The carriage swayed and rattled.

Shen Hanshan sat upright in the carriage, brazenly sizing up the sullen Zhao Zhi.

Zhao Zhi felt a surge of anger rising within her as Shen Hanshan stared at her. She tried her best to suppress her anger and deliberately turned her head to the side, refusing to look at him.

Seeing Zhao Zhi's cold attitude towards him, Shen Hanshan casually shifted his position and moved closer to her.

He cautiously reached out his arm and tentatively pulled Zhao Zhi into his embrace.

The carriage had limited interior space, and the small table in the middle almost filled all the gaps, leaving Zhao Zhi nowhere to hide.

She could only helplessly let Shen Hanshan hug her.

Zhao Zhi felt wronged; she couldn't understand why Shen Hanshan was so persistent with her.

Given his status and circumstances, he could easily find a woman far more outstanding than her to be his queen.

But he was persistent in pursuing her, determined to keep her firmly by his side.

Zhao Zhi felt that Shen Hanshan might be holding a grudge against him for riding on his shoulders and beating him when they were children, so he was trying to torment him.

But that was something that happened when he was a child. For Shen Hanshan to remember such a small thing for so long, he must be too vindictive.

“Shen Hanshan,” Zhao Zhi finally couldn’t help but speak, her voice trembling with a hint of helplessness, “Is it because I rode on your shoulders and hit you when we were kids that you’ve been holding a grudge for so many years?”

Upon hearing this, Shen Hanshan's lips curled into a playful smile. He gently grasped Zhao Zhi's hand, his tone half teasing and half serious.

"I did think about letting you go, but who knew you'd barge into my life like that? And you even lied to me and made me break off the engagement. Now we've been intimate, and for the rest of our lives, you're destined to be mine. You..."

Zhao Zhi's tears fell drop by drop onto Shen Hanshan's broad, calloused hand.

The scalding tears made Shen Hanshan's heart clench, and he panicked instantly.

"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore." Shen Hanshan's voice softened considerably. He hurriedly pulled a clean white handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped away Zhao Zhi's tears.

As he carefully wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, he explained, "I come from a military family. My parents died early, and I received strict instruction from the Emperor Emeritus from a young age."

When I was ten years old, I went to the battlefield with the Emperor Emeritus. I learned how to subdue the enemy as quickly as possible and how to achieve my predetermined goals in the shortest amount of time.

But, well, no one ever taught me how to love someone tenderly.

Shen Hanshan's voice gradually lowered. He leaned weakly on Zhao Zhi's shoulder, his eyes full of pleading, "Zhizhi, can you teach me? Teach me how to let down my guard, how to treat you with gentleness and patience, how to love you?"

This was the first time Shen Hanshan had shown weakness in front of Zhao Zhi. Her heart seemed to be gently touched by something, and her resentment towards Shen Hanshan seemed to dissipate considerably at this moment.

Seeing Shen Hanshan's helpless appearance stirred up an indescribable emotion in her heart.

"You..." Zhao Zhi's voice trembled slightly. She gently broke free from Shen Hanshan's embrace, turned her head to look him directly in the eyes, "Are you really... willing to change for me?"

Shen Hanshan looked into Zhao Zhi's eyes, those eyes that were once filled with anger and grievance, but now held a hint of doubt and inquiry.

He nodded, his voice a little hoarse, "Zhizhi, I thought you could feel my feelings for you..."

Zhao Zhi thought to herself, "All I feel is your endless harassment of me."

However, Shen Hanshan's willingness to change is a good thing for her.

She reached out and gently grasped Shen Hanshan's hand. His hands were broad and strong, but they were trembling slightly in hers.

She had initially suspected that Shen Hanshan was lying to her, but judging from his current actions and expressions, it didn't seem like he was faking it.

“Then I… will give it a try.” Zhao Zhi’s voice was soft but unusually firm. “But you have to promise me that you will never treat me like that again.”

Shen Hanshan was stunned. He looked at Zhao Zhi's serious face, nodded heavily, and said in a slightly choked voice, "Okay, Zhizhi. I promise you."

The carriage continued on its way, but the previous stuffiness and awkwardness inside were gone.

The heavy weight that had been pressing on Zhao Zhi's heart was finally lifted, and the tension that had been taut for so long suddenly eased.

She leaned against Shen Hanshan's chest and fell asleep without realizing it.

The sun is setting.

The carriage rumbled along the stone road. Du Heng, driving the carriage, muttered to himself, "Our prince has almost circled Lingyang already, and the sun is already setting, but he hasn't told us to stop yet."

Zhao Zhi slept exceptionally soundly that night.

She was woken up by the rumbling in her stomach.

Zhao Zhi rubbed her sleepy eyes and asked in confusion, "Hasn't the cloth shop arrived yet?"

Du Heng's loud voice came from ahead, "Your Highness, you've been sleeping all afternoon. The Prince was afraid of waking you, so we've already taken a long detour around Lingyang."

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Shen Hanshan's face. He touched his nose awkwardly and scolded, "You talk too much!" Although it was a scolding, his tone carried a touch of doting and helplessness.

Zhao Zhi smiled sheepishly. She lifted the curtain and saw that the sun had already sunk behind the western mountains.

As night fell, the lights of Lingyang City gradually came on.

The warmth of everyday life is at its peak.

The streets were bustling with pedestrians, and the cries of vendors and the laughter of passersby filled the air, creating a lively and noisy atmosphere.

Shen Hanshan and Zhao Zhi got off the carriage. He originally wanted to take Zhao Zhi to a restaurant to eat something, but Zhao Zhi felt that eating at a roadside stall was more delicious.

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