Xie Lang didn't know that another one of his identities had been revealed. Seeing the surprise in Shen Mingzhu's eyes, he casually picked up the small copper mirror on the table and held it in front of her, saying proudly, "Well, how do I look? Pretty, right?" Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu instinctively looked over and saw a bright and charming woman in the mirror. A small and vivid peony between her eyebrows made her even more charming.
She was really beautiful.
Especially the peony.
Shen Mingzhu instinctively leaned closer to take a better look. Seeing that the color of the peony was just a bit pale, she couldn't help but feel regretful.
She should have asked Xie Lang to paint this peony on her with the pigment for flower tattoos just now.
"You look beautiful," Shen Mingzhu sighed and looked at Xie Lang. "Thank you."
Thinking of his new identity, Shen Mingzhu couldn't help but probe, "I assume you're also very good at painting?"
Hearing this, Xie Lang's expression dimmed a bit for some unknown reason, but he didn't show it on his face. Looking at Shen Mingzhu, he joked, "Your Highness also knows my capabilities. I'm the number one playboy in the capital."
"But if Your Highness wants to see me paint, I can learn for Your Highness." Xie Lang's eyes were burning with enthusiasm and his tone was sincere, but the smile in his eyes betrayed his thoughts.
Shen Mingzhu rolled her eyes at him in annoyance. Seeing that he really didn't want to talk about it, she didn't force him anymore and continued, "Then go and learn."
Hearing this, Xie Lang burst out laughing.
Such scenes had been frequent recently. Shen Mingzhu knew that the current ambiguous relationship between them was dangerous, but she still couldn't help indulging herself, following Xie Lang's lead and feeling his genuine affection.
No woman didn't like beauty.
Looking at the peony between her eyebrows, Shen Mingzhu's expression towards Xie Lang became even gentler. She was thinking that maybe she could ask Xie Lang to draw her eyebrows in the future. Unexpectedly, Xie Lang spoke first and looked at her gently, saying, "Since so, how about I draw Your Highness's eyebrows from now on?"
Shen Mingzhu looked up at him. Her heart was itching, but she still replied, "It depends on my mood."
...
After getting up and resting for a while, Chun Tao, who had gone to get something, returned. She bowed respectfully to Shen Mingzhu and said, "Your Highness, Mrs. Liu and her niece are outside. They said they've come to pay their respects to you."
Shen Mingzhu was silent for a moment. She suspected that Mrs. Liu had brought her niece here in hopes that her niece could get a gift from her.
However, upon hearing this, Xie Lang frowned immediately. Looking at Shen Mingzhu with a lack of interest, he sighed and said, "In that case, Your Highness should go and see them. I'll take my leave first."
How could Shen Mingzhu let Xie Lang leave first?
Reaching out, she grabbed Xie Lang's sleeve and said to Chun Tao, "Let them in."
Hearing this, a trace of resentment flashed in Xie Lang's eyes, but he still let Shen Mingzhu drag him by the sleeve and slowly walked towards the front hall.
【Alas, I really don't want to see that person.】
As he walked, Xie Lang kept sighing in his heart, and there was a hint of annoyance on his face.
Shen Mingzhu instinctively looked up at him and saw Xie Lang sigh again. He said, "Your Highness, sit closer to me later."
Huh?
When they reached the front hall and just sat down, they saw Mrs. Liu leading a young girl in a light-yellow dress standing there.
Seeing Shen Mingzhu, the two bowed respectfully.
So far, everything seemed normal?
Uncertainly, Shen Mingzhu raised her hand and took a sip of tea. Then she saw the girl in the light-yellow dress looking at Xie Lang with burning eyes and saying coquettishly, "Cousin, long time no see."
Cousin? Mrs. Liu was Xie Lang's stepmother, so if the children from her natal family really wanted to get on familiar terms, they could indeed call Xie Lang cousin.
Shen Mingzhu looked at Xie Lang with interest and saw him nodding coldly. Then he got up and moved his chair, almost sticking to Shen Mingzhu.
The next moment, Shen Mingzhu felt her hand being held by Xie Lang and played with in his palm.
Frowning, Shen Mingzhu was about to withdraw her hand when she heard Xie Lang's inner thoughts.
【So painful. Calling me cousin. So she's eyeing the position of the heir. Now she's after the money Shen Mingzhu gave me?】
Shen Mingzhu: "..."
Could it be like this?
Silently suppressing the desire to withdraw her hand, Shen Mingzhu turned her head and continued looking at Mrs. Liu.
"Cousin," the girl in the light-yellow dress saw that Xie Lang completely ignored her. A look of sadness appeared on her face, and her eyes kept looking at Xie Lang.
Seeing the awkward situation, Mrs. Liu timely started talking about Xie Fangfei and the arrangement of the banquet.
After just a few words, the girl in the light-yellow dress seized the opportunity when others were speaking and said, "The last time I saw cousin, he wasn't this thin."
【? What's going on? Isn't this subtly scolding Shen Mingzhu? Saying that I've lost weight since being with Shen Mingzhu?】
Shen Mingzhu was greatly shocked. She didn't expect this sentence could be interpreted in this way. So she looked at the girl in the light-yellow dress, raised her eyebrows and said, "Do you mean that Xie Lang has become haggard since being with me?"
Tears instantly welled up in the girl's eyes. She took out her handkerchief and said sadly, "Your Highness is joking. This..."
Xie Lang felt a headache just looking at her.
"I assume cousin is happy, right, cousin?"
Xie Lang thought this woman was getting more and more stupid. But if he were really a playboy forced to marry Shen Mingzhu and reluctant, he might really be convinced by her "gentleness and tenderness."
"Happy," Xie Lang said calmly. "Since I was lucky enough to marry Your Highness, I've never been this happy in my life."
【Didn't expect it, right? I'll piss you off!】
Shen Mingzhu couldn't help laughing out loud. Looking at the girl's thunderstruck expression, she couldn't hold back her laughter.
She thought the girl would give up, but unexpectedly, the girl hesitated for a moment, then looked up and said, "That's good."
【No! What do you mean? I seem so proactive, yet you still look like I'm reluctant. Do you think I was forced?】
【I just said I didn't want to come. Looking at this brainless woman, aaaah!】
Shen Mingzhu tried hard not to laugh.
It was rare to see someone who could make Xie Lang hold his breath after saying a single sentence. This cousin was really something.
Xie Lang turned his head helplessly and saw the gloating look in Shen Mingzhu's eyes. He instinctively glared at her fiercely.
Mrs. Liu had brought her niece here with other intentions. But seeing that neither of them seemed to care and they both looked like they were watching a show, she glared at her niece fiercely, signaling her to be quiet.
After they finished talking, Mrs. Liu led her niece away. Shen Mingzhu saw the girl looking back three times at every step. Looking at Xie Lang, she said softly, "Cousin, if there's anything, you must tell Rou'er."
Xie Lang looked as if he had swallowed a fly.
【Does she think everyone is as stupid as she is? How could Shen Mingzhu and I get angry just because of a few simple words of provocation?】
Seeing the expression on Xie Lang's face, Shen Mingzhu couldn't help laughing again, but was glared at fiercely by Xie Lang again.
At this time, Chun Tao came in with something. When she saw Shen Mingzhu, she hesitated to speak. Her eyes moved down and when she saw their hands held together, she couldn't help widening her eyes slightly.
"Your Highness, this is... a letter from Young Master Zhou."
Xie Lang, who had just said that they were not that easy to be provoked, immediately changed his expression.