Shen Mingzhu was captivated by the smile in Xie Lang's eyes. So, holding the wine in her hand, she got up and walked over to him. There was a faint smile in Xie Lang's eyes as he reached out and pushed open the window.
Shen Mingzhu looked out.
Below, the street was bustling with people, and the lights were as bright as day. The moment the window was opened, Shen Mingzhu even felt as if she had jumped into the crowd. So, she was in a daze for a moment before slightly widening her eyes at the scene in front of her.
"So, this should be a great place to drink, right?"
Shen Mingzhu looked at him. The lights on the street were reflected in Xie Lang's eyes, and they sparkled when he looked at her.
She nodded. Instantly, she felt speechless at that moment. So, she took a deep breath before steadily saying, "I like it very much."
Seeing this, the smile in Xie Lang's eyes deepened. He said to Shen Mingzhu, "Then I'll go get the wine."
Saying he'd get the wine, in fact, Xie Lang came back carrying a small table from somewhere. There were quite a few side dishes on it for the wine. Shen Mingzhu took a glance and saw the crispy dried small fish. So, she picked one up in surprise and took a bite.
"Delicious!"
"Of course," Xie Lang said proudly, raising his eyebrows. "These were just caught from the river at noon today and then rushed to the restaurant."
Noon?
Shen Mingzhu came to her senses. After thinking for a while, she suddenly turned to look at Xie Lang in surprise.
Wasn't this the time when she had just told Xie Lang that she wanted to go out for a stroll with him? Could it be that Xie Lang had started preparing in a hurry as soon as he heard that she wanted to go out, so that she could see all these things now?
An indescribable emotion spread from her heart.
Shen Mingzhu suddenly took a big gulp of wine. Finding that she had finished the whole flask, she casually picked up the wine next to it, pulled out the cork, and said sullenly, "Cheers!"
Hearing this, Xie Lang burst out laughing. Looking at Shen Mingzhu, he said, "Don't be so touched. I'm really not used to you being like this all of a sudden."
Saying this, Xie Lang reached out and tucked the loose hair on Shen Mingzhu's temple behind her ear, smiling softly, "Drink slowly."
Shen Mingzhu's face was a bit red. She took another big gulp of wine and then said to Xie Lang, "No! It's not easy to come out today. Let's drink to our heart's content."
Seeing Shen Mingzhu take another big gulp of wine, Xie Lang knew that she was really unhappy today. Sighing, he didn't stop her.
"Do you know?"
Shen Mingzhu didn't know how much she had drunk. Leaning against the window without turning her head, looking at the bustling scene below, she said softly, "I didn't know before that there were so many things between Father, Mother, and Brother."
Perhaps everyone had previously understood each other tacitly. Their love for Shen Mingzhu was genuine. So, they all tacitly hid their struggles behind their smiles and never let Shen Mingzhu notice.
Xie Lang always thought that Shen Mingzhu was lucky but also unlucky. Born into a royal family, how many truly sincere family members could one meet? Unfortunately, in the end, their relationship was far from as peaceful as it seemed on the surface.
So, after the false beauty was pierced, the truth behind it was all the more shocking.
Xie Lang stared fixedly at Shen Mingzhu. He saw that her eyes were shiny, filled with the lights below. Finally, a glistening tear suddenly dropped. Before it could slide to her chin, Shen Mingzhu quickly wiped it away with her sleeve, leaving only a slightly red nose.
"Why are you crying?" Xie Lang handed over the handkerchief in his hand. Looking at Shen Mingzhu gently, he said, "Forget it. Cry if you're wronged. Anyway, after drinking so much wine, you won't remember this in the end."
Although Shen Mingzhu had drunk wine, her competitive spirit hadn't disappeared at all. Seeing that Xie Lang said she wouldn't remember, she reached out and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes fiercely, saying, "I won't forget!"
Xie Lang was a bit worried when he saw her crying at first. But in the end, seeing her unyielding spirit return, he couldn't help but burst out laughing. All his worries in his heart turned into smiles.
"Okay, then drink more."
So, Shen Mingzhu drank more and more. When she came to her senses, the lights below had disappeared, replaced by the small candlelight in the room where she and Xie Lang were.
"Finally waking up a bit?"
Seeing Shen Mingzhu half - lying on the bed, Xie Lang couldn't help but burst out laughing and said, "Rare. I thought you'd wake up tomorrow."
Shen Mingzhu's mind was in a daze. For a moment, she didn't know where she was, but she still reflexively retorted, "That's just what you think. I'm awake now."
Xie Lang felt as if he had swapped personalities with Shen Mingzhu. He clearly remembered that he was the one who used to be stubborn at first. How come now it was Shen Mingzhu who was being stubborn?
Seeing Shen Mingzhu's stubborn look, he couldn't help but chuckle softly. Looking at the person in front of him, he said, "Okay, I underestimated you."
Shen Mingzhu's mind was in a daze. She couldn't hear the teasing in Xie Lang's tone at all. So, upon hearing this, she just frowned and said to him, "Oh, as long as you know."
Shen Mingzhu talked so much after drinking that Xie Lang wasn't quite used to it for a while.
He had carried her back. She had obediently wrapped her arms around his neck on the way up. But as soon as Xie Lang took a few steps, he heard Shen Mingzhu chattering on his back.
"Come to sleep quickly."
Shen Mingzhu frowned and looked at Xie Lang busying himself there. Discontentedly, she said, "Aren't you sleepy?"
Xie Lang's thoughts were instantly pulled back by Shen Mingzhu's words. Looking at her helplessly, he said, "Your Highness, I have to wring out the handkerchief to wipe your face."
Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu thought about what he meant. Finally, frowning, she said, "Forget it. I don't need it. You should come and rest first."
Xie Lang was amused by her. He took the wrung - out handkerchief and wiped her face. Then he continued, "No. I don't like talking to a dirty person."
Shen Mingzhu gritted her teeth. After waiting for Xie Lang to finish wiping her face, she bit his earlobe and said, "I'm not dirty!"
Sure enough, there was no trace of rationality in drunk Shen Mingzhu.
Xie Lang sighed. Just as he turned around, he was pulled onto the bed by the person in front of him. The handkerchief in his hand was thrown to the side of the bed.
"You!"
Xie Lang was surprised. He let Shen Mingzhu grope all over him. Finally, he could only grit his teeth and say, "What are you looking for?"
Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu glanced at Xie Lang and said, "I'm looking for..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Xie Lang suddenly stiffened and stood there stunned.
Before Shen Mingzhu could react, she was pressed against the edge of the bed by the person in front of her.
Xie Lang reached out and placed his hand on the back of her head, afraid that Shen Mingzhu would suddenly sit up and hit her head on the bed.
A soft touch suddenly covered her lips. Shen Mingzhu opened her eyes wide. Realizing that she had pressed Xie Lang under her, she reflexively moved a bit. But as soon as she moved, Xie Lang reached out and grabbed her waist.
She fell on him, still in a daze. Finally, she said, "Huh?"
"Don't move!"
Xie Lang gritted his teeth. A hint of desire gradually welled up in his eyes. Before he could come to his senses, the person in front of him had opened his robe.
How much on earth did Shen Mingzhu drink today!
Xie Lang was so shocked that he instinctively wanted to push her away.