When Cen Xi returned, it was already completely dark. When she went inside, there was no light at all.
Cen Xi thought Shen Jinchen had gone out on business and hadn't returned yet, but as she passed by the table, she saw a pair of dark eyes staring at her.
Cen Xi lit several lamps with a tinderbox before walking up to the person and smiling at him:
"What's wrong? What's wrong with you?"
Shen Jinchen remained silent, staring intently at Cen Xi.
"If you're not going to tell me, then you can keep sitting here. I'm sleepy, so I'm going to go to sleep."
Cen Xi yawned and walked to the bedside. She was tired after a long day and needed to rest well tonight.
As they passed each other, Shen Jinchen grabbed her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and buried his head in her embrace without saying a word.
Cen Xi didn't know what was wrong with him, but she could sense that Shen Jinchen was in a very low mood, so she imitated how Ms. Li used to hug her and patted his back to comfort him.
The two embraced each other in silence for a long time.
Shen Jinchen's voice finally rang out in Cen Xi's arms:
"I'd like you to paint a portrait of me."
"Oh, that's what it is. It's nothing, I'll draw it for you tomorrow."
Cen Xi smiled silently and made a promise.
"Ah-Xi, do you love me?"
Hearing her agree, Shen Jinchen felt much better, but he still wanted to insist on some things.
"If I didn't love you, how could I forgive you so easily? Shen Jinchen, if I didn't love you, do you think that after you found me, with all the mistakes you made before, I could easily go back with you?"
"What's wrong with you today? Did something upset you? Did you go and cause trouble for him because you saw my ex-husband yesterday?"
Cen Xi sighed, then looked at the man with amusement. To call him pretentious wouldn't be an exaggeration.
His current behavior is just pretentious.
“I went to look for you and saw your painting, Ah-Xi. You keep saying you love me, but you've never done anything for me seriously, not even a gift. I... I feel like you don't care about me at all, and you don't have me in your heart.”
Shen Jinchen, seemingly in a fit of pique, admitted to his actions that day, glaring at Cen Xi with an indescribable emotion.
"So that's how it is. No wonder you wanted me to paint your portrait. You're being a bit too coy. If you wanted it, just say so. Why are you sulking like this? I never thought the Prime Minister of a nation could be so adorable, hahaha..."
Cen Xi found his behavior increasingly amusing.
"Can't you be a little more proactive, think of me as your husband, and give me some gifts?"
Shen Jinchen realized that he was being mocked by Shen Jinchen. He had just caught his breath when he was suddenly choked up again.
“I’m not the type of person who takes the initiative, and I never thought I’d have a husband one day. So, I’ve never learned how to be considerate of others. Shen Jinchen, just tell me what you want. It’s almost Chinese New Year, so I’ll prepare something for you. Consider this a way of comforting you.”
"If you hadn't mentioned it, I'd be too simple-minded to know what to give you, and I wouldn't have given you anything."
Cen Xi always prefers to be direct, so she said frankly, "To be honest, I really don't know what to give a man."
Especially men in ancient times.
"I want a purse, and I also want you to make me some clothes."
When Shen Jinchen saw the woman in front of him, her eyes were sincere and she didn't seem to be lying, so he directly asked her to test her.
His words startled Cen Xi, who then earnestly touched Shen Jinchen's forehead and muttered to himself:
"He doesn't have a fever, so what happened to him/her outside?"
"Don't touch me, just tell me if you'll give it to me or not?"
Shen Jinchen removed her hand and looked at her expectantly.
"Alright, I'll buy the purse in town tomorrow, and I'll also pick out a set of clothes for you. But I'm afraid there aren't many good things in this small town. Since you want them, don't be picky."
Cen Xi thought about it and realized she didn't know how to cook, so she could only buy it. Men in love are so dramatic; when does he ever run out of dopamine?
He's like this all the time, and she can't stand it anymore.
“Cen Xi, I want you to make it yourself, not buy it.”
Seeing how perfunctory she was with him, Shen Jinchen was furious.
"Then you'll be disappointed. I can't hold a needle, nor can I sew clothes. If you want someone to do it for you, then you can take a concubine who can sew and let her take care of these things for you. I'm sleepy and don't have time to argue with you. I'm going to sleep now!"
Cen Xi glanced at Shen Jinchen with a complicated expression, then calmly rejected him, yawned, and prepared to go to sleep.
Shen Jinchen stood up abruptly, grabbed Cen Xi's hand, and glared at her angrily, asking:
"Am I so worthless to you? You're always like this, trying to push me onto someone else. Cen Xi, do you even have a heart?"
“Shen Jinchen, that’s just who I am. I’ve said I don’t know how, but I can buy it for you. If you’re not satisfied and insist on it, what can I do? Since you’ve fallen for a woman like me who’s unreliable, you should accept reality. I can’t learn those gentle and considerate women’s manners, and I don’t want to. If you want that kind of woman, you can change. I’ve told you countless times that I don’t mind.”
Why are you getting angry at me now?
Cen Xi was also furious. Was this man crazy? If he liked that kind of woman, why did he bother with her?
Hmph! You think you can change her? Dream on!
"Ha! Hehe! It was indeed I who forced it! It was indeed I who forced it!"
Cen Xi's words made Shen Jinchen realize the reality: the woman in front of him would only ever love herself.
He was really just a man who shamelessly clung to her.
He really wanted to have some backbone, turn around and leave, getting as far away from this woman as possible.
But he knew better than anyone that if he left, this woman would never come looking for him; she would just breathe a sigh of relief and go back to sleep.
Why is it that he was tormented to the point of losing his mind, while the other party can remain calm and composed?
Perhaps he was too angry, for he hadn’t taken more than a few steps when he fell to the ground with a thud, spitting out blood.
Cen Xi hadn't expected that a few simple words would anger him so much, and she panicked immediately. She quickly helped him up and asked:
"What happened to you? Is your old injury still not healed?"
"So you've finally learned to care about me, huh?"
Shen Jinchen sneezed blood from the corner of my mouth, a bitter smile on my face.
"I... come here! Let me help you sit on the bed!"
Cen Xi had no reply, so she changed the subject.
Why won't you answer me directly? Is this how you show you care about me?
Shen Jinchen wouldn't let her move, staring intently at her, wanting her to give him an answer.
"Yes! I care about you, Shen Jinchen, but why are you so upset? It's just a purse and a set of clothes. Why are you so fixated on it? It's not like I'm not going to give you anything. And that cloak you gave me wasn't sewn by you, was it? You expect others to do things you can't do yourself—what a ridiculous notion!"
As Cen Xi spoke, she also felt quite wronged. She didn't know how to use a needle and thread and hated it, so why did this man have to force her?
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