The wine slowly slid down her lips, soaking her plain-colored clothes, but she didn't even frown. She just pursed her lips slightly, her eyes as calm as autumn water.

One jar after another, she drank the wine as if it were water, her expression remaining unchanged, as if the strong liquor had never entered her throat.

Gu Junze watched this scene quietly, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper, a glint of disbelief flashing in his eyes.

Seeing that Shen Jintang was about to reach for the wine jar again, he finally couldn't help but shout in a low voice, "Enough!"

Shen Jintang stopped abruptly, slowly raising her head and looking at Gu Junze.

He leaned back lazily in his chair, his long fingers tapping casually on the armrest, but his tone revealed a hint of impatience: "If you keep drinking like this, won't you ruin all my fine wine?"

He paused slightly, then waved his hand, his tone flippant yet tinged with coldness: "Enough, enough, stop drinking, you're just getting in my way."

A hint of coldness flashed in Shen Jintang's eyes as she looked at Gu Junze, but it vanished in an instant as if it had never happened.

She smiled slightly and pressed her advantage, asking, "Has the Crown Prince's anger subsided? Will the tutor be teaching as usual tomorrow?"

Gu Junze was taken aback by her question, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. He then snorted coldly, but his tone softened slightly: "Everything will proceed as usual. Let bygones be bygones."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Shen Jintang smiled and bowed, then turned to help Gu Zhixing, who was standing beside her, and said softly, "Let's go home."

Gu Zhixing was gently helped up by her and stepped out of the East Palace.

The night wind was like water, carrying a bit of chill, which made him feel the effects of the alcohol and caused him to stagger slightly.

Shen Jintang gripped his arm tightly, her strength almost uncontrollable, which made Gu Zhixing realize something was wrong.

Gu Zhixing didn't think much of it, assuming she was just drunk.

Shen Jintang gently helped him onto the carriage, then leaned over and instructed Xinghui to go back and prepare a hangover soup, her tone gentle: "Hurry up, don't delay."

After everything was arranged, she turned to the driver and whispered, "Let's set off."

Gu Zhixing leaned on Shen Jintang's shoulder, raised his head slightly, and asked curiously with a hint of doubt in his eyes, "Why do you look like nothing happened?"

He prided himself on having a good alcohol tolerance, but he couldn't handle it after just one jar, while Shen Jintang drank three whole jars and remained completely composed.

Shen Jintang lowered her eyes slightly, concealing the murderous intent within them. She poured Gu Zhixing a cup of hot tea, handed it to him, and said with a soft smile, "I have something to say."

Upon hearing this, Gu Zhixing immediately straightened up and looked at Shen Jintang intently, as if carefully examining her for any injuries.

Shen Jintang simply smiled and looked at him, letting him scrutinize her.

After a long pause, she said casually, "I'm a little full."

Gu Zhixing, who had been looking tense, burst out laughing in anger upon hearing this: "Others get drunk when they drink, but you just keep stuffing yourself. How about you stuff yourself to death?"

"If I were to die from overeating, wouldn't that be a terrible injustice?"

Shen Jintang leaned slightly against the carriage, a hint of weariness flashing in her eyes, before gently closing them.

Inside the carriage, the aroma of tea wafted through the air, and the steam rose slowly between the two, adding a touch of warmth to the cold night.

Are you unhappy?

Gu Zhixing suddenly stared into Shen Jintang's eyes and asked, his tone serious.

Shen Jintang suddenly opened her eyes, stared straight at Gu Zhixing, and raised an eyebrow slightly as she asked, "Why would you say that?"

“When you’re unhappy, you start joking with me.”

Gu Zhixing said in a low voice, a hint of worry in his eyes.

Normally, Shen Jintang is always very serious, and only when she is in a bad mood will she suddenly become playful.

There was something Gu Zhixing didn't say: whenever Shen Jintang's secret was exposed, she would stare straight into the person's eyes, as if that would make the other person believe her.

"Really? I didn't even notice."

Shen Jintang took a deep breath, smiled gently, and said in a soft voice with a hint of helplessness, "Alright, stop thinking nonsense, I'm fine."

Instead of worrying about me, you should think about yourself. Do you know that the Crown Prince has his eye on you?

Shen Jintang's voice was low and calm, with a hint of barely perceptible worry.

Gu Zhixing seemed completely unconcerned. He casually picked up a candied fruit from the fruit plate and gently put it into Shen Jintang's mouth, his actions as natural as if he were doing something perfectly ordinary.

Then, he lazily half-reclined, his tone flippant yet somewhat nonchalant: "I know! Otherwise, why would the Crown Prince immediately let me go after you casually mentioned that I studied for your sake?"

He smiled slightly, a hint of cynicism in his eyes: "He's the most narrow-minded person, unable to bear seeing others do well. What's that saying again? 'I hope you're good, but I don't want you to be better than me.' That probably describes someone like the Crown Prince."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the carriage roof, as if recalling something, his voice becoming somewhat low: "He was named Crown Prince from a young age and taught to excel in everything, otherwise he wouldn't be worthy of this status. Over time, this fostered his twisted mentality. When he sees another prince studying diligently, he harbors resentment, thinking that the other party has ulterior motives and covets the position of Crown Prince."

Gu Zhixing narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone revealing a hint of helplessness: "Over the years, under the Crown Prince's surveillance, none of the princes dared to show any excellence. Everyone tacitly agreed, fearing that they might get burned."

He casually popped another candied fruit into his mouth; the sweetness melted on his tongue, but it didn't bring him any pleasure.

Shen Jintang remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, then slowly looked at Gu Zhixing, her eyes unfathomable: "Since you can see through everything, is it because..."

Shen Jintang keenly sensed the clarity in Gu Zhixing's words, and a thought flickered in her mind: Could it be that Gu Zhixing was hiding his true abilities?

She gazed at him silently, waiting for him to continue.

"Hahaha……"

Gu Zhixing suddenly burst into laughter, sat up straight, and resumed his usual flamboyant and unrestrained manner: "Don't even think about it. If I, the young master, truly possessed talent, I would let everyone know! Concealing my abilities? How could that word possibly apply to me?"

When it comes to concealing one's talents, Gu Yanqing is the best example.

Over the years, Gu Zhixing had witnessed firsthand how he gradually crippled his own talents and then mingled with them, all for the sake of self-protection and to dispel the Crown Prince's doubts.

Shen Jintang smiled slightly, her tone carrying a hint of approval: "Your Highness is too modest. At least Your Highness is insightful and knows how to advance and retreat."

Gu Zhixing smiled and shook his head, saying nothing more, but then stuffed another candied fruit into Shen Jintang's hand.

How could he possibly see things clearly?

It's just that these people grew up with him, and unless he's an idiot, he can sense their temperaments and personalities.

Shen Jintang held a candied fruit in her mouth, the sweetness melting on her tongue, and gradually, a slight warmth rose on her cheeks.