End of main text (Part 1)

"Someone come here."

As soon as Shen Ji spoke, someone handed him a cloak. He reached out and took it, intending to step forward, but unexpectedly, Jiang Mian subconsciously took a small step back.

It was this small step that allowed Song Mingyan to stand in front of her.

Shen Ji stopped in his tracks, his dark eyes deep and unfocused.

The atmosphere remained tense for the time being.

"Xie Chaochen, don't forget what you promised me. When you ascend the throne, I will become a prince and help you deal with Prince Ping. Remember to grant me a fiefdom."

After saying that, Xie Heng patted Song Mingyan on the shoulder, "Wen Shi, let's go. If we wait any longer, that old man will probably be here soon."

Song Mingyan didn't move, but turned around and squeezed Jiang Mian's fingertips. He wanted to take her with him.

“Mian’er…”

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Mian interrupted him.

"Brother Wenshi, go do what you should do." Although Jiang Mian didn't know why he appeared tonight, she also knew that he shouldn't be revolving around her. He also had his own ambitions and ideals.

Even before he left that year, Jiang Mian still remembers that young man full of passion and hope, eager to make a name for himself.

Now, how could she possibly become an obstacle to him?

Jiang Mian smiled faintly and pulled her hand away from his.

Song Mingyan pursed his lips. If he could, he would take her away tonight, away from the strife. He could do that and be good to her for the rest of his life.

However, it was her decision, and he could not force her to interfere.

Song Mingyan patted her head as he used to when they were young: "You're right. Even if he's not your fiancé, he's still your brother. If you're ever bullied in the future, just write to me. No matter where you are in the world, your brother will definitely get justice for you."

These words immediately brought tears to Jiang Mian's eyes.

Song Mingyan and Xie Heng left together.

Just now, she seemed to have something to rely on, but now, when facing Shen Ji, she seemed to have lost all her strength and stood still.

Fortunately, the stalemate only lasted for a moment. Shen Ji acted as if nothing had happened, stepped forward, put the cloak on her, and then naturally carried her into the carriage.

The carriage was warm, so warm that it almost made her drowsy. Jiang Mian had thought she would have a lot to say to him, but when the day actually came, she felt as if her tongue was tied in knots and she couldn't say anything.

The two of them did not exchange a single word the entire way.

Even after entering the palace, when Shen Ji tried to embrace her again, Jiang Mian brushed his fingers away and muttered softly, "I have legs."

"Okay." Shen Ji didn't insist.

Jiang Mian felt a tightness in her chest, but couldn't quite put her finger on why.

As Shen Ji led her through palace gates and finally to a courtyard, Jiang Mian was unfamiliar with the palace rules and had no idea where she was.

Just as her thoughts were drifting, the man behind her had already taken off his cloak, and a short while later, an old man in an official robe entered, carrying a medicine box on his shoulder; he seemed to be an imperial physician.

"This old minister has met you—"

Before he could finish speaking, Shen Ji interrupted, "Let her see it."

The old man was startled, and then he noticed a beautiful young woman standing not far away.

He lowered his head, stepped forward slowly, and respectfully took the pulse.

He initially thought the girl was alright, but the examination left him stunned.

How...how did they detect pregnancy?

"How are you? Are you alright?" Shen Ji's gaze never left this side.

Jiang Mian withdrew her wrist. She knew her own body best; she was not injured.

"This old minister...is filled with trepidation," the imperial physician said, trembling slightly.

Upon hearing this, Shen Ji almost instinctively tensed up: "What's the problem?"

"This young woman is almost three months pregnant."

"Any other problems?" Shen Ji frowned, still uneasy.

The imperial physician shook his head; the pulse was stable, and there was no serious problem.

Shen Ji waved his hand, and the imperial physician left.

Even as he was leaving, he was still unsure whether what he had just said was right or wrong.

The two of them were left alone in the room again.

Jiang Mian cowardly tried to escape.

However, Shen Ji would not give her that chance.

"Were you scared?"

Jiang Mian lowered her head, saying, "No, not really."

"say."

Chen Ji's patience is limited.

Finally, the little girl was willing to look up at him, but her eyes were full of accusation.

"You deliberately sent me to get close to Xie Zheng!"

Shen Ji frowned, as if puzzled.

Jiang Mian then seized the opportunity to continue, "Was tonight's scheme all part of your plan, and was I even part of it?"

"No." This time, the young man answered without hesitation and confessed directly.

"You're lying to me." Jiang Mian was half-believing and half-doubting. In fact, she had been hesitant ever since she first saw him tonight. When was his poison cured, or was he never poisoned in the first place?

The paintings in the study were specifically for her to see.

That letter was also deliberately placed in the most conspicuous position.

All the potentially questionable signs now seem to point to one possibility.

She was also a pawn in Shen Ji's game of chess.

Thinking of this, Jiang Mian felt a tightness in her chest. How could that imperial physician have diagnosed her when she was so uncomfortable? He couldn't have noticed anything wrong with her at all.

“Mianniang, I’ll tell you whatever you want to hear.”

Sensing her displeasure, Shen Ji suddenly pulled her into his arms, placing his hands on either side of her knees, his gaze intense, revealing his emotions.

Jiang Mian looked away.

We must not be seduced by his good looks.

"Yun Qing said that you were poisoned and fell into a coma while saving me, but you are clearly unharmed at the moment, so you are lying to me."

Shen Ji unconsciously leaned forward a little, his soft breath brushing against her neck. Jiang Mian felt a little uncomfortable and couldn't help but push him away, saying, "Don't get so close to me..."

“I’m not lying to you, I was indeed poisoned, but Xie Heng got the antidote today, so I was cured.” He paused, looking at her with worried and heartbroken eyes: “I didn’t expect them to involve you.”

involve……

Jiang Mian's mind was a little confused. These things didn't seem to be as she thought. Something was burning in the room, making it warm and cozy, reflecting on Shen Ji's eyes and brows, and as if a soft veil was being draped over it.

He leaned down subtly and slowly approached.

Just as he was about to bump into Jiang Mian, the girl braced herself against him with her hand: "You haven't finished answering my question yet!"

"Go on, I'm listening." Shen Ji changed his posture, his hands that were originally supporting her on either side now holding her fingertips, easily pulling her into his arms.

This is clearly closer than before.

Thus, his aura surrounded her from all directions, and although it was indescribable, it did give her a sense of security.

but……

She did have a lot to ask him.

I couldn't think of a starting point.

“Mianniang…” The light in the room grew dimmer, the candlelight flickered, and his face became clearer.

"Xie Chaochen!" In her haste, Jiang Mian suddenly realized that Xie Heng had called her by this name today.

Sure enough, Shen Ji stopped moving, lifted his eyelids, and looked at her calmly.

After a while, the young man took off her wet shoes and socks and naturally held her feet in his palms.

A warm touch came, and Jiang Mian belatedly realized that her shoes and socks had gotten wet from stepping on the snow along the way.

And then he warmed her feet.

"Twelve years ago, on a snowy day like this, my father committed suicide, and my mother took me away through a secret passage. But unexpectedly, the Prince of Sui discovered our whereabouts. He had promised my father not to harm others, but after my father committed suicide, he suddenly went back on his word."

"That night, not a single person in the Crown Prince's residence survived."

"Except for me."

The temperature of the soles of my feet has risen a bit.

Jiang Mian had heard about this old story before, but hearing him tell it in person now was still heartbreaking.

Although he tried to downplay it as much as possible.

But Jiang Mian knew that the hatred of wiping out her family and killing her father could not be forgiven overnight; it would probably take decades of endurance.

Jiang Mian suddenly remembered twelve years ago.

She had also visited the capital once.

She was young then and got lost by accident. She thought Jiang Chong was playing hide-and-seek with her again. She vaguely remembered encountering a dying boy.

The boy was ice-cold and covered in blood. She was terrified, but still gave him the only dry food she had. That night, her memory was hazy. Jiang Mian remembered that she was afraid of blood, and when she saw the boy's terrible wounds, she felt dizzy and lost consciousness.

When she woke up again, Jiang Chong asked her curiously where she had gone.

Jiang Mian has never told anyone about these memories.

Many times afterward, she felt that she had dreamt that night.

I dreamt of a lonely boy.

Now, she stared blankly at Shen Ji, her eyes filled with disbelief: "I...I think I've seen you before."

"What?"

"Twelve years ago, in a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of Beijing, I got separated from my family and had only a flatbread on me. I saw a person covered in blood lying on the icy ground. I held an umbrella for him. Later, I fainted from blood and lost consciousness."

"Was that you?" Jiang Mian asked uncertainly.

So much time has passed that she can no longer remember, but that person and that scene from that night have appeared in her dreams many times.

She had never seen so much blood, nor had she ever seen such a lonely and cold boy.

"So it really was you."

A beautiful smile appeared in Shen Ji's eyes, and he couldn't help but kiss her forehead.

"I felt a sense of familiarity from the first moment I saw you."

"So, that little girl from back then was you."

The little girl who gave him a glimmer of light in his despair is now in his arms.

Heaven seems to be kind to him.

It allowed him to meet her after going through so many hardships.

Whether I say it or not, this is fate.

Jiang Mian glanced at him in disbelief. When she first met him, she thought he was not only difficult to get along with, but also always kept people at arm's length. Who would have thought that the person who used to speak coldly to her would now warm her feet?

"Wait, I have something else to say."

"Mmm." Shen Ji didn't know when he had completely pulled her into his arms.

"Have you forgotten that I haven't agreed to be with you yet?"

Jiang Mian suddenly kicked him away.

"We'll get married eventually," Shen Ji said with a faint smile.

“No, the baby in my belly won’t agree either,” Jiang Mian said, frowning deliberately.

"Child?" Shen Ji raised an eyebrow: "A son wouldn't dare disobey his father."

"You..." Jiang Mian felt a little guilty: "You knew?"

"Know what?"

"The child in my belly is..."

"Yes, mine." Shen Ji bent down and kissed the corner of her lips: "You are mine too."

"Who said that? I disagree!" Jiang Mian still wanted to refute.

She had never been so assertive in front of Shen Ji before; this feeling was completely different.

She used to be very cautious, afraid of making mistakes, but now that she has turned her life around, she must hold her head high.

"I've already said I don't agree, so don't get so close to me..."

The house was warm and cozy, while outside, the snow was falling gently.

The light in the corridor dispelled all the darkness.

Everything is quietly getting better.