Xie Lang saw someone not far away seemingly smiling, so he couldn't help but slightly frown. Finally, he took one last look at the white cloth tied to his hand, and his expression gradually turned cold. It was the second year of his mourning. This year, he had to leave the capital with his grandfather. Before his departure, he had to enter the palace to pay a visit.
Thinking that his father had wanted to promote his concubine to the position of the main wife just one year after his mother's death, Xie Lang couldn't help but show a bitter smile on his face. However, his grandfather and the rarely - seen queen in the palace would never allow him to do so. So Xie Lang let out a sigh of relief, knowing that his father had the audacity but not the guts.
Coming back to his senses, he looked up and saw the queen walking up to him. She reached out and stroked his face, saying with a bitter smile, "You've grown up."
"Your Majesty," Xie Lang lowered his eyes slightly and bowed respectfully to the queen. "Mother said she missed you very much. She also said you didn't need to worry about her. Life and death are predestined. She asked me to say thank you again if I saw you."
Xie Lang didn't know the friendship between his mother and the queen. But seeing the queen's suddenly red - rimmed eyes, his heart felt a bit heavy. The melancholy that had gradually faded over the past year came back, turning into an indescribable bitterness.
He was a bit distracted. Suddenly, he remembered the little girl who used to cry in the corner when he entered the palace. A smile welled up in his heart, and the bitterness faded a little.
He couldn't help but envy the little girl. So he asked the queen, "On my way here just now, I saw a little girl in red crying. Your Majesty, is that the Princess Imperial?"
Xie Lang had experienced much in the past year and was rather indifferent to such small things.
But thinking of the snot bubbles that would appear when the little girl cried, he didn't know why, but he still wanted to ask. So he posed the question to the queen.
Hearing this, the queen's expression froze for a moment. Unconsciously, a smile appeared on her face. Looking at Xie Lang, she said, "That's Chaochao. You were also there when she had her zhuazhou ceremony. I remember you even held her."
Xie Lang was a bit surprised. After thinking for a while, he nodded and said with a gentle smile, "I remember."
The former Shen Mingzhu was just a chubby baby. Unexpectedly, she had grown so tall.
How wonderful.
Xie Lang couldn't help but feel envious. Thinking of the smile on her face, he knew that she had been well - protected and must be unaware of the intrigues in the palace.
Seeing that the innocence of a child had almost disappeared from Xie Lang's young face, the queen felt as if her heart was being stabbed.
She even wondered if she should keep Xie Lang.
But there were so many intrigues in the capital. Moreover, Xie Lang couldn't always stay in the palace. If he returned to the Xie Mansion, those women there were not good people. If something went wrong, she would regret it for the rest of her life.
Thinking that Xie Lang's grandfather was actually a very good person, she let out a sigh and whispered some instructions to Xie Lang.
When leaving, as Xie Lang stepped over the gate, he saw the little girl holding the Crown Prince's hand and walking towards him. After saying a few words, she seemed as if she wanted to follow him.
Seeing Shen Mingzhu's chubby little face red from crying, he couldn't help but find it funny. He leaned over slightly and said with a smile, "Let go. I still have to go out. Someone is waiting for me."
"Who's waiting for you?"
Although Shen Mingzhu was out of breath from crying, she had her own logic. So she tugged at his sleeve and said, "Can I wait for you here too? Don't go."
Xie Lang's heart skipped a beat.
The next moment, Shen Mingzhu's intention was revealed. "Or... or you can take me out with you."
Xie Lang was both angry and amused. Seeing Shen Mingzhu's eagerness, he thought his momentary emotion was really redundant. So he watched coldly as the Crown Prince pried her hand off and then turned around and left.
It was time for him to leave.
"Wake up! Come back to your senses!"
He suddenly opened his eyes and saw Shen Mingzhu standing in front of him, frowning. Looking at him, she said, "What are you doing? Why did you fall asleep in the study today?"
Only then did Xie Lang realize that at some point, Shen Mingzhu's cloak had been placed on him. She was frowning at him, and her appearance somehow overlapped with that in his dream just now. So he couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
After that, Xie Lang followed his grandfather south. Under the protection of the queen and his grandfather, he started a business. Finally, he returned to the capital and had one last meeting with the queen.
At that time, she was so haggard that it made people feel uneasy. Before Xie Lang could say a word, he heard her say, "It's all my fault. But if I'm not in good health, could you let Mingzhu marry you temporarily? I just hope that you can protect her for a year or two out of old acquaintance. She knows nothing. You don't have to reveal your identity in front of her. Divorce her after two years."
Xie Lang was about to refuse instinctively. But suddenly, he remembered the bright smile on Shen Mingzhu's face when he returned to the capital. Thinking of the way she tugged at his sleeve and said she would wait for him, his heart softened. He said, "Okay. Your Majesty, don't worry."
After all, she was so pitiful, and the queen had been kind to him. He could just think of it as repaying her kindness.
Thinking like this, Xie Lang found himself getting more and more involved. Shen Mingzhu had grown up, but her wits were still as unpredictable as when she was a child, which was really a headache.
"You're distracted again!"
Shen Mingzhu got angry. Looking at Xie Lang, she said, "Go back to sleep quickly!"
"No need."
Xie Lang stood up and put the cloak back on Shen Mingzhu. Then he said with a smile, "Spring is coming soon. Do you want to go to the manor to soak in the hot springs?"
Shen Mingzhu frowned instinctively. Looking at him, she said, "When someone flatters you for no reason, they must have an ulterior motive! Tell me, what are you hiding from me?"
Xie Lang: "..."
"Forget it," he glanced at Shen Mingzhu. "If you don't want to go, then don't."
"Go! Go! Go!"
Shen Mingzhu had been itching to go for a long time. So she said to Xie Lang, "I've already finished my work. I'm just waiting for you to finish yours."
"Xie Lang," Shen Mingzhu said. "I'll go next door to see our adopted daughter first. Remember to tell me when you're done."
"I'll wait for you," Shen Mingzhu looked back at him before going out.
Hearing the word "wait", Xie Lang's heart skipped a beat, and he remembered that time before.
Shen Mingzhu had said she would wait for him, but then she had completely forgotten about him.
Really...
"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" Xie Lang stepped forward and grabbed Shen Mingzhu's hand. "I'll go with you."
Shen Mingzhu frowned.
[I should have come back earlier. I would never have acted in front of Shen Mingzhu back then.]
She didn't know why Xie Lang suddenly thought this in his heart. So she couldn't help but raise her eyebrows and said, "Xie Lang, actually, I've always been able to tell that you're acting."
Xie Lang looked at her and said, "Oh."
This showed that he didn't believe her.
Suddenly, Shen Mingzhu burst out laughing and asked, "Do you believe that I know what you're thinking now?"
[? Shen Mingzhu is lying to me again!]
[Tsk tsk tsk. Has she been reading too many storybooks recently?]
Thinking like this, he looked up at Shen Mingzhu and asked, "Then what am I thinking now?"
"You're thinking if I've been reading too many storybooks recently."
Seeing Xie Lang standing there stunned, Shen Mingzhu couldn't help but laugh. "See, I've already told you to stop acting."
"I don't believe it."
[Humph. Shen Mingzhu is lying to me again.]
Forget it. If he didn't believe her, it didn't matter. She had already said what she wanted to say.
Shen Mingzhu rolled her eyes at him but instinctively tightened her grip on Xie Lang's hand. A smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.