How terrifying...
Zhan Xinjia felt a chill run down her spine from the look in his eyes, a creepy feeling shooting straight up from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
Why didn't he return to the capital? Hadn't he already decided to ignore her and not pay her any attention? Why not just leave? Why should a dignified tutor to the Crown Prince stay in this war-torn land and suffer?
She was somewhat annoyed and sullenly plucked at the frosty grass beside her.
Never mind! It has nothing to do with her anymore anyway.
Although she thought this defiantly with a "what's the use" attitude, Zhan Xinjia was actually absent-minded all day, and the image of that pale and weak face in the biting wind and snow kept inadvertently appearing in her mind.
He looked sick; his complexion was terrible, and he had lost a lot of weight…
Is it because you're unhappy?
If you're unhappy, why stay here?
Staying here will only upset her.
Her heart ached dully, and her eyes felt warm and moist. Zhan Xinjia wiped her face haphazardly and bit her lip.
Forget it, let him go wherever he wants, do whatever he wants. Anyway, they're no longer the best of friends—they're not even close anymore, so why should she keep thinking about all this nonsense?
As dusk fell, Zhan Xinjia and Qiao Qiao, having composed themselves, had dinner and, after some thought, decided to return to the captain's tent.
She's currently staying in a separate area for the wounded. Although her injuries are quite severe, with a bandage on her forehead, Zhan Xinjia doesn't care. She's just a worthless life, so she'll keep fighting.
But when she lifted the curtain and went in, everyone was completely confused.
"Commander Zhan, your things were all taken away by the new Supervisor Shen a month ago. What are you doing here?"
"Hey, don't blame me for being nosy, do you have a grudge against that Lord Shen? The other day when he came over to pack our things, his eyes looked like he wanted to drag us all out and chop us up, it scared us to death."
"Exactly! You didn't see that face! My family's 18-year-old wok isn't even that black!"
"We're all colleagues, so let's not make things too awkward. You should go and have a good talk with Supervisor Shen. Your clothes, bedding, and personal belongings are all with him. Just go and get them from him."
The group of people chimed in with their own words, offering words of comfort and pushing Zhan Xinjia out by the shoulder.
Leaning on her cane, Zhan Xinjia stood at the door, speechless with anger.
A military supervisor?!
If I'm not asking, who gave you permission?
So, Pei Yi left and he came to fill this vacancy, right?
Furthermore, why should a weak and gentle civil official like him stay in the capital and be his noble and refined Grand Tutor, properly teaching that idiot Yan Huishi, instead of running all this way? What's the difference between this and being demoted?
Zhan Xinjia was unsure whether she was angry at his dictatorial nature or worried that he wouldn't be able to adapt to Canghan's harsh environment.
And what does it mean to take all her things without her consent?
Furious, Zhan Xinjia limped angrily to the tent where Shen Suqing was currently staying. The tent was lit, and she barged in before the guards at the door could even announce her arrival.
"Shen Suqing!"
She originally went in to confront them and start a big argument, but when she took a closer look, she was stunned.
A stove burned inside the tent, its warmth dispelling the chill she had brought and insulating her from the biting north wind outside. The candlelight illuminated the white tent, casting a warm, dim yellow glow over it.
The tent contained few items, only a low bed, a table, and several stacks of documents neatly piled in a box next to it.
The young man must have just finished washing up, wearing only a snow-white undershirt and trousers, his body still damp. His casually open collar revealed a glimpse of his prominent collarbone, and his skin was as white as porcelain.
He sat at the desk, his half-closed, slender phoenix eyes glancing over casually, his brow bone raised.
"What is it?"
His voice was clear and sharp, carrying a chilling undertone.
As he spoke, he slowly brushed a few wet strands of hair from his forehead with his finger, tilted his head slightly, and stared intently at her.
Zhan Xinjia choked, momentarily speechless.
This is outrageous! Holy crap, why didn't that guard outside stop her even a little? If he had known she had just finished washing up and wasn't dressed yet, she definitely wouldn't have barged in like that!
Now it seems like she did it on purpose...
Zhan Xinjia braced herself and met his gaze, her tone fierce, determined not to back down.
"Give me back my things!"
"Your things?"
The young man repeated it casually, then pulled out a handkerchief from somewhere and twirled it between his fingers, playing with it leisurely.
“I remember this being something that belongs to me.”
Zhan Xinjia choked again, "If you lose it, it's no longer yours. I found it, so it's mine!"
"oh?"
The young man gave a cold laugh.
His gaze, looking down at me, was intensely aggressive, his eyes mocking, and a half-smile playing on his lips.
"According to your robber's logic—I found you too, so how come you're not mine?"
"Shen Suqing!"
Zhan Xinjia was so angry that she felt dizzy and her vision blurred. Her already poor health condition was now worsened.
How come she never noticed how eloquent he was before? She had almost forgotten that he was a civil servant, and civil servants are best at talking. If she really tried to argue with him, how could this hopeless illiterate woman possibly win?
Suppressing his anger, Zhan Xinjia gritted his teeth.
"Shen Suqing, I have no interest in arguing with you today. Give all my things back!"
"Heh, when there's trouble, he's like Lord Shen, but once he's done using him, he turns back into Shen Suqing."
The young man gave a self-deprecating chuckle, his voice even colder.
His dark, inky eyes held undisguised anger, his phoenix eyes sharp and slanted upwards, staring intently.
They ruthlessly gave them the order to leave.
"If you don't want to argue, then leave."
"?"
How can you confiscate someone's belongings and then have the audacity to kick them out?
Zhan Xinjia felt a surge of inexplicable anger rise up, her pupils dilated, and she took a deep breath in disbelief.
Her head was buzzing, and she lost her mind. Without thinking, she strode forward, walked around the table, and straddled his lap as he sat upright, her hands gripping his already loose collar tightly.
With a bit of force, Zhan Xinjia forced him to lower his head.
At first, she didn't think much of it; she was just annoyed by his aloof and arrogant demeanor. But by the time she realized that the scene was more like flirtatious banter than an interrogation, it seemed too late...
Even through his underpants and trousers, she could feel his warm body temperature, burning her little by little.
The overwhelming, delicate fragrance of ink painting permeated her nostrils, like an invisible net tightly enveloping her from all sides.
His black hair was still wet, dripping with water. Some water droplets soaked her long, loose hair as well. Between their breaths, they could almost hear each other's unsteady heartbeats, thumping back and forth.
Shen Suqing tilted his chin up, half-closed his eyes, and his gaze deepened.
"Get down!"
His voice, emphasizing the underlying anger, carried an authoritative tone that left no room for argument and was intimidating.
Nevertheless, his strong knuckles holding the pen remained firmly on the table, without pulling at his clothes which the girl had been clutching, nor did he intend to push her away.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com