Xie Qinglan's cold didn't fully recover until after the Laba Festival. On the tenth day of the first lunar month, she and Xue Liulang went to visit her.

Shen Youying had been eagerly anticipating her arrival, and upon hearing that she had come, she quickly got up to greet her. Upon reaching the front courtyard, she saw Xie Qinglan and Xue Liulang already being led into the hall by servants.

"Qinglan." Shen Youying called out to her, rushing forward to happily grasp her hand. Seeing her much thinner face, the smile on her face faded, and she frowned in surprise: "How did you lose so much weight?"

Xie Qinglan used to have a round face, a slightly pointed chin, and almond-shaped eyes, making her look lively and cute. But after only a month or two, her round face had become so thin that it was almost like a V-shaped face, and her chin was so sharp it could poke someone.

Xie Qinglan smiled and said, "I couldn't lose weight even by dieting like that before, but I've lost weight from a cold. What are you worried about?"

Seeing that her complexion was indeed quite good, except that she had lost some weight, her cheeks were rosy and she looked energetic, Shen Youying asked, "The maid only said that you had caught a cold, how come you are so sick?"

"I got sick from playing in the cold wind," Xie Qinglan explained.

Shen Youying nodded, then looked at Xue Liulang, gave him a slight nod, and led the two of them to sit down in the hall.

While the three were drinking tea, Xue Shen arrived after receiving the news. Xie Qinglan and Xue Liulang both stood up and bowed.

Shen Youying guessed that he had not met Xue Liulang before and probably did not know him, so she introduced the two of them. Xue Liulang seemed to be well-mannered and spoke and acted neither servile nor arrogant in front of the King of Qin. The two of them were able to chat for a while.

Seeing this, Shen Youying winked at Xie Qinglan and said to Xue Shen, "Yuanjin, you talk to Xue Liulang, I'll take Qinglan for a walk around."

Having not seen each other for a long time, the two naturally had many private things to say to each other.

Xue Shen glanced at her and saw that she was as impatient as a child. The corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up, and he said in a gentle tone, "Go ahead."

Shen Youying then pulled Xie Qinglan to Tingmei Pavilion.

Because Xie Qinglan was coming to visit, Shen Youying had already instructed the kitchen to prepare a hot pot, as well as trendy pastries, fruits, and fine wine, and had them set out in advance.

Xie Qinglan smelled the delicious aroma as soon as she entered the room and laughed, "Such a big table, anyone who didn't know better would think I came here to freeload."

Shen Youying pulled her to sit down, pinched her cheek, and frowned, saying, "Luckily, the hot pot we prepared today was light and nourishing. You've lost so much weight, you need to make up for it properly."

Xie Qinglan gave a vague reply, her gaze sweeping over the furnishings and decorations in the room. When she noticed the obvious masculine items, she winked at Shen Youying with an ambiguous look: "You and Prince Qin seem to be getting along better." She carefully examined Shen Youying, and said with some satisfaction: "Your face looks a bit rounder. I knew that even Prince Qin wouldn't be willing to hurt a beauty like you."

Shen Youying blushed as she was teased, and stuffed a piece of red bean pastry into her mouth: "Eat yours, stop talking."

Xie Qinglan swallowed the red bean pastry whole, then covered her lips and laughed uncontrollably.

“There happened to be some fresh ox tongue in the manor yesterday. I thought it was your favorite, so I specially asked someone to save some for you to eat today.” Shen Youying picked up a plate of thinly sliced ​​ox tongue and was about to put it into the hot pot when she suddenly noticed a circle of purplish marks on Xie Qinglan’s forearm.

She paused, put down the dish, and pulled Xie Qinglan's hand in surprise, asking, "What happened to your arm?"

The bruises seemed to have mostly healed and faded considerably, but they were still quite noticeable against Xie Qinglan's fair skin. Moreover, to Shen Youying's eyes, they looked exactly like marks made by human hands.

She looked at Xie Qinglan with some hesitation: "How has Xue Liulang treated you?"

Xie Qinglan awkwardly pulled down her sleeve to cover the marks on her arm. She glanced at Shen Youying reproachfully and stammered, "You got married before me, why are you asking such a question?" She seemed a little embarrassed and lowered her eyes, saying, "It's just... I didn't pay much attention at the time, and there were some marks left. You're so sharp-eyed."

Shen Youying frowned as she looked at her, still puzzled.

He recalled the day when Yu Guangzhong, who resembled Xie Qinglan, was roughly dragged onto a carriage by his arm.

Xie Qinglan lowered her eyes, and the sunlight outside shone through the carved window lattice, casting mottled shadows on her face, making her look less innocent and bright than before, and instead giving her an inexplicable and gloomy appearance.

Shen Youying felt a sudden tug at her heartstrings. She pursed her lips slightly, then calmly chuckled and said, "My relationship with the prince isn't as intense as yours."

Xie Qinglan seemed embarrassed by her teasing, picked up the ox tongue and put it into the hot pot herself, glared at her irritably, and said, "If you keep making fun of me, one plate of ox tongue won't be enough."

Fearing that she would be annoyed, Shen Youying changed the subject.

The two ate hot pot while casually chatting about various topics. Shen Youying asked about the Prince's Mansion and Xue Liulang without batting an eye, and Xie Qinglan only said good things without uttering a single complaint.

Her brow furrowed even more deeply.

Xie Qinglan, perhaps realizing that the conversation was always about her, steered the conversation towards her, leaning her head close and saying, "Tell me about your relationship with Prince Qin? Why are you both calling him 'Yuan Jin'? Isn't that Prince Qin's courtesy name?"

When she whispered the name "Yuan Jin," she glanced around furtively.

Shen Youying didn't hide anything from her, saying, "When Prince Chen was imprisoned and rumors were rampant in the capital, didn't you send someone to inquire about the news? It was around that time that I became close to the prince, and then... and it's been like that ever since."

Xie Qinglan had heard the rumors circulating in the capital at the time, and because of the Xie family, she knew even more. Hearing this, she sighed and said, "Then you've turned misfortune into blessing. Our Zhaozhao is indeed a lucky person."

Shen Youying looked back at her and said meaningfully, "Although there was a bit of a twist of fate, it was after that incident that I realized the King of Qin was different from the rumors. If he were really as the rumors say... I wouldn't have entrusted myself to him."

Xie Qinglan, whether she understood or not, propped her chin on her hand, tilted her head and smiled at her: "Of course, our Zhaozhao deserves the best."

...

The two drank a pot of wine over a hot pot. In the afternoon, it got dark outside and it started snowing again.

Xie Qinglan was slightly tipsy. She leaned quietly on Shen Youying's shoulder for a while before saying, "I should probably head back now."

Shen Youying touched her forehead: "Are you dizzy? Why don't you rest for a while before going back?"

Xie Qinglan shook her head and muttered, "No, I promised I had to go back early." She patted her cheeks, which were slightly flushed from the alcohol, got up and walked out, not allowing Shen Youying to see her off: "It's snowing again, it's very cold, don't see me off."

Shen Youying asked Bai Luo to bring an umbrella, took her hand, held the umbrella over the two of them, and saw her out. She said softly, "Now that we are both married, it is rare for us to get together as often as before. I don't know when we will have time to see each other again. I want to spend more time with you."

Xie Qinglan felt a warmth in her heart. She turned her head to look at Shen Youying and for a moment wanted to hug her and cry her heart out, telling her all the grievances in her heart.

But that impulse was quickly extinguished when he saw Xue Shaojun, who had come with the King of Qin.