Chapter 297 Retreat, Pei Yuan Denies His Feelings

Shen Chu suddenly opened her eyes.

"How did you know that Brother Luo gave me a pair of jade Guanyin statues?"

Pei Yuan's heart sank slightly; they really were a couple.

"I overheard Luo Heng mention it by chance."

Chen Chu's heart skipped a beat, and she asked nervously, "What else did Brother Luo say?"

Luo Heng knows her true identity as a woman disguised as a man. Could he have told Pei Yuan about that as well?

Pei Yuan noticed the tension in his voice and looked up at him.

"It's nothing, I just mentioned that you absolutely refused to accept the pair of jade Guanyin statues."

Chen Chu breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems Luo Heng didn't mention her cross-dressing.

She gave a soft "hmm" and said, "That's true. Brother Luo did give me a pair, but I don't think it's appropriate."

We're sworn brothers, so wearing multiple pieces of jewelry together wouldn't be appropriate. Therefore, Brother Luo later gave me a different one.

Pei Yuan clenched his fist, his heart growing heavier.

What Luo Heng said was true; Shen Chu really hated homosexuality.

Seeing his cold and stern expression, Shen Chu couldn't help but blink.

Could it be that he's unhappy because Brother Luo gave me a gift?

A thought stirred within her, and she couldn't help but ask:

"Sixth Brother, if I gave you a gift that comes in pairs, would you accept it?"

"Of course I..."

Pei Yuan suddenly stopped halfway through his sentence.

Luo Heng's words kept echoing in his ears.

"I've already tasted the bitterness of being disliked and hated by A-Chu. Your Highness, you'd better watch yourself."

The veins on his hands suddenly bulged.

The words "will ask" that were on the tip of his tongue felt like a ton of bricks, and he swallowed them back down, turning them into a soft hum.

"Of course I don't want it. Why would you give me a gift that comes in pairs?"

Shen Chu's expression froze, and the expectation in her eyes instantly dimmed.

Did she misunderstand?

Pei Yuan had absolutely no feelings for her.

She took a deep breath and couldn't help but ask:

"Sixth Brother, you have always protected me. You risked your life to save me in the fire, and you helped me investigate the case of the Marquis of Ning'an's mansion. You have been busy with matters concerning my family."

I want to know why you're so good to me? In your heart, what am I...? What kind of person do you take me for?

Who is it?

I consider you the person I want to spend my life with, the person I want to cherish for a lifetime.

Pei Yuan opened his mouth, but it felt as if a stone was stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say a word.

Just thinking about Ah Chu looking at him with that disgusted and hateful gaze makes his heart feel like it has a huge hole in it.

Countless cold winds pierced my heart from all directions.

A chilling feeling ran deep.

He was scared, and he backed down!

For the first time in his life, he experienced the feeling of being anxious and fearful. He, who was once fearless, now chose to back down because of his unease.

Pei Yuan clenched his fists tightly, took a deep breath, and then squeezed out a sentence from his hoarse throat.

"Of course I consider you a good brother and a good friend."

Good brother, good friend!

The six words struck Shen Chu like a heavy hammer, making his eardrums vibrate and his heart feel a dull ache.

She pressed herself tightly against the carriage wall to keep herself from appearing flustered.

See, Senior Brother was mistaken. Pei Yuan has no other feelings for her at all.

"Good brother, good friend."

She murmured softly, and out of years of training in self-protection, a bright smile immediately appeared on her face.

"Sixth Brother personally cooked for me, accompanied me during acupuncture, visited me at night, and protected me in every way. It turns out that he regarded me as a good brother and a good friend."

Thankfully, thankfully Sixth Brother isn't gay, otherwise I would have thought you had fallen for me.

Pei Yuan's face stiffened slightly, and he practically forced out a sentence through clenched teeth.

"No, don't overthink it."

Shen Chu bit her lip, a mix of indescribable emotions welling up inside her.

She must be crazy.

He actually believed his senior brother's lies and tested Pei Yuan's feelings again and again.

Pei Yuan despises homosexuals so much that he even boasted that he wouldn't give a second glance to someone who was naked.

How could I possibly have any other feelings for her?

Neither of them spoke, and the carriage was unusually quiet.

Shen Chu suddenly knocked on the side of the carriage.

"parking."

Sun Yan, who was driving the carriage, immediately reined in the horses.

Shen Chu got off the carriage and said calmly, "I suddenly remembered that I still have some personal belongings left at the Inspectorate. Sixth Brother, you should go back first. I'll go to the Inspectorate."

Having said that, he turned and left without waiting for Pei Yuan's reply.

Pei Yuan watched her retreating figure, his face grim, and slammed his fist heavily against the carriage wall.

Clang.

The train carriage was smashed open with a hole the size of a bowl.

Sun Yan's hand, gripping the reins, trembled violently, a hint of despair in his eyes.

We're doomed.

The Sixth Prince's shredded potato set meal is probably about to be launched.

------

Shen Chu wandered aimlessly around the streets, still feeling a heavy weight in her heart.

"Achu, what are you doing here?"

She looked up and saw Luo Heng walking over carrying a box.

She managed a weak smile.

"Brother Luo, what's going on?"

"I'm going to Jiangning in a few days, so I came to the Ministry of Revenue today to make some handover and take some of my personal belongings."

Luo Heng handed the box to the servant behind him and gave her a deep look.

"It's past noon, and my brother hasn't eaten yet. Let's go to Cyclamen and grab something to eat."

Shen Chu then realized that it was already past noon.

She didn't even realize she was hungry.

"Let's go, this is the closest place to Cyclamen."

Without saying a word, Luo Heng grabbed her and left.

After ordering a few of Cyclamen's signature dishes, Luo Heng poured a cup of tea and handed it to him.

"Is something on your mind, Ah Chu? Can you tell your elder brother?"

Chen Chu took the tea, sipped it, and shook her head slightly.

Luo Heng gave her a deep look, and said with a half-smile, "Brother, why don't you guess, did you have a fight with the Sixth Prince?"

Shen Chu's hand holding the teacup tightened slightly.

Luo Heng sighed, "It seems I guessed right, A-Chu, have you fallen for the Sixth Prince?"

Shen Chu's expression changed slightly, and she subconsciously denied it, "I...I didn't."

"Ah Chu, are you confused!"

Shen Chu looked puzzled.

"What do you mean by that, brother?"

Luo Heng put down his teacup and sighed.

"Ah Chu, don't be silly. He is the sixth prince, the sixth prince who is most favored by the current emperor."

If you two get together again, the fact that he's disguised as a man will eventually become a weapon for others to use against him, and you'll ruin him.

Shen Chu's expression changed.

Luo Heng continued, "Even if you use this trip to Yangzhou as an opportunity to escape, what about the Sixth Prince?"

He's the sixth prince! Do you think he'd give up his promising future and career for you? To find a beautiful, secluded place to spend his life with?

As far as I know, His Majesty is already preparing to bestow upon him the title of King, and has already instructed the Ministry of Rites to select a Queen for him.

His queen must be of noble birth, capable of bringing him strong support from her family. Can you be that? Achu?

Even assuming your cross-dressing doesn't become a weapon against him, can you guarantee he'll treat you well for life? Which prince doesn't have a harem?

Shen Chu's face suddenly changed.