Shen Mingzhu didn't quite understand why Chuntao's expression was so indescribable. Even after talking to her, Chuntao took a glance at Xie Lang. Subconsciously, Shen Mingzhu had a bad premonition. She subconsciously gritted her teeth, wondering what big trouble Shen Mingyuan had caused for her this time.
"What is it?"
She asked. Seeing Chuntao, who was usually calm, hesitate for a moment, then say to her, "It's... three male concubines."
The atmosphere around instantly stagnated at this moment, thick like a sky covered with countless dark clouds, pressing down so densely that it was hard to breathe.
There was a blank look on Shen Mingzhu's face. She looked at Chuntao, suspecting that she had misheard.
"What? What did you say?"
Chuntao coughed awkwardly a few times and said, "Your Highness, they are three male concubines."
After saying that, she turned her head away. But then she saw that the eyes of her high - born and useless son - in - law were as cold as a sharp blade, instantly freezing Chuntao in place. The chill slowly spread from her heart. Chuntao even instinctively lowered her head, cold sweat pouring down.
Wasn't the son - in - law just a good - for - nothing playboy? How could he have such a terrifying look in his eyes?
When she regained her senses and looked up, she saw that Xie Lang was just lowering his head, with a hint of humiliation on his face, completely different from the scary look just now.
Must be seeing things.
Before she could say anything, Shen Mingzhu was silent for a moment, then said to Chuntao, "Send them back where they came from."
Was Shen Mingyuan out of his mind! Sending her male concubines. Was this some new way to sow discord?
Sure enough, as soon as Shen Mingzhu turned her head, she saw Xie Lang looking at her with a resentful expression, with a hint of threat in his eyes.
Shen Mingzhu reached out her hand and patted Xie Lang's hand comfortingly, saying, "Don't worry. I'm not a lustful person."
【Shen Mingzhu! If you dare to keep them! I'll throw them into the moat to feed the fish tomorrow!】
【Humph, I bet you won't dare to keep them.】
Won't dare to keep them?
Shen Mingzhu withdrew her hand and looked at Xie Lang with a half - smile, raising her eyebrows slightly.
It seemed that Xie Lang really overestimated her. Why wouldn't she dare to keep them?
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, just as Shen Mingzhu was about to go back on her word, she heard Xie Lang say with a smile, "It's my fault. Your Highness might as well keep them. I'm not the kind of jealous person."
"Really?"
Shen Mingzhu didn't believe a word Xie Lang said. Hearing this, the smile on her face didn't reach her eyes. She stood up and looked down at him, asking rhetorically, "Really?"
Xie Lang gritted his teeth and looked at Shen Mingzhu in disbelief, unable to believe that the person in front of him really wanted to keep the male concubines.
An indescribable emotion spread from his heart to his whole body. Looking at the emotions in Shen Mingzhu's eyes, Xie Lang knew clearly in his heart that the person in front of him didn't have any affection for him at all.
Shen Mingzhu was not the kind of woman who would be infatuated with someone just because of a moment of passion. She was the eldest princess, with a fief and royal blood. Love would always be just a small part of her life.
A negligible and replaceable part.
Xie Lang had never misjudged people, and his analysis of Shen Mingzhu was completely correct. But he still couldn't help sitting here, waiting for Shen Mingzhu's answer, giving her the right to choose.
Really?
Looking at Shen Mingzhu's expression, Xie Lang knew that she didn't really care about this. Whether to keep them or send them back, they were just a few servants and would never be able to get close to her.
So Xie Lang curled his lips, looked up at Shen Mingzhu and said, "It's all up to Your Highness."
"Oh." Shen Mingzhu turned to look at Chuntao and said indifferently, "Then find a place to keep them. And tell His Majesty that this gift is too heavy. If he wants to send something like this again next time, I'll have to send him something of the same kind."
"Yes."
Chuntao never expected that Shen Mingzhu would keep them, so there was an undeniable look of surprise in her eyes.
This... Why did Her Highness keep them? Thinking of the conversation between Shen Mingzhu and Xie Lang just now, Chuntao sighed, feeling disappointed with Xie Lang.
If Master Xie had just given in! Why was he so stubborn? Her Highness had always been like this. Master Xie had finally made some progress, but now he had caused himself a whole lot of trouble.
Sighing, Chuntao settled the handsome men with different expressions. When she returned to the room, she saw that although Shen Mingzhu and Xie Lang were sitting at the same table, they seemed as unfamiliar as strangers passing by on the street.
The silence lasted until they finished washing up and were about to go to bed.
Xie Lang had already got into the bed first. When Shen Mingzhu passed by, she accidentally touched his hand hanging outside the bed, and was almost dizzy from a deafening voice in her head.
【I'm so angry! I'm so angry! I'm so angry! I'm so angry...】
【Shen Mingzhu! You're finished! How dare you keep them! I'm so angry! I'm so angry...】
Shen Mingzhu: "..."
She lowered her head to look at Xie Lang. Just then, the person in front of her opened his eyes, withdrew his hand hanging outside the bed right in front of her, and curled his lips slightly at her, saying, "What? Your Highness is not satisfied now, so you want me to serve you too?"
There was a familiar mocking tone in his words. Looking at the coldness in Xie Lang's eyes, Shen Mingzhu actually felt a strange sense of familiarity. So she sighed and pulled the quilt for Xie Lang.
It was better for Xie Lang to be like this. His inner thoughts were really annoying and noisy. Shen Mingzhu never acted on impulse, but today she had kept the male concubines under Xie Lang's provocation.
Just thinking about the male concubines who were now somewhere in the mansion, Shen Mingzhu felt a throbbing pain in her temples.
On the surface, she seemed calm, but she never expected Xie Lang to be so angry and noisy in his heart.
Sighing again, Shen Mingzhu turned around and was about to go to sleep.
Unexpectedly, Xie Lang suddenly grabbed her hand and looked at her with a deep, heavy look in his eyes.
Xie Lang looked at Shen Mingzhu, who was wearing a simple nightgown but still looked radiant. All the unwillingness hidden deep in his heart surged out at this moment, surrounding him tightly, making him want to say something against his will.
"Hmm?" Shen Mingzhu saw Xie Lang's entanglement and his increasingly noisy inner thoughts. She couldn't help but withdraw her hand and rub her temples. Her headache was getting worse.
Why was Xie Lang like a child, changing his mind so quickly and being so stubborn?
Seeing this, Chuntao retreated. Her evaluation of Xie Lang went through her mind again.
Her Highness had never been such a hesitant person. She never liked to argue with others repeatedly. But Master Xie's behavior didn't make Shen Mingzhu angry.
It could only be said that Her Highness didn't even realize how tolerant she was of Master Xie.
Coming back to her senses, Shen Mingzhu saw the disbelief in Xie Lang's eyes. She sighed and said to him, "Don't think too much. Am I the kind of fatuous person who can't do without beauty?"
Xie Lang was stunned. The question on his lips was about to come out.
But he suddenly thought of the strange relationship between Shen Mingzhu and Shen Mingyuan. If Shen Mingzhu kept the male concubines and then sent them back, it would be a kind of provocation and would bring some unnecessary trouble to Shen Mingzhu.
Seeing this, Shen Mingzhu asked, "Do you have anything else to say?"