Inside the room, only Shen Qingfeng and Xia Chuli were present.
As soon as the door closed, Xia Chuli reached out and hugged Shen Qingfeng. Shen Qingfeng was startled for a moment, then gently patted his shoulder and asked, "What's wrong?"
Xia Chuli took a deep breath, grabbed Shen Qingfeng's shoulders with both hands, and suddenly pulled a distance away from him. "What do you mean 'what's wrong'? Do you know how worried I was when I heard about Xia Yanhe and... you?"
Shen Qingfeng let out a bitter laugh. Sure enough, this matter had spread throughout the palace. It wouldn't be long before many noble families would know about it. After all, paper couldn't cover fire. Even if King Xia Jie tried to prevent the matter from being publicly spread to save Xia Yanhe's face, how could one stop the gossiping tongues?
Now, many people must think he was a laughingstock... It didn't matter. Anyway, he had done so many bad things in his previous life that he had already developed a thick skin. Why should he care about these insignificant verbal attacks?
"It's okay." Shen Qingfeng lowered his eyes and said softly, "Let's not talk about this. The sacrifice will start at noon. I'm here to talk to you about something serious."
"Is there anything more important than you?!" Xia Chuli raised his voice and grabbed Shen Qingfeng's shoulders so tightly that it hurt. He stared at Shen Qingfeng and roared, "What did you say to him? Why did he do such a thing?"
What did you say to him? Why did he do such a thing?
It was the same question again.
Shen Qingfeng's temples throbbed. The scene in front of him suddenly changed, and the sealed memories opened. He seemed to see himself lying at the feet of Xia Chuli, who was already the King of Lixia, in the Qifeng Palace. He lowered his head and was firmly held down on the ground by a group of guards.
At that time, Xia Chuli was full of hostility. He slowly squatted down, pinched Shen Qingfeng's neck with his hand, and forcefully lifted it up, forcing his body to bend and his head to look up at him.
"Why did that eunuch come to the Qifeng Palace so often? I haven't seen you for just a while, and you've already gotten together with him?"
Yes, you always jumped to conclusions. You thought I had betrayed you and that all the despicable things others did to me were my fault. In my previous life, I did all the dirty things for you, but you could tolerate everyone else except me.
In your eyes, what was I? A person who loved you deeply or a loyal dog you raised? There was never the word "respect" or "tolerance" in your attitude towards me. Because I loved you and always followed you, could you just trample on my heart at will?
Xia Chuli, I've already died once for you. That's enough, really enough.
Shen Qingfeng's face darkened. He slapped Xia Chuli's hand away and took a few steps back. He gasped for air, his eye sockets were red, and he stared at Xia Chuli for a while before saying, "Lu Yan has already beaten him for me. It's a bit late for you, Your Highness the Crown Prince, to avenge me now."
Xia Chuli's eyes suddenly widened. "What did you call me?"
Shen Qingfeng pursed his lips and said nothing. He turned around and was about to open the door when Xia Chuli quickly rushed over and pressed the door shut.
"Qingfeng, are you blaming me?" Xia Chuli said almost in Shen Qingfeng's ear, "I didn't have the time back then, and I wasn't even near the palace gate. If I had known in advance that Xia Yanhe would treat you like this, I would definitely have found someone..."
"Of course you were busy. After all, that Qi Mengmeng was more important, wasn't she?!" Shen Qingfeng interrupted him directly. He turned his back to Xia Chuli and roared.
Xia Chuli was startled. He slowly withdrew his hand that was pressing on the door. After a moment of silence, he said, "You... you went to the imperial garden?"
Shen Qingfeng lowered his head and said nothing.
Everything was the same as in his previous life. He had no intention of explaining the past grievances between the two of them. Shen Qingfeng closed his eyes tiredly, then opened them and reached out to push the door.
Unexpectedly, the door was pressed shut by Xia Chuli again.
"Qingfeng, you know that Qi Mengmeng is from the Qi family, and you also know what Queen Qi's purpose was for arranging her by my side! Qingfeng, we don't have the strength or the ability now. If we don't follow the Queen Mother's wishes, are we going to wait for her to take action and kill us first?" Xia Chuli hugged Shen Qingfeng from behind, pressed his forehead against his shoulder, and said in a muffled voice, "You once said that we should 'endure hardships and bide our time'. As long as I'm obedient enough and capable enough, Father will definitely recognize me. I'm the Crown Prince now. Once I become the King of Lixia, everything will get better, won't it?"
Hearing Xia Chuli's words, Shen Qingfeng couldn't help but want to laugh out loud.
As someone who already knew the ending, Xia Chuli's words now only made him feel more absurd and ridiculous.
"Let go of me." Shen Qingfeng's voice was cold and decisive, with an air of keeping people at a distance.
Xia Chuli stiffened all over. He keenly sensed something was wrong. This feeling of wrongness seemed to have been reflected in Shen Qingfeng a long time ago, but it was not until today that he truly noticed this difference.
"You..." Xia Chuli's voice seemed to change in tone. He tightened his hands around Shen Qingfeng's waist, but this only caused Shen Qingfeng to struggle more fiercely.
"What's wrong with you? Qingfeng, you've really changed!"
Shen Qingfeng pursed his lips and said nothing, but his struggle became even more intense.
"Qingfeng! You weren't like this before." Xia Chuli said almost gnashing his teeth. An indescribable sense of loss filled his mind. He suddenly tore off the sacrificial hat that Shen Yu had just helped him put on, turned Shen Qingfeng around, grabbed his shoulders, and roared, "Have you fallen in love with that Lu Yan?!"
Shen Qingfeng's movements paused. Although he knew that his relationship with Lu Yan couldn't be made public yet, when the words of refusal reached his lips, he hesitated for a moment.
That moment seemed to last for a century.
Xia Chuli clearly saw Shen Qingfeng's hesitation and entanglement.
He understood what that look in Shen Qingfeng's eyes meant. In that moment, Xia Chuli seemed to hear something shattering in his heart.
Intense emotions instantly filled Xia Chuli's mind. He had never thought that Shen Qingfeng would fall out of love with him, because the two of them had been inseparable for many years. Shen Qingfeng's love for him was as natural as breathing and eating, and he had taken it for granted. But these things that had become habits seemed to suddenly loosen at this moment.
He didn't give Shen Qingfeng more time to explain, because his body moved before his mind.
He suddenly pressed Shen Qingfeng against the door, stood on his tiptoes, and fiercely kissed him on the lips.
Shen Qingfeng's eyes suddenly widened!
This wasn't the first time Shen Qingfeng had kissed Xia Chuli. But it was the first time for this Xia Chuli in this body to kiss Shen Qingfeng.
Their lips only touched for a very short moment, and then Shen Qingfeng suddenly pushed him away. He raised his sleeve and wiped his lips fiercely.
Xia Chuli was a bit dizzy from being pushed so suddenly by Shen Qingfeng. But when he stood still and looked up, he caught a fleeting look of disgust and annoyance in Shen Qingfeng's eyes.
Xia Chuli's heart instantly sank into an ice cellar, followed by disbelief and heartache.
How could Shen Qingfeng like Lu Yan? It was impossible!
"Qingfeng..." Xia Chuli took a step forward, his eyes filled with fragmented emotions. He softly called out as he usually did.
"Don't touch me!" Shen Qingfeng suddenly shouted, scaring Xia Chuli into standing still.
Shen Qingfeng bit his lower lip. For some reason, his body was trembling uncontrollably. He took a few deep breaths and slowly closed his eyes. "A Li, I'm in a really bad mood right now. I'm leaving."
Xia Chuli gritted his teeth and said, "Why? Is it because I hit the nail on the head?!"
Shen Qingfeng opened his eyes. He suddenly laughed self - deprecatingly. He looked up at Xia Chuli and didn't answer his question directly. "A Li, I will help you ascend the throne. I will never betray the oath I made to you before. You just need to know this."
After saying that, without waiting for Xia Chuli's reaction, Shen Qingfeng directly pushed the door open and walked out.