagant jewelry, nor did she need any.
Her beauty alone was enough to make the world seem quieter.
She looked like a celestial maiden who had descended from the heavens into the mortal realm, possessing a purity and elegance that ordinary women could scarcely hope to imitate.
Even the most beautiful paintings would struggle to capture her appearance.
Chang Shiyue looked down at Shen Yanzhou once more.
For some reason, her cheeks grew slightly warmer.
Why am I thinking about him again?
She immediately shook her head.
Then, as though nothing had happened, she picked up the book in her hands and began reading.
This time, she was determined to concentrate.
Some time later, Shen Yanzhou's eyelids began to twitch.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
“Hmm…”
His vision was still blurry, and his head felt heavy.
Have I died?
He stared blankly at the ceiling.
Am I in heaven now?
His thoughts drifted back to the last thing he remembered: Chang Shiyue's wooden sword striking his chest before everything went dark.
His expression immediately twisted with indignation.
That wicked woman!
She actually killed her own fiancé! Does she have no regard for our engagement at all?
He had been cursing her silently ever since he regained consciousness, though his body was still too weak to do anything about it.
And here I thought she'd show me some consideration. What happened to the affection between future husband and wife?
Before he could complain any further, a wonderful fragrance suddenly drifted into his nose.
It was delicate yet captivating, like the scent of plum blossoms after a gentle spring rain. Beneath that floral sweetness was a fresh, soothing aroma that seemed to linger in the air, drawing him in almost involuntarily.
It was neither too strong nor too faint. Instead, it possessed a subtle sweetness that made him want to breathe it in again.
For a moment, even his aching body seemed less important.
Hmm? What is that wonderful fragrance?
Curiosity overcame his annoyance.
He slowly turned his head toward the source of the scent.
A figure was sitting beside his bed.
His vision remained hazy, allowing him to make out only a faint silhouette. He could vaguely see long black hair and a slender figure, but the person's face remained indistinct.
He blinked several times.
Gradually, the blurry image began to sharpen.
First, he saw a face as white as snow and as smooth as jade. Then came the delicate nose, the soft rosy lips, and finally, a pair of beautiful phoenix-shaped eyes gazing at him.
Shen Yanzhou froze.
His mind went completely blank.
Ugh… So beautiful!
He stared at the woman in disbelief.
Her skin was as flawless as white jade, her features exquisitely delicate, and her eyes so captivating that he briefly wondered whether he had truly died and arrived in heaven.
Am I really in heaven?
Is this a celestial maiden sent to welcome me?
His expression changed almost instantly.
The pain in his chest, his father's threats, and even the humiliating defeat he had suffered moments earlier were forgotten.
There was only one thing occupying his mind.
The beautiful woman sitting beside him.
Shen Yanzhou immediately put on his most charming smile, despite his weak condition.
“Such a beautiful celestial maiden…”
Chang Shiyue looked up from her book.
Before she could say anything, he continued in a flirtatious voice.
“May I ask your name, beautiful maiden?”
He paused briefly, then tilted his head and added with complete seriousness, “And… are you perhaps my destined partner in this heavenly realm?”
Silence filled the room.
Chang Shiyue stared at him, utterly speechless.
She had expected him to complain about his injuries, ask how long he had been unconscious, or perhaps accuse her of hitting him too hard.
She had never imagined that the first thing he would do upon waking up was flirt with her.
And not just flirt.
He had actually mistaken her for a celestial maiden!
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, gradually spreading until her entire face had turned pink.
“Y-Yanzhou…”
Her voice faltered.
She didn't know whether she should scold him or simply put her veil back on and pretend she hadn't heard anything.
Shen Yanzhou, however, seemed oblivious to her embarrassment.
He gazed at her with undisguised admiration.
“Hmm? You even know my name, celestial maiden?”
Chang Shiyue's face grew even redder.
How can this man say such shameless things the moment he wakes up?
She tightened her grip on the book, struggling to decide what to do.
Meanwhile, Shen Yanzhou was already busy congratulating himself inwardly.
If this really is heaven, Then perhaps dying hadn't been such a bad experience after all.
Then another thought suddenly struck him.
Wait a minute…
His smile widened.
If this beautiful celestial maiden is my destined partner in the afterlife, then perhaps I should thank Chang Shiyue for sending me here!
He nearly laughed at the thought.
Of course, he wisely kept that particular remark to himself.
For now, there was something far more important to accomplish.
He had to learn the name of the beautiful maiden sitting beside his bed.