Inside the study of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion
Shen Zhiyi stared at the account book, her mind in turmoil. She had been so engrossed in thinking about the people behind the scenes that she didn't even notice someone pushing the door open and entering the room.
"What are you thinking about?"
Her mind went blank, and she blurted out, "Song Yuxiu..."
After he finished speaking, he suddenly looked up and found Xiao Zhongxuan standing in front of the table. The candlelight flickered in his eyes, and his gaze was scrutinizing and even dangerous. He supported himself on the table with both hands and leaned half of his body over.
"You still have feelings for him?"
“I…” Shen Zhiyi was speechless.
"No wonder you haven't come to see me lately? So you've got another man on your mind." His tone was full of grievance. "Madam, can't you look at me a little more? I have everything that Song Yuxiu has, and I... can even have children."
Shen Zhiyi's breath hitched, and she bit her lip.
How can this person be so shameless?
How could he say such shameful things without batting an eye?
She couldn't listen anymore. With her face slightly lowered, she refused to look at him. In the candlelight, she sensed a dark shadow approaching. When she looked up again, half of Xiao Zhongxuan's body was already over the desk...
near,
Getting closer and closer,
"Xiao..." Before she could finish speaking, a kiss landed on her forehead.
His lips,
Thinning
soft,
It was also unusually hot.
The heat made her breathing become shallow.
The kiss was devout and earnest, seemingly devoid of any lust.
After kissing her, Xiao Zhongxuan straightened up and pointed to the soup bowl on the table. "I heard from Miss Hongrui that you haven't been sleeping well lately, so I specially made some calming and sleep-aiding soup. Remember to drink it."
Chen Zhi nodded in agreement.
"Then I'll go back to my room first." Xiao Zhongxuan looked at her with a smile. "If you need anything, feel free to contact me anytime."
"good."
“Anything… is fine!” His words seemed to carry a different implication.
Shen Zhiyi rubbed her temples, wondering why she had inexplicably brought him back to the manor.
After he left, she picked up the soup bowl, smelled it, and knew a bit about pharmacology. It contained jujube seeds, ophiopogon japonicus, and citron... all of which are indeed good for calming the nerves and helping with sleep.
Although the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was prestigious and she was pampered as his only daughter, her parents had long taught her that many people were eyeing the Duke's mansion, so she always behaved properly and was usually very polite to outsiders.
She had never seen anyone like Xiao Zhongxuan before.
After drinking the calming soup, he couldn't help but laugh out loud when he thought of how he acted delicate and weak in front of Song Yuxiu.
"Young lady, what are you laughing at?" Hongrui entered the study.
"nothing?"
"You wouldn't be thinking about Young Master Xiao, would you?"
"No."
"This is the first time I've ever seen a man spend all his time in the kitchen just to prepare meals for you. I just mentioned that you haven't been sleeping well lately, and he went to cook soup for you again. I think Young Master Xiao is much better than the young master."
Hongrui sneered, "The young master always cooks for you himself. Don't think I don't know. They're all made by others or bought from outside. There's no sincerity at all!"
"They say they like and care for you, but their actions show absolutely nothing!"
Hongrui hit the nail on the head.
Song Yuxiu loved her... solely because of his words.
Although Xiao Zhongxuan's mouth is always unreliable and he likes to say things that make people blush, making him seem frivolous, he has done a lot of things.
Whether it was the medicine or not, Chen Zhiyi slept soundly until dawn.
In the following days, Song Yuxiu continued to send things to the Duke's mansion without stopping.
Xiao Zhongxuan would always cook calming soup for her and occasionally accompany her in the study while she looked at the account books.
The Shen family's study contained countless military books collected by his father and brothers. Many people found them tedious and boring, but he read them with great interest and would occasionally discuss them with her.
Even after she and Song Yuxiu got married, they never experienced such a situation.
She would occasionally talk to Song Yuxiu about military books, and he would always say, "Madam, after we get married, you only need to focus on the inner quarters and take good care of the Marquis's mansion. Don't read these miscellaneous books."
"It's useless for a young girl like you to be looking at these things."
Shen Zhiyi looked at Xiao Zhongxuan and asked, "Don't you think it's useless for a girl to read military books?"
Xiao Zhongxuan looked up and looked at her seriously. "In ancient times, there were Fu Hao and Mulan, women who were just as capable as men. Women who studied military strategy were able to go into battle and fight the enemy. They were praised and admired by later generations. So why can't a young lady read military strategy books?"
"Besides, even if I can't go to the battlefield to fight for my country, it's just a personal hobby, and that's fine too."
"A person only lives for a few decades, so naturally one should do what one likes."
Chen Zhi's thoughts stirred slightly.
"But many people felt that it was useless for women to study, let alone read military books."
"Who said that? Don't listen to that." Xiao Zhongxuan chuckled. "If studying is useless, why do so many men study? They're just afraid that if women study and broaden their horizons, they won't be content to be confined to the inner quarters and won't be obedient to them..."
Therefore, the idea that women's education is useless is a fallacy!
Xiao Zhongxuan looked her over. "Did Song Yuxiu say that to you?"
"Not entirely."
"Don't listen to or believe what this kind of scumbag says."
Shen Zhiyi simply smiled and nodded.
"Oh, right, I need to go out tomorrow."
Xiao Zhongxuan raised an eyebrow. "Looking at the shop? I'll go with you."
Anyway, he's now a guard in the Duke's mansion, protecting the young lady, so it's normal for him to accompany her to inspect the shops.
"No need. Sister Wen is coming over tomorrow, so we can go shopping and buy some things while we're here."
**
The next day, just as Shen Zhiyi had finished her breakfast, Wen Qing arrived as promised. As soon as she entered the room, she saw Xiao Zhongxuan. Although he was dressed the same as many of the guards in the Duke's mansion, his outstanding appearance and different temperament made him particularly eye-catching.
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