Chapter 36 "Xi'er is so spoiled."...
Shen Xi was startled and looked in the direction of the sound, and sure enough, she met Xie Chengyan's indifferent eyes.
After saying that, he ignored Xie Wenlang, strode to Shen Xi's side, and familiarly put his arm around her waist, pulling her closer.
Shen Xi staggered two steps, but she really didn't want to be too intimate with him in public. She subconsciously struggled a little, but Xie Chengyan tightened his grip on her palm, and his eyes, which were fixed on her, showed a hint of turmoil.
She glared back defiantly, determined to pry Xie Chengyan's hand off her waist. She could tolerate whatever he did to her in private, and let him do as he pleased without a care in the world.
But this was in the Duke's mansion, and in front of Xie Wenlang; she was unwilling to do so.
She already felt guilty towards him and had wronged him greatly, and she was even less willing to use her marriage to Xie Chengyan as a weapon to hurt him again.
But for some reason, Xie Chengyan always refused to comply with Xie Wenlang's wishes.
The two were locked in a silent standoff, one trying to escape the other's grasp, the other determined not to let go, neither willing to back down, like an unsolvable knot.
At first glance, it seems as if the scene in front of Renfeng Hall that day has been recreated.
"Sister-in-law... Sister-in-law."
In the tense standoff, Xie Wenlang lowered his head and, for the first time, reluctantly uttered that form of address.
The last two words were muffled in the dappled shade of the trees, but they made her heart pound. Shen Xi was stunned for a moment, and her nose felt sore.
Finally, she gave up on her struggle with Xie Chengyan, turned her head away and closed her eyes, unwilling to look at Xie Wenlang calling her sister-in-law.
Xie Chengyan's wickedness was revealed at an extremely inopportune moment. He lowered his eyes and took in her expression.
His grip tightened, and his gaze turned dark as he looked at her: "Xi'er, Erlang is calling you. As the eldest sister-in-law, why don't you answer?"
Shen Xi did not respond, averting her gaze and refusing to participate in Xie Chengyan's exceptionally childish declaration of possession.
But what Xie Chengyan wanted to do could not be easily changed.
Suddenly, slender fingertips touched Shen Xi's cheek, two fingers supporting her chin, and without saying a word, turned her face to face, forcing her to look directly at Xie Wenlang.
He then leaned down and whispered in her ear, his thin lips close to hers. To outsiders, it looked like a newlywed couple whispering sweet nothings to each other.
But his words made Shen Xi stiffen: "Xi'er, Erlang asked if you're doing well... Heh, it seems I didn't try hard enough last night, that's why you don't look well."
Mentioning such a private topic in front of Xie Wenlang caused Shen Xi's face to turn pale instantly. She pursed her lips tightly and glanced at Xie Chengyan with a cold and stern expression.
She was nothing like the tolerant and gentle person she was when she first woke up this morning.
Chen Xi's silence made Xie Chengyan lower his eyebrows slightly. He suddenly lowered his eyes, curled his lips, and then raised his eyes again, speaking in a voice that Xie Wenlang could just hear clearly, seemingly out of concern.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Are you tired from last night?"
"Thank you, Chengyan!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Shen Xi could no longer hold back, turned around, and angrily shouted his name to stop him.
But it was too late.
Although he spoke cryptically, no one could fail to understand the meaning behind his words.
Sure enough, Xie Wenlang clenched his teeth upon hearing this. Watching Shen Xi and his brother's blissful scene, he suppressed all his resentment and was deeply shaken.
Knowing something is one thing, but seeing it with your own eyes is quite another.
He dared not linger any longer, fearing that at some point he might lose control and lose his composure in front of his brother.
Isn't today's situation entirely his doing?
He himself pushed his favorite girl into his brother's arms.
However, as long as she is doing well, everything is fine.
Having confirmed it with his own eyes, he was finally relieved; he trusted his brother's character.
So Xie Wenlang lowered his eyes, no longer looking at Shen Xi, and hurriedly took his leave.
Watching his departing figure, Shen Xi was filled with turmoil. She had always known Xie Wenlang's feelings for her, and for him to witness her intimate moments with Xie Chengyan time and time again must have been like a knife to his heart.
She turned around and looked at Xie Chengyan with resentment.
Just now, every word and every action he took was deliberately done for Xie Wenlang's benefit.
"Xie Chengyan, I have already married you as you wished, why do you still want this?"
Xie Chengyan's eyes were cold: "Oh? What did I do? I just asked you to respond to Erlang by calling him sister-in-law."
"You knew..."
Before she could finish speaking, Shen Xi suddenly realized she shouldn't have mentioned it, and immediately swallowed the rest of her words.
Xie Chengyan took two steps closer, his eyes like unfathomable pools, staring at her silently as he slowly and deliberately completed what Shen Xi had just said.
"What do you know? Do you know that my brother is still thinking about my new wife and can't forget her? Or do you know that my good wife loses her composure every time she sees Erlang?"
Each word, each phrase, pressed down heavily with an overwhelming sense of oppression, piercing straight to the heart.
Shen Xi saw the obsessive gloom in his eyes; that look was clearly that of someone looking at a submissive plaything who could not resist.
If they obey, feed and groom them; if they disobey, punish them.
A sense of powerlessness suddenly swept over him; they could never reach an agreement on Xie Wenlang's matter.
Arguing with him is pointless; nothing will come of it.
It's better to go along with him and live in a daze. At worst, we can try to avoid Xie Wenlang in the future.
If she can't afford to offend Xie Chengyan, she can always avoid him.
Therefore, Shen Xi took a deep breath, hiding all the resentment and displeasure in her heart. When she looked up again, she had already pulled out a flawless smile and spoke gently.
“We are already married. Now you are my husband. Between you and me, why should we mention anyone else?”
Xie Chengyan's gaze paused for a moment, vaguely sensing something was amiss, but the next instant, Shen Xi had already wrapped her arms around his, her soft body pressed close to his, her posture intimate.
"Has your father finished talking to you?"
Unsure of her intentions, Xie Chengyan simply responded with a cold "Hmm."
Shen Xi remained unmoved by his indifference, still wearing a perfect smile, and softly said, "In that case, let's go. Last night, you said you would take me to the hot spring in the other courtyard."
Before Xie Chengyan could even test her, she took his arm and headed out of the Duke's mansion without a second thought.
It seemed as if she had truly let go of Xie Wenlang completely.
Xie Chengyan stood still, his gaze falling on the smiling, seemingly normal face beside him, and a sense of unease arose in his heart.
Shen Xi ignored his questioning gaze, took half a step forward, and when she realized he hadn't followed, she turned around and softly called out, "Husband?"
With just this one word, Xie Chengyan's eyes flickered slightly, and after only a moment, he finally put aside those unresolved issues in his heart.
Now, she is his lawfully wedded wife. Even if there are storms, what can they do?
Xie Chengyan's lips curled slightly, his previous coldness fading away. He stepped forward, grasped Shen Xi's hand, and enveloped it in his palm.
"Okay, I'll take you there now."
The hot spring that Shen Xi mentioned was dug from Xie Chengyan's private villa. He had mentioned it casually last night when he was in a daze, and the two of them originally did not have this plan for today.
Just now at the Duke's mansion, Shen Xi only remembered it in a moment of panic and used it as an excuse to change the subject and take Xie Chengyan away from the Duke's mansion, so as not to dwell on her and Xie Wenlang's affairs.
The villa is nestled halfway up the mountain, surrounded by lush vegetation, offering a tranquil and serene atmosphere. The hot spring, fed by fresh water, is filled with steam that never ceases.
Xie Chengyan is usually busy with official duties and rarely comes here, but he specially asked someone to clean it in advance because he knew Shen Xi was coming.
When the two arrived, the hot spring was already set out with wine, fruit, and vegetables, and all the servants had already left, leaving them a quiet place.
Xie Chengyan was temporarily held up by the urgent official business reported by Liang Tuo, so he went aside to discuss and deal with it, while Shen Xi went to the hot spring alone.
Quiet and serene, with rising mist, Chen Xi removed her clothes and entered the water. The warm spring water enveloped her body, and in a daze, she remembered her dream from the past.
In such a hot spring pool, the heat was intense, and she was held tightly in front of him, rising and falling with the current.
At that time, she did not know who the person in her dream was.
And now, they are all bathing with him.
To be honest, since recovering from that fall into the water in the palace, she hadn't had such embarrassing dreams for a long time.
It's as if all those enchanting dreams were just an illusion, like morning dew that evaporates quietly as the sun rises, leaving no trace.
As Shen Xi stepped in, the water rippled before her eyes, and her body, exhausted from the previous night's ordeal, was enveloped in warmth, gradually relaxing.
She leaned against the pool wall, closed her eyes contentedly, and lazily stirred the spring water with her fingertips, listening to the gentle patter of the water echoing in her ears.
After an unknown amount of time, just as Shen Xi was about to drift off to sleep in the warmth, a large hand unexpectedly pressed down on her bare shoulder.
Shen Xi suddenly snapped to attention, almost letting out a cry. She instinctively tried to stand up from the hot spring, but the person behind her pushed her back down.
Still shaken, she glanced to the side and saw that it was Xie Chengyan.
He applied slight pressure with his palm, gently massaging her shoulders and neck, his gaze falling on the patch of skin of Shen Xi that was exposed above the water.
Her skin was like solidified cream, dotted with the ambiguous red marks he had left the night before, which were concealed by the steam from the hot spring, making her even more alluring.
Xie Chengyan's throat bobbed as he looked into her frightened eyes, his voice slightly deep: "What are you afraid of? Besides me, who else can come in?"
Shen Xi's body stiffened slightly. After a moment, she suppressed her thoughts and forced herself to relax slowly, but she was still not used to being honest with him.
Moreover, at this moment, she was completely naked, while he was fully clothed.
So she sank a little deeper into the water, the water reaching her collarbone, and said in a muffled voice, "Why do you walk so quietly?"
The delicate touch in her palm suddenly disappeared. Xie Chengyan saw through her thoughts, chuckled lightly, chased after her, grabbed her damp nape, and leaned closer.
His teasing gaze swept across the water: "Xi'er, no matter how well you hide, I can see right through you."
As soon as he finished speaking, he clearly saw a thin layer of red quickly spread from her ears to her whole body, the tips of her ears were so red that they could almost drip blood, and her rounded shoulders were also flushed with a faint pink.
Shen Xi was both ashamed and angry. She raised her hand to cover the enchanting spring scenery in front of her, but realized that his intentions were really bad. She took two steps forward to break free from his restraint and shrank back into the hot spring.
The bottom of the hot spring pool was paved with bluestone. Chen Xi slipped and fell into the spring water. He choked on the water several times and struggled uncontrollably.
Xie Chengyan's expression changed, and he immediately stepped into the pool, wrapped his long arm around her, grasped her smooth body in his palm, and pulled her out of the water.
Shen Xi choked violently, her whole body went limp and she slumped weakly against Xie Chengyan.
Naked, she was held in his arms, her delicate skin rubbing against his still-clothed clothes, making her uncomfortable, and she couldn't help but squirm a few times.
Xie Chengyan tightened his grip suddenly, his voice hoarse, and his eyes darkened: "Don't move."
Shen Xi was unaware of his strange behavior and was only focused on calming her breathing. Her skin, which had already been flushed from Xie Chengyan's teasing, became even more pink and tender.
Water droplets from her hair rolled down her cheeks and dripped onto his neck, stinging his skin.
Xie Chengyan was completely soaked in the spring water, but he didn't care. He held her in his arms, his palms reaching behind her back to gently stroke her smooth spine.
"I should have taught you how to swim a long time ago. You can't even choke on water this shallow."
Shen Xi raised her wet eyes and glared at him pitifully: "I don't need you to teach me."
The voice was weak from choking on water, and the accusation sounded weak and lacked any power.
Xie Chengyan smiled and brushed aside the damp strands of hair on her forehead: "So, who do you want to teach you?"
Shen Xi's eyes reddened, and she stubbornly said, "I'm self-taught, is that not allowed?"
Xie Chengyan readily agreed: "Of course it's feasible, but remember to call me when you're learning."
"What do you want?"
He leaned closer, his thin lips almost touching mine: "If you drown yourself here, wouldn't I be without a wife?"
"Thank you, Chengyan!"
Shen Xi glared at him angrily, but he seemed oblivious, leaning over her and gently sucking on her bright red earlobe, responding with muffled sounds.
"Yes, I'm here."
A strange feeling welled up inside her, and Shen Xi turned her head slightly, trying to avoid him, but Xie Chengyan relentlessly chased after her.
Her gaze faltered, her eyelashes trembled, she gently closed her eyes, and then looked up again, as if she had made up her mind.
The next moment, she reached out and hooked her hand around Xie Chengyan's belt, beginning to remove his soaking wet clothes.
Xie Chengyan understood the implication of this gesture. He paused slightly, his dark gaze fixed on her cheeks, flushed from the hot spring.
"What? You still have the energy to provoke me today?"
He had originally planned not to do anything today, considering that it was her first time last night and her body would need a few days to adjust. However, she unexpectedly offered herself to him.
Shen Xi didn't answer, but instead took the opportunity to lean in and get closer. Xie Chengyan understood and protected her, letting her do whatever she wanted.
Lifted up by that solid force, Shen Xi instantly became half a head taller than him.
Without much hesitation, she tossed the belt behind her, cupped Xie Chengyan's face in her hands, lowered her head, and placed a kiss directly on his half-closed eyelids.
She lightly pecked down his high, straight nose, teasing him and igniting a flame along the way.
A spark ignited in Xie Chengyan's eyes, which quickly spread. Suddenly, he pinned her against the cool pool wall, his palms firmly gripping her slender waist.
A sudden chill ran down her back, and Shen Xi let out a soft moan, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck: "Cold..."
Xie Chengyan chuckled, turned around, and leaned against the pool wall, completely surrounding her in front of him.
Warm palms covered her waist, holding her captive so she couldn't escape.
Shen Xi couldn't take it and shrank back, but he pressed her back down without any room for argument.
She could hardly bear it and looked up.
But then she heard a passionate voice beside her ear: "Xi'er is so spoiled."
*
For two consecutive days after their wedding, Shen Xi and Xie Chengyan stayed together, enjoying their honeymoon.
Everything that I had dreamed of, or even things that I hadn't, I put into practice.
If outsiders saw them, they would only think they were a loving couple, and no one would imagine that behind the scenes they were estranged and scheming.
After two days of passionate lovemaking, when Shen Xi returned home on the third day, the red marks on her skin, hidden beneath her clothes, had not yet faded. Fortunately, no one else knew about them except Xie Chengyan.
The plants and trees in the Shen residence remained unchanged, everything was all too familiar, but Shen Xi felt no ripples in her heart. In the end, today's homecoming banquet was just a formality.
She was never very close to Shen Guangjun and Jiang Shi.
When they saw Shen Xi, they didn't show the usual care and concern that one would show to a daughter returning home. Instead, they looked preoccupied, their faces clouded with worry, and their hesitant gazes would occasionally sweep over her.
The atmosphere wasn't much better than when the Duke's mansion was visited to greet the parents-in-law that day.
Shen Xi lowered her eyes, pretending not to notice, and she and Xie Chengyan simply went to church.
Jiang rushed back the day before Shen Xi and Xie Chengyan's wedding, and Shen Xi had not had a chance to see her before today.
When Madam Jiang returned home, she naturally brought her most beloved son with her, but he was not seen today, so his condition must still not be very optimistic.
Shen Xi didn't care about this; not needing to see Shen Wangchen was naturally the best thing.
During the meal, only Xie Chengyan and Shen Guangjun exchanged a few words, which were nothing more than trivial court gossip.
Jiang looked at Shen Xi and wanted to say something several times, but Xie Chengyan was sitting right next to Shen Xi and wouldn't leave her side, so she could only awkwardly look away.
It was impossible for the two of them not to notice such an eerie atmosphere, but since the Shen family didn't mention it, Shen Xi and Xie Chengyan acted as if nothing had happened.
Putting aside everything else, the two are similar in this respect: they are both able to remain calm and composed.
The meal was eaten without any flavor. Just as the two were about to say goodbye and leave, Shen Wan, who had been holding back for so long, finally couldn't help but step forward and grab a piece of Shen Xi's sleeve, timidly speaking.
"Sister, could you go see brother?"
Shen Xi paused for a moment. She hadn't paid attention to Shen Wangchen's affairs for a long time. Only when Shen Wan mentioned this did she belatedly realize where the strange atmosphere at the dinner table came from.
It turns out it was all for Chen Wangchen.
Shen Xi exchanged a glance with Xie Chengyan beside her without showing any emotion. She had not forgotten who was the culprit who made Shen Wangchen into the way he was today.
Xie Chengyan stood tall and elegant, his eyes calm and undisturbed. He met her gaze with a slight raise of his eyebrows, but did not respond.
This means letting her handle it herself.
Shen Xi composed herself and replied calmly, "My elder brother is recuperating, so we won't bother him any longer."
But Shen Wan glanced at Xie Chengyan's expression and, seeing that he didn't react, dared to continue stammering, "But, brother really wants to see you."
What did Shen Wangchen want to see her for?
Shen Xi frowned and glanced at Jiang Shi and Shen Guangjun's expressions. They stood behind Shen Wan, their guilty gazes looking at her awkwardly. They neither stopped her nor said anything, which must have meant the same thing.
As the sun sank lower, the setting sun cast a silent shadow that fell upon Shen Xi, creating a stark divide between her and the Shen family.
The suffocating feeling she had finally managed to escape returned, wrapped around her heart again in the dim shadows of the setting sun, tightly enveloping her and tightening layer by layer, making it hard for her to breathe.
Shen Xi took a step back, which happened to touch Xie Chengyan's shoulder behind her. He stretched out his forearm and wrapped his arm around her waist, gently kneading it.
The familiar touch against my waist was unexpectedly reassuring.
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