Chuzheng brought Ying Xiang back to the mansion and ran into Zhen Rou at the entrance.
Usually, Zhen Rou wore heavy makeup and dressed exquisitely.
But at this moment, Zhen Rou looked unwell, appearing feeble as if frost had hit her.
However...
This was clearly an intentional look!
Who manages to look so perfectly frail, not embarrassed, just enough to inspire pity?
Zhen Rou spotted Chuzheng, a flash of resentment crossed her beautiful eyes, but she learned her lesson and bowed respectfully.
Her demeanor was unusually humble, unlike her previous arrogant displays.
"Greetings, Prince’s Consort."
Chuzheng walked past her with indifference, treating her as insignificant as the roadside wildflowers.
Zhen Rou clenched her handkerchief, her resentful gaze followed Chuzheng’s retreating figure.
That night, Changsun Hang approached with some people.
"Third Prince, why are you here?"
I didn’t mess with your beauty today!
"Prince’s Consort, you are my wife, why shouldn’t I come here?" Changsun Hang scoffed coldly.
"..."
Changsun Hang clearly intended to stay over, but Chuzheng wouldn’t allow it and promptly pushed him out.
"Yann Chuzheng!"
Changsun Hang, humiliated and furious, gritted his teeth as he called her name.
"Third Prince, you are not welcome here."
"Yann Chuzheng, isn’t this what you wanted all along? Stop pretending! Get out of my way!"
The tone suggested that his presence was a favor, making her feel indebted.
"Third Prince, delusions are a disease, treat them quickly." You think you deserve to enter my room, share my bed?!
Changsun Hang’s pupils constricted, he warned through gritted teeth: "Don’t forget your status."
"Oh." Chuzheng leaned against the door, speaking leisurely: "If you’re unhappy, divorce me!"
"You..."
Boom—
Before Changsun Hang could finish, the door slammed shut, the gust from it hit him squarely.
She really dared...
Changsun Hang stood in the cold wind, feeling as though the blood in his veins had frozen, stabbing cold.
Boom—
In a fit of anger, Changsun Hang kicked the door.
The noise was significant, causing Chuzheng inside to furrow her brows.
A temper like that, but who can’t kick?
Chuzheng retaliated with a kick, sending a chair flying against the door with a bang.
Then all was quiet outside.
Ying Xiang shrank back, trembling.
After a moment, Ying Xiang cautiously said, "Miss, is it really okay to anger the Third Prince like this? What if the Third Prince actually wants to..."
She dared not voice the rest.
Chuzheng knew her concerns.
"He only gets to be the one divorced, not the other way around." Chuzheng’s tone was arrogant, leaving Ying Xiang stunned.
Seems like the young lady really doesn’t like the Third Prince anymore...
Chuzheng signaled Ying Xiang to leave.
She continued to wander the room a bit, then called for Shi Yi.
Shi Yi didn’t appear immediately, instead arriving through the window after a few seconds: "Miss."
Chuzheng glanced at him: "Why have you been avoiding me lately?"
"I haven’t."
"You have."
Am I that naive?
"..."
Shi Yi didn’t respond, focusing intently on the floor tiles, as if studying them would reveal a hidden flower.
Chuzheng approached the rocking chair and lay down, gently pushing back with her toes, making the chair creak and sway.
The barely audible sound, along with the girl’s calm voice, asked, "What have you thought about what I asked you that day?"
—So, do you want to be my beloved?
The phrase appeared unguarded in Shi Yi’s mind.
"Miss, my status is humble, I dare not aspire."
"You’re rejecting me?" The Good Person Card floats away!
"..."
Remaining silent, Shi Yi’s lack of response was indicative.
She, a Prince’s Consort, suddenly asking him such a thing...
Shi Yi felt he showed remarkable restraint, even avoiding her intentionally.
"Come here."
Shi Yi hesitated.
Chuzheng narrowed her eyes: "What, are you going to disobey?"
The girl in the rocking chair had a bit of fierceness, reluctantly Shi Yi moved closer, still keeping some distance.
Chuzheng reached out to grab his wrist.
Shi Yi, startled, instinctively tried to pull away.
But the grip on his wrist felt like iron pincers, impossible to escape.
"Miss, you..."
Chuzheng applied pressure, pulling him close; Shi Yi didn’t dare to resist physically and was forced to bend over.
The hand gripping his wrist conveyed a delicate warmth, radiating from under his skin to his entire body.
Shi Yi’s heartbeat suddenly went erratic.
Chuzheng pried open his clenched fist, placing something in his palm before releasing his wrist.
Shi Yi looked at the object, a finely crafted jade pendant, high-quality and smooth to the touch.
Shi Yi’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to ignore the lingering sensation from his wrist, inquiring, "Miss?"
"A gift for you."
"Such an expensive item..."
"My life is even more valuable." Chuzheng interrupted him: "So please keep it safe."
Having said that, Chuzheng closed her eyes, waving him away like shooing a fly.
Shi Yi studied the jade pendant, feeling that Chuzheng’s words seemed off...
After a long while, he clutched the pendant tightly and quietly left.
-
After Chuzheng rejected Changsun Hang, he maintained his pride and didn’t show up for more than ten days.
Not long after, Chuzheng heard that Zhen Rou was pregnant.
Zhen Rou’s pregnancy completely dissolved any barrier Changsun Hang had towards her, sending all sorts of luxuries to Shuixin Pavilion and assigning numerous servants for her care.
Everyone revolved around Shuixin Pavilion, while attention waned on Chuzheng’s side.
Ying Xiang barged in, her face puffed with rage.
"What happened?"
Ying Xiang, feeling wronged, complained: "I just went to the kitchen for some ingredients to prepare nourishment for you, but they claimed there were none left! They’re clearly making excuses, I saw them delivering everything to Shuixin Pavilion!"
"That one is pregnant, so everyone in the house is fawning over her."
"Miss, what are you going to do if this continues?"
Patiently listening to Ying Xiang’s complaints, Chuzheng pulled out a few silver notes from her sleeve and handed them over: "It’s such a trivial matter, take these and buy, there’s more if needed."
Ying Xiang stomped her foot: "Miss!" Why are you not worried at all?! If eventually Zhen Rou gives birth to a son, it’ll be a royal heir; how could the Third Prince resist to grant her a rank?
Motherhood could elevate her status...
The thought terrified Ying Xiang.
"..."
What’s up?
Still unhappy?
Isn’t it enough having money?
Buy as much as you want, what’s the problem?
Ying Xiang bit her lip, avoiding what she really thought: "This is your own Silver, it’s not the same! The family staff are just snobs!"
"..."
Haven’t you already known this for a while?
That’s just human nature, what’s there to complain about?
Chuzheng shoved the silver notes at her, extravagantly: "Go buy, if you don’t use it all, feed it to the chickens."
The mansion had a flock of chickens, Chuzheng had seen them before.
Ying Xiang: "..."
Feeling sorry for the money, but as the master declared, she could only go out to buy.