Chapter 14
"This place is indeed dirty and chaotic. I heard that these refugees are suffering from diseases. It would be best if you, Your Highness, did not stay here any longer."
After saying that, Lin Yue'er covered her mouth with a handkerchief, looking extremely disgusted.
Song Xuan did not respond; he simply looked past Lin Yue'er and in the direction Shen Qingnian had just left.
Lin Yue'er didn't receive a reply from Song Xuan, and she felt a little embarrassed: "Then, Crown Prince, I'll take my leave now."
This time, Song Xuan didn't say a word and went straight in the direction Shen Qingnian had left.
Lin Yue'er's heart sank when she saw the direction Song Xuan had left in. She turned to look at Xia Zi standing beside her and frowned as she asked, "When did Crown Prince arrive? Don't try to fool me!"
Xia Zi replied repeatedly, "Miss Lin, His Highness the Crown Prince arrived just now."
Is this Miss Lin confused? She's actually asking me questions.
"Then why did my Crown Prince go that way?" Lin Yue'er was clearly not convinced. That was the direction Shen Qingnian had just left. Could it be that my Crown Prince was chasing after Shen Qingnian?
Xia Zi immediately started making things up: "When Your Highness came down just now, you saw a group of refugees gathered in that direction. Your Highness must have gone there to settle them down."
Upon hearing that there were refugees in that direction, Lin Yue'er quickly said, "Then you should hurry and go check it out. The Crown Prince is of noble birth; if anything happens to him, I will hold you responsible!"
She couldn't possibly chase after them; those refugees were dirty and chaotic, and what if she contracted a disease?
Xia Zi responded softly and quickly left.
Lin Yue'er boarded the carriage with a look of disgust and headed towards the capital.
Inside the carriage.
Lin Yue'er kicked off the embroidered shoes, saying with disgust, "Throw these embroidered shoes off the carriage, they're truly filthy!"
If it weren't for her brother, the Crown Prince, she would never have gone to such a filthy and chaotic place.
Recalling the words the refugees had just used to insult her, Lin Yue'er felt that those refugees deserved it!
Fortunately, Shen Qingnian was dealt with today. Just thinking about how heartbroken she was before she left with her face covered made her feel refreshed!
In a secluded alley in the capital city.
Shen Qingnian arrived at the dilapidated temple. She stood at the entrance without going in, but instead listened carefully to the sounds around her.
Her pristine white clothes were now stained with mud, her cloud-like black hair had come undone as she ran, and wisps of downy hair clung to her temples. The veil on her face had long since flown away.
She looked like a fairy who had fallen to earth, somewhat disheveled, yet all the more stunning.
At this moment, a light rain began to fall from the sky. The fine, dense raindrops landed on Shen Qingnian's shoulders, adding a touch of fragile beauty to her appearance. She took off the sachet from her waist and applied the jasmine fragrance inside to the back of her ears, the hollows of her neck, and her wrists.
She was enveloped in a faint, delicate jasmine fragrance, which the rain could not conceal.
The faint sound of footsteps came from behind her, and Shen Qingnian squatted down helplessly. She hugged her knees and buried her face in them. Her soft sobs were not very clear in the rain, but they were enough for the person behind her to hear.
Realizing the person behind her had caught up, she choked back tears as she recited a line of poetry: "Smoke and dew mingle with a rich, lingering fragrance; I remember meeting you beneath the moon on the Jade Terrace. What should I do with you? What can I do with you...?"
Looking at the thin and fragile girl in front of him, Song Xuan felt a slight pang in his heart. When he heard her utter those words with a sob, his heartache intensified.
He didn't know why the girl had come here, and he dared not think too deeply about it, but a sense of anticipation rose in his heart.
What if it really is her...?
If it weren't for her...
Song Xuan caught a whiff of the faint jasmine scent emanating from the girl. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he couldn't resist reaching out to touch her, wanting to pull her into his arms.
But before he could touch the girl, she turned her head slightly. When she saw it was him, she looked panicked. Her tearful eyes widened as if she had been frightened.
"Miss Chen, don't be afraid," Song Xuan said in the softest voice, carefully comforting the girl in front of him, trying not to frighten her.
He wanted to ask why the other person had come here, and he especially wanted to ask about that day...
The girl didn't give him that chance; she stood up in a panic and tried to leave.
"Miss Shen, please wait!" Song Xuan's tone became slightly more forceful; he wanted to keep Shen Qingnian there.
He... wasn't at ease with her either.
Shen Qingnian stopped in her tracks, her body trembling slightly, and her voice also trembling: "Your Highness, please do not follow."
After saying that, she ran forward, but she hadn't taken more than two steps when Song Xuan grabbed her wrist.
His fair and slender wrist was pulled in his palm. The familiar touch made Song Xuan lose his mind for a moment, but he was shaken off the next moment.
Song Xuan was not angry. He looked at Shen Qingnian and gently comforted her, "This place is in a remote location. It might be dangerous for Miss Shen to go back by herself. I will follow you from a distance and leave after I see you return to the manor."
He couldn't possibly let her return home alone.
Shen Qingnian stiffened for a moment, and after a few breaths, she nodded slightly.
A light rain was falling as two figures in white walked down the street, one after the other. The man was tall and his gentle face was now filled with worry as he fixed his gaze on the girl in white ahead of him.
The girl in white ahead kept her head down and walked quickly forward, occasionally raising her hand to wipe away her tears.
The man's eyes were filled with heartache.
Shen Qingnian chose all the side roads, and since it was raining, there were hardly any pedestrians on the road. The guards who were with Song Xuan had already cleared the road of pedestrians.
Half an hour later, Shen Qingnian arrived at the side gate of the Shen residence. Her clothes were completely soaked, and her black hair was wet on her cheeks. She looked pitiful, yet very beautiful.
Song Xuan approached her, the two standing a few steps apart.
Shen Qingnian glanced at the tall man in front of her, then quickly lowered her eyes and said softly, "Thank you for seeing me off, Your Highness."
Song Xuan wanted to ask, but knew it wasn't the right time, so he whispered, "Miss Chen, please go inside quickly and don't catch a cold."
Shen Qingnian nodded, turned around and knocked on the side door. The doorman opened the door and was immediately startled to see Shen Qingnian standing there, soaking wet.
The next moment, Song Xuan took off his white outer robe and draped it over Shen Qingnian.
Song Xuan's gentle voice sounded somewhat stiff. He coughed lightly and said, "Even though it's wet, it can still block the wind."
The rain soaked Shen Qingnian's clothes, revealing her exquisite curves, which were not particularly obvious but were still visible.
Shen Qingnian did not refuse, and after thanking him in a low voice, she entered the mansion.
The side door closed again, and Song Xuan stood in the rain at the door for a long time until Xia Zi came looking for him, at which point he left.
Shen Qingnian returned to her room, and Xiaoju quickly brought in water for her to bathe. Although it was already spring, she still had to be careful not to catch a cold.
After learning that Shen Qingnian had returned with Song Xuan, the butler waited at the door until Shen Qingnian finished bathing before inviting him in.
"Miss, the butler is waiting at the door. Please hurry," Xiaoju reminded Shen Qingnian while washing her cloud-like black hair.
Shen Qingnian sat in the bathtub, glancing lazily at Xiaoju:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
