Chapter Fifty: Cousin, no!

"No!" Shen Qingnian wanted to scream, but she held back when she thought of the people outside.

Xie Yanzhi's hands hadn't stopped yet, and he was about to lift the pinkish-white cloth covering his face.

Please!

Shen Qingnian's trembling voice came through, tinged with a sob.

His body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Xie Yanzhi rubbed the fragrance between his fingertips and said casually, "What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly."

Shen Qingnian lowered her head, bit her lip, and weakly said, "Cousin, please!"

Xie Yanzhi leaned close to her ear again, his nose teasing her earlobe, "What do you want from me?"

"Don't do that."

Shen Qingnian was so embarrassed that she wanted to disappear; her earlobes were so red they looked like they were about to drip.

But Xie Yanzhi wouldn't let her go. He pushed his leg forward again and asked lightly, "What don't you want?"

Shen Qingnian looked up and met his dark eyes. Xie Yanzhi didn't say anything, but she could already feel how much he wanted her!

"Cousin..." She couldn't bring herself to say those shameful words, and could only lower her head and sob silently again.

Xie Yanzhi gently lifted her chin, and the person in front of him had red eyes, brimming with tears.

Her nose was slightly red and pink, and she was pursing her lips, looking aggrieved.

She had lost all her previous arrogance, as if she were just a gentle and weak little woman who would never disobey him or make him angry again.

Xie Yanzhi's heart softened.

He then straightened her clothes, released her hands, and pulled her into his arms.

Shen Qingnian leaned against Xie Yanzhi's chest and began to cry, her voice trembling.

She was truly terrified! Xie Yanzhi is a devil!

She cried harder and harder, lamenting that she was just a weak woman and couldn't stand up to him.

She cried over her narrow escape, wondering if Xie Yanzhi would let her off so easily next time.

Xie Yanzhi frowned as he watched the person in his arms cry even harder. Was his affection really that hard for her to accept?

Perhaps she was genuinely terrified.

But seeing Shen Qingnian leaning in his arms, crying like a wronged little wife, gave Xie Yanzhi a great sense of satisfaction.

"Will you still go see other men in the future?"

Shen Qingnian cried bitterly and said intermittently, "I originally went to see Miss Diewu, but I never expected to run into Young Master Xiao."

She meant that she didn't go out of her way to meet other men.

But she had indeed arranged to propose marriage to Xiao Huaiyi. Xie Yanzhi had finally let her go today, and she absolutely couldn't let him know.

Thinking of this, Shen Qingnian changed the subject: "Cousin, how did you know? Were you following me?"

Xie Yanzhi said, "I knew you were a restless person, so of course I had to send someone to follow you."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingnian broke free from Xie Yanzhi's embrace and feigned a coquettish tone, saying, "Cousin, do you treat me like a prisoner in jail?"

Xie Yanzhi looked at Shen Qingnian's coquettish little appearance, stepped forward and hugged her from behind, and whispered in her ear: "You are my person, I have to send people outside the mansion to protect you."

That sounds nice, but it just means he'll have people watching her every move from now on.

But Young Master Xiao had arranged to meet her the next day.

This is terrible.

Xie Yanzhi then asked, "What were you and him doing at the other courtyard today?"

We can't exactly say that Young Master Xiao went there to propose to her, can we?

“There are other people in the villa, not just the two of us. Cousin, you can’t talk nonsense.”

Shen Qingnian pursed her lips, looking as if she had been wronged.

Ping An was also there at the time, and there should have been cleaning women or maids, otherwise the courtyard wouldn't have been so clean.

"It's just that Young Master Xiao heard me say that I was going to bring my mother to the capital, and his villa just happened to be available for rent, so he took me to see it."

"Young Master Xiao said he won't be in the capital anymore, so he'll rent it to me. It'll be good to have someone help clean the yard."

Xie Yanzhi pulled Shen Qingnian closer to his arms and pinched her chin: "Just ask me for these things, no need to bother other men, understand?"

"Besides, you don't need to leave the manor to live, hmm?"

Although his concubines could not live in Guanlan Residence, it was still reasonable for them to live in a nice courtyard.

Shen Qingnian nodded obediently, and was then held in Xie Yanzhi's arms and teased for a while before he finally let her go.

When Ling'er saw her mistress come out from the inner room, her cheeks were flushed and her lips were a little chapped.

Ling'er's eyes immediately reddened.

Yuan Qing breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Shen Qingnian had come out safely.

He had just assured Ling'er that her young lady would be alright.

He turned to look at the little girl beside him and noticed that her eyes were red, as if she was about to shed tears.

Yuan Qing hurriedly asked, "Lingjiao, what's wrong?"

Ling'er glared at him fiercely, "Didn't you say my young lady would be alright?"

No, everything's fine. Isn't Miss Qing perfectly alright over there?

Yuan Qing was also completely bewildered.

"Hmph, your young master hit my young lady!"

After saying that, she ran to Shen Qingnian and touched her face tenderly: "Miss, does it still hurt?"

"What?" Shen Qingnian was also puzzled.

"How could the eldest young master hit you!"

"His face is still red, and his lips are chapped. How could he hit him so hard!" Ling'eryi leaned on her back, very angry, looking like she was about to rush up and confront Xie Yanzhi.

Seeing Ling'er's expression, Shen Qingnian's face turned even redder. She could only hold Ling'er's hand, unsure of what to say to her.

Yuan Qing could only smile awkwardly, unsure how to explain it to Lingjiao.

Sometimes, he really wanted to crack open Lingjiao's head and see what was inside!

Shen Qingnian pulled Ling'er and said, "Let's go back quickly."

"Didn't you still want to eat the chestnut cake I made?"

Seeing that her mistress had already left, Ling'er followed Shen Qingnian back along the side path.

After Shen Qingnian left, Xie Yanzhi walked to his desk, took out the mutton-fat jade pendant, and pondered for a while.

Xie Yanzhi waved his hand, and a figure suddenly appeared beside him, whispered a few words in his ear, and then withdrew.

Xie Yanzhi's face was filled with anger.

Shen Qingnian was actually lying to him.

She's having a secret rendezvous with Xiao Huaiyi tomorrow night!

He should have punished her severely! But seeing her tears and her pitiful appearance, he couldn't bear to actually punish her.

Since Shen Qingnian refuses to sever ties with Xiao Huaiyi, then he will personally do so.

"Yuan Qing!"

Xie Yanzhi called out towards the door.

Yuan Qing strode in: "Master, what are your orders?"

"Bring me my cloak."

It's already late afternoon, is Master still going out? He's supposed to have dinner with the Old Madam today, is he going or not?

"Master, we're having dinner at Wenxin Hall tonight," Yuan Qing whispered a reminder.

Xie Yanzhi had forgotten about this. "Then let's go to Wenxin Hall to have dinner with the old lady!"

Xie Yanzhi beckoned again, and Yuan Qing offered his ear. After Xie Yanzhi gave him a few instructions, he left.

At this moment, Xie Yan clenched his fist, his eyes coldly fixed on the direction of Qian Yue Residence, and uttered three words: "Shen Qingnian!"