Chapter 43 "When you ran, didn't you think about the consequences..."
Shen Xi was completely silenced by his forceful manner, which cut off all his remaining words.
She never knew that Xie Chengyan was also a self-deceiving person.
Knowing full well that their actions were merely mutual torment, he refused to listen or believe it, always covering her lips like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, preventing her from uttering even a single word he disliked.
Shen Xi looked at him, her eyes filled with unbearable resentment, but a layer of mist unconsciously rose in her eyes.
Pain, yet subtly mixed with a feeling called pity.
Unfortunately, Xie Chengyan didn't notice. He was captivated by her shimmering eyes and lowered his gaze to gently stroke her jawline.
My fingertips were icy cold, not at all like the temperature of midsummer.
His dark pupils stared at her for a long time, taking in her resentment and unwillingness, but he never said a word.
The stalemate continues, and the entanglement persists.
After what seemed like an eternity, Xie Chengyan finally withdrew his hand, his voice low and almost a sigh: "Truly, untamed and wild."
Shen Xi didn't understand the implied meaning of those words, but she sensed something unusual in his reaction—
A kind of indulgent helplessness.
But since that day, the two have been locked in a complete stalemate.
Shen Xi was bothered by this awkward relationship and always tried to negotiate a more mutually beneficial outcome with him.
Xie Chengyan, however, remained silent on the matter.
Whenever there was any hint that she should mention it, he would always resort to his old tricks, interrupting her in various ways and not allowing her to say another word.
It's as if doing this will allow us to pretend that nothing ever happened and continue living our lives like burying our heads in the sand.
But Shen Xi knew that he clearly harbored resentment as well, and their relationship returned to its previous coldness, with few intimate moments, as if he was wary of her approaching with the intention of leaving.
Except during intimate moments in bed.
Xie Chengyan was more ruthless than usual, covering her eyes and relentlessly demanding answers.
He then intensified his pressure on her, making her call his name over and over again.
But that was limited to the bedroom; once the passion subsided, he reverted to his indifferent self, Xie Chengyan.
Thus, the two are trapped in this vicious cycle, suffocating them, with neither able to escape.
Shen Xi hated this the most; it always reminded her of the Shen family mansion and Shen Wangchen.
After several days of stalemate, the talks yielded no results.
Shen Xi knew she couldn't just sit and wait to die any longer. Xie Chengyan used to be responsive to gentle persuasion but not to force, but now he was unresponsive to both. If she wanted to leave, she would have to think of another way.
But how could she possibly escape successfully under Xie Chengyan's nose by herself?
She needed someone to help her, and after much thought, Shen Xi thought of Wen Tingmao.
When the thought popped into her mind, Shen Xi immediately made up her mind.
The next day.
As dawn broke, Xie Chengyan opened his eyes, his dark gaze fixed on Shen Xi's sleeping face. She was sleeping soundly, her face relaxed, much more docile than when she was awake.
After looking for a while, sunlight slanted in through the bed curtains, and he finally got up and put on his clothes.
He moved very gently, for fear of disturbing her.
After a rustling sound, he turned back to look at Shen Xi again. Seeing that she was still asleep, he felt relieved and left the mansion as usual.
But the moment Xie Chengyan stepped out of the room, Shen Xi, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze clear and bright.
Shen Xi got up, tidied up the things she had prepared beforehand, and secretly tucked them into a few medical books. She packed them up and prepared to send them to Wen Tingmao.
Today, she needs to scout things out first and also figure out Wen Tingmao's thoughts.
After confirming that Xie Chengyan had left, Shen Xi also went out with Qingqiu.
Just as she was about to leave the mansion, a guard suddenly stepped forward and stopped Shen Xi.
"Madam, where are you going?"
His tone was respectful, but his actions were unceremoniously blocking her way. As he spoke, he glanced at the package in Qingqiu's hand.
Knowing it was Xie Chengyan's doing, Shen Xi wasn't annoyed. She beckoned and casually showed him the package without making a sound.
"There are some things I'd like to take to Dr. Wen for a look."
"Madam, there's no need to go through the trouble of making this trip. Just leave it to us servants."
As he spoke, he reached out to take the things from Qingqiu's hands.
Shen Xi stopped him, looked at him and chuckled: "No need, it's not just these things, I also want to see him in person."
Having said that, the guard could say nothing more, withdrew his hand, and stepped aside to make way: "This subordinate will escort the lady there."
Shen Xi remained calm and said, "Alright, then this will be troublesome."
The carriage moved slowly along the long street. At first, Shen Xi did not notice anything and remained relatively calm, but soon she couldn't help but frown.
Through the occasional gust of wind lifting the carriage curtain, Shen Xi noticed that there were many more guards around him than usual, making the area around the carriage impenetrable and leaving no escape route.
The number of guards on the surface has increased so much, not to mention the hidden guards.
Qingqiu also noticed something amiss and lowered his voice, "Madam, it seems there are quite a few guards following us. What should we do now?"
Shen Xi's heart sank completely. She knew Xie Chengyan was on guard, but she never expected such a large-scale operation.
In this way, it's no different from guarding prisoners.
But now that things have come to this, she can only calm herself down and say, "Let's take it one step at a time, but I can't go to Renfengtang anymore."
Although she didn't know exactly how capable Xie Chengyan's bodyguards were, their surveillance and eavesdropping skills were certainly top-notch.
If they were to rashly go to Renfeng Hall today, every word the two of them said would surely be reported to Xie Chengyan.
When the truth comes out, given Xie Chengyan's personality, it will inevitably implicate Wen Tingmao.
Rather than acting rashly without knowing the consequences, it's better to rethink the plan to avoid alerting the enemy.
Having figured this out, Shen Xi called out, her tone completely calm: "Stop the car."
The guard, unaware of the reason, obediently stopped and turned his head: "Madam, is there something you need?"
Shen Xi gave Qing Qiu a look, then lifted the carriage curtain and got off the carriage: "I just remembered that I happened to need to pick out some rouge and face powder on this trip, so you can wait here first."
As he spoke, he glanced at the rouge shop behind him out of the corner of his eye.
The guard followed her gaze and glanced in the same direction. He saw fine cars and people coming and going in front of the gate, but nothing seemed amiss.
Only then did he move aside slightly and stand behind Shen Xi.
But as Shen Xi took a step forward, the guard followed.
Shen Xi stopped in her tracks: "I'm going to pick out some rouge, do I have to come along?"
The guard bowed his head and said, "Madam, the general has ordered that I must protect you closely."
Shen Xi didn't take it seriously: "It's just a shop, what danger could it be? If you're worried, just wait outside and keep an eye on the people coming and going at the door. That's protection too."
"Madam, please don't make things difficult for your subordinate."
Seeing that the other party did not waver, Shen Xi continued, "I don't mean to make things difficult, but most of the people in the rouge shop are young women. It might not be appropriate for a man like you to go in."
"Or is it that your general ordered such a close watch on me because he's afraid I'll escape right under your noses?"
Her words were clear and distinct, but the way she spoke them softly added a touch of chill to the air.
The guard glanced up and saw a faint smile on Shen Xi's face, but no smile in his eyes. He immediately realized something was wrong and quickly lowered his head to admit his mistake.
"Your subordinate acknowledges his guilt."
Shen Xi laughed, as if she didn't take his offense to heart: "No need for that. What crime could you have committed? Just wait here."
After the exchange, Xie Chengyan's guards dared not follow her any longer, fearing that they would anger her, so they scattered and surrounded the shop she had entered.
Shen Xi stepped into the shop, but her eyes were constantly on the back of her.
Xie Chengyan's men were staring intently at her, blocking all her escape routes.
As expected, it is too late to change things today.
With her last glimmer of hope extinguished, she simply began to carefully select the rouge, deciding not to go to Renfengtang again, but to say that she had come out today only for these few boxes of rouge.
After an incense stick had burned, the guards standing at the shop entrance breathed a sigh of relief when they saw her emerge unharmed.
Shen Xi saw his reaction but pretended not to notice.
But just as she was about to get into the carriage, a voice suddenly came from behind her.
"Xi...Sister-in-law?"
The voice was so familiar that she immediately recognized the person.
Shen Xi paused, then turned around in surprise.
Xie Wenlang was standing not far away. It had been a long time since they had met. He seemed to have changed, yet he also seemed unchanged.
Before he could investigate further, a quick glance revealed that Chu Yi, who was traveling incognito, was also with him.
I never expected to run into him here.
The moment Chu Yi saw her, her expression changed instantly.
Xie Wenlang looked at her, his gaze complex: "What a coincidence, to run into you here, sister-in-law."
Before the two could exchange a single word, Chu Yi, who was standing next to Xie Wenlang, had already come over and taken his arm in an intimate manner.
She smiled at Shen Xi, her smile carrying a hint of insincerity: "Yes, we really are destined to meet. I didn't even get a proper chance to see you off last time I left."
The "last time" Chu Yi mentioned was naturally the time when Shen Xi fell into the water in the palace.
Everyone knows who did this, but because of the princess's status, no one has dared to expose it.
But Chu Yi immediately brought up the matter in front of Shen Xi without any hesitation, her words almost provocative.
Xie Wenlang naturally sensed something was wrong and frowned to stop him: "Don't talk nonsense."
Chu Yi ignored him and raised her chin: "Why can't I say it?"
His expression was extremely arrogant, and then he turned to look at Shen Xi: "It's a real pity that I couldn't see you off that day."
Shen Xi smiled and said, "For you, it's certainly a pity that I couldn't stay in that place forever."
Chu Yi snorted coldly: "Good that you know."
Seeing that things were not going well, Xie Wenlang quickly took Chu Yi and tried to leave.
Chu Yi, however, had no such intention and stubbornly pulled him back: "Isn't she your sister-in-law? Why are you hiding? Are you feeling guilty?"
Xie Wenlang frowned: "Didn't you want me to help you choose rouge? Let's go."
"No rush, I have plenty of time." She then glanced at Chen Xi. "You should have some free time too, right?"
Shen Xi withdrew her gaze from Xie Wenlang's slightly embarrassed face: "I have other things to do, so I won't stay any longer."
After saying that, he nodded slightly and was about to leave.
But Chu Yi was still feeling frustrated and couldn't let Shen Xi leave like that.
He stepped forward and stopped her directly.
"Shen Xi, did I give you permission to leave?"
Shen Xi was preoccupied with something on her mind and didn't pay attention for a moment. Chu Yi pulled her so hard that she stumbled and almost fell to the side.
Seeing this, Xie Wenlang strode forward, reached out to steady her, and turned to pull Chu Yi away.
But Chu Yi threw a tantrum, shoving Xie Wenlang's hand away and glaring at him: "What are you doing! Why did you touch her?"
Xie Wenlang frowned: "Stop joking, you clearly saw it, she..."
Chu Yi glared at him and looked up to argue, "What business is it of yours what she does? Xie Wenlang, can't you remember your place? She is your sister-in-law now."
Unwilling to get involved in their argument, Shen Xi took two steps back and rubbed her forehead.
She must be having a really bad day. Not only were her original plans ruined, but she also had to run into the two of them.
Xie Wenlang and Chu Yi are both spoiled and arrogant since childhood. When will they ever learn to admit defeat?
Neither side was willing to give in, and they were ready to explode at the slightest provocation.
The noise over there grew increasingly chaotic, attracting curious onlookers who peered over the edge, making Shen Xi feel somewhat embarrassed.
But before she could think of how to get away, she was suddenly pulled into a familiar embrace from behind, and Shen Xi froze instantly.
A whisper fell into her ear: "Xi'er, you came out just to see this kind of excitement?"
His words were gentle, but they carried a hint of threat.
Shen Xi suddenly looked up and saw Xie Chengyan's handsome face right in front of her, his expression indifferent. She wondered why he was here.
After a moment, Xie Chengyan looked away from the two arguing loudly, his expression unreadable.
Shen Xi's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away, hoping that Xie Chengyan hadn't noticed anything unusual.
On the other side, Xie Wenlang only stopped when he noticed him out of the corner of his eye, and called out somewhat awkwardly, "Big Brother."
Xie Chengyan glanced at him indifferently, without exchanging pleasantries: "Since you have other matters to attend to, I'll take your sister-in-law back first."
Before anyone could react, Xie Chengyan had already put his arm around Shen Xi and led her straight into the carriage.
The carriage curtain fell, shutting out the noise outside and the argument between the two men.
Shen Xi silently moved to the corner furthest away from him, deliberately creating some distance, but the atmosphere inside the carriage was still extremely strange.
She simply leaned against the car wall, closed her eyes, and pretended to doze off, stubbornly refusing to look at him.
Xie Chengyan sat to the side, gazing at her for a moment, before speaking calmly, "Why did you suddenly decide to come out today?"
Shen Xi didn't open her eyes: "I was bored staying in the mansion, so I came out for a walk to clear my head."
Xie Chengyan, however, saw through his lie: "Weren't we going to Renfeng Hall? So we're not going?"
Shen Xi's eyelashes trembled, and a little sweat seeped from her clenched fist. She forced herself to remain calm and said, "I'm tired. I don't want to go."
Before he could finish speaking, a shadow suddenly fell over him.
The crisp scent of ebony enveloped her. Shen Xi suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze meeting his dark eyes directly. Her eyes flickered, revealing a hint of guilt.
Xie Chengyan lowered his eyelids slightly and chuckled, "Xi'er, you still can't lie."
His gaze lingered on her forced composure, but his hand went around her shoulder and reached directly behind her.
As the distance closed, Shen Xi suddenly choked, quickly raising her hand to press on his forearm: "Husband."
But her strength was futile against Xie Chengyan. He twisted his wrist to avoid the obstruction, took out the inconspicuous bundle from behind her, and his eyes were deep.
His voice lowered slightly: "What is this?"
Shen Xi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her heart pounding with tension, and she involuntarily swallowed.
But she steadied herself and said calmly, "It's nothing, just some old things I wanted to send to Doctor Wen."
As she spoke, Shen Xi leaned forward, trying to snatch the item back from his hand.
Xie Chengyan didn't give her that chance. Taking advantage of his long arms, he slightly raised his hand and made her miss.
Just then, the carriage lurched, and Shen Xi lost her balance and fell forward into his warm embrace.
Xie Chengyan took the opportunity to put his arm around her waist and pull her straight up.
When their eyes met, Shen Xi finally saw the unfathomable darkness in those eyes.
After a long silence, Xie Chengyan let out a low sigh: "Xi'er, you're never well-behaved."
The breath that brushed against her face sent a chill down Shen Xi's spine.
She froze for a moment, then asked in a trembling voice, "What...did you say?"
Xie Chengyan's lips curved into a smile, but it didn't look like a genuine laugh.
The next instant, with a slight exertion of his fingertips, he shook the package open, and the scattered pieces fell to the ground with a thud.
The secrets hidden in the medical books were starkly revealed through his simple and direct approach.
Shen Xi's face turned pale instantly.
Xie Chengyan glanced over them indifferently, his voice deep and cold: "Silver notes, travel permits... you've prepared everything quite thoroughly."
When leaving the mansion, Shen Xi relied on the fact that the guards dared not search thoroughly because of their status, which is why she dared to hide these things directly in the medical books.
But she never expected that despite being so cautious, she would still arouse Xie Chengyan's suspicion.
Even at first glance, he noticed something was wrong with the bundle.
The car fell into a deathly silence.
Until Xie Chengyan suddenly chuckled softly, turned to look at her, but his eyes were cold, devoid of any warmth.
"What, when did Wen Tingmao start needing these things?"
"I……"
Shen Xi tried to cover it up, but Xie Chengyan leaned in and sealed her with a kiss without warning, silencing all her unspoken lies.
Their breaths mingled, and the kiss was undeniably aggressive, almost like a bite.
Shen Xi dared not disobey him at this time, and could only be forced to look up and accept everything he gave her.
Their lips and tongues were burning hot, entangled and inseparable, but their hearts were ice-cold.
A kiss that contained almost no affection or tenderness, but was full of punitive intent.
Finally, Xie Chengyan pulled back slightly, pressed his forehead against hers, and said with a hint of helplessness in his voice, "Xi'er, why do you always think about running away?"
Shen Xi's fingertips trembled, but she stubbornly insisted, "I didn't."
Xie Chengyan refused to argue with her about who was right or wrong, lowered his eyelids, and stopped responding.
The atmosphere was so stagnant, like a still pond.
Just then, the carriage stopped in front of the general's mansion.
Xie Chengyan stepped off the carriage first, then turned around, scooped up the person in his long arm without saying a word, and forcefully carried him back to the room.
Shen Xi glanced at him from the crook of his arm. His lips were straight and his face was expressionless, but upon closer inspection, one could faintly detect a hint of suppressed anger.
She trembled, realizing something was wrong, and snuggled closer to Xie Chengyan, wrapping her arms around his neck to show her weakness, and softly called out to him.
"My husband."
Xie Chengyan responded softly, but did not look at her. Clearly, after these days of trial and error, he had become wary of her untimely initiative.
Upon entering the inner room, Xie Chengyan placed her on the couch, supporting himself with his hands on either side of her, encircling her in a huddled position.
Shen Xi shrank back in fright at his gloomy expression.
But before she could move, he pressed her down and stopped her: "What are you hiding from?"
His gaze fell into her eyes, sharp and deep, clearly without anger, yet it still made Shen Xi shiver involuntarily.
"I……"
Xie Chengyan interrupted her, his voice low and somber: "Didn't you think about the consequences when you ran away?"
Shen Xi craned her neck and looked up, stubbornly refusing to admit it: "Husband, I didn't mean to run away."
She's not stupid. If Xie Chengyan really admitted it, he would inevitably cause a lot of trouble.
He could deceive himself into not allowing her to say even a single word he didn't like.
She could then follow suit, and everyone would tacitly agree and continue in a muddled manner.
Unexpectedly, Xie Chengyan exposed her true intentions without any hesitation.
"You originally intended to leave today, but unfortunately, you ran into Xie Wenlang on the way, right?"
Shen Xi hadn't expected to be able to hide it from him, but she still subconsciously retorted, "It has nothing to do with him."
Upon hearing this, Xie Chengyan's expression grew even colder, and he gripped her wrist tightly with his palm: "Xi'er, you're telling the truth less and less these days."
Xie Chengyan's aura enveloped her, making Shen Xi feel suffocated for a moment. She raised her hand to try to push him away, but Xie Chengyan did not move.
He still insisted, "I didn't."
"good."
Unexpectedly, Xie Chengyan only responded with this one word.
But this sent a chill down Shen Xi's spine. Then, a voice rang in her ears: "Since you didn't intend to run away, you're naturally willing to stay."
Xie Chengyan's voice was cold, and it was impossible to tell how much anger he harbored.
Before Shen Xi could figure out the meaning of his words, he said another sentence in a low voice.
"From today onwards, you shall stay obediently in the manor and not go anywhere."
Xie Chengyan's tone left no room for argument, and he tightened his grip on her, causing Shen Xi pain.
But she had no time to pay attention to the pain at that moment, her eyes widening in disbelief: "You're going to imprison me?"
“It’s not house arrest,” Xie Chengyan said grandly, repeating, “It’s because you stayed willingly.”
Shen Xi was speechless with anger. Who would believe such a high-sounding statement!
"Thank you, Chengyan!"
She was about to say something more, but Xie Chengyan's hand covered hers again, stopping her from saying anything more.
"Stop fooling around."
He looked at her intently, then leaned down and whispered just two simple words in Shen Xi's ear.
His voice was cold and calm, with almost no inflection.
But only Xie Chengyan himself knew that he was still feeling lingering fear at the moment.
He had always known that Shen Xi had never considered him her home. She was like a reed, drifting aimlessly, scattered to the ends of the earth by the wind, with no fixed abode.
Today, she really considered leaving.
He couldn't help but feel lingering fear, lest he repeat the mistake he made in his previous life, a mistake that almost led to his demise.
Since that's the case, he could only keep her by his side and never leave her side.
Shen Xi finally realized that he wasn't joking or faking it, and struggled to kick and hit him, letting out a muffled groan of resentment.
Xie Chengyan ignored all her resistance, grabbed her with one hand, and strangled her on the bed.
With such a disparity in strength, Chen Xi's struggles were like an ant trying to shake a tree. She was furious and, taking advantage of Xie Chengyan's inattention, turned her head and bit down hard on the tiger's mouth that was blocking her lips.
Xie Chengyan's gaze darkened as he stared intently at her, without withdrawing his hand.
With a determined heart, Chen Xi increased his strength, and in an instant, he tasted a slightly metallic sweetness between his teeth.
But he seemed oblivious to the pain, only gazing down at her and letting her vent her frustrations.
A tremendous sense of powerlessness washed over her like a monstrous wave, while Shen Xi found herself adrift in a small boat, battered by the waves. Before she knew it, the waves had swept over her, and she was drowning in the icy water.
Xie Chengyan didn't say another word until Shen Xi had finished causing trouble, then he slowly withdrew.
His tall figure stood before the couch, casting a cold, shadowy shadow.
After a moment of silence, he turned and left.
As he stepped out of the room, he paused slightly and glanced back out of the corner of his eye.
He spoke in a deep voice: "Shen Xi, this door will never open until you realize your mistake."
The door closed in front of Shen Xi, and the light inside the room instantly dimmed.
Shen Xi immediately grabbed the porcelain pillow beside her and threw it with all her might at the closed door, making a loud bang.
The only response she received was the creaking of the door.
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