"You!"
Shen Mingzhu was startled by him. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Xie Lang reach out and put his hand on her wrist. He said seriously, "Your Highness is in poor health. Your Highness should use it first."
【Argh! I'm so angry! Who does Shen Mingzhu think she is! She thinks I'm in poor health! Didn't she experience it last time?】
【Does she have eyes and ears? Who begged me to go easy last time? And then she turns around and thinks I'm in poor health!】
Hearing Xie Lang's inner thoughts and being reminded of what happened last time, Shen Mingzhu's ears instantly turned red.
Last time...
Xie Lang had a slender waist. Even when he was tightly embracing her, his expression was still one of self - restraint. Beads of sweat hung on his forehead just like now. The look in his eyes when he looked at her carried a kind of indescribable tenderness. At times, Shen Mingzhu would be in a daze. Looking at his extremely handsome face and the indescribable expression in his eyes when he met her gaze, she subconsciously thought of the fox spirits in the storybooks.
Shen Mingzhu's heart skipped half a beat. But on the surface, she said calmly, "Really? Then Mr. Xie can just pretend he didn't hear it."
"Pretend not to hear it?"
Xie Lang smiled, a faint curve appeared on his lips. Then he leaned forward. One hand was placed on the head of the bed, and the other on Shen Mingzhu's shoulder.
The unique jasmine fragrance on his body wafted over. It was faint, but more alluring than those strong scents.
"Your Highness, some things can't be taken as a joke."
【Humph, Shen Mingzhu! Tell me who is the one who is not up to it?】
Looking at her tiny reflection in his eyes, Shen Mingzhu calmed down. She leaned back to create some distance between them. "A joke?"
"Mr. Xie is simply slandering me. I was just worried about your health. How could it be a joke?" Shen Mingzhu looked at him calmly. "I just saw that Mr. Xie didn't accept my kindness, so I had to give up. I didn't expect to be bitten back by you instead."
"Really?"
Xie Lang frowned, looking like he was thinking, with a hint of suspicion on his face.
"Of course."
Shen Mingzhu nodded. Seeing his hesitation, her tone became even more firm. "I wouldn't stoop so low as to lie."
She was just coaxing him. Anyway, Xie Lang wasn't a good person. Shen Mingzhu had no psychological burden when coaxing him, just like she was coaxing a three - year - old child.
Then, either because Xie Lang's hand slipped or he was really in poor health, as they were looking at each other, his hand went limp and he fell straight towards Shen Mingzhu. In an instant, Shen Mingzhu stared at the man with her mouth agape as his head buried in her chest. His inner thoughts were so loud that she didn't even have time to deal with the embarrassment.
【Aaaaaah——】
【I'm not in poor health! Is Shen Mingzhu cursed!】
Shen Mingzhu was silent. She was a bit suffocated by Xie Lang's weight. But listening to his inner thoughts, she could only say coldly, "Mr. Xie, what are you doing?"
She was dizzy from the screaming in Xie Lang's mind, so she simply pushed his head away and gritted her teeth, "Mr. Xie, you should replenish your body with me tomorrow. Spring is here. It's time to make up for the losses in winter."
Xie Lang got up. His face was blank. He looked at his own arms.
Shen Mingzhu thought he would argue with her again, but unexpectedly, the man just nodded sullenly, then turned around and slept on the ground mat. He wrapped himself tightly in the quilt, leaving only half of his head outside.
Shen Mingzhu: "..."
...
The next day, after waiting for Xie Lang to get up, Shen Mingzhu asked, "Mr. Xie, why don't you find a new courtyard to live in? You don't have to sleep in this shabby place every day."
This was a euphemistic way of driving him away. Shen Mingzhu still wasn't quite used to having an extra person in her room, even though she knew that this man had no amorous feelings for her at all.
Xie Lang looked over and saw Shen Mingzhu leaning against the edge of the bed. Her eyes looking at him were still a bit hazy, with a sleepy look as if she hadn't woken up yet. But the words she said were anything but merciful.
"Your Highness." Xie Lang raised his eyebrows and looked up at her. He continued, "You and His Majesty are more like siblings than most. His Majesty also said that I should move out and not bother you."
Shen Mingzhu was more likely to be persuaded by soft words than by force. She was also extremely proud and easily fell for others' provocations.
Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Shen Mingzhu asked suspiciously, "The Emperor... really said that?"
"How dare I deceive you?"
Shen Mingzhu didn't believe it. She got up and tidied Xie Lang's collar.
【Ha, didn't expect it, did you? The Emperor really did say that. Shen Mingzhu has such a bad temper. She actually thinks I'm lying to her.】
A bad temper?
Shen Mingzhu let out an ambiguous laugh. Looking at Xie Lang, she said, "Really? Of course I believe you. An imperial order is hard to disobey. Then you can continue to live here."
"I'll ask Chuntao to set up a daybed for you later."
With that, Shen Mingzhu turned around and left, leaving Xie Lang standing there, looking a bit stunned.
He used to have to sleep on the ground, but now he was going to have a daybed?
Xie Lang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Looking at Shen Mingzhu's departing back, he remembered the person who had suddenly gotten close just now, and his ears turned red.
After Shen Mingzhu finished washing up, she immediately asked Chuntao to set up a daybed for Xie Lang.
Shen Mingzhu was picky about food, so a small kitchen was set up in the small courtyard next to Xie Lang's. All the food was cooked by the imperial chefs brought out from the palace.
So Xie Lang would always suddenly appear at mealtime, then wipe his mouth and leave after eating.
Shen Mingzhu wasn't so stingy as to deny him a meal, so the maids always prepared food for two.
She ate while watching the daybed being set up.
The more Shen Mingzhu looked, the more she felt that the house was too small. She turned to look around. In fact, it wasn't small. It was just that Xie Lang had such a strong presence that she found it annoying no matter where the daybed was placed.
So the people doing the work looked at Shen Mingzhu's face and naturally kept moving the daybed further out. Even Xie Lang, who was burying his head in his meal, realized something was wrong. He immediately said in disbelief, "Your Highness! If you move it any further, I'll have to sleep outside the Xie Mansion!"
"Don't tell me you have the idea of murdering your husband?"
Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu looked up. Although she was in the wrong, she still looked at Xie Lang and said, "It's not that serious. It's not my fault."
"It's just that your house is too small."
Xie Lang was about to refute, but then he remembered that the person in front of him was the eldest princess. This courtyard was indeed a bit small for her. So he could only sigh, "It is indeed a bit small. I don't have as much property as you."
"I'll just wait for your mansion to be built. Then we can move there and it won't be so crowded."
Shen Mingzhu was drinking sweet soup. Hearing this, she paused for a moment. Her eyes looking at Xie Lang were full of scrutiny. She stared at him for a few moments and then didn't bother to say anything.
What was Xie Lang daydreaming about? When her mansion was built, the two of them would naturally "fall out of love" and live separately. How could they still live together?
Xie Lang saw the expression on Shen Mingzhu's face. He was stunned at first, and then his face was instantly filled with anger when he realized what was going on.
No way! Was Shen Mingzhu really planning to abandon him as soon as the mansion was built?