The next few days were quiet. Shen Mingzhu thought that the Spring Banquet was approaching, and the capital city instantly became lively. It was best for her not to act rashly, so she suppressed the impulses in her heart. Every day she would stay in the Xie Residence to read books and quietly meet her secret guards. Xie Lang was suddenly very busy. He did not hide his early departure and late return from Shen Mingzhu. Listening to the rumors outside, it was said that Xie Lang was recently addicted to cockfighting. He spent a fortune to buy the King of Cockfighting, and was very proud.
Shen Mingzhu knew that this was just a ruse Xie Lang put out. For a moment, she was curious about what he was doing. However, the voices she heard were fragmented, and it was not enough to piece together the truth.
Xie Lang also looked exhausted when he returned every day, but he still occasionally brought back some small trinkets.
Finally, three days before the Spring Banquet, Shen Mingzhu saw Xie Lang looking completely oblivious, so she reminded him, "The Spring Banquet is in a few days. Have you prepared?"
Xie Lang was stunned when he heard this, and only then did he remember that he seemed to have forgotten an important matter. So he said to Shen Mingzhu, "Thank you for reminding me, Your Highness."
"Mn." Shen Mingzhu nodded, and said to Spring Peach, "Bring in Young Master Xie's new clothes for him to take a look."
"New clothes?"
Xie Lang was surprised. He looked at Shen Mingzhu, but saw her looking back at him indifferently, and explained, "Just take it as the reward for the small trinkets you brought me these few days."
Really...
Xie Lang could not say what he was thinking for a moment, but looking at Shen Mingzhu's expression, he still nodded and said, "Thank you."
Shen Mingzhu saw that his expression was not as happy as she thought, so she stepped forward and pulled at Xie Lang's sleeve, as though she was looking at the embroidery on the cuff, "Not bad. Which embroiderer embroidered this?"
[Shen Mingzhu is really excessive. She has to calculate everything clearly with me.]
[I'm so angry!]
After hearing the voice in his heart, Shen Mingzhu was stunned subconsciously, but saw Xie Lang also stunned for a moment, before explaining, "I embroidered this myself."
Ah?
Shen Mingzhu was surprised. She looked at him and said, "What?"
Xie Lang smiled, and said, "I happened to have learned in another place before, so I mended the cuff myself."
Looking closely, Shen Mingzhu only then realized that this embroidery happened to cover a broken opening, but because the embroidery was not bad, it could not be seen if one did not look closely.
What exactly was Xie Lang doing in the past? Why would a precious young master learn this?
Shen Mingzhu was even more curious about Xie Lang's past.
Spring Peach happened to be holding a tray, and presented the clothes.
"Try it."
Shen Mingzhu thought that Xie Lang would reject, but unexpectedly he picked up the clothes and walked behind the screen.
Before leaving, he even left a voice in his heart -
[Rarely, Shen Mingzhu is so generous to me.]
Shen Mingzhu: "..."
It sounded as though she had skimped on Xie Lang.
After changing his clothes, when Xie Lang walked out, Shen Mingzhu looked at his appearance, and was actually unable to return to her senses for a moment.
"What?"
Xie Lang took a step forward, and sat on the chair beside Shen Mingzhu. He rested his chin on his hand and looked at her as he curled his lips and said, "Your Highness is captivated?"
Shen Mingzhu returned to her senses, and calmly said, "Young Master Xie is good-looking."
"It's rare to hear you praise me."
"Mn." A faint smile also appeared in Shen Mingzhu's eyes, "Just wear this to the Spring Banquet."
...
On the day of the banquet, Shen Mingzhu and Xie Lang woke up very early.
Only after sitting in the sedan chair did Shen Mingzhu look at Xie Lang's dissolute appearance, and she said in dissatisfaction, "Collect yourself today. This Princess does not want to clean up your mess."
Xie Lang was unhappy, but he remembered that his current persona was a dissolute young master, so he suddenly waved his fan and said in a flirtatious manner, "This Young Master is suave and debonair. How would I cause trouble?"
Shen Mingzhu did not believe his nonsense.
Xie Lang had left early and returned late in the past few days. Although she could not piece together everything from his scattered voices in his heart, she still vaguely knew that Xie Lang seemed to want to do something at the Spring Banquet.
Shen Mingzhu was not afraid of trouble, but some idiots were really quite troublesome, so she warned Xie Lang in advance, so that he would collect his fox tail.
"By the way." Shen Mingzhu opened her mouth, and continued, "Be careful of the Zhou Family. They..."
Xie Lang could not hear the word "Zhou" now, so when he heard this, he subconsciously provoked, "What, Your Highness is heartache? Are you worried that I will bully your old lover?"
Shen Mingzhu: "..."
She raised her head, but saw Xie Lang looking at her passionately. There was a bit of indescribable stubbornness in his eyes, and deep dissatisfaction.
Although Shen Mingzhu did not know where Xie Lang's hostility towards the Zhou Family came from, she could not help but explain, "The Zhou Family has been very active recently. They have done a lot of things in the dark. You should not oppose them."
Xie Lang only felt that Shen Mingzhu was warning him not to disturb Zhou Chengyu, so he curled his lips as though he was smiling but not smiling, "Oh, what if I insist?"
Unreasonable! Did Xie Lang have some problem today!
Shen Mingzhu frowned. Seeing his ungrateful appearance, she said, "Do as you like. In any case, it is not this Princess who will suffer."
Xie Lang pursed his lips, and his eyes stared closely at Shen Mingzhu.
A bit of indescribable sourness slowly appeared in his heart, and it spread out bit by bit, spreading to his entire body, causing the smile on Xie Lang's lips to slowly droop.
The more Xie Lang thought about it, the angrier he became. He felt that Shen Mingzhu was simply a flirt. Clearly she had provoked him, but she still could not forget Zhou Chengyu!
What was so good about that hypocrite? Clearly he was so fake, but he always pretended to be gentle, and had deceived the love of many little girls.
The inside of the carriage instantly became quiet. It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Both of them turned their heads, and they both thought that the other was ungrateful, so they did not want to talk to each other.
Shen Mingzhu even pretended that Xie Lang did not exist, and closed her eyes to pretend to sleep.
Xie Lang was not willing to show weakness. He simply lifted the curtain and looked out.
When they reached the palace gates, the two of them still looked unhappy. Their eyes when looking at each other had a bit of disgust.
Due to their current disguise, Xie Lang took the lead to hold Shen Mingzhu's hand, and then dragged her forward.
[Humph, Shen Mingzhu, you are ungrateful. You only remember that old lover, that hypocrite.]
[I should have known that I would wear something in bright red and purple. Then neither of us will want to save face.]
"Xie Lang!"
Shen Mingzhu was almost dragged into his embrace by this childish person, and she was so angry that she pinched his arm hard, causing Xie Lang to suck in a breath of cold air.
Spring Peach followed behind Shen Mingzhu. She looked as though she was used to it. Looking at the two childish people in front of her who were not even ten years old when their ages were added up, she sighed deeply in her heart.
It was all Xie Lang's fault! He had corrupted the Princess.
As a result, just when they reached a corner, Shen Mingzhu's movements paused slightly, and she did not even notice that Xie Lang was secretly looking at her.
A man wearing a cyan official uniform slowly walked over. He had a gentle temperament and a handsome appearance. When he saw Shen Mingzhu, the smile on his face that made one feel as though they were bathed in the spring wind froze slightly. He stood still in front of Shen Mingzhu, and bowed as he said, "Long time no see, Your Highness."