Chapter 96 Chapter 96 He was silent, gentle, sincere, and cautious...
The wooden box fell to the ground with a bang, and the letter papers scattered everywhere. Jiang Hexue was holding the marriage certificate in his hand, his body swaying slightly.
As early as when she knew that Chen Qingchen had come to look for her in the winter of the seventeenth year, she was curious about why he came.
Since he had been studying in the south for seventeen years, he did not need to pass through Liangzhou when returning to Beijing to celebrate the New Year.
She had thought that he came to Liangzhou on business and came to see her by the way, and she wondered why Fu Wang said so confidently that day, "He likes you."
But she never expected that Chen Qingchen had come to propose to her specially in the past.
Jiang Hexue took a deep breath, barely suppressed the shock in her heart, and began to read the marriage certificate.
In the winter of the seventeenth year of Yongjia, he was only seventeen years old. His handwriting at that time was a little more immature than it is now, but it also showed his proud character. Every stroke he wrote was clearly solemn.
All his previous letters had no address to her, probably because he felt that "Mrs. Jiang" was too unfamiliar, and using her maiden name seemed a bit frivolous.
At the beginning of this marriage certificate, it seemed as if the decision had finally been made, with the four characters "He Xue Zhuang Ci" written neatly.
Jiang Hexue felt like laughing at an inappropriate time.
Because of her childhood friends in Liangzhou, regardless of gender, anyone who was even slightly familiar with her would basically call her "Hexue".
As for Shen Qingchen, this kind of intimacy is only dared to be used in the marriage certificate.
She pursed her lips and continued reading——
"I have long admired you. Although we parted last year, my heart is still with you."
Jiang Hexue never expected that the person who was so reserved and introverted that he only dared to write "Hexue" would be so straightforward in his first words. Her ears turned red with shame and her heartbeat became disordered.
Shen Qingchen has liked her for a long time? When did it start? And why?
Usually, the reason for the marriage would be clearly stated at the bottom of the letter, but this one did not, as if the confession he had just made had exhausted his courage.
Afterwards, he did not say anything like "I don't have the honor of riding in a carriage and riding in a horse" which is usually used to be modest. Instead, he wrote truthfully:
"My annual salary is twenty thousand taels of silver, and I also own profitable farms and shops. Foreign countries pay tribute at the end of the year, and there are many rare antiques. I can always tailor clothes and accessories to suit your taste."
"There's no limit to the meat dishes and pastries served daily in the mansion, and there's also an endless supply of fine teas and wines. You can be sure to eat and drink to your liking at any time."
"The Heng'an Palace has six entrances and six exits. You can plant flowers and trees as you like: red cherries in spring, roses in summer, hibiscus in autumn, and red plums in winter. There's also a swing for your nighttime entertainment, and you can also add lounge chairs and other items."
Jiang Hexue couldn't help laughing, and could almost imagine the young Shen Qingchen writing this marriage certificate at the table.
The corners of his lips were slightly pursed, as he would do when he was thinking.
The tips of the ears must be blushing, as must the face, and perhaps the neck is also rosy.
You must also keep your back straight and your posture solemn.
As she smiled, her eyes felt a little sore again.
He had admired her to this extent.
It turned out that he had been looking forward to spending his whole life with her for many years, and on the day of her coming of age, he couldn't wait for her to receive the marriage certificate.
But in those days, with the passionate love of a young man, he braved the wind and snow to cross most of Longlin and came to Liangzhou, but what he received was the "death news" of his sweetheart.
She spoke with certainty, took him to see her grave with his own eyes, and forced him to accept the so-called "facts."
Jiang Hexue tightly grasped the red silk inlaid with gold that held the marriage certificate, blinked hard to suppress the bitter tears, and lowered her gaze.
"Today, I will not follow the formalities of formality. I simply express my sincere love and wish to marry Hexue. If you agree, I will choose an auspicious day and present generous gifts to marry you. I wish you will be together forever and grow old together."
A normal marriage contract would have ended here, but he didn't.
"If you refuse, that's fine too. If you need my help in the future, I hope you will treat me as a friend and not hesitate."
After adding this, he signed off.
After reading the marriage certificate, all of Jiang Hexue's confusions were answered in an instant.
Why did Princess Heng'an have to be her?
Why is it that everything about the Heng'an Palace suits her needs?
Why did he take every detail of her preferences, even a casual remark, into careful memory?
Because of the years here, Shen Qingchen has always been in love with her.
Silent, gentle, sincere, and cautious.
It started with emotion and ended with etiquette. At the beginning of the marriage, I didn't know her feelings, so I never relied on my status as a husband and did nothing beyond the rules.
Jiang Hexue was completely unable to suppress the soreness in her eyes. Her eyelashes trembled slightly and tears wet the corners of her eyes.
She held the marriage certificate tightly in one hand, lifted the hem of her skirt with the other, and hurriedly ran towards Shen Qingchen's courtyard.
She couldn't wait to see him.
Crossing the slightly desolate flower garden of the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion, she broke into Shen Qingchen's courtyard and pushed the door open: "Husband——"
The young man holding the scroll in front of the desk turned around when he heard this.
He was dressed in white, spotless, with a slender and upright figure, and his eyebrows and eyes were cold and clear. But when his eyes met hers, he became gentle in an instant, like the thin snow in early spring melting into the tips of light green grass buds.
The bright but not hot summer sun set, coating his entire body with a layer of light golden glow. His skin was as white as snow, his thick black eyelashes were distinct, his amber pupils were translucent and clear, and a tiny smile rippled across his face.
Lang Yan is unique and there is no one like him in the world.
Jiang Hexue stopped abruptly, and for the first time she realized that she had behaved impolitely. She subconsciously put the marriage certificate in her hand behind her back, let down her skirt, and tucked her slightly messy hair behind her ears.
The movements were a little awkward and stiff, and they didn't escape Shen Qingchen's eyes at all.
"What's the matter?" He put down the book in his hand and walked towards her.
As he got closer, he saw the pink corners of her eyes and her long, wet eyelashes. He was slightly startled: "Why did you cry? Did someone bump into you?"
Jiang Hexue shook his head.
"Reminiscing the past?" he asked again.
Jiang Hexue still shook her head, her red lips opening and closing several times, not knowing how to start, so she simply stuffed the marriage certificate that she had just hidden behind her into his hands.
When he saw clearly what was in his hand, Shen Qingchen understood instantly.
"Keep them all." He placed the marriage certificate neatly on the table and leaned down slightly to meet her eye level. "Is this why you're crying?"
"I didn't cry." Jiang Hexue blinked away tears and choked with sobs.
Shen Qingchen slightly curved her lips, and gently touched the end of her wet eyes with her fingertips: "Well, never."
"I just didn't!" Jiang Hexue stressed awkwardly. "I was running too fast and got blinded by the sand."
Shen Qingchen laughed: "I know."
He moved his fingers down, cupped her cheeks, and leaned down.
Jiang Hexue instinctively grabbed his sleeve, and the next moment, an unexpected gentle breeze brushed past her eyes.
It felt numb and itchy, and the breath he exhaled was cool, carrying the cool scent of camphor and mint in his toothpaste.
She stood there in a daze.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Hexue stumbled.
"Is there sand in your eyes?" Shen Qingchen slightly bent his lips. "Blow it away to avoid hurting you."
Jiang Hexue's ears suddenly turned red, and he was in a dilemma.
"It's just that there was sand in my eye, and I just rubbed it out myself," she said stubbornly. "You don't need to blow it."
Shen Qingchen said "hmm", but then gently kissed her wet eyelashes.
Jiang Hexue closed her eyes uncontrollably, and the next moment, his velvety kiss fell on her eyelids again, sliding along her eyelashes, and finally stopping at the end of her wet eyes.
He straightened up, touched her cheek with his fingertips, and looked at her with focused and serious eyes.
"Zhaohua, when did it start?" Jiang Hexue's voice cracked as he stared at her like that. "Why have you never mentioned it to me?"
Shen Qingchen dusted the wooden chair for her and asked her to sit down and listen.
Jiang Hexue refused to give in and insisted on sticking with him. He had no choice but to sit down and hold her on his lap: "Like this?"
She was finally satisfied and put her arms around his neck: "Tell me the truth, when did you fall in love with me and why?"
"I don't quite know what exactly started it," Shen Qingchen said honestly after a pause. "When I realized..."
"I seem to like you already."
He had never been a man of passionate emotions.
The young man was innocent and naive. At the beginning of his love, he didn't understand why his heart beat faster when he saw her smile.
"What did you realize that?" Jiang Hexue asked.
Shen Qingchen thought for a moment and asked, "Last year on my birthday, you asked me why I wanted to watch the fireworks. Do you still remember?"
Jiang Hexue nodded: "You even gave me a perfunctory gesture."
"Not perfunctory," he replied, as he had then, recalling the past. "It was on my birthday sixteen years ago, when you celebrated it like this."
-
In the sixteenth year of Yongjia, Chen Qingchen was sixteen and Jiang Hexue was fourteen.
That day, Jiang Hexue played too much and stayed past curfew, so he climbed over the courtyard wall and got in.
Shen Qingchen happened to see her landing skillfully. At that time, he was still reviewing his lessons and looked at her in surprise.
The playful and spoiled girl was stunned for a moment before she realized that her "secret passage" no longer existed.
"Please, don't tell my dad." She winked and acted coquettishly at him. "Little fairy, please."
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and the attendant advised, "Your Highness, it's your birthday today, there's no need to be so hard."
After he persuaded her to leave, Jiang Hexue, who was sitting across the window, was surprised: "Little Immortal, is it your birthday today?"
After getting a "hmm", she said, "Come out, I'll celebrate your birthday."
Perhaps out of curiosity about how to celebrate someone's birthday with nothing in his hands, Shen Qingchen put down the book and walked out.
"Wait a moment." Jiang Hexue ran back to her courtyard, and when she came back, she put her hands behind her back mysteriously.
"You must have had longevity noodles, right?" she asked, and after he said "hmm," she said, "I'll treat you to this."
In her outstretched hand, she held a peach... and on it was a piece of red paper with the word "longevity" written on it.
Shen Qingchen was stunned, but she had already pried open his fingers as before and put them into his hands: "I can't find a suitable birthday gift for the time being, this is for you."
So, on his sixteenth birthday, he was forced to accept a "longevity peach" as a birthday gift.
Jiang Hexue's actions were all relaxed and unrestrained. The next moment, she handed over a white atractylodes with a smile.
"It's also a birthday gift, opened tonight." She pried open his other hand and stuffed Bai Tan in. "For you."
The summer breeze is gentle, the white Tanhua flowers are as flawless as snow, and the fragrance is everywhere.
Shen Qingchen had not expected such a turn of events. She tightened her grip on the flower branches and asked, "What do you mean?"
Bai Tan is a flower that expresses love. While he was waiting for her answer for a few seconds, his heartbeat was already out of rhythm.
"I think this one is the most beautiful." But Jiang Hexue had no idea what it meant and smiled with her eyes curved. "The last one."
She clenched her fists and placed them on her cheeks, then opened them wide: "Please watch the fireworks!"
Under his gaze, she repeatedly clenched and opened her hands, with a bright smile, red lips and white teeth, and eyes as bright as stars.
At that time, Shen Qingchen held Bai Tan, listened to his rapid heartbeat, and suddenly realized——
He hopes that this "strange" girl will be present on his birthday next year and every birthday thereafter.
It was at that moment that he realized.
This kind of emotion is called liking and love.
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